What if finding out the truth got you killed?
Duplass Brothers Productions backs the looks-to-be-chilling Netflix docuseries “American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders,” which reexamines the death of West Virginian journalist Danny Casolaro. From the producers of “Wild Wild Country,” the series uncovers the organization known as the “octopus,” comprised of former government officials whose “tentacles” reach every part of the U.S. That was thanks to the software program Promis, which was used by the CIA.
The official synopsis for the four-part docuseries reads: “When journalist Danny Casolaro was found dead in a hotel bathtub, police ruled it a suicide. But his family and colleagues believe he may have been murdered for investigating a conspiracy he called ‘The Octopus,’ a hidden organization connected to stolen government spy software, a string of unsolved murders, and some of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century. Years later, researcher Christian Hansen pushes...
Duplass Brothers Productions backs the looks-to-be-chilling Netflix docuseries “American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders,” which reexamines the death of West Virginian journalist Danny Casolaro. From the producers of “Wild Wild Country,” the series uncovers the organization known as the “octopus,” comprised of former government officials whose “tentacles” reach every part of the U.S. That was thanks to the software program Promis, which was used by the CIA.
The official synopsis for the four-part docuseries reads: “When journalist Danny Casolaro was found dead in a hotel bathtub, police ruled it a suicide. But his family and colleagues believe he may have been murdered for investigating a conspiracy he called ‘The Octopus,’ a hidden organization connected to stolen government spy software, a string of unsolved murders, and some of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century. Years later, researcher Christian Hansen pushes...
- 2/8/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Netflix is investigating a strange conspiracy about a hidden organization known as The Octopus in its latest crime docuseries.
The streamer has ordered American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders. It comes from Duplass Brothers Productions and Stardust Frames, the two companies behind Netflix’s hit docuseries Wild Wild Country and will be directed by Zachary Treitz (Men Go To Battle).
It starts with the death of journalist Danny Casolaro, who was found in a hotel bathtub and the police ruled it a suicide. But his family and colleagues believe he may have been murdered for investigating a conspiracy he called “The Octopus” – a hidden organization connected to stolen government spy software, a string of unsolved murders, and some of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century. Years later, researcher Christian Hansen pushes to uncover the secrets behind Casolaro’s death, and the story that killed him.
The four-part series,...
The streamer has ordered American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders. It comes from Duplass Brothers Productions and Stardust Frames, the two companies behind Netflix’s hit docuseries Wild Wild Country and will be directed by Zachary Treitz (Men Go To Battle).
It starts with the death of journalist Danny Casolaro, who was found in a hotel bathtub and the police ruled it a suicide. But his family and colleagues believe he may have been murdered for investigating a conspiracy he called “The Octopus” – a hidden organization connected to stolen government spy software, a string of unsolved murders, and some of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century. Years later, researcher Christian Hansen pushes to uncover the secrets behind Casolaro’s death, and the story that killed him.
The four-part series,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
The 34th Annual Ida Documentary Awards were handed out Saturday night at the Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles with Bing Liu’s Minding The Gap taking top honors in the Best Feature category.
Hosted by actress and producer Ricki Lake, the ceremony also honored Floyd Russ’s Zion as Best Short as well as Netflix’s Wild Wild Country which won for Best Limited Series.
Other winners for the evening included HBO’s John McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls for the ABC News VideoSource Award, PBS’ Pov for Best Curated Series, Showtime’s The Trade for Best Episodic Series, Mel Films for Best Short Form Series, and Jayisha Patel’s Circle for the David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award. The New York Times’ Caliphate won the inaugural Best Audio Documentary category.
In addition, the Career Achievement Award was presented to three-time Academy Award winner Julia Reichert and Ida...
Hosted by actress and producer Ricki Lake, the ceremony also honored Floyd Russ’s Zion as Best Short as well as Netflix’s Wild Wild Country which won for Best Limited Series.
Other winners for the evening included HBO’s John McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls for the ABC News VideoSource Award, PBS’ Pov for Best Curated Series, Showtime’s The Trade for Best Episodic Series, Mel Films for Best Short Form Series, and Jayisha Patel’s Circle for the David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award. The New York Times’ Caliphate won the inaugural Best Audio Documentary category.
In addition, the Career Achievement Award was presented to three-time Academy Award winner Julia Reichert and Ida...
- 12/9/2018
- by Erik Pedersen and Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
“Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” was one of the many winners on day two of the Creative Arts Emmys Sunday, taking the award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live), which resulted in its producers John Legend, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Weber getting the final trophy needed to become Egot members.
The trio, who now are among the few performers who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony, celebrated the five Emmy wins in total for “Superstar” over the two-day award ceremony that honors the best and the brightest in reality television, variety series and nonfiction programming, among others.
Other standout moments included three awards for “Queer Eye” (a reboot after being away for 11 years) and six posthumous trophies for Anthony Bourdain and his CNN show “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.”
Also Read: Netflix Snaps HBO's 17-Year Emmys Streak
Saturday’s award winners included “USS Callister...
The trio, who now are among the few performers who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony, celebrated the five Emmy wins in total for “Superstar” over the two-day award ceremony that honors the best and the brightest in reality television, variety series and nonfiction programming, among others.
Other standout moments included three awards for “Queer Eye” (a reboot after being away for 11 years) and six posthumous trophies for Anthony Bourdain and his CNN show “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.”
Also Read: Netflix Snaps HBO's 17-Year Emmys Streak
Saturday’s award winners included “USS Callister...
- 9/9/2018
- by Linda Xu
- The Wrap
Kurt Russell had a couple of good reasons for hosting a reception on Saturday for “Wild, Wild Country,” the Netflix documentary about the 1970s and ‘80s Oregon-based Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his community of followers.
Not only did Russell’s nephews, brothers Maclain and Chapman Way, direct the six-and-a-half-hour series, but the “Guardians of the Galaxy” actor lived near the Rajneeshees in Portland at the time.
“I happened to be in Portland when a lot of this was going on so when they started talking about it, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah—the Bhagwan! He was around,'” Russell told Variety.
The breakout character of the series is Bhagwan’s assistant Ma Anand Sheela, who spent 24 months in federal prison after being convicted in 1984 of attempted murder when more than 700 people in The Dalles, Oregon suffered food poisoning after Sheela instructed followers to contaminate local salad bars with Salmonella.
Not only did Russell’s nephews, brothers Maclain and Chapman Way, direct the six-and-a-half-hour series, but the “Guardians of the Galaxy” actor lived near the Rajneeshees in Portland at the time.
“I happened to be in Portland when a lot of this was going on so when they started talking about it, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah—the Bhagwan! He was around,'” Russell told Variety.
The breakout character of the series is Bhagwan’s assistant Ma Anand Sheela, who spent 24 months in federal prison after being convicted in 1984 of attempted murder when more than 700 people in The Dalles, Oregon suffered food poisoning after Sheela instructed followers to contaminate local salad bars with Salmonella.
- 8/5/2018
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
In today’s film news roundup, “Scarface” will back in theaters for three days in June, Bill Hader will be at the Produced By conference, and PR vet Gita Amar is named to a statewide census panel.
Re-release
Universal Pictures, Screenvision Media, and the Tribeca Film Festival are bringing back “Scarface” to movie theaters on June 10, 11, and 13 in celebration of its 35th anniversary.
Additionally, screenings will be followed by footage of the Tribeca post-screening conversation in April, during which “Scarface” director Brian De Palma, along with actors Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Steven Bauer reunited to discuss the film and its lasting impact. Screenings will take place at select sites in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, and other cities.
“’Scarface’ is a timeless film that has influenced pop culture in so many ways over the last 35 years,” said Darryl Schaffer, executive vice president of operations and exhibitor relations,...
Re-release
Universal Pictures, Screenvision Media, and the Tribeca Film Festival are bringing back “Scarface” to movie theaters on June 10, 11, and 13 in celebration of its 35th anniversary.
Additionally, screenings will be followed by footage of the Tribeca post-screening conversation in April, during which “Scarface” director Brian De Palma, along with actors Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Steven Bauer reunited to discuss the film and its lasting impact. Screenings will take place at select sites in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, and other cities.
“’Scarface’ is a timeless film that has influenced pop culture in so many ways over the last 35 years,” said Darryl Schaffer, executive vice president of operations and exhibitor relations,...
- 5/24/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Documentary filmmaking brothers Chapman Way and Maclain Way, who most recently produced and directed the six-part, Netflix docu-series Wild Wild Country, has signed with UTA in all areas.
The brothers’ Wild Wild Country took place in the 1980s and followed Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his spiritual religious cult as they inhabited a conservative community in central Oregon. The series premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and officially launched on March 16, drawing unanimous acclaim.
It was produced under the Way Brothers’ Stardust Frames Productions banner together with Duplass Brothers Productions. The Way brothers (through Stardust) are currently in production on a feature length documentary filming out of Knoxville, Tennessee set for release in early 2019 and are in pre-production on two documentary series set to go into production in Summer 2018.
Their company Stardust Frames Productions is a collective of filmmakers, editors, composers and producers based in Los Angeles that specialize in non-fiction content,...
The brothers’ Wild Wild Country took place in the 1980s and followed Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his spiritual religious cult as they inhabited a conservative community in central Oregon. The series premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and officially launched on March 16, drawing unanimous acclaim.
It was produced under the Way Brothers’ Stardust Frames Productions banner together with Duplass Brothers Productions. The Way brothers (through Stardust) are currently in production on a feature length documentary filming out of Knoxville, Tennessee set for release in early 2019 and are in pre-production on two documentary series set to go into production in Summer 2018.
Their company Stardust Frames Productions is a collective of filmmakers, editors, composers and producers based in Los Angeles that specialize in non-fiction content,...
- 3/29/2018
- by Anita Busch
- Deadline Film + TV
At the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, TV is invading the schedule in a whole new way. The Park City film fest has previously dabbled in what’s possible on the small screen, but this year marks the launch of the Indie Episodics section — which will spotlight TV pilots that mostly lack mainstream distribution.
The selections include “America to Me,” a new docu-series by “Hoop Dreams” director Steve James; as well as “The Mortified Guide,” a screen adaptation of the popular stage show “Mortified,” spotlighting the most embarrassing true stories of adolescence. There’s also “This Close,” showcasing star/creators Josh Feldman and Shoshannah Stern (both of whom are deaf), and “Franchesca,” featuring digital star and “The Nightly Show” writer/contributor Franchesca Ramsey.
This marks a major change for Sundance, and a renewed commitment to independent television. While Sundance has featured TV programming since the premiere of “Top of the Lake” in...
The selections include “America to Me,” a new docu-series by “Hoop Dreams” director Steve James; as well as “The Mortified Guide,” a screen adaptation of the popular stage show “Mortified,” spotlighting the most embarrassing true stories of adolescence. There’s also “This Close,” showcasing star/creators Josh Feldman and Shoshannah Stern (both of whom are deaf), and “Franchesca,” featuring digital star and “The Nightly Show” writer/contributor Franchesca Ramsey.
This marks a major change for Sundance, and a renewed commitment to independent television. While Sundance has featured TV programming since the premiere of “Top of the Lake” in...
- 12/4/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Netflix plans to debut three original documentaries over the next few months. First up is The Battered Bastards Of Baseball. It chronicles how in 1973 Bonanza actor Bing Russell formed what at the time was America’s sole independent baseball team. Seen as a real-life version of the Bad News Bears, the Mavericks lasted three years before they were pushed out of Portland by the return of the major-league-backed Portland Beavers. The pic was co-directed by Chapman Way and Maclain Way, produced by Juliana Lembi, exec produced by Nancy Schafer and includes cast members Kurt Russell (Bing Russell’s son) and Todd Fields. It’s set to premiere July 11 on Netflix. Also on the slate is Mission Blue. It tells the story of legendary oceanographer, marine biologist, environmentalist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Sylvia Earle and her impassioned campaign to save the world’s oceans from modern threats like climate change,...
- 5/9/2014
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
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