Whether you like Quentin Tarantino's wild and idiosyncratic approach to filmmaking or not, it's hard to deny that his work has made an immeasurable contribution to the development of pop culture as we know it today. But none of this would be the case if Tarantino weren't arguably one of the biggest movie buffs in the modern film industry. So if you haven't seen these 20 movies personally recommended by Quentin Tarantino, we suggest you do so as soon as possible!
20 Great Movies Tarantino Recommends Watching
20. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
19. Apocalypse Now
18. The Bad News Bears
17. Black Sabbath
16. Dazed and Confused
15. Deep Red
14. Easy Rider
13. Enter the Void
12. Frances Ha
11. The Great Escape
10. Mad Max: Fury Road
9. Rio Bravo
8. The Skin I Live In
7. The Social Network
6. Sorcerer
5. There Will Be Blood
4. Top Gun: Maverick
3. Toy Story 3
2. Unfaithfully Yours
1. West Side Story
The filmmaker's oeuvre is characterized by...
20 Great Movies Tarantino Recommends Watching
20. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
19. Apocalypse Now
18. The Bad News Bears
17. Black Sabbath
16. Dazed and Confused
15. Deep Red
14. Easy Rider
13. Enter the Void
12. Frances Ha
11. The Great Escape
10. Mad Max: Fury Road
9. Rio Bravo
8. The Skin I Live In
7. The Social Network
6. Sorcerer
5. There Will Be Blood
4. Top Gun: Maverick
3. Toy Story 3
2. Unfaithfully Yours
1. West Side Story
The filmmaker's oeuvre is characterized by...
- 5/16/2024
- by louise.everitt@startefacts.com (Louise Everitt)
- STartefacts.com
Directors are lining up left and right each month to share their favorite films from the TCM lineup, and the latest is Jason Reitman. He follows Steven Spielberg going deep on “Meet Me in St. Louis,” Martin Scorsese praising “Madonna of the Seven Moons,” Guillermo del Toro making the case why overlooked “Suspicion” is top-tier Hitchcock, and so many more.
IndieWire simply loves directors sharing their favorite films and paying tribute to the directors and screenwriters behind them. And that enthusiasm comes across loud and clear in “SNL 1975” director Reitman’s picks. First up, Reitman, whose always had an ear for dialogue himself, talks about what’s so great about the patter in Barry Levinson’s “Diner.”
“[‘Diner’] is probably one of the best first movies for a filmmaker of all time,” Reitman said. “And the dialogue is delicious. You can’t look at a Quentin Tarantino movie and...
IndieWire simply loves directors sharing their favorite films and paying tribute to the directors and screenwriters behind them. And that enthusiasm comes across loud and clear in “SNL 1975” director Reitman’s picks. First up, Reitman, whose always had an ear for dialogue himself, talks about what’s so great about the patter in Barry Levinson’s “Diner.”
“[‘Diner’] is probably one of the best first movies for a filmmaker of all time,” Reitman said. “And the dialogue is delicious. You can’t look at a Quentin Tarantino movie and...
- 4/2/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
1985’s Fletch was directed by Michael Ritchie and written by Andrew Bergman. The film is an adaptation of the popular novels written by Gregory McDonald and brings a more comedic and dry approach to its titular character, Fletch, played by Chevy Chase. Fletch is an investigative journalist working the undercover beat as a homeless beach junkie as he tries to uncover the truth behind a kingpin-level drug ring that is looming over greater L.A. While undercover, Fletch is propositioned by a rich man called Alan Stanwick who claims to be dying of bone cancer to kill the man in his upper-class home so that his family can reap the benefits of his life insurance. In exchange, Fletch will receive $50,000 cash and a ticket out of the country.
When this movie was made, Chevy Chase was arguably at the height of his career. While he’d opened the decade with a few horrible flops,...
When this movie was made, Chevy Chase was arguably at the height of his career. While he’d opened the decade with a few horrible flops,...
- 3/25/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Although collecting physical media doesn’t have the convenience appeal of streaming films, there is now sort of a stigma with purchasing movies through online platforms. Although its possible to compile a collection of movies through an online library, consumers will ultimately be at the whim of the service should it choose to keep the title available on their server. Additionally, there are a number of titles that don’t happen to find their way to have streaming access and physical media distributors like Shout and Vinegar Syndrome have dedicated their business to some overlooked titles.
Kino Lorber, another great media distributor has just unveiled the technical specs for the Chevy Chase Fletch films via Blu-ray.com, as well as revealing the special features that can be found on the new blu-rays. In 2022, Jon Hamm would take up the mantle in the long-in-development third movie, Confess, Fletch, which is based...
Kino Lorber, another great media distributor has just unveiled the technical specs for the Chevy Chase Fletch films via Blu-ray.com, as well as revealing the special features that can be found on the new blu-rays. In 2022, Jon Hamm would take up the mantle in the long-in-development third movie, Confess, Fletch, which is based...
- 2/16/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Victor J. Kemper, the former president of the American Society of Cinematographers whose career spanned four decades and included films as diverse as Dog Day Afternoon and Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, has died according to the ASC. He was 96.
Kemper made films with many of the greats of ’70s cinema, including John Cassavetes, Arthur Hiller, Michael Ritchie, Peter Yates, Sidney Lumet, George Roy Hill, Robert Wise, Carl Reiner, Richard Attenborough and Norman Jewison.
His very first film was Cassavetes’ Husbands, and it was an education in itself.
“We shot more than a million-and-a-half feet of film during 10 weeks in New York and 12 weeks in London,” Kemper recalled. “That’s the way Cassavetes worked.”
He went on to make Mikey & Nicky with the director.
Subsequent work included The Candidate, And Justice for All, Audrey Rose, Slap Shot, Oh God!, The Gambler, The Jerk, The Four Seasons, Coma, Mr. Mom, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure,...
Kemper made films with many of the greats of ’70s cinema, including John Cassavetes, Arthur Hiller, Michael Ritchie, Peter Yates, Sidney Lumet, George Roy Hill, Robert Wise, Carl Reiner, Richard Attenborough and Norman Jewison.
His very first film was Cassavetes’ Husbands, and it was an education in itself.
“We shot more than a million-and-a-half feet of film during 10 weeks in New York and 12 weeks in London,” Kemper recalled. “That’s the way Cassavetes worked.”
He went on to make Mikey & Nicky with the director.
Subsequent work included The Candidate, And Justice for All, Audrey Rose, Slap Shot, Oh God!, The Gambler, The Jerk, The Four Seasons, Coma, Mr. Mom, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure,...
- 11/29/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Victor J. Kemper, the cinematographer behind “Dog Day Afternoon,” “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation” and other notable films, has died. He was 96.
American Cinematographer, the international publication of the American Society of Cinematographers, confirmed the news of his passing on social media.
One of Kemper’s most prominent films is the biographical crime drama “Dog Day Afternoon” (1975), directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino. The film, which tells the true story of a 1972 bank robbery and hostage situation in Brooklyn, was nominated for six Academy Awards and was admitted to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Kemper also had an ongoing collaborative relationship with director Arthur Hiller, working together on films like “The Tiger Makes Out” (1969) and “See No Evil, Hear No Evil” (1989). Other prominent directors he worked with include John Cassavetes, Anthony Harvey, Michael Ritchie, Elaine May, J. Lee Thompson and Elia Kazan, among many others.
American Cinematographer, the international publication of the American Society of Cinematographers, confirmed the news of his passing on social media.
One of Kemper’s most prominent films is the biographical crime drama “Dog Day Afternoon” (1975), directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino. The film, which tells the true story of a 1972 bank robbery and hostage situation in Brooklyn, was nominated for six Academy Awards and was admitted to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Kemper also had an ongoing collaborative relationship with director Arthur Hiller, working together on films like “The Tiger Makes Out” (1969) and “See No Evil, Hear No Evil” (1989). Other prominent directors he worked with include John Cassavetes, Anthony Harvey, Michael Ritchie, Elaine May, J. Lee Thompson and Elia Kazan, among many others.
- 11/29/2023
- by Jaden Thompson
- Variety Film + TV
Victor J. Kemper, the veteran cinematographer who shot more than 50 features, including Dog Day Afternoon, Eyes of Laura Mars, The Jerk and Slap Shot, has died. He was 96.
Kemper died Monday of natural causes in Sherman Oaks, his son, Steven Kemper, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Kemper earned his inaugural D.P. credit on Husbands (1970), written and directed by John Cassavetes, then shot Elia Kazan’s final feature, The Last Tycoon (1976) and Tim Burton’s first, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985).
Kemper also did six films for director Arthur Hiller — The Tiger Makes Out (1967), The Hospital (1971), Author! Author! (1982), The Lonely Guy (1984), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) and Married to It (1991) — and three in a row for Carl Reiner: Oh God! (1977), The One and Only (1978) and The Jerk (1979).
The New Jersey native said he had to wear ice skates when he photographed the hockey scenes in George Roy Hill’s Slap Shot (1977) and...
Kemper died Monday of natural causes in Sherman Oaks, his son, Steven Kemper, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Kemper earned his inaugural D.P. credit on Husbands (1970), written and directed by John Cassavetes, then shot Elia Kazan’s final feature, The Last Tycoon (1976) and Tim Burton’s first, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985).
Kemper also did six films for director Arthur Hiller — The Tiger Makes Out (1967), The Hospital (1971), Author! Author! (1982), The Lonely Guy (1984), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) and Married to It (1991) — and three in a row for Carl Reiner: Oh God! (1977), The One and Only (1978) and The Jerk (1979).
The New Jersey native said he had to wear ice skates when he photographed the hockey scenes in George Roy Hill’s Slap Shot (1977) and...
- 11/29/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Spoilers for "Wish" follow.
The villains from Walt Disney Animation's feature films have traditionally been so striking and scary that the company has thought to separate them into their own brand. The brand tends to focus on Maleficent (Eleanor Audley) from 1959's "Sleeping Beauty," Cruella de Vil (Betty Lou Gerson) from 1961's "One Hundred and One Dalmatians," Ursula the Sea Witch (Pat Caroll) from 1989's "The Little Mermaid," the Evil Queen (Lucille La Verne) from 1937's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Captain Hook (Hans Conreid) from 1953's "Peter Pan," Hades (James Woods) from 1997's "Hercules," and Dr. Facilier (Keith David) from 2009's "The Princess and the Frog."
Occasionally, one might find Gaston (Richard White) from 1991's "Beauty and the Beast" in the mix or Chernabog from 1940's "Fantasia." These characters are all memorable for their scary designs, their misguided lust for power or destruction, their resentment, their hatred of the world,...
The villains from Walt Disney Animation's feature films have traditionally been so striking and scary that the company has thought to separate them into their own brand. The brand tends to focus on Maleficent (Eleanor Audley) from 1959's "Sleeping Beauty," Cruella de Vil (Betty Lou Gerson) from 1961's "One Hundred and One Dalmatians," Ursula the Sea Witch (Pat Caroll) from 1989's "The Little Mermaid," the Evil Queen (Lucille La Verne) from 1937's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Captain Hook (Hans Conreid) from 1953's "Peter Pan," Hades (James Woods) from 1997's "Hercules," and Dr. Facilier (Keith David) from 2009's "The Princess and the Frog."
Occasionally, one might find Gaston (Richard White) from 1991's "Beauty and the Beast" in the mix or Chernabog from 1940's "Fantasia." These characters are all memorable for their scary designs, their misguided lust for power or destruction, their resentment, their hatred of the world,...
- 11/22/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
“Try to Remember,” the most famous song to have come out of the stage musical “The Fantasticks,” was noted for its autumnal feel, sung by someone reflecting back on youthful days. The happy irony is that Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt wrote that song prior to the show’s original 1960 staging when they were both still relatively young men of about 30, fellows who still had about two-thirds of their lives ahead of them. Schmidt, who wrote the music, died in 2018 at age 88, and Jones, who penned the show’s lyrics and book, died Friday at 95.
Here’s to it having been a heck of a long way from September to December.
When the movie version of the show came out in the fall of 2000, I wrote about it for Entertainment Weekly and said that “for my money, ‘The Fantasticks’ is the best pure live–action movie musical since ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show.’” Now,...
Here’s to it having been a heck of a long way from September to December.
When the movie version of the show came out in the fall of 2000, I wrote about it for Entertainment Weekly and said that “for my money, ‘The Fantasticks’ is the best pure live–action movie musical since ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show.’” Now,...
- 8/13/2023
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Broadway and film star Joel Grey and John Kander, composer of Cabaret, Chicago and more, will receive the 2023 Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.
Grey was the original Amos Hart in the 1996 Chicago and the original Emcee in Cabaret on Broadway, for which he won a Tony Award. He later received an Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA for his performance in the film adaptation. Kander, who co-wrote those legendary musicals with the late lyricist Fred Ebb, is currently represented on Broadway with the musical New York, New York.
“We are immensely thrilled to honor two legends in their own rights. John Kander has composed the soundtrack to all of our lives – meeting us in every decade – creating unforgettable scores for Cabaret, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and his current Broadway hit New York, New York,” said Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League.
“As a legendary actor and director,...
Grey was the original Amos Hart in the 1996 Chicago and the original Emcee in Cabaret on Broadway, for which he won a Tony Award. He later received an Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA for his performance in the film adaptation. Kander, who co-wrote those legendary musicals with the late lyricist Fred Ebb, is currently represented on Broadway with the musical New York, New York.
“We are immensely thrilled to honor two legends in their own rights. John Kander has composed the soundtrack to all of our lives – meeting us in every decade – creating unforgettable scores for Cabaret, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and his current Broadway hit New York, New York,” said Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League.
“As a legendary actor and director,...
- 5/3/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In 2021, Wesley Snipes used an Esquire "What I've Learned" column to make a fascinating confession: "I've got to learn how to be a movie star."
Snipes was 58 at the time of the article's publication, and enjoying a career renaissance due to his portrayal of actor-director D'Urville Martin in Craig Brewster's uproarious "Dolemite Is My Name." Though he'd officially made his comeback as an aging gang leader in Spike Lee's "Chi-Raq" four years prior, Martin was the perfect vehicle through which Snipes could examine the frustration of an ambitious artist shunted from A-list roles to low-aiming exploitation flicks.
Snipes' Martin is a bitter, alcoholic filmmaker trying, and failing miserably, to make nightclub comic Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy) look like a Blaxploitation action star on par with Richard Roundtree. Martin is a defeated man, and it's hard not to sense Snipes reckoning with the sun setting on his own action-hero stardom.
Snipes was 58 at the time of the article's publication, and enjoying a career renaissance due to his portrayal of actor-director D'Urville Martin in Craig Brewster's uproarious "Dolemite Is My Name." Though he'd officially made his comeback as an aging gang leader in Spike Lee's "Chi-Raq" four years prior, Martin was the perfect vehicle through which Snipes could examine the frustration of an ambitious artist shunted from A-list roles to low-aiming exploitation flicks.
Snipes' Martin is a bitter, alcoholic filmmaker trying, and failing miserably, to make nightclub comic Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy) look like a Blaxploitation action star on par with Richard Roundtree. Martin is a defeated man, and it's hard not to sense Snipes reckoning with the sun setting on his own action-hero stardom.
- 5/1/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
We took Gene Hackman for granted, and he's making us pay for it.
Between 1964 and 2004, there wasn't a more reliably excellent film actor in the industry. He'd knock out two or three (or more!) movies a year, and even when they were dire propositions — like the Kryptonite-ridden "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" or Bob Clark's laugh-free buddy-cop comedy "Loose Cannons" — you knew Hackman would be present and compelling. He also never went too long between watchable films, so the charge that he was phoning it in (which was also leveled at his prolific contemporary Michael Caine) never made sense.
Hackman was — and, oh, how I hate to refer to this still-very-alive master's career in the past tense — a true working actor. He was grateful for the gigs and took them eagerly. He knew what it was to not only struggle but to be told there is no future...
Between 1964 and 2004, there wasn't a more reliably excellent film actor in the industry. He'd knock out two or three (or more!) movies a year, and even when they were dire propositions — like the Kryptonite-ridden "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" or Bob Clark's laugh-free buddy-cop comedy "Loose Cannons" — you knew Hackman would be present and compelling. He also never went too long between watchable films, so the charge that he was phoning it in (which was also leveled at his prolific contemporary Michael Caine) never made sense.
Hackman was — and, oh, how I hate to refer to this still-very-alive master's career in the past tense — a true working actor. He was grateful for the gigs and took them eagerly. He knew what it was to not only struggle but to be told there is no future...
- 4/14/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Michael Lerner, the busy Oscar-nominated character actor who had memorable turns as bombastic types in Barton Fink, Harlem Nights, Eight Men Out and so much more, has died. He was 81.
Lerner died Saturday night, according to an Instagram post from his nephew, Sam Lerner, who is also an actor (ABC’s The Goldbergs). The cause of death was not immediately known.
“It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me,” Sam wrote. “His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting. He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special. Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was — in the best way.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Sam Lerner (@samlerner)
Raised in a Brooklyn housing project as...
Lerner died Saturday night, according to an Instagram post from his nephew, Sam Lerner, who is also an actor (ABC’s The Goldbergs). The cause of death was not immediately known.
“It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me,” Sam wrote. “His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting. He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special. Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was — in the best way.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Sam Lerner (@samlerner)
Raised in a Brooklyn housing project as...
- 4/9/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The "Fletch" movies have always been the product of turmoil. I.M. Fletcher, a hybrid private eye and journalist, made his first appearance in Gregory McDonald's 1974 novel "Fletch," following the investigator as he looks into a shady but tempting offer from a fat cat billionaire. His big-screen debut came in Michael Ritchie's ("Bad News Bears") 1985 feature of the same name, starring Chevy Chase in the lead role of the loose adaptation; it was a box-office smash. Four years later, the sequel "Fletch Lives" saw Chase and Ritchie reprising their respective roles in a follow-up Roger Ebert once described as a "dispirited slog through the rummage sale of movie cliches."
Since then, Fletch has undergone more iterations than his numerous implausible identities. The most talked about version is Kevin Smith's unproduced "Fletch Won," which he envisioned as a Miramax vehicle for "Mallrats" star and frequent Smith collaborator Jason Lee.
Since then, Fletch has undergone more iterations than his numerous implausible identities. The most talked about version is Kevin Smith's unproduced "Fletch Won," which he envisioned as a Miramax vehicle for "Mallrats" star and frequent Smith collaborator Jason Lee.
- 1/22/2023
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
My earliest memory is of going to see "Star Wars" in the summer of 1977 with my mom and my older brother. I was three years old, so it's mostly a vaguely sensed recollection, but one moment stands out with startling clarity: when the lights went down, I screamed.
This was back when movie theaters actually went dark. No dimmed house lights lining the walls, no light strips to guide you up and down the aisle (save possibly for faded glow tape that hadn't been replaced in years). It was pitch black in that theater for a second or two until the tattered bumper preceding the coming attractions flickered across the screen. I remember that, too. I remember feeling saved.
I've been chasing that sensation ever since, often to the annoyance of my moviegoing companions. For me, the ritual of going to the movies was as important as watching the movie itself.
This was back when movie theaters actually went dark. No dimmed house lights lining the walls, no light strips to guide you up and down the aisle (save possibly for faded glow tape that hadn't been replaced in years). It was pitch black in that theater for a second or two until the tattered bumper preceding the coming attractions flickered across the screen. I remember that, too. I remember feeling saved.
I've been chasing that sensation ever since, often to the annoyance of my moviegoing companions. For me, the ritual of going to the movies was as important as watching the movie itself.
- 11/10/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
‘The Bad News Bears’ Comedy With Female Lead In Works At CBS From Corey Nickerson, Kapital & TrillTV
Exclusive: A beloved title from Paramount’s movie library is eying a TV comeback. CBS is developing The Bad News Bears, a single-camera comedy based on the 1976 movie which starred Walter Matthau as an alcoholic ex-baseball pitcher who becomes a coach for a youth baseball team of misfit players.
Written by Corey Nickerson (black-ish), the new TV take, from Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment and Wendi Trilling’s TrillTV, is rebooting the original premise. In the CBS version, a down-on-her-luck divorced mom coaches a team of misfits in a cutthroat Little League.
The project will weave in personal experiences from Nickerson who coached her son’s baseball team. She executive produces with Kaplan and Melanie Frankel from Kapital and Trilling via TrillTV. Kevin Marco oversees for Kapital.
CBS Studios, where Nickerson has been under an overall deal, is the studio. This marks the latest collaboration between units from the two...
Written by Corey Nickerson (black-ish), the new TV take, from Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment and Wendi Trilling’s TrillTV, is rebooting the original premise. In the CBS version, a down-on-her-luck divorced mom coaches a team of misfits in a cutthroat Little League.
The project will weave in personal experiences from Nickerson who coached her son’s baseball team. She executive produces with Kaplan and Melanie Frankel from Kapital and Trilling via TrillTV. Kevin Marco oversees for Kapital.
CBS Studios, where Nickerson has been under an overall deal, is the studio. This marks the latest collaboration between units from the two...
- 10/26/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Stand-up comedians are some of the neediest people on the planet. Their livelihood hinges on their laugh-provoking expertise, and every single performance can feel like a make-or-break referendum on their funniness. Even the greats feel this pressure. In the 2002 documentary "Comedian," Jerry Seinfeld observes that an established, widely beloved comic only gets a slim grace period between taking the stage and delivering the goods. People are paying a two-drink minimum — they expect to laugh.
Every comedian has an off-night, but I have a hard time envisioning what that looked like for Robin Williams. Ditto, Eddie Murphy. With Williams, you knew he was going to remove the restraining bolt from his brain and access that deep reservoir of jokes and references and spot-on impersonations with dizzying speed. Murphy was different. He exuded confidence, deftly gliding from bit to bit, secure in the knowledge that he could only kill. Maybe that's why...
Every comedian has an off-night, but I have a hard time envisioning what that looked like for Robin Williams. Ditto, Eddie Murphy. With Williams, you knew he was going to remove the restraining bolt from his brain and access that deep reservoir of jokes and references and spot-on impersonations with dizzying speed. Murphy was different. He exuded confidence, deftly gliding from bit to bit, secure in the knowledge that he could only kill. Maybe that's why...
- 10/10/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Jon Hamm finally got the leading man role he deserved after Mad Men. It’s a shame it took seven years. Regardless, Confess, Fletch is an absolute treat. Directed by Greg Mottola and working from Gregory McDonald’s novel of the same name, Hamm plays Irwin M. Fletcher, who “used to be an investigative reporter of some repute.” Within the first few minutes, Fletch finds a dead body in the Boston townhouse he’s crashing at and is immediately considered the prime suspect by Sergeant Inspector “Slow-Mo” Monroe (Roy Wood Jr.). We learn the townhouse’s owner Owen Tasserly (John Behlmann) is somewhere in Europe and has an interest in fine art. Meanwhile, Fletch has been tasked with locating nine stolen paintings that belong to a kidnapped rich guy. He’s also dating the rich guy’s daughter (Lorenza Izzo) while being seduced by the rich guy’s wife (Marcia Gay Harden...
- 9/21/2022
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
The problem with Michael Ritchie’s 1985 film “Fletch” is that it’s a perfectly good ’80s Chevy Chase action-comedy and a very bad adaptation of Gregory McDonald’s Edgar-award-winning mystery novel. It’s a dichotomy that becomes clear if you’re one of the many, many ’80s kids (hello) who watched “Fletch” on video and HBO so many times we memorized it and then went to read the book – and its ten (ten!) follow-ups – and discovered they were something different altogether.
Continue reading ‘Confess, Fletch’ Review: A High-Spirited Sequel Returns the Character to His Literary Roots at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Confess, Fletch’ Review: A High-Spirited Sequel Returns the Character to His Literary Roots at The Playlist.
- 9/12/2022
- by Jason Bailey
- The Playlist
The first of author Gregory McDonald's "Fletch" novels was published in 1974. The title character of the McDonald's nine books was Irwin Maurice Fletcher, an ex-Marine investigative journalist with a penchant for disguises. Fletch is a bit of a slovenly cad, and he is constantly outrunning attorneys who seek alimony payments from various ex-wives. The first novel involves Fletch investigating drug traffic on the Los Angeles beaches as well as the mysterious, well-paid request from a dying millionaire that Fletch euthanize him.
"Fletch" was very loosely adapted to film in 1985 with Chevy Chase in the title role and with Michael Ritchie directing. The film was less a rundown detective story than a light comedy, and a lot of "Fletch" focuses on Chase's disguises and the comedian's ability to improvise. The story -- the investigation of a millionaire asking to be euthanized -- was kept intact. The film was a...
"Fletch" was very loosely adapted to film in 1985 with Chevy Chase in the title role and with Michael Ritchie directing. The film was less a rundown detective story than a light comedy, and a lot of "Fletch" focuses on Chase's disguises and the comedian's ability to improvise. The story -- the investigation of a millionaire asking to be euthanized -- was kept intact. The film was a...
- 8/30/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Fletch lives!
After years (perhaps decades) of potential reinvention, a new iteration of Fletch, the private investigator that originated in a series of novels by mystery writer Gregory Mcdonald and immortalized in Michael Ritchie’s terrific movie starring Chevy Chase (and one so-so sequel), is finally here.
Jon Hamm is now playing Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher, this time for “Adventureland” director Greg Mottola. The new trailer definitely keeps the spirit of the original film alive while noticeably lessening the wackiness of the Chase iteration (we imagine there will be fewer half-assed disguises this time around).
The new movie, based on the second Fletch novel by Mcdonald, sees Fletch investigating the theft of a valuable painting. Hamm’s old “Mad Men” costar John Slattery co-stars as Fletch’s boss at the paper, while Marcia Gay Harden, Kyle McLaughlan and Lorenza Izzo also co-star.
Also Read:
Jon Hamm Joins ‘The Morning Show’ Season...
After years (perhaps decades) of potential reinvention, a new iteration of Fletch, the private investigator that originated in a series of novels by mystery writer Gregory Mcdonald and immortalized in Michael Ritchie’s terrific movie starring Chevy Chase (and one so-so sequel), is finally here.
Jon Hamm is now playing Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher, this time for “Adventureland” director Greg Mottola. The new trailer definitely keeps the spirit of the original film alive while noticeably lessening the wackiness of the Chase iteration (we imagine there will be fewer half-assed disguises this time around).
The new movie, based on the second Fletch novel by Mcdonald, sees Fletch investigating the theft of a valuable painting. Hamm’s old “Mad Men” costar John Slattery co-stars as Fletch’s boss at the paper, while Marcia Gay Harden, Kyle McLaughlan and Lorenza Izzo also co-star.
Also Read:
Jon Hamm Joins ‘The Morning Show’ Season...
- 8/25/2022
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
The words offbeat, personal and edgy used to be a draw for movie fare — we’d check out a new relationship picture based only on an actor or two that we liked. Bobby Roth’s semi-autobiographical buddy story has a good stab at the early ’80s art + singles scene in Los Angeles, with a dash of macho clichés — pals Peter Coyote and Nick Mancuso fight in public and somehow suffer while bedding fantastic women. But the overall vibe is one of honest sensitivity, aided by fine performances from Carole Laure, Kathryn Harrold and Carol Wayne. Plus music by Tangerine Dream.
Heartbreakers
Blu-ray
Fun City Editions
1984 / Color / 1:85 / 99 min. / Street Date August 30, 2022 / Available from Amazon, Available from Vinegar Syndrome
Starring: Peter Coyote, Nick Mancuso, Carole Laure, Max Gail, James Laurenson, Carol Wayne, Jamie Rose, Kathryn Harrold, George Morfogen, Jerry Hardin, Henry Sanders, Walter Olkewicz.
Cinematography: Michael Ballhaus
Production Designer: David Nichols...
Heartbreakers
Blu-ray
Fun City Editions
1984 / Color / 1:85 / 99 min. / Street Date August 30, 2022 / Available from Amazon, Available from Vinegar Syndrome
Starring: Peter Coyote, Nick Mancuso, Carole Laure, Max Gail, James Laurenson, Carol Wayne, Jamie Rose, Kathryn Harrold, George Morfogen, Jerry Hardin, Henry Sanders, Walter Olkewicz.
Cinematography: Michael Ballhaus
Production Designer: David Nichols...
- 8/13/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Ivan Passer’s first American film and his first in the English language is a core life-with-a-junkie tale in a cold Manhattan winter. George Segal is the ‘habituated, not addicted’ (he says) user whose married life has already been destroyed. Can he escape with the help of his new girlfriend? Hector Elizondo’s pimp/pusher has no intention of letting that happen. What’s weird is Passer’s frequently light tone — Segal’s criminal antics verge on the absurd. It’s a great film to see Karen Black, a young Robert De Niro and even Paula Prentiss in action, and yet another snapshot of Times Square in its most degraded decade.
Born to Win
Blu-ray
Fun City Editions
1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 89 min. / Scraping Bottom / Street Date May 31, 2022 / Available from Vinegar Syndrome / 27.99, from Amazon / 34.99
Starring: George Segal, Karen Black, Paula Prentiss, Hector Elizondo, Jay Fletcher, Robert De Niro, Ed Madsen, Marcia Jean Kurtz,...
Born to Win
Blu-ray
Fun City Editions
1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 89 min. / Scraping Bottom / Street Date May 31, 2022 / Available from Vinegar Syndrome / 27.99, from Amazon / 34.99
Starring: George Segal, Karen Black, Paula Prentiss, Hector Elizondo, Jay Fletcher, Robert De Niro, Ed Madsen, Marcia Jean Kurtz,...
- 4/30/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
One of the most bizarre and original crime movies of its era is director Michael Ritchie's "Prime Cut", released in 1972. Gene Hackman plays a magnate who presides over a mid-western beef manufacturing empire that serves as a cover for his real purpose: kidnapping and trafficking teenage girls into the sex trade. Things heat up when Chicago gangster Lee Marvin and his team are sent by the mob to collect an overdue debt from Hackman. In the process, he encounters a young victim of Hackman's sex slave business, played by Sissy Spacek. The mayhem that follows is violent and brutal and Ritchie places it all in the sun-drenched cornfields that look like the benign setting of an Andrew Wyeth painting. People are beaten, gored, shot, stabbed and occasionally ground into sausages. It's pretty rough going but it's also quite witty and humorous and Marvin and Hackman make terrific antagonists. If you haven't seen it,...
- 3/13/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
To cite Monica Vitti as an icon, following her death in Rome this week at 90, is somehow unsatisfying. She could never be summed up as something so inert — she was far too vividly alive. If her sensuality has been called “chilly,” it nonetheless animated every frame she stood in or fast-tapped through in high heels. If the landscapes her greatest creative partner Michelangelo Antonioni directed her across were at times sprawling or forbidding, she always held the eye, whether with a look or a highly kinetic outburst.
To a young film buff crammed into a swaybacked seat at a Manhattan arthouse, beholding her for the first time was to risk a schoolboy crush. She’s been called “Impossibly lovely” on this site, and that’s true enough — impossible, and yet there she is onscreen. The sturdy lips forming a blossom of a mouth, the eyes that seem focused just a...
To a young film buff crammed into a swaybacked seat at a Manhattan arthouse, beholding her for the first time was to risk a schoolboy crush. She’s been called “Impossibly lovely” on this site, and that’s true enough — impossible, and yet there she is onscreen. The sturdy lips forming a blossom of a mouth, the eyes that seem focused just a...
- 2/3/2022
- by Fred Schruers
- Indiewire
If 2021 has been a calvacade of bad decisions, dashed hopes, and warning signs for cinema’s strength, the Criterion Channel’s monthly programming has at least buttressed our hopes for something like a better tomorrow. Anyway. The Channel will let us ride out distended (holi)days in the family home with an extensive Alfred Hitchcock series to bring the family together—from the established Rear Window and Vertigo to the (let’s just guess) lesser-seen Downhill and Young and Innocent—Johnnie To’s Throw Down and Orson Welles’ The Magnificent Ambersons in their Criterion editions, and some streaming premieres: Ste. Anne, Lydia Lunch: The War is Never Over, and The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love.
Special notice to Yvonne Rainer’s brain-expanding Film About a Woman Who . . .—debuting in “Female Gaze: Women Directors + Women Cinematographers,” a series that does as it says on the tin—and a Joseph Cotten retro boasting Ambersons,...
Special notice to Yvonne Rainer’s brain-expanding Film About a Woman Who . . .—debuting in “Female Gaze: Women Directors + Women Cinematographers,” a series that does as it says on the tin—and a Joseph Cotten retro boasting Ambersons,...
- 11/21/2021
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
This first remake of the 1956 sci-fi classic retains many of the original’s story points, clears up the bio minutiae for literal-minded viewers and adds a fascinating social commentary about ’70s lifestyles that’s almost as depressing as the idea of being ‘replaced’ by an alien simulacrum. Philip Kaufman’s first big hit is a worthy picture that’s maintained its high reputation … and it’s even scarier in today’s socio-political climate.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1978 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 115 min. / Street Date November 23, 2021 / available through Kino Lorber / 39.95
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright, Leonard Nimoy, Art Hindle, Lelia Goldoni, Kevin McCarthy, Don Siegel, Tom Luddy, Stan Ritchie, David Fisher, Tom Dahlgren, Garry Goodrow, Michael Chapman, Robert Duvall.
Cinematography: Michael Chapman
Production Designer: Charles Rosen
Film Editor: Douglas Stewart
Original Music: Denny Zeitlin
Written by W.D. Richter from a...
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1978 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 115 min. / Street Date November 23, 2021 / available through Kino Lorber / 39.95
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright, Leonard Nimoy, Art Hindle, Lelia Goldoni, Kevin McCarthy, Don Siegel, Tom Luddy, Stan Ritchie, David Fisher, Tom Dahlgren, Garry Goodrow, Michael Chapman, Robert Duvall.
Cinematography: Michael Chapman
Production Designer: Charles Rosen
Film Editor: Douglas Stewart
Original Music: Denny Zeitlin
Written by W.D. Richter from a...
- 11/13/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Updated with Ctg response: Playwright Jeremy O. Harris said Tuesday that he intends to pull his Tony-nominated Slave Play from the upcoming lineup at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles due to the theater company’s dearth of scheduled productions by female playwrights – a scarcity acknowledged by the management of Center Theatre Group, which operates the Taper.
In a tweet that reproduced an email sent to executives of L.A.’s Center Theatre Group, Harris wrote, “As a playwright who holds dear the principles of both inclusion it was a shock to realize that this season was programmed with only 1 woman across all theatres. As an Angeleno and a lover of theatre I think Los Angeles audiences deserve an equitable showing of the playwrights working in the US right now.
“I’ve spoken to my team,” he continues, “and would like to begin the process of removing slave play...
In a tweet that reproduced an email sent to executives of L.A.’s Center Theatre Group, Harris wrote, “As a playwright who holds dear the principles of both inclusion it was a shock to realize that this season was programmed with only 1 woman across all theatres. As an Angeleno and a lover of theatre I think Los Angeles audiences deserve an equitable showing of the playwrights working in the US right now.
“I’ve spoken to my team,” he continues, “and would like to begin the process of removing slave play...
- 10/5/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Another unexpected comic treasure from the mid ’70s! Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston make an irresistible pair of would-be outlaws in a tale of the modern West — high-country Montana, actually — where a gentleman rancher from New Jersey owns all the land and making an honest living is just too boring. Thomas McGuane’s hilariously laid-back dialogue pits our slacker cattle rustlers against society — but only in the pursuit of having a good time. Frank Perry’s beautifully directed show gives choice roles to a fistful of actors: Clifton James, Elizabeth Ashley, Harry Dean Stanton, Slim Pickens, Charlene Dallas, Richard Bright, Joe Spinell, Patti D’Arbanville. Call it ‘literate’ country comedy, with musical accompaniment by Jimmy Buffett. The extras include a great new interview with star Jeff Bridges.
Rancho Deluxe
Blu-ray
Fun City Editions
1975 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 93 min. / Street Date July 19, 2021 / Available from Vinegar Syndrome /
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Sam Waterston, Elizabeth Ashley,...
Rancho Deluxe
Blu-ray
Fun City Editions
1975 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 93 min. / Street Date July 19, 2021 / Available from Vinegar Syndrome /
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Sam Waterston, Elizabeth Ashley,...
- 8/21/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Near the pinnacle of director-driven ’70s cinema is this marvelous comedy about a ‘American Miss’ contest, and the swirl of personalities that come to support, promote and ogle the teen beauties just learning the ropes of the good old U.S. hype machine. Bruce Dern, Barbara Feldon and Michael Kidd are just wonderful as the adults in charge of the pageantry; Annette O’Toole, Joan Prather and Melanie Griffifth are among the hopefuls, learning an early lesson in a time honored, entirely bogus Americana ritual: as Michael Kidd says, he teaches these sweet kids to dance and behave like Vegas showgirls. It’s deceptively, distractingly funny — and as true as the day is long.
Smile
Blu-ray
Fun City Editions
1975 / Color /1:85 widescreen / 113 min. / Street Date May 25, 2021 / Available from Vinegar Syndrome / 34.99
Starring: Bruce Dern, Barbara Feldon, Michael Kidd, Eric Shea, Geoffrey Lewis, Nicholas Pryor, Titos Vandis, Paul Benedict, William Traylor, Dick McGarvin,...
Smile
Blu-ray
Fun City Editions
1975 / Color /1:85 widescreen / 113 min. / Street Date May 25, 2021 / Available from Vinegar Syndrome / 34.99
Starring: Bruce Dern, Barbara Feldon, Michael Kidd, Eric Shea, Geoffrey Lewis, Nicholas Pryor, Titos Vandis, Paul Benedict, William Traylor, Dick McGarvin,...
- 5/8/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
I’ve written here before about my fondness for director Michael Ritchie, particularly his streak in the 1970s when he made one great movie after another about the dark side of the American competitive spirit. Most of his best films – Downhill Racer (1969), The Candidate (1972), The Bad News Bears (1976) – are wry meditations on what it really means to win (and lose) in a culture where winning is valued above all else; one of the most memorable moments in all of his work comes at the conclusion of The Candidate, when Robert Redford’s senatorial candidate wins his election […]
The post Smile, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Carole Lombard: Jim Hemphill’s Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Smile, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Carole Lombard: Jim Hemphill’s Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 5/7/2021
- by Jim Hemphill
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
I’ve written here before about my fondness for director Michael Ritchie, particularly his streak in the 1970s when he made one great movie after another about the dark side of the American competitive spirit. Most of his best films – Downhill Racer (1969), The Candidate (1972), The Bad News Bears (1976) – are wry meditations on what it really means to win (and lose) in a culture where winning is valued above all else; one of the most memorable moments in all of his work comes at the conclusion of The Candidate, when Robert Redford’s senatorial candidate wins his election […]
The post Smile, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Carole Lombard: Jim Hemphill’s Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Smile, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Carole Lombard: Jim Hemphill’s Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 5/7/2021
- by Jim Hemphill
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
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By Tim McGlynn
The Paramount Presents Series recently released The Golden Child on Blu-ray and it is a beautiful disc to behold even though the movie has a few flaws.
It’s 1986 and Eddie Murphy is riding high on the success of Beverly Hills Cop, 48 Hours and Trading Places and it is time to create another blockbuster for this talented star. What do you do? Well, let’s keep the same formula and feature Murphy as a hip, wisecracking hero who this time finds lost children. Then, throw in a bit of martial arts in the style of John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China and add some Asian mysticism that reminds viewers of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Make sure your lead character displays an anti-authority attitude and even include a humorous scene where he pretends to be a...
By Tim McGlynn
The Paramount Presents Series recently released The Golden Child on Blu-ray and it is a beautiful disc to behold even though the movie has a few flaws.
It’s 1986 and Eddie Murphy is riding high on the success of Beverly Hills Cop, 48 Hours and Trading Places and it is time to create another blockbuster for this talented star. What do you do? Well, let’s keep the same formula and feature Murphy as a hip, wisecracking hero who this time finds lost children. Then, throw in a bit of martial arts in the style of John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China and add some Asian mysticism that reminds viewers of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Make sure your lead character displays an anti-authority attitude and even include a humorous scene where he pretends to be a...
- 4/28/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The lights will soon be back on inside the Ahmanson Theatre.
Center Theatre Group artistic director Michael Ritchie announced this week that the 54th season at the Ahmanson will kick off Nov. 30 — three months later than originally scheduled and 20 months after shuttering due to Covid-19 — with director Matthew Warchus’ A Christmas Carol.
The season includes productions of The Lehman Trilogy, The Prom, Hadestown, Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. The Tony Award-winning best revival Rogers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! that was previously set to open the season in August 2020 will now close the season in 2022....
Center Theatre Group artistic director Michael Ritchie announced this week that the 54th season at the Ahmanson will kick off Nov. 30 — three months later than originally scheduled and 20 months after shuttering due to Covid-19 — with director Matthew Warchus’ A Christmas Carol.
The season includes productions of The Lehman Trilogy, The Prom, Hadestown, Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. The Tony Award-winning best revival Rogers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! that was previously set to open the season in August 2020 will now close the season in 2022....
- 4/13/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The lights will soon be back on inside the Ahmanson Theatre.
Center Theatre Group artistic director Michael Ritchie announced this week that the 54th season at the Ahmanson will kick off Nov. 30 — three months later than originally scheduled and 20 months after shuttering due to Covid-19 — with director Matthew Warchus’ A Christmas Carol.
The season includes productions of The Lehman Trilogy, The Prom, Hadestown, Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. The Tony Award-winning best revival Rogers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! that was previously set to open the season in August 2020 will now close the season in 2022....
Center Theatre Group artistic director Michael Ritchie announced this week that the 54th season at the Ahmanson will kick off Nov. 30 — three months later than originally scheduled and 20 months after shuttering due to Covid-19 — with director Matthew Warchus’ A Christmas Carol.
The season includes productions of The Lehman Trilogy, The Prom, Hadestown, Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. The Tony Award-winning best revival Rogers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! that was previously set to open the season in August 2020 will now close the season in 2022....
- 4/13/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Bad News Bears
Blu ray
Imprint
1976 / 1.78:1 / 102 min.
Starring Walter Matthau, Tatum O’Neal, Vic Morrow
Cinematography by John Alonzo
Directed by Michael Ritchie
W.C. Fields’ final screen appearance was a brief walk-on in Sensations of 1945, an overloaded variety show that barely found time for the great man. As usual Fields had the last laugh—thanks to his life-long aversion to authority, the comedian enjoyed a brief renaissance in the 70’s when his films were showcased at revival houses alongside those other counterculture champions, the Marx Brothers. Morris Buttermaker, the obstinate antihero of Michael Ritchie’s The Bad News Bears, is a W.C. Fields for The Me Decade. Like Fields, Buttermaker is a hard-drinking vagabond (he roams the San Fernando Valley cleaning swimming pools), boasts a tomato-shaped proboscis, and has little use for the world or its inhabitants—who else but Walter Matthau to play this slouching, grouching deadbeat.
Blu ray
Imprint
1976 / 1.78:1 / 102 min.
Starring Walter Matthau, Tatum O’Neal, Vic Morrow
Cinematography by John Alonzo
Directed by Michael Ritchie
W.C. Fields’ final screen appearance was a brief walk-on in Sensations of 1945, an overloaded variety show that barely found time for the great man. As usual Fields had the last laugh—thanks to his life-long aversion to authority, the comedian enjoyed a brief renaissance in the 70’s when his films were showcased at revival houses alongside those other counterculture champions, the Marx Brothers. Morris Buttermaker, the obstinate antihero of Michael Ritchie’s The Bad News Bears, is a W.C. Fields for The Me Decade. Like Fields, Buttermaker is a hard-drinking vagabond (he roams the San Fernando Valley cleaning swimming pools), boasts a tomato-shaped proboscis, and has little use for the world or its inhabitants—who else but Walter Matthau to play this slouching, grouching deadbeat.
- 3/27/2021
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Oscar-nominated screenwriter and producer Walter Bernstein, who survived the blacklist era by writing pseudonymous scripts for television and later wrote films including “Fail-Safe,” “The Front” and “Semi-Tough,” died on Jan. 22. He was 101.
Bernstein’s longtime friend and former WGA West president Howard Rodman shared the news of his death on Twitter Saturday. “Truly saddened to hear that Walter Bernstein – legendary screenwriter, and one of the great humans – died last night. He was 101. I feel so damn fortunate that three generations of our family got to know him.”
Truly saddened to hear that Walter Bernstein — legendary screenwriter, and one of the great humans — died last night. He was 101. I feel so damn fortunate that three generations of our family got to know him.
Here's Walter from 10 years ago, when he was a young man of 91. pic.twitter.com/yLGvTb3mJY
— Howard A. Rodman (@howardrodman) January 23, 2021
Bernstein’s promising writing career was...
Bernstein’s longtime friend and former WGA West president Howard Rodman shared the news of his death on Twitter Saturday. “Truly saddened to hear that Walter Bernstein – legendary screenwriter, and one of the great humans – died last night. He was 101. I feel so damn fortunate that three generations of our family got to know him.”
Truly saddened to hear that Walter Bernstein — legendary screenwriter, and one of the great humans — died last night. He was 101. I feel so damn fortunate that three generations of our family got to know him.
Here's Walter from 10 years ago, when he was a young man of 91. pic.twitter.com/yLGvTb3mJY
— Howard A. Rodman (@howardrodman) January 23, 2021
Bernstein’s promising writing career was...
- 1/23/2021
- by Richard Natale
- Variety Film + TV
The Summer Olympics are just a test of who can run fastest, jump highest, score the most goals. There’s real danger in the winter games! Try skiing down a mountain at high speeds, taking a sled through an icy slide, jumping as far as you can and not breaking your legs on a massive ski jump or not breaking your neck by falling on the ice. The best movies set at the Winter Olympics are about the underdogs who risked their lives and surprised the world…and Will Ferrell sliding crotch first across the ice. But they’re still exciting!
“Downhill Racer” (1969)
“Downhill Racer” came out when Robert Redford was at the peak of his fame and when Gene Hackman was just at the beginning of a run of sensational performances, so you know Michael Ritchie’s film has to be good. “Downhill Racer” is a tense drama about...
“Downhill Racer” (1969)
“Downhill Racer” came out when Robert Redford was at the peak of his fame and when Gene Hackman was just at the beginning of a run of sensational performances, so you know Michael Ritchie’s film has to be good. “Downhill Racer” is a tense drama about...
- 1/22/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Director Michael Ritchie’s lurid crime tale finds hot buttons to push you didn’t know existed. Lee Marvin plays a mobster trying to collect a debt from meatpacking boss Gene Hackman who runs a human trafficking ring populated by female virgins who, while awaiting the auction block, bide their time in cattle pens. Despite the dicey material (including scenes of animal slaughter), the film opened to fairly positive reviews. Ahh, the amazing ’70s! Notable as the first credited role for a frequently nude Sissy Spacek and a supporting turn from Gregory Walcott (Plan 9 From Outer Space)!
The post Prime Cut appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post Prime Cut appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 10/16/2020
- by TFH Team
- Trailers from Hell
Pairing wine with movies! See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell. Crime is a hot topic in the movies, but be careful – you don’t always know who the criminals are.
Clay Pigeon didn’t exactly set 1971 on fire, but if it had it would have been liable for more serious crimes than artistic ones. Plus, in the pairing-wine-with-movies biz, it’s always touch-and-go when dealing with a movie involving substance abuse. The laughs don’t exactly fall out of the balcony.
This movie starred Tom Stern, who also co-directed with Lane Slate. You may know Stern as the one-time husband of Samantha Eggar, or he may be on your radar for being what IMDb calls the “Orson Welles of ‘60s biker movies.” Citizen Knucklehead, anyone?
In Clay Pigeon, he was a Vietnam vet who wanted to kick hard drugs.
Clay Pigeon didn’t exactly set 1971 on fire, but if it had it would have been liable for more serious crimes than artistic ones. Plus, in the pairing-wine-with-movies biz, it’s always touch-and-go when dealing with a movie involving substance abuse. The laughs don’t exactly fall out of the balcony.
This movie starred Tom Stern, who also co-directed with Lane Slate. You may know Stern as the one-time husband of Samantha Eggar, or he may be on your radar for being what IMDb calls the “Orson Welles of ‘60s biker movies.” Citizen Knucklehead, anyone?
In Clay Pigeon, he was a Vietnam vet who wanted to kick hard drugs.
- 10/14/2020
- by Randy Fuller
- Trailers from Hell
If the Fletch reboot movie project was an undercover prostate exam, it would have had ample time to belt out “Moon River” many times over. While such a project was recently revived by Miramax, this time starring Jon Hamm, the process has been one marred by so much difficulty, it has been referred to as a cursed endeavor. It’s a notion to which Bill Lawrence, co-creator of Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso, can attest, having once been attached as director for Fletch.
The effort to revive and/or reboot Fletch, the Chevy Chase-starring 1980s comedic detective film franchise based on the late Gregory McDonald’s novels, makes for a lengthy tale. Lawrence, best known as the creator of NBC sitcom Scrubs, came into the project in the mid-2000s as writer/director for an adaptation of the eighth book, Fletch Won, after long-held plans for Kevin Smith—fresh...
The effort to revive and/or reboot Fletch, the Chevy Chase-starring 1980s comedic detective film franchise based on the late Gregory McDonald’s novels, makes for a lengthy tale. Lawrence, best known as the creator of NBC sitcom Scrubs, came into the project in the mid-2000s as writer/director for an adaptation of the eighth book, Fletch Won, after long-held plans for Kevin Smith—fresh...
- 8/21/2020
- by Joseph Baxter
- Den of Geek
We told you. Remember the rules. You didn’t listen. Now we’re Back with an all new batch of guest recommendations featuring Blake Masters, Julien Nitzberg, Floyd Norman, Tuppence Middleton and Blaire Bercy.
Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wild Angels (1966)
Spirits of the Dead (1966)
The Trip (1967)
Mooch Goes To Hollywood (1971)
Stalker (1979)
The Candidate (1972)
The Parallax View (1974)
Network (1976)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Ace In The Hole (1951)
Margin Call (2011)
Death Wish (1974)
Death Wish (2018)
Seconds (1966)
Soylent Green (1973)
Rage (1972)
Assault on Wall Street (2013)
Repo Man (1984)
Elmer Gantry (1960)
The Train (1965)
Clouds of Sils Maria (2014)
Strange Brew (1983)
To Have And Have Not (1944)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
Easter Parade (1948)
The Band Wagon (1953)
Guys And Dolls (1955)
On The Town (1949)
Casablanca (1942)
The Dirt Gang (1972)
Back To The Future (1985)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
The Big Sleep (1946)
Bomba, the Jungle Boy (1949)
My Man Godfrey...
Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wild Angels (1966)
Spirits of the Dead (1966)
The Trip (1967)
Mooch Goes To Hollywood (1971)
Stalker (1979)
The Candidate (1972)
The Parallax View (1974)
Network (1976)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Ace In The Hole (1951)
Margin Call (2011)
Death Wish (1974)
Death Wish (2018)
Seconds (1966)
Soylent Green (1973)
Rage (1972)
Assault on Wall Street (2013)
Repo Man (1984)
Elmer Gantry (1960)
The Train (1965)
Clouds of Sils Maria (2014)
Strange Brew (1983)
To Have And Have Not (1944)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
Easter Parade (1948)
The Band Wagon (1953)
Guys And Dolls (1955)
On The Town (1949)
Casablanca (1942)
The Dirt Gang (1972)
Back To The Future (1985)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
The Big Sleep (1946)
Bomba, the Jungle Boy (1949)
My Man Godfrey...
- 8/14/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Jon Hamm has signed on to star in a planned reboot of the Chevy Chase movie ‘Fletch’ at Miramax.
Hamm is set to take on the role of the quick-witted investigative reporter played by Chase in the 80’s movie.
Based on the second book in the Gregory McDonald series, “Confess Fletch.” In a mysterious chain of events, Fletch finds himself in the middle of multiple murders — one of which pins him as a prime suspect. While on a quest to prove his innocence, Fletch is tasked with finding his fiancée’s stolen art collection, acquired after her father goes missing and is presumed dead.
Greg Mottola will direct from a script by Zev Borrow. Hamm will also produce alongside manager/producer Connie Tavel.
Also in news – Michelle Williams and Oscar Isaac to star limited series adaptation of ‘Scenes from a Marriage’
Released in 1985, ‘Fletch’ is a neo-noir comedy thriller film...
Hamm is set to take on the role of the quick-witted investigative reporter played by Chase in the 80’s movie.
Based on the second book in the Gregory McDonald series, “Confess Fletch.” In a mysterious chain of events, Fletch finds himself in the middle of multiple murders — one of which pins him as a prime suspect. While on a quest to prove his innocence, Fletch is tasked with finding his fiancée’s stolen art collection, acquired after her father goes missing and is presumed dead.
Greg Mottola will direct from a script by Zev Borrow. Hamm will also produce alongside manager/producer Connie Tavel.
Also in news – Michelle Williams and Oscar Isaac to star limited series adaptation of ‘Scenes from a Marriage’
Released in 1985, ‘Fletch’ is a neo-noir comedy thriller film...
- 7/16/2020
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
A modern-day reboot of “Fletch” is in the works, with Jon Hamm set to star as the quick-witted investigative reporter character originally played by Chevy Chase in 1985’s “Fletch” and its sequel “Fletch Lives.”
The project, unveiled Wednesday by Miramax, is based on the second book in Gregory McDonald series, “Confess Fletch.” In a mysterious chain of events, Fletch finds himself in the middle of multiple murders — one of which pins him as a prime suspect. While on a quest to prove his innocence, Fletch is tasked with finding his fiancée’s stolen art collection, acquired after her father goes missing and is presumed dead.
Hamm will also produce alongside manager/producer Connie Tavel. Greg Mottola, whose credits include “Superbad,” “Adventureland” and “Arrested Development,” will direct from a script by Zev Borrow. David List will executive produce the film.
“Fletch’s duration over audiences — whether told on paper or the...
The project, unveiled Wednesday by Miramax, is based on the second book in Gregory McDonald series, “Confess Fletch.” In a mysterious chain of events, Fletch finds himself in the middle of multiple murders — one of which pins him as a prime suspect. While on a quest to prove his innocence, Fletch is tasked with finding his fiancée’s stolen art collection, acquired after her father goes missing and is presumed dead.
Hamm will also produce alongside manager/producer Connie Tavel. Greg Mottola, whose credits include “Superbad,” “Adventureland” and “Arrested Development,” will direct from a script by Zev Borrow. David List will executive produce the film.
“Fletch’s duration over audiences — whether told on paper or the...
- 7/15/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Jon Hamm is set to produce and star in a rebooted, modernized take on “Fletch,” the character from the 1970s mystery novels first portrayed on screen by Chevy Chase in the classic 1985 comedy.
Miramax is behind the new adaptation of the “Fletch” character based on the novels by Gregory Mcdonald, and “Superbad” director Greg Mottola will direct from a script by “Lethal Weapon” writer Zev Borow. Hamm and Connie Tavel are producing, and David List is an executive producer.
In the books, Irwin M. Fletcher is a brazen, investigative reporter and ex-marine who alternates between writing stories, investigating other mysteries and dodging alimony payments for his ex-wives. And Chase as Fletch frequently assumes different identities, costumes and characters as part of his unusual investigative tactics.
Also Read: Jimmy Kimmel's 'Celebrity Mean Tweets': Jon Hamm Is a 'Softboy,' Will Ferrell 'Just Screams' (Video)
While the Chase movie is strictly a comedy,...
Miramax is behind the new adaptation of the “Fletch” character based on the novels by Gregory Mcdonald, and “Superbad” director Greg Mottola will direct from a script by “Lethal Weapon” writer Zev Borow. Hamm and Connie Tavel are producing, and David List is an executive producer.
In the books, Irwin M. Fletcher is a brazen, investigative reporter and ex-marine who alternates between writing stories, investigating other mysteries and dodging alimony payments for his ex-wives. And Chase as Fletch frequently assumes different identities, costumes and characters as part of his unusual investigative tactics.
Also Read: Jimmy Kimmel's 'Celebrity Mean Tweets': Jon Hamm Is a 'Softboy,' Will Ferrell 'Just Screams' (Video)
While the Chase movie is strictly a comedy,...
- 7/15/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Fletch is making a comeback: Jon Hamm will star in and produce a new feature film about the brazen investigative reporter to be directed by Superbad‘s Greg Mottola and hail from Miramax. The movie, like the Chevy Chase films in the 1980s, is based on Gregory Mcdonald’s 1970s and 1980s Fletch mystery novels.
The new film adaptation will specifically be based on the second book in the Mcdonald series, Confess, Fletch. In a mysterious chain of wild events, Fletch finds himself in the middle of multiple murders — one of which pins him as a prime suspect. While on a quest to prove his innocence, Fletch is tasked with finding his fiancée’s stolen art collection, the only inheritance she’s acquired after her father goes missing and is presumed dead. Zev Borow, consulting producer of the Lethal Weapon TV series, will be penning the feature adaptation.
The first Chase movie Fletch,...
The new film adaptation will specifically be based on the second book in the Mcdonald series, Confess, Fletch. In a mysterious chain of wild events, Fletch finds himself in the middle of multiple murders — one of which pins him as a prime suspect. While on a quest to prove his innocence, Fletch is tasked with finding his fiancée’s stolen art collection, the only inheritance she’s acquired after her father goes missing and is presumed dead. Zev Borow, consulting producer of the Lethal Weapon TV series, will be penning the feature adaptation.
The first Chase movie Fletch,...
- 7/15/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Above: Alternative and official UK posters for Parasite. Designers: Andrew Bannister (left) and La Boca (right).It’s been far too long since I last did one of these round-ups: nine months to be exact. A lot has changed in the world over that time of course, the most pertinent to this column being that far fewer new posters have premiered recently, and that the distractions and stresses of our current situation have led to me posting less frequently than I usually do.But, as I’ve been doing for many years, I have tallied up the most popular posters featured on my Movie Poster of the Day Instagram (previously Tumblr) and by a long shot the most popular posts of the past nine months were for the two U.K. Parasite posters above. If it seems I’m giving these astonishing works short shrift by lumping them together here...
- 5/22/2020
- MUBI
In 1977 Burt Reynolds was on top of the Hollywood world, a bankable star whose popularity knew no bounds. In between his payday Smokey and the Bandit vehicles, he tried working with directors Peter Bogdanovich, Robert Aldrich, Stanley Donen … and with this film, the highly entertaining, somewhat unpredictable Michael Ritchie. The adaptation of Dan Jenkins’ NFL football book takes a left turn into social satire (or honest reportage), and centers on a romantic triangle with Jill Clayburgh and Kris Kristofferson. You might not remember all of its non- PC rough edges … which were already Sop for comedies of the ’70s.
Semi-Tough
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1977 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 108 min. / Street Date January 21, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, Jill Clayburgh, Robert Preston, Brian Dennehy, Bert Convy, Roger E. Mosley, Lotte Lenya, Richard Masur, Carl Weathers, Mary Jo Catlett, Ron Silver.
Cinematography: Charles Rosher Jr.
Film Editor: Richard A.
Semi-Tough
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1977 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 108 min. / Street Date January 21, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, Jill Clayburgh, Robert Preston, Brian Dennehy, Bert Convy, Roger E. Mosley, Lotte Lenya, Richard Masur, Carl Weathers, Mary Jo Catlett, Ron Silver.
Cinematography: Charles Rosher Jr.
Film Editor: Richard A.
- 2/29/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Every Tuesday, discriminating viewers are confronted with a flurry of choices: new releases on disc and on-demand, vintage and original movies on any number of streaming platforms, catalog titles making a splash on Blu-ray or 4K. This weekly column sifts through all of those choices to pluck out the movies most worth your time, no matter how you’re watching.
Read More: The 100 Best Films Of The Decade [2010s]
This (busy) week: a pair of new streaming originals, one of the best movies of 2019, one of the best movies of 1972, an underseen indie flick and studio cop movie from late last year, and must-have catalog titles from Jean-Luc Godard and Michael Ritchie.
Continue reading The 8 Best Movies To Buy Or Stream This Week: ‘Pain & Glory,’ ‘Give Me Liberty’ at The Playlist.
Read More: The 100 Best Films Of The Decade [2010s]
This (busy) week: a pair of new streaming originals, one of the best movies of 2019, one of the best movies of 1972, an underseen indie flick and studio cop movie from late last year, and must-have catalog titles from Jean-Luc Godard and Michael Ritchie.
Continue reading The 8 Best Movies To Buy Or Stream This Week: ‘Pain & Glory,’ ‘Give Me Liberty’ at The Playlist.
- 1/21/2020
- by The Playlist
- The Playlist
Denise Nickerson, best known for playing the snobby, gum-chomping Violet Beauregarde in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, has died following a series of medical issues. The actress’ family confirmed her death in a Facebook post, writing, “She’s gone.” Nickerson was 62.
Nickerson suffered a “major medical emergency” at home on Monday, followed by seizures and both pulmonary and respiratory distress. She was admitted to the intensive unit of a Colorado hospital, where doctors also discovered that she had aspirated and developed pneumonia. She previously endured a severe...
Nickerson suffered a “major medical emergency” at home on Monday, followed by seizures and both pulmonary and respiratory distress. She was admitted to the intensive unit of a Colorado hospital, where doctors also discovered that she had aspirated and developed pneumonia. She previously endured a severe...
- 7/11/2019
- by Ryan Reed
- Rollingstone.com
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