While Clint Eastwood’s last outing was the box-office bomb Cry Macho, the legendary Hollywood actor had planned the denouement of his golden era of Westerns with 1992’s Unforgiven. The critically acclaimed feature – which deconstructs the quintessential perception of the American West – emerged triumphant with four Oscar wins from nine nominations at the 65th Academy Awards.
Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven (1992) (Credit: Warner Bros.)
But it turns out that Eastwood’s magnum opus may not have existed had it not been for one of Martin Scorcese’s groundbreaking creations.
The Martin Scorcese Gem That Inspired Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven
In a conversation with Yahoo! Entertainment following the 30th anniversary of Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven, screenwriter David Peoples unveiled the cinematic masterpiece that impelled him to pen the script for the revisionist Western feature.
Martin Scorcese’s neo-noir tour de force Taxi Driver served as one of the most...
Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven (1992) (Credit: Warner Bros.)
But it turns out that Eastwood’s magnum opus may not have existed had it not been for one of Martin Scorcese’s groundbreaking creations.
The Martin Scorcese Gem That Inspired Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven
In a conversation with Yahoo! Entertainment following the 30th anniversary of Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven, screenwriter David Peoples unveiled the cinematic masterpiece that impelled him to pen the script for the revisionist Western feature.
Martin Scorcese’s neo-noir tour de force Taxi Driver served as one of the most...
- 6/8/2024
- by Khushi Shah
- FandomWire
Ron Howard has been part of our collective consciousness for as long as I can remember. Or at least he looms large in mine. Born in 1954, he was on many of the TV series I grew up watching and had his own starring role on “The Andy Griffith Show” by 1960. And his father had the idea that little “Ronny Howard” should play a good kid, not the wise-guy type popular in those “Dennis the Menace” years. He’d be nice. It stuck. He’s been known as “nice” ever since.
That made him much too easy to dismiss. However prominent he was — as a principal star of “American Graffiti” in 1973, top-billed “Happy Days” actor the next year and then as a director debuting with “Night Shift” in 1977 — we could take him lightly. By then I was reviewing films, and I overlooked him to a fault. I didn’t even give...
That made him much too easy to dismiss. However prominent he was — as a principal star of “American Graffiti” in 1973, top-billed “Happy Days” actor the next year and then as a director debuting with “Night Shift” in 1977 — we could take him lightly. By then I was reviewing films, and I overlooked him to a fault. I didn’t even give...
- 5/7/2024
- by Janet Maslin
- Variety Film + TV
Don Siegel’s 1976 western The Shootist stars John Wayne in his final film appearance, though it’s perhaps just as notable for the muted nature of its regard for the pathology of violence. After all, Siegel is the same filmmaker who half a decade prior made Dirty Harry, in which Clint Eastwood’s renegade cop relishes squeezing the trigger of his 44-magnum revolver whenever the opportunity presents itself.
There’s a propulsive mania to Siegel’s direction of Dirty Harry, tapping as it does into the curious overlap between Harry’s police tactics and a psycho sniper’s bloodlust. Wayne’s J.B. Books in The Shootist has no such compelling correlate. He’s a former sheriff turned gunslinger, now an old man easing the pain of his terminal cancer with swigs of laudanum, and he’s aiming to die in peace. It’s 1901, and the fact that he can’t...
There’s a propulsive mania to Siegel’s direction of Dirty Harry, tapping as it does into the curious overlap between Harry’s police tactics and a psycho sniper’s bloodlust. Wayne’s J.B. Books in The Shootist has no such compelling correlate. He’s a former sheriff turned gunslinger, now an old man easing the pain of his terminal cancer with swigs of laudanum, and he’s aiming to die in peace. It’s 1901, and the fact that he can’t...
- 4/11/2024
- by Clayton Dillard
- Slant Magazine
Realizing they needed a voice over actor to provide the narration for a new show in development called Arrested Development, producer Ron Howard looked around the empty recording studio, finding no voice over actor in sight. So this Oscar winning former child star stepped in to provide a temporary voice track, you know just as a filler until they could find a better voice, of course. But a better voice never came because Ron Howard’s comforting and gentle tone mixed with a dry yet kinda goofy speech pattern was the perfect fit for the sense of humor of this show. But this was not the only time Ron Howard stepped up and became an unexpected perfect fit, he’s been doing that all his life – from being in front of the camera in classic TV shows and behind the camera for a hefty handful of wonderful motion pictures… and more!
- 12/15/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
“Finestkind,” the name of both Brian Helgeland’s new film and the high-line fishing boat Tommy Lee Jones captains within it, is one of those words that New Englanders find hard to define, but seem to have no trouble using in a sentence. It means quality — of fish, of people, of principles — and it sets the bar for the shaggy family portrait Helgeland crafts around two half-brothers wrestling with their place in the blue-collar New Bedford community.
The movie, alas, is just so-so, tripping over its own feet for the first couple reels until such time as the siblings cross the Northern Line to (illegally) dredge for scallops in Canadian waters, and then it gets good. Not the genre elements, mind you. There’s a stock plot in which the brothers need $100,000 to get the Finestkind ship out of impound, turning to a harebrained heroin-smuggling plot that goes sideways in...
The movie, alas, is just so-so, tripping over its own feet for the first couple reels until such time as the siblings cross the Northern Line to (illegally) dredge for scallops in Canadian waters, and then it gets good. Not the genre elements, mind you. There’s a stock plot in which the brothers need $100,000 to get the Finestkind ship out of impound, turning to a harebrained heroin-smuggling plot that goes sideways in...
- 9/9/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Some noteworthy new releases, a bevy of library titles and the complete series of “Freaks and Geeks” are among the new additions to Amazon Prime Video this month. May will see the streaming availability of the 2022 films “She Said,” “Violent Night” and “Till” on Prime Video, while the beloved (and short-lived) TV series “Freaks and Geeks” will be streaming on Amazon starting May 4.
We’ve also included everything new to Freevee, which includes the first three “John Wick” movies, “Scarface” and “The Usual Suspects.”
Check out the complete list of everything new on Amazon Prime Video in May 2023 below.
Also Read:
The 41 Best Movies on Amazon Prime (April 2023)
Arriving May 1
MasterChef Mexico S1-4 (2015)
A Beautiful Mind (2002)
Amistad (1997)
Babe (1995)
Babe: Pig In The City (1998)
Babel (2006)
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996)
Biker Boyz (2003)
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
Blue Crush (2002)
Blue Crush 2 (2011)
Bound (1996)
Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason (2004)
Bridget Jones’s Baby...
We’ve also included everything new to Freevee, which includes the first three “John Wick” movies, “Scarface” and “The Usual Suspects.”
Check out the complete list of everything new on Amazon Prime Video in May 2023 below.
Also Read:
The 41 Best Movies on Amazon Prime (April 2023)
Arriving May 1
MasterChef Mexico S1-4 (2015)
A Beautiful Mind (2002)
Amistad (1997)
Babe (1995)
Babe: Pig In The City (1998)
Babel (2006)
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996)
Biker Boyz (2003)
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
Blue Crush (2002)
Blue Crush 2 (2011)
Bound (1996)
Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason (2004)
Bridget Jones’s Baby...
- 5/1/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
With its list of new releases for May 2023, Amazon Prime Video is increasing its global reach.
The streamer’s biggest original offering this month is a German series. Hohlbeins’ – The Gryphon, based on the works of Wolfgang Holhlbein, will present a sprawling fantasy tale about three teens discovering a fantastical world called The Black Tower where “the Gryphon, a world-devouring monster, mercilessly subjugates all living creatures.”
The only other original title of note in May is Freevee comedy Primo on the 19th. Written by author and journalist Shea Serrano and produced by Michael Schur (The Good Place), this coming-of-age series will follow a teenager balancing “college aspirations, societal expectations, and a hectic home life on the south side of San Antonio.”
And that’s pretty much it for Amazon Originals this month! Thankfully, there is a huge influx of library content to keep Prime Video subscribers entertained. May 4 sees the...
The streamer’s biggest original offering this month is a German series. Hohlbeins’ – The Gryphon, based on the works of Wolfgang Holhlbein, will present a sprawling fantasy tale about three teens discovering a fantastical world called The Black Tower where “the Gryphon, a world-devouring monster, mercilessly subjugates all living creatures.”
The only other original title of note in May is Freevee comedy Primo on the 19th. Written by author and journalist Shea Serrano and produced by Michael Schur (The Good Place), this coming-of-age series will follow a teenager balancing “college aspirations, societal expectations, and a hectic home life on the south side of San Antonio.”
And that’s pretty much it for Amazon Originals this month! Thankfully, there is a huge influx of library content to keep Prime Video subscribers entertained. May 4 sees the...
- 5/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Movie star John Wayne was familiar with the type of work that went into being a stuntman. He had a deep appreciation for the folks who made the dangerous stunts come to life on the silver screen. However, Wayne had a favorite stuntman whom he deeply respected and enjoyed working with. In fact, they made a total of 32 movies together, making it clear that they had a long history together.
Who was John Wayne’s favorite stuntman? John Wayne | John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images
Wayne had one stuntman that he valued working with above all the rest – Chuck Roberson. He went from working as a police officer to serving in World War II to stuntwork. It all started thanks to a well-known stuntman named Guy Teague, he got his first job in the field at Republic Pictures.
Roberson starred in small roles as an actor, but he also went on...
Who was John Wayne’s favorite stuntman? John Wayne | John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images
Wayne had one stuntman that he valued working with above all the rest – Chuck Roberson. He went from working as a police officer to serving in World War II to stuntwork. It all started thanks to a well-known stuntman named Guy Teague, he got his first job in the field at Republic Pictures.
Roberson starred in small roles as an actor, but he also went on...
- 4/7/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Wayne gets a bit of a bad rap as an actor. Yes, he mostly made star vehicles after his breakthrough performance in John Wayne's "Stagecoach," but he was willing to challenge himself (and his audience) by playing unlikable protagonists in Howard Hawks' "Red River" and Ford's "The Searchers." He had an acute understanding of film acting, and, according to Ron Howard, could make minor adjustments on the fly that would turn an otherwise ordinary scene into a classic Wayne moment.
But did anyone want to see John Wayne play King Lear on Broadway? Not particularly. At least, not because they thought it would be good.
Wayne was not a classically trained actor. He found his way to motion pictures because Tom Mix owed a favor to legendary USC football coach Howard Jones. When Wayne was forced to quit the team, Mix and Ford brought the young man into their extended company.
But did anyone want to see John Wayne play King Lear on Broadway? Not particularly. At least, not because they thought it would be good.
Wayne was not a classically trained actor. He found his way to motion pictures because Tom Mix owed a favor to legendary USC football coach Howard Jones. When Wayne was forced to quit the team, Mix and Ford brought the young man into their extended company.
- 4/1/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Marion Robert Morrison, more commonly known as John Wayne or ‘The Duke,’ left a lasting imprint on American cinema. His career spanned five decades, during which time he starred in 179 films and delivered countless illustrious performances.
He rose to fame with his starring role as Ringo Kid in the 1939 classic ‘Stagecoach,’ and would go on to play characters like Ethan Edwards in Ford’s 1956 ‘The Searchers’ – cementing his place in American film history.
In this blog post, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best John Wayne movies, which capture the actor’s undeniable talent and unforgotten legacy. From westerns like ‘True Grit’ (1969) to war films like ‘The Longest Day’ (1962), Wayne left an indelible mark on our collective culture.
The Highest-Rated John Wayne Films on IMDb ‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance’ (1962) – 8.1/10 ‘Rio Bravo’ (1959) – 8/10 ‘The Searchers’ (1956) – 7.9/10 ‘Stagecoach’ (1939) – 7.8/10 ‘Red River’ (1948) – 7.8/10 ‘The Longest Day’ (1962) – 7.7/10 ‘The Quiet Man’ (1952) – 7.7/10 ‘The Shootist...
He rose to fame with his starring role as Ringo Kid in the 1939 classic ‘Stagecoach,’ and would go on to play characters like Ethan Edwards in Ford’s 1956 ‘The Searchers’ – cementing his place in American film history.
In this blog post, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best John Wayne movies, which capture the actor’s undeniable talent and unforgotten legacy. From westerns like ‘True Grit’ (1969) to war films like ‘The Longest Day’ (1962), Wayne left an indelible mark on our collective culture.
The Highest-Rated John Wayne Films on IMDb ‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance’ (1962) – 8.1/10 ‘Rio Bravo’ (1959) – 8/10 ‘The Searchers’ (1956) – 7.9/10 ‘Stagecoach’ (1939) – 7.8/10 ‘Red River’ (1948) – 7.8/10 ‘The Longest Day’ (1962) – 7.7/10 ‘The Quiet Man’ (1952) – 7.7/10 ‘The Shootist...
- 3/26/2023
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
Western movie star John Wayne and classic Hollywood actor Lauren Bacall combined their efforts for 1976’s The Shootist. The film required them to demonstrate a certain uneasy chemistry that blossoms over the course of the runtime. However, Bacall had a real issue with how Wayne couldn’t stop spitting on the set, which really got on the actor’s last nerve.
‘The Shootist’ actors John Wayne and Lauren Bacall worked together once before L-r: Lauren Bacall as Bond Rogers and John Wayne as J.B. Books | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Wayne personally recommended hiring Bacall for The Shootist after they worked together on 1955’s Blood Alley. It tells the story of Capt. Tom Wilder (Wayne) after Chinese Communists capture his ship. Meanwhile, Bacall plays Cathy Grainger, a medical missionary’s daughter.
The Shootist follows an older gunfighter named J.B. Books (Wayne), who has an infamous reputation that precedes him. However,...
‘The Shootist’ actors John Wayne and Lauren Bacall worked together once before L-r: Lauren Bacall as Bond Rogers and John Wayne as J.B. Books | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Wayne personally recommended hiring Bacall for The Shootist after they worked together on 1955’s Blood Alley. It tells the story of Capt. Tom Wilder (Wayne) after Chinese Communists capture his ship. Meanwhile, Bacall plays Cathy Grainger, a medical missionary’s daughter.
The Shootist follows an older gunfighter named J.B. Books (Wayne), who has an infamous reputation that precedes him. However,...
- 3/24/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Shootist actor John Wayne was very particular about the type of roles that he felt passionately about. He represented his own form of masculinity that his longtime fans came to associate with the image of America. Many of Wayne’s greatest roles came from fictional stories, but The Shootist actually had a real-life connection that gave the movie its title.
‘The Shootist’ stars John Wayne as a dying gunfighter L-r: Lauren Bacall as Bond Rogers and John Wayne as J.B. Books | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
The Shootist follows an older gunfighter named J.B. Books (Wayne) in 20th Century Nevada. He goes to see a local doctor, who gives him the bad news that he has cancer and not much longer to live. Books turns to a widow named Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and her son, Gillom (Ron Howard), to get some peace and quiet.
Several new faces appear,...
‘The Shootist’ stars John Wayne as a dying gunfighter L-r: Lauren Bacall as Bond Rogers and John Wayne as J.B. Books | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
The Shootist follows an older gunfighter named J.B. Books (Wayne) in 20th Century Nevada. He goes to see a local doctor, who gives him the bad news that he has cancer and not much longer to live. Books turns to a widow named Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and her son, Gillom (Ron Howard), to get some peace and quiet.
Several new faces appear,...
- 3/24/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Western movie star John Wayne frequently rode a horse to complete his cowboy image. However, he grew an affinity for one animal in particular. Wayne went out of his way to ensure that he could ride the same horse named Dollar across seven of his movies.
‘True Grit’ (1969) L-r: John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn and Glen Campbell as La Boeuf | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
The first time that Wayne worked with Dollar the horse on the silver screen was in 1969’s True Grit, directed by Henry Hathaway.
A 14-year-old named Mattie Ross (Kim Darby) seeks out U.S. Marshal “Rooster” Cogburn (Wayne), a man of “true grit.” He’ll need every ounce of it on a mission to track down a hired hand named Tom Chaney (Jeff Corey) after he killed Mattie’s father.
Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Glen Campbell) joins them on the hunt, looking to bring Tom...
‘True Grit’ (1969) L-r: John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn and Glen Campbell as La Boeuf | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
The first time that Wayne worked with Dollar the horse on the silver screen was in 1969’s True Grit, directed by Henry Hathaway.
A 14-year-old named Mattie Ross (Kim Darby) seeks out U.S. Marshal “Rooster” Cogburn (Wayne), a man of “true grit.” He’ll need every ounce of it on a mission to track down a hired hand named Tom Chaney (Jeff Corey) after he killed Mattie’s father.
Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Glen Campbell) joins them on the hunt, looking to bring Tom...
- 3/23/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The end was in sight for John Wayne when he took the part of aging gunfighter J.B. Books in Don Siegel's 1976 Western "The Shootist." He was only 69, but the quintessential American movie star hadn't been nice to his body. Decades of drinking and smoking had taken their toll. He'd lost a lung and a couple of ribs to cancer in the 1960s, but had evidently been in remission since. Still, his energy was flagging. He'd struggled throughout the filming of "Rooster Coburn," and was being asked to literally hop back on a horse in the elevated altitude of Carson City, Nevada. He had not been diagnosed with a return of the cancer that would kill him three years later, but The Duke looked a deathly shadow of his former, swaggering self.
Culturally, there was a sense that people should celebrate Wayne while he was still around (for those willing...
Culturally, there was a sense that people should celebrate Wayne while he was still around (for those willing...
- 3/18/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Actor John Wayne was one of many Hollywood stars to die from cancer. It certainly slowed him down the first time around, but he refused to go down without a fight. Wayne incorporated his support for others with cancer into his public image, as he dedicated his time to a worthwhile cause. The actor once recalled the “biggest fear” when it came to his fight with cancer.
John Wayne contracted cancer twice John Wayne | American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images
Wayne fought cancer two different times over the course of his lifetime. He first contracted it in 1964 in the form of lung cancer, which resulted in the necessary removal of his left lung and two ribs. The movie star’s team wanted him to stay out of the public eye to maintain his image, but he wasn’t willing to do that. Rather, Wayne announced to the world that he...
John Wayne contracted cancer twice John Wayne | American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images
Wayne fought cancer two different times over the course of his lifetime. He first contracted it in 1964 in the form of lung cancer, which resulted in the necessary removal of his left lung and two ribs. The movie star’s team wanted him to stay out of the public eye to maintain his image, but he wasn’t willing to do that. Rather, Wayne announced to the world that he...
- 3/10/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Movie star John Wayne took his career very seriously. He starred in a wide assortment of Western and war movies, but they weren’t all winners. Wayne wasn’t afraid to admit when a movie role wasn’t the right one for him. However, he always took it personally when a bad one came across his desk. It once went so far that he threatened to fire his agent when he read a script that he found offensive. Nevertheless, it went on to win big at the Academy Awards.
John Wayne wanted to play strong movie roles John Wayne | Rdb/ullstein bild via Getty Images
Wayne made his first box-office disaster with 1930’s The Big Trail, which was directed by Raoul Walsh. He didn’t get the opportunity to explode into stardom until 1939’s Stagecoach, which was his first leading collaboration with his mentor, John Ford. The movie star had...
John Wayne wanted to play strong movie roles John Wayne | Rdb/ullstein bild via Getty Images
Wayne made his first box-office disaster with 1930’s The Big Trail, which was directed by Raoul Walsh. He didn’t get the opportunity to explode into stardom until 1939’s Stagecoach, which was his first leading collaboration with his mentor, John Ford. The movie star had...
- 3/9/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Wayne had a strong passion for the movies that he made. He carefully selected the roles that he accepted once he reached stardom. However, Wayne grew tired of playing the same type of characters his critics denounced his talents. The movie star once recalled the moment when he got over the fact that he kept getting typecast.
John Wayne couldn’t escape Western movies John Wayne | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Wayne first made a name for himself in Western movies with 1930’s The Big Trail. Raoul Walsh gave him his first shot at making it big, but the film was a box office flop. Next, he had a disappointing contract with Columbia Pictures and a line of B-movies that left him feeling unfulfilled. Wayne played Singin’ Sandy Saunders, which he went as far as to call “embarrassing.”
The movie star finally found his stride with 1939’s Stagecoach, thanks to his mentor,...
John Wayne couldn’t escape Western movies John Wayne | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Wayne first made a name for himself in Western movies with 1930’s The Big Trail. Raoul Walsh gave him his first shot at making it big, but the film was a box office flop. Next, he had a disappointing contract with Columbia Pictures and a line of B-movies that left him feeling unfulfilled. Wayne played Singin’ Sandy Saunders, which he went as far as to call “embarrassing.”
The movie star finally found his stride with 1939’s Stagecoach, thanks to his mentor,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Oscar-winning actor Clark Gable earned the name of “The King of Hollywood” thanks to his expansive career that spanned more than three decades and several genres. He wasn’t shy when it came to winning an award, but he also had a refreshingly unique take on the meaning behind such an accomplishment. Gable gave away the only Oscar he ever won to a child to teach them a lesson.
Clark Gable won an Oscar for ‘It Happened One Night’ Clark Gable | Getty Images
Gable won his first, and only, Oscar for the romantic comedy called It Happened One Night. The Frank Capra-directed film hit theaters in 1934, which was written by Robert Riskin based on Samuel Hopkins Adams’ short story.
The story follows a spoiled young woman named Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert), who suddenly marries a sketchy King Westley. In response, her father (Walter Connolly) sends her away on his yacht,...
Clark Gable won an Oscar for ‘It Happened One Night’ Clark Gable | Getty Images
Gable won his first, and only, Oscar for the romantic comedy called It Happened One Night. The Frank Capra-directed film hit theaters in 1934, which was written by Robert Riskin based on Samuel Hopkins Adams’ short story.
The story follows a spoiled young woman named Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert), who suddenly marries a sketchy King Westley. In response, her father (Walter Connolly) sends her away on his yacht,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Movie star John Wayne and legendary filmmaker John Ford made one of the most iconic actor-director duos ever. However, the director was infamously harsh on the actor, frequently coming down hard on him in front of entire movie sets. Ford didn’t open up about his positive feelings toward Wayne’s performances until after he won an Oscar.
John Wayne and John Ford first collaborated on ‘Stagecoach’ John Wayne | Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Before Wayne and Ford officially teamed up, the actor earned his first leading role from Raoul Walsh in 1930’s The Big Trail. It failed to catch on at the box office, which delayed the movie star’s climb to fame. Nevertheless, Wayne shined in the Ford-directed ensemble called Stagecoach, which hit theaters in 1939.
The duo worked on another 13 movies over the course of their careers, creating some of the best films ever made.
John Wayne and John Ford first collaborated on ‘Stagecoach’ John Wayne | Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Before Wayne and Ford officially teamed up, the actor earned his first leading role from Raoul Walsh in 1930’s The Big Trail. It failed to catch on at the box office, which delayed the movie star’s climb to fame. Nevertheless, Wayne shined in the Ford-directed ensemble called Stagecoach, which hit theaters in 1939.
The duo worked on another 13 movies over the course of their careers, creating some of the best films ever made.
- 2/25/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The John Wayne his fans know and love didn't really show up until John Ford's "Stagecoach" in 1939. Though the director and silent Western star Tom Mix saw tremendous potential in the USC football washout when they took him on as a prop boy in the mid-1920s, his screen presence was purely physical. At 6'4", the Iowa-born lad cut a formidable figure on the big screen, but he had miles to go as an actor. If you asked Ford (and many did), he was happy to tell you that Wayne needed a decade's worth of seasoning in Poverty Row Westerns before he could topline a major Hollywood production.
It was unwise to argue with the cantankerous Ford, but Wayne had a shot at undermining his mentor when Raoul Walsh cast the young man as the star of 1930's "The Big Trail," an early, wildly pricey epic that sought to...
It was unwise to argue with the cantankerous Ford, but Wayne had a shot at undermining his mentor when Raoul Walsh cast the young man as the star of 1930's "The Big Trail," an early, wildly pricey epic that sought to...
- 2/23/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
John Wayne earned two Oscar nominations for Sands of Iwo Jima and The Alamo before finally taking home the win for 1969’s True Grit. His eyepatch-wearing performance as Rooster Cogburn became one of the most iconic images in Hollywood history, although there was some talk that the Oscar win was meant more as a “career award” than for the individual performance. However, that honor should have been for playing J.B. Books in The Shootist.
‘The Shootist’ actor John Wayne tackled mortality and dignity John Wayne as J.B. Books | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The Shootist found Wayne playing an older gunfigther after he travels to Nevada at the turn of the 20th century. He’s diagnosed with cancer, deciding to stay in town and die with as much dignity as possible, seeking peace in his final days.
J.B. Books rents a room from a widowed Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and her son,...
‘The Shootist’ actor John Wayne tackled mortality and dignity John Wayne as J.B. Books | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The Shootist found Wayne playing an older gunfigther after he travels to Nevada at the turn of the 20th century. He’s diagnosed with cancer, deciding to stay in town and die with as much dignity as possible, seeking peace in his final days.
J.B. Books rents a room from a widowed Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and her son,...
- 2/23/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Movie star John Wayne had a hug at his final public appearance at the 1979 Academy Awards that he said he wouldn’t miss for anything else in the world. He presented a tough exterior that became popular on the silver screen through his Western and war movie roles. However, Wayne showed a softer center to many of his colleagues, which allowed him to develop deep connections with them.
John Wayne earned the respect of his colleagues John Wayne | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Wayne had conservative morals and values that he brought from his real life onto the silver screen. He represented a specific view of America, standing for more than a movie star. Hollywood initially turned its back on Wayne, believing that he could only play himself. However, his impact on moviegoing audiences and popular culture was undeniable.
The actor had a certain charm...
John Wayne earned the respect of his colleagues John Wayne | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Wayne had conservative morals and values that he brought from his real life onto the silver screen. He represented a specific view of America, standing for more than a movie star. Hollywood initially turned its back on Wayne, believing that he could only play himself. However, his impact on moviegoing audiences and popular culture was undeniable.
The actor had a certain charm...
- 2/19/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
True Grit actor John Wayne finally earned his first Oscar, which the cast and crew of Rio Bravo wanted to celebrate. He was often criticized for his signature acting style, which came across more as playing himself than disappearing into another character. Nevertheless, he undeniably drew from a loyal fan base. Wayne had a nice surprise, along with support from his colleagues on his next set.
John Wayne won his only Oscar for ‘True Grit’ John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Wayne first officially considered himself an actor with his stunning performance as Thomas Dunson in Red River. However, he thought his performance in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon represented some of his best work. Nevertheless, Wayne didn’t earn an Oscar nomination for either of those films.
The movie star scored his first Oscar nomination for playing Sgt. John M. Stryker in Sands of Iwo Jima,...
John Wayne won his only Oscar for ‘True Grit’ John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Wayne first officially considered himself an actor with his stunning performance as Thomas Dunson in Red River. However, he thought his performance in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon represented some of his best work. Nevertheless, Wayne didn’t earn an Oscar nomination for either of those films.
The movie star scored his first Oscar nomination for playing Sgt. John M. Stryker in Sands of Iwo Jima,...
- 2/15/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Everyone knows about the fabled and miraculous box office run of James Cameron’s “Titanic.” The film rode a wave of rave reviews, following months of bad press related to cost overruns, release date delays and behind-the-scenes melodrama, to a record-setting 600 million domestic and 1.8 billion worldwide total. Opening with just 28 million, it spent its first 15 weekends atop the domestic box office, still a record for consecutive Fri-Sun frames.
What of the films that perished in the first months of 1998? For three straight months, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s Oscar-winning romance/disaster feature sunk most of the competition. This was 1998, when big movies were not expected to open before the May-to-August summer movie season. The film that dethroned “Titanic,” an expensive, grimdark adaptation of “Lost in Space,” was itself a surprisingly “big” movie for its early April opening weekend.
That’s not to say the films were all bad, or...
What of the films that perished in the first months of 1998? For three straight months, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s Oscar-winning romance/disaster feature sunk most of the competition. This was 1998, when big movies were not expected to open before the May-to-August summer movie season. The film that dethroned “Titanic,” an expensive, grimdark adaptation of “Lost in Space,” was itself a surprisingly “big” movie for its early April opening weekend.
That’s not to say the films were all bad, or...
- 2/15/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Movie star John Wayne had dedicated fans who hated seeing any deaths surrounding the characters he played. He held an image that represented America to many moviegoers, making it hard for some to stomach watching his characters die. Nevertheless, Wayne had 8 character deaths out of his large filmography totaling over 200 motion pictures, not including 1955’s The Sea Chase, which left his character’s fate unknown.
‘Reap the Wild Wind’ (1942) L-r: Paulette Goddard as Loxi Claiborne and John Wayne as Captain Jack Stuart | FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images
Cecil B. DeMille’s Reap the Wild Wind is set in the 1840s, when a group of salvagers go from profiting off shipwrecks to to causing them. All those in the American South consider King Cutler (Raymond Massey) the most dangerous, who sets his eyes on the ships of the wealthy Devereaux Company, Captain Jack Stuart (Wayne), and the company’s lawyer,...
‘Reap the Wild Wind’ (1942) L-r: Paulette Goddard as Loxi Claiborne and John Wayne as Captain Jack Stuart | FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images
Cecil B. DeMille’s Reap the Wild Wind is set in the 1840s, when a group of salvagers go from profiting off shipwrecks to to causing them. All those in the American South consider King Cutler (Raymond Massey) the most dangerous, who sets his eyes on the ships of the wealthy Devereaux Company, Captain Jack Stuart (Wayne), and the company’s lawyer,...
- 2/15/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Movie star John Wayne drew the attention of many international figures, including former Japanese Emperor Hirohito. Various prominent figures didn’t all share positive sentiments for him, but none of them questioned his star power with American moviegoers. Emperor Hirohito and Wayne had a private conversation that a journalist asked about, although the Western legend wasn’t having any of it.
John Wayne drew international attention John Wayne | Screen Archives/Getty Images
Wayne first hit the silver screen in a leading role in Raoul Walsh’s The Big Trail in 1930, but it bombed at the box office. As a result, he wouldn’t see his first glowing success until 1939’s Stagecoach. It was an ensemble piece that still allowed him to shine. The Western adventure was one of many collaborations that the movie star had with legendary filmmaker John Ford.
Many critics didn’t consider Wayne a real actor at the time,...
John Wayne drew international attention John Wayne | Screen Archives/Getty Images
Wayne first hit the silver screen in a leading role in Raoul Walsh’s The Big Trail in 1930, but it bombed at the box office. As a result, he wouldn’t see his first glowing success until 1939’s Stagecoach. It was an ensemble piece that still allowed him to shine. The Western adventure was one of many collaborations that the movie star had with legendary filmmaker John Ford.
Many critics didn’t consider Wayne a real actor at the time,...
- 2/11/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
As the 1960s drew to a close, John Wayne's macho, man-of-few-words act was wearing thin. Though some of the movies were pretty good (namely "The Sons of Katie Elder" and "El Dorado"), they were tonally and aesthetically indistinguishable from his '50s work. And this was a problem because the Western was undergoing a metamorphosis via the Spaghetti antics of Sergio Leone's "Man with No Name" and the bloody revisionism of Sam Peckinpah's "The Wild Bunch." If Boomers were going to check out an oater, they weren't going to bother the outmoded, out-of-step-with-the-times Wayne.
The Duke exacerbated his situation in 1968 by making the jarringly jingoistic "The Green Berets," which sought to boost domestic morale for the Vietnam War. The best that can be said is that it was too outlandishly stupid to be taken seriously on any level, but it most certainly harmed Wayne's image. He was...
The Duke exacerbated his situation in 1968 by making the jarringly jingoistic "The Green Berets," which sought to boost domestic morale for the Vietnam War. The best that can be said is that it was too outlandishly stupid to be taken seriously on any level, but it most certainly harmed Wayne's image. He was...
- 8/26/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The year was 1976, and John Wayne was cheesed but good at King Kong.
The gargantuan ape with a fatal penchant for blonde starlets was all the rage at Paramount, and for good reason. The studio had sunk 24 million (equivalent to 124 million in 2022) into the John Guillermin-directed remake, and desperately needed it to hit the box-office jackpot when it opened in December. Though studios have huge marketing departments that, when professionally run, know how to manage multiple releases at once, Wayne felt the film that was to be his big-screen swan song, "The Shootist," was getting ignored by Paramount's advertising team. And it was all because of that big, stupid monkey.
The Duke Vs. King Kong
According to Scott Eyman's "John Wayne: The Life and the Legend," Wayne groused to his former secretary and then present companion Pat Stacy, "Those people are putting all their damn time into King Kong.
The gargantuan ape with a fatal penchant for blonde starlets was all the rage at Paramount, and for good reason. The studio had sunk 24 million (equivalent to 124 million in 2022) into the John Guillermin-directed remake, and desperately needed it to hit the box-office jackpot when it opened in December. Though studios have huge marketing departments that, when professionally run, know how to manage multiple releases at once, Wayne felt the film that was to be his big-screen swan song, "The Shootist," was getting ignored by Paramount's advertising team. And it was all because of that big, stupid monkey.
The Duke Vs. King Kong
According to Scott Eyman's "John Wayne: The Life and the Legend," Wayne groused to his former secretary and then present companion Pat Stacy, "Those people are putting all their damn time into King Kong.
- 8/22/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
John Wayne spent nearly 50 years as a working actor in Hollywood, from the no-budget poverty row westerns of the '30s to ascendant, unprecedented stardom following his role in the 1939 John Ford classic "Stagecoach." He brought his sometimes-warm, sometimes-hostile persona to a number of film genres, but he's best associated with the western — after all, he was in many of the all-time greats.
In his final western, 1976's "The Shootist," the nearly 70-year-old Wayne had visibly aged. He certainly couldn't play characters like "The Ringo Kid" anymore. He couldn't even play the cranky middle-aged character type he developed through much...
The post John Wayne Fought A Constant Battle Behind The Scenes Of The Shootist appeared first on /Film.
In his final western, 1976's "The Shootist," the nearly 70-year-old Wayne had visibly aged. He certainly couldn't play characters like "The Ringo Kid" anymore. He couldn't even play the cranky middle-aged character type he developed through much...
The post John Wayne Fought A Constant Battle Behind The Scenes Of The Shootist appeared first on /Film.
- 8/11/2022
- by Anthony Crislip
- Slash Film
Prime Video got off to a fast start this summer with the release of The Boys season 3 on June 3. Now, as we enter the dog days, Prime Video is set to keep the warm weather good times rolling with a new twist on an old classic. That’s right, Amazon’s list of new releases for August 2022 is highlighted by some good old-fashioned baseball.
A League of Their Own, the TV adaptation of Penny Marshall’s 1992 movie, is set to premiere on Aug. 12. Like the movie before it, the series will dramatize the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League which saw women playing America’s pastime while the major leagues were on pause for World War II. Abbi Jacobson (Broad City) co-created the show and will star as catcher Carson Shaw.
Other Prime Video Originals of note this month include season 2 of British comedy The Outlaws on and the Ron Howard-directed Thirteen Lives,...
A League of Their Own, the TV adaptation of Penny Marshall’s 1992 movie, is set to premiere on Aug. 12. Like the movie before it, the series will dramatize the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League which saw women playing America’s pastime while the major leagues were on pause for World War II. Abbi Jacobson (Broad City) co-created the show and will star as catcher Carson Shaw.
Other Prime Video Originals of note this month include season 2 of British comedy The Outlaws on and the Ron Howard-directed Thirteen Lives,...
- 8/1/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Prime Video will continue rolling out its summer slate in the month of August, releasing new original series, as well as a mix of suspenseful films, action movies and more.
Amazon’s series version of “A League of Their Own” will debut its eight-episode first season on Aug. 12, introducing new characters and stories set in the historical opening of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (Aagpbl).
Ron Howard’s “Thirteen Lives” tells the real-life story of how a young boys’ soccer team was rescued from the Thai mountain cave where they got stuck for 10 days along with their coach.
Other new film arrivals include hits from earlier this summer, “The Lost City” starring Sandra Bullock, Daniel Radcliffe, Channing Tatum and Brad Pitt, as well as “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.” Academy Award-nominated film “Licorice Pizza” also arrives on Prime Video this month.
Freevee will also have new arrivals this month.
Amazon’s series version of “A League of Their Own” will debut its eight-episode first season on Aug. 12, introducing new characters and stories set in the historical opening of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (Aagpbl).
Ron Howard’s “Thirteen Lives” tells the real-life story of how a young boys’ soccer team was rescued from the Thai mountain cave where they got stuck for 10 days along with their coach.
Other new film arrivals include hits from earlier this summer, “The Lost City” starring Sandra Bullock, Daniel Radcliffe, Channing Tatum and Brad Pitt, as well as “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.” Academy Award-nominated film “Licorice Pizza” also arrives on Prime Video this month.
Freevee will also have new arrivals this month.
- 7/30/2022
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Retro-active: The Best From The Cinema Retro Archives
By Lee Pfeiffer
Kino Lorber has released a new DVD edition of John Wayne's late-career detective flick "Brannigan". The 1975 film takes Wayne out of the saddle and deposits him squarely in central London ("The Duke's in London. God Save the Queen!" read the tag line on the film poster.). The "fish-out--of-water" crime thriller concept began with Don Siegel's outstanding "Coogan's Bluff" (1968), which inspired Dennis Weaver's hit rip-off TV series "McCloud". Still, the premise works well with Wayne's tough Chicago Irish cop Jim Brannigan sent to London to extradite a top crime figure, much as Clint Eastwood's Coogan was shipped to New York to bring a criminal back to Arizona. Wayne had gone the detective route the year before in "McQ". He had originally been offered the role of Dirty Harry but correctly assumed his fans would not stand...
By Lee Pfeiffer
Kino Lorber has released a new DVD edition of John Wayne's late-career detective flick "Brannigan". The 1975 film takes Wayne out of the saddle and deposits him squarely in central London ("The Duke's in London. God Save the Queen!" read the tag line on the film poster.). The "fish-out--of-water" crime thriller concept began with Don Siegel's outstanding "Coogan's Bluff" (1968), which inspired Dennis Weaver's hit rip-off TV series "McCloud". Still, the premise works well with Wayne's tough Chicago Irish cop Jim Brannigan sent to London to extradite a top crime figure, much as Clint Eastwood's Coogan was shipped to New York to bring a criminal back to Arizona. Wayne had gone the detective route the year before in "McQ". He had originally been offered the role of Dirty Harry but correctly assumed his fans would not stand...
- 5/1/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
In these rare excerpts of a 1976 interview, Bobbie Wygant discusses John Wayne's career with the Duke himself. Wayne discusses being in on the advent of widescreen movies with the 1929 production of "The Big Trail" and also talks about the background of making his latest (and final) film "The Shootist", going into some details about how he wanted to make significant changes to the source novel. It's all rather tantalizing and we wish the entire interview was available.
- 4/23/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Actor/Producer Neal McDonough discusses a few of his favorite movies with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Masters of the Universe (1987) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Boon (2022)
The Warrant (2020)
The Warrant: Breaker’s Law (2022)
The Cowboys (1972) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
The Shootist (1976) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
The French Connection (1971) – Mark Pellington’s trailer commentary, Dennis Lehane’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
The Sting (1973)
Jaws (1975) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Minority Report (2002)
Red Stone (2021)
A History Of Violence (2005)
Greater (2016)
Unforgiven (1992)
There Will Be Blood (2007)
The Mule (2018) – Dennis Cozzalio’s 2018 year-end review
Gran Torino (2008)
War And Peace (1966) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Duel (1971) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Nobody (2021)
Caddyshack (1980) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Caddyshack II (1988)
Natural Born Killers (1994)
Back To School (1986)
Stripes (1981)
Bullitt (1968) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary
True Grit (1969) – Stuart Gordon’s trailer...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Masters of the Universe (1987) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Boon (2022)
The Warrant (2020)
The Warrant: Breaker’s Law (2022)
The Cowboys (1972) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
The Shootist (1976) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
The French Connection (1971) – Mark Pellington’s trailer commentary, Dennis Lehane’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
The Sting (1973)
Jaws (1975) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Minority Report (2002)
Red Stone (2021)
A History Of Violence (2005)
Greater (2016)
Unforgiven (1992)
There Will Be Blood (2007)
The Mule (2018) – Dennis Cozzalio’s 2018 year-end review
Gran Torino (2008)
War And Peace (1966) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Duel (1971) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Nobody (2021)
Caddyshack (1980) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Caddyshack II (1988)
Natural Born Killers (1994)
Back To School (1986)
Stripes (1981)
Bullitt (1968) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary
True Grit (1969) – Stuart Gordon’s trailer...
- 4/19/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
By Lee Pfeiffer
It isn't often that you might expect to read the word "delightful" in a review of a Charles Bronson movie but "From Noon Till Three" is just that: a delightful 1976 send-up of the traditional Western genre. In fact it seems like this was the year in which numerous revisionist Westerns were released. They included "Buffalo Bill and the Indians", "The Outlaw Josey Wales", "The Missouri Breaks" and John Wayne's final film, "The Shootist". By 1976 Charles Bronson was an established screen presence for about two decades.He was a familiar face to American movie-goers who liked his work as a supporting actor but it was the European market that elevated him to star status. Bronson finally began to get top-billing in Westerns and action films and became reasonably popular in America. But it was the 1974 release of his smash hit "Death Wish" that saw him soar to the level of superstar.
It isn't often that you might expect to read the word "delightful" in a review of a Charles Bronson movie but "From Noon Till Three" is just that: a delightful 1976 send-up of the traditional Western genre. In fact it seems like this was the year in which numerous revisionist Westerns were released. They included "Buffalo Bill and the Indians", "The Outlaw Josey Wales", "The Missouri Breaks" and John Wayne's final film, "The Shootist". By 1976 Charles Bronson was an established screen presence for about two decades.He was a familiar face to American movie-goers who liked his work as a supporting actor but it was the European market that elevated him to star status. Bronson finally began to get top-billing in Westerns and action films and became reasonably popular in America. But it was the 1974 release of his smash hit "Death Wish" that saw him soar to the level of superstar.
- 3/17/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
There's a reason John Wayne is thought of as the quintessential cowboy, from his breakthrough role in "Stagecoach" (1939) to his final movie, "The Shootist" (1976). Starring in 142 motion pictures spanning six decades, John Wayne's movies have made him synonymous with the Old West. His Westerns embody the frontier history of the United States, and he's often starred in many of the best Westerns of all time alongside the likes of James Stewart, Robert Mitchum, and Kirk Douglas. My personal favorite, "True Grit," saw him take home the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1969 for the now-iconic role of U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn. But there's one revolutionary...
The post The Groundbreaking John Wayne Western You've Likely Never Seen appeared first on /Film.
The post The Groundbreaking John Wayne Western You've Likely Never Seen appeared first on /Film.
- 12/16/2021
- by Ryan Leston
- Slash Film
As the Hollywood blockbuster machine continues to dust itself off and release some early winter hits, Hulu is going in a bit of a different direction with its list of new releases for November 2021.
There are no big Hulu original films of note this month. Instead there’s a whole host of original series. The TV parade starts on Nov. 5 with the release of Animaniacs season 2. Also getting a second season this month is monarchal comedy The Great on Nov. 19. The most intriguing series, however, is animated Marvel comedy Marvel’s Hit Monkey. As its name so graciously implies, this is a show about a hit monkey…as in monkey assassin. Naturally the hit monkey is haunted by the ghost of Jason Sudeikis because it’s important that everything make sense.
Though Hulu doesn’t have any original movies in November, its list of library movie titles is quite vast.
There are no big Hulu original films of note this month. Instead there’s a whole host of original series. The TV parade starts on Nov. 5 with the release of Animaniacs season 2. Also getting a second season this month is monarchal comedy The Great on Nov. 19. The most intriguing series, however, is animated Marvel comedy Marvel’s Hit Monkey. As its name so graciously implies, this is a show about a hit monkey…as in monkey assassin. Naturally the hit monkey is haunted by the ghost of Jason Sudeikis because it’s important that everything make sense.
Though Hulu doesn’t have any original movies in November, its list of library movie titles is quite vast.
- 11/1/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The enduring legacy of actor John Wayne, America’s ultimate cowboy, will be celebrated this month, fittingly enough, by the Cowboy Channel in association with the John Wayne: An American Experience museum in Fort Worth, Texas. The “Duketober” celebration is a month-long airing of classic John Wayne movies via broadcast and streaming. It will culminate with a 50th anniversary live panel discussion on Nov. 3 in remembrance of Big Jake, the 1971 movie that bought Wayne together with sons Ethan and Patrick, who will participate in a discussion about his films and career. Wayne’s legacy has taken a few hits in the last couple of years. A 50-year-old Playboy magazine interview outlining some of his controversial views on race surfaced, sparking his USC alma mater to remove an exhibit on him. There’s also a movement to remove his name from the Orange County airport. So far, that action has failed to gain ground.
- 10/7/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
The great director discusses some of his favorite movies with host Josh Olson.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Alzheimer Case a.k.a. Memory of a Killer (2003)
Memory (Tbd)
The Protégé (2021)
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Cast A Deadly Spell (1991)
The Mask Of Zorro (1998)
GoldenEye (1995)
Casino Royale (2006)
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
Slap Shot (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Salt (2010)
Atomic Blonde (2017) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Manchurian Candidate (1962) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Oliver Twist (1948)
Dr. No (1962) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary
The Guns Of Navarone (1962)
The Dirty Dozen (1967) – Ed Neumeier’s trailer commentary
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s 70mm reissue review
The Spy Who Loved Me...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Alzheimer Case a.k.a. Memory of a Killer (2003)
Memory (Tbd)
The Protégé (2021)
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Cast A Deadly Spell (1991)
The Mask Of Zorro (1998)
GoldenEye (1995)
Casino Royale (2006)
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
Slap Shot (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Salt (2010)
Atomic Blonde (2017) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Manchurian Candidate (1962) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Oliver Twist (1948)
Dr. No (1962) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary
The Guns Of Navarone (1962)
The Dirty Dozen (1967) – Ed Neumeier’s trailer commentary
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s 70mm reissue review
The Spy Who Loved Me...
- 8/27/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Anna Gross, a film executive and producer who worked on films such as “The NeverEnding Story” and “Tootsie,” died of cancer on July 23. She was 68.
Gross’ cousin, Mikie Heilbrun, confirmed her death to Variety. “Everyone’s life she touched she enriched,” Heilbrun wrote in an email. “She made them better more full beings and forever changed them.”
Gross began her career in film in the 1970s with an 8-year stint working for famed Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis, during which she worked on 14 films, including “Death Wish” (1974), “Three Days of the Condor” (1975), “The Shootist” (1976), “King Kong” (1976) and “Ragtime” (1981). Gross then became vice president of production for director Sydney Pollack, working to develop his films “The Electric Horseman” (1979), “Tootsie” (1982) and “Out of Africa” (1985).
Throughout the 1980s, Gross spent time in Germany working with producer Bernd Eichinger, where she oversaw the production on “The NeverEnding Story” (1984), “The Name of the Rose” (1986) and...
Gross’ cousin, Mikie Heilbrun, confirmed her death to Variety. “Everyone’s life she touched she enriched,” Heilbrun wrote in an email. “She made them better more full beings and forever changed them.”
Gross began her career in film in the 1970s with an 8-year stint working for famed Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis, during which she worked on 14 films, including “Death Wish” (1974), “Three Days of the Condor” (1975), “The Shootist” (1976), “King Kong” (1976) and “Ragtime” (1981). Gross then became vice president of production for director Sydney Pollack, working to develop his films “The Electric Horseman” (1979), “Tootsie” (1982) and “Out of Africa” (1985).
Throughout the 1980s, Gross spent time in Germany working with producer Bernd Eichinger, where she oversaw the production on “The NeverEnding Story” (1984), “The Name of the Rose” (1986) and...
- 8/1/2021
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Anna Gross, a producer and film executive who collaborated with Dino De Laurentiis, Sydney Pollack, Bernd Eichinger and Vittorio Cecchi Gori, has died. She was 68.
Gross died July 23 of cancer in Twentynine Palms, California, her cousin Mikie Heilbrun told The Hollywood Reporter.
Soon after graduating from Columbia University, Gross began an eight-year stint with De Laurentiis, serving in various capacities on the producer’s films including Death Wish (1974), Three Days of the Condor (1975), King Kong (1976), The Shootist (1976), King of the Gypsies (1978) and Ragtime (1981).
As vp production for Pollack, she worked on the director’s The Electric Horseman (1979) and on ...
Gross died July 23 of cancer in Twentynine Palms, California, her cousin Mikie Heilbrun told The Hollywood Reporter.
Soon after graduating from Columbia University, Gross began an eight-year stint with De Laurentiis, serving in various capacities on the producer’s films including Death Wish (1974), Three Days of the Condor (1975), King Kong (1976), The Shootist (1976), King of the Gypsies (1978) and Ragtime (1981).
As vp production for Pollack, she worked on the director’s The Electric Horseman (1979) and on ...
Anna Gross, a producer and film executive who collaborated with Dino De Laurentiis, Sydney Pollack, Bernd Eichinger and Vittorio Cecchi Gori, has died. She was 68.
Gross died July 23 of cancer in Twentynine Palms, California, her cousin Mikie Heilbrun told The Hollywood Reporter.
Soon after graduating from Columbia University, Gross began an eight-year stint with De Laurentiis, serving in various capacities on the producer’s films including Death Wish (1974), Three Days of the Condor (1975), King Kong (1976), The Shootist (1976), King of the Gypsies (1978) and Ragtime (1981).
As vp production for Pollack, she worked on the director’s The Electric Horseman (1979) and on ...
Gross died July 23 of cancer in Twentynine Palms, California, her cousin Mikie Heilbrun told The Hollywood Reporter.
Soon after graduating from Columbia University, Gross began an eight-year stint with De Laurentiis, serving in various capacities on the producer’s films including Death Wish (1974), Three Days of the Condor (1975), King Kong (1976), The Shootist (1976), King of the Gypsies (1978) and Ragtime (1981).
As vp production for Pollack, she worked on the director’s The Electric Horseman (1979) and on ...
Legendary movie star, Last Call‘s Bruce Dern, joins Josh and Joe to discuss a few of his favorite movies and moments.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Cowboys (1972)
Last Call (2021)
Silent Running (1972)
The Long Goodbye (1973)
The Reivers (1969)
The War Wagon (1967)
Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)
The Shootist (1976)
Sands Of Iwo Jima (1949)
Wild River (1960)
Viva Zapata (1952)
Castle Keep (1969)
The Big Knife (1955)
Attack (1956)
What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962)
Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)
Suspicion (1941)
Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
The Great Gatsby (1974)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
Ben-Hur (1959)
The Trial (1962)
Great Expectations (1946)
The Sound Barrier (1952)
Oliver Twist (1948)
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
Rko 281 (1999)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Mank (2020)
The Chase (1966)
The Formula (1980)
Shine (1996)
All That Jazz (1979)
A Decade Under The Influence (2003)
Shane (1953)
The Sons Of Katie Elder (1965)
The King Of Marvin Gardens (1972)
Deliverance (1972)
Nebraska (2013)
Twixt (2011)
The ’Burbs (1989)
About Schmidt (2002)
Sideways (2004)
The Descendants (2011)
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Charade (1963)
The Truth About Charlie...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Cowboys (1972)
Last Call (2021)
Silent Running (1972)
The Long Goodbye (1973)
The Reivers (1969)
The War Wagon (1967)
Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)
The Shootist (1976)
Sands Of Iwo Jima (1949)
Wild River (1960)
Viva Zapata (1952)
Castle Keep (1969)
The Big Knife (1955)
Attack (1956)
What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962)
Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)
Suspicion (1941)
Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
The Great Gatsby (1974)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
Ben-Hur (1959)
The Trial (1962)
Great Expectations (1946)
The Sound Barrier (1952)
Oliver Twist (1948)
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
Rko 281 (1999)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Mank (2020)
The Chase (1966)
The Formula (1980)
Shine (1996)
All That Jazz (1979)
A Decade Under The Influence (2003)
Shane (1953)
The Sons Of Katie Elder (1965)
The King Of Marvin Gardens (1972)
Deliverance (1972)
Nebraska (2013)
Twixt (2011)
The ’Burbs (1989)
About Schmidt (2002)
Sideways (2004)
The Descendants (2011)
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Charade (1963)
The Truth About Charlie...
- 4/6/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Hey, remember when they released that picture of the CGI movie Sonic the Hedgehog and it was so freakish and unnerving that animators had to work overtime to fix it? Anywho, Sonic the Hedgehog is coming to Hulu this month.
The heroic blue hedgehog who just wants to go fast is far from the only exciting new film or TV show coming to Hulu in February 2021. The library titles are unusually packed this month. In addition to Sonic, the sublimely goofy Mars Attacks!, 2020 horror film Possessor, and the first six Star Trek films all arrive on Feb. 1. Later on in the month are Antebellum (Feb. 5) and Nomadland (Feb. 19).
It’s a good thing that the library titles are strong because Hulu isn’t brining many originals of note to the table in February 2021. Into the Dark continues on its spooky mission with the Valentine-centric Tentacles dropping on Feb. 12. That will...
The heroic blue hedgehog who just wants to go fast is far from the only exciting new film or TV show coming to Hulu in February 2021. The library titles are unusually packed this month. In addition to Sonic, the sublimely goofy Mars Attacks!, 2020 horror film Possessor, and the first six Star Trek films all arrive on Feb. 1. Later on in the month are Antebellum (Feb. 5) and Nomadland (Feb. 19).
It’s a good thing that the library titles are strong because Hulu isn’t brining many originals of note to the table in February 2021. Into the Dark continues on its spooky mission with the Valentine-centric Tentacles dropping on Feb. 12. That will...
- 2/1/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
John Wayne, known as “The Duke” to his fans, starred in upwards of 150 movies throughout his 50-year career. While he had hits in a wide range of genres, he is best known as the macho hero at the heart of some classic westerns. Wayne made a slew of low-grade oaters throughout the 1930s. It wasn’t until John Ford‘s “Stagecoach” (1939), an Oscar-winning adventure epic that took the genre to new artistic heights, that he finally achieved stardom.
In all, the Duke and “Pappy” Ford, as his crew called the famously cantankerous director, made 14 films together. Among these are such other spurs and saddles classics as “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” (1949), “The Searchers” (1956) and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (1962). All of these feature on our list of John Wayne’s best westerns ranked.
Despite being a top box office draw for decades, Wayne was only nominated for two acting...
In all, the Duke and “Pappy” Ford, as his crew called the famously cantankerous director, made 14 films together. Among these are such other spurs and saddles classics as “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” (1949), “The Searchers” (1956) and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (1962). All of these feature on our list of John Wayne’s best westerns ranked.
Despite being a top box office draw for decades, Wayne was only nominated for two acting...
- 9/4/2020
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
The director of Over The Edge and The Accused takes us on a journey through some of his favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Student Teachers (1973)
Night Call Nurses (1972)
White Line Fever (1975)
Truck Turner (1974)
Heart Like A Wheel (1983)
The Accused (1988)
Over The Edge (1979)
Modern Times (1936)
City Lights (1931)
Manhattan (1979)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Apartment (1960)
North By Northwest (1959)
Moon Pilot (1962)
Mr. Billion (1977)
White Heat (1949)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Three Musketeers (1973)
The Four Musketeers (1974)
Superman (1978)
Superman II (1980)
The Three Musketeers (1948)
Shane (1953)
The 400 Blows (1959)
8 ½ (1963)
Fellini Satyricon (1969)
Richard (1972)
Millhouse (1971)
The Projectionist (1970)
El Dorado (1966)
The Shootist (1976)
Woodstock (1970)
Payback (1999)
A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)
Billy Liar (1963)
Ford Vs Ferrari (2019)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)
Bad Girls (1994)
Masters of the Universe (1987)
Giant (1956)
The More The Merrier (1943)
The Graduate (1967)
The Victors (1963)
…And Justice For All (1979)
Citizen Kane (1941)
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Student Teachers (1973)
Night Call Nurses (1972)
White Line Fever (1975)
Truck Turner (1974)
Heart Like A Wheel (1983)
The Accused (1988)
Over The Edge (1979)
Modern Times (1936)
City Lights (1931)
Manhattan (1979)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Apartment (1960)
North By Northwest (1959)
Moon Pilot (1962)
Mr. Billion (1977)
White Heat (1949)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Three Musketeers (1973)
The Four Musketeers (1974)
Superman (1978)
Superman II (1980)
The Three Musketeers (1948)
Shane (1953)
The 400 Blows (1959)
8 ½ (1963)
Fellini Satyricon (1969)
Richard (1972)
Millhouse (1971)
The Projectionist (1970)
El Dorado (1966)
The Shootist (1976)
Woodstock (1970)
Payback (1999)
A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)
Billy Liar (1963)
Ford Vs Ferrari (2019)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)
Bad Girls (1994)
Masters of the Universe (1987)
Giant (1956)
The More The Merrier (1943)
The Graduate (1967)
The Victors (1963)
…And Justice For All (1979)
Citizen Kane (1941)
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn...
- 7/7/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Brian Cox is one of those acting icons who always seems on the verge of rediscovery, and generally one step ahead of the game. Before “Succession” turned him into the face of capitalist greed as media scion Logan Roy, Cox had decades of roles behind, perfecting that unusual balance of gruff delivery and sensitive asides that make him such a delectable screen presence. Cox can’t be typecast because he makes every role fit his type, even as no two performances — from the sneering villain of “X2” to the fearful mortician of “The Autopsy of Jane Doe” — are alike.
“The Etruscan Smile” brings this power into sharp relief. Despite the cadences of a clunky and tired father-son routine, . While he still plays an overbearing patriarch enacting oppressive demands on his adult son, Cox’s enjoyable turn as a hard-drinking Gaelic countryman exists a world away from the materialism of the...
“The Etruscan Smile” brings this power into sharp relief. Despite the cadences of a clunky and tired father-son routine, . While he still plays an overbearing patriarch enacting oppressive demands on his adult son, Cox’s enjoyable turn as a hard-drinking Gaelic countryman exists a world away from the materialism of the...
- 4/3/2020
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Acclaimed stuntman and action director extraordinaire Jesse V. Johnson joins us to discuss the U.S. based action films and filmmakers that have influenced him the most.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
On The Waterfront (1954)
Fultah Fisher’s Boarding House (1922)
Undisputed (2002)
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006)
Undisputed III: Redemption (2010)
Boyka: Undisputed (2016)
The Killer Elite (1975)
Convoy (1978)
The Osterman Weekend (1983)
Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
Straw Dogs (1971)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Birdcage (1996)
Cross of Iron (1977)
Electra Glide in Blue (1973)
Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974)
Easy Rider (1969)
Fail Safe (1964)
The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
Ride The High Country (1962)
Major Dundee (1965)
Jinxed! (1982)
Beowulf (2007)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
The Girl Hunters (1963)
Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)
Point Blank (1967)
Falling Down (1993)
M (1951)
M (1931)
The Black Vampire (1953)
The Roaring Twenties (1939)
Scum (1979)
Elephant (1989)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), possibly Joe’s favorite John Ford...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
On The Waterfront (1954)
Fultah Fisher’s Boarding House (1922)
Undisputed (2002)
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006)
Undisputed III: Redemption (2010)
Boyka: Undisputed (2016)
The Killer Elite (1975)
Convoy (1978)
The Osterman Weekend (1983)
Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
Straw Dogs (1971)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Birdcage (1996)
Cross of Iron (1977)
Electra Glide in Blue (1973)
Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974)
Easy Rider (1969)
Fail Safe (1964)
The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
Ride The High Country (1962)
Major Dundee (1965)
Jinxed! (1982)
Beowulf (2007)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
The Girl Hunters (1963)
Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)
Point Blank (1967)
Falling Down (1993)
M (1951)
M (1931)
The Black Vampire (1953)
The Roaring Twenties (1939)
Scum (1979)
Elephant (1989)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), possibly Joe’s favorite John Ford...
- 3/24/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Pam Polifroni, a longtime casting director for “Gunsmoke” who gave early acting roles to Jodie Foster, Jon Voight, Loretta Swit and others, has died. She was 90.
Polifroni died in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, Nov. 21 as a result of dementia, her daughter-in-law confirmed to Variety.
With more than 50 credits to her name by the end of her career, Polifroni worked in both film and television, though most of her hires appeared on the small screen.
Polifroni worked on “Gunsmoke” beginning in 1966 and continued through 1975. She was responsible for suggesting and landing Bette Davis for a guest role on the show, and also gave Jon Voight one of his earliest Hollywood parts. One of Jodie Foster’s youngest roles, at age seven, came after being hired by Polifroni for a small role in “Gunsmoke.” Loretta Swit also appeared on the series thanks to Polifroni, as well as on “Hawaii Five-o,” ahead of...
Polifroni died in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday, Nov. 21 as a result of dementia, her daughter-in-law confirmed to Variety.
With more than 50 credits to her name by the end of her career, Polifroni worked in both film and television, though most of her hires appeared on the small screen.
Polifroni worked on “Gunsmoke” beginning in 1966 and continued through 1975. She was responsible for suggesting and landing Bette Davis for a guest role on the show, and also gave Jon Voight one of his earliest Hollywood parts. One of Jodie Foster’s youngest roles, at age seven, came after being hired by Polifroni for a small role in “Gunsmoke.” Loretta Swit also appeared on the series thanks to Polifroni, as well as on “Hawaii Five-o,” ahead of...
- 11/23/2019
- by Erin Nyren
- Variety Film + TV
Lauren Bacall would’ve celebrated her 94th birthday on September 16. The Hollywood icon showed no signs of slowing down, continuing to work until her death in 2014 at the age of 89. In honor of her birthday, let’s take a look back at 15 of her greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Bacall made her feature debut with Howard Hawks‘ adventure yarn “To Have and Have Not” (1945). The film was a landmark for the actress in both her career and her life, since it was how she met her future husband Humphrey Bogart. The two would become a legendary couple off-screen and on, making three subsequent features together: “The Big Sleep” (1946), “Dark Passage” (1947), and “Key Largo” (1948).
Despite her hefty filmography, Bacall received just one Oscar nomination in her career: Best Supporting Actress for “The Mirror Has Two Faces” (1996), in which she played Barbra Streisand‘s domineering mother. After victories at the Golden Globes and SAG,...
Bacall made her feature debut with Howard Hawks‘ adventure yarn “To Have and Have Not” (1945). The film was a landmark for the actress in both her career and her life, since it was how she met her future husband Humphrey Bogart. The two would become a legendary couple off-screen and on, making three subsequent features together: “The Big Sleep” (1946), “Dark Passage” (1947), and “Key Largo” (1948).
Despite her hefty filmography, Bacall received just one Oscar nomination in her career: Best Supporting Actress for “The Mirror Has Two Faces” (1996), in which she played Barbra Streisand‘s domineering mother. After victories at the Golden Globes and SAG,...
- 9/16/2018
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
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