Produced by Jesuit Refugee Service/USA (Jrs/USA), in partnership with Unhcr, the Un Refugee Agency, Lampedusa: Concerts for Refugees is raising awareness and money to support expanded educational opportunities for displaced people through Jrs’s Global Education Initiative.
Funds raised from the tour help refugees heal, learn, and thrive.
Performing this year are Joan Baez, Brandi Carlile, Lila Downs, Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews, James McMurtry, Buddy Miller, Alynda Segarra, and Lucinda Williams – all Grammy winners and Grammy nominated artists who are donating their talents this October in eight cities for Lampedusa: Concerts for Refugees.
“I believe that education is the key to everything,” remarked Emmylou Harris following her visit last year to Ethiopia to visit Jrs programs there. Harris visited one of many education programs Jrs provides, including primary, secondary, and vocational livelihoods training, in 42 countries around the world.
The Lampedusa 2017 tour will reach eight markets:
Oct 3:
Seattle,...
Funds raised from the tour help refugees heal, learn, and thrive.
Performing this year are Joan Baez, Brandi Carlile, Lila Downs, Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews, James McMurtry, Buddy Miller, Alynda Segarra, and Lucinda Williams – all Grammy winners and Grammy nominated artists who are donating their talents this October in eight cities for Lampedusa: Concerts for Refugees.
“I believe that education is the key to everything,” remarked Emmylou Harris following her visit last year to Ethiopia to visit Jrs programs there. Harris visited one of many education programs Jrs provides, including primary, secondary, and vocational livelihoods training, in 42 countries around the world.
The Lampedusa 2017 tour will reach eight markets:
Oct 3:
Seattle,...
- 9/12/2017
- Look to the Stars
Twenty years ago, while doing time in prison for assault with a firearm, Lavonte Stewart thought often about his time playing Little League baseball while growing up on Chicago’s rough South Side.
During his teen years, baseball was what had helped him to stay out of trouble, get good grades and win a college athletic scholarship.
“If I hadn’t fallen in with the wrong group and given in to the temptations of the dark side shortly after I started college, I obviously would have been miles ahead,” Stewart, now 41, tells People. “But prison gave me a lot of time to think.
During his teen years, baseball was what had helped him to stay out of trouble, get good grades and win a college athletic scholarship.
“If I hadn’t fallen in with the wrong group and given in to the temptations of the dark side shortly after I started college, I obviously would have been miles ahead,” Stewart, now 41, tells People. “But prison gave me a lot of time to think.
- 7/20/2017
- by Cathy Free
- PEOPLE.com
Samantha Ponder is officially a mother of two!
The Espn reporter announced the birth of her and husband, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Christian Ponder‘s second child – a baby boy named Robinson True Ponder – on Tuesday.
“He goes by True,” revealed Ponder, 31. “He was named after Jackie and David… two men of courage who weren’t/aren’t afraid to hold to their convictions and take the road less traveled. We love you forever, True. Here’s to a new great adventure.”
True appears to have arrived earlier this month, with Ponder writing on June 10, “For all those who have sent messages,...
The Espn reporter announced the birth of her and husband, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Christian Ponder‘s second child – a baby boy named Robinson True Ponder – on Tuesday.
“He goes by True,” revealed Ponder, 31. “He was named after Jackie and David… two men of courage who weren’t/aren’t afraid to hold to their convictions and take the road less traveled. We love you forever, True. Here’s to a new great adventure.”
True appears to have arrived earlier this month, with Ponder writing on June 10, “For all those who have sent messages,...
- 6/21/2017
- by Lindsay Kimble
- PEOPLE.com
[[tmz:video id="0_7sadc83o"]] Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins will soon make the NBA their bitches ... that's according to Stephen Jackson, who says it's just a matter of time before the duo takes over. We got Jackson out at Lax, and asked him if the big deal that sent Cousins to New Orleans will end up paying off for the Pelicans ... 'cause right now, the guys are 1-3 since the trade. Jackson has a message for the Crescent city...
- 3/2/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
To paraphrase the nuanced lyricism of Aaron Carter’s timeless “That’s How I Beat Shaq,” Team USA repeatedly “put it in the hoop like slam” while playing China in the men’s Group A basketball tournament during Day 1 of the Rio Olympics.
RelatedRatings: Olympics Opening Ceremony Down 28 Percent From London 2012
Though I admittedly don’t know much about the game, and what little I know can be attributed to frequent childhood viewings of Space Jam (in which I’m pretty sure those Looney Tunes weren’t even following official NBA rules and regulations), it didn’t take a seasoned...
RelatedRatings: Olympics Opening Ceremony Down 28 Percent From London 2012
Though I admittedly don’t know much about the game, and what little I know can be attributed to frequent childhood viewings of Space Jam (in which I’m pretty sure those Looney Tunes weren’t even following official NBA rules and regulations), it didn’t take a seasoned...
- 8/7/2016
- TVLine.com
Fox has ordered a pilot for a series adaptation of William Blatty's 1971 novel "The Exorcist" which formed the basis of the classic 1973 film.
The new take is described as a modern serialized psychological thriller reinvention of the story of two very different men tackling one family's case of horrifying demonic possession.
Jeremy Slater ("Fantastic Four") will pen the one-hour drama and will executive produce with James Robinson, David Robinson and Barbara Wall.
Source: The Live Feed...
The new take is described as a modern serialized psychological thriller reinvention of the story of two very different men tackling one family's case of horrifying demonic possession.
Jeremy Slater ("Fantastic Four") will pen the one-hour drama and will executive produce with James Robinson, David Robinson and Barbara Wall.
Source: The Live Feed...
- 1/23/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Fox has ordered a pilot for a one-hour drama series version of “The Exorcist.” Billed as a reinvention William Peter Blatty’s original 1971 book, “The Exorcist” is a serialized psychological thriller following two men tackling one family’s case of horrifying demonic possession, and confronting the face of true evil. Jeremy Slater is writing the pilot and will executive produce with James Robinson, David Robinson and Barbara Wall. The pilot is being produced by 20th Century Fox Television. Also Read: Jason Katims Silicon Valley Hospital Drama Draws Pilot Order From CBS The 1973 film version of “The Exorcist” was directed by William Friedkin.
- 1/23/2016
- by Daniel Holloway
- The Wrap
The Italian celebration of the silent screen produced a bumper crop of rediscovered gems from around the world – including a Laurel and Hardy classic – to wave off outgoing artistic director David Robinson
The Giornate del Cinema Muto has a fearsome scholarly reputation, which is well deserved, but ever so slightly misleading. In the 34th edition of the world’s leading silent film festival, there was much to study, but also to enjoy, from action to romance to comedy. This meant that the reverent silence of the auditorium was regularly broken by yelps of laughter or gasps of excitement.
Related: 'This slapstick looks ridiculous in the making': when silent movies went meta
Continue reading...
The Giornate del Cinema Muto has a fearsome scholarly reputation, which is well deserved, but ever so slightly misleading. In the 34th edition of the world’s leading silent film festival, there was much to study, but also to enjoy, from action to romance to comedy. This meant that the reverent silence of the auditorium was regularly broken by yelps of laughter or gasps of excitement.
Related: 'This slapstick looks ridiculous in the making': when silent movies went meta
Continue reading...
- 10/13/2015
- by Pamela Hutchinson
- The Guardian - Film News
On the heels of Redacted Studios launching its manga-inspired sequel, Afro Samurai 2: Revenge Of Kuma, the developer has unveiled a gleefully violent new trailer for the game that charts the vengeful journey of our titular, rap-loving protagonist.
As a pure, unbridled hack-and-slash experience, there’s been a lot of interest in Revenge of Kuma prior to release, and Tuesday marked the debut of the title’s maiden volume. Adopting an episodic release schedule, Kuma’s ultra-violent journey will be told across three chapters, with the much-loved ‘Afro Sound’ forming the beating heart that keeps the story churning along at a brisk clip.
It’s this music that serves as part of Afro Samurai 2‘s innate charm, and the studio’s Lead Designer, President and Founder David Robinson spoke about its core musical set-up.
“What I appreciate about [Afro Samurai 2] is that it’s good music, good rap music, good storytelling. It...
As a pure, unbridled hack-and-slash experience, there’s been a lot of interest in Revenge of Kuma prior to release, and Tuesday marked the debut of the title’s maiden volume. Adopting an episodic release schedule, Kuma’s ultra-violent journey will be told across three chapters, with the much-loved ‘Afro Sound’ forming the beating heart that keeps the story churning along at a brisk clip.
It’s this music that serves as part of Afro Samurai 2‘s innate charm, and the studio’s Lead Designer, President and Founder David Robinson spoke about its core musical set-up.
“What I appreciate about [Afro Samurai 2] is that it’s good music, good rap music, good storytelling. It...
- 9/23/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Though he would actually direct other features, including the ill received 1967 A Countess From Hong Kong, wherein Marlon Brando decided to be a mean girl to co-star Sophia Loren, and the neglected A King in New York (1957), many read the 1952 Limelight as Charles Chaplin’s ‘enduring’ final film. An appropriate approximation of his immortal Tramp character after fame has fallen away, the bittersweet tragicomedy wasn’t well-received at the time (though Bosley Crowther raved in The New York Times, hailing the film as “eloquent, tearful, and beguiling with supreme virtuosity”). McCarthyism succeeded in thwarting the film’s distribution, limiting the release to New York City and those labeling Chaplin a Communist picketed screenings where it did play. In the UK, the film’s release was less harried, with newcomer Claire Bloom securing a BAFTA win for Most Promising Newcomer. The film would receive a theatrical release for the first in Los Angeles twenty years later,...
- 5/27/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Limelight
Written and directed by Charles Chaplin
USA, 1952
Rightly dubbed a “supreme auteur” by David Robinson, who provides a video essay on the newly released Criterion Collection Blu-ray of Limelight, Charlie Chaplin wore many hats in making this 1952 film. Aside from writing, directing, and starring in the picture, he was the producer, he arranged the score, and he choreographed the dance sequences, in addition to other supervisory duties behind the scenes. Part of the preparation for the film even included Chaplin penning a novel on which the movie was based, called Footlights, which was then adapted with great ease by the author. Set in 1914 London (about the time Chaplin had left England for America), Limelight is a basically familiar showbiz story, with one performer’s career on the wane as another’s is ripe for revival, but there is far more to this late Chaplin classic. For the great comedian,...
Written and directed by Charles Chaplin
USA, 1952
Rightly dubbed a “supreme auteur” by David Robinson, who provides a video essay on the newly released Criterion Collection Blu-ray of Limelight, Charlie Chaplin wore many hats in making this 1952 film. Aside from writing, directing, and starring in the picture, he was the producer, he arranged the score, and he choreographed the dance sequences, in addition to other supervisory duties behind the scenes. Part of the preparation for the film even included Chaplin penning a novel on which the movie was based, called Footlights, which was then adapted with great ease by the author. Set in 1914 London (about the time Chaplin had left England for America), Limelight is a basically familiar showbiz story, with one performer’s career on the wane as another’s is ripe for revival, but there is far more to this late Chaplin classic. For the great comedian,...
- 5/26/2015
- by Jeremy Carr
- SoundOnSight
About midway through watching Charlie Chaplin's Limelight for the first time I got to thinking about what makes a great filmmaker. It seems easy enough to spot a great film, while you're watching it as you get that "You'll know it when you see it" vibe, but I started to focus on what exactly it was about the films of great filmmakers that make them stand out from the rest. Films from great filmmakers stand alone, they can't be duplicated and in this age of remakes and reboots no one would dare attempt try and remake their work. In terms of Chaplin, could you imagine a remake of Modern Times, The Great Dictator, City Lights or The Gold Rushc Forget the fact they are silent films and the business of it all. Just focus on the artistry and what makes those films great. What makes those films classicsc I'll answer for you.
- 5/25/2015
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
"The Admiral" is pleased ... and not just because he watched his son's Notre Dame football team beat Lsu Tuesday night -- he's also pumped that his youngest boy just committed to play basketball to Duke! David Robinson was leaving LP Field in Nashville where Nd defeated Lsu 31-28 in the Music City Bowl ... and was clearly excited for his son Corey Robinson, a sophomore Wr on the team. "I'm feeling Great! Are you kidding me?...
- 12/31/2014
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Chicago – The 2014 edition, the 50th Chicago International Film Festival, kicks off tonight on October 9th. The premiere film will be “Miss Julie,” an adaptation of the August Strindberg play adapted and directed by Liv Ullmann. The first weekend promises a scintillating variety of cinema indulgences.
HollywoodChicago.com contributors Nick Allen and Patrick McDonald have been sampling the festival offerings, and provide this preview to cover the first four days of the event. The depth and breadth of the films is a reminder to participate in the variety of the Festival, especially if interested in a particular country, for their cinema is a glimpse into their culture. Each capsule is designated with Na (Nick Allen) or Pm (Patrick McDonald), to indicate the author.
Opening Night “Miss Julie”
Jessica Chastain in ‘Miss Julie’
Photo credit: Chicago International Film Festival
Liv Ullmann, the legendary Swedish actress – and muse to director Ingmar Bergman – directs her fifth feature film,...
HollywoodChicago.com contributors Nick Allen and Patrick McDonald have been sampling the festival offerings, and provide this preview to cover the first four days of the event. The depth and breadth of the films is a reminder to participate in the variety of the Festival, especially if interested in a particular country, for their cinema is a glimpse into their culture. Each capsule is designated with Na (Nick Allen) or Pm (Patrick McDonald), to indicate the author.
Opening Night “Miss Julie”
Jessica Chastain in ‘Miss Julie’
Photo credit: Chicago International Film Festival
Liv Ullmann, the legendary Swedish actress – and muse to director Ingmar Bergman – directs her fifth feature film,...
- 10/9/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
ian has a hankering for some Chinese food delivery, and when a beautiful voice answers the call, the only thing he craves is her. His imagined dinner date with this exotic geisha goes from sweet to sour when the delivery person who actually arrives turns out not to be his beloved, but his arch-nemesis, the evil Dragon-Sparrow ninja You won't have to wait 5-10 minutes for the antics to ensue. It's ready now Joshua David Robinson Williamstown Theatre Festival guest stars as Delivery Man in 'Egg, Roll, amp Fight'. Scroll down for some action-packed stills from the episode, and watch it in full here...
- 7/11/2014
- by TV News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
ian has a hankering for some Chinese food delivery, and when a beautiful voice answers the call, the only thing he craves is her. His imagined dinner date with this exotic geisha goes from sweet to sour when the delivery person who actually arrives turns out not to be his beloved, but his arch-nemesis, the evil Dragon-Sparrow ninja You won't have to wait 5-10 minutes for the antics to ensue. It's ready now Joshua David Robinson Williamstown Theatre Festival guest stars as Delivery Man in 'Egg, Roll, amp Fight'. Watch the episode below...
- 7/11/2014
- by TV News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Honoring the best and brightest of the media industry, the 25th GLAAD Media Awards took over the Waldorf Astoria in New York City on Saturday (May 3).
Emmy Rossum showed up at the fancy fete in a rose pink fit-and-flare dress with plenty of beads and sequins as she posed up a storm for the shutterbugs before heading inside to catch all the action.
Meanwhile, Naomi Watts also opted for a pink pastel ensemble including a strapless top with cropped trousers and black strappy sandals.
Providing plenty more eye candy were beautiful singing sirens such as Kacey Musgraves and Kylie Minogue.
The 25th GLAAD Media Awards handed out their first round of trophies at the NYC shindig, with another ceremony planned for the West Coast later this month.
And the winners are:
Outstanding Film - Wide Release: "Philomena"
Outstanding Film - Limited Release: "Concussion"
Outstanding Documentary: (tie) "Bridegroom," "Call Me Kuchu...
Emmy Rossum showed up at the fancy fete in a rose pink fit-and-flare dress with plenty of beads and sequins as she posed up a storm for the shutterbugs before heading inside to catch all the action.
Meanwhile, Naomi Watts also opted for a pink pastel ensemble including a strapless top with cropped trousers and black strappy sandals.
Providing plenty more eye candy were beautiful singing sirens such as Kacey Musgraves and Kylie Minogue.
The 25th GLAAD Media Awards handed out their first round of trophies at the NYC shindig, with another ceremony planned for the West Coast later this month.
And the winners are:
Outstanding Film - Wide Release: "Philomena"
Outstanding Film - Limited Release: "Concussion"
Outstanding Documentary: (tie) "Bridegroom," "Call Me Kuchu...
- 5/5/2014
- GossipCenter
Somewhat oddly, the GLAAD Media Awards split their awards across two ceremonies, three weeks apart, on opposite coasts. On Saturday, the second of these took place in New York, as a range of films, TV shows and media outlets were honored for commendable coverage of Lgbt issues. Included in the second ceremony were the two chief film awards. Best Picture Oscar nominee "Philomena" took the prize for best film in wide release, beating out the likes of "Blue is the Warmest Color" and three-time Oscar winner "Dallas Buyers Club." In the limited release section, I'm pleased to see that Stacie Passon's excellent but neglected lesbian drama "Concussion" was recognized. At the earlier ceremony, "Bridegroom" and "Call Me Kuchu" had tied for the documentary award, while "Behind the Candelabra," already lavishly rewarded, took the TV film/miniseries prize. On the TV front, Netflix's "Orange is the New Black" was named...
- 5/5/2014
- by Guy Lodge
- Hitfix
Jennifer Lopez and Tegan and Sara were honoured at the 25th GLAAD Media Awards on Saturday (April 12).
The first of two ceremonies paying tribute to advocates for the Lgbt community was held last night at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, with Ross Mathews overseeing the festivities.
Lopez was the top honoree of the night, receiving the Vanguard Award for her support of equal marriage.
She was also commended for bringing important issues impacting the Lgbt community to light in The Fosters, the television drama programme that she produces.
The Fosters - which is about an interracial lesbian couple - was the recipient of the Outstanding Drama Series prize.
Tegan and Sara won in the Outstanding Music Artist category over Elton John, Goldfrapp, Lady Gaga and Vampire Weekend.
The Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series Award went to the Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra.
Another slate of awards will be given...
The first of two ceremonies paying tribute to advocates for the Lgbt community was held last night at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, with Ross Mathews overseeing the festivities.
Lopez was the top honoree of the night, receiving the Vanguard Award for her support of equal marriage.
She was also commended for bringing important issues impacting the Lgbt community to light in The Fosters, the television drama programme that she produces.
The Fosters - which is about an interracial lesbian couple - was the recipient of the Outstanding Drama Series prize.
Tegan and Sara won in the Outstanding Music Artist category over Elton John, Goldfrapp, Lady Gaga and Vampire Weekend.
The Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series Award went to the Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra.
Another slate of awards will be given...
- 4/13/2014
- Digital Spy
Jennifer Lopez and Tegan and Sara were honoured at the 25th GLAAD Media Awards on Saturday (April 12).
The first of two ceremonies paying tribute to advocates for the Lgbt community was held last night at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, with Ross Mathews overseeing the festivities.
Lopez was the top honoree of the night, receiving the Vanguard Award for her support of equal marriage.
She was also commended for bringing important issues impacting the Lgbt community to light in The Fosters, the television drama programme that she produces.
The Fosters - which is about an interracial lesbian couple - was the recipient of the Outstanding Drama Series prize.
Tegan and Sara won in the Outstanding Music Artist category over Elton John, Goldfrapp, Lady Gaga and Vampire Weekend.
The Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series Award went to the Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra.
Another slate of awards will be given...
The first of two ceremonies paying tribute to advocates for the Lgbt community was held last night at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, with Ross Mathews overseeing the festivities.
Lopez was the top honoree of the night, receiving the Vanguard Award for her support of equal marriage.
She was also commended for bringing important issues impacting the Lgbt community to light in The Fosters, the television drama programme that she produces.
The Fosters - which is about an interracial lesbian couple - was the recipient of the Outstanding Drama Series prize.
Tegan and Sara won in the Outstanding Music Artist category over Elton John, Goldfrapp, Lady Gaga and Vampire Weekend.
The Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series Award went to the Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra.
Another slate of awards will be given...
- 4/13/2014
- Digital Spy
Exciting news for Chaplin fans: The auteur's only work of fiction ever written, a dark novella following the tragedies of a washed-up clown which would become the main inspiration for his 1952 masterwork "Limelight," will be made available to the public after having gone unpublished for 60 years. "Footlights," a slender work running at about 34,000 words, centers on old and alcoholic clown Calvero (played by Chaplin in "Limelight") who saves a ballerina from suicide. The novella was written in 1948, four years before Chaplin would make "Limelight" and then be banned from the Us for his alleged Communist sympathies. Having sat in Chaplin's archives for decades, as a mish-mash of handwritten and typed pages, the book has been typed up by Chaplin biographer David Robinson and will be published by Italy's Cineteca de Bologna. "Footlights" will be available through their website, as well as on Amazon. You can read a segment from it here.
- 2/7/2014
- by Beth Hanna
- Thompson on Hollywood
London, February 5: Charlie Chaplin's only known novella has finally been published 66 years after it was written.
Chaplin's biographer, David Robinson has reconstructed 'Footlights', which is the basis for his 1952 film 'Limelight', after it was uncovered in the Chaplin archive at the Cineteca di Bologna in Italy, the BBC reported.
The novella, which consists of 70 pages and contains around 34,000 words, will be launched at BFI Southbank in London during an event to mark the centenary of Chaplin's 'Little Tramp' character.
'Footlights' is being published as part of a larger book called 'The World of Limelight'.
Chaplin's biographer, David Robinson has reconstructed 'Footlights', which is the basis for his 1952 film 'Limelight', after it was uncovered in the Chaplin archive at the Cineteca di Bologna in Italy, the BBC reported.
The novella, which consists of 70 pages and contains around 34,000 words, will be launched at BFI Southbank in London during an event to mark the centenary of Chaplin's 'Little Tramp' character.
'Footlights' is being published as part of a larger book called 'The World of Limelight'.
- 2/5/2014
- by Amith Ostwal
- RealBollywood.com
Footlights, the screen legend's unseen prequel in prose to the film Limelight, reflects his sadness at declining stardom
Read an extract from Footlights by Charlie Chaplin
The only work of fiction ever written by Charlie Chaplin, a dark, nostalgic novella which was the root of his great film Limelight and which has lain unpublished for over 60 years, is being made public for the first time.
Footlights, which runs to 34,000 words, traces the same story as Chaplin's valedictory film Limelight – that of an ageing, alcoholic clown Calvero and the ballerina he saves from suicide.
The film, in which Chaplin played Calvero and Claire Bloom the ballerina, was the final American movie Chaplin made before he was banned from the country for alleged communist sympathies. The novella, which Chaplin wrote in 1948, before the film script, widens and deepens the story, giving an insight into the author's state of mind at the time.
Read an extract from Footlights by Charlie Chaplin
The only work of fiction ever written by Charlie Chaplin, a dark, nostalgic novella which was the root of his great film Limelight and which has lain unpublished for over 60 years, is being made public for the first time.
Footlights, which runs to 34,000 words, traces the same story as Chaplin's valedictory film Limelight – that of an ageing, alcoholic clown Calvero and the ballerina he saves from suicide.
The film, in which Chaplin played Calvero and Claire Bloom the ballerina, was the final American movie Chaplin made before he was banned from the country for alleged communist sympathies. The novella, which Chaplin wrote in 1948, before the film script, widens and deepens the story, giving an insight into the author's state of mind at the time.
- 2/5/2014
- by Alison Flood
- The Guardian - Film News
For half a century, he was the most successful and instantly recognisable entertainer the world had ever seen
It's 100 years this week since Charlie Chaplin made his film debut. And he's still going. This week Chaplin's only work of prose fiction, Footlights, on which his great late film Limelight was based, is published for the first time in an edition put together by the film historian David Robinson. It is sometimes fashionable to dismiss Chaplin for his sentimentality and for a style of humour that is deemed not to connect with modern audiences. Be that as it may, for half a century he was not just the most successful and instantly recognisable entertainer the world had ever seen, but the first movie superstar with a social and political conscience. Footlights, like Limelight, is a bittersweet piece of self-awareness by someone who understood that, partly due to J Edgar Hoover's efforts,...
It's 100 years this week since Charlie Chaplin made his film debut. And he's still going. This week Chaplin's only work of prose fiction, Footlights, on which his great late film Limelight was based, is published for the first time in an edition put together by the film historian David Robinson. It is sometimes fashionable to dismiss Chaplin for his sentimentality and for a style of humour that is deemed not to connect with modern audiences. Be that as it may, for half a century he was not just the most successful and instantly recognisable entertainer the world had ever seen, but the first movie superstar with a social and political conscience. Footlights, like Limelight, is a bittersweet piece of self-awareness by someone who understood that, partly due to J Edgar Hoover's efforts,...
- 2/5/2014
- by Editorial
- The Guardian - Film News
It is 100 years since Charlie Chaplin's Tramp character was first seen and at Bristol's Slapstick festival the corks popped
A centenary is more than excuse enough for a party, even if the birthday boy is a work of fiction – a beggar, even, with ill-fitting shoes, a violent streak and bow legs. This is the year of the Tramp. Twenty-fourteen marks 100 years since Charlie Chaplin first appeared on a movie screen as an eccentric fellow with a toothbrush moustache and a derby hat, walking with splayed feet and carrying a cane. Due to the global reach of Chaplin's fame, there will be events to mark the anniversary around the world all year, but this weekend, the corks were popped in Bristol. The city's Slapstick festival, itself celebrating a decade on the job, kicked up its heels with a sumptuous gala screening of Chaplin's late silent masterpiece City Lights,...
A centenary is more than excuse enough for a party, even if the birthday boy is a work of fiction – a beggar, even, with ill-fitting shoes, a violent streak and bow legs. This is the year of the Tramp. Twenty-fourteen marks 100 years since Charlie Chaplin first appeared on a movie screen as an eccentric fellow with a toothbrush moustache and a derby hat, walking with splayed feet and carrying a cane. Due to the global reach of Chaplin's fame, there will be events to mark the anniversary around the world all year, but this weekend, the corks were popped in Bristol. The city's Slapstick festival, itself celebrating a decade on the job, kicked up its heels with a sumptuous gala screening of Chaplin's late silent masterpiece City Lights,...
- 1/27/2014
- by Pamela Hutchinson
- The Guardian - Film News
Days after footage of the remarkable rescue of a shipwrecked Nigerian sailor went viral, La-based Castlight Pictures has snapped up worldwide rights to the story.
Principals Mark Edwin Robinson and Dave Robinson announced the deal on December 5 in the wake of the extraordinary tale.
Harrison Okene, 29, survived for nearly three days in a four-feet air pocket in the belly of a sunken ship off the Nigerian coast last May before a team of specialised divers equipped with helmet cameras unexpectedly discovered him.
“We have been completely captivated by this story for months now while working with Harrison,” said Mark Edwin Robinson. “The intricate details of how this played out are so much more complex and phenomenal than anything that’s been reported thus far.
“The footage is just a glimpse of what happened, and we’re preparing to take this out to studios and financiers to tell the whole story from the perspective of those who were...
Principals Mark Edwin Robinson and Dave Robinson announced the deal on December 5 in the wake of the extraordinary tale.
Harrison Okene, 29, survived for nearly three days in a four-feet air pocket in the belly of a sunken ship off the Nigerian coast last May before a team of specialised divers equipped with helmet cameras unexpectedly discovered him.
“We have been completely captivated by this story for months now while working with Harrison,” said Mark Edwin Robinson. “The intricate details of how this played out are so much more complex and phenomenal than anything that’s been reported thus far.
“The footage is just a glimpse of what happened, and we’re preparing to take this out to studios and financiers to tell the whole story from the perspective of those who were...
- 12/5/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive Nightbreed: The Cabal Cut Interview - The Scream Factory Comic-Con panel dropped huge news for Clive Barker fans last week when it was announced that they’d be releasing Nightbreed: The Cabal Cut on Blu-ray. In an exclusive interview with Daily Dead, Russell Cherrington, Mark Miller, and Michael Plumides discuss their work on The Cabal Cut, teaming up with Scream Factory, bonus features, and where you can catch a screening of the movie later this week:
Congratulations on getting The Cabal Cut on Blu-ray.
Mark Miller: First let me say, this is an incredible time for Seraphim Films. We have worked closely with Morgan Creek on bringing the Cabal Cut to the world, and upon hearing the news that a deal had been struck with Shout Factory, we were overjoyed. The fruits of our labors have finally paid off. We eagerly await the next chapter in this saga.
Congratulations on getting The Cabal Cut on Blu-ray.
Mark Miller: First let me say, this is an incredible time for Seraphim Films. We have worked closely with Morgan Creek on bringing the Cabal Cut to the world, and upon hearing the news that a deal had been struck with Shout Factory, we were overjoyed. The fruits of our labors have finally paid off. We eagerly await the next chapter in this saga.
- 7/22/2013
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
One of the real exciting announcements to come out of this year's San Diego Comic-Con is the fact that Nightbreed: The Cabal Cut (review) is finally making its way to video. Michael Plumides is a filmmaker who was instrumental in making this happen.
Plumides recently sat down with Dread Central and talked about his experiences helping Nightbreed: The Cabal Cut finally see the light of day.
Dread Central: What was your role in this venture?
Michael Plumides: Well, I live in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although I've lived in Georgia and South Carolina I was born and raised here. And though my 4808 Club was shut down by the city after the infamous Gwar show of 1990, I still consider this my home - even if they tried to run me out on a rail. I wrote a book about it entitled, Kill the Music that someday I hoped to turn into a film.
Plumides recently sat down with Dread Central and talked about his experiences helping Nightbreed: The Cabal Cut finally see the light of day.
Dread Central: What was your role in this venture?
Michael Plumides: Well, I live in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although I've lived in Georgia and South Carolina I was born and raised here. And though my 4808 Club was shut down by the city after the infamous Gwar show of 1990, I still consider this my home - even if they tried to run me out on a rail. I wrote a book about it entitled, Kill the Music that someday I hoped to turn into a film.
- 7/22/2013
- by Scott Hallam
- DreadCentral.com
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson capped a monster season by being named the NFL's most valuable player.
Peterson also won the Associated Press honor for Offensive Player of the Year following a season in which he rushed for 2,097 yards, the second-most in NFL history.
Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III easily won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, beating out fellow QBs Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts and Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks. All three led their teams to the playoffs.
Peyton Manning, who finished second to Peterson in the Mvp voting, won the Comeback Player of the Year award. He missed all of the 2011 season following neck surgery, was released by the Colts in March and signed with the Denver Broncos.
The NFL also named its Hall of Fame class for 2013 on Saturday (Feb. 2), led by Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Parcells, defensive tackle Warren Sapp and wide receiver Cris Carter.
Peterson also won the Associated Press honor for Offensive Player of the Year following a season in which he rushed for 2,097 yards, the second-most in NFL history.
Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III easily won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, beating out fellow QBs Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts and Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks. All three led their teams to the playoffs.
Peyton Manning, who finished second to Peterson in the Mvp voting, won the Comeback Player of the Year award. He missed all of the 2011 season following neck surgery, was released by the Colts in March and signed with the Denver Broncos.
The NFL also named its Hall of Fame class for 2013 on Saturday (Feb. 2), led by Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Parcells, defensive tackle Warren Sapp and wide receiver Cris Carter.
- 2/3/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Restored on 35mm and with a new score, this ambitious piece tells us much about the director and his methods
"It's a very important piece of cinema history, which was not known until Saturday night," says David Robinson, director of the Giornate del Cinema Muto, the annual silent film festival in Pordenone, north Italy. He's talking about a film that is just 12 and a half minutes long, but one that sheds light on the man he calls the "first artist of the cinema": Georges Méliès, director of hundreds of magical films, many of which have been lost.
Méliès's best known film is, of course, Le Voyage Dans La Lune, but Les Aventures de Robinson Crusoé, the newly discovered film, is an even more ambitious work; a landmark in the history of narrative cinema.
It is also a piece that illuminates much about Méliès's tragic personal life. Making a hit...
"It's a very important piece of cinema history, which was not known until Saturday night," says David Robinson, director of the Giornate del Cinema Muto, the annual silent film festival in Pordenone, north Italy. He's talking about a film that is just 12 and a half minutes long, but one that sheds light on the man he calls the "first artist of the cinema": Georges Méliès, director of hundreds of magical films, many of which have been lost.
Méliès's best known film is, of course, Le Voyage Dans La Lune, but Les Aventures de Robinson Crusoé, the newly discovered film, is an even more ambitious work; a landmark in the history of narrative cinema.
It is also a piece that illuminates much about Méliès's tragic personal life. Making a hit...
- 10/11/2012
- by Pamela Hutchinson
- The Guardian - Film News
Restored on 35mm and with a new score, this ambitious piece tells us much about the director and his methods
"It's a very important piece of cinema history, which was not known until Saturday night," says David Robinson, director of the Giornate del Cinema Muto, the annual silent film festival in Pordenone, north Italy. He's talking about a film that is just 12 and a half minutes long, but one that sheds light on the man he calls the "first artist of the cinema": Georges Méliès, director of hundreds of magical films, many of which have been lost.
Méliès's best known film is, of course, Le Voyage Dans La Lune, but Les Aventures de Robinson Crusoé, the newly discovered film, is an even more ambitious work; a landmark in the history of narrative cinema.
Continue reading...
"It's a very important piece of cinema history, which was not known until Saturday night," says David Robinson, director of the Giornate del Cinema Muto, the annual silent film festival in Pordenone, north Italy. He's talking about a film that is just 12 and a half minutes long, but one that sheds light on the man he calls the "first artist of the cinema": Georges Méliès, director of hundreds of magical films, many of which have been lost.
Méliès's best known film is, of course, Le Voyage Dans La Lune, but Les Aventures de Robinson Crusoé, the newly discovered film, is an even more ambitious work; a landmark in the history of narrative cinema.
Continue reading...
- 10/10/2012
- by Pamela Hutchinson
- The Guardian - Film News
A week ago, this question would have been much easier to answer. Without a championship ring under his belt, LeBron James is merely an explosive all-round forward, a physical specimen and a great player. That is not to say that such a description isn’t impressive, but in the history of NBA many have been considered “great.”
With a ring under his belt however, LeBron James has vaulted himself onto a list of some of the greatest NBA players of all time. Many will argue that he isn’t quite there yet, and that is debatable, but no one can argue that his dominating performances throughout the 2011-2012 playoffs didn’t give him an extraordinary boox.
To begin, it would be advantageous to list players that are definitely above LeBron James. Also, I apologize in advance if certain legends are omitted, but due to the sheer number of greats, it...
With a ring under his belt however, LeBron James has vaulted himself onto a list of some of the greatest NBA players of all time. Many will argue that he isn’t quite there yet, and that is debatable, but no one can argue that his dominating performances throughout the 2011-2012 playoffs didn’t give him an extraordinary boox.
To begin, it would be advantageous to list players that are definitely above LeBron James. Also, I apologize in advance if certain legends are omitted, but due to the sheer number of greats, it...
- 6/25/2012
- by John Tang
- We Got This Covered
Pola Negri, The Spanish Dancer Silent-film lovers in The Netherlands will be able to enjoy a new restoration of the 1923 Pola Negri period comedy The Spanish Dancer. Screening with live musical accompaniment, the film will be presented at 4:15 p.m. on Friday, April 6, and at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 8, at the Eye Film Institute Netherlands in Amsterdam. On the Eye Film Institute website, The Spanish Dancer is described as a "comical costume drama." Set in early 17th-century Spain, the story follows gypsy singer Maritana (Negri) and her lover, penniless nobleman Don César de Bazan (Antonio Moreno), as they become enmeshed in court intrigue. The screenplay is based on Adolphe d'Ennery and Philippe Dumanoir's play Don César de Bazan, itself taken from a Victor Hugo novella. Beulah Marie Dix and powerhouse producer-screenwriter June Mathis adapted the tale. Directed by future Academy Award nominee Herbert Brenon (Sorrell and Son...
- 3/16/2012
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Originally published in the Guardian on 8 February 1985
Protests from all over the world have followed the arrest in Manila last week of Lino Brocka, the Filipino film director, on charges of suspected sedition. Brocka has been a thorn in the flesh of the regime for many years as a film-maker often at odds with the censor, and as an open opponent of President Marcos.
Last year, his film Bayan Ko was in competition at Cannes, where Brocka made an outspoken attack on the regime which had refused to pass it for home consumption. Later in the year it came to the London Festival, where the film won the British Film Institute's annual award for the most original and imaginative production shown at the National Film Theatre.
Curiously, a short time before Brocka's arrest, the Philippines' censor passed it for showing to adult audiences, though he wrote to a leading publication...
Protests from all over the world have followed the arrest in Manila last week of Lino Brocka, the Filipino film director, on charges of suspected sedition. Brocka has been a thorn in the flesh of the regime for many years as a film-maker often at odds with the censor, and as an open opponent of President Marcos.
Last year, his film Bayan Ko was in competition at Cannes, where Brocka made an outspoken attack on the regime which had refused to pass it for home consumption. Later in the year it came to the London Festival, where the film won the British Film Institute's annual award for the most original and imaginative production shown at the National Film Theatre.
Curiously, a short time before Brocka's arrest, the Philippines' censor passed it for showing to adult audiences, though he wrote to a leading publication...
- 2/8/2012
- by Derek Malcolm
- The Guardian - Film News
When Americans hear "the Dream Team," sports fans conjure images of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, David Robinson, and more as the team went undefeated in the 1992 Olympics and won the gold medal. But for Lithuania, the country who won the bronze medal that year, basketball wasn't just a game - the court was a political battlefield on which their country gained independence from the Soviet Union.
The Other Dream Team gives an expansive look at the political landscape of Lithuania during the late 1980s and early 1990s, providing a perspective that most Americans (myself included) have never bothered to examine. In 1988, the Ussr Olympic team defeated the United States in competition, but four out of the five starting players on that squad were Lithuanian. Occupied by the Ussr at the time, Lithuania wasn't recognized as a soverign nation, so Russia pulled from the nearly 200 million residents of the...
- 1/28/2012
- by benp
- GeekTyrant
We try to come up with a nickname befitting Rihanna's superstar status, in Bigger Than the Sound.
By James Montgomery
Rihanna
Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage
I realize this is probably not important, what with all the horrible stuff going on in the world, but Rihanna totally needs a good nickname.
More specifically, she deserves a good nickname, one befitting her status as a true pop&B icon. To wit, she has scored a staggering 10 #1's on the Billboard Hot 100 — making her the youngest ever to achieve such a feat — including four in 2010 alone. She has released six albums since 2005 (her next is due in November), which have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. She has won four Grammy awards, is the official ambassador of Barbados (where she ranks somewhere between Doug E. Fresh and rum on the nation's "greatest exports" scale), has signed lucrative endorsement deals with everyone from Gucci to Vita Coco,...
By James Montgomery
Rihanna
Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage
I realize this is probably not important, what with all the horrible stuff going on in the world, but Rihanna totally needs a good nickname.
More specifically, she deserves a good nickname, one befitting her status as a true pop&B icon. To wit, she has scored a staggering 10 #1's on the Billboard Hot 100 — making her the youngest ever to achieve such a feat — including four in 2010 alone. She has released six albums since 2005 (her next is due in November), which have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. She has won four Grammy awards, is the official ambassador of Barbados (where she ranks somewhere between Doug E. Fresh and rum on the nation's "greatest exports" scale), has signed lucrative endorsement deals with everyone from Gucci to Vita Coco,...
- 9/28/2011
- MTV Music News
DVD Playhouse—September 2011
By Allen Gardner
In A Better World (Sony) Winner of last year’s Best Foreign Film Oscar, this Danish export looks at two fractured families and the effect that the adult world dysfunction has on their two sons, who form an immediate and potentially deadly bond. Director Susanne Bier delivers another powerful work that maintains its drive during the films’ first 2/3, then falters somewhat during the last act. Still, well-worth seeing, and beautifully made. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Commentary by Bier and editor Pernille Bech Christensen; Interview with Bier. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-hd 5.1 surround.
X-men First Class (20th Century Fox) “Origins” film set in the early 1960s, traces the beginnings of Magento and Professor X (played ably here by Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy), and how the once-close friends and colleagues became bitter enemies. First half is slam-bang entertainment at its stylish best,...
By Allen Gardner
In A Better World (Sony) Winner of last year’s Best Foreign Film Oscar, this Danish export looks at two fractured families and the effect that the adult world dysfunction has on their two sons, who form an immediate and potentially deadly bond. Director Susanne Bier delivers another powerful work that maintains its drive during the films’ first 2/3, then falters somewhat during the last act. Still, well-worth seeing, and beautifully made. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Deleted scenes; Commentary by Bier and editor Pernille Bech Christensen; Interview with Bier. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-hd 5.1 surround.
X-men First Class (20th Century Fox) “Origins” film set in the early 1960s, traces the beginnings of Magento and Professor X (played ably here by Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy), and how the once-close friends and colleagues became bitter enemies. First half is slam-bang entertainment at its stylish best,...
- 9/11/2011
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
If.... Directed by: Lindsay Anderson Written by: David Sherwin Starring: Malcolm McDowell, David Wood, Richard Warwick, Robert Swann Lindsay Anderson's 1968 film If…. sets a counterculture revolution within the walls of an English public school, creating an allegorical fantasy which reflects the volatile atmosphere of the time. Featuring a pre-Clockwork Orange Malcolm McDowell, comparisons to Kubrick's masterpiece aren't totally misguided. Both films are populated with rebellious youths and flashes of ultra-violence, but Anderson's approach is a less austere look at aggression as a means of change rather than simply a way to curb boredom. The film begins with the start of the school year at an English school for boys. While the youngest kids (do they call them freshman in England?) attempt to navigate the halls of the school and acclimatize to the demands of their surroundings, Mick Travis (McDowell) returns for another year, lugging a giant suitcase and sporting...
- 8/31/2011
- by Jay C.
- FilmJunk
Your Weekly Source for the Newest Releases to Blu-Ray Tuesday, August 30th, 2011
The 5th Quarter: Special Edition (2010)
Synopsis: In February, 2006, young Luke Abbate accepted a ride home from a fellow student following his high-school team practice. In a severe case of irresponsible and reckless teen-age driving, and over the objections of Luke and the other young passengers, the driver lost control of the car at nearly 90 miles-per-hour, spinning off a narrow road and landing in an embankment some seventy feet below. Luke suffered irreparable brain damage, and died in the hospital two days later – just four days before his sixteenth birthday. (highdefdigest.com)
Special Features: Making-of Featurette.
Bereavement (2010)
Synopsis: The horrific account of 6 year old Martin Bristol, abducted from his backyard swing and forced to witness the brutal crimes of a deranged madman. (highdefdigest.com)
Special Features:
Commentary track with director/writer Stevan Mena Behind the scenes featurette Deleted...
The 5th Quarter: Special Edition (2010)
Synopsis: In February, 2006, young Luke Abbate accepted a ride home from a fellow student following his high-school team practice. In a severe case of irresponsible and reckless teen-age driving, and over the objections of Luke and the other young passengers, the driver lost control of the car at nearly 90 miles-per-hour, spinning off a narrow road and landing in an embankment some seventy feet below. Luke suffered irreparable brain damage, and died in the hospital two days later – just four days before his sixteenth birthday. (highdefdigest.com)
Special Features: Making-of Featurette.
Bereavement (2010)
Synopsis: The horrific account of 6 year old Martin Bristol, abducted from his backyard swing and forced to witness the brutal crimes of a deranged madman. (highdefdigest.com)
Special Features:
Commentary track with director/writer Stevan Mena Behind the scenes featurette Deleted...
- 8/29/2011
- by Travis Keune
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Lt Hutton and David Robinson has announced yesterday that Program Pictures has now acquired the motion picture rights to the Black Mafia Family (Bmf). “We have a passion and enthusiasm in bringing Big Meech’s story to the big screen,” said Hutton in the statement. “We’re working closely with Meech and Tammy Cowins to make sure every aspect of the story is done correctly. Over the upcoming months, we’ll be working on getting a script together so we can begin filming as early as next year.” The film will tell the story of Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory and how his life provided the framework for the extravagant hip-hop/rap lifestyle that was...
- 6/25/2011
- by monique
- ShockYa
Handwritten manuscript shows actor's early faltering attempts at dialogue in a satire on colonialism
A manuscript revealing Charlie Chaplin's first shot at a "talkie" has come to light in the family archives.
Fifty handwritten pages outline the dialogue for a satire on colonialism, inspired by the British-born star's visit to the Indonesian island of Bali in 1932.
Chaplin agonised over his future in a new world of film sound, and the manuscript reveals his initial faltering steps in dialogue. He planned a film, titled Bali, lampooning European arrogance on the paradise island and the invasion of a people's idyllic life. He poked fun at colonials taxing natives to build roads they did not need and making them harvest more rice than they could eat.
Chaplin was the comic genius who created the little tramp, society's eternal victim, with derby hat, toothbrush moustache and impossibly large boots – one of entertainment's most universally recognised characters.
A manuscript revealing Charlie Chaplin's first shot at a "talkie" has come to light in the family archives.
Fifty handwritten pages outline the dialogue for a satire on colonialism, inspired by the British-born star's visit to the Indonesian island of Bali in 1932.
Chaplin agonised over his future in a new world of film sound, and the manuscript reveals his initial faltering steps in dialogue. He planned a film, titled Bali, lampooning European arrogance on the paradise island and the invasion of a people's idyllic life. He poked fun at colonials taxing natives to build roads they did not need and making them harvest more rice than they could eat.
Chaplin was the comic genius who created the little tramp, society's eternal victim, with derby hat, toothbrush moustache and impossibly large boots – one of entertainment's most universally recognised characters.
- 6/22/2011
- by Dalya Alberge
- The Guardian - Film News
Malcolm McDowell has been pretty busy lately, and we’re not talking about his recent work in such TV projects as Entourage, Heroes, CSI and The Mentalist, but rather all the promotion he’s been doing for the upcoming Warner Home Video releases of Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange on Blu-ray and the DVD and for Never Apologize, a film of his one-man stage show that pays tribute to his mentor, filmmaker/stage director Lindsay Anderson.
Malcolm McDowell is Mick Travis in Lindsay Anderson's 1969 If...
And speaking of Lindsay Anderson (we call that a segue, in the business), the Criterion Collection will release a Blu-ray version of Lindsay Anderson’s memorable youth-in-revolt drama movie If…, starring Malcolm McDowell as the inimitable Mick Travis, on Aug. 30.
In the film, Mick, with the help of his school buds, challenges authority at every turn and ultimately emerges as a violent savior...
Malcolm McDowell is Mick Travis in Lindsay Anderson's 1969 If...
And speaking of Lindsay Anderson (we call that a segue, in the business), the Criterion Collection will release a Blu-ray version of Lindsay Anderson’s memorable youth-in-revolt drama movie If…, starring Malcolm McDowell as the inimitable Mick Travis, on Aug. 30.
In the film, Mick, with the help of his school buds, challenges authority at every turn and ultimately emerges as a violent savior...
- 5/24/2011
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
It’s so strange, writing this so long after the announcement yesterday. In today’s internet world of instant information, and twenty four second news cycles, yesterday’s August 2011 Criterion Collection new releases may as well have happened last week, or last month. I’m sure that the page views for this post will be markedly smaller than the usual, as I have tried consistently to have the new release post up within minutes of the pages going live on Criterion’s website. I know this all sounds like inside baseball stuff, but it’s on my mind, and darn it, this is my website.
I had a whole, several paragraph long, write up of the August titles, but since I’m finding myself writing this at 10pm on Tuesday evening, I think it’s better if I just scrap that whole thing and start over. I was going on...
I had a whole, several paragraph long, write up of the August titles, but since I’m finding myself writing this at 10pm on Tuesday evening, I think it’s better if I just scrap that whole thing and start over. I was going on...
- 5/18/2011
- by Ryan Gallagher
- CriterionCast
After last week’s cascade of top titles including new releases from Beastie Boys, Jennifer Lopez and Stevie Nicks, the release slate slows to a trickle the week of May 10 in terms of marquee names. However, there are still plenty of reasons to be “Glee”-ful as Matthew Morrison releases his solo album debut, plus neo-soul sensation Rafael Saddiq returns with a new set. The Cars, “Move Like This” (Hear Music/Concord): Ric Ocasek and the boys are back with a tight set produced by Jacknife Lee. It’s their first album featuring original members Ocasek, Elliott Easton, Greg Hawkes and David Robinson in...
- 5/10/2011
- Hitfix
The Cars, from left: David Robinson, Ric Ocasek, Greg Hawkes, Elliot Easton. By Mark SeligerNew Wave icons the Cars broke up just in time. Their deadpan lyrics and penchant for white sunglasses, striped shirts, and shag haircuts never could have survived the angst of the 90s. Frontman Ric Ocasek seemed content to produce some of that generation’s defining bands (Weezer, Hole, and No Doubt, among others). That is, until the announcement last fall that Ocasek and the other surviving original members (guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes, and drummer Dave Robinson) were collaborating on their first new studio album since 1987. The new album, Move Like This, is classic Cars. The songs are full of handclaps, bright synth melodies, sunny chord progressions, and Ocasek’s faux-jaded, cool-nerd vocals. Here, Ocasek discusses his lyrics, his looks, and how life is strangely the same when you’re moving in stereo.
- 5/5/2011
- Vanity Fair
(Charlie Chaplin, 1951, U, Park Circus)
After 40 years in the Us, Charlie Chaplin, the most famous man in the world, made this, his final American film. He was then excluded from the Us as a result of McCarthyite hysteria. Although he directed two poor films in Europe, Limelight is his true valedictory movie. Set in London on the eve of the first world war, this work comments on his life and art through the chaste, mutually restorative relationship between a traumatised ballerina (Claire Bloom) and an alcoholic ex-music hall comic star (Chaplin). It's a verbose, technically creaky work, both sentimental and self-indulgent, and never very funny except for a brilliant scene with Chaplin and Buster Keaton as a disaster-prone musical duo. However, there are sublime, deeply affecting moments and for those who think Chaplin one of the key figures of 20th-century popular culture, it is a crucial movie. Accompanied by an...
After 40 years in the Us, Charlie Chaplin, the most famous man in the world, made this, his final American film. He was then excluded from the Us as a result of McCarthyite hysteria. Although he directed two poor films in Europe, Limelight is his true valedictory movie. Set in London on the eve of the first world war, this work comments on his life and art through the chaste, mutually restorative relationship between a traumatised ballerina (Claire Bloom) and an alcoholic ex-music hall comic star (Chaplin). It's a verbose, technically creaky work, both sentimental and self-indulgent, and never very funny except for a brilliant scene with Chaplin and Buster Keaton as a disaster-prone musical duo. However, there are sublime, deeply affecting moments and for those who think Chaplin one of the key figures of 20th-century popular culture, it is a crucial movie. Accompanied by an...
- 4/23/2011
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
The Cars have announced a North American Spring tour in support of their new studio album .Move Like This. - which arrives May 10th from Hear Music/Concord Music Group. The tour will kick off on Tuesday, May 10th at Seattle's Showbox SoDo, and the set list will draw from the band's remarkable career and include songs from the new album. .Move Like This. was produced by Garret "Jacknife" Lee and The Cars, and finds the band - Ric Ocasek, Greg Hawkes, Elliot Easton and David Robinson - brimming with confidence and creative energy, in full charge of their considerable power and enduring influential artistry. The album.s inspiration came in the fall of 2009 as Ocasek considered how to...
- 4/4/2011
- by Patrick Luce
- Monsters and Critics
By 1952 Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp character was behind him, his most satirical work (The Great Dictator, 1940) had dazzled audiences and the actor/director had well and truly passed his peak. In a cruel case of art imitating life, Limelight was a nostalgic look at declining fame and popularity – something that Chaplin was facing in reality. Fully intending it to be his last film Chaplin sank deep into the ocean of nostalgia and made a film that slaps audiences in the face with poignancy and the saccharine sweet taste of sentimentality.
Many have argued that the film is in fact a masterpiece – even Chaplin’s finest work – but it failed to impress contemporary audiences and its overly self-indulgent sentimentality actually negatively impacts on the power of the narrative. With the new Blu-ray transfer released today, after having another chance to re-evaluate the film it still remains one of the least effective Chaplin productions.
Many have argued that the film is in fact a masterpiece – even Chaplin’s finest work – but it failed to impress contemporary audiences and its overly self-indulgent sentimentality actually negatively impacts on the power of the narrative. With the new Blu-ray transfer released today, after having another chance to re-evaluate the film it still remains one of the least effective Chaplin productions.
- 3/28/2011
- by Stuart Cummins
- Obsessed with Film
ReelzChannel
‘Kennedys’ producer says show was canceled for political reasons; movie looks to fill Tupac role…
‘Kennedys’ Producer Speaks Out: Earlier this year, The History Channel announced the cancellation of “The Kennedys,” a much talked about miniseries about the political dynasty, and now producer Joel Surnow has shared his thoughts on the network’s decision. “I knew that the fact this was going to be about the Kennedys and that there was going to be a known conservative involved in...
‘Kennedys’ producer says show was canceled for political reasons; movie looks to fill Tupac role…
‘Kennedys’ Producer Speaks Out: Earlier this year, The History Channel announced the cancellation of “The Kennedys,” a much talked about miniseries about the political dynasty, and now producer Joel Surnow has shared his thoughts on the network’s decision. “I knew that the fact this was going to be about the Kennedys and that there was going to be a known conservative involved in...
- 3/21/2011
- by Lyneka Little
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) will begin shooting a Tupac Shakur biopic, called "Tupac," this summer and is now searching for an actor to play the lead. Morgan Creek Production has now launched "In Search of Tupac" website that will let anyone submit a five-minute video of themselves performing a provided courtroom monologue and their favorite 2Pac song. "We're looking for someone with the right mix of raw charm and charisma for the role," said producer David Robinson. "At this point, we're more concerned about finding someone with the ability to give their entire heart into the performance than just looks and personality." If you think you've got what it takes to play Tupac, then send in your video here. Online auditions end on April 30th.
- 3/19/2011
- WorstPreviews.com
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