This year’s Tonys will be held on June 16, so the American Theatre Wing will likely be announcing its Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in the near future. Who do you think should take home this prestigious trophy, which honors an individual’s body of work? It has gone to veteran stage performers, directors, choreographers, playwrights, songwriters, producers and designers. In some years we get multiple recipients.
Last year these honors went to actor Joel Grey and composer John Kander. The following living male Broadway vets have also received this award in the past and thus won’t be chosen again: Paul Gemignani, Alan Ayckbourn, Athol Fugard, Marshall W. Mason, Tommy Tune, James Earl Jones, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Harold Wheeler.
Here are 10 possibilities featured in our poll below, all accomplished men over the age of 65. Vote to let us know who you’d like to see honored. And take a...
Last year these honors went to actor Joel Grey and composer John Kander. The following living male Broadway vets have also received this award in the past and thus won’t be chosen again: Paul Gemignani, Alan Ayckbourn, Athol Fugard, Marshall W. Mason, Tommy Tune, James Earl Jones, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Harold Wheeler.
Here are 10 possibilities featured in our poll below, all accomplished men over the age of 65. Vote to let us know who you’d like to see honored. And take a...
- 3/26/2024
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Frank Sinatra went through phases like he went through wives. The legendary crooner and movie star could exhibit impeccable taste for what people wanted to see and hear, and then, in a few year's time, completely lose his grasp of the zeitgeist.
Sinatra was threatening to enter one of his down periods in the mid-1960s. The popular music scene was in the throes of Beatlemania, while moviegoers were tiring of the Rat Pack's antics. Who wanted to see Sinatra and the gang saunter their way through Western and gangster pastiches like "4 for Texas" and "Robin and the 7 Hoods" when they could watch Elvis Presley set the screen ablaze with Ann-Margret in "Viva Las Vegas"?
To be fair, Sinatra was still Sinatra, but after giving one of his finest performances in John Frankenheimer's "The Manchurian Candidate," he started playing it way too safe. Bud Yorkin and...
Sinatra was threatening to enter one of his down periods in the mid-1960s. The popular music scene was in the throes of Beatlemania, while moviegoers were tiring of the Rat Pack's antics. Who wanted to see Sinatra and the gang saunter their way through Western and gangster pastiches like "4 for Texas" and "Robin and the 7 Hoods" when they could watch Elvis Presley set the screen ablaze with Ann-Margret in "Viva Las Vegas"?
To be fair, Sinatra was still Sinatra, but after giving one of his finest performances in John Frankenheimer's "The Manchurian Candidate," he started playing it way too safe. Bud Yorkin and...
- 2/1/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
When "Cheers" returned to NBC's airwaves for its third season, viewers were desperate to see how bartender Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) had handled their breakup at the conclusion of the previous season's finale. Had they moved on or possibly reconciled?
The answer was a little more complicated than perhaps many fans expected.
Recovering alcoholic Sam was back on the sauce and carousing with self-destructive abandon. Diane was, as ever, Diane, but she couldn't bear to see Sam in such a rough way. She didn't want to get back together with him, certainly not while he was scraping rock bottom, but she still cared about her ex. She needed to see him in at least a semi-functional state. She needed to get him help. And she believed she knew just the man who could throw him a lifeline.
That man, of course, was psychiatrist Frasier Crane.
The answer was a little more complicated than perhaps many fans expected.
Recovering alcoholic Sam was back on the sauce and carousing with self-destructive abandon. Diane was, as ever, Diane, but she couldn't bear to see Sam in such a rough way. She didn't want to get back together with him, certainly not while he was scraping rock bottom, but she still cared about her ex. She needed to see him in at least a semi-functional state. She needed to get him help. And she believed she knew just the man who could throw him a lifeline.
That man, of course, was psychiatrist Frasier Crane.
- 1/16/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
When the 1962-1963 American television season kicked off, there was a notable absence on CBS' schedule: "The Twilight Zone" had been bumped from its Friday 10 Pm timeslot and replaced by a new sitcom titled "Fair Exchange." This was quite the blow to its devoted fans, who adored the series for its unusually heady treatment of the science fiction, horror, and suspense genres. Though that itch would get scratched by the debut of ABC's "The Outer Limits," viewers looked forward to embarking on mind-bending journeys once a week with the show's creator and frequent writer Rod Serling.
Fortunately, CBS had no plans to cancel "The Twilight Zone." The show just needed to find a new sponsor before it could once again haunt the airwaves. Once this issue got settled, CBS was keen to trumpet its January 1963 return in any way it could -- and it hit upon a brilliant bit of...
Fortunately, CBS had no plans to cancel "The Twilight Zone." The show just needed to find a new sponsor before it could once again haunt the airwaves. Once this issue got settled, CBS was keen to trumpet its January 1963 return in any way it could -- and it hit upon a brilliant bit of...
- 1/1/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The key to the success of Rod Serling's original run of "The Twilight Zone" (and its enduring popularity) was ingenuity in all aspects of production. Obviously, the writing was almost always top-notch, with episodes boasting wildly clever premises from genre masters like Richard Matheson, Charles Beaumont, and George Clayton Johnson. Though the budgets were modest, directors employed all manner of trickery and inventive makeup effects to dazzle and/or terrify viewers. Meanwhile, the strange tales conjured by Serling's stable of scribes required fully committed performances from actors both established and new to the scene. They had to roll with the weirdness.
On certain occasions, however, Serling and his collaborators couldn't resort to special effects to transport their audience. Sometimes, they had to shell out some dough and wow 'em with the real thing. And sometimes this forced the director to scramble a good deal more than usual. Such was...
On certain occasions, however, Serling and his collaborators couldn't resort to special effects to transport their audience. Sometimes, they had to shell out some dough and wow 'em with the real thing. And sometimes this forced the director to scramble a good deal more than usual. Such was...
- 11/19/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Nobody can predict the future, but sometimes our predictions are way, way off. Back in 1946, 20th Century Fox studio executive and Oscar-winning film producer Daryl F. Zanuck said television was a fad that would run its course in six months. "People," he argued, "will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night."
Zanuck was wrong. Television not only changed the industry, it changed the world. And over time this medium that seemed like a flash in the pan developed its own identity, not just as an industry but as an art form. Brilliant writers like Paddy Chayefsky and Rod Serling helped push the stories told on television into exciting and challenging directions, setting the stage for ambitious standalone and serialized entertainments that wowed audiences and made a genuine impact.
One television series that made its mark and remains influential and iconic today is Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone,...
Zanuck was wrong. Television not only changed the industry, it changed the world. And over time this medium that seemed like a flash in the pan developed its own identity, not just as an industry but as an art form. Brilliant writers like Paddy Chayefsky and Rod Serling helped push the stories told on television into exciting and challenging directions, setting the stage for ambitious standalone and serialized entertainments that wowed audiences and made a genuine impact.
One television series that made its mark and remains influential and iconic today is Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone,...
- 11/12/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
In the world of television, first impressions are everything. A great pilot episode is a promise to the audience, telling them what the show is about and how it will go about it, in the hopes that people will be so impressed that they'll tune in every week. If you don't grab them early, you might lose them altogether.
Case in point: If you watch the first episode of Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" you'll find that it is one of the most striking TV series debuts in history. The disturbing standalone tale "Where Is Everybody?" stars Earl Holliman ("Police Woman") as a man who finds himself in a town without any people in it. It's completely deserted from top to bottom, or is it? He keeps coming across signs that people were here, and he only just missed them. Trapped in a completely open world, alone in a...
Case in point: If you watch the first episode of Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" you'll find that it is one of the most striking TV series debuts in history. The disturbing standalone tale "Where Is Everybody?" stars Earl Holliman ("Police Woman") as a man who finds himself in a town without any people in it. It's completely deserted from top to bottom, or is it? He keeps coming across signs that people were here, and he only just missed them. Trapped in a completely open world, alone in a...
- 11/4/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
As an anthology television series, with new stories and new characters every single week, "The Twilight Zone" never had someone you could call a "main character." Audiences tuned in every week to see Jessica Fletcher catch killers on "Murder, She Wrote," and for Larry David to be a massive a-hole on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," but there was no single star in "The Twilight Zone."
There was, however, one person who appeared throughout the whole series, in pretty much every episode, if only briefly. His name was Rod Serling. He was already one of the most celebrated TV writers in the world when he created "The Twilight Zone," thanks to hard-hitting dramas like "Patterns" and "The Comedian," and his name was probably not unknown to many fans of televised programs when the series premiered. Over the course of "The Twilight Zone," he would introduce new episodes, tease upcoming stories, and generally...
There was, however, one person who appeared throughout the whole series, in pretty much every episode, if only briefly. His name was Rod Serling. He was already one of the most celebrated TV writers in the world when he created "The Twilight Zone," thanks to hard-hitting dramas like "Patterns" and "The Comedian," and his name was probably not unknown to many fans of televised programs when the series premiered. Over the course of "The Twilight Zone," he would introduce new episodes, tease upcoming stories, and generally...
- 10/6/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
There are a whole lot of things that Robert Redford is famous for: acting, directing, co-founding the Sundance Film Festival, being incredibly handsome, even running Hydra from within the United States government ... the list goes on and on and on. He became a silver screen icon in classic films like "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Way We Were," "The Sting," "Three Days of the Condor," "The Natural," "Sneakers," and "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." He even won an Academy Award for directing the acclaimed 1980 drama "Ordinary People."
But in spite of all that there's one thing that Robert Redford is not famous for, and that's his tireless work in the horror genre. That's because, despite an acting career that spanned 60 years, he never really made any horror films. You'd have to go way back to 1962 to find Redford's last real brush with the supernatural, but it's well worth the journey.
But in spite of all that there's one thing that Robert Redford is not famous for, and that's his tireless work in the horror genre. That's because, despite an acting career that spanned 60 years, he never really made any horror films. You'd have to go way back to 1962 to find Redford's last real brush with the supernatural, but it's well worth the journey.
- 9/4/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
It’s pretty common for limited series to be Emmy-nominated for both writing and directing, as demonstrated by current dual contenders “Beef” and “Fleishman Is in Trouble,” plus “The White Lotus” and the four 2022 shows it knocked out twice. The same cannot be said, however, for TV movies, which compete directly against non-continuing series in the composite Best Movie/Limited Writing and Directing categories. Prior to this year, no telefilm had achieved this nomination combo since 2014, but Hulu’s “Prey” just closed the gap, signaling a return to form for the genre.
“Prey,” which premiered in August 2022, is also gunning for the Best TV Movie Emmy and picked up bids for its sound editing, picture editing and music composition. Set in 18th century North America and featuring a primarily Indigenous cast, it serves as a prequel to the 1987 theatrical horror film “Predator,” which is now the nexus of a seven-part franchise.
“Prey,” which premiered in August 2022, is also gunning for the Best TV Movie Emmy and picked up bids for its sound editing, picture editing and music composition. Set in 18th century North America and featuring a primarily Indigenous cast, it serves as a prequel to the 1987 theatrical horror film “Predator,” which is now the nexus of a seven-part franchise.
- 7/28/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
‘Kalyug’ actor Kunal Khemu has been roped in for the comedy show, ‘Pop Kaun’, directed by Farhad Samji, who is known for his films like ‘Golmaal Returns’, ‘Housefull 2 and 3’ and ‘Golmaal Again’.
The actor shared that he did not take much time in accepting the offer as soon as the director narrated the script.
Kunal made his acting debut as a child actor with the TV show ‘Gul Gulshan Gulfaam’, and after playing the roles of child artists in several films, he was seen playing the male lead in the 2005 film ‘Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge’ ‘Kalyug’, which was directed by Mohit Suri, ‘Traffic Signal’, ‘Dhol’, ‘Superstar’, Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge’, ‘Blood Money’, ‘Go Goa Gone’, among others.
Kunal is now preparing for the release of his upcoming comedy show ‘Pop Kaun’, and he shared what made him say ‘yes’ to the show.
“When Farhad narrated the script to me, I almost fell off my chair.
The actor shared that he did not take much time in accepting the offer as soon as the director narrated the script.
Kunal made his acting debut as a child actor with the TV show ‘Gul Gulshan Gulfaam’, and after playing the roles of child artists in several films, he was seen playing the male lead in the 2005 film ‘Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge’ ‘Kalyug’, which was directed by Mohit Suri, ‘Traffic Signal’, ‘Dhol’, ‘Superstar’, Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge’, ‘Blood Money’, ‘Go Goa Gone’, among others.
Kunal is now preparing for the release of his upcoming comedy show ‘Pop Kaun’, and he shared what made him say ‘yes’ to the show.
“When Farhad narrated the script to me, I almost fell off my chair.
- 3/7/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
Today, March 6th, 2023, marks the 50th anniversary of Tom Waits’ debut album, Closing Time. To mark the occasion, Anti- Records has announced a new vinyl reissue.
The double LP set is pressed on black and clear vinyl cut at 45 Rpm, with half speed mastering by London’s Abbey Road Studios. It’s packaged in a gatefold jacket specially created with thicker board and black poly-lined inner sleeves. Pre-orders are now available through Waits’ website, ahead of its June 2nd release.
Last year, Waits marked the 20th anniversaries of his albums Alice and Blood Money with similar vinyl reissues.
The musician and actor was most recently seen in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2021 film, Licorice Pizza.
Tom Waits’ Debut Album, Closing Time, Gets 50th Anniversary Reissue
Alex Young...
The double LP set is pressed on black and clear vinyl cut at 45 Rpm, with half speed mastering by London’s Abbey Road Studios. It’s packaged in a gatefold jacket specially created with thicker board and black poly-lined inner sleeves. Pre-orders are now available through Waits’ website, ahead of its June 2nd release.
Last year, Waits marked the 20th anniversaries of his albums Alice and Blood Money with similar vinyl reissues.
The musician and actor was most recently seen in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2021 film, Licorice Pizza.
Tom Waits’ Debut Album, Closing Time, Gets 50th Anniversary Reissue
Alex Young...
- 3/6/2023
- by Alex Young
- Consequence - Music
Tom Waits marks the upcoming 20th-anniversary reissues for his Alice and Blood Money by unearthing a pair of unreleased performances of songs from those 2002 LPs.
The flamenco-flavored spin on Blood Money’s “All the World Is Green” was recorded in Milan, Italy, 2008 as part of Waits’ Glitter & Doom Tour, while the stripped-down piano rendition of Alice’s “Fish and Bird” was performed in London in 2004:
Both Alice and Blood Money were the result of Waits and co-writer Kathleen Brennan’s recent collaboration with playwright Robert Wilson, who they previously...
The flamenco-flavored spin on Blood Money’s “All the World Is Green” was recorded in Milan, Italy, 2008 as part of Waits’ Glitter & Doom Tour, while the stripped-down piano rendition of Alice’s “Fish and Bird” was performed in London in 2004:
Both Alice and Blood Money were the result of Waits and co-writer Kathleen Brennan’s recent collaboration with playwright Robert Wilson, who they previously...
- 8/8/2022
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
John Lithgow has joined the cast of Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” playing the role of a prosecutor. The two-time Oscar nominee will be be part of an ensemble that also includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemons.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” is based on David Grann’s best-selling book, which explores the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation during the 1920s.
The screenplay was written by Eric Roth and Scorsese, who also directs and serves as producer alongside Imperative Entertainment’s Dan Friedkin and Bradley Thomas and Appian Way Productions.
The project is a statement-maker for Apple, which is starting to spend heavily and aligning itself with top talent as it tries to break into the original film game. Upcoming projects for the streamer include “Emancipation,” from director Antoine Fuqua and Will Smith; “Lessons in Chemistry” starring Brie Larson; and “Snow Blind,...
“Killers of the Flower Moon” is based on David Grann’s best-selling book, which explores the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation during the 1920s.
The screenplay was written by Eric Roth and Scorsese, who also directs and serves as producer alongside Imperative Entertainment’s Dan Friedkin and Bradley Thomas and Appian Way Productions.
The project is a statement-maker for Apple, which is starting to spend heavily and aligning itself with top talent as it tries to break into the original film game. Upcoming projects for the streamer include “Emancipation,” from director Antoine Fuqua and Will Smith; “Lessons in Chemistry” starring Brie Larson; and “Snow Blind,...
- 8/10/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Sean Connery, one of the truly iconic actors of Hollywood, died overnight in the Bahamas at the age of 90. No cause of death was announced.
The Scottish actor’s career spanned five-decades in which he played a wide range of unforgettable characters, many of them iconic on their own. But he will always be known as the first, best and most recognizable actor to play the British Spy with the license to kill, James Bond. He played Agent 007 in seven movies, beginning with the first James Bond movie Dr. No in 1962.
But Connery was no mere espionage agent, and he certainly wasn’t secret. Connery starred opposite Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1964 film Marnie. He stood out in a crowded all-star cast in Murder on the Orient Express from 1974. He escaped Alcatraz in The Rock (1996), defected to the United States in The Hunt for Red October, saved the day...
The Scottish actor’s career spanned five-decades in which he played a wide range of unforgettable characters, many of them iconic on their own. But he will always be known as the first, best and most recognizable actor to play the British Spy with the license to kill, James Bond. He played Agent 007 in seven movies, beginning with the first James Bond movie Dr. No in 1962.
But Connery was no mere espionage agent, and he certainly wasn’t secret. Connery starred opposite Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1964 film Marnie. He stood out in a crowded all-star cast in Murder on the Orient Express from 1974. He escaped Alcatraz in The Rock (1996), defected to the United States in The Hunt for Red October, saved the day...
- 10/31/2020
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
Sean Connery, the Scottish-born actor who shot to worldwide fame originating the role of James Bond in the long-running movie franchise, has died at age 90.
Connery died overnight in his sleep while in his home in the Bahamas, the BBC reported Saturday.
Connery played the suave British superspy in seven blockbuster films, beginning with 1962’s “Dr. No” all the way through 1983’s “Never Say Never Again.” He also won an Academy Award for his supporting role as an Irish-American cop battling Prohibition-era gangsters in Brian De Palma’s 1987 film “The Untouchables.”
Born Thomas Sean Connery in 1930, he began acting on the U.K. stage in early 1950s after a stint in the Royal Navy. By 1957, the amateur bodybuilder earned the lead role in the BBC’s production of “Requiem for a Heavyweight.” Two years later, Disney cast him as the lead in the 1959 movie “Darby O’Gill and the Little People...
Connery died overnight in his sleep while in his home in the Bahamas, the BBC reported Saturday.
Connery played the suave British superspy in seven blockbuster films, beginning with 1962’s “Dr. No” all the way through 1983’s “Never Say Never Again.” He also won an Academy Award for his supporting role as an Irish-American cop battling Prohibition-era gangsters in Brian De Palma’s 1987 film “The Untouchables.”
Born Thomas Sean Connery in 1930, he began acting on the U.K. stage in early 1950s after a stint in the Royal Navy. By 1957, the amateur bodybuilder earned the lead role in the BBC’s production of “Requiem for a Heavyweight.” Two years later, Disney cast him as the lead in the 1959 movie “Darby O’Gill and the Little People...
- 10/31/2020
- by Thom Geier
- The Wrap
Scottish actor Sean Connery has died at the age of 90. His son Jason Connery told the BBC his father had died peacefully in the Bahamas after a long illness.
Famous for his dashing good looks, strapping physique and abundance of charisma, Connery was the first actor to portray James Bond in film, starring in seven entries in the franchise from Dr No to Never Say Never Again. He was also an Oscar-winner for his supporting turn in Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables, his sole nomination from the Academy, and he received two BAFTAs including an honorary Fellowship Award. He was awarded a knighthood in 2000.
Early years
Born in Edinburgh in 1930, Connery joined the Royal Navy at the age of 16 before being discharged three years later on medical grounds. He took numerous other jobs including being a lifeguard, lorry driver and an artist’s model before his bodybuilding led him...
Famous for his dashing good looks, strapping physique and abundance of charisma, Connery was the first actor to portray James Bond in film, starring in seven entries in the franchise from Dr No to Never Say Never Again. He was also an Oscar-winner for his supporting turn in Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables, his sole nomination from the Academy, and he received two BAFTAs including an honorary Fellowship Award. He was awarded a knighthood in 2000.
Early years
Born in Edinburgh in 1930, Connery joined the Royal Navy at the age of 16 before being discharged three years later on medical grounds. He took numerous other jobs including being a lifeguard, lorry driver and an artist’s model before his bodybuilding led him...
- 10/31/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Sean Connery, the Scottish-born actor who rocketed to fame as James Bond and became one of the franchise’s most popular and enduring international stars, has died. He was 90.
Connery, long regarded as one of the best actors to have portrayed the iconic spy, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 and marked his 90th birthday in August. His death was confirmed by his family, who said that the actor “died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family” in the Bahamas. It’s believed he had been unwell for some time. His last acting role had been in Stephen Norrington’s “The League of Extraordinary Gentleman” (2003).
Connery was an audience favorite for more than 40 years and one of the screen’s most reliable and distinctive leading men. The actor was recently voted the best James Bond actor in an August Radio Times poll in the U.K. More than 14,000 voted...
Connery, long regarded as one of the best actors to have portrayed the iconic spy, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 and marked his 90th birthday in August. His death was confirmed by his family, who said that the actor “died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family” in the Bahamas. It’s believed he had been unwell for some time. His last acting role had been in Stephen Norrington’s “The League of Extraordinary Gentleman” (2003).
Connery was an audience favorite for more than 40 years and one of the screen’s most reliable and distinctive leading men. The actor was recently voted the best James Bond actor in an August Radio Times poll in the U.K. More than 14,000 voted...
- 10/31/2020
- by Richard Natale and Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
The director of Over The Edge and The Accused takes us on a journey through some of his favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Student Teachers (1973)
Night Call Nurses (1972)
White Line Fever (1975)
Truck Turner (1974)
Heart Like A Wheel (1983)
The Accused (1988)
Over The Edge (1979)
Modern Times (1936)
City Lights (1931)
Manhattan (1979)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Apartment (1960)
North By Northwest (1959)
Moon Pilot (1962)
Mr. Billion (1977)
White Heat (1949)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Three Musketeers (1973)
The Four Musketeers (1974)
Superman (1978)
Superman II (1980)
The Three Musketeers (1948)
Shane (1953)
The 400 Blows (1959)
8 ½ (1963)
Fellini Satyricon (1969)
Richard (1972)
Millhouse (1971)
The Projectionist (1970)
El Dorado (1966)
The Shootist (1976)
Woodstock (1970)
Payback (1999)
A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)
Billy Liar (1963)
Ford Vs Ferrari (2019)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)
Bad Girls (1994)
Masters of the Universe (1987)
Giant (1956)
The More The Merrier (1943)
The Graduate (1967)
The Victors (1963)
…And Justice For All (1979)
Citizen Kane (1941)
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Student Teachers (1973)
Night Call Nurses (1972)
White Line Fever (1975)
Truck Turner (1974)
Heart Like A Wheel (1983)
The Accused (1988)
Over The Edge (1979)
Modern Times (1936)
City Lights (1931)
Manhattan (1979)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Apartment (1960)
North By Northwest (1959)
Moon Pilot (1962)
Mr. Billion (1977)
White Heat (1949)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Three Musketeers (1973)
The Four Musketeers (1974)
Superman (1978)
Superman II (1980)
The Three Musketeers (1948)
Shane (1953)
The 400 Blows (1959)
8 ½ (1963)
Fellini Satyricon (1969)
Richard (1972)
Millhouse (1971)
The Projectionist (1970)
El Dorado (1966)
The Shootist (1976)
Woodstock (1970)
Payback (1999)
A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)
Billy Liar (1963)
Ford Vs Ferrari (2019)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)
Bad Girls (1994)
Masters of the Universe (1987)
Giant (1956)
The More The Merrier (1943)
The Graduate (1967)
The Victors (1963)
…And Justice For All (1979)
Citizen Kane (1941)
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn...
- 7/7/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
A group of young, scrappy and brilliant writers penned some of the most accomplished dramas presented live during the Golden Age of TV in the 1950s. Writers such as Paddy Chayefsky, J.P. Miller (“The Days of Wine and Roses”), Reginald Rose (“Twelve Angry Men”), Tad Mosel (“The Haven”), James Costigan (“Little Moon of Alban”) and Horton Foote.
But the most influential and best-known of these writers was Rod Serling, who became a superstar as not only creator and writer but host of the landmark 1959-1964 CBS sci-fi/fantasy anthology series “The Twilight Zone,” for which he won two Emmys for his writing. “The Twilight Zone” and even his less successful 1970-73 NBC anthology series “Night Gallery” has overshadowed his earlier work for which he won three Emmys for his writing.
Among his earliest work was the 1953 “Kraft Television Theatre” presentation “A Long Time Till Dawn,” which gave a 22-year-old James Dean...
But the most influential and best-known of these writers was Rod Serling, who became a superstar as not only creator and writer but host of the landmark 1959-1964 CBS sci-fi/fantasy anthology series “The Twilight Zone,” for which he won two Emmys for his writing. “The Twilight Zone” and even his less successful 1970-73 NBC anthology series “Night Gallery” has overshadowed his earlier work for which he won three Emmys for his writing.
Among his earliest work was the 1953 “Kraft Television Theatre” presentation “A Long Time Till Dawn,” which gave a 22-year-old James Dean...
- 6/4/2020
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
John Cassavetes springs forth as a major 1950s talent in these two ‘Primetime Special’ dramatic plays broadcast live on ABC and CBS. Crime in the Streets is the Reginald Rose classic directed by Sidney Lumet; No Right to Kill is a ‘culture for the masses’ adaptation of Crime and Punishment. Cassavetes’ co-stars are Robert Preston, Glenda Farrell, Terry Moore and Robert H. Harris.
Television’s Lost Classics
Volume One John Cassavetes
Crime in the Streets; No Right to Kill
Blu-ray
Vci
1955-’56 / B&W / 1:33 Kinescope / 2 x 60 min. / Street Date September 11, 2018 / 18.99 (Amazon)
Starring: John Cassavetes, Robert Preston, Glenda Farrell, Mark Rydell, Terry Moore, Robert H. Harris.
Directed by Sidney Lumet and Buzz Kulik
Remember the movie Network, when William Holden’s character says he’s going to write a glowing memoir about his ‘good old days’ in the Golden Era of Live TV in New York? That was in 1975, just...
Television’s Lost Classics
Volume One John Cassavetes
Crime in the Streets; No Right to Kill
Blu-ray
Vci
1955-’56 / B&W / 1:33 Kinescope / 2 x 60 min. / Street Date September 11, 2018 / 18.99 (Amazon)
Starring: John Cassavetes, Robert Preston, Glenda Farrell, Mark Rydell, Terry Moore, Robert H. Harris.
Directed by Sidney Lumet and Buzz Kulik
Remember the movie Network, when William Holden’s character says he’s going to write a glowing memoir about his ‘good old days’ in the Golden Era of Live TV in New York? That was in 1975, just...
- 2/2/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Tony Sokol Jun 21, 2017
Warner Bros is pressing ahead with The Twilight Zone film, and a new writer has been hired...
Warner Bros. is unlocking the door with the key of imagination to the new The Twilight Zone movie. The studio announced that Christine Lavaf is on board to write the screenplay for the film.
Lavaf was one of the writers for Godzilla 2. She was an assistant to the showrunner on Fringe. Furthermore, last year she sold three original spec pilots including Netflix’s science fiction drama I’Human.
Warner Bros has been working on the new movie version of The Twilight Zone since 2009. Rand Ravich, Joby Harold, Anthony Peckham and Eli Coleite - who wrote episodes of the TV shows The River, Heroes and Crossing Jordan as well as The End - have all had a shot at writing the script. In 2013 it was announced that Joseph Kosinski, who directed Oblivion, would helm the film.
The first film version of Twilight Zone came out in 1983. It had four segments, each with a different director. The new movie will follow just one story that has various elements of The Twilight Zone universe.
The Twilight Zone was originally created and hosted by Rod Serling, who also created Night Gallery and wrote the screenplay for the classic fight film Requiem For A Heavyweight. The series ran on CBS from 1959 to 1964. Serling wrote or co-wrote 92 of the 156 episodes that aired and delivered the iconic opening and closing monologues.
The Twilight Zone movie is in the hands of Leonardo DiCaprio’s production house, Appian Way, along with his partner Jennifer Davisson and Michael Ireland. Sarah Schechter is overseeing the project for the studio.
Variety...
Warner Bros is pressing ahead with The Twilight Zone film, and a new writer has been hired...
Warner Bros. is unlocking the door with the key of imagination to the new The Twilight Zone movie. The studio announced that Christine Lavaf is on board to write the screenplay for the film.
Lavaf was one of the writers for Godzilla 2. She was an assistant to the showrunner on Fringe. Furthermore, last year she sold three original spec pilots including Netflix’s science fiction drama I’Human.
Warner Bros has been working on the new movie version of The Twilight Zone since 2009. Rand Ravich, Joby Harold, Anthony Peckham and Eli Coleite - who wrote episodes of the TV shows The River, Heroes and Crossing Jordan as well as The End - have all had a shot at writing the script. In 2013 it was announced that Joseph Kosinski, who directed Oblivion, would helm the film.
The first film version of Twilight Zone came out in 1983. It had four segments, each with a different director. The new movie will follow just one story that has various elements of The Twilight Zone universe.
The Twilight Zone was originally created and hosted by Rod Serling, who also created Night Gallery and wrote the screenplay for the classic fight film Requiem For A Heavyweight. The series ran on CBS from 1959 to 1964. Serling wrote or co-wrote 92 of the 156 episodes that aired and delivered the iconic opening and closing monologues.
The Twilight Zone movie is in the hands of Leonardo DiCaprio’s production house, Appian Way, along with his partner Jennifer Davisson and Michael Ireland. Sarah Schechter is overseeing the project for the studio.
Variety...
- 6/21/2017
- Den of Geek
French-Canadian filmmaker Philippe Falardeau has actually been making movies for almost twenty years, but it wasn’t until about 2011 when he first started getting attention for his drama Monsieur Lazhar, which was nominated for a foreign language Oscar. Falardeau’s 2014 movie The Good Lie, didn’t get much notice despite starring Reese Witherspoon and being released by Warner Bros. Therefore, he hasn’t quite made the waves into Hollywood as his country-mates Denis Villeneuve or Jean-Marc Vallée (Wild).
Undaunted, Falardeau decided to take on the story of Bayonne, New Jersey boxer Chuck Wepner, who famously went up against Ali at the height of his success in the ‘70s and managed to go 15 rounds before the fight was called due to Wepner’s famed “bleeding” during fights. Wepner was alternately known as “The Bayonne Brawler” and “The Bayonne Bleeder.”
The movie Chuck stars Liev Schreiber as the famed boxer who would...
Undaunted, Falardeau decided to take on the story of Bayonne, New Jersey boxer Chuck Wepner, who famously went up against Ali at the height of his success in the ‘70s and managed to go 15 rounds before the fight was called due to Wepner’s famed “bleeding” during fights. Wepner was alternately known as “The Bayonne Brawler” and “The Bayonne Bleeder.”
The movie Chuck stars Liev Schreiber as the famed boxer who would...
- 5/8/2017
- by Edward Douglas
- LRMonline.com
It would be tough finding a harder working actor than Liev Schreiber who has successfully transitioned from supporting roles in movies to his very own TV show, playing fixer Ray Donovan on the Showtime series for five seasons. He’s received four Golden Globe nominations and two Emmy nominations playing that role.
In between seasons he’s found the time to make Chuck, a movie about the famed “Bayonne Brawler,” Chuck Wepner, whose career was documented in the Espn “30 for 30” doc, The Real Rocky. Besides being the New Jersey Heavyweight Champion in the ‘70s, Wepner famously went 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali, but his somewhat tragic story was also the inspiration for Sylvester Stallone to make Rocky.
The movie, directed by Philippe Falardeau (Monsieur Lazhar), recreates Chuck’s family life with his second wife Phyllis (Elisabeth Moss) and daughter. It then shows how his brush with fame led to drinking and...
In between seasons he’s found the time to make Chuck, a movie about the famed “Bayonne Brawler,” Chuck Wepner, whose career was documented in the Espn “30 for 30” doc, The Real Rocky. Besides being the New Jersey Heavyweight Champion in the ‘70s, Wepner famously went 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali, but his somewhat tragic story was also the inspiration for Sylvester Stallone to make Rocky.
The movie, directed by Philippe Falardeau (Monsieur Lazhar), recreates Chuck’s family life with his second wife Phyllis (Elisabeth Moss) and daughter. It then shows how his brush with fame led to drinking and...
- 5/4/2017
- by Edward Douglas
- LRMonline.com
The 1930s – more films about women, more films about working life. And often the two overlapped. You watch a film made today, it’s brutally clear that the people who made it rarely have to be anywhere In the ‘30s, at the height of the studio system, the entire creative force behind a picture worked 9-5 on the studio lot, just like anyone else. They had a workplace. And while many made a great deal more money than the characters they were depicting, they knew what it was to hold a job. That mindset, that constant awareness of money and office work and routine, bleeds into the pictures of the period.
Take a film like Rafter Romance, which played at TCM Classic Film Festival Friday morning. Ginger Rogers and Norman Foster star as two broke strangers living in the same apartment building (and they say people knew their neighbors back...
Take a film like Rafter Romance, which played at TCM Classic Film Festival Friday morning. Ginger Rogers and Norman Foster star as two broke strangers living in the same apartment building (and they say people knew their neighbors back...
- 4/12/2017
- by Scott Nye
- CriterionCast
Like many fans of the franchise, I walked away from 2012’s Hitman: Absolution disappointed. That outing’s not even particularly bad, it just lacked the creativity and variety that past entries brought to the table. After two well-received mobile iterations, though, Io Interactive thawed Agent 47 out for last year’s episodic Hitman. Running throughout 2016, this new approach not only served as a reminder about how a solid stealth game should be crafted, but also was a demonstration of how a spaced-out release schedule could be beneficial. With another season scheduled for the future, Square Enix has brought together all six episodes in the physical Complete First Season package.
Hitman boils the long-running franchise down to its best elements. At the outset of each of the five missions (plus the training mission), you’re given the location and the targets you’re sent to eliminate. You have the option to alter...
Hitman boils the long-running franchise down to its best elements. At the outset of each of the five missions (plus the training mission), you’re given the location and the targets you’re sent to eliminate. You have the option to alter...
- 2/9/2017
- by Eric Hall
- We Got This Covered
After a post-holiday lull, it’s sale season once again on the PlayStation Store. Beginning today, gamers can save big on hit titles for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita.
Kicking off the year in Flash Sales, this month’s promotion is offering a variety of games for less than $5 a pop. Titles include massive productions like Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition and The Order: 1886, cult hits such as Terraria and Valiant Hearts and indie gems like Limbo and Journey. Those looking to avoid the harsh winter weather could find something here capable of keeping them inside and entertained.
As per usual with the Flash Sales, these deals will be active on Psn until Monday, January 23 at 8:00 Am Pt. The complete list of games on sale, as well as their discounted price, is as follows:
PlayStation 4:
140 – $3.19 Asemblance – $3.99 Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China – $3.99 Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India – $3.99 Assassin...
Kicking off the year in Flash Sales, this month’s promotion is offering a variety of games for less than $5 a pop. Titles include massive productions like Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition and The Order: 1886, cult hits such as Terraria and Valiant Hearts and indie gems like Limbo and Journey. Those looking to avoid the harsh winter weather could find something here capable of keeping them inside and entertained.
As per usual with the Flash Sales, these deals will be active on Psn until Monday, January 23 at 8:00 Am Pt. The complete list of games on sale, as well as their discounted price, is as follows:
PlayStation 4:
140 – $3.19 Asemblance – $3.99 Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China – $3.99 Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India – $3.99 Assassin...
- 1/21/2017
- by Eric Hall
- We Got This Covered
Election Day is here and if you needed an extra reminder as to why you should vote, Joss Whedon has you covered. A new Save the Day Pac video brings the campaign full circle with Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, James Franco, Julianne Moore, and more, giving one last push to encourage millennials to go out and make their mark in this election.
“When are you going? Are you going before work, after? Do you have a plan? Do you have a ride?” Johansson eagerly asks. Keegan-Michael Key adds, “If you know someone who needs a ride, or a kick in the ass, get them there.”
The actors then go on to tell viewers that no one can stop you from casting your vote and explain that “elections aren’t decided by a majority. They’re decided by a majority of those who show up and vote.” Check out the video below.
“When are you going? Are you going before work, after? Do you have a plan? Do you have a ride?” Johansson eagerly asks. Keegan-Michael Key adds, “If you know someone who needs a ride, or a kick in the ass, get them there.”
The actors then go on to tell viewers that no one can stop you from casting your vote and explain that “elections aren’t decided by a majority. They’re decided by a majority of those who show up and vote.” Check out the video below.
- 11/8/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
In the final stretch before election day, director Joss Whedon released two new PSA spots urging Hillary Clinton. The videos are the latest of Whedon's pro-Hillary Clinton super Pac Save the Day digital campaign which he launched in Sept. and donated $1 million towards. Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, James Franco, Julianne Moore, Neil Patrick Harris and more once again joined in a video to offer the final push of encouragement to get out and vote in "Vote Tomorrow." "Blood Money" focuses the on impact of of NRA in American politics. Activist Sarah Ullman is
read more...
read more...
- 11/8/2016
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hitman‘s 10th Elusive Target is now live on all platforms, Io Interactive has announced via the game’s official website. Sporting a bright white business suit, The Pharmacist will be present in the Paris map for just one week, whereupon she’ll be gone forever, so don’t miss your chance to carry out the hit – there’s some neat rewards waiting for those that brave the challenge.
If you’ve been staying on top of Io’s constant stream of time-limited targets since day one, emerging victorious from this latest mission will reward you with some suave new threads for Agent 47: the Hitman Blood Money suit. Take a gander at it below.
If you’ve missed a handful of previous targets, not to worry – Io says that you’ll have more chances to earn the bonus costumes with future Elusive marks, but they won’t continue indefinitely...
If you’ve been staying on top of Io’s constant stream of time-limited targets since day one, emerging victorious from this latest mission will reward you with some suave new threads for Agent 47: the Hitman Blood Money suit. Take a gander at it below.
If you’ve missed a handful of previous targets, not to worry – Io says that you’ll have more chances to earn the bonus costumes with future Elusive marks, but they won’t continue indefinitely...
- 9/16/2016
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
Twenty years later, “From Dusk till Dawn” has yet to bite the silver bullet. After spawning two sequels (1999’s “Texas Blood Money” and 2000’s “The Hangman’s Daughter”), Robert Rodriguez’s genre-bending vampire movie has transitioned to the small screen — on Rodriguez’s own El Rey Network, no less — and is about to begin its third season. Avail yourself of an exclusive clip and photo gallery below.
Read More: Why Robert Rodriguez Didn’t Just Make a TV Show — He Made a TV Network
“From Dusk till Dawn: The Series” first premiered on El Rey in March of 2014 and has aired 20 episodes across its first two seasons. D.J. Cotrona and Zane Holtz star as Seth and Richie Gecko, respectively, two outlaw brothers who head for Mexico after a bank robbery leaves several people dead. Season 3 finds them “in the vortex of the culebra world, thrust into a fight against the forces of Hell.
Read More: Why Robert Rodriguez Didn’t Just Make a TV Show — He Made a TV Network
“From Dusk till Dawn: The Series” first premiered on El Rey in March of 2014 and has aired 20 episodes across its first two seasons. D.J. Cotrona and Zane Holtz star as Seth and Richie Gecko, respectively, two outlaw brothers who head for Mexico after a bank robbery leaves several people dead. Season 3 finds them “in the vortex of the culebra world, thrust into a fight against the forces of Hell.
- 9/1/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
This year’s episodically-structured Hitman game will go on sale at retail from January 31, 2017, developer Io Interactive has announced. Dubbed as The Complete First Season, the physical release will contain all currently available episodes as well as two further additions (confirmed to take place in the United States and Japan) which are due to become available digitally before the end of 2016.
Io and Square Enix had originally planned to bring Agent 47’s newest adventure to retail before the end of 2016, but pushed the release back so that both parties would “have enough time after the season concludes to dedicate to getting the best disc version of the game out.”
It looks like that explanation held true: along with the standard retail edition going on sale early next year, a special Day One Steelbook Edition will be available alongside it, offering all previously released Dlc, the game’s soundtrack, the Requiem...
Io and Square Enix had originally planned to bring Agent 47’s newest adventure to retail before the end of 2016, but pushed the release back so that both parties would “have enough time after the season concludes to dedicate to getting the best disc version of the game out.”
It looks like that explanation held true: along with the standard retail edition going on sale early next year, a special Day One Steelbook Edition will be available alongside it, offering all previously released Dlc, the game’s soundtrack, the Requiem...
- 8/31/2016
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
At this point, Hitman needs no introduction. Fans that have been keeping tabs on this season’s episodes already know the ins and outs of the gameplay. We know the plot has been a touchy topic ‒ more misses than hits ‒ and we know Sapienza is the best location of the bunch. With episode four, it’s a matter of whether or not Io Interactive can nudge that creative needle a little farther, but the imagination behind Agent 47’s detour to Thailand seldom surfaces at all.
What do we have here? Another ornate estate to prowl? Hitman charts a course for Bangkok’s Himmapan hotel resort in this episode, and although I cannot question Io Interactive’s ability to shape multi-billion dollar mansions, I fear the team has since depleted its bag of environmental tricks. The season debut transported players to a dapper French manor during a sophisticated fashion show. The...
What do we have here? Another ornate estate to prowl? Hitman charts a course for Bangkok’s Himmapan hotel resort in this episode, and although I cannot question Io Interactive’s ability to shape multi-billion dollar mansions, I fear the team has since depleted its bag of environmental tricks. The season debut transported players to a dapper French manor during a sophisticated fashion show. The...
- 8/24/2016
- by Joshua Kowbel
- We Got This Covered
Patterns, was broadcast live (as most TV was back then) on NBC's Kraft Television Theatre. It won Serling an Emmy.
He won a second the following year for Requiem for a Heavyweight, which starred Jack Palance as a washed-up prizefighter. Newly minted as the most celebrated writer in a hot new medium, Serling moved his family to California, where the TV industry was exploding. Once there, he quickly grew frustrated by how much sway corporate sponsors ...
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He won a second the following year for Requiem for a Heavyweight, which starred Jack Palance as a washed-up prizefighter. Newly minted as the most celebrated writer in a hot new medium, Serling moved his family to California, where the TV industry was exploding. Once there, he quickly grew frustrated by how much sway corporate sponsors ...
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- 8/23/2016
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
It’s that time again: another elusive target is headed to Hitman tomorrow. For this third contract, Io Interactive is tasking players with taking down “The Prince” in the Sapienza stage and, as was the case with the previous two marks, you’ll only have 72 hours to assassinate him. You’ll want to do some planning and preparation before attempting the challenge too, as you only get one shot. Fail to kill The Prince and you’ll be locked out for good.
Get ready for the third Hitman Elusive Target!
At 15:00 Cest / 06:00 Pdt on Wednesday 8th June, we’ll update the Elusive Target tile on the Featured Hub in-game and the contract will be live. Make sure you’re ready, because The Prince will only be in Sapienza for 72 hours and there won’t be any second chances.
If you’re wondering what the payoff is for all of this murder and sleuthing,...
Get ready for the third Hitman Elusive Target!
At 15:00 Cest / 06:00 Pdt on Wednesday 8th June, we’ll update the Elusive Target tile on the Featured Hub in-game and the contract will be live. Make sure you’re ready, because The Prince will only be in Sapienza for 72 hours and there won’t be any second chances.
If you’re wondering what the payoff is for all of this murder and sleuthing,...
- 6/7/2016
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
The so-called Golden Age of Television, with its two and one-half channels of network programming, produced an astonishing number of great writers, directors and talent. To name but a very, very few: Barbara Bel Geddes, Paddy Chayefsky, George Roy Hill, Ron Howard, Ernest Kinoy, Jack Lemmon, Sidney Lumet, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Boris Sagal, Rod Serling, Rod Steiger, Gore Vidal, Joanne Woodward… my fingers won’t hold out long enough to type even a “best-of” list.
You’ll never guess which of the above pioneers is my favorite.
When Scottish engineer John Logie Baird first demonstrated television in January 1926 (six years before Philo Farnsworth demonstrated the first electronic television), Rod Serling was just a few days over one year old. Baby boomers think we grew up with television; Mr. Serling actually has that honor. And he did a lot more with the medium than we would.
His worldview was clearly...
You’ll never guess which of the above pioneers is my favorite.
When Scottish engineer John Logie Baird first demonstrated television in January 1926 (six years before Philo Farnsworth demonstrated the first electronic television), Rod Serling was just a few days over one year old. Baby boomers think we grew up with television; Mr. Serling actually has that honor. And he did a lot more with the medium than we would.
His worldview was clearly...
- 6/1/2016
- by Mike Gold
- Comicmix.com
Io Interactive’s weakness for lavish settings may be the closest you or I ever come to an exotic vacation. Hitman’s debut gave players a whiff of Paris, a chance to fraternize with high-fashion models and choke on caviar at an invite-only pageant. Opulent French ballrooms, gardens, and basements built a beautiful playground for Agent 47 to arrange assassinations, catering to fans with falling chandeliers and dirty martinis. Hitman’s season opener laid a strong foundation, and episode two reinforces it. But even contract killers need the occasional break.
Hitman’s second act trades claustrophobic crowds, electronica albums, and blinding lights for a quiet, coastal retreat along Italy’s shimmering shores. Although it can’t be said for the men and women players eradicate, the fictional Sapienza comes alive, embracing a “home is where the heart is” atmosphere. The town butcher markets salivating meats behind his bistro counter; the barber...
Hitman’s second act trades claustrophobic crowds, electronica albums, and blinding lights for a quiet, coastal retreat along Italy’s shimmering shores. Although it can’t be said for the men and women players eradicate, the fictional Sapienza comes alive, embracing a “home is where the heart is” atmosphere. The town butcher markets salivating meats behind his bistro counter; the barber...
- 5/10/2016
- by Joshua Kowbel
- We Got This Covered
Io Interactive
The mysterious silent assassin known only as 47 has been garroting and slitting the throats of evil men and women since his debut back in 2000. Ever since then, the iconic Hitman series has been subject to sequels that kept getting better, with smarter artificial intelligence, more ways to kill, better graphics, increasingly tense soundtracks, and much more.
After the mixed reception of Absolution – the pointedly different gameplay polarized the opinions of fans and resulted in poor sales on the whole – developing company Io Interactive decided to create a new Hitman game based on the best bits of the previous games. That much was great news, but it would have been nothing without the promise to also avoid the mistakes of the past.
And that includes making sure they didn’t introduce any terrible levels.
Because while the series has offered some truly iconic levels, like the French theatre or...
The mysterious silent assassin known only as 47 has been garroting and slitting the throats of evil men and women since his debut back in 2000. Ever since then, the iconic Hitman series has been subject to sequels that kept getting better, with smarter artificial intelligence, more ways to kill, better graphics, increasingly tense soundtracks, and much more.
After the mixed reception of Absolution – the pointedly different gameplay polarized the opinions of fans and resulted in poor sales on the whole – developing company Io Interactive decided to create a new Hitman game based on the best bits of the previous games. That much was great news, but it would have been nothing without the promise to also avoid the mistakes of the past.
And that includes making sure they didn’t introduce any terrible levels.
Because while the series has offered some truly iconic levels, like the French theatre or...
- 4/3/2016
- by Jake Parr
- Obsessed with Film
Hitman is nothing if not ambitious in scope and pricing. 15 greenbacks buy you a thorough prologue, a handful of escalation assignments, a contract creator, and a fashion show mission more expansive than several Hitman: Blood Money stages combined. But that hasn’t deterred players from labeling Hitman as an overpriced demo. While we could discuss Io Interactive’s business model at length (it does allow consumers to get a feel for the game without paying full price), those concerns cannot hamper this episode’s promising start.
Hitman’s opening, speaking of, rewinds the clock by 20 years, detailing Agent 47’s first meeting with his handler Diana Burnwood and the Ica. The cutscenes may be light on exposition, but putting 47 through his paces was all the setup I needed to whet my assassin appetite. Hitman’s tutorial eases inexperienced and returning players into its world of espionage, emphasizing the basics like knocking out a mechanic,...
Hitman’s opening, speaking of, rewinds the clock by 20 years, detailing Agent 47’s first meeting with his handler Diana Burnwood and the Ica. The cutscenes may be light on exposition, but putting 47 through his paces was all the setup I needed to whet my assassin appetite. Hitman’s tutorial eases inexperienced and returning players into its world of espionage, emphasizing the basics like knocking out a mechanic,...
- 3/25/2016
- by Joshua Kowbel
- We Got This Covered
Io Interactive
Whenever a game makes a particularly bad impression, it can go on to define it for the years to come. For many, in regards to Hitman, that mean 2012’s Absolution is one of ‘those games’ that just didn’t live up to snuff and never will, especially when the previous trio of entries were Silent Assassin, Contracts and the phenomenal Blood Money.
In fact, Absolution’s confusing marketing and reception set back the series considerably, it reconciled Agent 47 to the handheld market for the foreseeable future – until now. Four years later, Square Enix’s pre-launch messaging has been confusing, to say the least, seeing them go from one full-scale ‘proper’ release and into an experimental episodic model that puts the emphasis on individual levels.
Such an idea has never been done on this scale – and will be mimicked for the Final Fantasy VII remake later in 2016 – but for now,...
Whenever a game makes a particularly bad impression, it can go on to define it for the years to come. For many, in regards to Hitman, that mean 2012’s Absolution is one of ‘those games’ that just didn’t live up to snuff and never will, especially when the previous trio of entries were Silent Assassin, Contracts and the phenomenal Blood Money.
In fact, Absolution’s confusing marketing and reception set back the series considerably, it reconciled Agent 47 to the handheld market for the foreseeable future – until now. Four years later, Square Enix’s pre-launch messaging has been confusing, to say the least, seeing them go from one full-scale ‘proper’ release and into an experimental episodic model that puts the emphasis on individual levels.
Such an idea has never been done on this scale – and will be mimicked for the Final Fantasy VII remake later in 2016 – but for now,...
- 3/11/2016
- by Scott Tailford
- Obsessed with Film
I should have seen the signs going into Alekhine’s Gun. Delayed consistently? Check! Sent out to die in-between major releases? Check! Here I was, though, hyping myself up for what could possibly be a nice little spy adventure. Even with Agent 47 returning to action soon, the stealth genre is always looking for fresh faces. Why couldn’t Comrade Alekhine join the legends of the genre such as Solid Snake and Sam Fisher?
In a slight twist on the usual Cold War formula, Alekhine’s Gun places you into the shoes of a Kgb agent. Semyon Alekhine is one of the best spies in the Ussr, and after his superiors are contacted about a ploy on American soil to escalate Cold War tensions, he is sent into foreign territory. Luckily, the man who passed along the information, Vincent Rambaldi, is a CIA agent whom Alekhine saved from German imprisonment years prior.
In a slight twist on the usual Cold War formula, Alekhine’s Gun places you into the shoes of a Kgb agent. Semyon Alekhine is one of the best spies in the Ussr, and after his superiors are contacted about a ploy on American soil to escalate Cold War tensions, he is sent into foreign territory. Luckily, the man who passed along the information, Vincent Rambaldi, is a CIA agent whom Alekhine saved from German imprisonment years prior.
- 3/8/2016
- by Eric Hall
- We Got This Covered
Agent 47 has cleansed society of many corrupt, deserving targets since Hitman: Codename 47, where players learned of his clone-based background. Although five men donated their genetic material to create the ideal superhuman – Agent 47 himself – the assassin would execute each with calm calculation and a cold demeanor, his creator included.
But in the 15 years that Agent 47 has been strangling, drowning, poisoning, booby trapping, or just gunning down prey, only five core Hitman games have been produced. Io Interactive will make that six in March, and in anticipation of the agent’s return, the developers released a new Hitman trailer today.
Titled “Legacy,” the opening cinematic provides flashbacks for some of 47’s more infamous hits. The trailer takes viewers to the thermal baths of the Hotel Gallard in Budapest as seen in the original Codename 47, where Agent 47 disposes of Frantz Fuchs, and to the Chilean Delgado vineyard from Blood Money.
The footage also...
But in the 15 years that Agent 47 has been strangling, drowning, poisoning, booby trapping, or just gunning down prey, only five core Hitman games have been produced. Io Interactive will make that six in March, and in anticipation of the agent’s return, the developers released a new Hitman trailer today.
Titled “Legacy,” the opening cinematic provides flashbacks for some of 47’s more infamous hits. The trailer takes viewers to the thermal baths of the Hotel Gallard in Budapest as seen in the original Codename 47, where Agent 47 disposes of Frantz Fuchs, and to the Chilean Delgado vineyard from Blood Money.
The footage also...
- 2/25/2016
- by Joshua Kowbel
- We Got This Covered
Mobile ports have been largely hit-or-miss so far on consoles. For every game that has successfully managed to make the transition to consoles by smartly reworking control schemes, there have been many more that couldn’t figure out how to make that leap. Thankfully, Square Enix Montreal has threaded the needle successfully in bringing over their highly successful strategy title, Hitman Go to consoles.
The turn-based stealth game, which is appropriately named Hitman Go: Definitive Edition on consoles, contains everything that made Agent 47’s mobile adventure a hit. Gone are the gross micro-transactions for in-game hints, and all 7 chapters of interesting puzzles are included in the base price of $7.99. Throw in trophy support and cross-save compatibility for PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4, and this is a game that lives up to its lofty title.
What’s truly genius about Hitman Go is how it manages to seamlessly turn the stealth gameplay...
The turn-based stealth game, which is appropriately named Hitman Go: Definitive Edition on consoles, contains everything that made Agent 47’s mobile adventure a hit. Gone are the gross micro-transactions for in-game hints, and all 7 chapters of interesting puzzles are included in the base price of $7.99. Throw in trophy support and cross-save compatibility for PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4, and this is a game that lives up to its lofty title.
What’s truly genius about Hitman Go is how it manages to seamlessly turn the stealth gameplay...
- 2/23/2016
- by Tyler Treese
- We Got This Covered
It appears that the next few weeks will be quite eventful for Agent 47. We knew March would see the release of the latest chapter of the Hitman saga, but Square Enix has now revealed that Hitman Go Definitive Edition will hit PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita and Windows PC next week.
Originally released for iOS and Android in 2014, Hitman Go boils the franchise down to its bare essentials. Gone is the complicated story of Agent 47 and traditional third-person shooter gameplay. Instead, the Square Enix Montreal developed title is a turn-based strategy/puzzle hybrid that has more in common with chess than Absolution.
Hitman Go Definitive Edition will feature all of the post-release content from the mobile version of the title, including missions based around levels from Hitman 2 and Blood Money. The jump from iOS and Android to PS4 and PC has given the release a significant bump in the visual department. The...
Originally released for iOS and Android in 2014, Hitman Go boils the franchise down to its bare essentials. Gone is the complicated story of Agent 47 and traditional third-person shooter gameplay. Instead, the Square Enix Montreal developed title is a turn-based strategy/puzzle hybrid that has more in common with chess than Absolution.
Hitman Go Definitive Edition will feature all of the post-release content from the mobile version of the title, including missions based around levels from Hitman 2 and Blood Money. The jump from iOS and Android to PS4 and PC has given the release a significant bump in the visual department. The...
- 2/16/2016
- by Eric Hall
- We Got This Covered
Io Interactive
It’s not until you remember just how enjoyable the Hitman series is, that it hits home how long it’s been since the last truly great instalment. Agent 47’s fan-favourite and series’ highpoint Blood Money was no less than 10 years ago, and since then, the only other release was 2012’s Absolution; a game that aimed for a wider audience through tighter levels and scripted events – only to fracture the fanbase as a result.
It inevitably tarnished the very idea of a Hitman game for the years to come, and although 47 has popped up in a handful of (actually brilliant) mobile apps, the now simply-named ‘Hitman’ is something of a total reboot for the character.
To that end, Io Interactive released a beta across the Valentine’s Day weekend, presumably to make sure the series’ return would be a glorious one. Comprised of a guided tutorial sequence and...
It’s not until you remember just how enjoyable the Hitman series is, that it hits home how long it’s been since the last truly great instalment. Agent 47’s fan-favourite and series’ highpoint Blood Money was no less than 10 years ago, and since then, the only other release was 2012’s Absolution; a game that aimed for a wider audience through tighter levels and scripted events – only to fracture the fanbase as a result.
It inevitably tarnished the very idea of a Hitman game for the years to come, and although 47 has popped up in a handful of (actually brilliant) mobile apps, the now simply-named ‘Hitman’ is something of a total reboot for the character.
To that end, Io Interactive released a beta across the Valentine’s Day weekend, presumably to make sure the series’ return would be a glorious one. Comprised of a guided tutorial sequence and...
- 2/15/2016
- by Scott Tailford
- Obsessed with Film
This morning, Io Interactive released a brand new trailer for their upcoming Hitman game along with details on the upcoming Beta and much more. Come inside to take a look for yourself.
The trailer is titled "World of Assassination" and coming with it is this description:
The world of assassination is a place of hidden violence, secret deals and bloody murder. It is the world where agencies such as the Ica work in the shadows to bring balance - it is the setting for past, present and future Hitman games.
The game is releasing March 11th for PC, Xbox One, and PS4, but it seems Xbox One is getting the small end of the stick. A beta will also release on February 12th -14th for PS4, and a PC beta will release Feb. 19-21st.
That isn't the only exclusive item PS4 owners get. They will also see exclusive...
The trailer is titled "World of Assassination" and coming with it is this description:
The world of assassination is a place of hidden violence, secret deals and bloody murder. It is the world where agencies such as the Ica work in the shadows to bring balance - it is the setting for past, present and future Hitman games.
The game is releasing March 11th for PC, Xbox One, and PS4, but it seems Xbox One is getting the small end of the stick. A beta will also release on February 12th -14th for PS4, and a PC beta will release Feb. 19-21st.
That isn't the only exclusive item PS4 owners get. They will also see exclusive...
- 2/3/2016
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Dustin Spino)
- Cinelinx
On one of the final episodes of the podcast, a listener asked if there would ever be a surprise TV show release, in the spirit of Wilco or Beyoncé dropping albums without any advance warning. Fienberg and I mused on how difficult this would be to pull off, given the number of collaborators involved in making a TV show, and speculated that even if such a thing could be produced in secret, all involved would want to make sure the world knew of its existence long before it was released. Well, leave it to Louis C.K. — who yesterday morning released the first episode of a new series called Horace and Pete on his website — to make fools of us both. But then, I'm amazed in hindsight that neither of us thought to mention C.K. as the kind of person who might be able to pull this off, given how...
- 1/31/2016
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
Warner Bros.
‘Tis the season to rally together with your teammates, nail a last-minute headshot and return home in a blaze of gore-soaked glory. Christmas may come but once a year, but the following games managed to use all the tinsel-dossed trimmings of the festive period to make their levels truly timeless.
Hardly any of these games released to tie in with the colder months, and it wasn’t all kiddy-friendly fare either. Instead, Hitman: Blood Money encouraged you to batter a handful of gangsters dressed as Kris Kringle himself, whilst Batman’s third Arkham outing had you snapping the limbs of all sorts of themed goons.
Whether it’s a full game of Christmas cheer or a one-off utilisation of everything we love about the world’s biggest celebration of consumerism, video games might have some of the best uses of yuletide cheer across any medium.
14. You Better Watch Out…...
‘Tis the season to rally together with your teammates, nail a last-minute headshot and return home in a blaze of gore-soaked glory. Christmas may come but once a year, but the following games managed to use all the tinsel-dossed trimmings of the festive period to make their levels truly timeless.
Hardly any of these games released to tie in with the colder months, and it wasn’t all kiddy-friendly fare either. Instead, Hitman: Blood Money encouraged you to batter a handful of gangsters dressed as Kris Kringle himself, whilst Batman’s third Arkham outing had you snapping the limbs of all sorts of themed goons.
Whether it’s a full game of Christmas cheer or a one-off utilisation of everything we love about the world’s biggest celebration of consumerism, video games might have some of the best uses of yuletide cheer across any medium.
14. You Better Watch Out…...
- 12/14/2015
- by Scott Tailford
- Obsessed with Film
Square Enix
Agent 47 is one of the most understated characters in video games. He’s not endearing, cute, funny, or a misunderstood person who does bad things but deep inside has a heart of gold. 47’s always worked best as a cold-blooded, icy-eyed killer, tirelessly carrying out clean, clinical hits on dangerous figures who may or may not have a personal connection to him.
So, if you’ve been following his various exploits on the big screen from the last few years, you’ll quickly realise the version of the character in 2015 is not the one gamers grew up with. Since the brilliant Hitman: Blood Money back in 2006, there have been two awful – but well publicised – Hitman movies and one weirdly misguided game, all of which have turned 47 into more of a Hollywood action figure complete with emotions, clearly-defined motives and romantic love interests (urgh, just fetch the fibre-wire immediately...
Agent 47 is one of the most understated characters in video games. He’s not endearing, cute, funny, or a misunderstood person who does bad things but deep inside has a heart of gold. 47’s always worked best as a cold-blooded, icy-eyed killer, tirelessly carrying out clean, clinical hits on dangerous figures who may or may not have a personal connection to him.
So, if you’ve been following his various exploits on the big screen from the last few years, you’ll quickly realise the version of the character in 2015 is not the one gamers grew up with. Since the brilliant Hitman: Blood Money back in 2006, there have been two awful – but well publicised – Hitman movies and one weirdly misguided game, all of which have turned 47 into more of a Hollywood action figure complete with emotions, clearly-defined motives and romantic love interests (urgh, just fetch the fibre-wire immediately...
- 10/1/2015
- by Robert Zak
- Obsessed with Film
By John M. Whalen
When the “hardware widow” (Allyn Ann McClerie) asks Monte Walsh (Lee Marvin) if he’d gotten used to the idea of his long-time partner Chet Rollins (Jack Palance) and her being married, Monte says: “I never had so many things to get used to in my whole life, as now.” That line of dialogue in the middle of William Fraker’s “Monte Walsh” (1970) pretty much sums up this first and best film adaptation of Jack Schaeffer’s novel about the end of the Old West in general and the cowboy life in particular. It’s a true classic and even though it features two of the toughest tough guy actors of the sixties and seventies, it’s not a melodramatic shoot-em-up, full of violence, sound and fury. Rather it’s an elegiac portrait of the way it must have really happened, presented in a style as...
When the “hardware widow” (Allyn Ann McClerie) asks Monte Walsh (Lee Marvin) if he’d gotten used to the idea of his long-time partner Chet Rollins (Jack Palance) and her being married, Monte says: “I never had so many things to get used to in my whole life, as now.” That line of dialogue in the middle of William Fraker’s “Monte Walsh” (1970) pretty much sums up this first and best film adaptation of Jack Schaeffer’s novel about the end of the Old West in general and the cowboy life in particular. It’s a true classic and even though it features two of the toughest tough guy actors of the sixties and seventies, it’s not a melodramatic shoot-em-up, full of violence, sound and fury. Rather it’s an elegiac portrait of the way it must have really happened, presented in a style as...
- 9/13/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
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