The former most popular episode of "The Twilight Zone" had a bumpy road to success. The season 3 outing "Nothing in the Dark" may have left a strong impression on viewers with its passionate take on mortality, but some of its casting choices left those involved worried it wouldn't work at first. Namely: a young Robert Redford, still in his earliest years on screen, apparently didn't make a strong positive impression with his performance.
"He was very new," episode director Lamont Johnson is quoted as saying in Marc Scott Zicree's book "The Twilight Zone Companion." Johnson, who also helmed such famous chapters as "The Shelter" and "Five Characters in Search of an Exit," didn't outright disparage Redford's performance as one of just three characters in the episode, but Zicree notes that he wasn't great in the chapter in which he interviews the filmmaker. While Johnson wasn't outright critical of the actor,...
"He was very new," episode director Lamont Johnson is quoted as saying in Marc Scott Zicree's book "The Twilight Zone Companion." Johnson, who also helmed such famous chapters as "The Shelter" and "Five Characters in Search of an Exit," didn't outright disparage Redford's performance as one of just three characters in the episode, but Zicree notes that he wasn't great in the chapter in which he interviews the filmmaker. While Johnson wasn't outright critical of the actor,...
- 12/31/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
When you think about "The Twilight Zone," chances are you think about the legendary show's famous twist endings, and the way it wrapped socially relevant stories in a science fiction package in order to smuggle those stories onto network television. But more than any of that, the first thing that likely comes into your mind is Rod Serling, the creator and inimitable voice of the series. Serling wrote nearly 100 episodes of the beloved show, but he also served as its host and narrator, setting the stage for the odd or unexpected situations that would take audiences on a psychological rollercoaster ride over the course of 30 minutes.
But while Serling's calm, collected, sometimes sardonic on-screen appearances have left an indelible mark in viewers' memories, they were "absolute hell" for the man himself to actually film. In Marc Scott Zicree's book "The Twilight Zone Companion," Zicree writes that when Serling's hosting...
But while Serling's calm, collected, sometimes sardonic on-screen appearances have left an indelible mark in viewers' memories, they were "absolute hell" for the man himself to actually film. In Marc Scott Zicree's book "The Twilight Zone Companion," Zicree writes that when Serling's hosting...
- 11/5/2023
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Gran Turismo is a biographical sports drama film directed by Neill Blomkamp from a screenplay by Jason Hall and Zach Baylin. Based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, a teenage Gran Turismo (racing simulation video game series developed by Polyphony Digital) player, who gets the chance to become a professional race car driver. Gran Turismo stars Archie Madekwe in the lead of Jann, with Orlando Bloom, David Harbour, and Djimon Hounsou playing supporting characters. So, if you loved the car racing film here are some similar options you could check out next.
Ford v Ferrari (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – 20th Century Studios
Synopsis: Academy Award® Winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale star in Ford v Ferrari, based on the true story of visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Bale), who together build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company...
Ford v Ferrari (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – 20th Century Studios
Synopsis: Academy Award® Winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale star in Ford v Ferrari, based on the true story of visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Bale), who together build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company...
- 9/27/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
There are a whole lot of things that Robert Redford is famous for: acting, directing, co-founding the Sundance Film Festival, being incredibly handsome, even running Hydra from within the United States government ... the list goes on and on and on. He became a silver screen icon in classic films like "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Way We Were," "The Sting," "Three Days of the Condor," "The Natural," "Sneakers," and "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." He even won an Academy Award for directing the acclaimed 1980 drama "Ordinary People."
But in spite of all that there's one thing that Robert Redford is not famous for, and that's his tireless work in the horror genre. That's because, despite an acting career that spanned 60 years, he never really made any horror films. You'd have to go way back to 1962 to find Redford's last real brush with the supernatural, but it's well worth the journey.
But in spite of all that there's one thing that Robert Redford is not famous for, and that's his tireless work in the horror genre. That's because, despite an acting career that spanned 60 years, he never really made any horror films. You'd have to go way back to 1962 to find Redford's last real brush with the supernatural, but it's well worth the journey.
- 9/4/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Few American filmmakers of the last 40 years await a major rediscovery like Hal Hartley, whose traces in modern movies are either too-minor or entirely unknown. Thus it’s cause for celebration that the Criterion Channel are soon launching a major retrospective: 13 features (which constitutes all but My America) and 17 shorts, a sui generis style and persistent vision running across 30 years. Expect your Halloween party to be aswim in Henry Fool costumes.
Speaking of: there’s a one-month headstart on seasonal programming with the 13-film “High School Horror”––most notable perhaps being a streaming premiere for the uncut version of Suspiria, plus the rare opportunity to see a Robert Rodriguez movie on the Criterion Channel––and a retrospective of Hong Kong vampire movies. A retrospective of ’70s car movies offer chills and thrills of a different sort
Six films by Allan Dwan and 12 “gaslight noirs” round out the main September series; The Eight Mountains,...
Speaking of: there’s a one-month headstart on seasonal programming with the 13-film “High School Horror”––most notable perhaps being a streaming premiere for the uncut version of Suspiria, plus the rare opportunity to see a Robert Rodriguez movie on the Criterion Channel––and a retrospective of Hong Kong vampire movies. A retrospective of ’70s car movies offer chills and thrills of a different sort
Six films by Allan Dwan and 12 “gaslight noirs” round out the main September series; The Eight Mountains,...
- 8/21/2023
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Anyone who loved Mary Tyler Moore as Laurie Petrie on “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” as the thoroughly modern career woman Mary Richards on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and as the brittle, distant Beth in her Oscar-nominated turn in 1980’s ‘Ordinary People,” will love the new Max documentary “Being Mary Tyler Moore.” Moore, who died in 2017 at the age of 80, narrates the story of her life which had incredible triumphs but also great tragedy. But one aspect of her storied career it doesn’t really delve in as her work in telefilms, miniseries and even an “PBS Hollywood Presents” that reunited her with Dick Van Dyke.
Did you know that two years before she went to Broadway winning a special Tony for her performance in “Whose Life Is It Anyway?” and did “Ordinary People,” she unveiled her dramatic chops in the 1978 CBS TV movie “First, You Cry.” Based on...
Did you know that two years before she went to Broadway winning a special Tony for her performance in “Whose Life Is It Anyway?” and did “Ordinary People,” she unveiled her dramatic chops in the 1978 CBS TV movie “First, You Cry.” Based on...
- 6/2/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
This month’s installment of Deep Cuts Rising features a variety of horror movies, with each one reflecting a special event or day in May.
Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.
This month’s offerings include a tense battle between mothers, a tale of evil in the suburbs, a fast-food slasher, a twisty wartime horror story, and an indie slow burn with a Hitchcockian vibe.
You’ll Like My Mother (1972)
Directed by Lamont Johnson.
The movie stars Oscar winner Patty Duke as young widow Francesca, who’s visiting her late husband’s mother (Rosemary Murphy) for the first time at a remote house in snowy Minnesota. Soon things take a turn when Francesca becomes not only stranded at her in-law’s house, but also drugged and taken prisoner.
Just in time for Mother...
Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.
This month’s offerings include a tense battle between mothers, a tale of evil in the suburbs, a fast-food slasher, a twisty wartime horror story, and an indie slow burn with a Hitchcockian vibe.
You’ll Like My Mother (1972)
Directed by Lamont Johnson.
The movie stars Oscar winner Patty Duke as young widow Francesca, who’s visiting her late husband’s mother (Rosemary Murphy) for the first time at a remote house in snowy Minnesota. Soon things take a turn when Francesca becomes not only stranded at her in-law’s house, but also drugged and taken prisoner.
Just in time for Mother...
- 5/1/2023
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
The “made for television movie” began in the 1960s. In fact, one of the most famous TV movies Don Siegel’s 1964 version of “The Killers” featuring Ronald Reagan in his last film role as a ruthless villain, ended up being released theatrically because it was considered too violent for television.
But the genre came of age in the 1970s.
Some of these movies that aired on the three broadcast networks were sheer shlock and others were pilots for prospective TV series. But it was also an embarrassment of riches. Who could forget the beloved 1971 ABC biopic “Brian’s Song,” starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams, which was nominated for 11 Emmys and won five including outstanding single program (drama or comedy). The four-hankie weepie was so popular it was released theatrically.
Also briefly released theatrically was Steven Spielberg’s pulsating 1971 classic “Duel” starring Dennis Weaver which aired on ABC. Considered one...
But the genre came of age in the 1970s.
Some of these movies that aired on the three broadcast networks were sheer shlock and others were pilots for prospective TV series. But it was also an embarrassment of riches. Who could forget the beloved 1971 ABC biopic “Brian’s Song,” starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams, which was nominated for 11 Emmys and won five including outstanding single program (drama or comedy). The four-hankie weepie was so popular it was released theatrically.
Also briefly released theatrically was Steven Spielberg’s pulsating 1971 classic “Duel” starring Dennis Weaver which aired on ABC. Considered one...
- 8/15/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
All-American race car mania is alive and well in this excellent Jeff Bridges movie, a true biographical story researched by Tom Wolfe. Junior Johnson needs a future beyond running moonshine for his father, and finds it climbing the rungs of success in the stock car racing game. This may be the most satisfying saga of its kind, and it helped prove that Bridges was a star.
The Last American Hero
Region ? Blu-ray See Below
Explosive Media
1973 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 95 min. / Street Date March 28, 2019 / Der letzte Held Amerikas / Available at Amazon.de
11.92 Euros Starring: Jeff Bridges, Valerie Perrine, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Gary Busey, Art Lund, Ed Lauter.
Cinematography: George Silano
Art Director: Lawrence G. Paull
Film Editors: Robbe Roberts, Tom Rolfe
Original Music: Charles Fox
Written by William Roberts from stories by Tom Wolfe
Produced by John Cutts, William Roberts
Directed by Lamont Johnson
Catching up with older Jeff Bridges movies is never a bad idea,...
The Last American Hero
Region ? Blu-ray See Below
Explosive Media
1973 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 95 min. / Street Date March 28, 2019 / Der letzte Held Amerikas / Available at Amazon.de
11.92 Euros Starring: Jeff Bridges, Valerie Perrine, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Gary Busey, Art Lund, Ed Lauter.
Cinematography: George Silano
Art Director: Lawrence G. Paull
Film Editors: Robbe Roberts, Tom Rolfe
Original Music: Charles Fox
Written by William Roberts from stories by Tom Wolfe
Produced by John Cutts, William Roberts
Directed by Lamont Johnson
Catching up with older Jeff Bridges movies is never a bad idea,...
- 8/10/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Exhumed Films is resurrecting some beloved horror favorites from the 1970s and ’80s and projecting them onto the big screen at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers, including Friday the 13th Part III, starring my original horror crush and maybe yours, too, Jason Voorhees! And also, we have release details for Escape Room, Paperbacks From Hell, Ghastlies, and Mountain Fever, as well as information on the new book Godzilla Faq.
Exhumed Films' Guilty Pleasures IV Marathon: Press Release: "Exhumed Films Presents: Guilty Pleasures IV--in 3-D!
Exhumed Films is pleased to return to the Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers to present the fourth edition of The Guilty Pleasures Marathon, our annual assault of cinematic insanity. For this year’s marathon, we present some of the greatest 3-D films of all time, projected from original 35mm prints using state of the art technology! The 1970’s and 1980’s saw a resurgence of three-dimensional movies, particularly in the realm of genre cinema.
Exhumed Films' Guilty Pleasures IV Marathon: Press Release: "Exhumed Films Presents: Guilty Pleasures IV--in 3-D!
Exhumed Films is pleased to return to the Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers to present the fourth edition of The Guilty Pleasures Marathon, our annual assault of cinematic insanity. For this year’s marathon, we present some of the greatest 3-D films of all time, projected from original 35mm prints using state of the art technology! The 1970’s and 1980’s saw a resurgence of three-dimensional movies, particularly in the realm of genre cinema.
- 8/15/2017
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
After her husband is killed in action in Vietnam, Francesca (Patty Duke) seeks solace with her mother-in-law, but you know what they say about mother-in-laws… Lamont Johnson’s You’ll Like My Mother debuts on Blu-ray, coincidentally, just two days after Mother’s Day on May 10th, with bonus features including cast interviews and the official trailer. Speaking of the film’s trailer, we have it to share with our readers today, as well as two Blu-ray clips.
“Why did they fear Francesca’s baby?
Oscar® winner* Patty Duke stars in the tense and claustrophobic psychological thriller, You’ll Like My Mother.
When her husband is killed in Vietnam, Francesca Kinsolving (Duke) finds herself alone… and pregnant. She makes her way to Minnesota in order to meet her late husband’s mother, certain that she’ll be greeted with open arms. But Francesca soon discovers that there may be more...
“Why did they fear Francesca’s baby?
Oscar® winner* Patty Duke stars in the tense and claustrophobic psychological thriller, You’ll Like My Mother.
When her husband is killed in Vietnam, Francesca Kinsolving (Duke) finds herself alone… and pregnant. She makes her way to Minnesota in order to meet her late husband’s mother, certain that she’ll be greeted with open arms. But Francesca soon discovers that there may be more...
- 5/6/2016
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
You love the horror, suspense thriller, action and science fiction films that make up the world of Canadian cult cinema affectionately known as Canuxploitation.
You’ve watched the entire David Cronenberg genre filmography (if not, please do so now as The Brood, Scanners and The Fly are three of the greatest horror films ever made).
You’ve seen Black Christmas and The Changeling and watched a slasher-ific marathon of Prom Night, Terror Train, Happy Birthday to Me and My Bloody Valentine.
You caught up with Cube, the Ginger Snaps series, Splice, Hobo with a Shotgun and WolfCop all while keeping close tabs on the works of Astron-6.
Yet your hunger for Canadian genre film productions and co-productions cannot be satiated.
To aid you in your deeper exploration of the field, following is a chronological look at a number of Canadian genre films that simply don’t get enough attention.
****
The Groundstar Conspiracy...
You’ve watched the entire David Cronenberg genre filmography (if not, please do so now as The Brood, Scanners and The Fly are three of the greatest horror films ever made).
You’ve seen Black Christmas and The Changeling and watched a slasher-ific marathon of Prom Night, Terror Train, Happy Birthday to Me and My Bloody Valentine.
You caught up with Cube, the Ginger Snaps series, Splice, Hobo with a Shotgun and WolfCop all while keeping close tabs on the works of Astron-6.
Yet your hunger for Canadian genre film productions and co-productions cannot be satiated.
To aid you in your deeper exploration of the field, following is a chronological look at a number of Canadian genre films that simply don’t get enough attention.
****
The Groundstar Conspiracy...
- 4/21/2015
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
Please Murder Me
Written by Donald Hyde and Al C. Ward
Directed by Peter Godfrey
U.S.A., 1956
*It should be noted that the following review contains spoilers pertaining to the film’s plot, including an important revelation on which most of the drama hinges. Readers have been forewarned.
Defence Attorney Craig Carlson (Raymond Burr) sits alone in his office late one night. Having turned on a recording machine he begins to narrate to a fellow lawyer that he is surely to be killed within the hour. At that moment the film flashbacks to some months ago when Craig approaches a dear old friend, Joe Leeds (Dick Foran) with terrible news: Joe’s wife and him have fallen in deeply in love. Joe appears visibly disappointed, but, curiously, less angry than one might expect. He implores Craig to give him time to mull over the situation. Shortly thereafter Joe returns home to see his wife,...
Written by Donald Hyde and Al C. Ward
Directed by Peter Godfrey
U.S.A., 1956
*It should be noted that the following review contains spoilers pertaining to the film’s plot, including an important revelation on which most of the drama hinges. Readers have been forewarned.
Defence Attorney Craig Carlson (Raymond Burr) sits alone in his office late one night. Having turned on a recording machine he begins to narrate to a fellow lawyer that he is surely to be killed within the hour. At that moment the film flashbacks to some months ago when Craig approaches a dear old friend, Joe Leeds (Dick Foran) with terrible news: Joe’s wife and him have fallen in deeply in love. Joe appears visibly disappointed, but, curiously, less angry than one might expect. He implores Craig to give him time to mull over the situation. Shortly thereafter Joe returns home to see his wife,...
- 3/13/2015
- by Edgar Chaput
- SoundOnSight
Nicki Minaj may not be welcome at her alma mater, but another New York high school says it would be glad to have the rapper and actress visit its campus. Hempstead Board of Education President Lamont Johnson said he has no qualms about Minaj visiting the campus and talking to the students. “Hempstead School District, which has had some recent hardships, feels it would be a boost to their students,” said the district in a release, according to Wcbs 880. Johnson said he had sent a letter to Minaj with the invite. Also read: Nicki Minaj Claims Her High School Alma Mater Won't.
- 9/14/2014
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
This article is dedicated to Andrew Copp: filmmaker, film writer, artist and close friend who passed away on January 19, 2013. You are loved and missed, brother.
****
Looking at the Best Actor Academy Award nominations for the film year 2012, the one miss that clearly cries out for more attention is Liam Neeson’s powerful performance in Joe Carnahan’s excellent survival film The Grey, easily one of the best roles of Neeson’s career.
In Neeson’s case, his lack of a nomination was a case of neglect similar to the Albert Brooks snub in the Best Supporting Actor category for the film year 2011 for Drive(Nicolas Winding Refn, USA).
Along with negligence, other factors commonly prevent outstanding lead acting performances from getting the kind of critical attention they deserve. Sometimes it’s that the performance is in a film not considered “Oscar material” or even worthy of any substantial critical attention.
****
Looking at the Best Actor Academy Award nominations for the film year 2012, the one miss that clearly cries out for more attention is Liam Neeson’s powerful performance in Joe Carnahan’s excellent survival film The Grey, easily one of the best roles of Neeson’s career.
In Neeson’s case, his lack of a nomination was a case of neglect similar to the Albert Brooks snub in the Best Supporting Actor category for the film year 2011 for Drive(Nicolas Winding Refn, USA).
Along with negligence, other factors commonly prevent outstanding lead acting performances from getting the kind of critical attention they deserve. Sometimes it’s that the performance is in a film not considered “Oscar material” or even worthy of any substantial critical attention.
- 2/27/2013
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
By Harvey Chartrand
Mr. Lucky: The Complete Series is now available for the first time ever as a 4-dvd box set from Timeless Media Group… all 34 episodes, with a running time of about 840 minutes. Mr. Lucky– created by writer/director Blake Edwards (Peter Gunn) – ran for only one season (from 1959 to 1960), even though it was a hit with viewers.
This adventure/crime drama is a sort of Peter Gunn Lite, featuring a lush, organ-powered theme song by Henry Mancini (a bonus CD of Mr. Lucky’s soundtrack is included in the set), an assortment of shady characters aboard a floating casino, and competent acting by series regulars John Vivyan (as suave professional gambler Mr. Lucky), Ross Martin (as his sidekick and business partner Andamo), Pippa Scott (as Mr. Lucky’s girlfriend Maggie Shank-Rutherford) and Tom Brown (as Lieutenant Rovacs, Mr. Lucky’s...
By Harvey Chartrand
Mr. Lucky: The Complete Series is now available for the first time ever as a 4-dvd box set from Timeless Media Group… all 34 episodes, with a running time of about 840 minutes. Mr. Lucky– created by writer/director Blake Edwards (Peter Gunn) – ran for only one season (from 1959 to 1960), even though it was a hit with viewers.
This adventure/crime drama is a sort of Peter Gunn Lite, featuring a lush, organ-powered theme song by Henry Mancini (a bonus CD of Mr. Lucky’s soundtrack is included in the set), an assortment of shady characters aboard a floating casino, and competent acting by series regulars John Vivyan (as suave professional gambler Mr. Lucky), Ross Martin (as his sidekick and business partner Andamo), Pippa Scott (as Mr. Lucky’s girlfriend Maggie Shank-Rutherford) and Tom Brown (as Lieutenant Rovacs, Mr. Lucky’s...
- 2/15/2013
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Hammer Blu-rays The Devil Rides Out (1968, dir. Terence Fisher)
Hammer applies its trademark Gothic veneer with considerably greater care than usual in this, the second and best of the company's three stabs at the satanic stylings of author Dennis Wheatley. Christopher Lee comes over to the light for a rare foray as central hero the Duc de Richleau, teaming up with friend Rex van Rijn (Leon Greene) to prevent the evil Satanist Mocata (Charles Gray) from enmeshing the son of his old friend (Patrick Mower) into a devil-worshipping cult.
The Devil Rides Out is perhaps best remembered for what Lee argues in his commentary to be Hammer's most enduring image, that of our heroes fighting a series of spectral and psychological nemeses from within the protective confines of a ritual circle. And yet the most chilling scene contains no special effects, but is instead a simple conversation between the wife...
Hammer applies its trademark Gothic veneer with considerably greater care than usual in this, the second and best of the company's three stabs at the satanic stylings of author Dennis Wheatley. Christopher Lee comes over to the light for a rare foray as central hero the Duc de Richleau, teaming up with friend Rex van Rijn (Leon Greene) to prevent the evil Satanist Mocata (Charles Gray) from enmeshing the son of his old friend (Patrick Mower) into a devil-worshipping cult.
The Devil Rides Out is perhaps best remembered for what Lee argues in his commentary to be Hammer's most enduring image, that of our heroes fighting a series of spectral and psychological nemeses from within the protective confines of a ritual circle. And yet the most chilling scene contains no special effects, but is instead a simple conversation between the wife...
- 9/30/2012
- Shadowlocked
Fairly recently, I rewatched all of Felicity through Netflix. Not having seen every episode during its original run, I didn't realize that J.J. Abrams did a Twilight Zone episode of the drama during its second season. Directed by Twilight Zone's Lamont Johnson and written by Abrams, "Help for the Lovelorn" turned Felicity into an episode of The Twilight Zone, twisting the otherwise reality-based drama about a group of college kids into a bizarre and pretty fantastic tribute to the CBS sci-fi series, and focused on Felicity's attempts to heal her broken heart. Since then, I've wondered if there had been any recent attempts to revive The Twilight Zone on television. I haven't heard anything about a small screen attempt to bring the Rod Serling-created series back to TV, but Warner Bros. is planning to put the concept back on the big screen, and it looks like they...
- 6/7/2012
- cinemablend.com
(Lamont Johnson, 1974, Transition, 12)
In January 1945, Private Eddie Slovik was executed in France, the only American soldier shot for desertion since the civil war. General Eisenhower refused to commute the sentence (as he later, when president, refused to reprieve the Rosenbergs).
The Pentagon attempted unsuccessfully to repress William Bradford Huie's 1954 book on the subject. In 1960, Frank Sinatra cancelled his proposed film version (scripted by blacklisted writer Albert Maltz) under pressure from Joseph Kennedy, who thought Sinatra's involvement in such a controversial project would damage JFK's presidential prospects. In formerly blacklisted Carl Foreman's The Victors (1963), a wintry firing squad scene inspired by the Slovik affair is accompanied by Sinatra's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
The movie was finally made for TV by the reliable Lamont Johnson. It attracted a record audience for a one-off TV drama and is a sombre, sober, unsentimental work about chance fate, the arbitrary...
In January 1945, Private Eddie Slovik was executed in France, the only American soldier shot for desertion since the civil war. General Eisenhower refused to commute the sentence (as he later, when president, refused to reprieve the Rosenbergs).
The Pentagon attempted unsuccessfully to repress William Bradford Huie's 1954 book on the subject. In 1960, Frank Sinatra cancelled his proposed film version (scripted by blacklisted writer Albert Maltz) under pressure from Joseph Kennedy, who thought Sinatra's involvement in such a controversial project would damage JFK's presidential prospects. In formerly blacklisted Carl Foreman's The Victors (1963), a wintry firing squad scene inspired by the Slovik affair is accompanied by Sinatra's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
The movie was finally made for TV by the reliable Lamont Johnson. It attracted a record audience for a one-off TV drama and is a sombre, sober, unsentimental work about chance fate, the arbitrary...
- 5/26/2012
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
What do you get when you cross Southern Hillbillies and fast cars? You get The Last American Hero, a film about Nascar and demolition derbies but little else. Released today on DVD for the first time, check out our review below…
Elroy ‘Junior’ Jackson (Jeff Bridges) is a kid full of attitude who helps his bootlegger father transport their homemade booze. When Junior crashes into a police blockade, they arrest his father who is looking at a lengthy prison stretch. Junior must raise some fast cash to get him released and hits the demolition derby circuit. His natural skill behind the wheel sees him swiftly move on to stock car racing where he meets a promoter (Ned Beatty) and finally gets the chance to make it big on the famous Nascar circuit…
It’s quite easy to see why The Last American Hero hasn’t been previously released on DVD...
Elroy ‘Junior’ Jackson (Jeff Bridges) is a kid full of attitude who helps his bootlegger father transport their homemade booze. When Junior crashes into a police blockade, they arrest his father who is looking at a lengthy prison stretch. Junior must raise some fast cash to get him released and hits the demolition derby circuit. His natural skill behind the wheel sees him swiftly move on to stock car racing where he meets a promoter (Ned Beatty) and finally gets the chance to make it big on the famous Nascar circuit…
It’s quite easy to see why The Last American Hero hasn’t been previously released on DVD...
- 9/13/2011
- by Stuart Cummins
- Obsessed with Film
Joan Blondell on TCM: Dames, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? Schedule (Et) and synopses from the TCM website: 6:00 Am The Reckless Hour (1931) A young innocent almost ruins her life for the love of an unfeeling cad. Dir: John Francis Dillon. Cast: Dorothy Mackaill, Conrad Nagel, H. B. Warner. Bw-71 mins. 7:15 Am Big City Blues (1932) A country boy finds love and heartache in New York City. Dir: Mervyn LeRoy. Cast: Joan Blondell, Eric Linden, Jobyna Howland. Bw-63 mins. 8:30 Am Central Park (1932) Small-town kids out to make it in the big city inadvertently get mixed up with gangsters. Dir: John G. Adolfi. Cast: Joan Blondell, Wallace Ford, Guy Kibbee. Bw-58 mins. 9:30 Am Lawyer Man (1933) Success corrupts a smooth-talking lawyer. Dir: William Dieterle. Cast: William Powell, Joan Blondell, David Landau. Bw-68 mins. 10:45 Am Traveling Saleslady (1935) A toothpaste tycoon's daughter joins his rival to teach him a lesson. Dir: Ray Enright.
- 8/24/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, Dames Joan Blondell has always been a favorite of mine, much like fellow wisecracking 1930s Warner Bros. players Aline MacMahon and Glenda Farrell. The fact that Blondell never became a top star says more about audiences — who preferred, say, Shirley Temple and Mickey Rooney — than about Blondell's screen presence and acting abilities. As part of its "Summer Under the Stars" film series, Turner Classic Movies is currently showing no less than 16 Joan Blondell movies today, including the TCM premiere of the 1968 crime drama Kona Coast. Directed by Lamont Johnson, Kona Coast stars Richard Boone and the capable Vera Miles. Blondell has a supporting role — one of two dozen from 1950 (For Heaven's Sake) to 1981 (The Woman Inside, released two years after Blondell's death from leukemia). [Joan Blondell Movie Schedule.] Unfortunately, TCM isn't showing the super-rare (apparently due to rights issues) The Blue Veil, Curtis Bernhardt's 1951 melodrama that earned Blondell her...
- 8/24/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
By Lee Pfeiffer
Warner Archive has released the 1968 thriller Kona Coast, based on the novel Bimini Gal by popular mystery writer John D. MacDonald. The modestly-budgeted production reminds one of John Ford's Donovan's Reef in the sense that one suspects both movies were primarily used as justifications for cast and crew to take a nice vacation in Hawaii. Boone plays Sam Moran, a charter boat captain living the good life in Honolulu, where he routinely indulges in drinking binges and womanizing. When his teenaged daughter falls in with a local high living drug peddler named Kryer (Steve Inhat), she is accidentally given a heroin overdose at a drug-fueled party. Rather than deal with the consequences, Kryer orders her to be murdered. When her body washes ashore, the police think it's a drowning but Sam suspects foul play from the beginning. As he begins his own investigation, he is severely beaten,...
Warner Archive has released the 1968 thriller Kona Coast, based on the novel Bimini Gal by popular mystery writer John D. MacDonald. The modestly-budgeted production reminds one of John Ford's Donovan's Reef in the sense that one suspects both movies were primarily used as justifications for cast and crew to take a nice vacation in Hawaii. Boone plays Sam Moran, a charter boat captain living the good life in Honolulu, where he routinely indulges in drinking binges and womanizing. When his teenaged daughter falls in with a local high living drug peddler named Kryer (Steve Inhat), she is accidentally given a heroin overdose at a drug-fueled party. Rather than deal with the consequences, Kryer orders her to be murdered. When her body washes ashore, the police think it's a drowning but Sam suspects foul play from the beginning. As he begins his own investigation, he is severely beaten,...
- 4/1/2011
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Thank you for visiting ScottFeinberg.com for live coverage of the 83rd Academy Awards! Keep refreshing your browser for all the latest stats/developments — new updates will push down older updates so that you won’t have to scroll down.
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The show ends movingly — if somewhat randomly — with the Ps-22 Staten Island Chorus performing “Over the Rainbow” as all of the evening’s winners join them on-stage, with many singing along. Franco and Hathaway wind up bringing in the show only 10 minutes late (most years run way over), and although it was far from the funniest or most dramatic production, it wasn’t as bad as some are making it out to be (Roger Ebert just Tweeted that it was “the worst Oscarcast I’ve ever seen!”). Franco seemed like he didn’t want to be there (it must have been brutal trying to prepare for this only on the...
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The show ends movingly — if somewhat randomly — with the Ps-22 Staten Island Chorus performing “Over the Rainbow” as all of the evening’s winners join them on-stage, with many singing along. Franco and Hathaway wind up bringing in the show only 10 minutes late (most years run way over), and although it was far from the funniest or most dramatic production, it wasn’t as bad as some are making it out to be (Roger Ebert just Tweeted that it was “the worst Oscarcast I’ve ever seen!”). Franco seemed like he didn’t want to be there (it must have been brutal trying to prepare for this only on the...
- 2/27/2011
- by Scott Feinberg
- Scott Feinberg
As we all eagerly anticipate the upcoming release of "The Twilight Zone: Season 2" onto Blu-ray high definition this November 16th, Image Entertainment, the rock stars that they are, have already released the goods on Season 3!
As per High-Def Digest:
"The release will be a 5-disc set and will contain all 37 episodes in the third season in 1080p video, an uncompressed monaural soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio commentaries by actors Bill Mumy, Lois Nettleton, William Windom, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Cornthwaite and Cliff Robertson; Audio commentary by Jonathan Winters for "A Game of Pool," plus Winters reads the alternate ending from the original script; Clip from the 1989 remake of "A Game of Pool," featuring George Clayton Johnson's original ending; Clip from the 1985 remake of "Dead Man's Shoes," featuring Helen Mirren in "Dead Woman's Shoes"; Vintage audio recollections with Buzz Kulik, Buck Houghton, Richard L. Bare, Lamont Johnson and Earl Hamner; and...
As per High-Def Digest:
"The release will be a 5-disc set and will contain all 37 episodes in the third season in 1080p video, an uncompressed monaural soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio commentaries by actors Bill Mumy, Lois Nettleton, William Windom, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Cornthwaite and Cliff Robertson; Audio commentary by Jonathan Winters for "A Game of Pool," plus Winters reads the alternate ending from the original script; Clip from the 1989 remake of "A Game of Pool," featuring George Clayton Johnson's original ending; Clip from the 1985 remake of "Dead Man's Shoes," featuring Helen Mirren in "Dead Woman's Shoes"; Vintage audio recollections with Buzz Kulik, Buck Houghton, Richard L. Bare, Lamont Johnson and Earl Hamner; and...
- 11/3/2010
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Emmy Award-winning television and film director Lamont Johnson has died after suffering heart failure. He was 88.
Johnson passed away at his home in Monterey, California on Sunday.
He won critical acclaim for his controversial U.S. television works, including 1970 series My Sweet Charlie, which explored interracial relationships, 1972's That Certain Summer, which took a look at homosexuality, and 1981 series Crisis at Central High, about America's civil rights movement.
He also directed episodes of Have Gun - Will Travel, Peter Gunn, The Twilight Zone, Naked City and The Defenders, in addition to helming films including 1973's The Last American Hero, starring Jeff Bridges.
Johnson, who received 11 Emmy nominations during his 40-plus years directing, won in 1986 for his work on Wallenberg: A Hero's Story, a miniseries about Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg.
In 1989 he won another Emmy for Gore Vidal's Civil War drama Lincoln, starring Sam Waterston.
Johnson is survived by a son and daughter, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Johnson passed away at his home in Monterey, California on Sunday.
He won critical acclaim for his controversial U.S. television works, including 1970 series My Sweet Charlie, which explored interracial relationships, 1972's That Certain Summer, which took a look at homosexuality, and 1981 series Crisis at Central High, about America's civil rights movement.
He also directed episodes of Have Gun - Will Travel, Peter Gunn, The Twilight Zone, Naked City and The Defenders, in addition to helming films including 1973's The Last American Hero, starring Jeff Bridges.
Johnson, who received 11 Emmy nominations during his 40-plus years directing, won in 1986 for his work on Wallenberg: A Hero's Story, a miniseries about Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg.
In 1989 he won another Emmy for Gore Vidal's Civil War drama Lincoln, starring Sam Waterston.
Johnson is survived by a son and daughter, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
- 10/27/2010
- WENN
"Lamont Johnson, an Emmy-winning director who was honored for his work on the TV programs Gore Vidal's Lincoln and Wallenberg: A Hero's Story during a wide-ranging career in television, film and theater, died of congestive heart failure at his Monterey home Sunday," reports Claire Noland for the Los Angeles Times. "Johnson, known for his sensitive treatment of controversial subjects in made-for-tv movies, dealt with interracial romance in My Sweet Charlie (1970), homosexuality in That Certain Summer (1972), blacklisting in Fear on Trial (1975) and the civil rights movement in Crisis at Central High (1981). 'I find a great many things that never make it to the big screen because they're controversial wind up on television, and done with a considerable amount of daring,' Johnson told the Miami Herald in 1992. 'That seems surprising in a medium that's supposed to be timid or anxious.'"...
- 10/26/2010
- MUBI
2010 Best Actor Academy Award-winner Jeff Bridges.
Editor’s Note: Congratulations to Jeff Bridges for finally getting his props with last night's win for "Crazy Heart"! He's now officially lost the title of "Most Underrated Actor of His Generation." In the spirit of Jeff's victory, we at The Interview thought it appropriate to share this article, which originally appeared in the July 1999 issue of Venice Magazine. Enjoy, and well-done, Jeff!
Building Bridges
By
Alex Simon
Jeff Bridges is arguably the most underrated great American actor since the late Robert Ryan. A performer of incredible range, whose myriad of characterizations over the past 30 years leave the filmgoer with a continued sense of awe and admiration, Bridges' refusal to fit a mold on-screen might be the very thing that has kept him from becoming a conventional movie star. It's also the thing that has kept his work so fascinating, and so brilliant.
Born...
Editor’s Note: Congratulations to Jeff Bridges for finally getting his props with last night's win for "Crazy Heart"! He's now officially lost the title of "Most Underrated Actor of His Generation." In the spirit of Jeff's victory, we at The Interview thought it appropriate to share this article, which originally appeared in the July 1999 issue of Venice Magazine. Enjoy, and well-done, Jeff!
Building Bridges
By
Alex Simon
Jeff Bridges is arguably the most underrated great American actor since the late Robert Ryan. A performer of incredible range, whose myriad of characterizations over the past 30 years leave the filmgoer with a continued sense of awe and admiration, Bridges' refusal to fit a mold on-screen might be the very thing that has kept him from becoming a conventional movie star. It's also the thing that has kept his work so fascinating, and so brilliant.
Born...
- 3/9/2010
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Strangely, it took the recent death of filmmaker John (Weird Science) Hughes—as we like to call him—to remind me that I briefly met his muse. It was Spring 1983 and she was in NYC to celebrate the premiere of her second motion picture, Spacehunter: Adventures In The Forbidden Zone.
Stare blankly at a computer screen if you don’t recall it. I barely do. It was an Sf flick starring Peter Strauss, a pre-Sixteen Candles Molly Ringwald, Ernie Hudson and Michael Ironside, directed by Twilight Zone classic veteran Lamont Johnson. Ring any bells? Well, it was in 3-D but it wasn’t very good. Ahhhhh, Now you remember!
Nonetheless, magazine editors don’t know That for certain months before release when a picture’s in production. So, we sent James Van Hise on location (to wherever they filmed, Utah? Nevada?), and he filed a Set Visit story and a Strauss profile.
Stare blankly at a computer screen if you don’t recall it. I barely do. It was an Sf flick starring Peter Strauss, a pre-Sixteen Candles Molly Ringwald, Ernie Hudson and Michael Ironside, directed by Twilight Zone classic veteran Lamont Johnson. Ring any bells? Well, it was in 3-D but it wasn’t very good. Ahhhhh, Now you remember!
Nonetheless, magazine editors don’t know That for certain months before release when a picture’s in production. So, we sent James Van Hise on location (to wherever they filmed, Utah? Nevada?), and he filed a Set Visit story and a Strauss profile.
- 9/14/2009
- by no-reply@starlog.com (David McDonnell)
- Starlog
Welcome back to our EW University course on TV Auteurs -- a look at some of the people who have had a major role in shaping the medium over the last 50 years. Today, Prof. Dan Snierson offers his overview of the work of J.J. Abrams. If you had to sum up J.J. Abrams neatly in just one word, it would be ... kinda hard to do. He’s a cross-genre, multi-medium hyphenate who flies a geek flag of many colors. (The boy who grew up on The Twilight Zone, Mission Impossible, Get Smart, James Bond, and Star Wars has crafted a TV resume that boasts credits as diverse as Felicity and Fringe; his movie credits range from Regarding Henry to Cloverfield.) His projects tend to be smart, layered, splashy, angsty, laced with mystery and/or mythology -- plus they just might contain an It Girl in the making (see: Keri Russell,...
- 9/4/2009
- by Dan Snierson
- EW.com - PopWatch
Have a question about gay male entertainment? Ask the Monkey!
Q: I'm a huge fan of The Biggest Loser and I'd heard somewhere that Bob is gay. True? -- Daniel, Auckland, Nz
A: Rumors have swirled around Harper, who is the oldest of The Biggest Loser’s three personal trainers, for years. Harper declined to comment, but he’s never come out, nor does he list a sexual orientation on his MySpace profile.
Biggest Loser personal trainer Bob Harper
Still, two of The Biggest Loser 6 contestants recently seemed to out him while appearing on a radio show:
According to Realityblurred.com:
Phillip and Amy Parham called in to the Monsters in the Morning show on Real Radio 104.1 two weeks ago (listen on iTunes, around 2:45:00), and when asked “Is Bob married?” there was a pause, and Amy said, “no,” and Phil said, “Uh, no.” He then added, “Bob likes his clothes and all that.
Q: I'm a huge fan of The Biggest Loser and I'd heard somewhere that Bob is gay. True? -- Daniel, Auckland, Nz
A: Rumors have swirled around Harper, who is the oldest of The Biggest Loser’s three personal trainers, for years. Harper declined to comment, but he’s never come out, nor does he list a sexual orientation on his MySpace profile.
Biggest Loser personal trainer Bob Harper
Still, two of The Biggest Loser 6 contestants recently seemed to out him while appearing on a radio show:
According to Realityblurred.com:
Phillip and Amy Parham called in to the Monsters in the Morning show on Real Radio 104.1 two weeks ago (listen on iTunes, around 2:45:00), and when asked “Is Bob married?” there was a pause, and Amy said, “no,” and Phil said, “Uh, no.” He then added, “Bob likes his clothes and all that.
- 2/12/2009
- by dennis
- The Backlot
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