Andy Leyshon, chief executive of the UK’s Film Distributors Association (Fda) has given an upbeat assessment of the UK and Ireland film release sector.
“My message would be that 2023 was a solid year, 2024 is off to a good, hopeful start and then 2025-26 looks very strong,” Leyshon said at the launch of the Fda’s annual yearbook this week.
“I’m definitely glass more than half full in comparison to some others who have been quite vocal on the box-office prospects,” Leyshon continued. “The early signs are good that 2024 can perform well, but then when you look at the...
“My message would be that 2023 was a solid year, 2024 is off to a good, hopeful start and then 2025-26 looks very strong,” Leyshon said at the launch of the Fda’s annual yearbook this week.
“I’m definitely glass more than half full in comparison to some others who have been quite vocal on the box-office prospects,” Leyshon continued. “The early signs are good that 2024 can perform well, but then when you look at the...
- 4/16/2024
- ScreenDaily
Andy Leyshon, chief executive of the UK’s Film Distributors Association (Fda) has given an upbeat assessment of the UK and Ireland film release sector.
“My message would be that 2023 was a solid year, 2024 is off to a good, hopeful start and then 2025-26 looks very strong,” Leyshon said at the launch of the Fda’s annual yearbook this week.
“I’m definitely glass more than half full in comparison to some others who have been quite vocal on the box-office prospects,” Leyshon continued. “The early signs are good that 2024 can perform well, but then when you look at the...
“My message would be that 2023 was a solid year, 2024 is off to a good, hopeful start and then 2025-26 looks very strong,” Leyshon said at the launch of the Fda’s annual yearbook this week.
“I’m definitely glass more than half full in comparison to some others who have been quite vocal on the box-office prospects,” Leyshon continued. “The early signs are good that 2024 can perform well, but then when you look at the...
- 4/16/2024
- ScreenDaily
Julian Senior, the veteran Warner Bros. marketing and publicity executive in Europe who enjoyed close relationships with filmmakers including Oscar winners Stanley Kubrick, Clint Eastwood, David Puttnam and Neil Jordan, has died. He was 85.
Senior died Jan. 1 of pneumonia and heart failure in a hospital near his home in Borehamwood, England, Conor Nolan, his friend and onetime Warner Bros. colleague, told The Hollywood Reporter.
A native of South Africa, Senior joined Warner Bros. in 1970 after an eight-year run at MGM, where he was an advertising and publicity consultant in its European Regional Office, and he stuck with the studio through 2000.
At the start, Senior helped mastermind the advertising and publicity campaign for the landmark Kubrick film A Clockwork Orange (1971), and he also worked with the famed director on The Shining (1980), Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999).
“He taught me how publicity, advertising and marketing operates,” Senior once said of Kubrick.
Senior died Jan. 1 of pneumonia and heart failure in a hospital near his home in Borehamwood, England, Conor Nolan, his friend and onetime Warner Bros. colleague, told The Hollywood Reporter.
A native of South Africa, Senior joined Warner Bros. in 1970 after an eight-year run at MGM, where he was an advertising and publicity consultant in its European Regional Office, and he stuck with the studio through 2000.
At the start, Senior helped mastermind the advertising and publicity campaign for the landmark Kubrick film A Clockwork Orange (1971), and he also worked with the famed director on The Shining (1980), Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999).
“He taught me how publicity, advertising and marketing operates,” Senior once said of Kubrick.
- 1/23/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Julian Senior, a veteran international marketing executive for Warners and MGM who enjoyed a long working relationship with Stanley Kubrick and many other notable filmmakers, died Jan. 1. He was 85.
His death was announced by former Warners executive Conor Nolan.
Born in South Africa, Senior was at MGM for eight years before joining Warners in 1970 as an advertising and publicity consultant in Europe, and soon after was appointed VP of European advertising and publicity.
He became senior VP of European regional advertising and publicity in 1993, and oversaw dozens of Warner Bros. film campaigns. Senior retired in 2000 and handed over the marketing and publicity reins to Con Gornell and Nolan.
His friendship with Kubrick began in 1970 when the director finished “A Clockwork Orange.” Senior oversaw the advertising and publicity campaigns for “The Shining,” “Full Metal Jacket” and Kubrick’s final film, “Eyes Wide Shut” with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.
Senior once...
His death was announced by former Warners executive Conor Nolan.
Born in South Africa, Senior was at MGM for eight years before joining Warners in 1970 as an advertising and publicity consultant in Europe, and soon after was appointed VP of European advertising and publicity.
He became senior VP of European regional advertising and publicity in 1993, and oversaw dozens of Warner Bros. film campaigns. Senior retired in 2000 and handed over the marketing and publicity reins to Con Gornell and Nolan.
His friendship with Kubrick began in 1970 when the director finished “A Clockwork Orange.” Senior oversaw the advertising and publicity campaigns for “The Shining,” “Full Metal Jacket” and Kubrick’s final film, “Eyes Wide Shut” with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.
Senior once...
- 1/22/2024
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Julian Senior, former Warner Bros European marketing and publicity executive, passed away on January 1, 2024 at the age of 85.
Senior joined Warner Bros in 1970, after an eight-year stint at MGM, as an advertising and publicity consultant in the studio’s European region office. He was soon appointed vice president of European advertising and publicity at the studio and, in 1993, was promoted to senior vice president.
The South Africa-born executive had a close working and personal relationship with Stanley Kubrick and worked with the filmmaker on the campaigns for A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut.
During his career,...
Senior joined Warner Bros in 1970, after an eight-year stint at MGM, as an advertising and publicity consultant in the studio’s European region office. He was soon appointed vice president of European advertising and publicity at the studio and, in 1993, was promoted to senior vice president.
The South Africa-born executive had a close working and personal relationship with Stanley Kubrick and worked with the filmmaker on the campaigns for A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut.
During his career,...
- 1/22/2024
- ScreenDaily
The Empire cinema chain entered administration in July, with Ireland’s Omniplex already acquiring five of its sites.
The UK’s Everyman Media Group has acquired the two Tivoli cinemas, in Bath and Cheltenham, from Empire, with immediate effect.
Everyman will take over operation of the venues and trading in both of the five-screen boutique cinemas will continue uninterrupted. All venue-based jobs have been retained.
The cinemas were both operated and owned by Empire and will continue to trade under the Tivoli name until refurbishment takes place in the New Year.
Tivoli customers with existing bookings can attend their screenings as scheduled,...
The UK’s Everyman Media Group has acquired the two Tivoli cinemas, in Bath and Cheltenham, from Empire, with immediate effect.
Everyman will take over operation of the venues and trading in both of the five-screen boutique cinemas will continue uninterrupted. All venue-based jobs have been retained.
The cinemas were both operated and owned by Empire and will continue to trade under the Tivoli name until refurbishment takes place in the New Year.
Tivoli customers with existing bookings can attend their screenings as scheduled,...
- 12/15/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Jury to return to Manhattan court on Friday.
Jury deliberations have begun in the Manhattan assault and harassment trial of actor Jonathan Majors after both sides rested their cases on Thursday.
The prosecution has asserted Majors, who starred as Kang The Conqueror in this year’s Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, assaulted his then girlfriend Grace Jabbari in the back of a car in New York in March of this year.
The prosecution claimed that the couple had an altercation after Jabbari saw texts with another woman on Majors’ phone and Majors hit her and dragged her back into the...
Jury deliberations have begun in the Manhattan assault and harassment trial of actor Jonathan Majors after both sides rested their cases on Thursday.
The prosecution has asserted Majors, who starred as Kang The Conqueror in this year’s Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, assaulted his then girlfriend Grace Jabbari in the back of a car in New York in March of this year.
The prosecution claimed that the couple had an altercation after Jabbari saw texts with another woman on Majors’ phone and Majors hit her and dragged her back into the...
- 12/14/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Adjani has denied she evaded paying tax on a €2m gift and of pretending to live in Portugal for two years.
Acclaimed French actress Isabelle Adjani has been given a two-year suspended prison sentence and fined €250,000 after being found guilty of aggravated tax fraud and money laundering by a Paris court on Thursday (December 14).
Adjani’s lawyer Olivier Pardo confirmed to Screen late Thursday that her defence team had officially filed an appeal that is now making its way through the Paris courts.
Adjani has consistently maintained her innocence in the face of charges that include evading taxes on a...
Acclaimed French actress Isabelle Adjani has been given a two-year suspended prison sentence and fined €250,000 after being found guilty of aggravated tax fraud and money laundering by a Paris court on Thursday (December 14).
Adjani’s lawyer Olivier Pardo confirmed to Screen late Thursday that her defence team had officially filed an appeal that is now making its way through the Paris courts.
Adjani has consistently maintained her innocence in the face of charges that include evading taxes on a...
- 12/14/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
The feature will be based on the hit video game, which starred Norman Reedus.
Best-selling video game Death Stranding is to be developed as a live-action feature from A24 and Japanese creator Hideo Kojima.
No cast or director has yet been revealed but a statement from Kojima Productions said: “The film promises to delve into the mysteries surrounding the apocalyptic event called the ‘Death Stranding’, which blurred the lines between life and death, and brought forth nightmarish creatures into a world on the brink of collapse.”
The 2019 action game was developed by Kojima Productions and has since sold more than 16 million copies.
Best-selling video game Death Stranding is to be developed as a live-action feature from A24 and Japanese creator Hideo Kojima.
No cast or director has yet been revealed but a statement from Kojima Productions said: “The film promises to delve into the mysteries surrounding the apocalyptic event called the ‘Death Stranding’, which blurred the lines between life and death, and brought forth nightmarish creatures into a world on the brink of collapse.”
The 2019 action game was developed by Kojima Productions and has since sold more than 16 million copies.
- 12/14/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Ridley Scott unveils Napoleon today at a lavish world premiere in the 2,500-seat Salle Pleyel concert hall in Paris. He is 85 but seems ageless, and Scott is already plotting to quickly resume production on Gladiator, the second installment of his film that won five Oscars including Best Picture. He’s got 90 minutes of footage, fully edited, and needs that much more. He expects to be shooting within two weeks, and he’s already got his next movie slated for around March. Though he is keeping the details to himself, he acknowledged it’s period, with a script like perfectly distilled liquor, and two stars ready to join him in what he said is a bucket list project for him.
It’s tough to keep up with Scott, the master visualist who is most comfortable making a movie, or dreaming up the next one. Interviewing Sir Ridley is a bucket list item for any journalist,...
It’s tough to keep up with Scott, the master visualist who is most comfortable making a movie, or dreaming up the next one. Interviewing Sir Ridley is a bucket list item for any journalist,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Backed by David Puttnam, Barbara Broccoli, Keira Knightley, Stephen Graham among others.
The UK government-backed body for tackling bullying and harassment in the creative industries has confirmed a 2024 live date.
The Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority will take on cases from next year, supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Dcms). It will initially cover the film, music, television and theatre industries.
”Ciisa has one clear purpose, to make the creative industries a safer working environment for our talented colleagues who make the film, TV, music and theatre that we all love and enjoy,” said interim Ciisa CEO Jen Smith.
The UK government-backed body for tackling bullying and harassment in the creative industries has confirmed a 2024 live date.
The Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority will take on cases from next year, supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Dcms). It will initially cover the film, music, television and theatre industries.
”Ciisa has one clear purpose, to make the creative industries a safer working environment for our talented colleagues who make the film, TV, music and theatre that we all love and enjoy,” said interim Ciisa CEO Jen Smith.
- 9/29/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Britain will launch a new, independent standards body to help fight bullying and harassment in the creative industries that will be ready starting next year, Lucy Frazer, U.K. secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, announced Friday.
The body, the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (Ciisa), is intended as an authority where concerns over behavior can be raised and investigated confidentially. Frazer said it will be up and running and ready to take cases from next year.
The Ciisa will bring together stakeholders from the U.K.’s film, television, music and theater sectors. Several well-known British creatives, including actors Keira Knightley, Stephen Graham, Sule Remi, Ruth Wilson, Varada Sethu and Naomie Harris, singer Rebecca Ferguson, Chariots of Fire director David Puttnam and Bond producer Barbara Broccoli, joined Frazer in support of the new independent authority.
“I can’t tell you how many times in the last...
The body, the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (Ciisa), is intended as an authority where concerns over behavior can be raised and investigated confidentially. Frazer said it will be up and running and ready to take cases from next year.
The Ciisa will bring together stakeholders from the U.K.’s film, television, music and theater sectors. Several well-known British creatives, including actors Keira Knightley, Stephen Graham, Sule Remi, Ruth Wilson, Varada Sethu and Naomie Harris, singer Rebecca Ferguson, Chariots of Fire director David Puttnam and Bond producer Barbara Broccoli, joined Frazer in support of the new independent authority.
“I can’t tell you how many times in the last...
- 9/29/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A film czar could represent all various indie interests to government, said Newell.
Mike Newell, the Bafta-winning director of films including Four Weddings And A Funeral and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, has called for the appointment of a “UK film czar” to represent the independent film sector’s interests with government.
“You need people to make [the industry] cohere,” said Newell. “The whole trade at the moment has exploded into little inter-competing and not particularly friendly to one another [groups]. That person needs to be a czar, who needs to be able to massage all of these disparate interests.”
He...
Mike Newell, the Bafta-winning director of films including Four Weddings And A Funeral and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, has called for the appointment of a “UK film czar” to represent the independent film sector’s interests with government.
“You need people to make [the industry] cohere,” said Newell. “The whole trade at the moment has exploded into little inter-competing and not particularly friendly to one another [groups]. That person needs to be a czar, who needs to be able to massage all of these disparate interests.”
He...
- 6/26/2023
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Bill Forsyth’s happy-sad tale about a fishing village under threat from US oil money is as wonderful as ever, with standout turns from Burt Lancaster and youthful Peter Capaldi
Bill Forsyth’s wonderfully wistful and charming comedy is rereleased after 40 years, and its happy-sad aroma is still as pungent as ever. It has a claim to be the last movie with the authentic spirit of the Ealing comedies; although with a longer perspective we can also see how it’s also indirectly influenced by producer David Puttnam in its high-minded spirit of Anglo-American amity.
The scene is a fictional fishing village in western Scotland, making its modest living from the lobster bound for the fancy restaurants of London and Paris, but which the locals can’t afford to eat. Peter Riegert plays Mac, a junior oil executive from Texas obsessed with work and material values, who has been tasked by his eccentric billionaire boss,...
Bill Forsyth’s wonderfully wistful and charming comedy is rereleased after 40 years, and its happy-sad aroma is still as pungent as ever. It has a claim to be the last movie with the authentic spirit of the Ealing comedies; although with a longer perspective we can also see how it’s also indirectly influenced by producer David Puttnam in its high-minded spirit of Anglo-American amity.
The scene is a fictional fishing village in western Scotland, making its modest living from the lobster bound for the fancy restaurants of London and Paris, but which the locals can’t afford to eat. Peter Riegert plays Mac, a junior oil executive from Texas obsessed with work and material values, who has been tasked by his eccentric billionaire boss,...
- 5/17/2023
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Ellis-Unwin is to return to full-time producing having held the post of head of film and animation at ScreenSkills since 2017.
Gareth Ellis-Unwin, head of film and animation at UK film and television training body ScreenSkills, is stepping down from his role to return to full-time producing.
The King’s Speech producer will leave ScreenSkills at the end of May with two film projects already in the works. Emma Turner, currently head of film continuing professional development and future skills, has been appointed head of film and animation on an interim basis.
Ellis-Unwin joined ScreenSkills in 2017, and has been responsible for...
Gareth Ellis-Unwin, head of film and animation at UK film and television training body ScreenSkills, is stepping down from his role to return to full-time producing.
The King’s Speech producer will leave ScreenSkills at the end of May with two film projects already in the works. Emma Turner, currently head of film continuing professional development and future skills, has been appointed head of film and animation on an interim basis.
Ellis-Unwin joined ScreenSkills in 2017, and has been responsible for...
- 4/5/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
First three months of 2023 also produced company’s highest grossing quarter for local language films.
Imax Corporation has reported the best first quarter box office in its history with $282.2m and its highest grossing quarter for local language films.
Powered by Avatar: The Way Of Water, the quarter beat the company’s previous best effort in 2016 by more than $10m. James Cameron’s tentpole has generated $255m on Imax, making it the company’s highest grossing first-run release of all time.
Creed III has become the highest grossing sports film of all time on Imax with an $18.2m and counting...
Imax Corporation has reported the best first quarter box office in its history with $282.2m and its highest grossing quarter for local language films.
Powered by Avatar: The Way Of Water, the quarter beat the company’s previous best effort in 2016 by more than $10m. James Cameron’s tentpole has generated $255m on Imax, making it the company’s highest grossing first-run release of all time.
Creed III has become the highest grossing sports film of all time on Imax with an $18.2m and counting...
- 4/4/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
In his last keynote address as U.K. Film Distributors’ Association president, veteran producer David Puttnam struck a sombre note highlighting a number of critical issues the country’s media industry is facing.
Addressing a rapt audience at the BAFTA headquarters in London on Tuesday, Puttnam identified skills shortage and lack of investment in skills as a “major crisis” hanging over the industry. According to Puttnam’s calculations, a committed annual investment of £40 million ($50 million) in skills could result in production savings of well over £100 million ($125 million). New data commissioned by Puttnam from accountancy firm Saffery Champness shows that underinvestment, leading to scarcity of talent, has resulted in significant wage inflation for mid-level production roles, with spikes of between 7-15% above the cost of living.
Puttnam said that inward investment in the film and high end TV sectors, currently at a record height of £6.27 billion, could move out of the U.
Addressing a rapt audience at the BAFTA headquarters in London on Tuesday, Puttnam identified skills shortage and lack of investment in skills as a “major crisis” hanging over the industry. According to Puttnam’s calculations, a committed annual investment of £40 million ($50 million) in skills could result in production savings of well over £100 million ($125 million). New data commissioned by Puttnam from accountancy firm Saffery Champness shows that underinvestment, leading to scarcity of talent, has resulted in significant wage inflation for mid-level production roles, with spikes of between 7-15% above the cost of living.
Puttnam said that inward investment in the film and high end TV sectors, currently at a record height of £6.27 billion, could move out of the U.
- 4/4/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
In speech to Bafta, Chariots of Fire producer says industry must invest ‘far more’ to close yawning skills gap
The Oscar-winning producer David Puttnam has issued a rallying cry to the film industry to address its yawning skills gap and grow audiences before the UK is eclipsed as a cinematic powerhouse.
In a speech to Bafta on Tuesday, Puttnam – the president of the Film Distributors’ Association (Fda) and a former peer – urged the industry to “invest far more” in its workforce to retain international competitiveness.
The Oscar-winning producer David Puttnam has issued a rallying cry to the film industry to address its yawning skills gap and grow audiences before the UK is eclipsed as a cinematic powerhouse.
In a speech to Bafta on Tuesday, Puttnam – the president of the Film Distributors’ Association (Fda) and a former peer – urged the industry to “invest far more” in its workforce to retain international competitiveness.
- 4/4/2023
- by Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent
- The Guardian - Film News
“We are pissing money down the drain at the moment in wage inflation as a direct result of having scarcity of production personnel.”
In his final keynote speech as president of the Film Distributors’ Association (Fda), industry stalwart David Puttnam has issued an impassioned rallying cry for further investment in UK film skills and training.
Puttnam was speaking this morning at Bafta at the launch of the 2023 Fda Yearbook. He confirmed at the end of his speech that he would be standing down shortly from his position as Fda president.
Puttnam warned that a lack of investment in this area...
In his final keynote speech as president of the Film Distributors’ Association (Fda), industry stalwart David Puttnam has issued an impassioned rallying cry for further investment in UK film skills and training.
Puttnam was speaking this morning at Bafta at the launch of the 2023 Fda Yearbook. He confirmed at the end of his speech that he would be standing down shortly from his position as Fda president.
Puttnam warned that a lack of investment in this area...
- 4/4/2023
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
The filmmaker passed away at the age of 86 following a short illness.
Chariots Of Fire actor Nigel Havers leads the tributes to UK film and commercials director Hugh Hudson who passed away at the age of 86 on Friday (February 10).
The actor called starring in Hudson’s 1981 classic ”one of the greatest experiences of my professional life” and said he was “beyond devastated” by the news. “Like so many others, I owe much of what followed to him. I shall miss him greatly.”
Antonio Banderas, who starred in Hudson’s 2016 Spanish-language film Altamira, said on Twitter: ”Good bye mister Hudson.
Chariots Of Fire actor Nigel Havers leads the tributes to UK film and commercials director Hugh Hudson who passed away at the age of 86 on Friday (February 10).
The actor called starring in Hudson’s 1981 classic ”one of the greatest experiences of my professional life” and said he was “beyond devastated” by the news. “Like so many others, I owe much of what followed to him. I shall miss him greatly.”
Antonio Banderas, who starred in Hudson’s 2016 Spanish-language film Altamira, said on Twitter: ”Good bye mister Hudson.
- 2/14/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Hugh Hudson, a British filmmaker who debuted as a feature director with the Oscar-winning Olympics drama “Chariots of Fire” and later made such well-regarded movies as “My Life So Far” and the Oscar-nominated “Greystoke,” has died at age 86.
Hudson’s family issued a brief statement announcing that he died Friday at a hospital in London “after a short illness.”
Read More: Cody Longo, ‘Days Of Our Lives’ And ‘Hollywood Heights’ Actor, Dead At 34
A London native, Hudson started out as a documentary editor and producer and also worked in television advertising before finding work in feature films in the late 1970s as a second-unit director on Alan Parker’s “Midnight Express”. In 1981, producer David Puttnam asked Hudson to direct “Chariots of Fire”, which starred Ben Cross and Nigel Havers as British athletes of contrasting religions and backgrounds at the 1924 Olympics.
With its inspirational plot and sentimental theme music by the Greek composer Vangelis,...
Hudson’s family issued a brief statement announcing that he died Friday at a hospital in London “after a short illness.”
Read More: Cody Longo, ‘Days Of Our Lives’ And ‘Hollywood Heights’ Actor, Dead At 34
A London native, Hudson started out as a documentary editor and producer and also worked in television advertising before finding work in feature films in the late 1970s as a second-unit director on Alan Parker’s “Midnight Express”. In 1981, producer David Puttnam asked Hudson to direct “Chariots of Fire”, which starred Ben Cross and Nigel Havers as British athletes of contrasting religions and backgrounds at the 1924 Olympics.
With its inspirational plot and sentimental theme music by the Greek composer Vangelis,...
- 2/11/2023
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
Hugh Hudson, director of the Oscar-winning classic "Chariots of Fire," has passed away at the age of 86. According to a statement released by his family, Hudson "died at Charing Cross hospital on 10 February after a short illness. He is survived by his wife, Maryam, his son, Thomas, and his first wife, Sue."
Hudson's fact-based drama about British runners Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) and Eric Liddell (Ian Charleston) was a surprise critical and commercial smash in 1981, earning four Academy Awards (including Best Picture) and out-grossing splashy studio releases like "For Your Eyes Only" and "Clash of the Titans." The film became a pop cultural phenomenon due in part to Vangelis' main theme, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in 1982 and inspired parodies in films like "Mr. Mom" and "National Lampoon's Vacation." But despite its staid period setting and deliberately paced narrative, Hudson's movie touched the hearts of moviegoers all...
Hudson's fact-based drama about British runners Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) and Eric Liddell (Ian Charleston) was a surprise critical and commercial smash in 1981, earning four Academy Awards (including Best Picture) and out-grossing splashy studio releases like "For Your Eyes Only" and "Clash of the Titans." The film became a pop cultural phenomenon due in part to Vangelis' main theme, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in 1982 and inspired parodies in films like "Mr. Mom" and "National Lampoon's Vacation." But despite its staid period setting and deliberately paced narrative, Hudson's movie touched the hearts of moviegoers all...
- 2/10/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
George Harrison loved talking to people and revealed that it took a long time for anyone to bore him. The former Beatle enjoyed hearing people’s stories and perspectives, especially if they had interesting opinions about religion.
George Harrison talking to David Puttnam | Dave Hogan/Getty Images George Harrison said he loved talking to people
In a November 1964 issue of The Beatles Book Monthly (per Beatles Interviews), George interviewed himself. He asked the questions he thought reporters missed, including if he made friends easily.
George replied that he was “extremely” interested in people. “I think I make an easy target for folk who like to talk about themselves,” he added. “It takes a long time for them to bore me because I enjoy listening to new ideas and different opinions. That’s what life is for– to find out fresh things and learn new facts.”
George asked himself if his...
George Harrison talking to David Puttnam | Dave Hogan/Getty Images George Harrison said he loved talking to people
In a November 1964 issue of The Beatles Book Monthly (per Beatles Interviews), George interviewed himself. He asked the questions he thought reporters missed, including if he made friends easily.
George replied that he was “extremely” interested in people. “I think I make an easy target for folk who like to talk about themselves,” he added. “It takes a long time for them to bore me because I enjoy listening to new ideas and different opinions. That’s what life is for– to find out fresh things and learn new facts.”
George asked himself if his...
- 2/10/2023
- by Hannah Wigandt
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Oscar-nominated British filmmaker Hugh Hudson has passed away. Famous for his documentary and advertising work, Hudson shot Chariots of Fire, one of the most celebrated films in British history, and Best Picture winner at the 1981 Oscars ceremony. Hudson was 86 when he passed away on Friday at Charing Cross hospital in London after a brief illness.
Hudson directed seven films throughout his career, including Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984), Revolution, Lost Angels, and more. Hailed as a maker of lasting cinema, Hudson’s Revolution, starring Al Pacino, was a box office bomb, earning roughly 350,000 against a reported 29 million budget. The backlash left a lasting impression on Hudson and compelled Pacino to exit the acting scene for roughly four years.
Hudson cut his teeth as a second-unit director for filmmaker Alan Parker and producer David Puttnam on Midnight Express. Puttnam was impressed by Hudson’s keen eye...
Hudson directed seven films throughout his career, including Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984), Revolution, Lost Angels, and more. Hailed as a maker of lasting cinema, Hudson’s Revolution, starring Al Pacino, was a box office bomb, earning roughly 350,000 against a reported 29 million budget. The backlash left a lasting impression on Hudson and compelled Pacino to exit the acting scene for roughly four years.
Hudson cut his teeth as a second-unit director for filmmaker Alan Parker and producer David Puttnam on Midnight Express. Puttnam was impressed by Hudson’s keen eye...
- 2/10/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Hugh Hudson, the director behind 1981’s Academy Award-winning Chariots of Fire, has died aged 86, his family said.
A statement on behalf of his family read: “Hugh Hudson, 86, beloved husband and father died at Charing Cross Hospital on February 10 2023 after a short illness.
“He was best known for directing the Oscar-winning film Chariots Of Fire. He is survived by his wife Maryam, his son Thomas and his first wife Sue.”
Veteran stage and screen actor Nigel Havers, who played Lord Andrew Lindsay in the critically-acclaimed film, told the Pa news agency: “I am beyond devastated that my great friend Hugh Hudson, who I have known for more than 45 years, has died.
“Chariots Of Fire was one of the greatest experiences of my professional life, and, like so many others, I owe much of what followed to him. I shall miss him greatly.”
Born in 1936 in London, Hudson went to boarding school...
A statement on behalf of his family read: “Hugh Hudson, 86, beloved husband and father died at Charing Cross Hospital on February 10 2023 after a short illness.
“He was best known for directing the Oscar-winning film Chariots Of Fire. He is survived by his wife Maryam, his son Thomas and his first wife Sue.”
Veteran stage and screen actor Nigel Havers, who played Lord Andrew Lindsay in the critically-acclaimed film, told the Pa news agency: “I am beyond devastated that my great friend Hugh Hudson, who I have known for more than 45 years, has died.
“Chariots Of Fire was one of the greatest experiences of my professional life, and, like so many others, I owe much of what followed to him. I shall miss him greatly.”
Born in 1936 in London, Hudson went to boarding school...
- 2/10/2023
- by Tom Murray
- The Independent - Film
Hugh Hudson, who came from the worlds of documentaries and advertising to make his feature directing debut on the stirring Oscar best picture winner Chariots of Fire, one of the most admired British films ever made, has died. He was 86.
Hudson died Friday at Charing Cross hospital in London after a short illness, his family told The Guardian newspaper.
Hudson helmed just seven features during his career. After earning an Oscar nomination for his 1981 masterpiece, he followed with the highly regarded Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984). Starring Christopher Lambert, it was the first Tarzan feature to receive an Oscar nom (it landed three).
Up next for Hudson, however, was Revolution (1985), which starred Al Pacino as a fur trapper thrust into the American Revolutionary War. Made for a reported 28 million, it was a major bust, grossing just 350,000 in the U.S. Critics hammered Pacino, who left acting for about four years,...
Hudson died Friday at Charing Cross hospital in London after a short illness, his family told The Guardian newspaper.
Hudson helmed just seven features during his career. After earning an Oscar nomination for his 1981 masterpiece, he followed with the highly regarded Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984). Starring Christopher Lambert, it was the first Tarzan feature to receive an Oscar nom (it landed three).
Up next for Hudson, however, was Revolution (1985), which starred Al Pacino as a fur trapper thrust into the American Revolutionary War. Made for a reported 28 million, it was a major bust, grossing just 350,000 in the U.S. Critics hammered Pacino, who left acting for about four years,...
- 2/10/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hugh Hudson, who directed the classic Oscar winning film “Chariots of Fire,” died Friday in London. He was 86.
The Guardian said he had died after a short illness. His family released a statement saying, “Hugh Hudson, 86, beloved husband and father, died at Charing Cross hospital on 10 February after a short illness. He is survived by his wife Maryam, his son Thomas and his first wife Sue.”
As a director Hudson could be counted upon to deliver lush, beautifully designed, well-orchestrated scenes.
“Chariots of Fire” was the story of the rivalry between two British runners, one Jewish, the other a devout Christian, culminating in the 1924 Olympics. Hudson was Oscar nominated for best director in 1982, and the movie won four Academy Awards, including best picture and best score for the electronic compositions of Vangelis that somehow worked splendidly in the period film.
Hudson had brought his friend Vangelis onto the project, and...
The Guardian said he had died after a short illness. His family released a statement saying, “Hugh Hudson, 86, beloved husband and father, died at Charing Cross hospital on 10 February after a short illness. He is survived by his wife Maryam, his son Thomas and his first wife Sue.”
As a director Hudson could be counted upon to deliver lush, beautifully designed, well-orchestrated scenes.
“Chariots of Fire” was the story of the rivalry between two British runners, one Jewish, the other a devout Christian, culminating in the 1924 Olympics. Hudson was Oscar nominated for best director in 1982, and the movie won four Academy Awards, including best picture and best score for the electronic compositions of Vangelis that somehow worked splendidly in the period film.
Hudson had brought his friend Vangelis onto the project, and...
- 2/10/2023
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
Directors interested in important, ambitious subject matter didn’t all go extinct with the rise of the Star Wars Generation. Roland Joffé’s first four features are powerful pictures that tell truths that we ought not to forget, with a couple of Award-winning gems right up front. The star power is here as well — Robert De Niro, Paul Newman, Patrick Swayze. The deluxe collector’s box caps a presentation with new extras for each title: The Killing Fields, The Mission, Fat Man and Little Boy and City of Joy.
Directed by Roland Joffé
Region-Free Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator 194, 185, 186, 187
1984 – 1992 / Color / Street Date December 7, 2022 / 525 minutes cumulative / Available from / au 179.95
Starring: Sam Waterston, Dr. Haing S. Ngor, John Malkovich; Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons; Paul Newman, Dwight Schultz, Bonnie Bedelia, John Cusack; Patrick Swayze, Om Puri, Pauline Collins.
Cinematography: Chris Menges (2); Vilmos Zsigmond, Peter Biziou
Original Music: Mike Oldfield, Ennio Morricone (3)
Written by Bruce Robinson; Robert Bolt; Bruce Robinson,...
Directed by Roland Joffé
Region-Free Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator 194, 185, 186, 187
1984 – 1992 / Color / Street Date December 7, 2022 / 525 minutes cumulative / Available from / au 179.95
Starring: Sam Waterston, Dr. Haing S. Ngor, John Malkovich; Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons; Paul Newman, Dwight Schultz, Bonnie Bedelia, John Cusack; Patrick Swayze, Om Puri, Pauline Collins.
Cinematography: Chris Menges (2); Vilmos Zsigmond, Peter Biziou
Original Music: Mike Oldfield, Ennio Morricone (3)
Written by Bruce Robinson; Robert Bolt; Bruce Robinson,...
- 12/20/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The impact of "Star Wars" on popular culture and Hollywood filmmaking cannot be overstated. Many directors have commented on how George Lucas' 1977 film personally influenced their lives and careers. For Ridley Scott, however, experiencing "Star Wars" would not only change his own direction, but would also result in one of the only films that comes close to rivaling the legacy of "Star Wars" itself.
When Scott saw "Star Wars" on opening night in 1977, he had a strong and immediate reaction. Prior to the release of his first feature film, "The Duellists," at Cannes Film Festival, where it would win "Best Debut Film," Scott traveled to Los Angeles to pre-screen the movie. There, he got an opportunity to see "Star Wars" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre with his producer and friend, David Putnam. "The theater was positively boiling with expectation," Scott said in a 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, and when the curtains opened,...
When Scott saw "Star Wars" on opening night in 1977, he had a strong and immediate reaction. Prior to the release of his first feature film, "The Duellists," at Cannes Film Festival, where it would win "Best Debut Film," Scott traveled to Los Angeles to pre-screen the movie. There, he got an opportunity to see "Star Wars" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre with his producer and friend, David Putnam. "The theater was positively boiling with expectation," Scott said in a 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, and when the curtains opened,...
- 10/7/2022
- by Walter Roberts
- Slash Film
Actor/writer/director Ethan Hawke discusses a few of his favorite films with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Explorers (1985) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Verdict (1982)
The Color Of Money (1986) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary
Nobody’s Fool (1994)
Three Faces Of Eve (1957)
Mr. And Mrs. Bridge (1990)
North By Northwest (1959)
Torn Curtain (1966)
Psycho (1960) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Frenzy (1972) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary
Topaz (1969)
Boyhood (2014)
An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
Blue Collar (1978) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
First Reformed (2017) – Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary
Taxi Driver (1976) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary
The Left Handed Gun (1958)
Hombre (1967)
Hud (1963)
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
The Life And Times Of Judge Roy Bean (1972) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Buffalo Bill And The Indians, Or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson (1976) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Outrage (1964)
Rashomon (1950) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary,...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Explorers (1985) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Verdict (1982)
The Color Of Money (1986) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary
Nobody’s Fool (1994)
Three Faces Of Eve (1957)
Mr. And Mrs. Bridge (1990)
North By Northwest (1959)
Torn Curtain (1966)
Psycho (1960) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Frenzy (1972) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary
Topaz (1969)
Boyhood (2014)
An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
Blue Collar (1978) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
First Reformed (2017) – Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary
Taxi Driver (1976) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary
The Left Handed Gun (1958)
Hombre (1967)
Hud (1963)
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
The Life And Times Of Judge Roy Bean (1972) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Buffalo Bill And The Indians, Or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson (1976) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Outrage (1964)
Rashomon (1950) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary,...
- 10/4/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou, known to cinephiles around the world as Vangelis, has died this week at a hospital in France, his reps announced in a statement. He was 79.
Vangelis is best known for the iconic theme and soundtrack to the Best Picture-winning sports film “Chariots of Fire,” for which he won an Oscar for Best Original Score while the soundtrack reached the top of the U.S. Billboard charts. He also composed the score for Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic “Blade Runner,” for which he was nominated for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe.
Born in Athens, Greece, Vangelis got his start playing keyboards for a pop band called Forminx in the 1960s and later with the prog rock band Aphrodite’s Child, which found success on the European charts. Meanwhile, he entered the film world as a composer for Greek films, expanding beyond that in the 1970s with scores...
Vangelis is best known for the iconic theme and soundtrack to the Best Picture-winning sports film “Chariots of Fire,” for which he won an Oscar for Best Original Score while the soundtrack reached the top of the U.S. Billboard charts. He also composed the score for Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic “Blade Runner,” for which he was nominated for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe.
Born in Athens, Greece, Vangelis got his start playing keyboards for a pop band called Forminx in the 1960s and later with the prog rock band Aphrodite’s Child, which found success on the European charts. Meanwhile, he entered the film world as a composer for Greek films, expanding beyond that in the 1970s with scores...
- 5/19/2022
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Vangelis, the electronic-music pioneer who won an Oscar for “Chariots of Fire” and composed such other landmark film scores as “Blade Runner,” died Tuesday, the Athens News Agency reported. He was 79.
The self-taught musician enjoyed a long career in European pop music before the magical colors and textures of his 1970s solo albums brought him to the attention of film and TV producers. The use of a track from his 1975 album “Heaven and Hell” as the theme for Carl Sagan’s PBS series “Cosmos” brought his name and music into prominence in America.
But it was his music for the 1981 film “Chariots of Fire” that brought him worldwide fame. Producer David Puttnam made the unorthodox choice for his period sports drama after hearing Vangelis’s music for the French nature documentary “Opera Sauvage” and the studio album “China.”
As he often did, Vangelis performed all of the instruments, including synthesizer,...
The self-taught musician enjoyed a long career in European pop music before the magical colors and textures of his 1970s solo albums brought him to the attention of film and TV producers. The use of a track from his 1975 album “Heaven and Hell” as the theme for Carl Sagan’s PBS series “Cosmos” brought his name and music into prominence in America.
But it was his music for the 1981 film “Chariots of Fire” that brought him worldwide fame. Producer David Puttnam made the unorthodox choice for his period sports drama after hearing Vangelis’s music for the French nature documentary “Opera Sauvage” and the studio album “China.”
As he often did, Vangelis performed all of the instruments, including synthesizer,...
- 5/19/2022
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Andy Harries will take over later this month.
David Puttnam is to step down as chair of the Film London Executive Task Force later this month, with Left Bank Pictures CEO Andy Harries moving into the role.
Puttnam has led the Task Force since becoming its inaugural chair in 2004. During his tenure he has overseen the introduction of the first road closure legislation for filming in the UK, as well as the launch of the London Filming Partnership in 2005.
“We can all take pride in what’s been achieved during my tenure,” said Puttnam, “including the design and implementation of...
David Puttnam is to step down as chair of the Film London Executive Task Force later this month, with Left Bank Pictures CEO Andy Harries moving into the role.
Puttnam has led the Task Force since becoming its inaugural chair in 2004. During his tenure he has overseen the introduction of the first road closure legislation for filming in the UK, as well as the launch of the London Filming Partnership in 2005.
“We can all take pride in what’s been achieved during my tenure,” said Puttnam, “including the design and implementation of...
- 2/14/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The UK director also gave a masterclass as part of Malta Film Week
Veteran UK director Roland Joffé has given further details of the new international film school he is planning to establish in Malta.
Joffé is currently in “deep discussions” with the Maltese government and hopes to be able to formally announce the film school, which will be called The Malta Film Academy, “within a few months”.
“I want to start a film school that will give a powerful training in cinema but will also give people the chance to study international relations,” said Joffé, speaking during the inaugural Malta Film Week.
Veteran UK director Roland Joffé has given further details of the new international film school he is planning to establish in Malta.
Joffé is currently in “deep discussions” with the Maltese government and hopes to be able to formally announce the film school, which will be called The Malta Film Academy, “within a few months”.
“I want to start a film school that will give a powerful training in cinema but will also give people the chance to study international relations,” said Joffé, speaking during the inaugural Malta Film Week.
- 1/29/2022
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Jane Alsobrook, a marketing and publicity specialist who coordinated the U.S. campaigns for numerous successful independent and foreign films in the 1970s and 1980s, has died. She was 78.
It was revealed today that Alsobrook died December 13 at her home in Sedona, Az on after a lengthy battle with breast cancer.
While doing post-graduate work at USC in the early 1970s, Alsobrook joined Gary Essert and Gary Abrahams to help launch the Los Angeles Film Exposition, aka Filmex, the city’s first film festival.
She then joined Roger Corman’s New World Pictures to handle marketing and publicity, notably for Fellini’s Amarcord, which won the Foreign Language Film Oscar in 1975. The following year she shifted gears to become national publicity director for ABC Records, and in the late ’70s she helped engineer the launch of Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, starring The Ramones, which Corman released.
In the early 1980s,...
It was revealed today that Alsobrook died December 13 at her home in Sedona, Az on after a lengthy battle with breast cancer.
While doing post-graduate work at USC in the early 1970s, Alsobrook joined Gary Essert and Gary Abrahams to help launch the Los Angeles Film Exposition, aka Filmex, the city’s first film festival.
She then joined Roger Corman’s New World Pictures to handle marketing and publicity, notably for Fellini’s Amarcord, which won the Foreign Language Film Oscar in 1975. The following year she shifted gears to become national publicity director for ABC Records, and in the late ’70s she helped engineer the launch of Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, starring The Ramones, which Corman released.
In the early 1980s,...
- 1/10/2022
- by Todd McCarthy
- Deadline Film + TV
Young was director of the Nfts from 1971-92.
Colin Young, the founding director of the UK’s National Film and Television School (Nfts), has passed away aged 94.
According to a statement from the Nfts, Young died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on Saturday (November 27).
Young was born in Glasgow in 1927. He started off writing film and theatre reviews in Aberdeen, before heading to Los Angeles to study film at UCLA. After graduating, he worked as a technician at the university, and eventually made his way up through various departments to be put in charge of the Department of Theatre Arts,...
Colin Young, the founding director of the UK’s National Film and Television School (Nfts), has passed away aged 94.
According to a statement from the Nfts, Young died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on Saturday (November 27).
Young was born in Glasgow in 1927. He started off writing film and theatre reviews in Aberdeen, before heading to Los Angeles to study film at UCLA. After graduating, he worked as a technician at the university, and eventually made his way up through various departments to be put in charge of the Department of Theatre Arts,...
- 11/29/2021
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Even if you have trouble with the idea of God, says veteran producer David Puttnam in Ennio, Giuseppe Tornatore’s rapturous paean to his late collaborator Ennio Morricone, when you hear his music, “you can hear that there is something out there.” By the standards of Ennio, the suggestion that God dwells in Morricone’s music is nowhere near over the top. “He’s my favorite composer,” whoops Quentin Tarantino, in a torrent of enthusiasm ferocious even by his standards. “And I’m not talking movie composer! I’m talking Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert!”
Ennio Morricone died last year, aged 91. Tornatore, whose best-known collaboration with the maestro was the Oscar-winning Cinema Paradiso (1988), spent five years assembling archival material and interviewing other directors, musicians and critics about his work. Morricone wrote everything from pop songs to experimental noise music but, of course, is known largely for having scored over 500 films.
No one...
Ennio Morricone died last year, aged 91. Tornatore, whose best-known collaboration with the maestro was the Oscar-winning Cinema Paradiso (1988), spent five years assembling archival material and interviewing other directors, musicians and critics about his work. Morricone wrote everything from pop songs to experimental noise music but, of course, is known largely for having scored over 500 films.
No one...
- 9/12/2021
- by Stephanie Bunbury
- Deadline Film + TV
Honorary fellowship comes in the wake of Loren’s return to the big screen in The Life Ahead.
The Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School is set to fete Italian actress Sophia Loren with its 2021 honorary fellowship at its annual graduation ceremony in February, which has moved online this year.
The school selected Loren for a wide-ranging cinema career that has spanned both Europe and Hollywood. “She has left an indelible mark of talent, beauty and powerful femininity; for her portrayal of moving characters which have earned her awards and high praise,” they said.
Past recipients of the fellowship have included David Lynch,...
The Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School is set to fete Italian actress Sophia Loren with its 2021 honorary fellowship at its annual graduation ceremony in February, which has moved online this year.
The school selected Loren for a wide-ranging cinema career that has spanned both Europe and Hollywood. “She has left an indelible mark of talent, beauty and powerful femininity; for her portrayal of moving characters which have earned her awards and high praise,” they said.
Past recipients of the fellowship have included David Lynch,...
- 1/27/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
The new president adores the British classic, even referencing it in his victory speech. Creators including Hugh Hudson, David Puttnam, Nigel Havers, Nicholas Farrell and Stephen Fry applaud his choice – and his appointment
Last November, David Puttnam received a mysterious phone call. It was a tip-off from someone in the White House transition team. “They said: ‘We just thought you’d like to know that he’s referenced it again.’”
Joe Biden first cited Chariots of Fire – the stirring story of Scottish sprinting champion Eric Liddell and Jewish gold medallist Harold Abrahams that producer Puttnam ushered to Oscar glory in 1982 – as his favourite film during the vice presidential race in 2008. “Someone put personal fame and glory behind principles,” he said. “That, to me, is the mark of real heroism.”...
Last November, David Puttnam received a mysterious phone call. It was a tip-off from someone in the White House transition team. “They said: ‘We just thought you’d like to know that he’s referenced it again.’”
Joe Biden first cited Chariots of Fire – the stirring story of Scottish sprinting champion Eric Liddell and Jewish gold medallist Harold Abrahams that producer Puttnam ushered to Oscar glory in 1982 – as his favourite film during the vice presidential race in 2008. “Someone put personal fame and glory behind principles,” he said. “That, to me, is the mark of real heroism.”...
- 1/22/2021
- by Catherine Shoard
- The Guardian - Film News
More than 40 key figures from the film industry have written to UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak calling for more support for UK cinema, which they say is “standing on the edge of an abyss” as a result of the pandemic.
The industry leaders, including Christopher Nolan, Steve McQueen, Ridley Scott, Jude Law and Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, are calling for “targeted funding support to ensure that future generations can enjoy the magic of cinema”.
“We recognise the support that government has already been able to provide,” the group says. “But we fear that this will not be enough, with the challenges being most acute for those larger cinema operators who have not been able to access any tailored funding.
“These companies represent over 80 per cent of the market, in many ways constituting its ‘critical mass’ and helping to drive the success of associated sectors such as film distribution and production coalesce.
The industry leaders, including Christopher Nolan, Steve McQueen, Ridley Scott, Jude Law and Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, are calling for “targeted funding support to ensure that future generations can enjoy the magic of cinema”.
“We recognise the support that government has already been able to provide,” the group says. “But we fear that this will not be enough, with the challenges being most acute for those larger cinema operators who have not been able to access any tailored funding.
“These companies represent over 80 per cent of the market, in many ways constituting its ‘critical mass’ and helping to drive the success of associated sectors such as film distribution and production coalesce.
- 1/18/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Letter to UK government says the industry is “on the edge of an abyss”.
Nearly 50 leading UK filmmakers have called on the UK government to issue “urgently needed” financial support for the cinema sector.
A letter to UK chancellor Rishi Sunak, first published in The Sunday Times, says UK cinemas “stand on the edge of an abyss” due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and that targeted funding is crucial to ensure their survival.
Those who have put their name to the letter include Eon Films’ Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, Heyday Films’ David Heyman and Oscar-winning filmmakers Steve McQueen and Danny Boyle.
Nearly 50 leading UK filmmakers have called on the UK government to issue “urgently needed” financial support for the cinema sector.
A letter to UK chancellor Rishi Sunak, first published in The Sunday Times, says UK cinemas “stand on the edge of an abyss” due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and that targeted funding is crucial to ensure their survival.
Those who have put their name to the letter include Eon Films’ Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, Heyday Films’ David Heyman and Oscar-winning filmmakers Steve McQueen and Danny Boyle.
- 1/18/2021
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
More than 40 prominent U.K. film industry figures, including “Tenet” director Christopher Nolan and “Small Axe” filmmaker Steve McQueen, have written to U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak requesting further support for the beleaguered exhibition sector.
The letter in the Sunday Times, a follow up to the U.K. Cinema Association’s December 2020 ‘Keep the Magic Alive’ campaign, acknowledges the efforts of the U.K. government in helping cinemas stay afloat, but that these initiatives may not be enough.
The signatories also include “Maradona” director Asif Kapadia, “Slumdog Millionaire” filmmaker Danny Boyle, James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli, and “Harry Potter” producer David Heyman. (A full list is below.)
“There is no doubt that if supported to survive, the sector will recover and once again thrive. But the need for direct financial support is pressing,” the letter says. “We recognize the support that government has already been able to provide.
The letter in the Sunday Times, a follow up to the U.K. Cinema Association’s December 2020 ‘Keep the Magic Alive’ campaign, acknowledges the efforts of the U.K. government in helping cinemas stay afloat, but that these initiatives may not be enough.
The signatories also include “Maradona” director Asif Kapadia, “Slumdog Millionaire” filmmaker Danny Boyle, James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli, and “Harry Potter” producer David Heyman. (A full list is below.)
“There is no doubt that if supported to survive, the sector will recover and once again thrive. But the need for direct financial support is pressing,” the letter says. “We recognize the support that government has already been able to provide.
- 1/18/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
David Puttnam leads tributes to “gentleman distributor”.
Tributes have been paid to Frank Pierce, the former Warner Bros UK executive and Film Distributors’ Association (Fda) president who has died aged 90.
Pierce, who died on October 12 in New York City, spent more than 25 years in theatrical distribution at Warner Bros and was described as a “true gentleman” and a “tough but fair” professional.
Oscar-winning producer David Puttnam was named president of the UK’s Fda when Pierce stepped down from the role in 2006, and summed up the high regard in which the industry veteran was held by his contemporaries.
“I was...
Tributes have been paid to Frank Pierce, the former Warner Bros UK executive and Film Distributors’ Association (Fda) president who has died aged 90.
Pierce, who died on October 12 in New York City, spent more than 25 years in theatrical distribution at Warner Bros and was described as a “true gentleman” and a “tough but fair” professional.
Oscar-winning producer David Puttnam was named president of the UK’s Fda when Pierce stepped down from the role in 2006, and summed up the high regard in which the industry veteran was held by his contemporaries.
“I was...
- 11/30/2020
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
The Venice Film Festival’s industry-focused Production Bridge had unveiled the line-up of projects that will take part in its ‘Final Cut In Venice’ workshop this year. The six films all hail from the Mena region. There are three fiction projects: Hadjer by Anis Djaad and Alegria Productions; Harvest by Ely Dagher and Andolfi; and Soula by Salah Issaad and Issaad Film Productions. They are joined by three documentaries: Guardian Of The Worlds by Leïla Chaïbi and L’image d’après; Our Choices by Salah Al Ashkar and Caractères Productions; and The Blue Inmates (Lebanon) by Zeina Daccache and Catharsis-Lebanese Center for Drama Therapy. Those projects will compete for a variety of awards that will aid them in the post-production process.
The first edition of a new immersive talent development lab and co-production fund for...
The first edition of a new immersive talent development lab and co-production fund for...
- 8/5/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
UK filmmaker Alan Parker died aged 76 on Friday.
Tributes from across the industry have been paid to filmmaker Alan Parker, who died on Friday (July 31), aged 76.
Former colleagues talked warmly of Parker’s achievements as a filmmaker, his work for public bodies including the BFI and the UK Film Council, his loyalty to friends and his encouragement of young talent.
“Alan was my oldest and closest friend,” said producer David Puttman, Parker’s long-time collaborator with whom he first worked at Collett Dickenson Pearce (Cdp) in what was later called ‘the golden age of advertising’ in the 1960s. “I was...
Tributes from across the industry have been paid to filmmaker Alan Parker, who died on Friday (July 31), aged 76.
Former colleagues talked warmly of Parker’s achievements as a filmmaker, his work for public bodies including the BFI and the UK Film Council, his loyalty to friends and his encouragement of young talent.
“Alan was my oldest and closest friend,” said producer David Puttman, Parker’s long-time collaborator with whom he first worked at Collett Dickenson Pearce (Cdp) in what was later called ‘the golden age of advertising’ in the 1960s. “I was...
- 8/3/2020
- by 57¦Geoffrey Macnab¦41¦
- ScreenDaily
Actors and directors took to social media to pay tribute to British director Alan Parker, who died Friday. The filmmaker behind “Evita, “The Commitments” and “Bugsy Malone” was 76.
Parker’s first feature film was 1976’s “Bugsy Malone.” He directed over 25 films, and his last film was “The Life of David Gale” starring Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslet. Parker received two Oscar nominations, one for “Midnight Express” and “Mississippi Burning.”
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts wrote, “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of BAFTA Fellow Alan Parker. As BAFTA-winning filmmaker, he brought us joy with Bugsy Malone, The Commitments, Midnight Express and many more.”
Andrew Lloyd Webber who remembered Parker for their collaboration on his adaptation of “Evita,” wrote, “Very sad to hear the news of Alan Parker’s death. My friend and collaborator on the Evita movie and one of the few directors to truly understand musicals on screen.
Parker’s first feature film was 1976’s “Bugsy Malone.” He directed over 25 films, and his last film was “The Life of David Gale” starring Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslet. Parker received two Oscar nominations, one for “Midnight Express” and “Mississippi Burning.”
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts wrote, “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of BAFTA Fellow Alan Parker. As BAFTA-winning filmmaker, he brought us joy with Bugsy Malone, The Commitments, Midnight Express and many more.”
Andrew Lloyd Webber who remembered Parker for their collaboration on his adaptation of “Evita,” wrote, “Very sad to hear the news of Alan Parker’s death. My friend and collaborator on the Evita movie and one of the few directors to truly understand musicals on screen.
- 7/31/2020
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
His body of work includes Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments, Evita, Fame, Birdy, Angel Heart and Angela’s Ashes.
Acclaimed UK filmmaker Alan Parker died this morning (July 31) following a lengthy illness.
Parker was one of the UK’s most acclaimed and successful filmmakers, with a body of work including Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments, Evita, Fame, Birdy, Angel Heart and Angela’s Ashes. His films won a combined 19 Baftas, 10 Golden Globes and 10 Oscars.
Parker was a passionate supporter of the UK film industry and was a founding member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain,...
Acclaimed UK filmmaker Alan Parker died this morning (July 31) following a lengthy illness.
Parker was one of the UK’s most acclaimed and successful filmmakers, with a body of work including Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments, Evita, Fame, Birdy, Angel Heart and Angela’s Ashes. His films won a combined 19 Baftas, 10 Golden Globes and 10 Oscars.
Parker was a passionate supporter of the UK film industry and was a founding member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain,...
- 7/31/2020
- by 14¦Screen staff¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Tributes have been paid from across the film industry to Green, who was joint managing director of Entertainment Film Distributors.
Tributes have been paid from across the UK film industry to Trevor Green, the joint managing director of Entertainment Film Distributors who died yesterday (Thursday April 30), aged 66.
Green had underlying health issues and had been in hospital for several weeks.
Together with his brother, Nigel, Trevor Green turned Entertainment into the UK’s leading independent film distribution company – the one outfit capable of competing on equal terms with the Us majors.
Entertainment handled a broad range of films, everything from...
Tributes have been paid from across the UK film industry to Trevor Green, the joint managing director of Entertainment Film Distributors who died yesterday (Thursday April 30), aged 66.
Green had underlying health issues and had been in hospital for several weeks.
Together with his brother, Nigel, Trevor Green turned Entertainment into the UK’s leading independent film distribution company – the one outfit capable of competing on equal terms with the Us majors.
Entertainment handled a broad range of films, everything from...
- 5/1/2020
- by 57¦Geoffrey Macnab¦41¦
- ScreenDaily
Lord David Puttnam applauded the accomplishments of the Nfts but also issued a stark warning.
The UK’s National Film and Television School (Nfts) has revealed key findings of a major new report, which it will launch today (March 20).
The Nfts Graduate Impact Report has analysed the contribution of the school’s graduates to high-end TV, UK independent film and inward investment over a five-year period, from 2015-2019.
The figures reveal that 97% of the biggest budget inward investment films in the UK have Nfts graduate involvement. These include Fantastic Beasts…director David Yates and the Oscar-winning cinematographer of 1917, Roger Deakins.
The UK’s National Film and Television School (Nfts) has revealed key findings of a major new report, which it will launch today (March 20).
The Nfts Graduate Impact Report has analysed the contribution of the school’s graduates to high-end TV, UK independent film and inward investment over a five-year period, from 2015-2019.
The figures reveal that 97% of the biggest budget inward investment films in the UK have Nfts graduate involvement. These include Fantastic Beasts…director David Yates and the Oscar-winning cinematographer of 1917, Roger Deakins.
- 3/20/2020
- by 1100453¦Michael Rosser¦9¦
- ScreenDaily
Filmmakers/authors discuss the movies they wish more people were familiar with.
Movies Referenced In This Episode
Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the ’70s (2012)
Live Like A Cop, Die Like A Man (1976)
Island of Lost Souls (1932)
Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau (2014)
Top Gun (1986)
Water Power (1977)
Taxi Driver (1976)
In Fabric (2018)
A Climax of Blue Power (1974)
Forced Entry (1975)
Once Upon A Time In America (1984)
Nashville Girl (1976)
Ms .45 (1981)
Act of Vengeance a.k.a. Rape Squad (1974)
High Plains Drifter (1973)
Design For Living (1933)
Trouble In Paradise (1932)
Melody (1971)
Oliver! (1968)
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
That’ll Be The Day (1973)
Stardust (1974)
The Errand Boy (1961)
Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003)
The Bellboy (1960)
Which Way To The Front? (1970)
Hardly Working (1980)
A Night In Casablanca (1946)
The Cocoanuts (1929)
Duck Soup (1933)
Boeing Boeing (1965)
Confessions of a Young American Housewife (1974)
Cockfighter (1974)
The Second Civil War (1997)
I, A Woman (1965)
The Devil At Your Heels (1981)
The...
Movies Referenced In This Episode
Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the ’70s (2012)
Live Like A Cop, Die Like A Man (1976)
Island of Lost Souls (1932)
Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau (2014)
Top Gun (1986)
Water Power (1977)
Taxi Driver (1976)
In Fabric (2018)
A Climax of Blue Power (1974)
Forced Entry (1975)
Once Upon A Time In America (1984)
Nashville Girl (1976)
Ms .45 (1981)
Act of Vengeance a.k.a. Rape Squad (1974)
High Plains Drifter (1973)
Design For Living (1933)
Trouble In Paradise (1932)
Melody (1971)
Oliver! (1968)
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
That’ll Be The Day (1973)
Stardust (1974)
The Errand Boy (1961)
Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003)
The Bellboy (1960)
Which Way To The Front? (1970)
Hardly Working (1980)
A Night In Casablanca (1946)
The Cocoanuts (1929)
Duck Soup (1933)
Boeing Boeing (1965)
Confessions of a Young American Housewife (1974)
Cockfighter (1974)
The Second Civil War (1997)
I, A Woman (1965)
The Devil At Your Heels (1981)
The...
- 3/3/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
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