Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Cailee Spaeny with her Elvis, Jacob Elordi at the 61st New York Film Festival press conference Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
The press conference for Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, a portrait of Elvis Presley’s (Jacob Elordi) wife, born Priscilla Ann Wagner (Cailee Spaeny), was attended by the two stars, plus producer Youree Henley, production designer Tamara Deverell, and Coppola’s longtime costume designer Stacey Battat (Somewhere; The Bling Ring; The Beguiled; On the Rocks). Stacey also worked with Jason Schwartzman, Roman Coppola, and Alex Timbers on Mozart In The Jungle; Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer on Still Alice; Scott McGehee and David Siegel on What Maisie Knew, and Sebastián Lelio on Gloria Bell.
Yuree Henley reading Sofia Coppola’s letter with Cailee Spaeny Jacob Elordi, Stacey Battat and Tamara Deverell Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
“I am honoured to be back at the New York Film Festival with my...
The press conference for Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, a portrait of Elvis Presley’s (Jacob Elordi) wife, born Priscilla Ann Wagner (Cailee Spaeny), was attended by the two stars, plus producer Youree Henley, production designer Tamara Deverell, and Coppola’s longtime costume designer Stacey Battat (Somewhere; The Bling Ring; The Beguiled; On the Rocks). Stacey also worked with Jason Schwartzman, Roman Coppola, and Alex Timbers on Mozart In The Jungle; Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer on Still Alice; Scott McGehee and David Siegel on What Maisie Knew, and Sebastián Lelio on Gloria Bell.
Yuree Henley reading Sofia Coppola’s letter with Cailee Spaeny Jacob Elordi, Stacey Battat and Tamara Deverell Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
“I am honoured to be back at the New York Film Festival with my...
- 10/10/2023
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Exclusive: The Imitation Game outfit Black Bear Pictures is bolstering the senior ranks of its fledgling management division with the hire of respected former ICM Partners and William Morris agent Joanne Roberts Wiles.
While a partner at ICM, Wiles represented filmmakers including Cooper Raiff (Cha Cha Real Smooth), the Duplass Brothers (Cyrus), Karyn Kusama (Yellowjackets), Duke Johnson (Anomalisa), Charlie McDowell and Justin Lader (Windfall), Gregg Araki (Now Apocalypse), Jamie Dack (Palm Trees and Power Lines), Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley (Jockey), So Yong Kim (Lovesong), David Siegel and Scott McGehee (Montana Story), and David Lachapelle (Rize).
She also represented talent in front of the camera including Oscar nominee Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of The Dog), Hannah Gross (Mindhunter), Garance Marillier (Titane), Théodore Pellerin (Never Rarely Sometimes Always), Dree Hemingway (Starlet), Chris Klein (American Pie), and Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike).
Wiles will be a Partner in Black Bear’s newly formed management division,...
While a partner at ICM, Wiles represented filmmakers including Cooper Raiff (Cha Cha Real Smooth), the Duplass Brothers (Cyrus), Karyn Kusama (Yellowjackets), Duke Johnson (Anomalisa), Charlie McDowell and Justin Lader (Windfall), Gregg Araki (Now Apocalypse), Jamie Dack (Palm Trees and Power Lines), Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley (Jockey), So Yong Kim (Lovesong), David Siegel and Scott McGehee (Montana Story), and David Lachapelle (Rize).
She also represented talent in front of the camera including Oscar nominee Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of The Dog), Hannah Gross (Mindhunter), Garance Marillier (Titane), Théodore Pellerin (Never Rarely Sometimes Always), Dree Hemingway (Starlet), Chris Klein (American Pie), and Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike).
Wiles will be a Partner in Black Bear’s newly formed management division,...
- 8/9/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
In this modern-day western drama from Scott McGehee and David Siegel, two estranged siblings return home to a ranch that’s vastly changed since their time away, and the brother and sister must fight their internal struggles against a mythic American backdrop. Featuring newcomers Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague, Montana Story is set to be released on May 13, 2022. Here are the top five moments of the western drama. Erin Returns Home To See Her Father In A Dire State Can you imagine having to confront the horrors of your past? In Erin’s case, that appears to be her
The Five Best Moments From The Montana Story Trailer...
The Five Best Moments From The Montana Story Trailer...
- 4/25/2022
- by Jeffrey Bowie Jr.
- TVovermind.com
A well-observed neo-western that is rich with atmosphere, the latest film from Scott McGehee and David Siegel (What Maisie Knew), follows estranged siblings (Owen Teague and Haley Lu Richardson) who reconnect after their father falls ill. A layered study of reckoning with past demons and contending with American myths, it’s an early highlight of the summer season.
Following its TIFF premiere, Bleecker Street has now set a May 13 theatrical release and dropped the first trailer and poster. As one can glean from the trailer, cinematographer Giles Nuttgens brings the same level of patience and quiet grandeur in capturing the American West as he did in Hell or High Water. Fans of Kelly Reichardt should also find a great deal to appreciate in the subtle approach to an emotional throughline.
See the trailer and poster below.
Montana Story opens in theaters on May 13.
The post Montana Story Trailer: Haley Lu...
Following its TIFF premiere, Bleecker Street has now set a May 13 theatrical release and dropped the first trailer and poster. As one can glean from the trailer, cinematographer Giles Nuttgens brings the same level of patience and quiet grandeur in capturing the American West as he did in Hell or High Water. Fans of Kelly Reichardt should also find a great deal to appreciate in the subtle approach to an emotional throughline.
See the trailer and poster below.
Montana Story opens in theaters on May 13.
The post Montana Story Trailer: Haley Lu...
- 4/20/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"Every night I wake up, and I think, 'that can't be what happened.'" Bleecker Street has revealed an official trailer for an indie drama titled Montana Story, the latest from filmmaking duo Scott McGehee & David Siegel. This originally premeired at the 2021 Toronto Film Festival last year, and it also played at the Cleveland, Seattle, and San Francisco Film Festivals this year. Two estranged siblings return home to the sprawling ranch they once knew and loved, confronting a deep and bitter family legacy against a mythic American backdrop. It's described as "neo-Western with an emotional tremor," with reviews saying it "evokes a grandiose style of American frontier filmmaking, somewhere between John Ford and Kelly Reichardt." Starring Haley Lu Richardson & Owen Teague, with Gilbert Owuor, Kimberly Guerrero, Eugene Brave Rock, and Asivak Koostachin. This looks like a really lovely, heartfelt film. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Scott McGehee & David Siegel's Montana Story,...
- 4/19/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
It’s often said that the Western genre is a barometer for the American psyche, with the best Western films reflecting the values and anxieties of the era in which they were made. If that’s true, “Montana Story” is a perfect example. The latest film from “The Deep End” directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel uses the Mythic West as a backdrop to examine repressed family drama and crippling medical expenses, topics that are certainly top of mind these days for many Americans. The indie filmmaking duo have not released a new film since 2012’s “What Maisie Knew,” but a new trailer for “Montana Story” suggests a welcome return to form for them. Watch it exclusively on IndieWire below.
The official synopsis for “Montana Story” describes the film as “a neo-Western with an emotional tremor hiding beneath it. Two estranged siblings (Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague) return home...
The official synopsis for “Montana Story” describes the film as “a neo-Western with an emotional tremor hiding beneath it. Two estranged siblings (Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague) return home...
- 4/19/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Students from Los Angeles-based Exceptional Minds school have helped dubbed the Israeli comedy series “On the Spectrum.” The series, released to coincide with Autism Awareness Day, is now available to stream on HBO Max with the remaining five episodes available beginning April 9.
The series follows three roommates who are all in their mid-20 and on the autism spectrum. Niv Majar, Naomi Levov and Ben Yosipovic all star in the 10-part show, which was inspired by creator Dana Idisis’ brother, Guy, a young adult on the spectrum.
Idisis says, “I wrote the series from a very personal place, my younger brother is on the autism spectrum. I wanted to write a story in which he was the hero, where he deals with society and not where society needs to deal with him. It was important for me to meet with as many people on the spectrum as possible — as every person...
The series follows three roommates who are all in their mid-20 and on the autism spectrum. Niv Majar, Naomi Levov and Ben Yosipovic all star in the 10-part show, which was inspired by creator Dana Idisis’ brother, Guy, a young adult on the spectrum.
Idisis says, “I wrote the series from a very personal place, my younger brother is on the autism spectrum. I wanted to write a story in which he was the hero, where he deals with society and not where society needs to deal with him. It was important for me to meet with as many people on the spectrum as possible — as every person...
- 4/2/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Fauda and Shtisel outfit Yes Studios has sold its hit Israeli series On The Spectrum to HBO Max for North American streaming.
The first five eps of the comedy-drama will be available on April 2 to coincide with Autism Awareness Day. Episodes 6-10 will go up from April 9.
The Hebrew-language drama follows three roommates in their mid-20s, all on the autism spectrum, who share a sheltered apartment while learning to cope with the world around them. Amazon last year set Parenthood and Friday Night Lights writer and exec producer Jason Katims to shepherd a U.S. remake.
The original series, which first aired in Israel in 2018, was created by Dana Idisis and Yuval Shafferman and produced by yes TV and Sumayoko Productions’ Udi Segal, Shlomit Arviv, and Amit Gitelzon, with yes Studios handling worldwide distribution.
The series stars Niv Majar, Naomi Levov, and Ben Yosipovic, and was inspired by creator Dana Idisis’s brother,...
The first five eps of the comedy-drama will be available on April 2 to coincide with Autism Awareness Day. Episodes 6-10 will go up from April 9.
The Hebrew-language drama follows three roommates in their mid-20s, all on the autism spectrum, who share a sheltered apartment while learning to cope with the world around them. Amazon last year set Parenthood and Friday Night Lights writer and exec producer Jason Katims to shepherd a U.S. remake.
The original series, which first aired in Israel in 2018, was created by Dana Idisis and Yuval Shafferman and produced by yes TV and Sumayoko Productions’ Udi Segal, Shlomit Arviv, and Amit Gitelzon, with yes Studios handling worldwide distribution.
The series stars Niv Majar, Naomi Levov, and Ben Yosipovic, and was inspired by creator Dana Idisis’s brother,...
- 4/2/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Call Me By Your Name’ and ‘Suspiria’ helmer, Luca Guadagnino, has entered into talks with Warner Bros to take over the helm of their ‘Lord of the Flies’ adaptation.
William Golding’s classic 1954 novel focuses on a group of British boys stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempt to govern themselves during a nuclear war.
Guadagnino and his producing partner Marco Morabito will produce the movie if terms are agreed upon.
Back in 2017, after Warner won the rights to adapt the story, it was widely reported that the story would take on a gender swap approach with Scott McGehee and David Siegel acting as co-directors. The very thought of a male directing team fronting an all-female lead feature led to a major backlash and the idea was subsequently dropped.
Also in news – Robert De Niro set for Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
At the time,...
William Golding’s classic 1954 novel focuses on a group of British boys stranded on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempt to govern themselves during a nuclear war.
Guadagnino and his producing partner Marco Morabito will produce the movie if terms are agreed upon.
Back in 2017, after Warner won the rights to adapt the story, it was widely reported that the story would take on a gender swap approach with Scott McGehee and David Siegel acting as co-directors. The very thought of a male directing team fronting an all-female lead feature led to a major backlash and the idea was subsequently dropped.
Also in news – Robert De Niro set for Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
At the time,...
- 7/30/2019
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
When Lauren Greenfield started the quarter century of photography and documentary work that would culminate in “Generation Wealth,” she had no idea how much the current administration would be reflected in the entire project.
Though Donald Trump is only briefly shown in the Amazon film that opened Friday through Magnolia, the same elements that underlie his climb to office — fame, materialism, real estate, reality TV, the commodification of women’s bodies — are the central themes of the documentary.
In “Generation Wealth,” Greenfield’s subjects suffer the fallout of their lavish lifestyles and outsized obsessions, in something of a cautionary tale for today’s culture. Those subjects include a former porn star, the now-grown L.A. teens she photographed in the 1990s, a plastic surgery addict, a disgraced hedge fund manager and Jackie and David Siegel, the billionaire real estate moguls she portrayed in her previous feature “The Queen of Versailles.
Though Donald Trump is only briefly shown in the Amazon film that opened Friday through Magnolia, the same elements that underlie his climb to office — fame, materialism, real estate, reality TV, the commodification of women’s bodies — are the central themes of the documentary.
In “Generation Wealth,” Greenfield’s subjects suffer the fallout of their lavish lifestyles and outsized obsessions, in something of a cautionary tale for today’s culture. Those subjects include a former porn star, the now-grown L.A. teens she photographed in the 1990s, a plastic surgery addict, a disgraced hedge fund manager and Jackie and David Siegel, the billionaire real estate moguls she portrayed in her previous feature “The Queen of Versailles.
- 7/21/2018
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Until recently, Andy Mitchell’s closest brush with Hollywood came in “The Queen of Versailles,” the 2012 documentary about the collapse of a timeshare empire.
The film centered on David Siegel, founder of Westgate Resorts, and his struggles to get out from under crushing debt. Mitchell did not appear in the film, but he was among the debtholders putting the screws to Siegel. His company ultimately took control of Siegel’s timeshare tower in Las Vegas.
For Mitchell, it was a fairly typical assignment. The timeshare firm was a badly damaged asset, and it needed someone to roll up his sleeves and get dirty.
Mitchell, 42, is now taking on an even bigger mess: The Weinstein Co. Mitchell’s firm, Lantern Capital, is poised to acquire the bankrupt mini-studio for $310 million in cash, plus $115 million in project-based debt. A bankruptcy judge may sign off on the transaction as soon as May 8.
Lantern...
The film centered on David Siegel, founder of Westgate Resorts, and his struggles to get out from under crushing debt. Mitchell did not appear in the film, but he was among the debtholders putting the screws to Siegel. His company ultimately took control of Siegel’s timeshare tower in Las Vegas.
For Mitchell, it was a fairly typical assignment. The timeshare firm was a badly damaged asset, and it needed someone to roll up his sleeves and get dirty.
Mitchell, 42, is now taking on an even bigger mess: The Weinstein Co. Mitchell’s firm, Lantern Capital, is poised to acquire the bankrupt mini-studio for $310 million in cash, plus $115 million in project-based debt. A bankruptcy judge may sign off on the transaction as soon as May 8.
Lantern...
- 5/8/2018
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
Jackie and David Siegel want to make one thing clear as they mourn the loss of their 18-year-old daughter Victoria: The teen's death should not be declared a suicide. "I don't think [she] had any intentions of killing herself. I think she just wanted to soothe the pain she was going through," Queen of Versailles star Jackie, 49, said in an interview with local Florida news station Wftv shortly after the grieving parents buried their daughter on June 10. The Queen of Versailles and Celebrity Wife Swap [...]...
- 6/11/2015
- Us Weekly
Victoria Siegel, the 18-year-old daughter of Queen of Versailles documentary stars David Siegel and Jackie Siegel, struggled with an addiction to prescription drugs prior to her death, a family spokesperson said Monday. The couple and their seven kids are "devastated and heartbroken by the loss of their beloved Victoria. They are hurt, deeply wounded and they are grieving. Victoria was a beautiful spirit with a wonderful smile who was greatly loved, and will be deeply missed." She "had a history of seizures and was prescribed medication for this condition. Unfortunately she became dependent and struggled with this condition. She voluntarily underwent rehabilitation and was working hard to address this...
- 6/9/2015
- E! Online
Victoria Siegel, the 18-year-old daughter of Queen of Versailles stars David Siegel and Jackie Siegel, died Saturday after being found unresponsive in the family's Windermere, Fla., home. Orange County sheriff's spokesman Jeff Williamson confirmed her death to The Orlando Sentinel and said she was found unresponsive by at the family's Seagull Island mansion on Green Island Cove just after 2 p.m. She was taken to Health Central Hospital in Ocoee, where she was pronounced dead. The medical examiner is still determining the cause and manner of her death. "The victim's father has informed investigators that he will be making a statement in the coming days regarding the death of his daughter and is...
- 6/8/2015
- E! Online
Jackie Siegel's face turned into an even bigger disaster than her nightmare of a mansion -- featured in the famous "Queen of Versailles" documentary -- when she suffered a major allergic reaction to a laser treatment. Jackie looked like an over-cooked lobster when she got home from a skin rejuvenation session in Orlando. She tells TMZ the plan was to celebrate the end of her long-running lawsuit over the docu about her and husband...
- 7/27/2014
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Lauren Greenfield has scored the big victory that likely ends David Siegel's attempt to punish the filmmaker over The Queen of Versailles. This week, an arbitrator at the Independent Film and Television Alliance ruled that the documentary about the time-share baron wasn't defamatory. "Having viewed the supposedly egregious portions of the Motion Picture numerous times, [the Arbitrator] simply does not find that any of the content of the Motion Picture was false," rules arbitrator Roy Rifkin. The lawsuit was brought by Siegel's Westgate Resorts on the precipices of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. The film focuses on Siegel's
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- 3/14/2014
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It seems strange to fondly reminiscence about Lauren Greenfield’s fascinating documentary The Queen of Versailles on the verge of another potential American economic collapse, but the filmmaker’s weirdly funny and strangely endearing look at the uber-rich Jackie and David Siegel remains a steadfastly engaging documentary. Oh, and now it’s one with a bit of an update. If you’re in need of a catch up on the film, hop on over to my review of the film from Sundance 2012, or just sit tight for a compact version right here. Greenfield’s doc focuses on the Siegels, incredibly wealthy Floridians who were, at the time Greenfield started filming, best known for their attempt to build the United States’ largest single family residence, one they modeled after equal parts the Palace of Versailles and the top three floors of the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. They sound so fun, right...
- 10/1/2013
- by Kate Erbland
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Renewed interest in 'lost' sci-fi movie Lord of Light, the best worst films, and an update on the Florida Versailles
Argo for that
Hoping to continue its good awards form at the Baftas tonight is Argo. Ben Affleck's film is also back in cinemas, mopping up anyone who may have missed it first time around. Also increasingly hopeful with every new victory is Barry Ira Geller, the original author of the sci-fi screenplay within the film of Argo. Affleck's film is, of course, based on the true story of the CIA posing as a film crew, and Geller's 1979 screenplay, which the CIA subsequently acquired, was originally supposed to be made into a movie called "Lord of Light", based on a 1967 novel by Roger Zelazny. To date the film remains unmade. Ownership appears a bit of a mess, as the CIA bought the script to use as cover for its hostage rescue,...
Argo for that
Hoping to continue its good awards form at the Baftas tonight is Argo. Ben Affleck's film is also back in cinemas, mopping up anyone who may have missed it first time around. Also increasingly hopeful with every new victory is Barry Ira Geller, the original author of the sci-fi screenplay within the film of Argo. Affleck's film is, of course, based on the true story of the CIA posing as a film crew, and Geller's 1979 screenplay, which the CIA subsequently acquired, was originally supposed to be made into a movie called "Lord of Light", based on a 1967 novel by Roger Zelazny. To date the film remains unmade. Ownership appears a bit of a mess, as the CIA bought the script to use as cover for its hostage rescue,...
- 2/10/2013
- by Jason Solomons
- The Guardian - Film News
David Siegel, the owner of Westgate Resorts and one of the subjects of Lauren Greenfield’s acclaimed documentary, The Queen Of Versailles, just got a little more ruined. Last January, the billionaire sued both Greenfield and the organization that runs the Sundance Film Festival for defamation, after coming to the conclusion that the movie detailing his disastrous fall from immense wealth hurt the reputation of his company. Today The Hollywood Reporter reports that a U.S. District Court judge has deemed Siegel’s claim baseless. Siegel was banking on the fact that the release signed by his son, Richard Siegel ...
- 1/25/2013
- avclub.com
After spending two years making the lauded documentary Queen of Versailles, and then another year defending a lawsuit brought by the film's main subject, Lauren Greenfield scored a big legal victory in Florida federal court on Thursday. The film was a smash hit at Sundance last year, snapped up by Magnolia Films and the Bravo cable network and later nominated by the Director's Guild for outstanding directorial achievement. It tells the story of David Siegel, a time-share baron who commissioned a $75 million Florida mansion for himself before the economy went south. Siegel wasn't particularly happy with the documentary
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- 1/25/2013
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As the Sundance Film Festival rolls into Park City, Utah once again, a legal dispute over one of last year's hits, The Queen of Versailles, drags on. The film by director Lauren Greenfield tells the tale of David Siegel, a time-share baron who commissioned a $75 million Florida mansion for himself before the economy went south. The film, which shows the mansion being put on the market at a fraction of the cost and Siegel's business struggling, has been described as a "rags-to-riches-to-rags story," which bothers Siegel, who is suing for defamation, even if
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- 1/16/2013
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Here is a collection of a dozen of the best documentaries I saw in 2012. It's not a "best of the year" list. Just some good memories of these films.
I will not burden you again with another complaint about lists. More than ever, I despise them because they shift focus away from a film and toward a list. When I recently caught up with "Django Unchained," for example, I gave it four stars. The comments section was overrun with readers asking if that meant it was now on my Top Ten list. One reader insisted on knowing which title it replaced. Although the piece was some 2,000 words long, another reader insisted he still wanted to see "my official review."
All I can do with any film is tell you that I've seen it, and what I thought about it. If it sounds interesting to you, it might be worth seeking out.
I will not burden you again with another complaint about lists. More than ever, I despise them because they shift focus away from a film and toward a list. When I recently caught up with "Django Unchained," for example, I gave it four stars. The comments section was overrun with readers asking if that meant it was now on my Top Ten list. One reader insisted on knowing which title it replaced. Although the piece was some 2,000 words long, another reader insisted he still wanted to see "my official review."
All I can do with any film is tell you that I've seen it, and what I thought about it. If it sounds interesting to you, it might be worth seeking out.
- 1/15/2013
- by Roger Ebert
- blogs.suntimes.com/ebert
I don't typically see many documentaries every year, but since becoming a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (Bfca) it has become far easier (and necessary) to see more of them over the last two years. One, I have to nominate and vote on the category for the Critics' Choice Awards and two, I get more screeners each year than I used to. This year I've watched 14 documentaries and have yet only seen seven of the 15 documentaries up for Best Documentary at the 2013 Oscars. Of those seven, only one makes my top five of 2012. Outside of the five I list below, virtually all of the documentaries I watched this year were quite great, but seeing how I only saw 14, it didn't make sense to do a top ten. So if you're looking for some additional docs to watch other than my top five, also consider Bad 25 (which would...
- 12/18/2012
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Pick Of The Week: New The Queen Of Versailles (Magnolia) Orlando-based timeshare billionaire David Siegel became Orlando-based timeshare former billionaire David Siegel when the housing bubble burst and suddenly people couldn’t splurge on vacation destinations they couldn’t really afford anyway. Lauren Greenfield’s fascinating documentary The Queen Of Versailles catches the Siegels, David and his larger-than-life spouse Jackie, struggling to curb a lifestyle of gaudy excess, epitomized by their a yet-to-be-completed 90,000 square-foot mansion that would have been the largest single-family home in America. The Siegels are easy to caricature, but Greenfield treats their collapsing fortunes with ...
- 11/14/2012
- avclub.com
"The Queen of Versailles," a recent documentary by filmmaker Lauren Greenfield, follows the story of mega-billionaires Jackie and David Siegel, owners of the what was set to be the largest single-family home in the United States. Loosely modeled on the floor plan of a certain famous French royal palace, the house was designed with 30 bathrooms and 10 kitchens, sprawling across 90,000 square feet of mansion.
But what begins as an awkward celebration of the exorbitant wealth of the 1% soon turns into a saga that would make any representative from the 99% smirk with satisfaction. Cue the financial crisis and the Siegels' American dream becomes a regular riches to rags tale as David's booming time-share business collapses along with the real-estate bubble. Soon after, the family can no longer afford their enormous compound and are forced to reevaluate their delusions of grandeur.
The film chronicles the following two years as Jackie and David struggle...
But what begins as an awkward celebration of the exorbitant wealth of the 1% soon turns into a saga that would make any representative from the 99% smirk with satisfaction. Cue the financial crisis and the Siegels' American dream becomes a regular riches to rags tale as David's booming time-share business collapses along with the real-estate bubble. Soon after, the family can no longer afford their enormous compound and are forced to reevaluate their delusions of grandeur.
The film chronicles the following two years as Jackie and David struggle...
- 11/13/2012
- by Katherine Brooks
- Huffington Post
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Nov. 13, 2012
Price: DVD $26.98, Blu-ray $29.98
Studio: Magnolia
David and Jackie Siegel live large in The Queen of Versailles.
Directed by Lauren Greenfield, the 2012 documentary movie The Queen of Versailles follows billionaire couple Jacqueline and David Siegel and the tale of their ill-fated 90,000 square-foot mansion in Orlando, Florida, inspired by the famed palace at Versailles.
In 2008, the Siegel family was on top of the world, with the wealthy and politically influential 76-year-old David Siegel running the successful Westgate Resorts time-share business and his 46-year-old beauty queen trophy wife Jackie building the largest single family private home in America. The house boasts nine kitchens, a bowling alley, three swimming pools, a full baseball diamond,.45-foot ceilings, and doors and window frames that carry $4 million price tags. But then the U.S. economy and Westgate were rocked by the devastating sub-prime mortgage collapse, and with life’s new economic reality and Westgate teetering on ruin,...
Price: DVD $26.98, Blu-ray $29.98
Studio: Magnolia
David and Jackie Siegel live large in The Queen of Versailles.
Directed by Lauren Greenfield, the 2012 documentary movie The Queen of Versailles follows billionaire couple Jacqueline and David Siegel and the tale of their ill-fated 90,000 square-foot mansion in Orlando, Florida, inspired by the famed palace at Versailles.
In 2008, the Siegel family was on top of the world, with the wealthy and politically influential 76-year-old David Siegel running the successful Westgate Resorts time-share business and his 46-year-old beauty queen trophy wife Jackie building the largest single family private home in America. The house boasts nine kitchens, a bowling alley, three swimming pools, a full baseball diamond,.45-foot ceilings, and doors and window frames that carry $4 million price tags. But then the U.S. economy and Westgate were rocked by the devastating sub-prime mortgage collapse, and with life’s new economic reality and Westgate teetering on ruin,...
- 10/22/2012
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
This documentary gives curious viewers a glimpse into the life of timeshare mogul David Siegel and his family. The titular ‘queen’ is Siegel’s wife Jacqueline, and Versailles is the monster home they are constructing. Modelled on the original French palace, Versailles was set to become the biggest house in America. Having begun filming prior to the financial crisis, director Lauren Greenfield had planned to document the building of this house, and at the same time observe the lifestyle of a family that had fully achieved the American dream. The crisis must have seemed like a gift, offering the film a depth of contrast, a poignancy even, that might have been lacking in a straightforward portrait of extreme consumerism.
In truth though, what poignancy there is in this film exists independently of the Siegels’ financial troubles. It is misleading to call this a ‘riches to rags’ tale: these are the words of David Siegel himself,...
In truth though, what poignancy there is in this film exists independently of the Siegels’ financial troubles. It is misleading to call this a ‘riches to rags’ tale: these are the words of David Siegel himself,...
- 9/24/2012
- by Alison Frank
- The Moving Arts Journal
“Everyone wants to be rich,” says real-estate mogul David Siegel here, and that’s probably true. But few people would even conceive of doing with their riches what Siegel does with his. “Horror” isn’t too strong a word for it... and it’s clear that documentarian Lauren Greenfield was aiming for some good old-fashioned rubbernecking when she started shooting what became The Queen of Versailles during the height of America’s cheap-money, pass-the-risk bubble in the mid 2000s. For Siegel and his wife, Jaqueline -- his third wife, and 30 years younger than him -- were building what would be the largest private residence in the United States, a gaudy monstrosity that would have, when finished, housed a bowling alley, three pools and a spa, 11 kitchens, a skating rink, a movie theater, and an 20-car garage. (This is not an all-inclusive description, but you can find one here, if you...
- 9/10/2012
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
At the end of each month, the Sound On Sight staff will band together to write an article about their favourite scenes in films released. We were a little busy in early July so we decided to combine that list with our picks from August. Here are our favourite scenes from the months of July and August.
Warning: Of course, spoilers are in full effect here!
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The Dark Knight Rises – Opening Scene
The opening sequence of The Dark Knight Rises and arguably the best and biggest set piece of the film, rises to the level of any scene from the previous instalment of the series. This gravity-defying skyjacking is a tour de force and without a doubt the best sequence of any film so far this year. Shot with Imax cameras, this aerial extraction, void of any CGI, is a remarkable feat in filmmaking.Enough said.
The Expendables 2 – Jason Statham...
Warning: Of course, spoilers are in full effect here!
****
The Dark Knight Rises – Opening Scene
The opening sequence of The Dark Knight Rises and arguably the best and biggest set piece of the film, rises to the level of any scene from the previous instalment of the series. This gravity-defying skyjacking is a tour de force and without a doubt the best sequence of any film so far this year. Shot with Imax cameras, this aerial extraction, void of any CGI, is a remarkable feat in filmmaking.Enough said.
The Expendables 2 – Jason Statham...
- 9/10/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Anna Karenina (12A)
(Joe Wright, 2012, UK/Fra) Keira Knightley, Kelly Macdonald, Jude Law, 130 mins
Bringing period drama up-to-date, Wright's radical reinterpretation of Tolstoy's tragedy stages the action almost entirely in a theatre – backstage areas, red curtains and all. It's a smart framing device for the Imperial Russia on display, even if the stylisation puts emotion at a slight remove, not helped by the love-or-loathe leads. But it's still a sight to behold, with rich colours, doll's-house sets and costumes to die for (spoiler alert!).
Dredd (18)
(Pete Travis, 2012, UK) Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, Rakie Ayola. 95 mins
Aiming to please old 2000Ad fans rather than convert new ones, this post-apocalyptic sci-fi has all the violent justice and jutting-chin action you'd want, with some visual flourishes to make up for a straightahead plot.
Lawless (18)
(John Hillcoat, 2012, Us) Tom Hardy, Shia Labeouf, Guy Pearce. 116 mins
Cops, gangsters and a family of moonshine...
(Joe Wright, 2012, UK/Fra) Keira Knightley, Kelly Macdonald, Jude Law, 130 mins
Bringing period drama up-to-date, Wright's radical reinterpretation of Tolstoy's tragedy stages the action almost entirely in a theatre – backstage areas, red curtains and all. It's a smart framing device for the Imperial Russia on display, even if the stylisation puts emotion at a slight remove, not helped by the love-or-loathe leads. But it's still a sight to behold, with rich colours, doll's-house sets and costumes to die for (spoiler alert!).
Dredd (18)
(Pete Travis, 2012, UK) Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, Rakie Ayola. 95 mins
Aiming to please old 2000Ad fans rather than convert new ones, this post-apocalyptic sci-fi has all the violent justice and jutting-chin action you'd want, with some visual flourishes to make up for a straightahead plot.
Lawless (18)
(John Hillcoat, 2012, Us) Tom Hardy, Shia Labeouf, Guy Pearce. 116 mins
Cops, gangsters and a family of moonshine...
- 9/7/2012
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
To recap... now that summer movie season 2012 is a wrap, we're polling contributors, friends and You about your favorite and least favorite things of the summer. It's just a glass of something light and bubbly to raise, gulp down quickly and bring a little closure before the heavier stuff hits.
In Part 1, we heard from a few good men and here's two more voices for Part 2. Parts 3 and 4 are the podcast this weekend!
Katey
who you know and love from Cinema Blend and the occasional podcast here...
Best Movie I Saw All Summer:
I'm surprising myself by answering Magic Mike. It's got more confidence, more imagination and more willingness to let it all hang out than most anything else the studio system produced all year.
Scenes I ♥ So Much I Thought My Heart Would Burst:
1) Natasha's interrogation scene at the beginning of The Avengers-- I've always been wishy-washy...
In Part 1, we heard from a few good men and here's two more voices for Part 2. Parts 3 and 4 are the podcast this weekend!
Katey
who you know and love from Cinema Blend and the occasional podcast here...
Best Movie I Saw All Summer:
I'm surprising myself by answering Magic Mike. It's got more confidence, more imagination and more willingness to let it all hang out than most anything else the studio system produced all year.
Scenes I ♥ So Much I Thought My Heart Would Burst:
1) Natasha's interrogation scene at the beginning of The Avengers-- I've always been wishy-washy...
- 9/7/2012
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
The photographer and film-maker on the lovable billionaires in her new documentary, and the state of the American Dream
Your new documentary film, The Queen of Versailles, follows a billionaire family from Florida, the Siegels, as they build the largest house in America: a 90,000 sq ft palace inspired by the French chateau (and the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas). What was your personal reaction to their plan?
In a way, my journey was not dissimilar to what I tried to show in the film. In the beginning I was amazed, fascinated, overwhelmed and horrified by this house, but they were so proud of it. In my work I'm usually looking for the people, the situations, the characters that reveal our culture and our cultural values. I've been interested for a while in the connection between home ownership and the American Dream: how the houses got bigger and bigger during the boom,...
Your new documentary film, The Queen of Versailles, follows a billionaire family from Florida, the Siegels, as they build the largest house in America: a 90,000 sq ft palace inspired by the French chateau (and the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas). What was your personal reaction to their plan?
In a way, my journey was not dissimilar to what I tried to show in the film. In the beginning I was amazed, fascinated, overwhelmed and horrified by this house, but they were so proud of it. In my work I'm usually looking for the people, the situations, the characters that reveal our culture and our cultural values. I've been interested for a while in the connection between home ownership and the American Dream: how the houses got bigger and bigger during the boom,...
- 9/3/2012
- by Tim Lewis
- The Guardian - Film News
A half-finished Florida mansion is the centerpiece of the funny documentary The Queen Of Versailles Photographer and filmmaker Lauren Greenfield is a thoughtful and arty chronicler of youth culture via her short film kids + money, about teens and consumer culture; her feature-length documentary Thin, about young women battling extreme eating disorders, as well as numerous photo exhibitions and monographs. For her latest documentary, The Queen of Versailles, Greenfield steps away from kids and focuses on longtime couple David Siegel and Jackie Siegel, who start work on the largest home in America; a mansion inspired by the famous French royal palace as well as a Las Vegas high rise. Over the course of Greenfield’s lively movie, David and Jackie see their dream project come to a grinding halt when the economic recession...
- 7/20/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
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