The USC School of Cinematic Arts has announced that Miky Lee will deliver the 20024 Commencement address.
James Gray, director, writer, and Sca alumnus, will receive the Mary Pickford Alumni Award at the graduation ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium on Friday, May 10, 2024.
“Miky Lee is a true pioneer and ambassador of collaborative global filmmaking, and we are so happy to have her share her insight and expertise with our graduating students,” Elizabeth M. Daley, Dean of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, said in a statement. “Miky works across borders, cultures, and genres, and champions the kinds of projects our students aspire to creating. We are so pleased she agreed to be this year’s graduation speaker.”
Sca alumnus Jon M. Chu, who graduated in 2003 with a Bfa in film & television production, will speak at this year’s main, university-wide commencement ceremony at 8:30 a.m. at Alumni Park.
As Commencement Speaker,...
James Gray, director, writer, and Sca alumnus, will receive the Mary Pickford Alumni Award at the graduation ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium on Friday, May 10, 2024.
“Miky Lee is a true pioneer and ambassador of collaborative global filmmaking, and we are so happy to have her share her insight and expertise with our graduating students,” Elizabeth M. Daley, Dean of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, said in a statement. “Miky works across borders, cultures, and genres, and champions the kinds of projects our students aspire to creating. We are so pleased she agreed to be this year’s graduation speaker.”
Sca alumnus Jon M. Chu, who graduated in 2003 with a Bfa in film & television production, will speak at this year’s main, university-wide commencement ceremony at 8:30 a.m. at Alumni Park.
As Commencement Speaker,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
The pitch was "Rambo in an office building." In the 1980s, the idea of a Rambo type in anything, anywhere would at least get your project shuttled down the studio production pipeline. 20th Century Fox rightly believed they had a potential winner in "Die Hard." So why was the project anathema to every A-list movie star in Hollywood?
Perhaps it was the pedigree. "Die Hard" was an adaptation of Roderick Thorp's action novel "Nothing Lasts Forever," the author's 1979 sequel to his 1966 bestseller "The Detective." That cop thriller had been turned into a 1968 star vehicle for Frank Sinatra, who was nearing the end of his 1960s big-screen comeback. It was a solid hit for 20th Century Fox, but, despite a feint toward grittiness, it was viewed as nothing more than a paycheck gig for the Chairman.
So 20 years later, when Fox spied blockbuster potential in Thorp's sequel (which was...
Perhaps it was the pedigree. "Die Hard" was an adaptation of Roderick Thorp's action novel "Nothing Lasts Forever," the author's 1979 sequel to his 1966 bestseller "The Detective." That cop thriller had been turned into a 1968 star vehicle for Frank Sinatra, who was nearing the end of his 1960s big-screen comeback. It was a solid hit for 20th Century Fox, but, despite a feint toward grittiness, it was viewed as nothing more than a paycheck gig for the Chairman.
So 20 years later, when Fox spied blockbuster potential in Thorp's sequel (which was...
- 4/7/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
There's a billion bits of "Star Wars" trivia out there, but one of my favorites is actually from before a single foot of film ran through the camera. You have to remember that, though "Star Wars" is a multi-billion dollar IP now, the original film barely got made. George Lucas had success with "American Graffiti," but this was a script that nobody in Hollywood understood, even Alan Ladd Jr., the Fox exec who gave the film a greenlight.
Lucas's world-building impressed most people, but they just didn't understand the technobabble jargon in a genre that was predominantly either super serious like "2001" or extra campy like "Barbarella." "Star Wars" existed somewhere between the two and that threw everybody, from studio execs to the actors auditioning for the movie, for a loop.
This was also an era pre-internet, so when Hamill went in to his first meeting for the role of Luke Skywalker...
Lucas's world-building impressed most people, but they just didn't understand the technobabble jargon in a genre that was predominantly either super serious like "2001" or extra campy like "Barbarella." "Star Wars" existed somewhere between the two and that threw everybody, from studio execs to the actors auditioning for the movie, for a loop.
This was also an era pre-internet, so when Hamill went in to his first meeting for the role of Luke Skywalker...
- 1/15/2024
- by Eric Vespe
- Slash Film
The 80s was a fun time for moviegoers. For a successful comedy, sometimes all you needed was a group of employees at a specific job, they butt up against whatever authority is in place, and get into hijinks. There is no better example of this than the recruits at the Police Academy. A group of misfits that are thrown together and given guns. The making of the film had its ups and downs but the whole thing ended up with a whole of laughs and creating a franchise that would spawn seven films, a TV series, and a Saturday morning cartoon. Let’s find out exactly what happened to Police Academy here on Wtf Happened To This Movie?
Producer Paul Maslansky was in the middle of production on the film The Right Stuff. They were about to film a scene on the street and had called into the...
Producer Paul Maslansky was in the middle of production on the film The Right Stuff. They were about to film a scene on the street and had called into the...
- 10/18/2023
- by Bryan Wolford
- JoBlo.com
George Lucas had a bold vision when he set out to make "Star Wars" in the mid-1970s. He did not, however, have the technology to pull it off. No one did, at least not at an affordable price.
Douglas Trumbull had recently vaulted visual effects forward with his optical innovations for Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey," but his photorealistic presentation of space was based wholly in physical reality. The space stations and ships in Kubrick's masterpiece drifted gracefully in the cosmos. Trumbull replicated this galactic ballet to eerie effect in his directorial debut "Silent Running," on which he employed an upstart technophile named John Dykstra, who was eager to build on Trumbull's inventions with a more dynamic application that would jar sci-fi flicks out of their reality-bound lethargy.
When Lucas commenced work on "Star Wars" (via a go-with-god greenlight from 20th Century Fox's Alan Ladd Jr....
Douglas Trumbull had recently vaulted visual effects forward with his optical innovations for Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey," but his photorealistic presentation of space was based wholly in physical reality. The space stations and ships in Kubrick's masterpiece drifted gracefully in the cosmos. Trumbull replicated this galactic ballet to eerie effect in his directorial debut "Silent Running," on which he employed an upstart technophile named John Dykstra, who was eager to build on Trumbull's inventions with a more dynamic application that would jar sci-fi flicks out of their reality-bound lethargy.
When Lucas commenced work on "Star Wars" (via a go-with-god greenlight from 20th Century Fox's Alan Ladd Jr....
- 9/24/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
George Lucas' original "Star Wars" was, at the time, probably the most technologically complicated undertaking since Stanley Kubrick took a space-crazed populace for a tour of the galaxy in "2001: A Space Odyssey." The motion control camera pioneered by John Dykstra (which he dubbed the "Dykstraflex") allowed Lucas to pull off the Death Star trench run, which ended the film on a rousing note and changed the medium forever.
But before it became a global sensation, 20th Century Fox didn't get "Star Wars." According to Lucas, Alan Ladd Jr., who greenlit the movie, told the up-and-coming director, 'I don't understand this movie, I don't get it at all, but I think you're a talented guy and I want you to make it.'" His gut instinct was based on the box-office success of "American Graffiti," which was a grounded, night-in-the-life tale of teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. It was relatable.
But before it became a global sensation, 20th Century Fox didn't get "Star Wars." According to Lucas, Alan Ladd Jr., who greenlit the movie, told the up-and-coming director, 'I don't understand this movie, I don't get it at all, but I think you're a talented guy and I want you to make it.'" His gut instinct was based on the box-office success of "American Graffiti," which was a grounded, night-in-the-life tale of teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. It was relatable.
- 9/24/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
It's not unusual for artists to have a complicated relationship with their work. Whether it's a piece that fails to land with viewers or a successful passion project that ultimately gets sucked into the commercial machine, it's an especially tight line for filmmakers to walk. For George Lucas, 1977's "Star Wars" (by 1981 it would be retitled "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope") was the latter: an offbeat, mystical science fiction film that he had spent years developing and for which he had the lowest expectations. After all, the story of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hammill) leaving the comfort of his home planet to learn the ways of the mystical Force and befriend a ragtag rebel group facing off against an evil Empire was no sure thing.
"Star Wars" would go on to cast an awfully long shadow, creating a massive franchise and media phenomenon that would tie Lucas up...
"Star Wars" would go on to cast an awfully long shadow, creating a massive franchise and media phenomenon that would tie Lucas up...
- 8/20/2023
- by Anthony Crislip
- Slash Film
In the 1970s, no one expected the first "Star Wars" movie to be such a runaway hit, least of all theater exhibitors. Writer-director George Lucas famously shopped around his script to studios like United Artists, Universal Pictures, and even future Lucasfilm owner Disney, according to Vanity Fair, but he couldn't secure financing with any of them. Though Lucas had already earned two Academy Award nominations for his pre-"Star Wars" masterpiece, "American Graffiti," his previous foray into science fiction, "Thx 1138," had fared less successful. It was only 20th Century Fox, led by Alan Ladd Jr. at the time, that was willing to take a chance on Lucas and his space opera.
Getting "Star Wars" made was just the first step for Lucas. Fox had to distribute it next, and as Mental Floss notes, it was afraid the movie would flop if released as part of a packed summer schedule.
Getting "Star Wars" made was just the first step for Lucas. Fox had to distribute it next, and as Mental Floss notes, it was afraid the movie would flop if released as part of a packed summer schedule.
- 5/20/2023
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
In the working draft, the green script, it appears on page 51. "Kane's face screws into a mask of agony," read the terse, throb-like description. "A red stain, a smear of blood, blossoms on his chest. The fabric on his shirt rips open and a small head, the size of a fist, punches out…"
Jump-cut to Dallas in the spring of 1979, the second test screening of Alien. The first, in St. Louis, had been unconvincing: the sound had been out, the audience restless and the effect muted. In Dallas, the tentative Fox execs were to find out what they had on their hands.
As is now so familiar, it built slowly: 45 minutes, as Ridley Scott_); the dead ship (dubbed the "Derelict" by modelmakers); the haunting Space Jockey, a black rupture in its fossilised chest; and the Egg, gently pulsating before it peels open with a squelch – like sucking milkshake… "We were at the back,...
Jump-cut to Dallas in the spring of 1979, the second test screening of Alien. The first, in St. Louis, had been unconvincing: the sound had been out, the audience restless and the effect muted. In Dallas, the tentative Fox execs were to find out what they had on their hands.
As is now so familiar, it built slowly: 45 minutes, as Ridley Scott_); the dead ship (dubbed the "Derelict" by modelmakers); the haunting Space Jockey, a black rupture in its fossilised chest; and the Egg, gently pulsating before it peels open with a squelch – like sucking milkshake… "We were at the back,...
- 4/26/2023
- by Ian Nathan
- Empire - Movies
Actor Bruce Willis is best known for starring in the Die Hard movie franchise. He played the character John McClane from 1988 until 2013. How much was Willis paid for Die Hard? Here’s what we know.
Bruce Willis’ movie and TV career Bruce Willis | Sean Gallup/Getty Images
One of Willis’ early acting roles was in a 1984 episode of Miami Vice titled “No Exit.” He played the character Tony Amato. The following year, Willis starred in Moonlighting alongside Cybill Shepherd. Willis remained on the series for 66 episodes until it ended in 1989.
In 1987, Willis secured his first major film role. He played the character Walter Davis in Blind Date alongside Kim Basinger. Willis established himself as an action movie star the following year when he played John McClane in Die Hard.
In 1989, Willis voiced Mikey in Look Who’s Talking and the 1990 sequel Look Who’s Talking Too. Some of Willis’ other acting appearances include roles in Armageddon,...
Bruce Willis’ movie and TV career Bruce Willis | Sean Gallup/Getty Images
One of Willis’ early acting roles was in a 1984 episode of Miami Vice titled “No Exit.” He played the character Tony Amato. The following year, Willis starred in Moonlighting alongside Cybill Shepherd. Willis remained on the series for 66 episodes until it ended in 1989.
In 1987, Willis secured his first major film role. He played the character Walter Davis in Blind Date alongside Kim Basinger. Willis established himself as an action movie star the following year when he played John McClane in Die Hard.
In 1989, Willis voiced Mikey in Look Who’s Talking and the 1990 sequel Look Who’s Talking Too. Some of Willis’ other acting appearances include roles in Armageddon,...
- 3/19/2023
- by Sheiresa Ngo
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Sunday’s SAG Awards ceremony will be a streaming event for the first time on the Netflix YouTube channel. One of the highlights each year is the special In Memoriam segment. It’s been a particularly rough year with over 100 deaths of prominent actors and actresses who were likely members of SAG/AFTRA. Show producers typically are able to include approximately 40-50 people in a tribute.
Among that group will certainly be Oscar winners Louise Fletcher, William Hurt and Irene Cara, plus nominees Angela Lansbury (a SAG life achievement recipient) and Melinda Dillon. Emmy champs Mary Alice, Kirstie Alley, Leslie Jordan, Ray Liotta, Stuart Margolin, Robert Morse and Barbara Walters.
SEECelebrity Deaths 2023: In Memoriam Gallery
Here is our expansive list of over 100 people who died since last year’s ceremony, several of whom will be honored on Sunday’s event:
Ralph Ahn
J. Grant Albrecht
Mary Alice
Rae Allen...
Among that group will certainly be Oscar winners Louise Fletcher, William Hurt and Irene Cara, plus nominees Angela Lansbury (a SAG life achievement recipient) and Melinda Dillon. Emmy champs Mary Alice, Kirstie Alley, Leslie Jordan, Ray Liotta, Stuart Margolin, Robert Morse and Barbara Walters.
SEECelebrity Deaths 2023: In Memoriam Gallery
Here is our expansive list of over 100 people who died since last year’s ceremony, several of whom will be honored on Sunday’s event:
Ralph Ahn
J. Grant Albrecht
Mary Alice
Rae Allen...
- 2/24/2023
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Click here to read the full article.
The screenwriter of the original Willow film is reflecting on the process of making the movie, along with opening up about ways in which working in the writers room of the new Disney+ television reboot didn’t feel as freeing.
Willow, the tale of a humble farmer enlisted to go on a quest to save the world, hit theaters in 1988 — but the idea for the fantasy film had been on George Lucas’ mind even before the 1977 release of Star Wars. Lucas, an executive producer on Willow and credited with writing the story, brought the project to filmmaker Ron Howard, whom Lucas had directed in 1973’s American Graffiti.
Howard, who had helmed such movies as Splash (1983) and Cocoon (1985), turned to Bob Dolman, his collaborator on a failed NBC pilot in the early 1980s, to write Willow’s script. Its story focuses on the titular farmer,...
The screenwriter of the original Willow film is reflecting on the process of making the movie, along with opening up about ways in which working in the writers room of the new Disney+ television reboot didn’t feel as freeing.
Willow, the tale of a humble farmer enlisted to go on a quest to save the world, hit theaters in 1988 — but the idea for the fantasy film had been on George Lucas’ mind even before the 1977 release of Star Wars. Lucas, an executive producer on Willow and credited with writing the story, brought the project to filmmaker Ron Howard, whom Lucas had directed in 1973’s American Graffiti.
Howard, who had helmed such movies as Splash (1983) and Cocoon (1985), turned to Bob Dolman, his collaborator on a failed NBC pilot in the early 1980s, to write Willow’s script. Its story focuses on the titular farmer,...
- 11/30/2022
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ironically, Willow was a bit too big. Or at least too big to succeed as George Lucas had imagined it could. The brainchild of Lucas since before the first Star Wars, the 1988 film starred Warwick Davis as the eponymous Willow Ufgood, a farmer and would-be sorcerer’s apprentice from a race of dwarves called Nelwyn. The premise was classic fantasy: after discovering a baby Daikini (or regular-sized folk), Willow goes on a journey to protect the baby from an evil sorceress queen (the deliciously pantomime-esque Jean Marsh) – by way of mountains, monsters, and some riotous action sequences.
Back then, studio bosses baulked at the film’s 35m (£29m) price tag. The production spanned three continents, a huge cast of little people and featured more special effects work than Lucas’s FX house, Industrial Light & Magic, was prepared for. The finished film is a bloated two hours-plus, which feels too much...
Back then, studio bosses baulked at the film’s 35m (£29m) price tag. The production spanned three continents, a huge cast of little people and featured more special effects work than Lucas’s FX house, Industrial Light & Magic, was prepared for. The finished film is a bloated two hours-plus, which feels too much...
- 11/29/2022
- by Tom Fordy
- The Independent - Film
As most people with a working knowledge of cinema history know, movies used to be predominantly in black & white — glorious black and white, if you will! That qualifier is not at all facetious, by the way, given how the cinematographers during the studio system did a regularly fabulous job of lighting actors and sets in moody, lush, expressionist ways without ever having the benefit of color.
Yet when films made the transition to being shot predominately in color, black and white suddenly became a dirty word to the movie studios, believing that audiences would reject a black and white film as being old-fashioned or worse. Unfortunately, their assumption became a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, as many less cultured audience members still view black and white movies as being somehow old and boring, causing lists like these to be written up by critics and historians.
Despite becoming famous for pushing the...
Yet when films made the transition to being shot predominately in color, black and white suddenly became a dirty word to the movie studios, believing that audiences would reject a black and white film as being old-fashioned or worse. Unfortunately, their assumption became a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, as many less cultured audience members still view black and white movies as being somehow old and boring, causing lists like these to be written up by critics and historians.
Despite becoming famous for pushing the...
- 10/26/2022
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
The former home of Alan Ladd Jr., a 2,732-square-foot condominium in the French-themed Le Parc complex in Century City has come to market, listed at 2.995 million.
Ladd — the former studio executive at Fox and MGM/UA known for championing Star Wars — died on March 2 this year at age 84. Ladd, also an Oscar-winning producer (Braveheart), bought the two-bedroom, single-level unit in 2015.
“Before he purchased this home, Alan lived in a large home in Beverly Hills. He felt the need to downsize but wanted to stay in the area. He immediately fell in love with the tranquil beautiful gardens that Le Parc offers,” says Douglas Elliman Realty’s listing agent Susan Roth.
The Le Parc complex has been popular with entertainment names over the years. According to Dirt.com, Priscilla Presley purchased a 3,242-square-foot condo at Le Parc last year for 4.8 million, after downsizing from an estate in Beverly Hills.
The former home of Alan Ladd Jr., a 2,732-square-foot condominium in the French-themed Le Parc complex in Century City has come to market, listed at 2.995 million.
Ladd — the former studio executive at Fox and MGM/UA known for championing Star Wars — died on March 2 this year at age 84. Ladd, also an Oscar-winning producer (Braveheart), bought the two-bedroom, single-level unit in 2015.
“Before he purchased this home, Alan lived in a large home in Beverly Hills. He felt the need to downsize but wanted to stay in the area. He immediately fell in love with the tranquil beautiful gardens that Le Parc offers,” says Douglas Elliman Realty’s listing agent Susan Roth.
The Le Parc complex has been popular with entertainment names over the years. According to Dirt.com, Priscilla Presley purchased a 3,242-square-foot condo at Le Parc last year for 4.8 million, after downsizing from an estate in Beverly Hills.
- 10/5/2022
- by Degen Pener
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Author and Tfh Guru Dennis Lehane joins Josh and Joe to discuss a few of his favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s Mogwai Madness
Home Alone (1990)
Mystic River (2003)
Shutter Island (2010)
Live By Night (2016)
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
The Drop (2014)
The Shining (1980) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary
Apocalypse Now (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Apocalypse Now: Redux (2001)
Apocalypse Now: Final Cut (2019) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Crying Game (1992)
Diner (1982)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
American Graffiti (1973) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Body Heat (1981) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
Blue Velvet (1986) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Raging Bull (1980) – Dan Perri’s trailer commentary
Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975)
Star Wars (1977)
Star Wars: The Special Edition (1997)
Manhunter (1986) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Public Enemies (2009)
Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Miller’s Crossing (1990) – Josh Olson...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s Mogwai Madness
Home Alone (1990)
Mystic River (2003)
Shutter Island (2010)
Live By Night (2016)
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
The Drop (2014)
The Shining (1980) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary
Apocalypse Now (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Apocalypse Now: Redux (2001)
Apocalypse Now: Final Cut (2019) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Crying Game (1992)
Diner (1982)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
American Graffiti (1973) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Body Heat (1981) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
Blue Velvet (1986) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Raging Bull (1980) – Dan Perri’s trailer commentary
Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975)
Star Wars (1977)
Star Wars: The Special Edition (1997)
Manhunter (1986) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Public Enemies (2009)
Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Miller’s Crossing (1990) – Josh Olson...
- 6/28/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
William Hurt, the Oscar-winning actor who starred in films like Body Heat, The Big Chill and Broadcast News, has died at the age of 71.
Hurt’s son Will confirmed his father’s death in a statement Sunday. “It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father and Oscar winning actor, on March 13, 2022, one week before his 72nd birthday,” the family said. “He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes. The family requests privacy at this time.
A three-time nominee for Best Actor at the Academy Awards,...
Hurt’s son Will confirmed his father’s death in a statement Sunday. “It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father and Oscar winning actor, on March 13, 2022, one week before his 72nd birthday,” the family said. “He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes. The family requests privacy at this time.
A three-time nominee for Best Actor at the Academy Awards,...
- 3/13/2022
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
In this edition of Star Wars Bits:
Alan Ladd Jr. Passes Away at 84 "Andor" Adds Rosalind Halstead and David Hayman Qui-Gon Jinn to Appear in "Obi-Wan Kenobi" Marvel's Upcoming "Star Wars" Comics And More!
Legendary film executive and producer Alan Ladd Jr. passed away on March 2 at the age of 84. Ladd — or Laddie, as he was commonly known — greenlit "Star Wars" as the president of 20th Century Fox after seeing George Lucas' previous film, "American Graffiti." In addition to "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back," Ladd's list of credits is humbling to say the least, including "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "The Omen," "Alien," "All That Jazz," "Chariots of Fire,"...
The post Star Wars Bits: Alan Ladd Jr., Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Crimson Reign, The Mandalorian, and More! appeared first on /Film.
Alan Ladd Jr. Passes Away at 84 "Andor" Adds Rosalind Halstead and David Hayman Qui-Gon Jinn to Appear in "Obi-Wan Kenobi" Marvel's Upcoming "Star Wars" Comics And More!
Legendary film executive and producer Alan Ladd Jr. passed away on March 2 at the age of 84. Ladd — or Laddie, as he was commonly known — greenlit "Star Wars" as the president of 20th Century Fox after seeing George Lucas' previous film, "American Graffiti." In addition to "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back," Ladd's list of credits is humbling to say the least, including "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "The Omen," "Alien," "All That Jazz," "Chariots of Fire,"...
The post Star Wars Bits: Alan Ladd Jr., Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Crimson Reign, The Mandalorian, and More! appeared first on /Film.
- 3/4/2022
- by Adam Frazier
- Slash Film
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
(Alan Ladd Jr. has passed away at the age of 84. In his honor, we're republishing Todd Garbarini's interview with him which originally ran in November, 2020.)
By Todd Garbarini
If you ask the average movie fan who Alan Ladd, Jr. is, you will more than likely be greeted with a blank stare. Some might say, “Oh yeah, he was in Shane!â€., erroneously thinking of his movie star father. If you asked a movie fan who Laddie is, they would probably think you were referring to that old TV show about the border collie. The truth is, “Laddieâ€. is an affectionate industry nickname for Alan Ladd, Jr., a man who grew up in and made his profession in the movie business and has produced some of the greatest and most successful films of all-time, including the Oscar-winning films The Omen (1976), Chariots of Fire...
(Alan Ladd Jr. has passed away at the age of 84. In his honor, we're republishing Todd Garbarini's interview with him which originally ran in November, 2020.)
By Todd Garbarini
If you ask the average movie fan who Alan Ladd, Jr. is, you will more than likely be greeted with a blank stare. Some might say, “Oh yeah, he was in Shane!â€., erroneously thinking of his movie star father. If you asked a movie fan who Laddie is, they would probably think you were referring to that old TV show about the border collie. The truth is, “Laddieâ€. is an affectionate industry nickname for Alan Ladd, Jr., a man who grew up in and made his profession in the movie business and has produced some of the greatest and most successful films of all-time, including the Oscar-winning films The Omen (1976), Chariots of Fire...
- 3/3/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Alan Ladd Jr., one of the few remaining Hollywood studio moguls who could be regarded as a legend, has died at age 84. Ladd's career was characterized by the countless blockbusters he brought to the screen during his long career. Most notably, he backed George Lucas for the original "Star Wars" when the board of 20th Century Fox wanted to walk away from the project. Other classics he oversaw were "Chariots of Fire", "Braveheart", "Blade Runner", "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Young Frankenstein" during his tenure at various studios. When James Bond producer Cubby Broccoli had a falling out with the management of MGM/UA in the late 1980s, he refused to make another 007 film until the studio brass was replaced. When Ladd assumed the top position in the mid-1990s, Broccoli trusted him and together, they revived the series with "GoldenEye". For more about Ladd's remarkable career, click here.
- 3/3/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
One of the most prolific and influential figures in Hollywood history, Alan Ladd Jr., died Wednesday at the age of 84.
His daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones, director of a documentary about her father entitled "Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies," broke the news on that film's official Facebook page:
"With the heaviest of hearts, we announce that on March 2, 2022, Alan Ladd Jr. died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed. His impact on films and filmmaking will live on in his absence."
Born in Los Angeles on October 22, 1937, Ladd Jr. was the son of...
The post Alan Ladd Jr., Legendary Producer Behind Star Wars and Braveheart, Dead at 84 appeared first on /Film.
His daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones, director of a documentary about her father entitled "Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies," broke the news on that film's official Facebook page:
"With the heaviest of hearts, we announce that on March 2, 2022, Alan Ladd Jr. died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed. His impact on films and filmmaking will live on in his absence."
Born in Los Angeles on October 22, 1937, Ladd Jr. was the son of...
The post Alan Ladd Jr., Legendary Producer Behind Star Wars and Braveheart, Dead at 84 appeared first on /Film.
- 3/2/2022
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Alan Ladd Jr., the Oscar-winning producer whose credits include Best Picture winners “Braveheart” and “Chariots of Fire,” died on Wednesday at the age of 84, according to his daughter, Amanda Ladd-Jones.
“With the heaviest of hearts, we announce that on March 2, 2022, Alan Ladd, Jr. died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed. His impact on films and filmmaking will live on in his absence,” Ladd-Jones wrote on social media.
Born in Los Angeles, Ladd got his start in the film industry as an agent before beginning his producing career in 1969. Four years later, he was hired as Head of Creative Affairs at 20th Century Fox and eventually rose to become head of its film division. During his tenure at Fox, Ladd played a key role behind the scenes approving and overseeing the production of George Lucas’ “Star Wars,” convincing the board of...
“With the heaviest of hearts, we announce that on March 2, 2022, Alan Ladd, Jr. died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed. His impact on films and filmmaking will live on in his absence,” Ladd-Jones wrote on social media.
Born in Los Angeles, Ladd got his start in the film industry as an agent before beginning his producing career in 1969. Four years later, he was hired as Head of Creative Affairs at 20th Century Fox and eventually rose to become head of its film division. During his tenure at Fox, Ladd played a key role behind the scenes approving and overseeing the production of George Lucas’ “Star Wars,” convincing the board of...
- 3/2/2022
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Oscar-winning producer and influential motion picture executive Alan Ladd Jr., who ushered in the “Star Wars” era of motion pictures, died Wednesday. He was 84.
“With the heaviest of hearts, we announce that on March 2, 2022, Alan Ladd, Jr. died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed. His impact on films and filmmaking will live on in his absence,” his daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones, who directed the documentary “Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies,” wrote on the film’s Facebook page.
During his tenure at 20th Century Fox in the late 1970s, Ladd greenlit “Star Wars,” a $10 million sci-fi film that would become the yardstick for blockbuster movies and tentpole film franchises thereafter. He was the son of golden age film star Alan Ladd, best remembered for “Shane,” but in many ways, Ladd Jr. had a more substantial effect on Hollywood than did his famous dad.
“With the heaviest of hearts, we announce that on March 2, 2022, Alan Ladd, Jr. died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed. His impact on films and filmmaking will live on in his absence,” his daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones, who directed the documentary “Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies,” wrote on the film’s Facebook page.
During his tenure at 20th Century Fox in the late 1970s, Ladd greenlit “Star Wars,” a $10 million sci-fi film that would become the yardstick for blockbuster movies and tentpole film franchises thereafter. He was the son of golden age film star Alan Ladd, best remembered for “Shane,” but in many ways, Ladd Jr. had a more substantial effect on Hollywood than did his famous dad.
- 3/2/2022
- by Richard Natale
- Variety Film + TV
Alan Ladd Jr., the revered Hollywood producer and studio executive who saved Star Wars when Fox wanted to shut down production and gained vindication when he received an Oscar for Braveheart after being dumped by MGM, has died. He was 84.
Ladd, who headed production at Fox, Pathe Entertainment and MGM (in two stints) and ran his own outfit, The Ladd Co., with great success, died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles.
“With the heaviest of hearts, we announce that on March 2, 2022, Alan Ladd, Jr. died peacefully at home surrounded by his family,” his daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones wrote on social media. “Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed. His impact on films and filmmaking will live on in his absence.”
As a studio executive and producer, Ladd — the son of screen idol Alan Ladd (This Gun for Hire, Shane) — had a hand in 14 best picture nominees. His imprint...
Ladd, who headed production at Fox, Pathe Entertainment and MGM (in two stints) and ran his own outfit, The Ladd Co., with great success, died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles.
“With the heaviest of hearts, we announce that on March 2, 2022, Alan Ladd, Jr. died peacefully at home surrounded by his family,” his daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones wrote on social media. “Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed. His impact on films and filmmaking will live on in his absence.”
As a studio executive and producer, Ladd — the son of screen idol Alan Ladd (This Gun for Hire, Shane) — had a hand in 14 best picture nominees. His imprint...
- 3/2/2022
- by Mike Barnes and Duane Byrge
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A long time ago, in a galaxy before "Star Wars," creator George Lucas was worried. He was in the middle of making "A New Hope" — an original space adventure he created after he was unable to get the rights to "Flash Gordon." It was a big risk for the filmmaker. Despite some success with his earlier film, "American Graffiti," he hadn't yet established himself. And all but one studio turned "Star Wars" down.
20th Century Fox eventually took a gamble on his ambitious sci-fi epic, at the request of producer Alan Ladd Jr. A lot was riding on it. But the production...
The post Why Steven Spielberg and George Lucas Traded Their Star Wars and Close Encounters Profits appeared first on /Film.
20th Century Fox eventually took a gamble on his ambitious sci-fi epic, at the request of producer Alan Ladd Jr. A lot was riding on it. But the production...
The post Why Steven Spielberg and George Lucas Traded Their Star Wars and Close Encounters Profits appeared first on /Film.
- 2/23/2022
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
"Someone inevitably had a story about my dad." Central City Media has released a new UK trailer for an indie documentary called Laddie: The Man Behind The Movies, which we haven't heard of before even though it originally premiered back in 2017. And it looks entertaining and informative. Laddie is a doc film about Alan Ladd Jr., producer and former 20th Century Fox chairman, directed by his daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones. The untold story of the movie mogul who green lit Star Wars. And Blade Runner. And Alien. And Police Academy. You may not recognize his name at first, but as soon as you watch any of these films (and many others) you'll see his name in the credits right away. Featuring interviews tons of major names: Ben Affleck, Mel Brooks, Richard Donner, Lucy Fisher, Morgan Freeman, Mel Gibson, Michael Gruskoff, Jay Kanter, Ron Howard, George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Sigourney Weaver and many more.
- 3/25/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Virgil Films has acquired the U.S. and Canadian digital rights to Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies, a feature-length look at Alan Ladd Jr. directed by his daughter, Amanda Ladd Jones.
The studio boss and producer is responsible for some of Hollywood’s all-time biggest titles, including Star Wars, Alien, Blade Runner, Chariots of Fire, Police Academy, Braveheart, Thelma & Louise and Young Frankenstein. The film features interviews with George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Affleck, Ron Howard, Morgan Freeman, Mel Brooks, Richard Donner.
As Deadline noted in a 2017 post, Ladd had a low-key style and was a man of few words relative to the industry’s chattering norms. When he was just 37, having grown up in the industry as the son of a popular Hollywood actor, Ladd became head of production at 20th Century Fox. Before long, he had green-lit several films that would cement his legacy.
The studio boss and producer is responsible for some of Hollywood’s all-time biggest titles, including Star Wars, Alien, Blade Runner, Chariots of Fire, Police Academy, Braveheart, Thelma & Louise and Young Frankenstein. The film features interviews with George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Affleck, Ron Howard, Morgan Freeman, Mel Brooks, Richard Donner.
As Deadline noted in a 2017 post, Ladd had a low-key style and was a man of few words relative to the industry’s chattering norms. When he was just 37, having grown up in the industry as the son of a popular Hollywood actor, Ladd became head of production at 20th Century Fox. Before long, he had green-lit several films that would cement his legacy.
- 6/9/2020
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Jack Gordon, who spent 44 years as a distribution and international executive at MGM, died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles, his family announced. He was 90.
The son of Oscar-winning composer-lyricist Mack Gordon ("At Last," "You'll Never Know," "Chattanooga Choo-Choo"), he served under studio heads Nicholas Schenck, Dore Schary, Robert O'Brien, James T. Aubrey, David Begelman, Alan Ladd Jr. and Frank Mancuso at the studio. He was critical in leading MGM's accession into pay TV and home video.
Born on March 13, 1929, in Brooklyn, Gordon joined MGM as ...
The son of Oscar-winning composer-lyricist Mack Gordon ("At Last," "You'll Never Know," "Chattanooga Choo-Choo"), he served under studio heads Nicholas Schenck, Dore Schary, Robert O'Brien, James T. Aubrey, David Begelman, Alan Ladd Jr. and Frank Mancuso at the studio. He was critical in leading MGM's accession into pay TV and home video.
Born on March 13, 1929, in Brooklyn, Gordon joined MGM as ...
- 2/20/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jack Gordon, who spent 44 years as a distribution and international executive at MGM, died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles, his family announced. He was 90.
The son of Oscar-winning composer-lyricist Mack Gordon ("At Last," "You'll Never Know," "Chattanooga Choo-Choo"), he served under studio heads Nicholas Schenck, Dore Schary, Robert O'Brien, James T. Aubrey, David Begelman, Alan Ladd Jr. and Frank Mancuso at the studio. He was critical in leading MGM's accession into pay TV and home video.
Born on March 13, 1929, in Brooklyn, Gordon joined MGM as ...
The son of Oscar-winning composer-lyricist Mack Gordon ("At Last," "You'll Never Know," "Chattanooga Choo-Choo"), he served under studio heads Nicholas Schenck, Dore Schary, Robert O'Brien, James T. Aubrey, David Begelman, Alan Ladd Jr. and Frank Mancuso at the studio. He was critical in leading MGM's accession into pay TV and home video.
Born on March 13, 1929, in Brooklyn, Gordon joined MGM as ...
- 2/20/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
"I knew it was going to be big right off the bat," Alan Ladd Jr., the former Fox studio head, says of Star Wars' blockbuster 1977 debut. But not everyone shared his confidence. In fact, most of Hollywood was downright skeptical, and as Ladd looks back at his history-making tenure at the studio, he recalls: "We couldn't get any dates for the picture. It had no stars. You'd try to explain the story, and they didn't know what you were talking about. The only way we were able to book it is because the ...
"I knew it was going to be big right off the bat," Alan Ladd Jr., the former Fox studio head, says of Star Wars' blockbuster 1977 debut. But not everyone shared his confidence. In fact, most of Hollywood was downright skeptical, and as Ladd looks back at his history-making tenure at the studio, he recalls: "We couldn't get any dates for the picture. It had no stars. You'd try to explain the story, and they didn't know what you were talking about. The only way we were able to book it is because the ...
In today’s film news roundup, Margo Martindale becomes a mob boss, Kevin Tsujihara is selected as a commencement speaker and the homeless woman project “Landing Up” gets distribution.
Castings
Margo Martindale is joining Tiffany Haddish, Elisabeth Moss and Melissa McCarthy in the mob drama “The Kitchen” for New Line Cinema and DC Entertainment.
“Straight Outta Compton” writer Andrea Berloff will direct from her own script, based on the comic book series by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle from DC Entertainment’s Vertigo imprint. The movie will mark Berloff’s feature directorial debut. Michael De Luca is producing the film.
“The Kitchen” follows a group of Irish mobsters sent to prison. The wives take over their jailed spouses’ organized crime operation to become the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in 1970s Hell’s Kitchen. Martindale will play the behind-the-scenes operative who runs the mob. “The Kitchen” hits theaters on Sept.
Castings
Margo Martindale is joining Tiffany Haddish, Elisabeth Moss and Melissa McCarthy in the mob drama “The Kitchen” for New Line Cinema and DC Entertainment.
“Straight Outta Compton” writer Andrea Berloff will direct from her own script, based on the comic book series by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle from DC Entertainment’s Vertigo imprint. The movie will mark Berloff’s feature directorial debut. Michael De Luca is producing the film.
“The Kitchen” follows a group of Irish mobsters sent to prison. The wives take over their jailed spouses’ organized crime operation to become the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in 1970s Hell’s Kitchen. Martindale will play the behind-the-scenes operative who runs the mob. “The Kitchen” hits theaters on Sept.
- 3/30/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara has been set to deliver the USC School of Cinematic Arts 2018 commencement address which will take place on May 11 at the Shrine Auditorium. Last year, NBC/Universal Vice Chairman Ron Meyer gave the address. Others who have done so are Paul Feig, Jay Roach, Jim Gianopulos, Stacey Sher, Barry Meyer, Sumner Redstone, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Laura Ziskin.
In addition, screenwriter and producer Amanda Silver (Jurassic World, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) will receive the Mary Pickford Alumni Award at the graduation ceremony. Last year, Suzanne Todd and Jennifer Todd received the award which was initially created in 1995 in partnership with the Mary Pickford Foundation.
The Award pays tribute to women and men of USC whose extraordinary achievements bring special distinction to the School and to the industry. Past recipients have also included Kevin Feige, William Fraker, Brian Grazer, Conrad L. Hall,...
In addition, screenwriter and producer Amanda Silver (Jurassic World, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) will receive the Mary Pickford Alumni Award at the graduation ceremony. Last year, Suzanne Todd and Jennifer Todd received the award which was initially created in 1995 in partnership with the Mary Pickford Foundation.
The Award pays tribute to women and men of USC whose extraordinary achievements bring special distinction to the School and to the industry. Past recipients have also included Kevin Feige, William Fraker, Brian Grazer, Conrad L. Hall,...
- 3/29/2018
- by Anita Busch
- Deadline Film + TV
"If you'd talk a little, I wouldn't have to talk so much!" Amanda Ladd Jones tells her father, the long-time film executive and producer Alan Ladd Jr., early in her documentary tribute, Laddie: The Man Behind The Movies. I know how she feels. Ladd, now 80 years old, was famous not just for his taste and tenacity—films like Star Wars, Braveheart, and Blade Runner might not have happened without him—but also for a personal reticence that sometimes approached dead silence…...
- 12/2/2017
- Deadline
A new book about the acclaimed 1991 film Thelma & Louise offers proof that fans weren’t the only ones in awe of its trailblazing characters.
Off The Cliff: How the Making of Thelma & Louise Drove Hollywood to the Edge, by Becky Aikman, chronicles how Jodie Foster and Michelle Pfeiffer were slated for the lead roles, but had to turn them down after production was delayed. Once the news was out, Hollywood’s top actresses jockeyed for the plum roles.
“It seemed as if every agent who represented anyone with a vagina and a pulse besieged Pathé and Ridley company for a shot,...
Off The Cliff: How the Making of Thelma & Louise Drove Hollywood to the Edge, by Becky Aikman, chronicles how Jodie Foster and Michelle Pfeiffer were slated for the lead roles, but had to turn them down after production was delayed. Once the news was out, Hollywood’s top actresses jockeyed for the plum roles.
“It seemed as if every agent who represented anyone with a vagina and a pulse besieged Pathé and Ridley company for a shot,...
- 6/28/2017
- by Sam Gillette
- PEOPLE.com
This early gore-horror picture has a remarkable emphasis on human values, believe it or not, with a ‘monster’ that nevertheless is a paragon of loving gentleness. Add Donald Pleasance as a surly, posh-hating police inspector, and the shock value makes the Hammer films of the early ’70s taste like weak tea.
Death Line
Blu-ray + DVD
Blue Underground
1972 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 87 min. / aka Raw Meat / Street Date June 27, 2017 / 39.98
Starring: Donald Pleasence, Norman Rossington, David Ladd, Sharon Gurney, Hugh Armstrong, June Turner, Christopher Lee.
Cinematography: Alex Thomson
Art Direction: Dennis Gordon-Orr
Film Editor: Geoffrey Foot
Original Music: Jeremy Rose, Malone Wil
Written by Ceri Jones from a story by Gary Sherman
Produced by Paul Maslansky
Directed by Gary Sherman
In 1972, making a horror film was a safe way to start a career: almost anything screen-able could get a release, and if your show had enough shock value, it might even get positive critical attention.
Death Line
Blu-ray + DVD
Blue Underground
1972 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 87 min. / aka Raw Meat / Street Date June 27, 2017 / 39.98
Starring: Donald Pleasence, Norman Rossington, David Ladd, Sharon Gurney, Hugh Armstrong, June Turner, Christopher Lee.
Cinematography: Alex Thomson
Art Direction: Dennis Gordon-Orr
Film Editor: Geoffrey Foot
Original Music: Jeremy Rose, Malone Wil
Written by Ceri Jones from a story by Gary Sherman
Produced by Paul Maslansky
Directed by Gary Sherman
In 1972, making a horror film was a safe way to start a career: almost anything screen-able could get a release, and if your show had enough shock value, it might even get positive critical attention.
- 6/13/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Next stop, cannibalism! The subway tunnels below London are home to flesh-eating horrors in Death Line, aka Raw Meat. With their Collector's Edition Blu-ray of the 1972 movie hitting shelves on June 27th, Blue Underground is taking the cult horror film on the road this summer to screen the 2K restoration in select theaters.
The Death Line 2K restoration is currently scheduled to screen in five locations this summer, with four of the screenings including a live Q&A with director Gary Sherman. We have the official theatrical tour dates that have been announced thus far, and you can get a tease of what to expect from the Collector's Edition Blu-ray / DVD combo pack in the new promo video below.
Scheduled theatrical screenings for the Death Line 2K restoration:
"6/02: Coolidge Corner Theatre w/Director Gary Sherman Q&A (Brookline, Ma)
6/20: Nitehawk Cinema w/Director Gary Sherman Q&A (Brooklyn,...
The Death Line 2K restoration is currently scheduled to screen in five locations this summer, with four of the screenings including a live Q&A with director Gary Sherman. We have the official theatrical tour dates that have been announced thus far, and you can get a tease of what to expect from the Collector's Edition Blu-ray / DVD combo pack in the new promo video below.
Scheduled theatrical screenings for the Death Line 2K restoration:
"6/02: Coolidge Corner Theatre w/Director Gary Sherman Q&A (Brookline, Ma)
6/20: Nitehawk Cinema w/Director Gary Sherman Q&A (Brooklyn,...
- 6/2/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
I was a teenager when I first saw Blade Runner and I was completely blown away by it. I freakin' loved that film! However, with the cast of the 1982 sci-fi noir film first watched the film, they sat in a confused silence.
During an interview with THR, actor M. Emmet Walsh, who played Lapd captain Bryant in the story, talked about his experience after the first viewing of the film. After the movie ended the cast didn't really know what to say. He described it as a "Homer audience". Apparently, director Ridley Scott was the only person who got it. This is what Walsh said while laughing:
"We all sat there and it ended. And nothing. We didn't know what to say or to think or do! We didn't know what in the hell we had done! The only one who seemed to get it was Ridley."
He went on...
During an interview with THR, actor M. Emmet Walsh, who played Lapd captain Bryant in the story, talked about his experience after the first viewing of the film. After the movie ended the cast didn't really know what to say. He described it as a "Homer audience". Apparently, director Ridley Scott was the only person who got it. This is what Walsh said while laughing:
"We all sat there and it ended. And nothing. We didn't know what to say or to think or do! We didn't know what in the hell we had done! The only one who seemed to get it was Ridley."
He went on...
- 5/12/2017
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
May the Fourth be with you!
Since Disney bought LucasFilm in 2012, excitement around May 4 has been tied to new additions to the Star Wars universe. (This is the third consecutive year that a new film in the franchise has been released.) But there is an even more festive reason to hug the nearest Wookie this “Star Wars Day,” aka “May the Fourth:” the fast approaching 40th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.
Last month, at the 2017 Star Wars Celebration, George Lucas dropped by the commemoration to discuss Episode IV, as well as pay tribute to the passing of our princess general, Carrie Fisher. In his reflection on the movie, Lucas summarized his original intention for the now-iconic film.
More: First Trailer for 'Star Wars - The Last Jedi' Is Here!
“The idea was simply to do the high-adventure film that I loved when I was a kid with meaningful psychological themes,” said [link=tt...
Since Disney bought LucasFilm in 2012, excitement around May 4 has been tied to new additions to the Star Wars universe. (This is the third consecutive year that a new film in the franchise has been released.) But there is an even more festive reason to hug the nearest Wookie this “Star Wars Day,” aka “May the Fourth:” the fast approaching 40th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.
Last month, at the 2017 Star Wars Celebration, George Lucas dropped by the commemoration to discuss Episode IV, as well as pay tribute to the passing of our princess general, Carrie Fisher. In his reflection on the movie, Lucas summarized his original intention for the now-iconic film.
More: First Trailer for 'Star Wars - The Last Jedi' Is Here!
“The idea was simply to do the high-adventure film that I loved when I was a kid with meaningful psychological themes,” said [link=tt...
- 5/4/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
The Alien franchise has an interesting history not just because of the films that hit the big screen, but also because of the ones that did not. This is a look at some of the Alien films that came close to getting a greenlight, but were never made.
During the movie production process, it is not uncommon for a film to undergo several major changes in concept before becoming fully realized. The Alien franchise is one franchise that has seen its fair share of changes along the way. However, it is also unique due to the shear volume of potential films that have hit the drawing board but never progressed. Part of the reason for this is due to the fact that the Alien franchise has run into many different problems along the way. For one, it is a rare franchise with a multitude of different filmmakers and producers involved...
During the movie production process, it is not uncommon for a film to undergo several major changes in concept before becoming fully realized. The Alien franchise is one franchise that has seen its fair share of changes along the way. However, it is also unique due to the shear volume of potential films that have hit the drawing board but never progressed. Part of the reason for this is due to the fact that the Alien franchise has run into many different problems along the way. For one, it is a rare franchise with a multitude of different filmmakers and producers involved...
- 5/3/2017
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (G.S. Perno)
- Cinelinx
Next stop, cannibalism! The subway tunnels below London are home to flesh-eating horrors in Death Line, aka Raw Meat, and Blue Underground has revealed the release date and special features for their Blu-ray / DVD 2K Collector's Edition restoration of the 1972 horror film starring Donald Pleasence.
Blue Underground will release their Collector's Edition Blu-ray / DVD of Death Line on June 27th with an audio commentary, interviews, and a collectable booklet.
From Blue Underground: "When a prominent politician and a beautiful young woman vanish inside a London subway station, Scotland Yard’s Inspector Calhoun (Donald Pleasence of Halloween) investigates and makes a horrifying discovery. Not only did a group of 19th century tunnel workers survive a cave-in, but they lived for years in a secret underground enclave by consuming the flesh of their own dead. Now the lone descendant of this grisly tribe has surfaced, prowling the streets for fresh victims…...
Blue Underground will release their Collector's Edition Blu-ray / DVD of Death Line on June 27th with an audio commentary, interviews, and a collectable booklet.
From Blue Underground: "When a prominent politician and a beautiful young woman vanish inside a London subway station, Scotland Yard’s Inspector Calhoun (Donald Pleasence of Halloween) investigates and makes a horrifying discovery. Not only did a group of 19th century tunnel workers survive a cave-in, but they lived for years in a secret underground enclave by consuming the flesh of their own dead. Now the lone descendant of this grisly tribe has surfaced, prowling the streets for fresh victims…...
- 4/18/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Simon Brew Jan 27, 2017
Director Mick Jackson on Denial, Donald Trump, directing films, and how he followed The Bodyguard...
Mick Jackson has lived through several chapters of his directorial career. His background was television, in particular the stunning Threads, and his classy adaptation of Chris Mullins’ A Very British Coup. Then he went to Hollywood, directing the likes of L.A. Story, The Bodyguard and Volcano.
He’s been away from cinema for a while, courtesy of some intriguing television projects. But he returns to the big screen this weekend with Denial, a classy courtroom drama that brings the story of Holocaust denier David Irving’s infamous libel action to the cinema. We snagged a chat with him ahead of its release, with the promise of further conversation about his 90s output at a later date too.
Can you talk us through this particular film, and why you wanted to bring it to the big screen?...
Director Mick Jackson on Denial, Donald Trump, directing films, and how he followed The Bodyguard...
Mick Jackson has lived through several chapters of his directorial career. His background was television, in particular the stunning Threads, and his classy adaptation of Chris Mullins’ A Very British Coup. Then he went to Hollywood, directing the likes of L.A. Story, The Bodyguard and Volcano.
He’s been away from cinema for a while, courtesy of some intriguing television projects. But he returns to the big screen this weekend with Denial, a classy courtroom drama that brings the story of Holocaust denier David Irving’s infamous libel action to the cinema. We snagged a chat with him ahead of its release, with the promise of further conversation about his 90s output at a later date too.
Can you talk us through this particular film, and why you wanted to bring it to the big screen?...
- 1/25/2017
- Den of Geek
Ryan Lambie Jun 26, 2019
Space horror in The Black Hole. Animated death in The Black Cauldron. The '70s and '80s were a unique period in Disney's filmmaking history.
When George Lucas started writing Star Wars in the early '70s, the space saga was intended to fill a void left behind by westerns, pirate movies and the sci-fi fantasy of old matinee serials. "Disney had abdicated its rein over the children's market," Lucas once said, according to Peter Biskind's book, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, "and nothing had replaced it."
Indeed, Disney was one of many Hollywood studios that Lucas had approached with Star Wars and they, just like Universal, United Artists, and everyone other than 20th Century Fox boss Alan Ladd Jr., had turned it down flat. Science fiction, the thinking went, was box office poison; even Lucas, who'd insisted that Roy Disney himself might have snapped...
Space horror in The Black Hole. Animated death in The Black Cauldron. The '70s and '80s were a unique period in Disney's filmmaking history.
When George Lucas started writing Star Wars in the early '70s, the space saga was intended to fill a void left behind by westerns, pirate movies and the sci-fi fantasy of old matinee serials. "Disney had abdicated its rein over the children's market," Lucas once said, according to Peter Biskind's book, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, "and nothing had replaced it."
Indeed, Disney was one of many Hollywood studios that Lucas had approached with Star Wars and they, just like Universal, United Artists, and everyone other than 20th Century Fox boss Alan Ladd Jr., had turned it down flat. Science fiction, the thinking went, was box office poison; even Lucas, who'd insisted that Roy Disney himself might have snapped...
- 12/7/2016
- Den of Geek
Oscar-winning producer and entertainment exec Alan Ladd Jr., who’s backed films like “Braveheart” and “Chariots of Fire,” is ending his nearly 30-year marriage. If the name Cindra Ladd sounds familiar, it’s because she’s one of many women who have come forward and accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault. Cindra had been working for film producer Ray Stark in NY when she met Cosby in '69 and claims he drugged and raped her.
- 10/22/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Here's the thing about "The Omen": it's probably not as good as you remember. There are a few truly scary moments -- remember the nanny scene? -- but in the realm of '70s horror films it's a "B" at best. Nevertheless, the film is generally considered a horror classic and holds massive brand appeal, a fact that A&E will be exploiting with their newly-announced ten-episode series "Damien," which will star Bradley James as the now-adult title character as he comes to terms "with his true destiny -- that he is the Antichrist." Also set to star is the truly terrifying Barbara Hershey as Ann Rutledge, "the world's most powerful woman who has been tasked with making sure Damien fulfills his destiny." So, herself. Good luck with this, I guess! I can't imagine people won't watch. That said, nothing in the series will come close to the impact...
- 4/30/2015
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
And there's more. Former Hollywood executive Cindra Ladd, the wife of Oscar-winning producer and former MGM Chair Alan Ladd Jr., is the latest woman to come forward and accuse Bill Cosby of sexual assault. Ladd wrote about her alleged experience in a detailed essay published Monday, Jan. 26, on The Huffington Post, claiming that the incident occurred in the '60s. Ladd — whose husband has produced films like Blade Runner, Braveheart, and Chariots of Fire — has a very similar story to the dozens of women who [...]...
- 1/27/2015
- Us Weekly
More sexual assault allegations against Bill Cosby have surfaced. Former Hollywood executive Cindra Ladd, the wife of Oscar-winning producer and former MGM Chair Alan Ladd Jr., is the latest woman to come forward against the star after opening up about one specific night she spent with the comedian 36 years ago in a personal essay published on The Huffington Post earlier today. "In 1969 I met Bill Cosby while working in New York for the late film producer Ray Stark," Ladd began in the piece. "I was a 21-year-old single woman in the world's most exciting city. He was a 32-year-old internationally known comedian and television star, one of the most likeable and popular entertainers in the business. He...
- 1/27/2015
- E! Online
Bill Cosby's list of alleged victims continues to grow. Cindra Ladd, a former entertainment executive and wife of Hollywood producer Alan Ladd Jr., is the latest woman to publicly accuse the 77-year-old comedian of sexual assault. In an essay published on the Huffington Post Monday, Ladd claims Cosby drugged and raped her while she was living in New York City in 1969 - the same year Cosby allegedly assaulted Joan Tarshis. "I met Bill Cosby while working in New York for the late film producer Ray Stark," Ladd writes. "I was a 21-year-old single woman in the world’s most exciting city.
- 1/26/2015
- by Michael Miller, @write_miller
- PEOPLE.com
Bill Cosby's list of alleged victims continues to grow. Cindra Ladd, a former entertainment executive and wife of Hollywood producer Alan Ladd Jr., is the latest woman to publicly accuse the 77-year-old comedian of sexual assault. In an essay published on the Huffington Post Monday, Ladd claims Cosby drugged and raped her while she was living in New York City in 1969 - the same year Cosby allegedly assaulted Joan Tarshis. "I met Bill Cosby while working in New York for the late film producer Ray Stark," Ladd writes. "I was a 21-year-old single woman in the world’s most exciting city.
- 1/26/2015
- by Michael Miller, @write_miller
- PEOPLE.com
Wife of “Blade Runner” producer Alan Ladd Jr., comes forward with allegations in troubling op-ed
Philanthropist and former entertainment executive Cindra Ladd wrote an op-ed on Monday accusing Bill Cosby of drugging and raping her back in 1969. The embattled comedian has now been accused of rape, sexual assault or drugging by approximately 30 women, with many of them only coming forward in recent months.
“It was obvious to me that he had had sex with me,” she wrote in a Huffington Post blog. “I was horrified, embarrassed and ashamed. There was a mirror above the bed, which shocked me further.”
See...
Philanthropist and former entertainment executive Cindra Ladd wrote an op-ed on Monday accusing Bill Cosby of drugging and raping her back in 1969. The embattled comedian has now been accused of rape, sexual assault or drugging by approximately 30 women, with many of them only coming forward in recent months.
“It was obvious to me that he had had sex with me,” she wrote in a Huffington Post blog. “I was horrified, embarrassed and ashamed. There was a mirror above the bed, which shocked me further.”
See...
- 1/26/2015
- by Travis Reilly
- The Wrap
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