Joshua Ray Walker, the Texas country songwriter known for haunting ballads like “Voices” and “Canyon,” announced that he’s been diagnosed with colon cancer. In a social media post, Walker, 32, wrote that’ll be undergoing surgery in January.
Earlier this month, Walker performed a cover of Lizzo’s “Cuz I Love You” with his band on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but has canceled shows in recent weeks, including a pair last weekend. In the fall, he performed a full concert opening for the Killers in Reno while suffering from appendicitis and...
Earlier this month, Walker performed a cover of Lizzo’s “Cuz I Love You” with his band on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but has canceled shows in recent weeks, including a pair last weekend. In the fall, he performed a full concert opening for the Killers in Reno while suffering from appendicitis and...
- 12/14/2023
- by Joseph Hudak
- Rollingstone.com
This article contains spoilers for "Five Nights at Freddy's."
There's an endless debate between film fans on what it is exactly that makes a film "camp." For some, it's a shorthand to mean "so bad, it's good," while others (like myself) view it as a sacred form of presentation. Camp films are often exaggerated to the point of absurdity, tiptoeing the line of the uncanny, and with a sense of humor that is either unintentionally brilliant or delivered with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Of my 15 favorite movies of all time, more than half of the titles could be argued as camp classics. While there are plenty of universally understood camp films, the intentional lack of a formal metric means that a film's camp status will change from viewer to viewer, determined by vibes and a "you know it when you see it" attitude.
My first camp film was Tim Burton's oft-maligned alien comedy,...
There's an endless debate between film fans on what it is exactly that makes a film "camp." For some, it's a shorthand to mean "so bad, it's good," while others (like myself) view it as a sacred form of presentation. Camp films are often exaggerated to the point of absurdity, tiptoeing the line of the uncanny, and with a sense of humor that is either unintentionally brilliant or delivered with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Of my 15 favorite movies of all time, more than half of the titles could be argued as camp classics. While there are plenty of universally understood camp films, the intentional lack of a formal metric means that a film's camp status will change from viewer to viewer, determined by vibes and a "you know it when you see it" attitude.
My first camp film was Tim Burton's oft-maligned alien comedy,...
- 10/30/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Wes Anderson’s latest endeavor Asteroid City is making its crash-landing into theaters this Friday, June 23rd, and it has a fitting soundtrack to match. As a preview, Jarvis Cocker has shared one of his contributions to the film called “Dear Alien (Who Art In Heaven),” a single he wrote with Anderson and his former Pulp bandmate Richard Hawley. The song also features Seu Jorge, who was prominently featured on the soundtrack for Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.
Considering Asteroid City takes place in a desert town in 1955, the soundtrack comes chock-full of period-setting tunes like classic bluegrass and country as well as mid-century pop. Along with a couple of originals from Cocker are songs by Bing Crosby, The Springfields (featuring a young Dusty Springfield), Burl Ives, Tex Ritter, and many more, as well as a score by Alexandre Desplat.
Cocker is just one of many voices...
Considering Asteroid City takes place in a desert town in 1955, the soundtrack comes chock-full of period-setting tunes like classic bluegrass and country as well as mid-century pop. Along with a couple of originals from Cocker are songs by Bing Crosby, The Springfields (featuring a young Dusty Springfield), Burl Ives, Tex Ritter, and many more, as well as a score by Alexandre Desplat.
Cocker is just one of many voices...
- 6/20/2023
- by Abby Jones
- Consequence - Music
The Cannes Film Festival comes to a close on Saturday and you can feel it. Things are starting to slow down, standing ovations aren’t as long and those on the Croisette are starting to get tired.
Beloved filmmaker Wes Anderson debuted his latest feature, “Asteroid City,” on Wednesday and the reaction was more muted than the reception to “Killers of the Flower Moon” or even the more mixed “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” TheWrap’s Steve Pond emphasized the whole did not live up to the sum of its parts, despite pristine craft as always.
“‘Asteroid City’ also feels like a wasted opportunity of sorts,” he said in his review. “At one point, a radio off-screen plays Slim Whitman’s ‘Indian Love Call,’ the song that killed all the alien invaders in Tim Burton’s ‘Mars Attacks.’ It couldn’t help but prompt a longing for the...
Beloved filmmaker Wes Anderson debuted his latest feature, “Asteroid City,” on Wednesday and the reaction was more muted than the reception to “Killers of the Flower Moon” or even the more mixed “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” TheWrap’s Steve Pond emphasized the whole did not live up to the sum of its parts, despite pristine craft as always.
“‘Asteroid City’ also feels like a wasted opportunity of sorts,” he said in his review. “At one point, a radio off-screen plays Slim Whitman’s ‘Indian Love Call,’ the song that killed all the alien invaders in Tim Burton’s ‘Mars Attacks.’ It couldn’t help but prompt a longing for the...
- 5/24/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
George Harrison liked “highbrow” music, but that doesn’t mean he was more musical than his fellow Beatles. The guitarist admitted many times that he should’ve practiced more.
John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney of The Beatles | Keystone Features/Getty Images George said he liked ‘highbrow’ music but wasn’t sure if he was more musical than the other Beatles
The guitarist interviewed himself in a November 1964 issue of The Beatles Book Monthly (per Beatles Interviews). George asked the questions he thought reporters missed, including if he thought he was the most musical out of The Beatles.
George replied that it depends. He explained that some people have said he is only because he admitted to liking Segovia’s guitar playing, “and they think that’s all very highbrow and musical.”
George believed he loved his guitar more than the others loved theirs. For John Lennon and Paul McCartney,...
John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney of The Beatles | Keystone Features/Getty Images George said he liked ‘highbrow’ music but wasn’t sure if he was more musical than the other Beatles
The guitarist interviewed himself in a November 1964 issue of The Beatles Book Monthly (per Beatles Interviews). George asked the questions he thought reporters missed, including if he thought he was the most musical out of The Beatles.
George replied that it depends. He explained that some people have said he is only because he admitted to liking Segovia’s guitar playing, “and they think that’s all very highbrow and musical.”
George believed he loved his guitar more than the others loved theirs. For John Lennon and Paul McCartney,...
- 2/9/2023
- by Hannah Wigandt
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
“It’s Halloween. I guess everyone’s entitled to one good scare,” Sheriff Brackett says in John Carpenter’s Halloween. While the seminal slasher delivered no shortage of creepy moments and well-placed scares, the Halloween movies aren’t the only ones to embrace holiday frights. Whether through subtle moments, gross-out gags, potent jump scares, or phobia-inducing chills, Halloween-set horror offers something for everyone – beyond the iconic franchise.
This Halloween, we look back at ten of the scariest moments in non-Halloween horror movies that take place around the best holiday of the year. Halloween, of course!
The Child – Sentient Jack-o-Lantern
Alicianne has just been hired as housekeeper and caretaker to young Rosalie Nordon, who recently lost her mother. Alicianne soon realizes that Rosalie has a supernatural gift, including zombies at her disposal, and uses it to seek revenge on those who piss her off. Atmospheric dread erupts into Fulci-like chaos on Halloween.
This Halloween, we look back at ten of the scariest moments in non-Halloween horror movies that take place around the best holiday of the year. Halloween, of course!
The Child – Sentient Jack-o-Lantern
Alicianne has just been hired as housekeeper and caretaker to young Rosalie Nordon, who recently lost her mother. Alicianne soon realizes that Rosalie has a supernatural gift, including zombies at her disposal, and uses it to seek revenge on those who piss her off. Atmospheric dread erupts into Fulci-like chaos on Halloween.
- 10/28/2022
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
When Joshua Ray Walker was a kid in Dallas, Texas, his mom took a job doing marketing at motorsports events. Every weekend, he’d tag along with her to monster truck competitions, motorcycle rallies, car and boat shows — anything that had a loud engine really. “Basically any redneck sport you can think of,” he says.
Walker liked being around the cars and trucks, but he was most fascinated by the rough-around-the-edges women who were recruited — often by his mother — to promote a certain product. Which is to say they were paid to wear a bikini,...
Walker liked being around the cars and trucks, but he was most fascinated by the rough-around-the-edges women who were recruited — often by his mother — to promote a certain product. Which is to say they were paid to wear a bikini,...
- 7/9/2020
- by Joseph Hudak
- Rollingstone.com
The 2020 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees will be announced in just a few weeks. Which two country superstars will be selected this year for an induction ceremony slated for next October? Could this finally be the year for Tanya Tucker, who just won her first ever Grammy Awards after a career beginning back in the 1970s? Or will it be a more recent artist now eligible, such as Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw or Shania Twain?
SEEBiggest Grammy Winners of All Time: See The Most Awarded Artists
The criteria is pretty simple to get in but it’s an exclusive group since only 2-3 people are inducted each year. One person will be from the Modern Era category (an artist who came to prominence at least 20 years ago). Another will be from the Veterans Era (an artist who came to prominence at least 45 years ago). A third inductee would be a non-performer,...
SEEBiggest Grammy Winners of All Time: See The Most Awarded Artists
The criteria is pretty simple to get in but it’s an exclusive group since only 2-3 people are inducted each year. One person will be from the Modern Era category (an artist who came to prominence at least 20 years ago). Another will be from the Veterans Era (an artist who came to prominence at least 45 years ago). A third inductee would be a non-performer,...
- 2/18/2020
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Rob Zombie, the risk-taking musician, writer and director of notoriously gory thrillers, is back for more with his latest movie “3 From Hell,” which opens next week through Fathom Events for three nights from Sept. 16-18.
“3 From Hell” expands on the notoriously brutal cinematic slayings inflicted on civilians by the crazed “Firefly” family. Over the past two decades, Zombie has built the deadly clan — characters Otis B. Driftwood (Bill Moseley), Baby Firefly (Sheri Moon Zombie) and Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig) — into a savagely ferocious trio of slashers wreaking havoc at every turn. He has worked with lower budgets for the family cult series, $7 million for “House of 1000 Corpses” in 2003 and “The Devil’s Rejects” in 2005 and around $3 million for “3 From Hell,” which he tells Variety leaves room for creativity, but constricts him to a time crunch for shooting his films.
His work is also seen in the...
“3 From Hell” expands on the notoriously brutal cinematic slayings inflicted on civilians by the crazed “Firefly” family. Over the past two decades, Zombie has built the deadly clan — characters Otis B. Driftwood (Bill Moseley), Baby Firefly (Sheri Moon Zombie) and Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig) — into a savagely ferocious trio of slashers wreaking havoc at every turn. He has worked with lower budgets for the family cult series, $7 million for “House of 1000 Corpses” in 2003 and “The Devil’s Rejects” in 2005 and around $3 million for “3 From Hell,” which he tells Variety leaves room for creativity, but constricts him to a time crunch for shooting his films.
His work is also seen in the...
- 9/12/2019
- by Mackenzie Nichols
- Variety Film + TV
Country superstar duo Brooks and Dunn will be the latest inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The duo was announced on Monday morning in Nashville along with singer/songwriter Ray Stevens and producer/executive Jerry Bradley will be inducted at the 2019 ceremony in October. Watch the official video above.
Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn are two-time Grammy winners, sold over 30 million albums and charted 20 number one songs. Those tunes have included “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “My Maria,” “Brand New Man” and “Believe.” Stevens made his debut in 1962 and has had such hits as “Everything is Beautiful,” “Gitarzan” and “The Streak.” Bradley ran RCA Records from 1973 to 1982 and was a longtime member of the Country Music Association board. He follows both his father Owen Bradley and uncle Harold Bradley into Hall of Fame induction.
See Acm Awards host Reba McEntire was ‘disapointed’ by nominations: ‘I wanted to hear some women...
Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn are two-time Grammy winners, sold over 30 million albums and charted 20 number one songs. Those tunes have included “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “My Maria,” “Brand New Man” and “Believe.” Stevens made his debut in 1962 and has had such hits as “Everything is Beautiful,” “Gitarzan” and “The Streak.” Bradley ran RCA Records from 1973 to 1982 and was a longtime member of the Country Music Association board. He follows both his father Owen Bradley and uncle Harold Bradley into Hall of Fame induction.
See Acm Awards host Reba McEntire was ‘disapointed’ by nominations: ‘I wanted to hear some women...
- 3/18/2019
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Reba McEntire will announce the 2019 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees on Monday, March 18. Which two country superstars will be selected this year for an induction ceremony slated for next October?
The criteria is pretty simple to get in but it’s an exclusive group since only 2-3 people are inducted each year. One person will be from the Modern Era category (an artist who came to prominence at least 20 years ago). Another will be from the Veterans Era (an artist who came to prominence at least 45 years ago). A third inductee would be a non-performer, songwriter or musician. The artists chosen last year were Ricky Skaggs (modern), Dottie West (veterans) and Johnny Gimble (musician).
Seeacm Awards host Reba McEntire was ‘disapointed’ by nominations: ‘I wanted to hear some women in there’ [Watch]
McEntire herself was already inducted in 2011. Other recent inductees have included Garth Brooks, Roy Clark, Charlie Daniels, Alan Jackson,...
The criteria is pretty simple to get in but it’s an exclusive group since only 2-3 people are inducted each year. One person will be from the Modern Era category (an artist who came to prominence at least 20 years ago). Another will be from the Veterans Era (an artist who came to prominence at least 45 years ago). A third inductee would be a non-performer, songwriter or musician. The artists chosen last year were Ricky Skaggs (modern), Dottie West (veterans) and Johnny Gimble (musician).
Seeacm Awards host Reba McEntire was ‘disapointed’ by nominations: ‘I wanted to hear some women in there’ [Watch]
McEntire herself was already inducted in 2011. Other recent inductees have included Garth Brooks, Roy Clark, Charlie Daniels, Alan Jackson,...
- 3/15/2019
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Daft Punk, Lorde, Bruno Mars, Kacey Musgraves and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis were just a few of the big winners during the 56th annual Grammy Awards telecast, hosted by LL Cool J and broadcast live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. LL declared that "music has the power to bring us together like nothing else in this world" before he urged everyone to "make some beautiful noise!" Read on for the recap!
For the List of Winners Click Here.
The Winners
The Grammys are all about the music, with most awards handed out before the event. During the telecast, Daft Punk's Random Access Memories won Album of the Year, while the Robot Duo's Get Lucky featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers nabbed Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis were named Best New Artist; the 17-year-old Lorde landed Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for Royals; Unorthodox...
For the List of Winners Click Here.
The Winners
The Grammys are all about the music, with most awards handed out before the event. During the telecast, Daft Punk's Random Access Memories won Album of the Year, while the Robot Duo's Get Lucky featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers nabbed Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis were named Best New Artist; the 17-year-old Lorde landed Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for Royals; Unorthodox...
- 1/27/2014
- Entertainment Tonight
The Spoof, or Parody, movie has long been a mainstay of the comedy genre. Though it offers writers and directors the chance to transcend the formula they are imitating there is a very fine line between success and failure. An understanding of the form is as important as a healthy disregard for it, and many of the examples below do push the genres they spoof to ridiculous extremes. As we usher in the release of The Starving Games on DVD and VOD this week we wanted to look back at past efforts of this enduring genre.
There’s a case to be made that some of the films gathered under the umbrella of the Parody Movie are so successful they become notable examples of the genre they spoofing. Edgar Wright’s films in particular are loving tributes to a their particular genre but in each case they become far more than a mockery.
There’s a case to be made that some of the films gathered under the umbrella of the Parody Movie are so successful they become notable examples of the genre they spoofing. Edgar Wright’s films in particular are loving tributes to a their particular genre but in each case they become far more than a mockery.
- 11/12/2013
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
This Friday the 13th, we are proud to bring you a new column called The Thirteen! The Thirteen will be a Top 13 list of a topic that we choose and the column will run every 13th of the month! The Thirteen is a collaborative column where we all decide on entries that fit said topic.
The topic this month: regular songs that have now taken on a haunting feel thanks to a film that used it in a unorthodox way. Now, every time we hear the song, we not only think of the film it was featured in but also get the heebie jeebies from it as well. It was inspired by Tiny Tim’s song Tiptoe Through the Tulips which was used in the film Insidious. With Insidious: Chapter 2 in theaters now, what better way to introduce this topic.
We had a lot of great songs to choose...
The topic this month: regular songs that have now taken on a haunting feel thanks to a film that used it in a unorthodox way. Now, every time we hear the song, we not only think of the film it was featured in but also get the heebie jeebies from it as well. It was inspired by Tiny Tim’s song Tiptoe Through the Tulips which was used in the film Insidious. With Insidious: Chapter 2 in theaters now, what better way to introduce this topic.
We had a lot of great songs to choose...
- 9/13/2013
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
Yodelling country singer best known for Rose Marie and Indian Love Call
The singer Slim Whitman, who has died aged 90, was a noteworthy figure in country music, since, although he was hugely popular outside the Us, for most of his career he was almost forgotten in his own country. In the 1970s, two decades after his American heyday, he still commanded enough of a following in the UK to be voted the No 1 international star in a music poll – four times.
Much of the reason for his success outside the Us was his high, clear, strong singing and almost operatic yodelling, characteristics that several generations in Britain, Australia and South Africa have assimilated into their notions and fantasies of the old west of America. One of Whitman's chief models was Wilf Carter, a Nova Scotian yodeller and singer of cowboy songs who was popular throughout north America in the 30s...
The singer Slim Whitman, who has died aged 90, was a noteworthy figure in country music, since, although he was hugely popular outside the Us, for most of his career he was almost forgotten in his own country. In the 1970s, two decades after his American heyday, he still commanded enough of a following in the UK to be voted the No 1 international star in a music poll – four times.
Much of the reason for his success outside the Us was his high, clear, strong singing and almost operatic yodelling, characteristics that several generations in Britain, Australia and South Africa have assimilated into their notions and fantasies of the old west of America. One of Whitman's chief models was Wilf Carter, a Nova Scotian yodeller and singer of cowboy songs who was popular throughout north America in the 30s...
- 6/20/2013
- by Tony Russell
- The Guardian - Film News
Slim Whitman, a country singer known for a high-pitched voice and superior yodeling skills, has died at the age of 90.
Born Ottis Dewey Whitman Jr., the country singer first found fame in the early 1950s. His first hit was "Love Song of the Waterfall," which was followed by an even bigger single, "Indian Love Call." In the 1950s and 1960s, Whitman joined the Grand Ole Opry and had hits in both the United States and Europe. "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," "Unchain My Heart" and "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" were further hits throughout these decades.
Whitman continued producing music and touring through the 1980s, making it to number 15 on the charts with 1980's "When." Although the singer was less active in the 1990s, Whitman's voice became familiar to some new audiences when his song, "Indian Love Song," was able to make Martian heads explode in 1996's "Mars Attacks!"
The singer's son-in-law,...
Born Ottis Dewey Whitman Jr., the country singer first found fame in the early 1950s. His first hit was "Love Song of the Waterfall," which was followed by an even bigger single, "Indian Love Call." In the 1950s and 1960s, Whitman joined the Grand Ole Opry and had hits in both the United States and Europe. "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," "Unchain My Heart" and "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" were further hits throughout these decades.
Whitman continued producing music and touring through the 1980s, making it to number 15 on the charts with 1980's "When." Although the singer was less active in the 1990s, Whitman's voice became familiar to some new audiences when his song, "Indian Love Song," was able to make Martian heads explode in 1996's "Mars Attacks!"
The singer's son-in-law,...
- 6/20/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Countrypolitan singer-guitarist Slim Whitman has died, just six months short of his 90th birthday. A Florida-born discovery of Colonel Tom Parker’s, Whitman signed with RCA Records in 1948. In 1950, he became a regular attraction on the legendary radio show Louisiana Hayride and, later, the Grand Ole Opry. A yodeling crooner who radiated stability and self-assurance, in contrast to the wild men and tragic figures of hardcore country, Whitman had his greatest success with country-flavored pop songs such as “Indian Love Call” (1951) and “Rose Marie.” The latter hit number one on the U.K. pop charts in ...
- 6/19/2013
- avclub.com
Slim Whitman, whose yodeling vocals sold millions of records and became a TV fixture in the '80s and '90s thanks to his seemingly ubiquitous ads, died Wednesday at age 90, the Associated Press reports. Whitman's son-in-law Roy Beagle said the singer died of heart failure at the Orange Park Medical Center in Florida. Born Ottis Dewey Whitman Jr. in Tampa on Jan. 23, 1923, Whitman's decades-long career yielded millions of record sales and produced a number of hits, including "Love Song of the Waterfall" and "Red River Valley." His "Indian Love Call" which...
- 6/19/2013
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Slim Whitman, one of country music's most unique song stylists of the past six decades, died of heart failure Wednesday at a Florida hospital, his family said. He was 90. With millions of records sold, Whitman's keen ability at yodeling and his high octave falsetto kept fans entertained for years. Born in Tampa, Florida, Whitman grew up enamored with the music of the "Singing Brakeman," Jimmie Rodgers. However, it wasn't until his stint in the United States Navy came to an end following the end of World War II that he decided to pursue music as a profession. He
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- 6/19/2013
- by Chuck Dauphin, Billboard
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bold, brave, inspiring – here are five of cinema's most rousing calls to arms. What would you add to the list?
This week's clip joint is from Peter Turner, who blogs at I Love The Film. Follow him on Twitter here.
They are bold, brave, inspiring and a bit terrifying; a great battle speech will send men to war at their leader's side. Here's some of the best examples of those eve of battle speeches bound to give you shivers
1. Braveheart
Forget Mel Gibson's dodgy Scottish accent and the thousands of parodies it spawned; William Wallace can still deliver one hell of a stirring speech. He may not be the seven foot tall giant that the men before him were expecting, but he is able to quickly turn them from frightened and fearful to ready to wage war with only the power of his promise of freedom.
Reading on mobile?...
This week's clip joint is from Peter Turner, who blogs at I Love The Film. Follow him on Twitter here.
They are bold, brave, inspiring and a bit terrifying; a great battle speech will send men to war at their leader's side. Here's some of the best examples of those eve of battle speeches bound to give you shivers
1. Braveheart
Forget Mel Gibson's dodgy Scottish accent and the thousands of parodies it spawned; William Wallace can still deliver one hell of a stirring speech. He may not be the seven foot tall giant that the men before him were expecting, but he is able to quickly turn them from frightened and fearful to ready to wage war with only the power of his promise of freedom.
Reading on mobile?...
- 6/19/2013
- by Guardian readers
- The Guardian - Film News
Miami — Country singer Slim Whitman, the high-pitched yodeler who sold millions of records through ever-present TV ads in the 1980s and 1990s and whose song saved the world in the film comedy "Mars Attacks!," died Wednesday at a Florida hospital. He was 90.
Whitman died of heart failure at Orange Park Medical Center, his son-in-law Roy Beagle said.
Whitman's tenor falsetto and ebony mustache and sideburns became global trademarks – and an inspiration for countless jokes – thanks to the TV commercials that pitched his records.
But he was a serious musical influence on early rock, and in the British Isles, he was known as a pioneer of country music for popularizing the style there. Whitman also encouraged a teen Elvis Presley when he was the headliner on the bill and the young singer was making his professional debut.
Whitman recorded more than 65 albums and sold millions of records, including 4 million of "All...
Whitman died of heart failure at Orange Park Medical Center, his son-in-law Roy Beagle said.
Whitman's tenor falsetto and ebony mustache and sideburns became global trademarks – and an inspiration for countless jokes – thanks to the TV commercials that pitched his records.
But he was a serious musical influence on early rock, and in the British Isles, he was known as a pioneer of country music for popularizing the style there. Whitman also encouraged a teen Elvis Presley when he was the headliner on the bill and the young singer was making his professional debut.
Whitman recorded more than 65 albums and sold millions of records, including 4 million of "All...
- 6/19/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Feature Simon Brew 3 May 2013 - 07:03
It's a risky business, filmmaking. Simon looks back at some bold, expensive 1990s movies where the gambles didn't quite pay off...
This summer's blockbuster season has got off to a startling start, with Iron Man 3 being widely praised for its willingness to rip up the rule book a little, as it continues the story of Tony Stark.
In fact, there's a subset of modern blockbusters - Nolan films, some X-Men features for instance - that are garnering increasing praise for taking bold choices with the material. That they're wagering a lot of movie studio money on projects and stories that once upon a time would have struggled to get through the system.
However, we'd argue that the 1990s was rich with such gambles too, it's just most of them never really made quite the levels of cash we're seeing now. So, here's a...
It's a risky business, filmmaking. Simon looks back at some bold, expensive 1990s movies where the gambles didn't quite pay off...
This summer's blockbuster season has got off to a startling start, with Iron Man 3 being widely praised for its willingness to rip up the rule book a little, as it continues the story of Tony Stark.
In fact, there's a subset of modern blockbusters - Nolan films, some X-Men features for instance - that are garnering increasing praise for taking bold choices with the material. That they're wagering a lot of movie studio money on projects and stories that once upon a time would have struggled to get through the system.
However, we'd argue that the 1990s was rich with such gambles too, it's just most of them never really made quite the levels of cash we're seeing now. So, here's a...
- 5/2/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Back in the Prohibition days, when real gangsters were feted like tabloid celebrities, Hollywood jumped on the band-wagon with a series of films loosely-based-on-something-vaguely-resembling-true-stories. This film is not usually mentioned in company with your Scarface, Little Caesar et al, possibly because it came along a few years later, but I suspect because it is a bit more considered and more artful than those other crowd-pleasing shoot-em-ups. You can decide for yourself as the 75th anniversary edition of You Only Live Once is released on DVD (although, annoyingly, not on Blu-Ray), today!
Henry Fonda – still some years away from being type-cast as America’s pre-eminent good-guy – plays three-time loser, Eddie Taylor, leaving prison under a shadow … If he’s imprisoned again, it’ll be the chair. As he leaves it’s obvious that he’s loved by the prisoners and warders alike – But all he’s interested in is Joan, the...
Henry Fonda – still some years away from being type-cast as America’s pre-eminent good-guy – plays three-time loser, Eddie Taylor, leaving prison under a shadow … If he’s imprisoned again, it’ll be the chair. As he leaves it’s obvious that he’s loved by the prisoners and warders alike – But all he’s interested in is Joan, the...
- 6/4/2012
- by John Ashbrook
- Obsessed with Film
With a title like that, I'm sure to get a lot of hate for even suggesting such a notion. But here's the thing: I loved Tim Burton. He was my absolute favorite director until around 2001. The worlds he created held my attention in a deeper way than other filmmaker's. The oddball and macabre design, along with the melancholy atmosphere, were unlike anything I had seen in movies. It was as fantastical in imagination as any blockbuster, and it felt more ethereal and personal than the "Hollywood" spectacle of a Spielberg or Zemeckis film. He introduced me to ideas of retro kitsch, spooky fringe and proudly holding onto timeless obsessions of your youth. Burton is one of those early influences in my life that made me become a passionate movie lover. I can catch "Beetlejuice" or "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" at any moment on TV and immediately get sucked back into them.
- 5/14/2012
- by Eric Larnick
- Moviefone
Imagine a future Celebrity Apprentice cast. Now, imagine them all getting devoured by man-eating fish, and you’ve got Piranha 3Dd, the follow-up to 2010′s blood-and-boobs fest Piranha 3D. Just look at the actors involved: Ving Rhames, Christopher Lloyd, Paul Scheer, Gary Busey, Katrina Bowden, and now, David Hasselhoff. Yep, that’s right: The Weinstein Co. announced Wednesday that the America’s Got Talent judge and hamburger aficionado is set to join the sequel.
But here’s where I enter a plea to The Weinstein Co. I want just one thing for the holidays this year (the film is headed...
But here’s where I enter a plea to The Weinstein Co. I want just one thing for the holidays this year (the film is headed...
- 5/11/2011
- by Kate Ward
- EW.com - PopWatch
I have to confess my age in writing this particular review, because Johnny Carson was off the air by the time I was watching late night television (or rather, watching and appreciating it). For my generation, the names headlining the late night shows were and, with a little bit of controversy, remain Jay Leno and David Letterman. In my case, I had to familiarize myself with Carson through YouTube clips years after he’d retired. Tonight, the most complete compilation of episode’s from Carson’s 30-year-long career as host, starts 4 years into his career (1965) and spans up to 1990 (4 years short of his final bow) in a 15-disc set featuring some great moments and some of the best guest appearances (with a particular focus on comedians for this set, it would seem). It’s doubtful we’ll ever see a full set, just because the undertaking of committing that much...
- 1/24/2011
- by Lex Walker
- JustPressPlay.net
The arrival of Skyline leaves James pondering the existence of aliens, Lovecraft, and an invasion of cells and smells. Probably best if we let him explain...
Do aliens exist? Of course they do! I’ve seen them in films! Ergo, they are real, no question. You can’t just get the green light and funding for movies that are made of lies and total falsehoods...
The cosmic rule is this: if more than three motion pictures have been based around the doubted concept then it’s genuine and actual. This is why we can be sure that there is a God, that there is a Holy Grail and that there are werewolves.
As for aliens, the amount of movie material devoted to extra-terrestrial life speaks for itself, and disbelievers are deluded and in denial. Pity these poor blinkered individuals and look upon them with sympathy as they roll their eyes...
Do aliens exist? Of course they do! I’ve seen them in films! Ergo, they are real, no question. You can’t just get the green light and funding for movies that are made of lies and total falsehoods...
The cosmic rule is this: if more than three motion pictures have been based around the doubted concept then it’s genuine and actual. This is why we can be sure that there is a God, that there is a Holy Grail and that there are werewolves.
As for aliens, the amount of movie material devoted to extra-terrestrial life speaks for itself, and disbelievers are deluded and in denial. Pity these poor blinkered individuals and look upon them with sympathy as they roll their eyes...
- 11/18/2010
- Den of Geek
Fuquay-varina - It was a speedy two days with major stars dropping into my neighborhood.
On a Thursday night the man who made predicted FedEx arrived at a Durham library. Mister McFeely (David Newell) still fits in his Speedy Delivery uniform and hat as he greeted Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood fans of all ages. Most of the ages were under seven. Luckily I had brought along a little kid in order not to stick out.
McFeely was at the end of a weeklong tour around the state to touch base with the kids. Lately whenever any star of kid focused tv shows comes to town, it’s part of some over inflated media spectacular stage show at the sports arena. There’s singing, dancing, indoor fireworks and motorcycle stunts meant to dazzle a three year old. Plus there’s a $18 convenience charge on the tickets. But this was not McFeely’s type of entertainment.
On a Thursday night the man who made predicted FedEx arrived at a Durham library. Mister McFeely (David Newell) still fits in his Speedy Delivery uniform and hat as he greeted Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood fans of all ages. Most of the ages were under seven. Luckily I had brought along a little kid in order not to stick out.
McFeely was at the end of a weeklong tour around the state to touch base with the kids. Lately whenever any star of kid focused tv shows comes to town, it’s part of some over inflated media spectacular stage show at the sports arena. There’s singing, dancing, indoor fireworks and motorcycle stunts meant to dazzle a three year old. Plus there’s a $18 convenience charge on the tickets. But this was not McFeely’s type of entertainment.
- 10/8/2010
- by UncaScroogeMcD
Bust out your Slim Whitman records because the aliens of Mars Attacks! are back. Nine years after the film hit theaters, Warner Home Video is letting us enjoy the absurdity on Blu-ray and now that we're getting alien invasion movie after alien invasion movie, the genre could use some comedic relief. We get a little of every type of humor in this one from political satire down to dark comedy, all of which are undeniably memorable and still hilarious even after multiple viewings.
However, even though Mars Attacks! is certainly a comedy, many of the main characters meet grizzly ends at the hands of the violent invaders. On top of the on screen casualties, Mars Attacks! also faced a painful destruction at the domestic box office. It opened with just $9.4 million and only went on to make $37.8 million in total. Even with the additional $63.6 million it accumulated overseas, there was...
However, even though Mars Attacks! is certainly a comedy, many of the main characters meet grizzly ends at the hands of the violent invaders. On top of the on screen casualties, Mars Attacks! also faced a painful destruction at the domestic box office. It opened with just $9.4 million and only went on to make $37.8 million in total. Even with the additional $63.6 million it accumulated overseas, there was...
- 9/8/2010
- by Perri Nemiroff
- Cinematical
Are aliens out there? If so, as Rob reveals, movies and TV shows have shown us how best to defeat them...
There Are Spoilers Ahead For Independence Day, War Of The Worlds, Mars Attacks! And Signs In This Article.
It's something we've surely all considered at some point. And with the recent television resurrection of V and Professor Stephen Hawking recently stating that, in all probability, aliens could exist and that, in all likelihood, they will be nasty and probably want us out of the way, dead, or maybe for a mid-morning snack, it seems that the ‘in' thing at the moment is the domination of Earth. Not by zombies (that was so 2009), but instead our means of destruction will come from beyond the stars.
So, before we all cower away or welcome our new intergalactic overlords with open arms, here are the top five ways the Earth could defend...
There Are Spoilers Ahead For Independence Day, War Of The Worlds, Mars Attacks! And Signs In This Article.
It's something we've surely all considered at some point. And with the recent television resurrection of V and Professor Stephen Hawking recently stating that, in all probability, aliens could exist and that, in all likelihood, they will be nasty and probably want us out of the way, dead, or maybe for a mid-morning snack, it seems that the ‘in' thing at the moment is the domination of Earth. Not by zombies (that was so 2009), but instead our means of destruction will come from beyond the stars.
So, before we all cower away or welcome our new intergalactic overlords with open arms, here are the top five ways the Earth could defend...
- 4/26/2010
- Den of Geek
Remember Peter Lemongello, Zamfir, Boxcar Willie, Slim Whitman? They were all musical artists who were known in the 1970s and '80s for selling their albums on late-night television. (Willie Nelson was briefly a member of that club at the behest of the Internal Revenue Service.) Will Dailey is a young, edgy, talented singer/songwriter on CBS Records whose new album Torrent, Volumes 1 and 2 will turn heads. His new video is an homage to those a la Lemongello who hawked their wares to night owls. Dig: ...
- 6/3/2009
- by Michael Simmons
- Huffington Post
For those wondering if the market is going to be able to sustain another big-budget alien-attack movie this year, the wait is over. And the answer is a resounding yes, particularly when the director is the wildly inventive Tim Burton and the picture in question -- "Mars Attacks!" -- is a giddy, audacious blast.
Inspired by an obscure series of Topps trading cards, Burton's big-screen visualization is a special effects-packed, instant comic camp classic, not to mention a delectable parody of those '50s and '60s Cold War sci-fi extravaganzas and -- in too many instances to be a coincidence -- one particular 1996 megahit.
Crammed with a veritable cast of thousands that would have made Irwin Allen drool, "Mars Attacks!" won't be hitting those ethereal, record-breaking boxoffice heights reached by "Independence Day", but its results are nevertheless certain to have Warner Bros. looking to the heavens.
Setting the desired tone immediately with a startling opening that is at once garish and hysterically funny, the story kicks into overdrive as U.S. President James Dale (Jack Nicholson) prepares to brace the American public for an impending Martian invasion with the help of his press secretary (Martin Short), a pipe-chomping professor (Pierce Brosnan) and a pair of dueling generals -- one trigger-happy (Rod Steiger) and the other a fawning pacifist (Paul Winfield).
Among those representing the American public are Sarah Jessica Parker as an MTV-esque journalist and boyfriend Michael J. Fox as her straight-laced newsgathering rival; a greasy Vegas real estate wheeler-dealer (Nicholson again) and his New Age-y wife (Annette Bening); a pro boxer-turned-casino greeter (Jim Brown) and his no-nonsense bus-driving wife (Pam Grier); a doughnut-obsessed Heartland slacker (Lukas Haas) and his distracted grandmother (Sylvia Sidney); and a rude gambler (Danny DeVito).
While most are prepared to greet their green brethren with open arms, it turns out the nonresident aliens with the brain-heavy noggins haven't really come in peace and embark on a ray gun-zapping terrorist attack that reduces their victims to green- or red-hued skeletons.
Seemingly impervious to peace accords and nuclear attacks, the bug-eyed assailants gleefully carry out their assault until their one Achilles' heel is inadvertently discovered. Not wanting to give it away, suffice it to say that the movie should do wonders for Slim Whitman album sales.
Scene after scene bears the stamp of Burton's certifiably off-kilter creative genius. Part sci-fi/disaster movie homage, part Mad magazine-style "ID4" parody (Burton and screenwriter Jonathan Gems must have smuggled a script onto the set given the amount of happy skewering that takes place), the picture stays on its refreshingly silly course.
Not all of Burton's assembled players manage to nail the correct tone -- getting it right are Nicholson, Glenn Close as his coiffed first lady, Natalie Portman as the first daughter, Parker, Steiger, Haas, Sidney, Brown and Tom Jones, who plays himself -- but all are gamely willing.
Technical contributions are appropriately out of this world thanks to some dazzling computer-generated character work from visual effects supervisors Jim Mitchell (Industrial Light & Magic) and Michael Fink (Warner Digital Studios), some hyper-retro production designs from Wynn Thomas ("To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything") and a gloriously over-the-top soundtrack by resident Burton scorer Danny Elfman that's heavy on the old theremin.
MARS ATTACKS!
Warner Bros.
A film by Tim Burton
Director Tim Burton
Producers Tim Burton, Larry Franco
Screenwriter Jonathan Gems
Based on "Mars Attacks!" by Topps
Director of photography Peter Suschitzky
Production design Wynn Thomas
Editor Chris Lebenzon
Costume design Collen Atwood
Music Danny Elfman
Color/stereo
Cast:
President Dale/Art Land Jack Nicholson
First lady Marsha Dale Glenn Close
Barbara Land Annette Bening
Professor Donald Kessler Pierce Brosnan
Rude gambler Danny DeVito
Jerry Ross Martin Short
Nathalie Lake Sarah Jessica Parker
Jason Stone Michael J. Fox
General Decker Rod Steiger
Richie Norris Lukas Haas
Taffy Dale Natalie Portman
Byron Williams Jim Brown
Grandma Norris Sylvia Sidney
Running time -- 105 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
Inspired by an obscure series of Topps trading cards, Burton's big-screen visualization is a special effects-packed, instant comic camp classic, not to mention a delectable parody of those '50s and '60s Cold War sci-fi extravaganzas and -- in too many instances to be a coincidence -- one particular 1996 megahit.
Crammed with a veritable cast of thousands that would have made Irwin Allen drool, "Mars Attacks!" won't be hitting those ethereal, record-breaking boxoffice heights reached by "Independence Day", but its results are nevertheless certain to have Warner Bros. looking to the heavens.
Setting the desired tone immediately with a startling opening that is at once garish and hysterically funny, the story kicks into overdrive as U.S. President James Dale (Jack Nicholson) prepares to brace the American public for an impending Martian invasion with the help of his press secretary (Martin Short), a pipe-chomping professor (Pierce Brosnan) and a pair of dueling generals -- one trigger-happy (Rod Steiger) and the other a fawning pacifist (Paul Winfield).
Among those representing the American public are Sarah Jessica Parker as an MTV-esque journalist and boyfriend Michael J. Fox as her straight-laced newsgathering rival; a greasy Vegas real estate wheeler-dealer (Nicholson again) and his New Age-y wife (Annette Bening); a pro boxer-turned-casino greeter (Jim Brown) and his no-nonsense bus-driving wife (Pam Grier); a doughnut-obsessed Heartland slacker (Lukas Haas) and his distracted grandmother (Sylvia Sidney); and a rude gambler (Danny DeVito).
While most are prepared to greet their green brethren with open arms, it turns out the nonresident aliens with the brain-heavy noggins haven't really come in peace and embark on a ray gun-zapping terrorist attack that reduces their victims to green- or red-hued skeletons.
Seemingly impervious to peace accords and nuclear attacks, the bug-eyed assailants gleefully carry out their assault until their one Achilles' heel is inadvertently discovered. Not wanting to give it away, suffice it to say that the movie should do wonders for Slim Whitman album sales.
Scene after scene bears the stamp of Burton's certifiably off-kilter creative genius. Part sci-fi/disaster movie homage, part Mad magazine-style "ID4" parody (Burton and screenwriter Jonathan Gems must have smuggled a script onto the set given the amount of happy skewering that takes place), the picture stays on its refreshingly silly course.
Not all of Burton's assembled players manage to nail the correct tone -- getting it right are Nicholson, Glenn Close as his coiffed first lady, Natalie Portman as the first daughter, Parker, Steiger, Haas, Sidney, Brown and Tom Jones, who plays himself -- but all are gamely willing.
Technical contributions are appropriately out of this world thanks to some dazzling computer-generated character work from visual effects supervisors Jim Mitchell (Industrial Light & Magic) and Michael Fink (Warner Digital Studios), some hyper-retro production designs from Wynn Thomas ("To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything") and a gloriously over-the-top soundtrack by resident Burton scorer Danny Elfman that's heavy on the old theremin.
MARS ATTACKS!
Warner Bros.
A film by Tim Burton
Director Tim Burton
Producers Tim Burton, Larry Franco
Screenwriter Jonathan Gems
Based on "Mars Attacks!" by Topps
Director of photography Peter Suschitzky
Production design Wynn Thomas
Editor Chris Lebenzon
Costume design Collen Atwood
Music Danny Elfman
Color/stereo
Cast:
President Dale/Art Land Jack Nicholson
First lady Marsha Dale Glenn Close
Barbara Land Annette Bening
Professor Donald Kessler Pierce Brosnan
Rude gambler Danny DeVito
Jerry Ross Martin Short
Nathalie Lake Sarah Jessica Parker
Jason Stone Michael J. Fox
General Decker Rod Steiger
Richie Norris Lukas Haas
Taffy Dale Natalie Portman
Byron Williams Jim Brown
Grandma Norris Sylvia Sidney
Running time -- 105 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
- 12/2/1996
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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