by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
Support Leroy on Patreon:
REVIEW - From Patreon: My review of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."
DISNEY - From THR: Disney+ is seeking to remake "Space Camp," the 1986 adventure movie from 20th Century Fox.
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STAR TREK - From THR: Director Noah Hawley hints that his "Star Trek" movie might involve a new cast...
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SCANDAL - From Deadline: Harvey Weinstein's defense team in his sexual assault trial in Manhattan want the media kept out of jury selection.
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TELEVISION - From THR: Director Bong Joon Ho and Oscar-winner Adam McKay are teaming up to bring Joon's acclaimed film, "Parasite," to HBO as a limited series.
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TELEVISION - From Deadline: Cable network, FX, has renewed "American Horror Story" for three more seasons, in addition to the already approved tenth season. The ninth season, "American Horror Story: 1984," finished November 2019.
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CELEBRITY - From THR: The British royals, Prince Harry and his wife Megan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have announced that they are stepping down as "senior royals." They are reducing their royal duties and may split time living in the United Kingdom and North America.
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MOVIES - From THR: Warner Bros. has signed a deal with Cinelytic to use its A.I. driven project management system.
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TELEVISION - From Variety: Silvio Horta, the creator of ABC's "Ugly Betty," was found dead of an apparent suicide Tuesday, January 7, 2020.
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AWARDS - From Variety: The 2020 / 31st Producers Guild Awards nominations have been announced. The winners will be announced. Winners will be announced January 18, 2020.
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AWARDS - From Deadline: The 2020 / 72 Annual Directors Guild Awards nominations have been announced. The winners will be announced January 25, 2020.
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AWARDS: From GoldDerby: The nominations for the 2020 / 73rd BAFTA Awards (the "British Academy Film Awards") have been announced. The winners will be announced Sunday, February 9, 2020.
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SCANDAL - From Deadline: Harvey Weinstein's rape trial began today (Mon., Jan. 6th, 2020) in a Manhattan courtroom. Explosions begin...
From Deadline: The Los Angeles County District Attorney has charged Harvey Weinstein with four counts of sexual assault. Weinstein and his attorneys may try to get a delay in the Manhattan trial to deal with the L.A. developments.
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AWARDS - From Deadline: If you care (and I don't), the winners at the 2020 / 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards were announced last night (Sun., Jan. 5th, 2020). The best picture winners were "1917" (drama) and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (comedy).
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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo: The winner of the 1/3 to 1/5/2020 weekend box office is "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" with an estimated take of 33.7 million dollars.
From Variety: "Frozen II" is now the highest-grossing animated film ever, grossing 1.325 billion in global box office receipts. The previous record holder was the original "Frozen" (2013) which grossed 1.281 billion. "Incredibles 2" (2018) sits at 1.243 billion.
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MOVIES - From EW: A new image from "Bill & Ted Face the Music" features the title characters with their daughters.
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MOVIES - From IndependentUK: Terry Gilliam finally finished his aborted film, "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote." Now, he has decided to finish his career with a rant-filled interview about wanting to be a "Black lesbian in transition" and being tired of white men being blamed for everything.
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POLITICS - From InformedConsent: "Trump, Troll-in-Chief, Wags the Impeachment Dog by Going to War With Iran" by Juan Cole.
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AWARDS - From Deadline: Bong Joon Ho and Quentin Tarantino top 9th AACTA International Awards.
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STREAMING - From TVLine: Al Pacino's Nazi-hunting series, "Hunters," will arrive Feb. 21st on Amazon. The series is executive produced by Jordan Peele.
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SCANDAL - From CNN: Molly Fitzgerald, an actress who appeared in "Captain America: The First Avenger" has been charged with killing her mother, 68-year-old Patricia Fitzgerald, on December 20, 2019. The 38-year-old Fitzgerald played a "Stark girl" in the first "Captain America" film.
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MOVIES - From TheWrap: Actor Harry Hamlin says that he was close to winning the role of "Indiana Jones" in "Raiders of the Lost Ark." He said he lost the role because he dissed director Steven Spielberg. Hamlin did go on to star in the NBC TV series, "L.A. Law."
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TELEVISION - From TheWrap: RuPaul Charles' talk show, entitled "RuPaul," will not continue past its three-week trial run which aired Summer 2019.
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MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment: Apparently, nearly 23 years after its first release, "Men in Black," still has not made a profit and may be losing money...
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TRAILERS - From THR: The first trailer for "A Quiet Place II" arrives.
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DISNEY - From Quartz: 2019 was Disney's biggest year, but will 2020 be its most important?
OBITS:
From Deadline: The site offers a photo gallery of "Notable Hollywood & Entertainment Industry Deaths In 2019."
From RollingStone: Rock musician and drummer, Neil Peart, has died at the age of 67, Tuesday, January 7, 2020. Peart was best known as the acclaimed, accomplished and legendary drummer for the legendary rock band, "Rush."
From GuardianUK: Author and journalist Elizabeth Wurtzel has died at the age of 52, Tuesday, January 7, 2020. She is best known for the 1994 memoir, Prozac Nation. The film was adapted into a 2001 film starring Christina Ricci.
From Deadline: Director, screenwriter, and actor Buck Henry has died at the age of 89, Wednesday, January 8, 2020. As a screenwriter, Henry is best known for co-writing the film, "The Graduate" (1967), for which he received an Oscar nomination. As a director, he shared an Oscar nomination with Warren Beatty for directing "Heaven Can Wait" (1978), which he also co-wrote. He hosted "Saturday Night Live" 10 times during the series first five seasons, and with Mel Brooks, he co-created the TV series, "Get Smart" (1965-1970).
From WCPO: Former National Football League (NFL) coach, Sam Wyche, has died at the age of 74, Thursday, January 2, 2020. Wyche is best known for his tenure coaching the Cincinnati Bengals from 1984 to 1991. He took the Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII, where they lost to the San Francisco 49ers. However, he was an assistant coach on the 49ers' Super Bowl XVI championship team. As a NFL player, Wyche was a quarterback and played for the Bengals for three seasons.
From BuzzFeed: The rapper and recording artist, Lexii Alijai, has died at the age of 21, Wednesday, January 1, 2020. An up-and-coming recording artist, Lexii had released one full-length studio album, "Growing Pains," in September of 2019. Alijai was also the granddaughter of the late recording artist and producer, Roger Troutman, who founded the 1980s funk band, "Zapp."
From ESPN: Former Major League Baseball (MLB) player and pitcher, Don Larsen, has died at the age of 90, Wednesday, January 1, 2020. Larsen was a member of two of the New York Yankees World Series champions (1956, 1958). Larsen was the first and remains the only player to pitch a perfect game in the World Series, Game 5 of the 1956 World Series.
From ESPN: Former National Basketball Association (NBA) commissioner, David Stern, has died at the age of 77, January 1, 2020. Stern was the NBA commissioner from 1984 to 2014, replacing the late Larry O'Brien. He oversaw the NBA during the most successful period in its history, as the league expanded its international fan base, become a global brand.
From THR: Industrial designer and neo-futuristic and film concept artist, Syd Mead, has died at the age of 86, Monday, December 30, 2019. He was best known for his conceptual design for films like "Blade Runner" (1982) and "Tron" (1982) among many.
From NPR: The English songwriter, musician, writer, and comedian, Neil Innes, has died at the age of 75, Sunday, December 29, 2019. Innes was known for his collaborations with "Monty Python," writing songs for two "Monty Python" albums, and he wrote and performed both sketches and songs for the final season of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (1974). He was also the co-founder (with Python's Eric Idle) of the rock band, "The Rutles," a parody of "The Beatles."
Showing posts with label Terry Gilliam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terry Gilliam. Show all posts
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 1st to 6th, 2016 - Update #40
Support Leroy on Patreon.
POLITICS - From Time: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says that Donald Trump's treatment of the Khans should be a wake-up call.
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COMICS-FILM - From Mashable: Brie Larson, who will portray Marvel's "Captain Marvel" embraces her inner fangirl.
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COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies: "Suicide Squad" has a cool mid-credits scene [SPOILERS!]
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MOVIES - From SlashFilm: Anthony Mackie is joining Kathryn Bigelow's untitled 1967 Detroit Riots film. This is reunion for Mackie who appeared in Bigelow's Oscar-winning, "The Hurt Locker."
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SPORTS - From YahooNews: NFL running back found that his family and friends went through $1.6 million of his money in 10 months.
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BARACK OBAMA - From NYDailyNews: Happy Birthday, President! Someone punched George Zimmerman after he started bragging about killing Trayon Martin in a Florida restaurant.
From CBSNews: Happy Birthday, again! Dylann Roof, who killed nine African-American parishioners at a South Carolina church, got his ass beat in a jail shower.
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COMICS-FILM - From ScreenRant: Paul Dini, the man who co-created "Harley Quinn" (with Bruce Timm) for the the 1992 "Batman" animated series, likes what Margot Robbie does with the character in the film, "Suicide Squad."
From Moviefone: Fans angry over the bad reviews that "Suicide Squad" has received.
From IdahoStatesman: "Rotten Tomatoes" getting the brunt of the fan anger over bad reviews for "Suicide Squad."
From THR: And man... "Suicide Squad" had a troubled production.
From YahooNews: "Suicide Squad" set to break August box office records... with a catch.
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OBITS - From TheWrap: The actor David Huddleston has died at the age of 85, Tuesday, August 2, 2016. He was Jeffrey Lebowski a.k.a. "the Big Lebowski" in the Joel and Ethan Coen's 1998 cult film, "The Big Lebowski."
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COMICS - From CBR: African-American writer Christopher Priest is returning to comics (on DC Comics' "Deathstroke") precisely because he is not being asked to write a Black character.
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MOVIES - From Showbiz411: Martin Scorsese says that his film "Silence" will be ready for Oscar contention.
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STAR WARS - From EntertainmentWeekly: Daisy Ridley quits Instagram because of the furor over her anti-violonece post.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Will Poulter is among the cast members added to Kathryn Bigelow's film about the 1967 Detroit Riots.
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COMICS-FILMS - From EntertainmentWeekly: Hot star Mike Birbiglia wonders why the MPAA rated his acclaimed film, "Don't Think Twice," "R" and rated the violent "Suicide Squad" "PG-13."
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COMICS-FILMS - From EntertainmentWeekly: As a kid, Viola Davis wanted to be Wonder Woman in order to beat those who bullied her.
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PRINCE - From YahooMusic: "Weird Al" Yankovic talks about how Prince turned him down four times concerning Al doing parodies of Prince's songs. Meanwhile, Michael Jackson was very supportive of Al.
From Billboard: The time Matt Damon met Prince.
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STAR TREK - From YahooNews: The parents of "Star Trek" Alton Yelchin have sued the makers of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The 27-year-old actor was killed by his Cherokee back in June.
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OBITS - From Deadline: The screenwriter Eric Bergren died at the age of 62 on July 14, 2016. He was an Oscar nominee for co-writing "The Elephant Man" (1980).
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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From YahooNews: BLM releases first policy platform.
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TELEVISION - From ScreenRant: Rapper 50 Cent (a.k.a. Curtis Jackson) has created a new superhero drama, "Tomorrow, Today" for Starz. Fitty is one of the people behind Starz hit drama, "Power."
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STAR TREK - From ScreenRant: "Star Trek: Discovery" may be set before the original "Star Trek," but we'll know sometime Wed., August 10th.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Benedict Cumberbatch to star in and produce a film adaptation of the classic British novel, "Rogue Male," by Geoffrey Household.
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MOVIES - From ScreenDaily: Terry Gilliam begins production on "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" with Adam Driver (Kylo Ren in "Star Wars: The Force Awaken") as the star.
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MOVIES - From Variety: Disney want to remake Ron Howard 1980s film, "Splash," with Channing Tatum and Jillian Bell taking the roles of the original film's star, Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah.
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OBIT - From TheWrap: The actress Gloria DeHaven has died at the age of 91, Saturday, July 30, 2016. She was the star of MGM musicals of the 1940s and 50s like "Summer Holiday" and "Summer Stock."
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AWARDS - From TheWrap: A complete list of winners at the 2016 Teen Choice Awards.
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COMICS-FILM - From CinemaBlend: Will Scarlett Witch be in "Spider-Man: Homecoming?"
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COMICS-FILMS - From ScreenRant: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely updates their work on the screenplays for the third and fourth Avengers movies.
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TELEVISION - From YahooCelebrity: Shannen Doherty, famous for her role on 90s soap, "Beverly Hill, 90210," that her break cancer, which she has been fighting since February 2015, has spread. We send her our prayers.
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POLITICS - From YahooNews: Donald Trump is still at it with Khizr and Ghazala Kahn, the couple who appeared at this past week's 2016 DNC, where Khizr spoke and castigated Trump. The Kahns' son, Humayun, was an Army captain and a Muslim who was killed in Iraq in 2004. Now other "Gold Star families" (meaning they have lost a child, sibling, or spouse in the recent wars) want Trump to apologize to the Khans.
From YahooNews: Former Republican presidential nominee and current Senator John McCain (Arizona) rebukes Trump over his escalating a feud with the Kahns. Sen. McCain is also a former prisoner of war (POW) in Vietnam.
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CULTURE - From YahooCelebrity: Justin Timberlake gives heartfelt speech at 2016 Teen Choice Awards.
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SPORTS - From Deadspin: Not Safe for Work - NBA baller, Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors, sends out a picture of his penis on snap chat.
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POLITICS - From NYPost: Not Safe for Work - Racy, partial nude photos of Donald Trump's wife, Melania Trump, are released.
TRAILERS:
From WeGotThisCovered: The new TV spot for Marvel's "Doctor Strange."
From YouTube: Grammy nominee Andra Day's video for the song, "The Only Way Out," from the film, "Ben-Hur."
From YouTube: Behind the scenes video starring Andra Day about the song, "The Only Way Out."
From Variety: The first teaser trailer for Chris Nolan's WWII action-thriller, "Dunkirk." The film is due July 21, 2017.
POLITICS - From Time: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says that Donald Trump's treatment of the Khans should be a wake-up call.
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COMICS-FILM - From Mashable: Brie Larson, who will portray Marvel's "Captain Marvel" embraces her inner fangirl.
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COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies: "Suicide Squad" has a cool mid-credits scene [SPOILERS!]
----------
MOVIES - From SlashFilm: Anthony Mackie is joining Kathryn Bigelow's untitled 1967 Detroit Riots film. This is reunion for Mackie who appeared in Bigelow's Oscar-winning, "The Hurt Locker."
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SPORTS - From YahooNews: NFL running back found that his family and friends went through $1.6 million of his money in 10 months.
----------
BARACK OBAMA - From NYDailyNews: Happy Birthday, President! Someone punched George Zimmerman after he started bragging about killing Trayon Martin in a Florida restaurant.
From CBSNews: Happy Birthday, again! Dylann Roof, who killed nine African-American parishioners at a South Carolina church, got his ass beat in a jail shower.
----------
COMICS-FILM - From ScreenRant: Paul Dini, the man who co-created "Harley Quinn" (with Bruce Timm) for the the 1992 "Batman" animated series, likes what Margot Robbie does with the character in the film, "Suicide Squad."
From Moviefone: Fans angry over the bad reviews that "Suicide Squad" has received.
From IdahoStatesman: "Rotten Tomatoes" getting the brunt of the fan anger over bad reviews for "Suicide Squad."
From THR: And man... "Suicide Squad" had a troubled production.
From YahooNews: "Suicide Squad" set to break August box office records... with a catch.
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OBITS - From TheWrap: The actor David Huddleston has died at the age of 85, Tuesday, August 2, 2016. He was Jeffrey Lebowski a.k.a. "the Big Lebowski" in the Joel and Ethan Coen's 1998 cult film, "The Big Lebowski."
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COMICS - From CBR: African-American writer Christopher Priest is returning to comics (on DC Comics' "Deathstroke") precisely because he is not being asked to write a Black character.
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MOVIES - From Showbiz411: Martin Scorsese says that his film "Silence" will be ready for Oscar contention.
---------------
STAR WARS - From EntertainmentWeekly: Daisy Ridley quits Instagram because of the furor over her anti-violonece post.
----------
MOVIES - From Variety: Will Poulter is among the cast members added to Kathryn Bigelow's film about the 1967 Detroit Riots.
---------------
COMICS-FILMS - From EntertainmentWeekly: Hot star Mike Birbiglia wonders why the MPAA rated his acclaimed film, "Don't Think Twice," "R" and rated the violent "Suicide Squad" "PG-13."
----------
COMICS-FILMS - From EntertainmentWeekly: As a kid, Viola Davis wanted to be Wonder Woman in order to beat those who bullied her.
----------
PRINCE - From YahooMusic: "Weird Al" Yankovic talks about how Prince turned him down four times concerning Al doing parodies of Prince's songs. Meanwhile, Michael Jackson was very supportive of Al.
From Billboard: The time Matt Damon met Prince.
----------
STAR TREK - From YahooNews: The parents of "Star Trek" Alton Yelchin have sued the makers of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The 27-year-old actor was killed by his Cherokee back in June.
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OBITS - From Deadline: The screenwriter Eric Bergren died at the age of 62 on July 14, 2016. He was an Oscar nominee for co-writing "The Elephant Man" (1980).
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BLACK LIVES MATTER - From YahooNews: BLM releases first policy platform.
----------
TELEVISION - From ScreenRant: Rapper 50 Cent (a.k.a. Curtis Jackson) has created a new superhero drama, "Tomorrow, Today" for Starz. Fitty is one of the people behind Starz hit drama, "Power."
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STAR TREK - From ScreenRant: "Star Trek: Discovery" may be set before the original "Star Trek," but we'll know sometime Wed., August 10th.
----------
MOVIES - From Variety: Benedict Cumberbatch to star in and produce a film adaptation of the classic British novel, "Rogue Male," by Geoffrey Household.
----------
MOVIES - From ScreenDaily: Terry Gilliam begins production on "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" with Adam Driver (Kylo Ren in "Star Wars: The Force Awaken") as the star.
----------
MOVIES - From Variety: Disney want to remake Ron Howard 1980s film, "Splash," with Channing Tatum and Jillian Bell taking the roles of the original film's star, Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah.
----------
OBIT - From TheWrap: The actress Gloria DeHaven has died at the age of 91, Saturday, July 30, 2016. She was the star of MGM musicals of the 1940s and 50s like "Summer Holiday" and "Summer Stock."
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AWARDS - From TheWrap: A complete list of winners at the 2016 Teen Choice Awards.
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COMICS-FILM - From CinemaBlend: Will Scarlett Witch be in "Spider-Man: Homecoming?"
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COMICS-FILMS - From ScreenRant: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely updates their work on the screenplays for the third and fourth Avengers movies.
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TELEVISION - From YahooCelebrity: Shannen Doherty, famous for her role on 90s soap, "Beverly Hill, 90210," that her break cancer, which she has been fighting since February 2015, has spread. We send her our prayers.
----------
POLITICS - From YahooNews: Donald Trump is still at it with Khizr and Ghazala Kahn, the couple who appeared at this past week's 2016 DNC, where Khizr spoke and castigated Trump. The Kahns' son, Humayun, was an Army captain and a Muslim who was killed in Iraq in 2004. Now other "Gold Star families" (meaning they have lost a child, sibling, or spouse in the recent wars) want Trump to apologize to the Khans.
From YahooNews: Former Republican presidential nominee and current Senator John McCain (Arizona) rebukes Trump over his escalating a feud with the Kahns. Sen. McCain is also a former prisoner of war (POW) in Vietnam.
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CULTURE - From YahooCelebrity: Justin Timberlake gives heartfelt speech at 2016 Teen Choice Awards.
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SPORTS - From Deadspin: Not Safe for Work - NBA baller, Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors, sends out a picture of his penis on snap chat.
----------
POLITICS - From NYPost: Not Safe for Work - Racy, partial nude photos of Donald Trump's wife, Melania Trump, are released.
TRAILERS:
From WeGotThisCovered: The new TV spot for Marvel's "Doctor Strange."
From YouTube: Grammy nominee Andra Day's video for the song, "The Only Way Out," from the film, "Ben-Hur."
From YouTube: Behind the scenes video starring Andra Day about the song, "The Only Way Out."
From Variety: The first teaser trailer for Chris Nolan's WWII action-thriller, "Dunkirk." The film is due July 21, 2017.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of September 21st to September 27th, 2014 - Update #16
NEWS:
From YahooTV: Information about some of the characters in the still-in-development Walking Dead spinoff.
From YahooCelebrity: George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin today, Saturday, September 27, 2014, in Italy. The marriage will be made official in a civil ceremony on Monday.
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From YahooTV: "Gilligan's Island" is 50-years-old today.
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From YahooScreen: Apparently, there will be a third installment of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. I don't like this movie, but strangely, I really loved Evan Dorkin's comic book adaptation of the film for Marvel Comics.
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From InsideMovies: Famously (infamously) reclusive writer, Thomas Pynchon, may make a cameo in Paul Thomas Anderson's film adaptation of his novel, Inherent Vice.
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From CinemaBlend: "Taken 3" gets a new title, Tak3n... seriously.
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From CinemaBlend: A story about Kenan Thompson of "Saturday Night Live" and "What Up With That?"
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From YahooNews: Will Smith posts cute birthday pic of he and and wife, Jada.
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From UPI: Oscar-nominated actress, Kate Hudson, claims that she and mother, Oscar-winning legend, Goldie Hawn, can see ghosts.
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From YahooCelebrity: Emma Watson, of Harry Potter fame, delivers a stirring speech on gender equality before the United Nations on Saturday, September 20, 2014.
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From TheHollywoodReporter: New release, The Maze Runner, wins the September 19th to 21st, 2014 weekend box office with an estimated take of $32.5 million.
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From the HuffingtonPost: Idris Elba's tale of the vampire Nic Cage.
COMICS BOOKS - Books and Films:
From TheMotleyFool: Five things you might not know about "Batman Vs. Superman."
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From Inquisitr: "Batman vs. Superman" cast member, Henry Lennix, says that fans of Frank Miller's seminal Batman graphic novel, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, will be pleased about the 2016 film.
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From Vulture: Bryan Singer will direct "X-Men: Apocalypse" and an update on his legal trouble.
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From CinemaBlend: If he is in "Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice," what will Aquaman look like.
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From YahooTV: TV Guide on what works and doesn't work in "Gotham" (FOX affiliates - 8 Eastern/7Central, but check your local listings).
STAR WARS:
From Inquisitr: Episode 7 concept art reveals a light sabre duel in a snowy forest
From CinemaBlend: Storm Troopers may have a new look in Episode 7.
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From IBTimes: Five villains who may be in Episode 7.
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From /Film: Roger Moore, James Bond and The Saint, talks about his Star Wars Episode 7 set visit.
INTERVIEWS and REVIEWS:
From The Hollywood Reporter via YahooMovies: Richard Gere talks about playing a homeless man in "Time Out of Mind.
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From YahooTV: A review of Episode 1 of Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 22
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From TheVillageVoice: An interview of Terry Gilliam for the release of his new film, Zero Theorem.
TRAILERS:
From 20th Century Fox: New trailer for Kingsman: The Secret Service.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Inaugural Capetown Film Festival Lineup Revealed
Complete Lineup Includes Screening Details and List of Special Guests
Seven Day Festival to Run April 30th – May 6th
Entertainment Weekly today announced the complete lineup for the EW CapeTown Film Festival (CapeTown ) in Los Angeles. The inaugural film festival, in conjunction with American Cinematheque and sponsored by TNT’s Falling Skies, will feature Sci-Fi, Superhero, and Fantasy screenings along with Q&A Panels and special guests including Kurt Russell, John Carpenter, Neil Gaiman, Terry Gilliam and Edgar Wright. The EW CapeTown Festival will run from Tuesday, April 30th through Monday, May 6th at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, CA.
Tickets go on sale April 8th and can be purchased at the Egyptian Theatre box office (6712 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028), on www.fandango.com (theatre zip code 90028) or by calling 1-800-FANDANGO (Egyptian Theatre code: 2206). A limited number of tickets will also be available during a special April 6 presale at the Egyptian Theatre box office for EW subscribers. Tickets will be sold only between noon and 5 p.m. to EW subscribers who bring 1) their photo I.D. and 2) a recent issue of EW with a subscription label on the cover that matches their I.D. The presale is also for American Cinematheque members with photo I.D.
The complete lineup is listed below:
EW CapeTown Film Festival Schedule of Events - Egyptian Theatre, Los Angeles
Twitter: @SidGrauman
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/egyptiantheatre
Tumblr: http://amcinematheque.tumblr.com/
Tuesday, April 30
Special Announcement Coming Soon!
Wednesday, May 1
7:30pm - Shaun of the Dead
Special guest: Edgar Wright
Thursday, May 2
7:30pm - The Thing
Special guest: John Carpenter
Friday, May 3
7pm - Escape from New York
Special guest: Kurt Russell
Bonus! Advance Screening of TNT’s Falling Skies Season 3 Premiere (show premieres June 9th)
Special guest: Noah Wyle
Saturday, May 4
“May the 4th Be With You” Celebration
10am - Return of the Jedi – INVITATION ONLY
2pm - Return of the Jedi
6pm - Return of the Jedi
10pm - Return of the Jedi
Sunday, May 5
10am - Despicable Me
1pm - Coraline
Special guests: Neil Gaiman and Travis Knight
4pm - The Goonies
Special guest: Richard Donner
8pm - Twelve Monkeys
Special guest: Terry Gilliam
The evening with Terry Gilliam is co-presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles.
Monday, May 6
7:30pm - Star Trek (2009)
Special guest: Leonard Nimoy
About Entertainment Weekly and EW.com
Entertainment Weekly, with a combined print and digital audience of over 17 million loyal, engaged fans, helps readers have fun. It is your all-access pass to Hollywood’s most creative minds and most fascinating stars. The print weekly was introduced by Time Inc. in 1990 and is America’s leading consumer magazine in the entertainment category, with a guaranteed circulation rate base of nearly 1.8 million. It is a winner of four National Magazine Awards (two for General Excellence, one for Design and one for Special Interest) and was named one of min’s 25 Most Notable Magazine Launches of the Last 25 Years. Entertainment Weekly is the first to know about the best (and worst) in entertainment, and with sharp insight and a trusted voice, EW keeps readers plugged into pop culture. This is where buzz begins.
Each day, EW.com publishes myriad of online-only articles, blog posts, videos, and photo galleries – plus a complete archive of Entertainment Weekly magazine. Over the last year EW.com has received more than a half dozen industry awards including the 2012 Min Editorial and Design Award for our feature writing and a 2012 Folio Gold Eddie award for Best Online News coverage. In July 2012, the site set new records with 130MM pageviews. As of Dec 2011, Entertainment Weekly is also available on the iPad®, NOOK Color™, HP Touchpad, Kindle Fire and select Android™ devices.
On social media, join the Entertainment Weekly community on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr.
About American Cinematheque
Established in 1981, the American Cinematheque is a 501 C 3 non-profit viewer-supported film exhibition and cultural organization dedicated to the celebration of the Moving Picture in all of its forms. At the Egyptian Theatre, the Cinematheque presents daily film and video programming which ranges from the classics of American and international cinema to new independent films and digital work. Exhibition of rare works, special and rare prints, etc., combined with fascinating post-screening discussions with the filmmakers who created the work, are a Cinematheque tradition that keep audiences coming back for once-in-a-lifetime cinema experiences. The American Cinematheque renovated and reopened (on Dec. 4, 1998) the historic 1922 Hollywood Egyptian Theatre. This includes a state-of-the-art 616-seat theatre housed within Sid Grauman's first grand movie palace on Hollywood Boulevard. The exotic courtyard is fully restored to its 1922 grandeur. The Egyptian was the home of the very first Hollywood movie premiere in 1922. In January 2005 the American Cinematheque expanded its programming to the 1940 Aero Theatre on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica.
www.americancinematheque.com
About TNT
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Thursday, October 27, 2011
"We Need to Talk About Kevin" Wins 2011 BFI Best Film Award
BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2011 AWARD WINNERS
London – 10.30pm, 26 October 2011: The 55th BFI London Film Festival, in partnership with American Express announced the winners at its high profile awards ceremony, supported by Montblanc at London’s LSO St Luke’s this evening. Hosted by Marcus Brigstocke, the four awards were presented by some of the most respected figures in the film world.
BEST FILM: WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, directed by Lynne Ramsay
Celebrating the most original, intelligent and distinctive filmmaking in the Festival, the Best Film award, presented in partnership with American Express, was chaired by John Madden who presented the award with fellow judge Gillian Anderson.
On behalf of the jury John Madden (Chair) said: “This year’s shortlist for Best Film comprises work that is outstanding in terms of its originality and its stylistic reach. It is an international group, one united by a common sense of unflinching human enquiry and we were struck by the sheer panache displayed by these great storytellers. In the end, we were simply bowled over by one film, a sublime, uncompromising tale of the torment that can stand in the place of love. We Need to Talk About Kevin is made with the kind of singular vision that links great directors across all the traditions of cinema.”
BEST BRITISH NEWCOMER: Candese Reid, actress, Junkhearts
This award is presented in partnership with Swarovski and honours new and emerging film talent, recognising the achievements of a new writer, producer, director, actor or actress. The award for Best British Newcomer was presented by Edgar Wright and Minnie Driver to Candese Reid, for her acting role in Junkhearts, a sophisticated, social drama about hope and the search for redemption. Starting acting at the age of nine, she joined Nottingham’s prestigious Television Workshop, and her role in Junkhearts, at the age of 18, was her first professional acting role. Candese also received a bursary of £5,000 courtesy of Swarovski
Chair of the Best British Newcomer jury, Andy Harries said, “Candese is a fresh, brilliant and exciting new talent. Every moment she was on screen was compelling.”
SUTHERLAND AWARD WINNER: Pablo Giorgelli, director of LAS ACACIAS
The long-standing Sutherland Award is presented to the director of the most original and imaginative feature debut in the Festival. This year, Argentinian director Pablo Giorgelli took the award for his film Las Acacias, a slow-burning, uplifting and enchanting story of a truck driver and his passengers. The director received his Star of London from film director Terry Gilliam.
The jury commented: “In a lively and thoughtful jury room debate, Las Acacias emerged as a worthy winner, largely because of the originality of its conception. Finely judged performances and a palpable sympathy for his characters makes this a hugely impressive debut for director Pablo Giorgelli.”
GRIERSON AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY: INTO THE ABYSS: A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life directed by Werner Herzog
The award is co-presented with the Grierson Trust, in commemoration of John Grierson, the grandfather of British documentary. Recognising outstanding feature length documentaries of integrity, originality, technical excellence or cultural significance, the jury was chaired by Adam Curtis and the award went to Werner Herzog’s coruscating study of the senselessness of violence and its consequences.
BFI FELLOWSHIP: Ralph Fiennes and David Cronenberg (as previously announced)
Awarded to an individual whose body of work has made an outstanding contribution to film culture, the Fellowship is the highest accolade that the British Film Institute bestows and was awarded to Canadian auteur David Cronenberg whose film A Dangerous Method premiered at the Festival on Monday. The Fellowship was presented by Jeremy Thomas and Michael Fassbender.
Ralph Fiennes, one of Britain’s pre-eminent actors, who has just made a bold and critically well received transition to film directing with his festival film Coriolanus, was also presented with a Fellowship, this time from fellow actor and personal friend Liam Neeson.
Greg Dyke, Chair, BFI said: ‘The BFI London Film Festival Awards pay tribute to outstanding film talent, so we are delighted and honoured that both Ralph Fiennes, one of the world’s finest and most respected actors and David Cronenberg, one of the most original and ground-breaking film directors of contemporary cinema, have both accepted BFI Fellowships - the highest accolade the BFI can bestow. I also want to congratulate all the filmmakers and industry professionals here tonight, not only on their nominations and awards, but also for their vision, skill, passion and creativity.’
The Star of London award was commissioned especially for the Festival and designed by leading sculptor Almuth Tebbenhoff.
Jurors present at the ceremony included: Best Film jurors John Madden, Andrew O’Hagan. Gillian Anderson, Asif Kapadia, Tracey Seaward and Sam Taylor-Wood OBE; Sutherland jurors Tim Robey, Joanna Hogg, Saskia Reeves, Peter Kosminsky, Hugo Grumbar, and the artist Phil Collins. Best British Newcomer jurors Anne-Marie Duff, Tom Hollander, Edith Bowman, Stephen Woolley and Nik Powell; and Grierson Award jurors Mandy Chang of the Grierson Trust, Charlotte Moore, Head of Documentary Commissioning at BBC, Kim Longinotto and Adam Curtis.
Other guests included: Alfonso Cuarón , Sheharazade Goldsmith, Duncan Kenworthy, Aaron Johnson, Paul Gambaccini, Chair of the BFI Greg Dyke, Chief Executive Amanda Nevill and Festival Director Sandra Hebron.
London – 10.30pm, 26 October 2011: The 55th BFI London Film Festival, in partnership with American Express announced the winners at its high profile awards ceremony, supported by Montblanc at London’s LSO St Luke’s this evening. Hosted by Marcus Brigstocke, the four awards were presented by some of the most respected figures in the film world.
BEST FILM: WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, directed by Lynne Ramsay
Celebrating the most original, intelligent and distinctive filmmaking in the Festival, the Best Film award, presented in partnership with American Express, was chaired by John Madden who presented the award with fellow judge Gillian Anderson.
On behalf of the jury John Madden (Chair) said: “This year’s shortlist for Best Film comprises work that is outstanding in terms of its originality and its stylistic reach. It is an international group, one united by a common sense of unflinching human enquiry and we were struck by the sheer panache displayed by these great storytellers. In the end, we were simply bowled over by one film, a sublime, uncompromising tale of the torment that can stand in the place of love. We Need to Talk About Kevin is made with the kind of singular vision that links great directors across all the traditions of cinema.”
BEST BRITISH NEWCOMER: Candese Reid, actress, Junkhearts
This award is presented in partnership with Swarovski and honours new and emerging film talent, recognising the achievements of a new writer, producer, director, actor or actress. The award for Best British Newcomer was presented by Edgar Wright and Minnie Driver to Candese Reid, for her acting role in Junkhearts, a sophisticated, social drama about hope and the search for redemption. Starting acting at the age of nine, she joined Nottingham’s prestigious Television Workshop, and her role in Junkhearts, at the age of 18, was her first professional acting role. Candese also received a bursary of £5,000 courtesy of Swarovski
Chair of the Best British Newcomer jury, Andy Harries said, “Candese is a fresh, brilliant and exciting new talent. Every moment she was on screen was compelling.”
SUTHERLAND AWARD WINNER: Pablo Giorgelli, director of LAS ACACIAS
The long-standing Sutherland Award is presented to the director of the most original and imaginative feature debut in the Festival. This year, Argentinian director Pablo Giorgelli took the award for his film Las Acacias, a slow-burning, uplifting and enchanting story of a truck driver and his passengers. The director received his Star of London from film director Terry Gilliam.
The jury commented: “In a lively and thoughtful jury room debate, Las Acacias emerged as a worthy winner, largely because of the originality of its conception. Finely judged performances and a palpable sympathy for his characters makes this a hugely impressive debut for director Pablo Giorgelli.”
GRIERSON AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY: INTO THE ABYSS: A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life directed by Werner Herzog
The award is co-presented with the Grierson Trust, in commemoration of John Grierson, the grandfather of British documentary. Recognising outstanding feature length documentaries of integrity, originality, technical excellence or cultural significance, the jury was chaired by Adam Curtis and the award went to Werner Herzog’s coruscating study of the senselessness of violence and its consequences.
BFI FELLOWSHIP: Ralph Fiennes and David Cronenberg (as previously announced)
Awarded to an individual whose body of work has made an outstanding contribution to film culture, the Fellowship is the highest accolade that the British Film Institute bestows and was awarded to Canadian auteur David Cronenberg whose film A Dangerous Method premiered at the Festival on Monday. The Fellowship was presented by Jeremy Thomas and Michael Fassbender.
Ralph Fiennes, one of Britain’s pre-eminent actors, who has just made a bold and critically well received transition to film directing with his festival film Coriolanus, was also presented with a Fellowship, this time from fellow actor and personal friend Liam Neeson.
Greg Dyke, Chair, BFI said: ‘The BFI London Film Festival Awards pay tribute to outstanding film talent, so we are delighted and honoured that both Ralph Fiennes, one of the world’s finest and most respected actors and David Cronenberg, one of the most original and ground-breaking film directors of contemporary cinema, have both accepted BFI Fellowships - the highest accolade the BFI can bestow. I also want to congratulate all the filmmakers and industry professionals here tonight, not only on their nominations and awards, but also for their vision, skill, passion and creativity.’
The Star of London award was commissioned especially for the Festival and designed by leading sculptor Almuth Tebbenhoff.
Jurors present at the ceremony included: Best Film jurors John Madden, Andrew O’Hagan. Gillian Anderson, Asif Kapadia, Tracey Seaward and Sam Taylor-Wood OBE; Sutherland jurors Tim Robey, Joanna Hogg, Saskia Reeves, Peter Kosminsky, Hugo Grumbar, and the artist Phil Collins. Best British Newcomer jurors Anne-Marie Duff, Tom Hollander, Edith Bowman, Stephen Woolley and Nik Powell; and Grierson Award jurors Mandy Chang of the Grierson Trust, Charlotte Moore, Head of Documentary Commissioning at BBC, Kim Longinotto and Adam Curtis.
Other guests included: Alfonso Cuarón , Sheharazade Goldsmith, Duncan Kenworthy, Aaron Johnson, Paul Gambaccini, Chair of the BFI Greg Dyke, Chief Executive Amanda Nevill and Festival Director Sandra Hebron.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Review: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)
Running time: 123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violent images, some sensuality, language and smoking
DIRECTOR: Terry Gilliam
WRITERS: Terry Gilliam and Charles McKeown
PRODUCERS: Amy Gilliam, Terry Gilliam, Samuel Hadida, and William Vince
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Nicola Pecorini
EDITOR: Mick Audsley
Academy Awards nominee
FANTASY/ADVENTURE/ART
Starring: Heath Ledger, Christopher Plummer, Lily Cole, Andrew Garfield, Verne Troyer, Tom Waits, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell
In late January 2008, Terry Gilliam’s film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, although still in production, was thrust into the spotlight when one of its headliners died. When he died on January 22, 2008, Heath Ledger had only completed half his work on The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, performing the role of Tony. After filming resumed, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell assumed the role of Tony. Each actor portrays a different incarnation of Tony, who physically transforms whenever he travels into a dream world.
Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) is the leader of a traveling theatre troupe, which includes his sarcastic and cynical sidekick and confidant, Percy (Verne Troyer), a versatile young player and sleight of hand expert, Anton (Andrew Garfield), and Parnassus’ daughter, Valentina (Lily Cole). Parnassus has the gift of inspiring the imaginations of others, and his stage show is called, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. During the show, Parnassus offers audience members (what few there are) the chance to transcend their mundane reality. They do so by passing through a magical stage mirror that transports them into their imaginations (a kind of dream world), where they are offered two choices, and choosing one or the other determines their fate.
In reality, Parnassus is an immortal, and both his long life and magic came at a steep price. Over the years, he has made various deals with the devil, known as Mr. Nick (Tom Waits). Now, Mr. Nick has come to claim his ultimate prize, Valentina on her upcoming 16th birthday. Meanwhile, oblivious of her fate, Valentina adopts Tony (Heath Ledger), a charming outsider she rescues from dire circumstances, into the troupe. Tony joins the troupe as a barker and sets about to improve the troupe’s fortune. In order to save his daughter, Parnassus makes one final bet with Mr. Nick, and while the rest of the troupe tries to beat the devil, Tony’s motivations for helping come to light.
There is something inimitably romantic about a ragtag troupe of performers traveling about the land, performing on and living in their stage. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus captures the ramshackle romanticism of such a “wagon show,” and the performers, with their whimsical ways and odd charms, are winning, for some reason unknown to me. The narrative, however, is messy. Sometimes, the story comes across as a listless but thoughtful collection of scenes from a college art project. Other times, the film sparkles and brims with inventive imagery that is mesmerizing, especially when the characters jump through the stage mirror. This kind of visual ingenuity is what one can usually expect of a Terry Gilliam film/mind trip, and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus recalls Gilliam’s work as an animator and artist. Some of it reminded me of Gilliam’s short animations for Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
The performances are quite good. Christopher Plummer is brilliant as the tormented Parnassus, and Tom Waits practically matches him in one of my favorite renditions of the devil, Mr. Nick. I would be remiss in not commenting on Heath Ledger’s performance. Although this isn’t close to being his best work, especially since he never got to finish the role, Ledger is quite good as Tony, and the film is certainly livelier when he is onscreen. As for Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell, it is obvious why they are movie stars. They’re all good actors, and they give good performances here. The camera loves their stunningly handsome facial features, especially the magical Depp.
Thematically, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is about stories and the importance of imagination. In the film, characters must choose between their imaginations and their desires, presented as a dream, but they must be able to distinguish between a dream of imagination and a dream of desire. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is not perfect, but I was sad to see this colorful, visually overloaded movie end. That is a feeling I suspect many others also will have.
6 of 10
B
NOTES:
2010 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Achievement in Art Direction” (David Warren-art director, Anastasia Masaro-art director, and Caroline Smith-set decorator) and “Best Achievement in Costume Design” (Monique Prudhomme)
2010 BAFTA Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Make Up & Hair” (Sarah Monzani) and “Best Production Design” (David Warren, Anastasia Masaro, and Caroline Smith)
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Imagination Can't Save Clunky "The Brothers Grimm"
The Brothers Grimm (2005)
Running time: 118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violence, frightening sequences, and brief suggestive material
DIRECTOR: Terry Gilliam
WRITER: Ehren Kruger
PRODUCERS: Daniel Bobker and Charles Roven
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Newton Thomas Sigel
EDITOR: Lesley Walker
FANTASY/ADVENTURE with elements of action, comedy, horror, and mystery
Starring: Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Jonathan Pryce, Peter Stormare, Lena Headey, Peter Stormare, and Monica Bellucci
The Brothers Grimm, Wilhelm (Matt Damon) and Jacob (Heath Ledger), are renowned collectors of folklore and are also frauds. They travel from village to village in French-occupied Germany (around 1811 or 1812), and, with the help of two assistants, rid the hamlets of monsters and other “enchanted” creatures – monsters that are of their own making. The Napoleon government calls their bluff, however, when Delatombe (Jonathan Pryce), a French military official, demands that Will and Jacob investigate the disappearances of 11 girls in and around a remote village and a nearby forest.
Initially the brothers assume that a group of men are pulling the same stunts they do, but they discover that the events in the forest really do involve the supernatural. The disappearances are directly connected to a 500 year-old curse. In an ancient tower deep in the dark forest sleeps the immortal sorceress, the Mirror Queen (Monica Bellucci), and though she sleeps, she commands the denizens of the fearsome magic forest, both animal and plant, to gather what is necessary to break her sleep and return her to her youthful beauty. With both French officials and the villagers doubting them, Will and Jake, joined by a village trapper named Angelika (Lean Headey), race solve the mystery of the curse if they are to save their own necks from the French and to free the village of the great evil.
Combine the dazzling visuals of visionary director Terry Gilliam (Brazil and 12 Monkeys
, as well as being a Monty Python alum) with the imagination of horror movie scribe, Ehren Kruger (Scream 3 and The Ring
), and in theory we should get something great. However, the first hour of Gilliam and Kruger’s collaboration, a new film entitled The Brothers Grimm, is an absolute disaster – a walk-out-the-theatre, sleep inducing disaster. Somewhere deep into the film’s second act, it comes alive. The film takes the real life folklore collectors, of course the Brothers Grimm, and turns them into fraudulent monster hunters, but also creates a scenario in which they redeem themselves and launch their literary career.Kruger’s imaginative and radiant spin on the Grimm fairytales really doesn’t come to life until late; before that, all his script manages to do is drag out a concept that is itself nothing more than a fairytale – short and sweet, but not a two-hour movie. How Will and Jake got to the point of their conflict with the Mirror Queen is of little or no interest. In a written folktale, that would amount to maybe two paragraphs and not more than two-minute voiceover narration in a film. The story is really about the Brothers Grimm versus the Mirror Queen; all the other stuff (brotherly feuds, worrisome French officials, and the brothers’ snake oil show) becomes refuse if you stretch it out too long, which Kruger’s script did. When the Grimms finally take on the Queen, the film becomes a messy, but entertaining little fairy tale flick.
Gilliam, whose film career has sputtered much of the last decade, maintains his visual aplomb. The Brothers Grimm has production values to rival great films, whether they are serious costume drama or classic fantasy films like The Wizard of Oz
or Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas
. The costumes, sets, props, visual effects, cinematography, etc. are fabulous – from the dreary village hovels and mud-soaked streets to the haunted forest and the interiors of the Mirror Queen’s sumptuous (though dusty and filled with spider webs) sleeping chamber – and affirm Gilliam’s eye for creating period detail in fantasy movies.Sadly, he doesn’t seem to have much control over the film’s narrative. At times, The Brothers Grimm
is a clunky action movie, and then it becomes a comic fantasy full of bumbling oafs with weird accents, striking images (the horse that swallows a child whole), whimsy, and a variety of strange creatures. Gilliam seems powerless before Kruger’s awful dialogue for this movie (much of it hard to hear because of poor sound work). In the end, all he can do is make it an action/adventure fairy tale, in which all the characterization is lost in the sound, the fury, and the art direction/set decoration. Still, he’s the one who salvages any entertainment out of this messy script. The Brothers Grimm is like a Gilliam sampler of the director’s film trademarks – medieval shenanigans and gilded surrealism.None of the actors here is worth mentioning, only to say that Heath Ledger still has that winsome handsomeness that makes him such a captivating boy. Gilliam and Kruger do great disservice to the female leads in this film, Lena Headey and Monica Bellucci. Ms. Bellucci is quite beautiful, but great actress she’s not. Her Mirror Queen won’t have people thinking of the White Queen in Disney’s Snow White
. If you must see Gilliam’s dazzling vision on a big screen, then, by all means go. Otherwise, The Brothers Grimm is a home video experience – a fractured fairy tale that kids won’t dig, but movie lovers might appreciate for the clever visual invention.5 of 10
C+
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The Real "Brazil" Still Dazzles the Imagination
Brazil (1985) – Director’s Cut
Running time: 144 minutes (2 hours, 24 minutes)
MPAA – R
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: UK
DIRECTOR: Terry Gilliam
WRITERS: Terry Gilliam, Tom Stoppard, and Charles McKeown
PRODUCERS: Arnon Milchan
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Roger Pratt
EDITOR: Julian Doyle
Academy Award nominee
SCI-FI/FANTASY/COMEDY with element of romance
Starring: Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Bob Hoskins, Michael Palin, Peter Vaughan, Kim Greist, Barbara Hicks, Charles McKeown, Kathryn Pogson, Shelia Reid, and Holly Gilliam
In a dystopian future, an inefficient bureaucracy controls society. Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) is a daydreaming civil servant in the Department of Records (part of the Ministry of Information) who spots an error in a sea of paperwork – an innocent man was arrested and apparently killed because that error mistakenly identified him as a terrorist. In this future, the government expects citizens to pay fines and monetary penalties for their offences against society (the government) simply because even the most minor offenses generate so much paperwork. So the family of the innocent, now-deceased man is owed a refund for the money charged them for his “crimes.” While attempting to deliver the refund, Sam encounters Jill Layton (Kim Greist), and she looks exactly like the woman who is in all his daydreams. In the course of trying to catch up with Jill, Sam incorrectly becomes the object of government’s (via the Ministry) ire, as they assume him to be the mysterious, illegal serviceman and terrorist, Harry Tuttle (Robert De Niro).
Part social commentary, part outrageous fantasy, and black comedy, Terry Gilliam’s Brazil is one of the most dead-on socio-political satires in film history. It so accurately portrays both bureaucratic excess and negligence that it is both uncanny and uncannily timely, especially in light of recent events involving individual citizens being mistaken for terrorists because of their names, nationalities, and/or ethnicities. In fact, the Ministry of Information’s slogan, “Suspicion Breeds Confidence” defines the mentality of post-9/11 America.
The things that make this film excellent are the script and the actors’ ability to interpret its subtleties, while performing amidst the director’s indulgences. Terry Gilliam’s (Time Bandits
) direction is obtuse, and he often seems more enamored with the dressings of his scenario rather than the narrative and allegorical aspects of it. Meanwhile, the cast seems better at bringing Gilliam’s vision to the screen that the director himself. This includes a brilliant performance by Jonathan Pryce as an exasperated everyman who doesn’t realize that he truly is different from everyone one else (kind, considerate, intelligent) and how much that endangers his life. The text (writing) is what makes Brazil
a superb social commentary and an exceptional black comic satire, and luckily the cast acted as midwife to bring the script’s best aspects to screen even when Gilliam meanders.8 of 10
A
NOTES:
1986 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (Terry Gilliam, Tom Stoppard, and Charles McKeown) and “Best Art Direction-Set Decoration” (Norman Garwood and Maggie Gray)
1986 BAFTA Awards: 2 wins” “Best Production Design (Norman Garwood) and “Best Special Visual Effects” (George Gibbs and Richard Conway)
Sunday, October 8, 2006
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