Stephen King is such a prolific author that you could compile an entire aesthetically pleasing library in your study just from his books and struggle to find a place to fit them all. Despite having written dozens of novels and well over a hundred short stories and novellas, the King of Horror doesn’t think twice when asked about his own favorite Stephen King works.
Here’s the celebrated author’s Top 5.
5. Survivor Type (1982)
The earliest work on the author’s personal list, Survivor Type is a psychological horror short story that follows a physician stranded on a small island in the middle of nowhere. He used to smuggle heroin, and now it’s the only thing he has: no food or water, just drugs. To survive, the man resorts to self-cannibalism, eating his own flesh by cutting pieces from himself.
4. Stand by Me (1986)
Despite it being based on King’s 1982 novella The Body,...
Here’s the celebrated author’s Top 5.
5. Survivor Type (1982)
The earliest work on the author’s personal list, Survivor Type is a psychological horror short story that follows a physician stranded on a small island in the middle of nowhere. He used to smuggle heroin, and now it’s the only thing he has: no food or water, just drugs. To survive, the man resorts to self-cannibalism, eating his own flesh by cutting pieces from himself.
4. Stand by Me (1986)
Despite it being based on King’s 1982 novella The Body,...
- 6/9/2024
- by dean-black@startefacts.com (Dean Black)
- STartefacts.com
The 1980s was the age of the Brat Pack.
Before the phrase was even coined in 1985, many of the young actors later named Brat Pack members starred in unforgettable films.
In preparation for the release of the 2024 documentary Brats, we're looking at that explosion of Brat Pack movies and what made them so special.
Defining the Brat Pack and Their Films
Before we can delve into what made the Brat Pack films great, we must define them.
There are varying opinions about which movies are actual Brat Pack films.
Related: The Controversial Origins of the Brat Pack
Most people seem to agree that to be considered a Brat Pack film, a movie had to come out between 1983 and 1990 and include at least two Brat Pack actors.
The only problem is that everyone's list of Brat Pack actors seems different.
Journalist David Blum coined the phrase "Brat Pack" in his 1985 article,...
Before the phrase was even coined in 1985, many of the young actors later named Brat Pack members starred in unforgettable films.
In preparation for the release of the 2024 documentary Brats, we're looking at that explosion of Brat Pack movies and what made them so special.
Defining the Brat Pack and Their Films
Before we can delve into what made the Brat Pack films great, we must define them.
There are varying opinions about which movies are actual Brat Pack films.
Related: The Controversial Origins of the Brat Pack
Most people seem to agree that to be considered a Brat Pack film, a movie had to come out between 1983 and 1990 and include at least two Brat Pack actors.
The only problem is that everyone's list of Brat Pack actors seems different.
Journalist David Blum coined the phrase "Brat Pack" in his 1985 article,...
- 6/7/2024
- by Jessica Kosinski
- TVfanatic
Mike Flanagan is a fan of monologues. From his films (like “Doctor Sleep” and “Gerald’s Game”) to his TV series (including “The Haunting of Hill House” and “Midnight Mass”), many a Flanagan character has embarked on a long speech — often uncut but always meticulously edited.
But when he was in talks to direct the next iteration of “The Exorcist” franchise, the executives in charge were “concerned” about the film getting too talky.
“Part of what I said to Blumhouse and Universal when we were discussing this was I don’t think this is a monologue project,” Flanagan said while speaking on a panel at the Atx TV Festival. “The ritual itself is something of a monologue, but we’ve seen that. We’ve seen somebody shout prayers at somebody. That was scary 50 years ago, I don’t see that working here.”
Still, given Flanagan’s history, he said he understood why they would be concerned.
But when he was in talks to direct the next iteration of “The Exorcist” franchise, the executives in charge were “concerned” about the film getting too talky.
“Part of what I said to Blumhouse and Universal when we were discussing this was I don’t think this is a monologue project,” Flanagan said while speaking on a panel at the Atx TV Festival. “The ritual itself is something of a monologue, but we’ve seen that. We’ve seen somebody shout prayers at somebody. That was scary 50 years ago, I don’t see that working here.”
Still, given Flanagan’s history, he said he understood why they would be concerned.
- 6/1/2024
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
This past weekend, The Cabot theater in Beverly, Massachusetts hosted an event that was billed as An Evening With Richard Dreyfuss + Jaws Screening – but attendees did not expect what they got from legendary actor Richard Dreyfuss when he took the stage. Most of them probably expected the moderator to lead Dreyfuss on an overview of his amazing career, allowing him to discuss not only Jaws (and set the record straight about whether or not he was a jerk on set) but also films like American Graffiti, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Stand by Me, Stakeout, What About Bob?, or the two that earned him recognition from the Academy: Mr. Holland’s Opus (he earned a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance in the film) and The Goodbye Girl (he won the Best Actor Oscar for that one). Instead, Dreyfuss used the event as an opportunity to go on...
- 5/28/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
In a time when any comment can be taken as being offensive, every public figure has to be careful. Whether you agree with that or not, the situation is like that, and one has to be careful what comes out of their mouth. In light of that, there is a profound confusion when public figures come out and openly do something stupid. And we’re not referring to situations that can be misinterpreted, that can go either way, but about situations when a public figure openly says stupid things and offensive things. How can this happen? Having an opinion is one thing, but being blatantly offensive towards others and slandering them based on their race, gender, religion… why? How?
Well, we’ve recently reported about Michael Richards’ old outburst, and we are now “honored” to report on another, more recent incident that happened in Massachusetts. The incident involves famous actor Richard Dreyfuss,...
Well, we’ve recently reported about Michael Richards’ old outburst, and we are now “honored” to report on another, more recent incident that happened in Massachusetts. The incident involves famous actor Richard Dreyfuss,...
- 5/28/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
Noted American actor Richard Dreyfuss has been on the receiving end of stark criticism after his appearance at a special screening event of Jaws at The Cabot theater in Beverly, Massachusetts. The 76-year-old was the special guest at an “An Evening With Richard Dreyfuss + Jaws Screening” which was held over Memorial Day.
However, hundreds of attendees allegedly walked out of the Q&a session following multiple homophobic, transphobic, and racist comments allegedly made at the event by Dreyfuss. According to social media responses, Dreyfuss allegedly spoke offensively about Barbara Streisand, and criticized the Academy’s rules on inclusivity, before going on a rant against transphobic people ‘affirming their gender.’
Richard Dreyfuss in The Goodbye Girl. | Warner Bros.
The actor, who was last seen in Sweetwater, has continued to work in recent years but might get in further trouble considering the kind of responses from fans.
Who is Richard Dreyfuss?
Richard...
However, hundreds of attendees allegedly walked out of the Q&a session following multiple homophobic, transphobic, and racist comments allegedly made at the event by Dreyfuss. According to social media responses, Dreyfuss allegedly spoke offensively about Barbara Streisand, and criticized the Academy’s rules on inclusivity, before going on a rant against transphobic people ‘affirming their gender.’
Richard Dreyfuss in The Goodbye Girl. | Warner Bros.
The actor, who was last seen in Sweetwater, has continued to work in recent years but might get in further trouble considering the kind of responses from fans.
Who is Richard Dreyfuss?
Richard...
- 5/27/2024
- by Rishabh Bhatnagar
- FandomWire
Surreal. That’s how Misan Harriman describes his first time at the Academy Awards earlier this year. Six years before, his wife had bought him a Fujifilm X100 for his 40th birthday and encouraged him to start taking pictures with it. Then there he was, surrounded by the global industry’s most overachieving, himself an Oscar-nominated director.
He had always loved film, having been raised on ’80s and ’90s cinema like The Lost Boys, Big Trouble in Little China and Stand By Me. He describes Home Alone, of all things, as “more than entertainment for troubled kids like me,” and will share his connection to the classic movie’s study of “trauma response” and the way it, and films like it, saved him. Born in Nigeria in 1977, Harriman was the only Black kid at his British boarding school. “With my kind of neurodiversity, I’m not supposed to be good at anything,...
He had always loved film, having been raised on ’80s and ’90s cinema like The Lost Boys, Big Trouble in Little China and Stand By Me. He describes Home Alone, of all things, as “more than entertainment for troubled kids like me,” and will share his connection to the classic movie’s study of “trauma response” and the way it, and films like it, saved him. Born in Nigeria in 1977, Harriman was the only Black kid at his British boarding school. “With my kind of neurodiversity, I’m not supposed to be good at anything,...
- 5/17/2024
- by Joe Utichi
- Deadline Film + TV
Andrea Scrosati, Fremantle’s group COO and CEO for continental Europe, is understandably proud that the company has landed five titles in the Cannes official selection, three of which – “Kinds of Kindness,” by Yorgos Lanthimos, Paolo Sorrentino’s “Parthenope” and Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov’s “Limonov” — are in competition.
The other two are Rungano Nyoni’s “On becoming a Guinea Fowl” and Ariane Labed’s “September Says,” both in Un Certain Regard.
“The incredible diversity of these titles – even in terms of the geographies and cultures they’re based on – is exactly the result of our strategy,” he tells Variety.
Scrosati, who is the architect of Fremantle’s expansion under a business model comprising a cluster of companies across Europe and beyond, discussed how he’s navigating a changing marketplace ahead of Cannes.
It looks like you’re scaling up on the film side. Why?
I think this comes from...
The other two are Rungano Nyoni’s “On becoming a Guinea Fowl” and Ariane Labed’s “September Says,” both in Un Certain Regard.
“The incredible diversity of these titles – even in terms of the geographies and cultures they’re based on – is exactly the result of our strategy,” he tells Variety.
Scrosati, who is the architect of Fremantle’s expansion under a business model comprising a cluster of companies across Europe and beyond, discussed how he’s navigating a changing marketplace ahead of Cannes.
It looks like you’re scaling up on the film side. Why?
I think this comes from...
- 5/16/2024
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Stephen King may be an unquestionable master of the horror genre, but his storytelling reaches a whole new level when it comes to the proclaimed author’s dramatic narrative.
Behind the immense popularity of King’s eerie novels It, Carrie or The Shining, there are some truly brilliant pieces of his work like Stand by Me, The Green Mile or The Shawshank Redemption that for some reason went more into the scary stories’ shadows.
King’s drama novels nonetheless prove themselves to be a lot deeper regarding some mundane aspects, and Hulu’s unfairly forgotten miniseries appears to be a good example for it.
What Is 11.22.63 About?
Based on King’s 2011 novel of the same name, Hulu’s sci-fi drama show 11.22.63 follows Jake Epping, a recently divorced English teacher living in Maine (just like Stephen King’s many other fictional characters). Out of nowhere Jake is given a one-in-a-million...
Behind the immense popularity of King’s eerie novels It, Carrie or The Shining, there are some truly brilliant pieces of his work like Stand by Me, The Green Mile or The Shawshank Redemption that for some reason went more into the scary stories’ shadows.
King’s drama novels nonetheless prove themselves to be a lot deeper regarding some mundane aspects, and Hulu’s unfairly forgotten miniseries appears to be a good example for it.
What Is 11.22.63 About?
Based on King’s 2011 novel of the same name, Hulu’s sci-fi drama show 11.22.63 follows Jake Epping, a recently divorced English teacher living in Maine (just like Stephen King’s many other fictional characters). Out of nowhere Jake is given a one-in-a-million...
- 5/10/2024
- by benjamin-patel@startefacts.com (Benjamin Patel)
- STartefacts.com
The King of Horror’s works have become one of the greatest sources of the filmmakers’ inspiration, as numerous movies and TV titles, based on Stephen King’s novels, brought billions of dollars to the industry. Some of them have even gained worldwide popularity and the golden status and are being discussed and rewatched by fans annually.
These include the 1986 movie with a seemingly straightforward premise. It focuses on four young boys, Gordie, Vern, Chris and Teddy, hoping to become famous in their hometown by finding a dead body of a stranger accidentally killed in the Oregon woods.
Their journey towards the body, however, offers a bunch of unexpected turns, including the unpleasant encounters and the hostility of the wilderness. As they go further in the forest, they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives.
Thus, this film presents a metaphor of coming of age,...
These include the 1986 movie with a seemingly straightforward premise. It focuses on four young boys, Gordie, Vern, Chris and Teddy, hoping to become famous in their hometown by finding a dead body of a stranger accidentally killed in the Oregon woods.
Their journey towards the body, however, offers a bunch of unexpected turns, including the unpleasant encounters and the hostility of the wilderness. As they go further in the forest, they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives.
Thus, this film presents a metaphor of coming of age,...
- 5/7/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Ava Raxa)
- STartefacts.com
Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross’s Gasoline Rainbow is an unusually poetic road film, as it has less in common with cut-and-paste teen party flicks than it does with the existentially freighted sensibilities of The Endless Summer, Two-Lane Blacktop, and even The Outwaters. Blending documentary and fictional elements together as they have in films like Western and Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets, the Ross brothers fashion an aesthetic that’s something like the best of both worlds. Gasoline Rainbow’s teenagers are rendered with unusual realism, while the imagery has the resonance and intensity that speaks of the resources and planning that’s typically associated with fictional films. It feels simultaneously “of the moment” and retrospective—a subtle yet formally extravagant teenage daydream.
For viewers who’re removed from their high school years, the realism of Gasoline Rainbow may require acclimation. The film’s teens—Tony (Tony Abuerto), Micah (Micah Bunch...
For viewers who’re removed from their high school years, the realism of Gasoline Rainbow may require acclimation. The film’s teens—Tony (Tony Abuerto), Micah (Micah Bunch...
- 5/5/2024
- by Chuck Bowen
- Slant Magazine
“I wasn’t competing for my life,” says Grammy-nominated singer Ruben Studdard when comparing his recent appearance on “The Masked Singer” to winning “American Idol” in 2003. “The stakes were much higher for me on ‘American Idol’ than they will ever be on ‘The Masked Singer.’ I wanted to win, but it’s just completely different.” Studdard competed on the Fox reality TV competition with his pal Clay Aiken as Beets, who adds, “‘The Masked Singer’ pays so much better.” Watch their exclusive video interview with Gold Derby senior editor Denton Davidson above.
The duo lost the Group B finals to Gumball, and were sent home after belting out “One Moment in Time” by Whitney Houston. “I am not competitive at all,” Clay admits when asked if he was upset. “I have gotten so good at losing shows that if I had won I would probably be more upset because it would ruin my reputation.
The duo lost the Group B finals to Gumball, and were sent home after belting out “One Moment in Time” by Whitney Houston. “I am not competitive at all,” Clay admits when asked if he was upset. “I have gotten so good at losing shows that if I had won I would probably be more upset because it would ruin my reputation.
- 5/2/2024
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
10. Christine (1983)
She’s amazing, a true classic that leaves all men around her in awe, but her mind is evil and perverted. He’s a nerdy teenager who falls in love with her and succumbs to her dark will, eager to do anything to please her.
She can’t have any competitors because she kills them. He changes to better suit her. She’s his brand new… Car.
You can watch Christine on Max, Netflix, and Prime Video.
9. The Mist (2007)
It’s not what we see that truly terrifies us; it’s what we don’t see but know that it’s there. A mysterious mist surrounds a small town, letting out countless supernatural beings that hunt down their human prey. There’s no escape from them, but some still hope to survive the mist: a group of humans holes up in a supermarket to stay alive.
You can watch...
She’s amazing, a true classic that leaves all men around her in awe, but her mind is evil and perverted. He’s a nerdy teenager who falls in love with her and succumbs to her dark will, eager to do anything to please her.
She can’t have any competitors because she kills them. He changes to better suit her. She’s his brand new… Car.
You can watch Christine on Max, Netflix, and Prime Video.
9. The Mist (2007)
It’s not what we see that truly terrifies us; it’s what we don’t see but know that it’s there. A mysterious mist surrounds a small town, letting out countless supernatural beings that hunt down their human prey. There’s no escape from them, but some still hope to survive the mist: a group of humans holes up in a supermarket to stay alive.
You can watch...
- 5/2/2024
- by dean-black@startefacts.com (Dean Black)
- STartefacts.com
“It’s always fun as an actor coming out as an alter identity where you’re fully immersed in it,” says Corey Feldman, who was unmasked as Seal on “The Masked Singer” Thursday night. “You get to actually play into the character. The great banter that was improvised on the stage was all improvised. It’s not like you know what you’re gonna say or what they’re going to say. It keeps you on your fins. It was a lot of fun!” Watch his exclusive video interview with Gold Derby senior editor Denton Davidson above.
Feldman reveals the most difficult part of the process for him was watching the songs other people got to do. “Why didn’t I get to do ‘Billy Joel Night’?!” he exclaims. “I would have crushed ‘Billy Joel Night!’ If I could have done ‘The Stranger’ instead of ‘It’s Tricky” I think...
Feldman reveals the most difficult part of the process for him was watching the songs other people got to do. “Why didn’t I get to do ‘Billy Joel Night’?!” he exclaims. “I would have crushed ‘Billy Joel Night!’ If I could have done ‘The Stranger’ instead of ‘It’s Tricky” I think...
- 5/2/2024
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Fox’s The Masked Singer Season 11 continues with “Soundtrack of My Life Night” on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. The final three singers from Group B — Gumball, the Beets, and the wild card, Seal — take the stage again in hopes of moving forward after a shocking double unmasking. So, who is singing as Seal? Fans are sure it’s this child actor from the 1980s.
[Spoiler alert: The Masked Singer Season 11 spoilers ahead regarding Seal.]
‘The Masked Singer’ Season 11: Who is Seal?
The Masked Singer Season 11 introduced Seal as the Group B wild card, and he takes the stage once more in “Soundtrack of My Life Night.”
Fans find the Seal costume adorable, as it shows the singer in a giant white, furry suit. While the singer is obviously dressed as a seal, he also wears a blue plaid hat with ear covers and a blue plaid scarf to match. Because Seal is the wild card,...
[Spoiler alert: The Masked Singer Season 11 spoilers ahead regarding Seal.]
‘The Masked Singer’ Season 11: Who is Seal?
The Masked Singer Season 11 introduced Seal as the Group B wild card, and he takes the stage once more in “Soundtrack of My Life Night.”
Fans find the Seal costume adorable, as it shows the singer in a giant white, furry suit. While the singer is obviously dressed as a seal, he also wears a blue plaid hat with ear covers and a blue plaid scarf to match. Because Seal is the wild card,...
- 5/1/2024
- by Lauren Weiler
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Stagecoach is known for its surprises and, on Friday night, Eric Church delivered one of the most unexpected sets in the California country music festival’s history. The question facing fans is, was it a good surprise or a bad one?
Church hadn’t headlined Stagecoach since 2016 and is currently in the midst of a 19-show residency at his Nashville bar Chief’s that finds him getting up-close and candid with fans and testing out new songs. When he appeared on the Mane Stage at 9:45 p.m. to the...
Church hadn’t headlined Stagecoach since 2016 and is currently in the midst of a 19-show residency at his Nashville bar Chief’s that finds him getting up-close and candid with fans and testing out new songs. When he appeared on the Mane Stage at 9:45 p.m. to the...
- 4/27/2024
- by Joseph Hudak
- Rollingstone.com
Very few directors have ever had the kind of run Rob Reiner did as a director between 1984 and 1992. Think about it. This is Spinal Tap, The Sure Thing, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men. Surely, that run alone would be enough to solidify him as one of the greatest Hollywood directors of all time? Those movies are so good it almost doesn’t matter how much money-losing crap he puts out now…and there is a lot of it… and North isn’t even the worst of it! So how did this man go from making a few great movies that defined and elevated our pop culture on so many different levels to suddenly pumping out nothing but heartless, soulless political flicks (did anyone see Lbj?) and rom-coms that are neither romantic nor comedic?
So, how did this jack of...
So, how did this jack of...
- 4/26/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Like many coming-of-age directorial feature debuts, Dìdi (弟弟) is semiautobiographical, but Sean Wang’s personal background played as much of a role in literally making the movie as it did in inspiring its narrative.
The film, which was acquired by Focus after winning the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award at Sundance in January, is the opening night feature tonight at Sffilm, Wang’s hometown festival. Both fests played a role in the development of the movie, with Wang having picked up multiple grants and fellowship awards, including a 2022 Sffilm Rainin Grant, in his journey to the screen. His tenure at the Google Creative Lab before becoming a professional filmmaker also equipped him with a unique cinematic toolkit for telling a hyper-specific story about being an adolescent during social media’s adolescence.
And finally, Wang not only depicts a fictionalized version of his family unit in the movie, with Joan Chen...
The film, which was acquired by Focus after winning the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award at Sundance in January, is the opening night feature tonight at Sffilm, Wang’s hometown festival. Both fests played a role in the development of the movie, with Wang having picked up multiple grants and fellowship awards, including a 2022 Sffilm Rainin Grant, in his journey to the screen. His tenure at the Google Creative Lab before becoming a professional filmmaker also equipped him with a unique cinematic toolkit for telling a hyper-specific story about being an adolescent during social media’s adolescence.
And finally, Wang not only depicts a fictionalized version of his family unit in the movie, with Joan Chen...
- 4/25/2024
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
While we all yearn for the 80s watching Stranger Things, in the 80s Stephen King cherished the memory of the 50s and his own childhood in dirty jeans and torn sneakers.
The holidays are coming to an end, but there is still time for one last adventure: somewhere over the bridge lies the body of a neighbor's boy. If you are the first to discover the body, you can become the hero of the whole neighborhood. And four boys are already on their way.
Stand By Me is one of King's most intimate and personal stories. It was not originally advertised as a film adaptation – the creators feared that the author's reputation in the horror genre would give people the wrong impression.
Fortunately, time has corrected this association, and now Rob Reiner's film is recognized as one of the best King adaptations.
The synopsis of the movie sounds like...
The holidays are coming to an end, but there is still time for one last adventure: somewhere over the bridge lies the body of a neighbor's boy. If you are the first to discover the body, you can become the hero of the whole neighborhood. And four boys are already on their way.
Stand By Me is one of King's most intimate and personal stories. It was not originally advertised as a film adaptation – the creators feared that the author's reputation in the horror genre would give people the wrong impression.
Fortunately, time has corrected this association, and now Rob Reiner's film is recognized as one of the best King adaptations.
The synopsis of the movie sounds like...
- 4/21/2024
- by zoe-wallace@startefacts.com (Zoe Wallace)
- STartefacts.com
Movies and TV series, adapted from Stephen King’s outstanding novels, often gain not only large amounts of money, but also massive critical praise, with many of these movies becoming iconic. These include Rob Reiner’s Stand by Me (1986), the timeless masterpiece The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and the horror banger It (2017).
However, not all movies succeed in adapting the accomplished writer’s material and even in honoring the already existing adaptations. The same thing was done by the 2022 sci-fi horror, which is based on King’s 1980 novel, written in his most productive era.
The story of the movie revolves around the couple, Andy and Vicky McGee, who developed supernatural powers as the result of the secret government drug trial, in which they participated as college students. It also led to their daughter Charlie having pyrokinetic abilities, which doesn’t seem like a relevant trait for a child.
Indeed, Charlie draws the...
However, not all movies succeed in adapting the accomplished writer’s material and even in honoring the already existing adaptations. The same thing was done by the 2022 sci-fi horror, which is based on King’s 1980 novel, written in his most productive era.
The story of the movie revolves around the couple, Andy and Vicky McGee, who developed supernatural powers as the result of the secret government drug trial, in which they participated as college students. It also led to their daughter Charlie having pyrokinetic abilities, which doesn’t seem like a relevant trait for a child.
Indeed, Charlie draws the...
- 4/20/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Ava Raxa)
- STartefacts.com
Through the lens of 2024, “Dogfight” plays like a subtle, personal film you would expect from indie director Nancy Savoca (“Household Saints”), but that’s not what Warner Bros. thought they were making.
“They were thinking ‘Porky’s.’ They thought it was a comedy,” said director Nancy Savoca while on IndieWire’s Toolkit podcast to discuss “Dogfight,” which is entering the Criterion Collection on April 30.
At the end of the 1980s headed into the early ’90s, when Warners was developing Bob Comfort’s “Dogfight” screenplay, teen comedies were big business for the studios. Alongside the wild success of the classic slate of teen comedies John Hughes wrote, directed, or produced, the “Porky’s” trilogy came to define the sex comedies of the era. It’s through this lens the studio saw the dogfight competition in Comfort’s script: A group of young soldiers pick up the “ugliest” woman they can find, bring her to a bar,...
“They were thinking ‘Porky’s.’ They thought it was a comedy,” said director Nancy Savoca while on IndieWire’s Toolkit podcast to discuss “Dogfight,” which is entering the Criterion Collection on April 30.
At the end of the 1980s headed into the early ’90s, when Warners was developing Bob Comfort’s “Dogfight” screenplay, teen comedies were big business for the studios. Alongside the wild success of the classic slate of teen comedies John Hughes wrote, directed, or produced, the “Porky’s” trilogy came to define the sex comedies of the era. It’s through this lens the studio saw the dogfight competition in Comfort’s script: A group of young soldiers pick up the “ugliest” woman they can find, bring her to a bar,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Clockwise left to right: Get Out (Universal Pictures), This Is Spinal Tap (MGM Home Entertainment), That Thing You Do! (20th Century Studios), Lady Bird (A24)Graphic: The A.V. Club
It’s always neat when someone you’ve admired shows off a hidden talent that makes you see them in a different light.
It’s always neat when someone you’ve admired shows off a hidden talent that makes you see them in a different light.
- 4/12/2024
- by Mary Kate Carr, Saloni Gajjar, Drew Gillis, William Hughes, Matthew Jackson, Jarrod Jones, Emma Keates, Jacob Oller, Matt Schimkowitz, and Cindy White
- avclub.com
Kiefer Sutherland has denied the rumor started on social media that he picked on Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell on the set of Stand By Me.
The Talk cohost Natalie Morales asked Sutherland about the gossip, which allegedly was used to keep in character while off-camera.
“Absolutely not true,” Sutherland said. “First of all, I’m not that kind of actor and I wouldn’t want to be that kind of person. I spent a lot of time with River Phoenix because we both played guitar, and so that was kind of an in to him. Even though I was seven years older, we were both beginning, right. And so there was a lot of discussion about ‘How do you develop a character’, ‘What is your process.’
“Actually, it’s very funny, that at the age of 17, which I was in Stand By Me, I had...
The Talk cohost Natalie Morales asked Sutherland about the gossip, which allegedly was used to keep in character while off-camera.
“Absolutely not true,” Sutherland said. “First of all, I’m not that kind of actor and I wouldn’t want to be that kind of person. I spent a lot of time with River Phoenix because we both played guitar, and so that was kind of an in to him. Even though I was seven years older, we were both beginning, right. And so there was a lot of discussion about ‘How do you develop a character’, ‘What is your process.’
“Actually, it’s very funny, that at the age of 17, which I was in Stand By Me, I had...
- 4/11/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Voice” battle rounds of season 25 concluded on Tuesday, March 26 with each of the four coaches narrowing their teams of 10 down to seven. John Legend heads the current panel of coaches, returning for his ninth season in a red chair. Reba McEntire and Chance the Rapper each return for their second season and Dan + Shay make history in their first season in the first ever two-coach chair.
Before the coaches divide their even further beginning with the knockouts on Monday, April 8, we asked You who your favorite artists are so far from each team following the battles round. Check out the results for each of our four “Who is your favorite artist on Team ___?” below.
See Everything to know about ‘The Voice’ Season 25: Coaches, premiere date …
On Team Dan + Shay, the favorite as of this writing is once again 21 year old Madison Curbelo who went head-to-head against Kyle Schuesler...
Before the coaches divide their even further beginning with the knockouts on Monday, April 8, we asked You who your favorite artists are so far from each team following the battles round. Check out the results for each of our four “Who is your favorite artist on Team ___?” below.
See Everything to know about ‘The Voice’ Season 25: Coaches, premiere date …
On Team Dan + Shay, the favorite as of this writing is once again 21 year old Madison Curbelo who went head-to-head against Kyle Schuesler...
- 4/8/2024
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
In Stephen King's magnificent book "On Writing," the best-selling horror novelist makes a surprising confession: "There's one novel, 'Cujo,' that I barely remember writing at all. I don't say that with pride or shame, only with a vague sense of sorrow and loss." Yes, that's right — Stephen King barely remembers writing one of his most famous books. The reason: substance abuse. King has been open about his alcoholism over the years (he also had a pretty bad cocaine habit at one point), and it was his frequent drinking that caused him to forget about penning "Cujo." King also states that he's sad that he can't quite remember the book, as he thinks parts of it are quite good.
Published in 1981, King's "Cujo" follows several different connected characters but focuses primarily on a giant Saint Bernard. The poor pup ends up being bitten by a bat and comes...
Published in 1981, King's "Cujo" follows several different connected characters but focuses primarily on a giant Saint Bernard. The poor pup ends up being bitten by a bat and comes...
- 4/7/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Wil Wheaton landed his first professional acting gig in 1981, appearing in the TV movie "A Long Way Home." He was nine years old. Wheaton was impressive enough to become one of Hollywood's more in-demand child actors, and the next five years of his life were immensely busy. He appeared in films like "The Defiant Ones" and "The Last Starfighter," and TV shows like "Highway to Heaven," "Family Ties," and "St. Elsewhere." It was nothing but an upward arc for the young performer.
Wheaton's first leading role came in 1986 with the release of Rob Reiner's 1950s nostalgia piece "Stand By Me," an adaptation of the Stephen King novella "The Body." In "Stand By Me," Wheaton played 12-year-old Gordie Lachance, a kid smarting from the recent death of his older brother and the familial resentment it caused. Gordie has three close friends -- played by Rover Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O'Connell...
Wheaton's first leading role came in 1986 with the release of Rob Reiner's 1950s nostalgia piece "Stand By Me," an adaptation of the Stephen King novella "The Body." In "Stand By Me," Wheaton played 12-year-old Gordie Lachance, a kid smarting from the recent death of his older brother and the familial resentment it caused. Gordie has three close friends -- played by Rover Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O'Connell...
- 4/1/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
There are a lot of candidates for the title of Best Stephen King Movie Adaptation, from Stanley Kubrick's take on "The Shining" to Rob Reiner's 1986 classic "Stand by Me." But it's clear that the most popular of them is "The Shawshank Redemption," written and directed by Frank Darabont in 1994. It's a movie that's not just beloved, it's literally the number one rated movie of all time on IMDb.
King himself was always a fan of Darabont's adaptations. Unlike with Stanley Kubrick, there were no major, irreconcilable creative differences between Darabont and King. Even when Darabont made a major change to the source material, like with controversial ending to "The Mist," King wasn't mad. Instead, he was jealous that he hadn't thought of the idea first. Even Darabont's first-ever adaptation of King's work, the little-known 1984 short "The Woman in the Room," was impressive to the renowned author. In a 2014 piece for Oscars.
King himself was always a fan of Darabont's adaptations. Unlike with Stanley Kubrick, there were no major, irreconcilable creative differences between Darabont and King. Even when Darabont made a major change to the source material, like with controversial ending to "The Mist," King wasn't mad. Instead, he was jealous that he hadn't thought of the idea first. Even Darabont's first-ever adaptation of King's work, the little-known 1984 short "The Woman in the Room," was impressive to the renowned author. In a 2014 piece for Oscars.
- 3/31/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Many people would claim that Frank Darabont has made the best Stephen King adaptations ever put on film, but did you know that over a decade before making The Shawshank Redemption, it would be Stephen King himself who helped Frank Darabont become a filmmaker? Frank would use one of Stephen King’s infamous “Dollar Babies” where King would allow aspiring filmmakers to license one of his short stories for just $1. Darabont would adapt King’s short The Woman in the Room which would be short-listed for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short film in 1983. Despite not getting the nomination, and not even particularly liking the short, King was a fan and for $5,000, granted Darabont the rights to adapt another of his short stories: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.
Of course, Darabont wasn’t quite ready to tackle something as massive as that story just yet, so he made...
Of course, Darabont wasn’t quite ready to tackle something as massive as that story just yet, so he made...
- 3/29/2024
- by Brad Hamerly
- JoBlo.com
In March 2019, Disney completed their purchase of Fox, effectively enacting one of the largest studio mergers in Hollywood history. This came after Disney had already made a major purchase from Marvel Comics a decade earlier, as well as the buyout of Lucasfilm in 2012. As of this writing, Disney sits on top of what might be the largest film library in Hollywood. Disney has used their massive library to milk as much IP as possible, returning to old franchises that have been successful in the past. Frustratingly, they haven't opened up their massive archive to the public via one of their streaming services; much of the old Fox catalog remains under lock and key.
Through the Fox purchase, Disney inherited many TV shows and feature films that don't quite fit in with their populist, family-friendly brand. Disney owns the "Alien" movies, for instance, as well as "Die Hard." It's mind-boggling to think that Dr.
Through the Fox purchase, Disney inherited many TV shows and feature films that don't quite fit in with their populist, family-friendly brand. Disney owns the "Alien" movies, for instance, as well as "Die Hard." It's mind-boggling to think that Dr.
- 3/24/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Jinsui Song is a Chinese writer/director, and editor based in Los Angeles. She recently graduated from the Mfa Directing/Production program at UCLA and holds a Bfa in Screenwriting from Beijing Film Academy. Her work has been screened at the Cairo International Film Festival, CAAMFest, St. Louis International Film Festival, etc. Her latest film, “Something Blue”, is supported by the Panavision New Filmmaker Program.
Something Blue review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
The film begins in a woman's bathroom, with the protagonist, an Asian-American, receiving a call from someone wondering where she has been. It turns out she is attending a wedding, and as soon as she is out, she is met by her mother and the mother of the groom, obviously a relative, asking the typical questions regarding the whether she has a boyfriend. Emily replies negatively, while the discussion eventually turns to Vincent, who...
Something Blue review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
The film begins in a woman's bathroom, with the protagonist, an Asian-American, receiving a call from someone wondering where she has been. It turns out she is attending a wedding, and as soon as she is out, she is met by her mother and the mother of the groom, obviously a relative, asking the typical questions regarding the whether she has a boyfriend. Emily replies negatively, while the discussion eventually turns to Vincent, who...
- 3/21/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Before "All in the Family" became one of the most groundbreaking sitcoms of all time, it was a non-starter with two failed pilot episodes and counting. The first, titled "Justice For All," was taped 3 years before the original show's run and featured a cast including Carol O'Conner and Jean Stapleton, who would go on to play married couple Archie and Edith Bunker in the final version of the show. The actors playing the Bunker family's daughter Edith and son-in-law Michael were different, though, played by Kelly Jean Peters ("Cagney & Lacey") and Tim McIntire ("Soap"), whose character was initially named Richard.
O'Conner explained in his memoir "I Think I'm Outta Here" that he largely rewrote the original pilot script himself, and the pilot was recorded in New York in October 1968. According to a Time Magazine 50th anniversary retrospective by Daniel S. Levy, network execs weren't pleased with the casting choices for...
O'Conner explained in his memoir "I Think I'm Outta Here" that he largely rewrote the original pilot script himself, and the pilot was recorded in New York in October 1968. According to a Time Magazine 50th anniversary retrospective by Daniel S. Levy, network execs weren't pleased with the casting choices for...
- 3/17/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
“The Voice” blind auditions of season 25 concluded on Tuesday, March 12 with each of the four coaches selecting their 10th and final artist to join their team. John Legend heads the current panel of coaches, returning for his ninth season in a red chair. Reba McEntire and Chance the Rapper each return for their second season and Dan + Shay make history in their first season in the first ever two-coach chair.
Before the coaches divide their teams of 10s for the Battles round head-to-heads beginning Monday, March 18, we asked You who your favorite artists are so far from each team. Check out the results for each of our four “Who is your favorite artist on Team ___?” below.
See Everything to know about ‘The Voice’ Season 25: Coaches, premiere date …
On Team Dan + Shay, the favorite as of this writing is 21 year old Madison Curbelo who sang “Stand by Me” and is...
Before the coaches divide their teams of 10s for the Battles round head-to-heads beginning Monday, March 18, we asked You who your favorite artists are so far from each team. Check out the results for each of our four “Who is your favorite artist on Team ___?” below.
See Everything to know about ‘The Voice’ Season 25: Coaches, premiere date …
On Team Dan + Shay, the favorite as of this writing is 21 year old Madison Curbelo who sang “Stand by Me” and is...
- 3/16/2024
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
“The Voice” blind auditions for season 25 concluded on Tuesday night with each of the four coaches completing their teams by claiming their 10th initial artist of the season. In their first season and in the first ever double wide chair, Dan + Shay proved to be a force to be reckoned with by their veteran opponents. The 10 artists representing their team will next take stage for The Battles beginning March 18, but first we want to know who is your favorite artist on Team Dan + Shay? Vote in the poll below.
As newcomers on the block, Dan + Shay had a tough time scoring any artists to their team when all four coaches turned their chairs. On their team of 10, only Madison Curbelo chose them in a four-chair turn situation following her performance of “Stand by Me.” The guys might have had a chance to bring Serenity Arce over, but John Legend use...
As newcomers on the block, Dan + Shay had a tough time scoring any artists to their team when all four coaches turned their chairs. On their team of 10, only Madison Curbelo chose them in a four-chair turn situation following her performance of “Stand by Me.” The guys might have had a chance to bring Serenity Arce over, but John Legend use...
- 3/13/2024
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
There wasn't a more popular or influential (or controversial) sitcom in the 1970s than "All in the Family." Created by Norman Lear, the series was a stingingly hilarious satire of American attitudes as the country adjusted to the post-Civil Rights Movement era and coped with the increasingly unpopular Vietnam War.
The genius of "All in the Family" was Lear's ability to make every single one of his main characters behave ridiculously without becoming full-on caricatures. Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) was an unrepentant bigot, his wife Edith (Jean Stapleton) was a well-meaning ditz, his daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers) was a work-in-progress idealist who went from dopey to fairly sharp as the series progressed, and his son-in-law Michael "Meathead" Stivic represented everything Archie hated about liberals in one preachy package. We all saw a bit of ourselves and the people we have no choice but to call family in the Bunkers, and...
The genius of "All in the Family" was Lear's ability to make every single one of his main characters behave ridiculously without becoming full-on caricatures. Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) was an unrepentant bigot, his wife Edith (Jean Stapleton) was a well-meaning ditz, his daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers) was a work-in-progress idealist who went from dopey to fairly sharp as the series progressed, and his son-in-law Michael "Meathead" Stivic represented everything Archie hated about liberals in one preachy package. We all saw a bit of ourselves and the people we have no choice but to call family in the Bunkers, and...
- 3/9/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Rob Reiner is the multi-hyphenate who has excelled both in front of and behind the camera for over 50 years, starting as an actor before moving into directing. Let’s take a look back at 12 of his greatest films as a director, ranked worst to best.
Reiner was born into the business as the son of performer Estelle Reiner and comedian Carl Reiner, creator of “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” He shot to fame on television with his role as Mike “Meathead” Stivic, the liberal son-in-law to buffoonish bigot Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor) on “All in the Family.” The series brought him two Emmys as Best Comedy Supporting Actor (1974 and 1978). His victory, in fact, made the show the first to ever win acting prizes for all four of its leads, with O’Connor and Jean Stapleton prevailing in lead and Sally Struthers in supporting.
He transitioned into filmmaking with the rock...
Reiner was born into the business as the son of performer Estelle Reiner and comedian Carl Reiner, creator of “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” He shot to fame on television with his role as Mike “Meathead” Stivic, the liberal son-in-law to buffoonish bigot Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor) on “All in the Family.” The series brought him two Emmys as Best Comedy Supporting Actor (1974 and 1978). His victory, in fact, made the show the first to ever win acting prizes for all four of its leads, with O’Connor and Jean Stapleton prevailing in lead and Sally Struthers in supporting.
He transitioned into filmmaking with the rock...
- 3/1/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
In terms of new original content coming to Hulu, March is a slight month, with the streamer’s highlight being the limited series premiere of We Were the Lucky Ones at the end of the month. The show, which is based on Georgia Hunter’s New York Times bestselling novel, is inspired by the true story of a Jewish family who are separated at the start of WWII, and who then have to survive in order to eventually reunite. We Were the Lucky Ones stars Joey King from The Kissing Booth films alongside Percy Jackson‘s Logan Lerman, and debuts on March 28.
Here’s everything coming to Hulu (and leaving) in March…
Hulu New Releases – March 2024
March 1
Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains: Complete Seasons 1-3 (Dubbed) Dark Side of the 90s: Complete Season 2 Dark Side of the 2000s: Complete Season 1 Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem | 2007 Ali | 2001 Bad Teacher | 2011 Batman Begins | 2005 Beasts of the Southern Wild...
Here’s everything coming to Hulu (and leaving) in March…
Hulu New Releases – March 2024
March 1
Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains: Complete Seasons 1-3 (Dubbed) Dark Side of the 90s: Complete Season 2 Dark Side of the 2000s: Complete Season 1 Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem | 2007 Ali | 2001 Bad Teacher | 2011 Batman Begins | 2005 Beasts of the Southern Wild...
- 3/1/2024
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
Elvis Presley‘s “Trouble” was a little bit of a joke except when Elvis sang it during the ’68 Comeback Special. One of the writers who wrote the song was shocked by how much power he brought to the track. Elvis incorporated the tune into a medley and knocked it out of the park.
Elvis Presley’s ‘Trouble’ has a connection to Ben E. King’s ‘Stand By Me’
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were one of the most important songwriting duos from the 1950s and early 1960s. They penned Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” The Clovers’ “Love Potion No. 9,” and The Coasters’ “Yakety Yak.” Some of the hits they wrote for Elvis included “Jailhouse Rock,” “Hound Dog,” and “Bossa Nova Baby.” During a 2006 interview with Elvis Information Network, Leiber was a big fan of how Elvis performed “Trouble” during a famous television appearance.
“I especially liked ‘Trouble...
Elvis Presley’s ‘Trouble’ has a connection to Ben E. King’s ‘Stand By Me’
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were one of the most important songwriting duos from the 1950s and early 1960s. They penned Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” The Clovers’ “Love Potion No. 9,” and The Coasters’ “Yakety Yak.” Some of the hits they wrote for Elvis included “Jailhouse Rock,” “Hound Dog,” and “Bossa Nova Baby.” During a 2006 interview with Elvis Information Network, Leiber was a big fan of how Elvis performed “Trouble” during a famous television appearance.
“I especially liked ‘Trouble...
- 3/1/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
He directed When Harry Met Sally, Misery, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men, and now he’s back with a powerful political documentary. Not to mention the Spinal Tap sequel ...
Where to even start preparing for a Rob Reiner interview? You could rewatch his classic films, of course, namely that phenomenal eight-year streak that started with This Is Spinal Tap in 1984 and blazed through The Sure Thing, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men. But even that is barely scratching the surface of a career that first got going in the late 1960s. What about his years as a household name in 70s sitcoms, or his famous comic actor father, Carl, or his unique childhood, in which Mel Brooks and other entertainment luminaries would be frequent guests in the house? And what about the political activism that...
Where to even start preparing for a Rob Reiner interview? You could rewatch his classic films, of course, namely that phenomenal eight-year streak that started with This Is Spinal Tap in 1984 and blazed through The Sure Thing, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men. But even that is barely scratching the surface of a career that first got going in the late 1960s. What about his years as a household name in 70s sitcoms, or his famous comic actor father, Carl, or his unique childhood, in which Mel Brooks and other entertainment luminaries would be frequent guests in the house? And what about the political activism that...
- 2/29/2024
- by Tim Jonze
- The Guardian - Film News
Stephen King is, as his name suggests, the king of horror fiction (while occasionally delving into other genres). The combination of his vivid writing style, characters with unique personalities and special abilities, and epic stories that unfurl with riveting suspense make his work rife for cinematic interpretation. Within these spine-chilling stories, King infuses keen observations on the human condition, and how evil — both supernatural and real — manifests in our society. Stephen King's literary works have produced some of the greatest films of all time including Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," Brian De Palma's "Carrie," and Rob Reiner's "Stand By Me." Over 70 of his novels and short stories have been adapted into films or television shows, but since he is such a prolific writer — often churning out several books each year — there are countless that have yet to be adapted. This list ranks seven of Stephen King's engrossing page-turners...
- 2/25/2024
- by Caroline Madden
- Slash Film
Elvis Presley‘s “She’s Not You” was written by three of the best songwriters of the early 1960s. It’s no surprise that artists decided to take inspiration from one of the greatest country songs ever. Considering the pedigree of “She’s Not You,” the song itself is pretty disappointing.
Elvis Presley’s ‘She’s Not You’ was inspired by ‘I Really Don’t Want to Know’
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were the songwriting duo behind Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me,” one of the most popular songs ever written. They also teamed up for several Elvis songs, including “Jailhouse Rock,” “Hound Dog,” “Bossa Nova Baby,” and “She’s Not You.”
During a 2006 interview with Elvis Information Network, Leiber revealed what he thought of Elvis’ “She’s Not You.”
“Elvis did a really good job on it,” he opined. “He never did a bad job on any song.
Elvis Presley’s ‘She’s Not You’ was inspired by ‘I Really Don’t Want to Know’
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were the songwriting duo behind Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me,” one of the most popular songs ever written. They also teamed up for several Elvis songs, including “Jailhouse Rock,” “Hound Dog,” “Bossa Nova Baby,” and “She’s Not You.”
During a 2006 interview with Elvis Information Network, Leiber revealed what he thought of Elvis’ “She’s Not You.”
“Elvis did a really good job on it,” he opined. “He never did a bad job on any song.
- 2/22/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
From Namibian western to animated revenge thriller, from Bosnian family saga to a lesbian vampire breakup story, 10 upscale scripted TV projects were spotlighted at the Berlinale Series Market’s Co-Pro Series on Tuesday morning, representing “unique and bold choices with regard to genre and perspective, on top of great storytelling,” Martina Bleis, Head of the Berlinale Co-Production Market, observed before the presentation..
“This should attract buyers and co-producers now, and will surely convince discerning audiences once they have been made,”
With Oscar winner Simon Beaufoy joining climate change satire “S.O.L.,” created by late Ruth McCance, or Cannes-awarded director Aida Begić now focusing on “Mirrors,” it was a high-profile affair.
“This female family chronicle serves as a bridge between two centuries, two eras and two societies, shedding light on the hidden lives of Balkan women. Female secrets touch on taboos such as sexuality, violence and mental health. What would...
“This should attract buyers and co-producers now, and will surely convince discerning audiences once they have been made,”
With Oscar winner Simon Beaufoy joining climate change satire “S.O.L.,” created by late Ruth McCance, or Cannes-awarded director Aida Begić now focusing on “Mirrors,” it was a high-profile affair.
“This female family chronicle serves as a bridge between two centuries, two eras and two societies, shedding light on the hidden lives of Balkan women. Female secrets touch on taboos such as sexuality, violence and mental health. What would...
- 2/21/2024
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Fremantle Buys Asacha Media Group In Major European M&a Deal & Has Now Spent More Than $216M In 2024
In the latest major M&a deal to hit Europe, Fremantle has acquired Asacha Media Group, the growing owner of Death in Paradise producer Red Planet, Arrow Media and Italy’s Stand By Me.
Fremantle owner Rtl said the super-indie has spent more than €200M ($216M) on Asacha plus 80% of Singapore’s Beach House Pictures since the start of this year and is now well on track to reach its lofty €3B ($3.2B) revenue target by 2025. Rtl didn’t break down how much Asacha and Beach House cost individually.
Asacha was only founded in 2020 but has since acquired eight labels and rapidly expanded its footprint across Europe.
The deal sees Fremantle acquire the group from Asacha’s founding partners, managers and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management.
Following the acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions, Asacha will continue to be run by Co-Founder and Group CEO Gaspard de Chavagnac...
Fremantle owner Rtl said the super-indie has spent more than €200M ($216M) on Asacha plus 80% of Singapore’s Beach House Pictures since the start of this year and is now well on track to reach its lofty €3B ($3.2B) revenue target by 2025. Rtl didn’t break down how much Asacha and Beach House cost individually.
Asacha was only founded in 2020 but has since acquired eight labels and rapidly expanded its footprint across Europe.
The deal sees Fremantle acquire the group from Asacha’s founding partners, managers and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management.
Following the acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions, Asacha will continue to be run by Co-Founder and Group CEO Gaspard de Chavagnac...
- 2/20/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
U2 singer Bono paid tribute Saturday night to recently deceased Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny during his concert at The Sphere in Las Vegas. The frontman got the crowd to chant Navalny’s name as a memorial to the dissident’s struggle against the Russian establishment.
In a long preamble to a cover rendition of Crowded House’s Don’t Dream It’s Over, Bono spoke of the struggle for freedom and the importance of standing up for it. His remarks on Navalny start at the 2:35 mark in the video above.
“Next week it’ll be two years since Putin invaded and tried to destroy the hard-won freedoms” of the Ukrainian people, Bono said. “Next, it’ll be Poland, next it’ll be Lithuania, East Germany; who knows where this man will or won’t go. To these people, freedom is not just a word in a song. For...
In a long preamble to a cover rendition of Crowded House’s Don’t Dream It’s Over, Bono spoke of the struggle for freedom and the importance of standing up for it. His remarks on Navalny start at the 2:35 mark in the video above.
“Next week it’ll be two years since Putin invaded and tried to destroy the hard-won freedoms” of the Ukrainian people, Bono said. “Next, it’ll be Poland, next it’ll be Lithuania, East Germany; who knows where this man will or won’t go. To these people, freedom is not just a word in a song. For...
- 2/18/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Rooney Mara is pregnant!
The 38-year-old La Cocina star is expecting her second baby with fiancé Joaquin Phoenix, People reports.
The actress attended the premiere of La Cocina at the Berlin Film Festival in Germany on Friday evening (February 16), where she cradled her growing baby bump under a long black dress.
Keep reading to find out more…
The couple quietly got engaged in 2019 after first meeting in 2012 on the set of the sci-fi drama Her. The two have a son River, who was born in 2020.
Their son’s name honors Phoenix‘s older brother, who died at age 23 in 1993, and starred in movies like Stand By Me, Running on Empty and My Own Private Idaho.
Congratulations to the happy family! Find out who else is expecting in 2024.
The 38-year-old La Cocina star is expecting her second baby with fiancé Joaquin Phoenix, People reports.
The actress attended the premiere of La Cocina at the Berlin Film Festival in Germany on Friday evening (February 16), where she cradled her growing baby bump under a long black dress.
Keep reading to find out more…
The couple quietly got engaged in 2019 after first meeting in 2012 on the set of the sci-fi drama Her. The two have a son River, who was born in 2020.
Their son’s name honors Phoenix‘s older brother, who died at age 23 in 1993, and starred in movies like Stand By Me, Running on Empty and My Own Private Idaho.
Congratulations to the happy family! Find out who else is expecting in 2024.
- 2/18/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Nine years since her last live television performance, Tracy Chapman made a rare appearance at the 2024 Grammy Awards to sing her 1988 hit “Fast Car” with Luke Combs, the country star who turned a new audience onto Chapman’s song with his cover version and earned a Grammy nomination in the process.
In a video before the performance, Combs talked about the song’s memorable opening guitar lick, a snippet that expertly telegraphed the performance that was to come: A tight shot on Chapman’s hands playing her acoustic guitar slowly...
In a video before the performance, Combs talked about the song’s memorable opening guitar lick, a snippet that expertly telegraphed the performance that was to come: A tight shot on Chapman’s hands playing her acoustic guitar slowly...
- 2/5/2024
- by Joseph Hudak
- Rollingstone.com
February is here, and the countdown has begun at Netflix as many major titles are on their way out the proverbial door. With “Dune: Part Two” finally heading to theaters at the start of March, the streamer is giving subscribers one more month to rewatch (or catch up on) 2021’s “Dune,” starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and more. Plus, dive into other unfamiliar worlds with “Dredd,” “Snowpiercer,” and Prometheus.
Watch now before they’re gone: see The Streamable’s top picks for what’s leaving Netflix this month, and check out all the shows and movies leaving the streamer this February!
Sign Up $6.99+ / month netflix.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Leaving Netflix in February 2024? “Chicken Run” | Wednesday, Feb. 14
More than 23 years after its release, 2000’s “Chicken Run” still holds the record as the highest-grossing stop motion animated film of all time, beating all “Wallace and Gromit” features to top the list.
Watch now before they’re gone: see The Streamable’s top picks for what’s leaving Netflix this month, and check out all the shows and movies leaving the streamer this February!
Sign Up $6.99+ / month netflix.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Leaving Netflix in February 2024? “Chicken Run” | Wednesday, Feb. 14
More than 23 years after its release, 2000’s “Chicken Run” still holds the record as the highest-grossing stop motion animated film of all time, beating all “Wallace and Gromit” features to top the list.
- 2/2/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Exclusive: Veteran actress, comedian and musician Kate Micucci (Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities) has launched development on Toy, a new animated series based on the popular Keenspot comic book created by Brett Murphy and Wilson Gandolpho. In addition to producing, Micucci will star and create music for the cartoon, having already recorded a first pass of the theme song.
Tobi Wilson, who serves as Senior Writer for Cartoon Network’s long-running hit The Amazing World of Gumball, is attached as showrunner and co-producer. Also set to produce are Keenspot’s Chris Crosby and Bobby Crosby, as well as David Campiti of Glass House Studios, who will be handling animation production.
Released in March 2023, Toy follows the adventures of a floppy-eared inventor of the same name, who also happens to be, you guessed it, a toy! He has two friends (at least two friends!), an ever-hungry crocodile and a skillful human girl,...
Tobi Wilson, who serves as Senior Writer for Cartoon Network’s long-running hit The Amazing World of Gumball, is attached as showrunner and co-producer. Also set to produce are Keenspot’s Chris Crosby and Bobby Crosby, as well as David Campiti of Glass House Studios, who will be handling animation production.
Released in March 2023, Toy follows the adventures of a floppy-eared inventor of the same name, who also happens to be, you guessed it, a toy! He has two friends (at least two friends!), an ever-hungry crocodile and a skillful human girl,...
- 1/29/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Logistically, Rob Reiner's filmed adaptation of Stephen King's "Misery" sounds like a breeze of a production. Set mostly in one location with two actors, it could've easily been shot as a glorified stage play — and King's narrative is viciously compelling enough that it would've worked just fine via proscenium framing.
But Reiner, riding one of cinema's most impressive hit streaks, wanted to plunge audiences into Victorian romance author Paul Sheldon's life-or-death struggle with Annie Wilkes, his number one fan. So he hired cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, renowned for his visually dynamic collaborations with Joel and Ethan Coen, to drive home the literally immobilizing terror of a bed-ridden writer tortured into bringing a character he detests back to life.
Paul is in bad shape when Annie rescues him from a blizzard-caused car crash, and, initially, it seems like the worst he'll endure is flattery from a fan he secretly despises.
But Reiner, riding one of cinema's most impressive hit streaks, wanted to plunge audiences into Victorian romance author Paul Sheldon's life-or-death struggle with Annie Wilkes, his number one fan. So he hired cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, renowned for his visually dynamic collaborations with Joel and Ethan Coen, to drive home the literally immobilizing terror of a bed-ridden writer tortured into bringing a character he detests back to life.
Paul is in bad shape when Annie rescues him from a blizzard-caused car crash, and, initially, it seems like the worst he'll endure is flattery from a fan he secretly despises.
- 1/27/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
"Say Anything" marked America's transition into the 1990s by sealing off the heyday of feel-good high-school rom-coms and goth rock in the '80s. It was a major and much-needed send-off that is probably still an all-time favorite among many a Gen-x-er today.
The coming-of-age hit from 20th Century Fox featured breakout stars like John Cusack and Ione Skye. Even the supporting roles were played by soon-to-be major players like Pamela Adlon or the children of mega-famous stars like Jason Gould.
But not every actor featured in the 1989 romance movie survived into 2024. Unfortunately, John Mahoney, who played Diane's hypercritical (and hypocritical) father, James Court, passed away back in 2018. The late actor was the oldest major cast member by quite a few years and was in his late 70s when he passed. Before his death, Mahoney had an incredible career in film and television — his supporting role as Martin Crane in...
The coming-of-age hit from 20th Century Fox featured breakout stars like John Cusack and Ione Skye. Even the supporting roles were played by soon-to-be major players like Pamela Adlon or the children of mega-famous stars like Jason Gould.
But not every actor featured in the 1989 romance movie survived into 2024. Unfortunately, John Mahoney, who played Diane's hypercritical (and hypocritical) father, James Court, passed away back in 2018. The late actor was the oldest major cast member by quite a few years and was in his late 70s when he passed. Before his death, Mahoney had an incredible career in film and television — his supporting role as Martin Crane in...
- 1/27/2024
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
In his latest podcast/interview, host and screenwriter Stuart Wright talks with filmmaker turned novelist Simon Rumley about his debut novel The Wobble Club and “3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life”, which include:
Stand By Me Taxi Driver Gremlins
“3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life” is about those films that made you fall in love with film. The guest selects their trio of movies and we talk for 5 minutes, against the clock. When the alarm goes off for five minutes we move on to the next film.
Powered by RedCircle...
Stand By Me Taxi Driver Gremlins
“3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life” is about those films that made you fall in love with film. The guest selects their trio of movies and we talk for 5 minutes, against the clock. When the alarm goes off for five minutes we move on to the next film.
Powered by RedCircle...
- 1/25/2024
- by Stuart Wright
- Nerdly
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