Akira Kurosawa Week concludes at Trailers from Hell with director Brian Trenchard-Smith introducing "Ran," Kurosawa's existential epic of chaos with Japanese superstar Tatsuya Nakadai in the King Lear-esque lead role.Like Orson Welles, Akira Kurosawa found it difficult to find backing for projects in his later years. Producer Serge Silberman came to the rescue with a Japanese-French coproduction package to enable the director to make this dark spectacle based primarily on the exploits of an actual 16th century warlord, although there are undeniable similarities to King Lear. Kurosawa spent ten years storyboarding the film as paintings, accounting for the stunning visuals throughout.
- 4/12/2013
- by Trailers From Hell
- Thompson on Hollywood
This is not to say that traditional Shakespeare isn't cool - it's just that it's often seen as the outpost of theatre and/or English majors, and pretentious ones at that. Shakespeare was a writer for the people - the dirty, beer-swilling masses of his day. And one of the beautiful things about Shakespeare is the ability of the stories to transcend time and place. So let's celebrate those films that make Shakespeare cool, bringing him back to the dirty, beer-swilling masses of today. In honor of Joss Whedon's production of Much Ado About Nothing, which is sure to top the list next time, here are the coolest Shakespeare adaptations on film.
10. Hamlet (2000)
How to update the story of the most angst-ridden character in literature (pre-Daria?) Put Ethan Hawke in the title role; he's been the poster boy for angst since 1994's Reality Bites. Turn Denmark into the Denmark Corporation,...
10. Hamlet (2000)
How to update the story of the most angst-ridden character in literature (pre-Daria?) Put Ethan Hawke in the title role; he's been the poster boy for angst since 1994's Reality Bites. Turn Denmark into the Denmark Corporation,...
- 9/24/2012
- Shadowlocked
Updated through 5/5.
"It storms after us down the corridors of history like its own hero. Bloated, grotesque, tremendous; destroying as it goes; influencing and renewing too. Every fresh decade calls it the best film ever made. Every new generation poses and tries to answer the question, 'Why?'" Nigel Andrews in the Financial Times:
Citizen Kane is 70. Three score years and 10 after its New York premiere in May 1941, it is still everywhere. Not just in its own flesh, as reissue, telecast or DVD, but in the monstrous spell it casts on filmmakers. Long after the critics-turned-directors of the French New Wave first made Orson Welles a demigod — remember the young hero of François Truffaut's Les Quatre Cents Coups dreaming of stealing stills from a cinema showing Citizen Kane? — the figure of the haunted megalomaniac, presiding over the shards of his own life, is inescapable. From Michael Corleone in the...
"It storms after us down the corridors of history like its own hero. Bloated, grotesque, tremendous; destroying as it goes; influencing and renewing too. Every fresh decade calls it the best film ever made. Every new generation poses and tries to answer the question, 'Why?'" Nigel Andrews in the Financial Times:
Citizen Kane is 70. Three score years and 10 after its New York premiere in May 1941, it is still everywhere. Not just in its own flesh, as reissue, telecast or DVD, but in the monstrous spell it casts on filmmakers. Long after the critics-turned-directors of the French New Wave first made Orson Welles a demigod — remember the young hero of François Truffaut's Les Quatre Cents Coups dreaming of stealing stills from a cinema showing Citizen Kane? — the figure of the haunted megalomaniac, presiding over the shards of his own life, is inescapable. From Michael Corleone in the...
- 5/5/2011
- MUBI
FX has another great show on their hands in the new boxing drama, Lights Out.
The show stars veteran character actor Holt McCallany as Patrick “Lights” Leary, an aging former heavyweight champion of the world. Holt’s been acting for 20 years working with some of the best directors around; David Fincher, David O. Russell, Lawrence Kasdan, Brian De Palma. His films have included Three Kings, Fight Club and many others.
This is his first opportunity at headlining a show and I have to say, he is absolutely wonderful.
I had a chance to speak to Holt and executive producer Warren Leight on a conference call where they talked about the show, his training regimen and his advice to actors.
For the full interview, click the audio link above or download from iTunes.
Holt, how did you get involved? What was it about the role that said, “I must do this?...
The show stars veteran character actor Holt McCallany as Patrick “Lights” Leary, an aging former heavyweight champion of the world. Holt’s been acting for 20 years working with some of the best directors around; David Fincher, David O. Russell, Lawrence Kasdan, Brian De Palma. His films have included Three Kings, Fight Club and many others.
This is his first opportunity at headlining a show and I have to say, he is absolutely wonderful.
I had a chance to speak to Holt and executive producer Warren Leight on a conference call where they talked about the show, his training regimen and his advice to actors.
For the full interview, click the audio link above or download from iTunes.
Holt, how did you get involved? What was it about the role that said, “I must do this?...
- 1/19/2011
- by Lance@dailyactor.com (Lance Carter)
- DailyActorMedia
The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Fred Weekend Shopping Guide - your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…
(Please support Fred by using the links below to make any impulse purchases - it helps to keep us going…)
It’s not quite as consistent as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but I certainly enjoyed Couples Retreat (Universal, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.98 Srp) for what it is - a goofy, often slapstick relationship comedy that plays like a post marriage take on the Swingers generation (which, considering it stars Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau, is not a difficult leap). Bonus materials include featurettes, deleted scenes, and alternate ending,...
(Please support Fred by using the links below to make any impulse purchases - it helps to keep us going…)
It’s not quite as consistent as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but I certainly enjoyed Couples Retreat (Universal, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.98 Srp) for what it is - a goofy, often slapstick relationship comedy that plays like a post marriage take on the Swingers generation (which, considering it stars Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau, is not a difficult leap). Bonus materials include featurettes, deleted scenes, and alternate ending,...
- 2/12/2010
- by UncaScroogeMcD
As it often does, this week brings a host of new movies and some great classics hitting Blu-ray for the first time. This week’s releases include the first time on Blu-ray The Time Traveller’s Wife, Couple’s Retreat, The Phantom, Bronson, Drop Zone and The Running Man.
There is also the first season of Stargate: Universe, a couple seasons of Jag, season three of The Guild and the Blu-ray release of The Coen Bros.’ A Serious Man with Michael Stuhlbarg (pictured above).
Check out this week’s new releases:
Movies
A Serious Man ~ Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind (Blu-ray and DVD)
Bronson (Widescreen Edition) ~ Tom Hardy (Blu-ray and DVD)
Couples Retreat ~ Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau (Blu-ray and DVD)
Dangerous Man ~ Jerry Wasserman, Steven Seagal (DVD)
Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic ~ Mark Hamill, Victoria Tennant, Vanessa Branch (Blu-ray and DVD)
Dare ~ Emmy Rossum, Zach Gilford, Alan Cumming...
There is also the first season of Stargate: Universe, a couple seasons of Jag, season three of The Guild and the Blu-ray release of The Coen Bros.’ A Serious Man with Michael Stuhlbarg (pictured above).
Check out this week’s new releases:
Movies
A Serious Man ~ Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind (Blu-ray and DVD)
Bronson (Widescreen Edition) ~ Tom Hardy (Blu-ray and DVD)
Couples Retreat ~ Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau (Blu-ray and DVD)
Dangerous Man ~ Jerry Wasserman, Steven Seagal (DVD)
Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic ~ Mark Hamill, Victoria Tennant, Vanessa Branch (Blu-ray and DVD)
Dare ~ Emmy Rossum, Zach Gilford, Alan Cumming...
- 2/9/2010
- by Joe Gillis
- The Flickcast
Orson Welles would first appear on American television in the Omnibus production of King Lear. This was back in the day where television was thought of as an instructional and culture enlightening medium, but it was also a live medium. It may not be the best Lear, but classic television is always welcome. King Lear (Orson Welles) is old and ready to retire from the throne of England. He is going to divide his kingdom amongst his three daughters, Goneril (Beatrice Straight), Regan (Margaret Phillips), and Cordelia (Natasha Parry). He tests their devotion by asking each to tell of their love to give the winner the largest section of the kingdom. The older daughters give flattering answers,...
- 2/1/2010
- by Jeff Swindoll
- Monsters and Critics
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