Sam Mercer, producer on several M. Night Shyamalan movies and former head of Ilm, died Feb. 12 of younger onset Alzheimer’s in South Pasadena. He was 69.
Raised in Weston, Mass., he attended Occidental College and then started working as a location manager on 1980s classics including “Stripes,” “The Escape Artist,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure,” “Swing Shift,” “Peggy Sue Got Married” and “The Witches of Eastwick.”
He joined the Walt Disney Company as a production executive, supervising films including “Good Morning Vietnam,” “Three Fugitives” and “Dead Poets Society.” He then became VP of motion picture production at Hollywood Pictures, where he oversaw releases including “Quiz Show,” “The Joy Luck Club,” “Born Yesterday,” “Swing Kids,” “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” and “Arachnophobia.”
Mercer then worked as an independent producer, starting with “Congo,” “The Relic” and “Mission to Mars.” After working with Shyamalan on “The Sixth Sense,” then went on...
Raised in Weston, Mass., he attended Occidental College and then started working as a location manager on 1980s classics including “Stripes,” “The Escape Artist,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure,” “Swing Shift,” “Peggy Sue Got Married” and “The Witches of Eastwick.”
He joined the Walt Disney Company as a production executive, supervising films including “Good Morning Vietnam,” “Three Fugitives” and “Dead Poets Society.” He then became VP of motion picture production at Hollywood Pictures, where he oversaw releases including “Quiz Show,” “The Joy Luck Club,” “Born Yesterday,” “Swing Kids,” “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” and “Arachnophobia.”
Mercer then worked as an independent producer, starting with “Congo,” “The Relic” and “Mission to Mars.” After working with Shyamalan on “The Sixth Sense,” then went on...
- 3/14/2024
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Clockwise from top left: The Wicker Man (Warner Bros.), Vanilla Sky (Paramont), Oldboy (FilmDistrict), The Toy (Columbia)Image: AVClub
In Hollywood, it often seems that the sincerest form of flattery is to remake a foreign film. Domestic versions of international hits are a long-running thing in a town where familiarity assumes success,...
In Hollywood, it often seems that the sincerest form of flattery is to remake a foreign film. Domestic versions of international hits are a long-running thing in a town where familiarity assumes success,...
- 11/1/2023
- by Ian Spelling
- avclub.com
Though the confusingly named initiative “FX on Hulu” is on its way out, FX is still bringing premium television to Hulu in the meantime.
Hulu’s list of new releases for April 2022 is highlighted by FX limited series Under the Banner of Heaven. This adaptation of the non-fiction book by John Krakauer stars Andrew Garfield as a Mormon police detective whose faith is shaken when investigating a murder involving the church.
It’s not all just FX on the TV side of things for Hulu this month, however. The streamer is debuting second seasons of its series The Hardy Boys (April 6) and Woke (April 8). There isn’t much to report from Hulu’s original movies arm aside from true crime documentary Captive Audience on April 21. But that doc about one family’s 50-year journey for justice sounds like a must-watch.
April 1 sees the usual arrival of library film titles. Looper,...
Hulu’s list of new releases for April 2022 is highlighted by FX limited series Under the Banner of Heaven. This adaptation of the non-fiction book by John Krakauer stars Andrew Garfield as a Mormon police detective whose faith is shaken when investigating a murder involving the church.
It’s not all just FX on the TV side of things for Hulu this month, however. The streamer is debuting second seasons of its series The Hardy Boys (April 6) and Woke (April 8). There isn’t much to report from Hulu’s original movies arm aside from true crime documentary Captive Audience on April 21. But that doc about one family’s 50-year journey for justice sounds like a must-watch.
April 1 sees the usual arrival of library film titles. Looper,...
- 4/1/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Tony Sokol Jan 17, 2020
Two of the Three Amigos bring true crime home with them looking for the third as Steve Martin and Martin Short reunite.
The True Crime genre may never be the same after Steve Martin and Martin Short search for clues on a new Hulu series. Co-created by Martin and John Hoffman, the as-yet-untitled series comes from This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman and 20th Century Fox TV. Martin and Hoffman will write the series and serve as executive producers, along with Fogelman, Jess Rosenthal and Short. Hulu has given it a straight-to-series order. The series will shoot in New York, where it is set and which is expected to play a character.
Hulu says the comedy will be about “three strangers who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one.” They have not said who will be the third, although Chevy Chase...
Two of the Three Amigos bring true crime home with them looking for the third as Steve Martin and Martin Short reunite.
The True Crime genre may never be the same after Steve Martin and Martin Short search for clues on a new Hulu series. Co-created by Martin and John Hoffman, the as-yet-untitled series comes from This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman and 20th Century Fox TV. Martin and Hoffman will write the series and serve as executive producers, along with Fogelman, Jess Rosenthal and Short. Hulu has given it a straight-to-series order. The series will shoot in New York, where it is set and which is expected to play a character.
Hulu says the comedy will be about “three strangers who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one.” They have not said who will be the third, although Chevy Chase...
- 1/17/2020
- Den of Geek
HBO’s superhero series “Watchmen” is finally making its premiere on Oct. 20, joining a slew of other television shows and movies being added to the service just in time for Halloween.
The Home Box Office is also debuting “Catherine the Great” starring Helen Mirren on Oct. 21, and the sixth and final season of “Silicon Valley” on Oct. 27.
A handful of shows will have their season finales this month — on Oct. 13, Season 2 of “Succession” and Season 1 of “The Righteous Gemstones” have their season finales. Season 1 of “Our Boys” ends Oct. 7, and the third and final season of “The Deuce” comes to an end Oct. 28.
Also Read: News & Documentary Emmy Awards: Complete Winners List
Leaving HBO throughout the month are films like “A Time to Kill,” “Bruno,” “The Danish Girl,” and “Waking Ned Devine.”
Here’s the full list of everything new to and leaving HBO in October:
Oct. 1
Kin, 2018
Diego Maradona
Abuela’s Luck,...
The Home Box Office is also debuting “Catherine the Great” starring Helen Mirren on Oct. 21, and the sixth and final season of “Silicon Valley” on Oct. 27.
A handful of shows will have their season finales this month — on Oct. 13, Season 2 of “Succession” and Season 1 of “The Righteous Gemstones” have their season finales. Season 1 of “Our Boys” ends Oct. 7, and the third and final season of “The Deuce” comes to an end Oct. 28.
Also Read: News & Documentary Emmy Awards: Complete Winners List
Leaving HBO throughout the month are films like “A Time to Kill,” “Bruno,” “The Danish Girl,” and “Waking Ned Devine.”
Here’s the full list of everything new to and leaving HBO in October:
Oct. 1
Kin, 2018
Diego Maradona
Abuela’s Luck,...
- 9/30/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Stars: Martin Short, Danny Glover, Sheila Kelley, Sam Wanamaker, Scott Wilson, Harry Shearer, Jorge Russek | Written by Herschel Weingrod, Timothy Harris | Directed by Nadia Tass
Good god, it’s been what seems like a lifetime since I last saw Pure Luck. I’m not even sure it previously made the leap from VHS, where I first saw it back in the early 90s, to DVD here in the UK. Back when the film was first released both Danny Glover and Martin Short could do no wrong. Glover was riding high off the success of the Lethal Weapon franchise, scoring lead roles in Predator 2 and Flight of the Intruder; whilst Short had scored back-to-back hits with Innerspace and Three Fugitives… Well I say do no wrong, but maybe that should have read “could have” done no wrong, given the bad reception afforded this comedy…
Comedy in the early 90s was...
Good god, it’s been what seems like a lifetime since I last saw Pure Luck. I’m not even sure it previously made the leap from VHS, where I first saw it back in the early 90s, to DVD here in the UK. Back when the film was first released both Danny Glover and Martin Short could do no wrong. Glover was riding high off the success of the Lethal Weapon franchise, scoring lead roles in Predator 2 and Flight of the Intruder; whilst Short had scored back-to-back hits with Innerspace and Three Fugitives… Well I say do no wrong, but maybe that should have read “could have” done no wrong, given the bad reception afforded this comedy…
Comedy in the early 90s was...
- 2/6/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Looking for what's new on Netflix streaming for October 2014? You've come to the right place.
We've rounded up the best TV shows and movies arriving soon. So take some time to peruse this list, and maybe block off a weekend or two so you can binge-watch Season 5 of "The Vampire Diaries" or something.
Here's a much larger rundown of what subscribers can expect in September, courtesy of Netflix. All title dates are subject to change.
Available October 1
"Annie" (1982)
Based on the Depression-era comic strip "Little Orphan Annie," this adaptation of the smash Broadway musical follows America's favorite urchin (Aileen Quinn) as she captures Daddy Warbucks' (Albert Finney) heart with her unquenchable optimism. In the meantime, Annie must try to dodge the treacherous head of the orphanage (Carol Burnett). Directed by John Huston, Annie features the hit song "Tomorrow."
"Annie: A Royal Adventure" (1995)
Annie, the charming orphan with a head full of red curls,...
We've rounded up the best TV shows and movies arriving soon. So take some time to peruse this list, and maybe block off a weekend or two so you can binge-watch Season 5 of "The Vampire Diaries" or something.
Here's a much larger rundown of what subscribers can expect in September, courtesy of Netflix. All title dates are subject to change.
Available October 1
"Annie" (1982)
Based on the Depression-era comic strip "Little Orphan Annie," this adaptation of the smash Broadway musical follows America's favorite urchin (Aileen Quinn) as she captures Daddy Warbucks' (Albert Finney) heart with her unquenchable optimism. In the meantime, Annie must try to dodge the treacherous head of the orphanage (Carol Burnett). Directed by John Huston, Annie features the hit song "Tomorrow."
"Annie: A Royal Adventure" (1995)
Annie, the charming orphan with a head full of red curls,...
- 9/25/2014
- by Tim Hayne
- Moviefone
David Cronenberg stunned many with his decision to remake his own film The Fly, involving himself as writer and potentially director of Fox’s reboot effort. But this certainly isn’t a bad idea. After all, Cronenberg’s version is already a redo of Kurt Neumann’s 1958 sci-fi/horror classic of the same name, and it’s considered one of the best remakes of all time. It is very likely that he will now also deliver one of the best examples in which a director remakes his own film. Sure, there are plenty of bad examples, especially when it’s a French filmmaker attempting to translate his hit comedy for Hollywood (see Three Fugitives and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt01891 ...
- 9/24/2009
- by Christopher Campbell
- Spout
By Alison Willmore
If "Bangkok Dangerous," with Nicolas Cage as a hitman in Bangkok moping over both his career choices and a girl, felt familiar -- well, that's probably because it's derivative of many a sad assassin movie that's come before. But it's also a remake, and not just your run-of-the-mill Hollywood retread of a foreign film. "Bangkok Dangerous" finds Hong Kong-born sibling directing team Danny Pang and Oxide Pang Chun remaking their own debut, a 1999 Thai-language film of the same name, and joining that growing club of directors who've headed to the U.S. to try an English take on their own movie. While the set-up makes sense -- subtitle-avoidant audiences here prefer a language and actors they're familiar with, and who knows the ins and outs of a project better than whoever helmed it the first time out? -- these remakes have a higher chance of stinkiness than the already dubious average redo.
If "Bangkok Dangerous," with Nicolas Cage as a hitman in Bangkok moping over both his career choices and a girl, felt familiar -- well, that's probably because it's derivative of many a sad assassin movie that's come before. But it's also a remake, and not just your run-of-the-mill Hollywood retread of a foreign film. "Bangkok Dangerous" finds Hong Kong-born sibling directing team Danny Pang and Oxide Pang Chun remaking their own debut, a 1999 Thai-language film of the same name, and joining that growing club of directors who've headed to the U.S. to try an English take on their own movie. While the set-up makes sense -- subtitle-avoidant audiences here prefer a language and actors they're familiar with, and who knows the ins and outs of a project better than whoever helmed it the first time out? -- these remakes have a higher chance of stinkiness than the already dubious average redo.
- 9/10/2008
- by Alison Willmore
- ifc.com
By now the phenomenon of a director remaking one of his own movies is hardly novel.
Alfred Hitchcock made two versions of The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Frank Capra turned Lady for a Day into the more lavish Pocketful of Miracles.
There even are cases of foreign directors helming the American remakes of their own hit movies. Francis Veber directed both the original French version of Les Fugitifs and the Hollywood version, Three Fugitives, with Nick Nolte and Martin Short.
But I'm not sure there has ever been anything comparable to the new version of Funny Games, in which Austrian director Michael Haneke has produced a shot-for-shot replica of his 1997 German-language movie.
Some will question whether we needed even one version of this unsavory story. No doubt Haneke would argue that the original had such a limited audience in America that a remake starring Oscar nominees Naomi Watts and Tim Roth, along with Michael Pitt, will bring the story to lots of new viewers. But does this exercise in sadism and psychological torture deserve a larger audience, or any audience at all?
That point will be argued by critics, though there's no disputing the fact that this film, like the original, is compelling and exceptionally well acted. It probably will develop a cult following, like all of Haneke's work.
Ann (Watts), her husband George (Roth), and their son Georgie (Devon Gearhart) arrive at their secluded vacation home on Long Island in the movie's opening scene. As they are settling in, they are greeted by two polite but slightly creepy young men (Pitt, Brady Corbet), who claim to be visiting one of their neighbors and need to borrow some eggs.
The interlopers, who call themselves Paul and Peter, quickly insinuate themselves into the household, incapacitate George, and hold the family captive as they initiate a series of increasingly sadistic games. The tension mounts as Georgie and Ann try to escape, which only stokes the cruelty of their captors. Haneke keeps the most horrific violence offscreen, but that does not mute the impact of these degrading and ruthless exercises.
Viewers who hope to glean some sociological or psychological insights will be disappointed. At one point Paul gives a lengthy, completely fictitious profile of his cohort, just to mock those who seek an explanation for such violent antisocial behavior. The two boys dressed in white are meant to be evil incarnate -- motiveless, unfathomable, inescapable.
The only comprehensible comment that the film makes is about itself and the role of cinema in encouraging voyeurism and tolerance for violence. (This theme also was at the heart of Haneke's most acclaimed film, Cache.)
There's an intriguing moment, identical in both the Austrian and American films, in which Paul uses a TV remote control to rewind the action we have seen and replay a different version. Even though the director might want us to contemplate the audience's role in sanctioning violence, he can't escape the whiff of exploitation that infects both movies.
Still, this version, like the earlier one, is skillfully executed. Roth doesn't match the gravitas of the late Ulrich Muhe, who played the husband in the 1997 film, but he's affecting. Watts is superb in conveying the emotional anguish of her character. Pitt demonstrates his versatility with an electrifying portrayal of the sinister, soulless Paul. The only weak link in the cast is Corbet, who was convincing in more sympathetic roles in "thirteen" and Mysterious Skin, but doesn't exude enough menace as Pitt's baby-faced accomplice.
Cinematographer Darius Khondji gives an ominous edge to the sun-dappled locations, which look remarkably like the settings in the European film. Even the music selections are virtually identical in the two films. Perhaps the best way to appreciate the picture, its few intellectual pretensions notwithstanding, is as a classy horror film with a particularly nasty edge. It's not exactly entertainment, but it casts a poisonous spell.
FUNNY GAMES U.S.
Warner Independent Pictures
Celluloid Dreams, Halcyon Pictures, Tartan Films, X-Filme International
Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Michael Haneke
Producers: Chris Coen, Hamish McAlpine, Hengameh Panahi, Christian Baute, Andro Steinborn
Executive producers: Naomi Watts, Philippe Aigle, Carole Siller, Douglas Steiner
Director of photography: Darius Khondji
Production designer: Kevin Thompson
Co-producers: Andrea Occhipinti, Rene Bastian, Linda Moran, Adam Brightman, Jonathan Schwartz
Costume designer: David Robinson
Editor: Monika Willi
Cast:
Ann: Naomi Watts
George: Tim Roth
Paul: Michael Pitt
Peter: Brady Corbet
Georgie: Devon Gearhart
Fred: Boyd Gaines
Betsy: Siobhan Fallon Hogan
Running time -- 110 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Alfred Hitchcock made two versions of The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Frank Capra turned Lady for a Day into the more lavish Pocketful of Miracles.
There even are cases of foreign directors helming the American remakes of their own hit movies. Francis Veber directed both the original French version of Les Fugitifs and the Hollywood version, Three Fugitives, with Nick Nolte and Martin Short.
But I'm not sure there has ever been anything comparable to the new version of Funny Games, in which Austrian director Michael Haneke has produced a shot-for-shot replica of his 1997 German-language movie.
Some will question whether we needed even one version of this unsavory story. No doubt Haneke would argue that the original had such a limited audience in America that a remake starring Oscar nominees Naomi Watts and Tim Roth, along with Michael Pitt, will bring the story to lots of new viewers. But does this exercise in sadism and psychological torture deserve a larger audience, or any audience at all?
That point will be argued by critics, though there's no disputing the fact that this film, like the original, is compelling and exceptionally well acted. It probably will develop a cult following, like all of Haneke's work.
Ann (Watts), her husband George (Roth), and their son Georgie (Devon Gearhart) arrive at their secluded vacation home on Long Island in the movie's opening scene. As they are settling in, they are greeted by two polite but slightly creepy young men (Pitt, Brady Corbet), who claim to be visiting one of their neighbors and need to borrow some eggs.
The interlopers, who call themselves Paul and Peter, quickly insinuate themselves into the household, incapacitate George, and hold the family captive as they initiate a series of increasingly sadistic games. The tension mounts as Georgie and Ann try to escape, which only stokes the cruelty of their captors. Haneke keeps the most horrific violence offscreen, but that does not mute the impact of these degrading and ruthless exercises.
Viewers who hope to glean some sociological or psychological insights will be disappointed. At one point Paul gives a lengthy, completely fictitious profile of his cohort, just to mock those who seek an explanation for such violent antisocial behavior. The two boys dressed in white are meant to be evil incarnate -- motiveless, unfathomable, inescapable.
The only comprehensible comment that the film makes is about itself and the role of cinema in encouraging voyeurism and tolerance for violence. (This theme also was at the heart of Haneke's most acclaimed film, Cache.)
There's an intriguing moment, identical in both the Austrian and American films, in which Paul uses a TV remote control to rewind the action we have seen and replay a different version. Even though the director might want us to contemplate the audience's role in sanctioning violence, he can't escape the whiff of exploitation that infects both movies.
Still, this version, like the earlier one, is skillfully executed. Roth doesn't match the gravitas of the late Ulrich Muhe, who played the husband in the 1997 film, but he's affecting. Watts is superb in conveying the emotional anguish of her character. Pitt demonstrates his versatility with an electrifying portrayal of the sinister, soulless Paul. The only weak link in the cast is Corbet, who was convincing in more sympathetic roles in "thirteen" and Mysterious Skin, but doesn't exude enough menace as Pitt's baby-faced accomplice.
Cinematographer Darius Khondji gives an ominous edge to the sun-dappled locations, which look remarkably like the settings in the European film. Even the music selections are virtually identical in the two films. Perhaps the best way to appreciate the picture, its few intellectual pretensions notwithstanding, is as a classy horror film with a particularly nasty edge. It's not exactly entertainment, but it casts a poisonous spell.
FUNNY GAMES U.S.
Warner Independent Pictures
Celluloid Dreams, Halcyon Pictures, Tartan Films, X-Filme International
Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Michael Haneke
Producers: Chris Coen, Hamish McAlpine, Hengameh Panahi, Christian Baute, Andro Steinborn
Executive producers: Naomi Watts, Philippe Aigle, Carole Siller, Douglas Steiner
Director of photography: Darius Khondji
Production designer: Kevin Thompson
Co-producers: Andrea Occhipinti, Rene Bastian, Linda Moran, Adam Brightman, Jonathan Schwartz
Costume designer: David Robinson
Editor: Monika Willi
Cast:
Ann: Naomi Watts
George: Tim Roth
Paul: Michael Pitt
Peter: Brady Corbet
Georgie: Devon Gearhart
Fred: Boyd Gaines
Betsy: Siobhan Fallon Hogan
Running time -- 110 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 3/10/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.