Fred Roos, the Oscar-winning The Godfather Part II producer and longtime executive producer for Francis Ford Coppola and Sofia Coppola, died Saturday in Beverly Hills at 89, four days shy of his 90th birthday.
The news about Roos, who won his Godfather Part II Oscar and later was nominated for Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, comes as Francis Ford Coppola is here at the Cannes Film Festival, 45 years after winning the Palme d’Or for Apocalypse Now. Coppola is in town with his $120 million passion project Megalopolis, which had its world premiere last week. Roos is billed as producer on Megalopolis.
The news also comes after Coppola’s wife of 61 years, Eleanor, died April 12. Roos was an executive producer on Hearts of Darkness, her famed documentary about the making of Apocalypse Now that won them both an Emmy in 1992.
Roos was Francis Coppola’s co-producer on The Conversation, The Godfather Part II and Apocalypse Now,...
The news about Roos, who won his Godfather Part II Oscar and later was nominated for Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, comes as Francis Ford Coppola is here at the Cannes Film Festival, 45 years after winning the Palme d’Or for Apocalypse Now. Coppola is in town with his $120 million passion project Megalopolis, which had its world premiere last week. Roos is billed as producer on Megalopolis.
The news also comes after Coppola’s wife of 61 years, Eleanor, died April 12. Roos was an executive producer on Hearts of Darkness, her famed documentary about the making of Apocalypse Now that won them both an Emmy in 1992.
Roos was Francis Coppola’s co-producer on The Conversation, The Godfather Part II and Apocalypse Now,...
- 5/21/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Alfred Louis Onorato, a former talent manager who co-founded the Casting Society of America, died April 21. He was 88.
“Casting Society mourns the passing of Al Onorato, whose passion and dedication and love for casting was pivotal in co-founding our organization in 1982,” the org said in a statement. “Al helped build what CSA is today – a global organization with over 1200 members and a resource for the entertainment industry worldwide. We will miss Al’s talent, spirit and most of all, his friendship. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
Onorato was born in Jersey City, NJ. After graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson University, his first job was as a page at NBC Studios in New York City. A few years later, he followed his beloved Dodgers to L.A. where became involved in the industry. He worked for the major studios in casting for movies and TV, before he...
“Casting Society mourns the passing of Al Onorato, whose passion and dedication and love for casting was pivotal in co-founding our organization in 1982,” the org said in a statement. “Al helped build what CSA is today – a global organization with over 1200 members and a resource for the entertainment industry worldwide. We will miss Al’s talent, spirit and most of all, his friendship. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
Onorato was born in Jersey City, NJ. After graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson University, his first job was as a page at NBC Studios in New York City. A few years later, he followed his beloved Dodgers to L.A. where became involved in the industry. He worked for the major studios in casting for movies and TV, before he...
- 5/15/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Al Onorato, co-founder of the Casting Society of America and a casting director on such series as “Bewitched,” “Police Story,” “Fame” and “The Patridge Family,” has died. He was 88.
Onorato died April 21 in Los Angeles, his nephew Chris Onorato announced.
Onorato founded the Casting Society of America (then known as the American Society of Casting Directors) with Mike Fenton and Joe Reich in 1982. He and Jerold Franks — his Onorato/Franks Independent Casting partner — won the CSA’s Artios Award for best casting for a comedy film for 1989’s “Bagdad Café.” At the 34th annual Artios Awards in 2019, Onorato received a lifetime achievement award from the organization.
“Casting Society mourns the passing of Al Onorato, whose passion and dedication and love for casting was pivotal in co-founding our organization in 1982 Al helped build what CSA is today — a global organization with over 1200 members and a resource for the entertainment industry worldwide,...
Onorato died April 21 in Los Angeles, his nephew Chris Onorato announced.
Onorato founded the Casting Society of America (then known as the American Society of Casting Directors) with Mike Fenton and Joe Reich in 1982. He and Jerold Franks — his Onorato/Franks Independent Casting partner — won the CSA’s Artios Award for best casting for a comedy film for 1989’s “Bagdad Café.” At the 34th annual Artios Awards in 2019, Onorato received a lifetime achievement award from the organization.
“Casting Society mourns the passing of Al Onorato, whose passion and dedication and love for casting was pivotal in co-founding our organization in 1982 Al helped build what CSA is today — a global organization with over 1200 members and a resource for the entertainment industry worldwide,...
- 5/12/2024
- by Lexi Carson
- Variety Film + TV
Al Onorato, who handled casting for such TV shows as Bewitched, The Partridge Family, Police Story and Fantasy Island and represented Mark Harmon, Kristin Chenoweth and others as a talent manager, has died. He was 88.
Onorato died April 21 in Los Angeles, his nephew Chris Onorato announced.
Onorato founded the Casting Society of America (then known as the American Society of Casting Directors) with Mike Fenton and Joe Reich in 1982, and he received a lifetime achievement award from the organization in 2019.
Onorato won the CSA’s Artios Award for best casting for a comedy film for Bagdad Café (1987), sharing it with Jerold Franks, his partner in Onorato/Franks Independent Casting.
Alfred Louis Onorato was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Nov. 10, 1935. He graduated from Hackensack High School and Fairleigh Dickinson University, then worked as a page at NBC Studios in New York City.
He was a vice president in charge...
Onorato died April 21 in Los Angeles, his nephew Chris Onorato announced.
Onorato founded the Casting Society of America (then known as the American Society of Casting Directors) with Mike Fenton and Joe Reich in 1982, and he received a lifetime achievement award from the organization in 2019.
Onorato won the CSA’s Artios Award for best casting for a comedy film for Bagdad Café (1987), sharing it with Jerold Franks, his partner in Onorato/Franks Independent Casting.
Alfred Louis Onorato was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Nov. 10, 1935. He graduated from Hackensack High School and Fairleigh Dickinson University, then worked as a page at NBC Studios in New York City.
He was a vice president in charge...
- 5/12/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With final Oscar balloting closed on February 27, we’re continuing with our seventh annual series of interviews with Academy voters from different branches for their unfiltered takes on what got picked, overlooked, and overvalued in the 2023 award season. Interview edited for brevity.
I’m a longtime member of the Academy. I joined long ago, when there was no Casting branch. But I am so pleased that casting directors will finally be recognized with an Academy Award. It’s long overdue, as an equal participant of all the people that work on films. And it’s been a 30-plus-year endeavor that was started by the late great Mike Fenton and David Rubin, who was president of the Academy and one of our first governors. Our current governors never gave up on this. It’s been a long, long journey.
Actor in a Leading Role
Every one of these actors has been working for a long time.
I’m a longtime member of the Academy. I joined long ago, when there was no Casting branch. But I am so pleased that casting directors will finally be recognized with an Academy Award. It’s long overdue, as an equal participant of all the people that work on films. And it’s been a 30-plus-year endeavor that was started by the late great Mike Fenton and David Rubin, who was president of the Academy and one of our first governors. Our current governors never gave up on this. It’s been a long, long journey.
Actor in a Leading Role
Every one of these actors has been working for a long time.
- 3/6/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Ke Huy Quan is rightly receiving widespread praise for his performance as Waymond Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once. This isn’t the first time he’s been a part of a successful blockbuster. Quan also played memorable parts in two of the biggest movies of the ’80s, both involving Steven Spielberg.
Quan’s career did not pan out as he had hoped following those films. But his impact and relationship with the director remained strong after they worked together.
Ke Huy Quan appeared in two of Steven Spielberg’s earlier blockbusters Steven Spielberg and Ke Huy Quan in 1985 | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Quan’s first professional role was in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as Short Round. According to Vulture, Spielberg and his casting director Mike Fenton discovered Quan after they noticed him giving his younger brother David advice on his audition.
Quan’s career did not pan out as he had hoped following those films. But his impact and relationship with the director remained strong after they worked together.
Ke Huy Quan appeared in two of Steven Spielberg’s earlier blockbusters Steven Spielberg and Ke Huy Quan in 1985 | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Quan’s first professional role was in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as Short Round. According to Vulture, Spielberg and his casting director Mike Fenton discovered Quan after they noticed him giving his younger brother David advice on his audition.
- 1/31/2023
- by Produced by Digital Editors
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Someone contact the people at Guinness, because Thursday’s episode of Scandal had to have set a new record for the highest number of sexual interruptions in a single hour of television.
RelatedScandal in Vermont: Tony Goldwyn Breaks Down Last Week’s Biggest Moments (Who Pulled a Muscle in That Fight?)
The first interruption came immediately, with Olivia taking Curtis back to her apartment — only to discover Fitz standing at her door. (For those keeping score at home, this is the third week in a row that we’ve been subjected to this awkward encounter, thanks to the magic of time jumps.
RelatedScandal in Vermont: Tony Goldwyn Breaks Down Last Week’s Biggest Moments (Who Pulled a Muscle in That Fight?)
The first interruption came immediately, with Olivia taking Curtis back to her apartment — only to discover Fitz standing at her door. (For those keeping score at home, this is the third week in a row that we’ve been subjected to this awkward encounter, thanks to the magic of time jumps.
- 10/27/2017
- TVLine.com
On Saturday night, Lynn Stalmaster will become the first casting director ever to receive an Academy Award as he’s presented an Honorary Oscar alongside documentarian Frederick Wiseman, editor Anne V. Coates, and Jackie Chan.
Stalmaster has cast countless classics (“The Graduate,” “West Side Story”) and helped launch the careers of actors like John Travolta and Jeff Bridges. Yet, for the Academy, and its relatively new casting director branch, honoring the casting veteran has a deeper meaning and potentially larger implications.
Casting directors remain the only job in the opening titles of a movie that doesn’t have its own Oscar category, but with Stalmaster receiving his award on Saturday many feel it is simply a matter of when, not if.
The job of casting director is one that Stalmaster invented with Marion Dougherty (she passed away in 2011) after the studio system crumbled in the 1950s. However, it’s only...
Stalmaster has cast countless classics (“The Graduate,” “West Side Story”) and helped launch the careers of actors like John Travolta and Jeff Bridges. Yet, for the Academy, and its relatively new casting director branch, honoring the casting veteran has a deeper meaning and potentially larger implications.
Casting directors remain the only job in the opening titles of a movie that doesn’t have its own Oscar category, but with Stalmaster receiving his award on Saturday many feel it is simply a matter of when, not if.
The job of casting director is one that Stalmaster invented with Marion Dougherty (she passed away in 2011) after the studio system crumbled in the 1950s. However, it’s only...
- 11/9/2016
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Michael Giacchino took Film Composer of the Year, while Antonio Sanchez took Film Score of the Year for Birdman.
Sitting alongside the 42nd annual Gent Film Festival in Belgium (October 13-24), the 15th edition of the World Soundtrack Awards doled out its musical honours with a coinciding orchestral concert featuring the works of leading composers Alan Silvestri, Patrick Doyle and Daniel Pemberton.
Michael Giacchino was awarded with top honours as Film Composer of the Year for Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes, Inside Out and Jurassic World. He was previously the World Soundtrack Award’s Discovery of the Year in 2005 for his work on The Incredibles.
Antonio Sanchez was also a big winner, beating out Bruno Calais (Song Of The Sea), Alexandre Desplat (The Imitation Game), Hans Zimmer (Interstellar) and Johann Johansson (The Theory Of Everything) for Best Original Film Score of the Year (Birdman).
Sanchez also nabbed the Discovery of the Year Award.
“I remember...
Sitting alongside the 42nd annual Gent Film Festival in Belgium (October 13-24), the 15th edition of the World Soundtrack Awards doled out its musical honours with a coinciding orchestral concert featuring the works of leading composers Alan Silvestri, Patrick Doyle and Daniel Pemberton.
Michael Giacchino was awarded with top honours as Film Composer of the Year for Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes, Inside Out and Jurassic World. He was previously the World Soundtrack Award’s Discovery of the Year in 2005 for his work on The Incredibles.
Antonio Sanchez was also a big winner, beating out Bruno Calais (Song Of The Sea), Alexandre Desplat (The Imitation Game), Hans Zimmer (Interstellar) and Johann Johansson (The Theory Of Everything) for Best Original Film Score of the Year (Birdman).
Sanchez also nabbed the Discovery of the Year Award.
“I remember...
- 10/28/2015
- ScreenDaily
When I'm out of town, mail tends to pile up, and when I get back, it's hard to sort the pile and figure out what to watch or read first. It was not difficult to figure out what to read first when I got back from Toronto, because one of the packages I had waiting for me contained "The Act Of Seeing," a new book curated by Nicolas Winding Refn and written by Alan Jones. That's all I knew about it before I sat down with it, but I immediately lost two full hours to just slowing paging through, taking in all the remarkable sleazy detail of each of the posters reproduced inside and getting lost in the crisp, engrossing text that Alan Jones has put together for each of the films. What posters? What films? When I got Refn on the phone to talk about the book, my first...
- 9/24/2015
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
By Lee Pfeiffer
Warner Home Entertainment has recently released their special edition DVD of director Joe Dante’s “Innerspace” on Blu-ray. The 1987 film is a sci-fi comedy that afforded Martin Short and Meg Ryan early career leading roles in a tale of inspired lunacy. The premise of the script centers on a narcissistic former military test pilot Tuck Pendelton (Dennis Quaid) who volunteers for an unprecedented scientific experiment. Doctors have the technology to shrink him and inject him into the body of a rabbit. They also obviously have the ability to bring him back into the outside world where he can resume his normal activities at his normal size. The purpose of the experiment is to allow medical technicians to eventually inject operatives into human beings so that they can perform miracle surgeries. However, there are some bad guys who are looking to benefit from the amazing technology by selling it to the highest bidder.
Warner Home Entertainment has recently released their special edition DVD of director Joe Dante’s “Innerspace” on Blu-ray. The 1987 film is a sci-fi comedy that afforded Martin Short and Meg Ryan early career leading roles in a tale of inspired lunacy. The premise of the script centers on a narcissistic former military test pilot Tuck Pendelton (Dennis Quaid) who volunteers for an unprecedented scientific experiment. Doctors have the technology to shrink him and inject him into the body of a rabbit. They also obviously have the ability to bring him back into the outside world where he can resume his normal activities at his normal size. The purpose of the experiment is to allow medical technicians to eventually inject operatives into human beings so that they can perform miracle surgeries. However, there are some bad guys who are looking to benefit from the amazing technology by selling it to the highest bidder.
- 8/29/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Sven Harvey Oct 17, 2017
Here are more nerdy spots in the final two Trek films to date: Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness...
Spoilers for Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness lie ahead.
Like their forerunners, the two latest Star Trek films, in their semi-rebooted, alternative universe, are replete with famous faces from outside the franchise, surprising cameos and multiple little touches that raise a smile.
With the third film in the rebooted series coming next year, the 50th anniversary of the debut of Star Trek on TV in 1966, let's take a look at a few of the geeky nods in Jj's Trek films.
1. Star Trek Nemesis left a lot of dangling threads, on purpose, as a story treatment for a direct sequel was already being worked on. Unfortunately due to some less than stellar decisions by executives, the release date of the film was repositioned and the decision...
Here are more nerdy spots in the final two Trek films to date: Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness...
Spoilers for Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness lie ahead.
Like their forerunners, the two latest Star Trek films, in their semi-rebooted, alternative universe, are replete with famous faces from outside the franchise, surprising cameos and multiple little touches that raise a smile.
With the third film in the rebooted series coming next year, the 50th anniversary of the debut of Star Trek on TV in 1966, let's take a look at a few of the geeky nods in Jj's Trek films.
1. Star Trek Nemesis left a lot of dangling threads, on purpose, as a story treatment for a direct sequel was already being worked on. Unfortunately due to some less than stellar decisions by executives, the release date of the film was repositioned and the decision...
- 6/25/2015
- Den of Geek
Here are more nerdy spots in the final two Trek films to date: Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness...
Spoilers for Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness lie ahead.
Like their forerunners, the two latest Star Trek films, in their semi-rebooted, alternative universe, are replete with famous faces from outside the franchise, surprising cameos and multiple little touches that raise a smile.
With the third film in the rebooted series coming next year, the 50th anniversary of the debut of Star Trek on TV in 1966, let's take a look at a few of the geeky nods in Jj's Trek films.
1. Star Trek Nemesis left a lot of dangling threads, on purpose, as a story treatment for a direct sequel was already being worked on. Unfortunately due to some less than stellar decisions by executives, the release date of the film was repositioned and the decision was made to...
Spoilers for Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness lie ahead.
Like their forerunners, the two latest Star Trek films, in their semi-rebooted, alternative universe, are replete with famous faces from outside the franchise, surprising cameos and multiple little touches that raise a smile.
With the third film in the rebooted series coming next year, the 50th anniversary of the debut of Star Trek on TV in 1966, let's take a look at a few of the geeky nods in Jj's Trek films.
1. Star Trek Nemesis left a lot of dangling threads, on purpose, as a story treatment for a direct sequel was already being worked on. Unfortunately due to some less than stellar decisions by executives, the release date of the film was repositioned and the decision was made to...
- 6/25/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
To make it in Hollywood, it used to be that actors needed five basic essentials: talent, looks, timing, a winning headshot and a good agent. But these days, those looking to score big need to add another item to that list, one that could mean the difference between a lucrative acting gig and the unemployment line: a sizable social media following. “There is no question that today if you have good numbers on social media, you have become a better choice to be cast,” veteran casting director Mike Fenton told TheWrap. “It would behoove actors to generate a social media presence.
- 3/10/2015
- by Itay Hod
- The Wrap
Walking spoiler Sean Bean has bitten the dust in film and television more than any other actor. But how well do you know his big-screen demises?
With Bean starring in this week's Jupiter Ascending, the film is naturally going to be loaded with tension over whether he makes it to the end credits in one piece. With that in mind, we've assembled a Sean Bean Death Quiz to test your knowledge on the many downfalls of Sheffield's favourite son.
1. Which on-screen death has Sean previously claimed is his favourite?
A) Boromir in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Correct! "It was a good, slow, heroic death," Bean told Digital Spy in a 2012 interview. Watch the entire 'Death Reel' chat below:
B) Ned Stark in Game of Thrones
Wrong!
C) Danny Bryant in Outlaw
Wrong!
2. What were the final words of Sean's Bond villain Alec Trevelyan in GoldenEye?...
With Bean starring in this week's Jupiter Ascending, the film is naturally going to be loaded with tension over whether he makes it to the end credits in one piece. With that in mind, we've assembled a Sean Bean Death Quiz to test your knowledge on the many downfalls of Sheffield's favourite son.
1. Which on-screen death has Sean previously claimed is his favourite?
A) Boromir in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Correct! "It was a good, slow, heroic death," Bean told Digital Spy in a 2012 interview. Watch the entire 'Death Reel' chat below:
B) Ned Stark in Game of Thrones
Wrong!
C) Danny Bryant in Outlaw
Wrong!
2. What were the final words of Sean's Bond villain Alec Trevelyan in GoldenEye?...
- 2/2/2015
- Digital Spy
It’s the premise of a classic short novel by a Shakespearian scholar and at least a half dozen EC Comics. What happens when beings based in a differing number of dimensions interact? Usually it’s the higher dimensions assaulting us, but if the invasion comes from the ground up, one would hope your defensive wall could be a…
Flatline
By Jamie Mathieson
Directed by Douglas Mackinnon
A mysterious force is causing the dimensions in a council estate near Bristol to collapse, resulting in people vanishing, with only distended and partial projections left behind. The Tardis is affected by the distortion, and when it lands, the connection between the interior and exterior of the ship is…oddly affected. Reduced to half-size, and then smaller, The Doctor is trapped within the ship, leaving Clara as the one with boots on the ground to discover the source of the attack, save everyone,...
Flatline
By Jamie Mathieson
Directed by Douglas Mackinnon
A mysterious force is causing the dimensions in a council estate near Bristol to collapse, resulting in people vanishing, with only distended and partial projections left behind. The Tardis is affected by the distortion, and when it lands, the connection between the interior and exterior of the ship is…oddly affected. Reduced to half-size, and then smaller, The Doctor is trapped within the ship, leaving Clara as the one with boots on the ground to discover the source of the attack, save everyone,...
- 10/19/2014
- by Vinnie Bartilucci
- Comicmix.com
When we last left the Doctor and Clara, the former had shown his willingness to sacrifice the one to save the majority while the latter had proved the Doctor isn’t the only one who lies. Determined to keep up her double life, Clara’s playing a dangerous game with both Twelve and Danny. But who was behind the computerized voice of Gus? Or does it even matter? Will “Flatline” continue the trend of the Monster-Of-The-Week (Motw) or will the threads of this season start to coalesce? Time to find out! ************ Either we’re in the 1970s or this balding hipster hasn’t updated his decor since then. He’s whispering into a corded wall phone — truly an archaic device — to the police. He knows who did “it” and they’re everywhere. Whoever “they” are prove the hipster’s paranoid delusions are true by instantly murdering him. Godspeed, sir. You make delightfully eccentric wallpaper.
- 10/19/2014
- by Donna Dickens
- Hitfix
Ian Ziering and Tara Reid are packing up their chainsaws and heading to Manhattan for Sharknado 2: The Second One, which will trend on Twitter some as-yet-unspecified day in July, Syfy warned today. Not only are Ziering and Reid back, Anthony Ferrante again will direct the screenplay by Thunder Levin, who also wrote Sharknado, so as to make sure the sequel is as craptastic as the original. And Syfy and producer-distributor The Asylum have hired casting director Mike Fenton and his partner Ann Frederick, of Fenton-Frederick Casting, to supervise cameo casting. So, Damon Lindelof, Mia Farrow, and Greg Berlanti — get in touch with them quickly, because shooting begins next month. In Sharknado 2, Syfy says, “a freak weather system turns its deadly fury on New York City, unleashing a ‘sharknado’ on the city’s population and its most iconic sites, with Fin and April the only ones able to save the city.
- 1/30/2014
- by LISA DE MORAES, TV Columnist
- Deadline TV
They’re back – and shark happens! Syfy and The Asylum today announced that Ian Ziering and Tara Reid will reprise their roles as Fin and April in the eagerly awaited Sharknado sequel, Sharknado 2: The Second One.
The sequel begins filming in New York on February 13th and is scheduled to premiere on Syfy in July. Anthony Ferrante will once again direct a screenplay by Thunder Levin, who also wrote Sharknado, the iconic pop culture sensation which chainsawed its way through social media last summer.
In Sharknado 2: The Second One, a freak weather system turns its deadly fury on New York City, unleashing a Sharknado on the population and its most cherished, iconic sites – and only Fin and April can save the Big Apple.
Said Thomas Vitale, Executive Vice President, Programming and Original Movies, Syfy: “Sharknado was an extraordinary ‘perfect storm’ which captured the attention of movie fans across the globe.
The sequel begins filming in New York on February 13th and is scheduled to premiere on Syfy in July. Anthony Ferrante will once again direct a screenplay by Thunder Levin, who also wrote Sharknado, the iconic pop culture sensation which chainsawed its way through social media last summer.
In Sharknado 2: The Second One, a freak weather system turns its deadly fury on New York City, unleashing a Sharknado on the population and its most cherished, iconic sites – and only Fin and April can save the Big Apple.
Said Thomas Vitale, Executive Vice President, Programming and Original Movies, Syfy: “Sharknado was an extraordinary ‘perfect storm’ which captured the attention of movie fans across the globe.
- 1/30/2014
- by Debi Moore
- DreadCentral.com
Resurrecting the Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp must’ve sounded like one of the all-time Hollywood no-brainers when it was pitched to Disney in 2011. After all, the mysterious masked man used to be the all-American icon with the greatest chase-music (“The William Tell Overture”), the greatest sidekick (Tonto), and the greatest catchphrase (“Hi-yo, Silver, away!”). Plus, though Depp is playing a boldly reimagined Tonto opposite Armie Hammer’s Ranger, he was reuniting with producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski, the creative triumvirate that made Disney billions with the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. But getting The Lone Ranger into...
- 7/2/2013
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
The Young and the Restless tallied 23 nominations as honors were announced this morning for the 40th annual Daytime Emmy Awards. Restless’ impressive take helped CBS lead all networks with 50 overall nominations. PBS and ABC followed, with 44 and 38 nods, respectively.
General Hospital, which earned 19 nominations, joined Restless in the race for Outstanding Drama Series, and Sesame Street received 17 nods, including three for Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo who faces allegations of sexual misconduct.
Good Morning America and Today will bring their ratings rivalry to the Emmys, where they’ll be joined by CBS Sunday Morning in the Outstanding Morning Program category.
General Hospital, which earned 19 nominations, joined Restless in the race for Outstanding Drama Series, and Sesame Street received 17 nods, including three for Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo who faces allegations of sexual misconduct.
Good Morning America and Today will bring their ratings rivalry to the Emmys, where they’ll be joined by CBS Sunday Morning in the Outstanding Morning Program category.
- 5/1/2013
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside TV
The nominations are in! Ellen DeGeneres, The View and General Hospital lead the pack in the 2013 Daytime Emmy nominations.
Sam Champion read the 2013 Daytime Emmy Nominations on Good Morning America on May 1, and it’s a great list! General Hospital and The Young & The Restless were some of the many shows nominated, while Ellen DeGeneres, Katie Couric and the lovely ladies of The View are some of the hosts nominated. Read on for the full list.
Daytime Emmys 2013 — Full List Of Nominations
Outstanding Drama Series
The Bold and the Beautiful, CBS
Bradley P. Bell, Executive Producer
Rhonda Friedman, Edward J. Scott, SupervisingProducers
Ronald W. Weaver, Senior Producer
Mark Pinciotti, Coordinating Producer
Cynthia J. Popp, Colleen Bell, Casey Kasprzyk, Producers
Days of Our Lives, NBC
Ken Corday, Executive Producer
Lisa de Cazotte, Greg Meng, Co-Executive Producers
Janet Drucker, Tim Stevens, Coordinating Producers
Albert Alarr, Producer
General Hospital , ABC
Frank Valentini, Executive Producer
Mary-Kelly Weir,...
Sam Champion read the 2013 Daytime Emmy Nominations on Good Morning America on May 1, and it’s a great list! General Hospital and The Young & The Restless were some of the many shows nominated, while Ellen DeGeneres, Katie Couric and the lovely ladies of The View are some of the hosts nominated. Read on for the full list.
Daytime Emmys 2013 — Full List Of Nominations
Outstanding Drama Series
The Bold and the Beautiful, CBS
Bradley P. Bell, Executive Producer
Rhonda Friedman, Edward J. Scott, SupervisingProducers
Ronald W. Weaver, Senior Producer
Mark Pinciotti, Coordinating Producer
Cynthia J. Popp, Colleen Bell, Casey Kasprzyk, Producers
Days of Our Lives, NBC
Ken Corday, Executive Producer
Lisa de Cazotte, Greg Meng, Co-Executive Producers
Janet Drucker, Tim Stevens, Coordinating Producers
Albert Alarr, Producer
General Hospital , ABC
Frank Valentini, Executive Producer
Mary-Kelly Weir,...
- 5/1/2013
- by Eleanore Hutch
- HollywoodLife
Red Alert Trek fans! You have another chance to win a pair of tickets to the “Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Best of Both Worlds” screening.
“You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.” Trekkers nationwide will soon heed those commands as Ncm® Fathom Events, CBS Home Entertainment and IGN present “Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Best of Both Worlds,” which beams into select cinemas on Thursday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. local time. The fan-favorite two-part episode – “The Best of Both Worlds” – is comprised of the third season finale and the fourth season premiere, with Part 1 making TV Guide’s list of “TV’s Top 100 Episodes of All Time.” The episodes have been remastered into a feature-length presentation and will be presented on the big screen.
Tickets for “Star Trek: The Next Generation® – The Best of Both Worlds” are available at presenting theater box offices and online at www.
“You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.” Trekkers nationwide will soon heed those commands as Ncm® Fathom Events, CBS Home Entertainment and IGN present “Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Best of Both Worlds,” which beams into select cinemas on Thursday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. local time. The fan-favorite two-part episode – “The Best of Both Worlds” – is comprised of the third season finale and the fourth season premiere, with Part 1 making TV Guide’s list of “TV’s Top 100 Episodes of All Time.” The episodes have been remastered into a feature-length presentation and will be presented on the big screen.
Tickets for “Star Trek: The Next Generation® – The Best of Both Worlds” are available at presenting theater box offices and online at www.
- 4/9/2013
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Tammy Faye…Tori Spelling…Chaz Bono…RuPaul…The Fabulous Beekman Boys…and (soon) Latoya Jackson.
These names are not only iconic for what they’ve each brought to the world of entertainment but the one common thread between each of them is they have been brought to our attention in revealing ways in film and television by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato and their World of Wonder Productions.
The Super Producers currently are working on a multitude of projects including RuPaul’s All-Stars Drag Race on Logo, the just-announced Latoya Jackson reality show for Own, Oxygen’s All The Right Moves and this weekend’s one-hour Own special, 10 Kids, 2 Dads.
AfterElton miraculously was able to get both Bailey and Barbato on the phone earlier this week to talk about all these projects as well as their philosophy for why when it comes to reality TV, hair flipping is so much better than table flipping.
These names are not only iconic for what they’ve each brought to the world of entertainment but the one common thread between each of them is they have been brought to our attention in revealing ways in film and television by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato and their World of Wonder Productions.
The Super Producers currently are working on a multitude of projects including RuPaul’s All-Stars Drag Race on Logo, the just-announced Latoya Jackson reality show for Own, Oxygen’s All The Right Moves and this weekend’s one-hour Own special, 10 Kids, 2 Dads.
AfterElton miraculously was able to get both Bailey and Barbato on the phone earlier this week to talk about all these projects as well as their philosophy for why when it comes to reality TV, hair flipping is so much better than table flipping.
- 8/17/2012
- by nyjimmy67
- The Backlot
Denver -- In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy five years ago, the University of Colorado and other schools across the U.S. created "threat assessment teams" to identify and take action against students who might turn violent. Now, in the aftermath of the movie theater rampage in Aurora, some are wondering whether the system broke down.
A Denver TV station reported this week that a university psychiatrist was so alarmed by graduate student James E. Holmes' behavior that she tried to bring him to the attention of the school's threat assessment team more than a month before the attack, but the group never met to talk about him because he had already taken steps to drop out.
Holmes, 24, is charged with murdering 12 people and wounding 58 in the July 20 rampage a few miles from the Aurora campus after methodically stockpiling guns and ammunition for months.
"If the argument is...
A Denver TV station reported this week that a university psychiatrist was so alarmed by graduate student James E. Holmes' behavior that she tried to bring him to the attention of the school's threat assessment team more than a month before the attack, but the group never met to talk about him because he had already taken steps to drop out.
Holmes, 24, is charged with murdering 12 people and wounding 58 in the July 20 rampage a few miles from the Aurora campus after methodically stockpiling guns and ammunition for months.
"If the argument is...
- 8/3/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
The Winter Garden Theatre was filled with 1300 students who participated in Inside Broadway’s annual “Creating the Magic” workshop on Thursday. The cast of “Mamma Mia!” entertained students with lavish musical numbers from the production, including “Dancing Queen,” “Chiquitia,” “Sos,” and others. The Audience at Creating the Magic (Elena Olivo)Inside Broadway is a nonprofit organization that brings Broadway theater to New York City public school students. This year, the organization will be celebrating 30 years of introducing kids to the Great White Way. Production Stage Manager Andy Fenton showed students the technical aspects that go into putting on a Broadway production. Students gasped in awe when the set piece of a house transformed into a courtyard. Mamma Mia! Production Stage Manager Andy Fenton at Creating the Magic (Elena Olivo)Performers also explained to the students what it means to work in the theater. “Being a performer is taking a risk,...
- 6/15/2012
- by help@backstage.com (Laura Meltzer)
- backstage.com
The return of Hardman, a blocked merger, an angry girlfriend and having your former best friend rat you out to one of your bosses and cost you your job?
Yeah, that’s Mike’s life alright, and it all came crashing down on him on the Suits season 2 premiere, "She Knows."
I almost thought that Jessica Hardman had bought into Mike’ s story that he was “not like the other kids.” But I have to give her credit for not only seeing right through it, but calling Harvey out on it directly.
I do believe there was at least one portion of Mike’s tale that was completely and utterly true, and that was his reason for choosing law. It was about time we learned what led to the untimely and tragic death of Mike’s beloved parents. Who knew they died at the hands of a drunk driver, and...
Yeah, that’s Mike’s life alright, and it all came crashing down on him on the Suits season 2 premiere, "She Knows."
I almost thought that Jessica Hardman had bought into Mike’ s story that he was “not like the other kids.” But I have to give her credit for not only seeing right through it, but calling Harvey out on it directly.
I do believe there was at least one portion of Mike’s tale that was completely and utterly true, and that was his reason for choosing law. It was about time we learned what led to the untimely and tragic death of Mike’s beloved parents. Who knew they died at the hands of a drunk driver, and...
- 6/15/2012
- by chandel@mediavine.com (Chandel Charles)
- TVfanatic
The concept of a “rock doc” can turn off a lot of people. The perception is that anyone unfamiliar with the band or genre in question will be lost to the narrative, or at least bored by a subject they have no interest in. Director’s Don Argot and Demian Fenton manage to prove that this concern is far from reflective of reality with their engrossing documetary Last Days Here.
Chronicling the comeback attempt of Pentagram lead singer Bobby Liebling, Argott and Fenton find a powerful human story worth following and becoming invested in. In fact, their camera takes in moments of such intimacy and personal importance that it’s hard to imagine that they themselves didn’t become emotionally invested in their subject.
So of course, when I got the chance to speak with the directors about their latest film, that question was among my highest priorities. Find out what they said about objectivity,...
Chronicling the comeback attempt of Pentagram lead singer Bobby Liebling, Argott and Fenton find a powerful human story worth following and becoming invested in. In fact, their camera takes in moments of such intimacy and personal importance that it’s hard to imagine that they themselves didn’t become emotionally invested in their subject.
So of course, when I got the chance to speak with the directors about their latest film, that question was among my highest priorities. Find out what they said about objectivity,...
- 3/2/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
The Sundance Film Festival is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, the festival is a showcase for new work from American and international independent filmmakers. The Festival has changed over the decades from a low-profile venue for small-budget, independent creators from outside the Hollywood system to a media extravaganza for Hollywood celebrity actors, paparazzi, and luxury lounges set up by companies that are not affiliated with Sundance.
Now the festival is getting ready for the 2012 edition and today they announced the jury members for this year’s Festival. They include Shari Berman, Scott Burns, Charles Ferguson, Nick Fraser, Mike Judge, Justin Lin, Anthony Mackie, Cliff Martinez, Julia Ormond, Dee Rees and Lynn Shelton.
Here is the official press release:
Park City, Ut — Sundance Institute announced today the 22 members of the six juries awarding prizes at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival,...
Now the festival is getting ready for the 2012 edition and today they announced the jury members for this year’s Festival. They include Shari Berman, Scott Burns, Charles Ferguson, Nick Fraser, Mike Judge, Justin Lin, Anthony Mackie, Cliff Martinez, Julia Ormond, Dee Rees and Lynn Shelton.
Here is the official press release:
Park City, Ut — Sundance Institute announced today the 22 members of the six juries awarding prizes at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival,...
- 1/10/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
“I have a zero tolerance for sanctimonious morons who try to scare people.”
— Pat Robertson
You can probably imagine my absolute shock when a movie about life on the "Down-low" finally broke through all the noise the subject usually brings. Perhaps shock is too small a word. I sat in a packed auditorium, obliterated, as an honest depiction of two married men on the D.L., falling in love with each other while navigating a violently homophobic culture, unspooled before me.
Yes, the movie showed these men cheating on their wives, causing them a great deal of pain, but it clearly detailed that the reason they risked their families, their standing in the community, and even their very lives was because, despite the intolerance of their world, what they felt for each other was too strong and too deep for them to shrug off.
And the audience actually empathized with...
— Pat Robertson
You can probably imagine my absolute shock when a movie about life on the "Down-low" finally broke through all the noise the subject usually brings. Perhaps shock is too small a word. I sat in a packed auditorium, obliterated, as an honest depiction of two married men on the D.L., falling in love with each other while navigating a violently homophobic culture, unspooled before me.
Yes, the movie showed these men cheating on their wives, causing them a great deal of pain, but it clearly detailed that the reason they risked their families, their standing in the community, and even their very lives was because, despite the intolerance of their world, what they felt for each other was too strong and too deep for them to shrug off.
And the audience actually empathized with...
- 6/8/2011
- by BriOut
- The Backlot
Best Supporting Actor Winners
1974—Douglas McGrath as Sgt. Nash in Black Christmas
1975—Robert Shaw as Quint in Jaws
1976—Martin Sheen as Frank Hallet in The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane
1977—Peter Firth as Alan Strang in Equus
1978—Donald Pleasence as Dr. Sam Loomis is Halloween
1979—Rod Steiger as Father Delaney in The Amityville Horror
1980—Melvyn Douglas as Senator Carmichael in The Changeling
1981—John Houseman as Sears James in Ghost Story
1982—Leslie Neilson as Richard Vickers in Creepshow
1983—Danny Pintauro as Tad Trenton in Cujo
1984—George C. Scott as John Rainbird in Firestarter
1985—Roddy McDowall as Peter Vincent in Fright Night
1986—Rutger Hauer as John Ryder in The Hitcher
1987—Bill Paxton as Severen in Near Dark
1988—Angus Scrimm as The Tall Man in Phantasm II
1989—Fred Gwynne as Jud Crandall in Pet Sematary
1990—Brad Dourif as The Gemini Killer in The Exorcist III
1991—Nicholas Sadler as Vinnie Vincent in...
1974—Douglas McGrath as Sgt. Nash in Black Christmas
1975—Robert Shaw as Quint in Jaws
1976—Martin Sheen as Frank Hallet in The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane
1977—Peter Firth as Alan Strang in Equus
1978—Donald Pleasence as Dr. Sam Loomis is Halloween
1979—Rod Steiger as Father Delaney in The Amityville Horror
1980—Melvyn Douglas as Senator Carmichael in The Changeling
1981—John Houseman as Sears James in Ghost Story
1982—Leslie Neilson as Richard Vickers in Creepshow
1983—Danny Pintauro as Tad Trenton in Cujo
1984—George C. Scott as John Rainbird in Firestarter
1985—Roddy McDowall as Peter Vincent in Fright Night
1986—Rutger Hauer as John Ryder in The Hitcher
1987—Bill Paxton as Severen in Near Dark
1988—Angus Scrimm as The Tall Man in Phantasm II
1989—Fred Gwynne as Jud Crandall in Pet Sematary
1990—Brad Dourif as The Gemini Killer in The Exorcist III
1991—Nicholas Sadler as Vinnie Vincent in...
- 2/19/2011
- by noreply@blogger.com (Troy)
- Fright Meter
40 Actors And Actresses We Love40 Actors and Actresses We LoveWith the Academy Awards announced this morning, all eyes are fixed on Hollywood. Even though no Black actors and actresses were nominated this year, we take a moment to honor 40 actresses and actors we love. Their work has made us laugh, made us cry, allowed us to step away from the pressures of our day-to-day lives, and taught us more about ourselves and our culture. Check out who made our list. Who would you add?Jennifer HudsonFavorite role: Effie White in "Dreamgirls." Won Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in 2007.Halle BerryFavorite role: Leticia Musgrove in "Monster's Ball." Won Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2002.Jamie FoxxFavorite role: Ray Charles in "Ray." Won Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in 2005.Nia LongFavorite role: Nina Mosley in "Love Jones.
- 1/26/2011
- Essence
Leeza Gibbons has been keeping a secret. The former talk show host and her beau of two years, Steven Fenton, got engaged in June, she reveals to People exclusively. Fenton, 40, asked Gibbons, 53, to marry him on the lawn of their new home in L.A. before they moved in. "He was on one knee and I was on Cloud 9!" Gibbons says. "I have a ring but we decided that I won't wear it until we have a private exchange of vows." Gibbons began dating Fenton, who is President of the Beverly Hills Board of Education, after being set up...
- 11/16/2010
- by Julie Jordan
- PEOPLE.com
Ellen Lewis on Michael ShannonWhen I was asked to write about an actor I love, Michael Shannon immediately jumped into my mind. It probably stems from the fact that I'm from Chicago, where Michael lived and worked for many years.In 1998 Paula Muzik, an agent in Chicago, called to tell me about Michael, who was coming to New York in the play "Killer Joe." There was an intensity and disturbing quality to Michael's performance in "Killer Joe." Combined with his physical presence and dark humor, he slightly frightened you. He was unlike any actor I had seen before, and it was exciting to think about the roles one could try him for.Years later I was casting "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" for Sidney Lumet. Sid's office at the time was at Sound One. Casting for Sidney, as other casting directors can attest, is an amazing experience—and unusual,...
- 7/7/2010
- backstage.com
Katie Stevens impresses with 'At Last'; cancer survivor Justin Williams returns.
By Gil Kaufman
Norberto Guerrero auditions in Boston
Photo: Fox
"American Idol" kicked off season nine on Tuesday night with the usual assortment of freaks, geeks and tone-deaf delusional jokers, mixed in with the occasional ringer with a compelling backstory that might actually have a chance in Hollywood.
The intro acknowledged the judging turmoil that has roiled "Idol" since the last season ended in May, alluding to Paula Abdul's departure and Ellen DeGeneres' addition to the panel. But there was no mention of Simon Cowell's announcement on Monday that he would be leaving "Idol" at the end of this season, either because the news broke too late to re-edit the episode or because producers didn't want to draw attention to it.
With DeGeneres not suiting up until the Hollywood round airs, the season premiere featured the...
By Gil Kaufman
Norberto Guerrero auditions in Boston
Photo: Fox
"American Idol" kicked off season nine on Tuesday night with the usual assortment of freaks, geeks and tone-deaf delusional jokers, mixed in with the occasional ringer with a compelling backstory that might actually have a chance in Hollywood.
The intro acknowledged the judging turmoil that has roiled "Idol" since the last season ended in May, alluding to Paula Abdul's departure and Ellen DeGeneres' addition to the panel. But there was no mention of Simon Cowell's announcement on Monday that he would be leaving "Idol" at the end of this season, either because the news broke too late to re-edit the episode or because producers didn't want to draw attention to it.
With DeGeneres not suiting up until the Hollywood round airs, the season premiere featured the...
- 1/13/2010
- MTV Music News
Plexus Publishing sent word over to Fango on its new book, Zombie Holocaust: How The Living Dead Devoured Pop Culture. Set for release May 19, it takes a look at the history of the walking deceased and how they’ve influenced our lives and pop culture in the process.
Written by David Flint (co-author with Harvey Fenton of Ten Years Of Terror: British Horror Films Of The Seventies) and pegged as an illustrated history, Holocaust explores the undead’s origins as voodoo-controlled Haitian field workers, then traces their evolution through the cannibalistic hordes of George A. Romero’s films and their many imitators to the controversial fast zombies of today.
Written by David Flint (co-author with Harvey Fenton of Ten Years Of Terror: British Horror Films Of The Seventies) and pegged as an illustrated history, Holocaust explores the undead’s origins as voodoo-controlled Haitian field workers, then traces their evolution through the cannibalistic hordes of George A. Romero’s films and their many imitators to the controversial fast zombies of today.
- 5/7/2009
- Fangoria
We'll have lots of guests at Fantastic Fest this year, more than ever before. Here are just a few of the many interesting people who'll be joining us this year, in no particular order. We'll continually update our roster so keep an eye on this page.
Filmmakers and Actors
Norihiro Koizumi (Gachi Boy: Wrestling With A Memory)
A young, talented director who is quickly making his mark in the Japanese filmmaking scene. At the tender age of 25, he directed his first major feature-length film, “Midnight Sun.” “Midnight Sun” was not only critically-acclaimed, but became a commercial hit, grossing over 1 billion yen at the Japanese boxoffice. His latest film, “Gachi Boy Wrestling with a Memory,” won the grand prix at the Udine Far East Film Festival.
Nacho Vigalondo (Shorts Program)
Last year at Fantastic Fest noted Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo won the Next Wave competition, later securing domestic distribution for Timecrimes...
Filmmakers and Actors
Norihiro Koizumi (Gachi Boy: Wrestling With A Memory)
A young, talented director who is quickly making his mark in the Japanese filmmaking scene. At the tender age of 25, he directed his first major feature-length film, “Midnight Sun.” “Midnight Sun” was not only critically-acclaimed, but became a commercial hit, grossing over 1 billion yen at the Japanese boxoffice. His latest film, “Gachi Boy Wrestling with a Memory,” won the grand prix at the Udine Far East Film Festival.
Nacho Vigalondo (Shorts Program)
Last year at Fantastic Fest noted Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo won the Next Wave competition, later securing domestic distribution for Timecrimes...
- 9/8/2008
- by noreply@blogger.com (Lars Nilsen)
- FantasticFest.com
We printed a few little nuggets about Fantastic Fest in our most recent printed Alamo guide, but as not everyone has access to that, I thought it would be fair to mirror those tidbits on the Fantastic Fest website. The most important in my opinion is the tweak to the badge system. We are attempting to eliminate the long and sometimes frustrating lines that form for regular badge holders who are hoping to get tickets to the really big movies.
Here's the scoop from the printed guide. We are working on a major website overhaul soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
Fantastic Fest 2008
Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the United States, and it all happens right here at the Alamo Drafthouse. By genre, I mean horror, science-fiction, fantasy, crime, animation, action and all-around badass cinema. It’s as if you packed the very best...
Here's the scoop from the printed guide. We are working on a major website overhaul soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
Fantastic Fest 2008
Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the United States, and it all happens right here at the Alamo Drafthouse. By genre, I mean horror, science-fiction, fantasy, crime, animation, action and all-around badass cinema. It’s as if you packed the very best...
- 5/11/2008
- by noreply@blogger.com (Tim League)
- FantasticFest.com
Lightweight but occasionally rude, "Friends & Lovers" is an unwitty, unfunny sex farce set in Park City, Utah, where six "best friends" gather to have fun and pair up romantically. The generic title is appropriate as the unbearably ordinary, upbeat 1990s characters deal with minor crises built around personal foibles and agendas.
This Lions Gate limited release won't fare well in the crowded theatrical marketplace, but its ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr., Stephen Baldwin and Claudia Schiffer should help writer-director George Haas' feature debut resurface as a moderately successful video release.
Most of the jokes are stale and the characters are free of major problems, with the exception of an unmarried pregnant woman. But they all have hang-ups about sex and relationships. The brief setup is complicated by the reluctance of Ian George Newbern) to visit his father (David Rasche), a widower who lives in Park City and wants to get close to his son again.
Led by Jon (Baldwin) and Lisa (Alison Eastwood), Ian's friends invite themselves to the cabin for a weekend of skiing. A photographer with a mild macho attitude and screw loose, Jon brings along Carla (Schiffer), who is initially cool to his advances. Lisa hitches a ride with grumpy Keaton (Neill Barry) and his with-child sister Jane (Suzanne Cryer). The group is rounded out by nerdy, virginal David (Danny Nucci).
On the way to Utah, Jon and Carla encounter kooky, German-accented skier Hans (Downey). They give him a ride, and Carla responds to his enthusiastic flirting before Jon kicks him out of the car. Eventually all are gathered in the roomy abode of Ian's father, all except Ian who has abundant anger over feelings of neglect.
The juvenile humor of Jon's predicting the size of Carla's nipples, leading to a scheme by the boys to get the girls to reveal their naked bodies, climaxes in a "Boogie Nights"-like shot of Barry's well-endowed character. But beyond this graphic shot for a nervous laugh, the movie gets bogged down in countless minor skirmishes and dalliances that eventually have to be resolved in the seemingly endless finale.
There's only superficial tension as Jon grows more frustrated at Carla taking up with Hans, while there's a desperate abandon to the coming together of Ian and Jane. Lusty Lisa puts the moves on Keaton. The three women egg on gay David to approach a snowboarder (Leon). Much screwing ensues, while Ian and his pop patch things up with the help of the latter's new love (Ann Magnuson).
Along with the bland writing, dreadful score and serviceable filmmaking, the performances are uninspiring. Over-the-top Downey gets the most laughs, while Cryer ("Wag the Dog") has a sobbing scene and overall intensity that stands out in this crowd.
FRIENDS & LOVERS
Lions Gate Films
C.E.O. Films presents
a Josi W. Konski production
in association with Laguna Entertainment
Writer-director: George Haas
Producer: Josi W. Konski
Executive producer: Gregory Cascante
Director of photography: Carlos Montaner
Production designer: Ren Blanco
Editor: Barry Leirer
Costume designer: Diane Kranz
Music: Emilio Kauderer
Casting: Mike Fenton, Allison Cowitt
Color/stereo
Cast:
Jon: Stephen Baldwin
David: Danny Nucci
Ian: George Newbern
Lisa: Alison Eastwood
Carla: Claudia Schiffer
Jane: Suzanne Cryer
Keaton: Neill Barry
Hans: Robert Downey Jr.
Richard: David Rasche
Snowboarder: Leon
Katherine: Ann Magnuson
Running time -- 103 minutes
No MPAA rating...
This Lions Gate limited release won't fare well in the crowded theatrical marketplace, but its ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr., Stephen Baldwin and Claudia Schiffer should help writer-director George Haas' feature debut resurface as a moderately successful video release.
Most of the jokes are stale and the characters are free of major problems, with the exception of an unmarried pregnant woman. But they all have hang-ups about sex and relationships. The brief setup is complicated by the reluctance of Ian George Newbern) to visit his father (David Rasche), a widower who lives in Park City and wants to get close to his son again.
Led by Jon (Baldwin) and Lisa (Alison Eastwood), Ian's friends invite themselves to the cabin for a weekend of skiing. A photographer with a mild macho attitude and screw loose, Jon brings along Carla (Schiffer), who is initially cool to his advances. Lisa hitches a ride with grumpy Keaton (Neill Barry) and his with-child sister Jane (Suzanne Cryer). The group is rounded out by nerdy, virginal David (Danny Nucci).
On the way to Utah, Jon and Carla encounter kooky, German-accented skier Hans (Downey). They give him a ride, and Carla responds to his enthusiastic flirting before Jon kicks him out of the car. Eventually all are gathered in the roomy abode of Ian's father, all except Ian who has abundant anger over feelings of neglect.
The juvenile humor of Jon's predicting the size of Carla's nipples, leading to a scheme by the boys to get the girls to reveal their naked bodies, climaxes in a "Boogie Nights"-like shot of Barry's well-endowed character. But beyond this graphic shot for a nervous laugh, the movie gets bogged down in countless minor skirmishes and dalliances that eventually have to be resolved in the seemingly endless finale.
There's only superficial tension as Jon grows more frustrated at Carla taking up with Hans, while there's a desperate abandon to the coming together of Ian and Jane. Lusty Lisa puts the moves on Keaton. The three women egg on gay David to approach a snowboarder (Leon). Much screwing ensues, while Ian and his pop patch things up with the help of the latter's new love (Ann Magnuson).
Along with the bland writing, dreadful score and serviceable filmmaking, the performances are uninspiring. Over-the-top Downey gets the most laughs, while Cryer ("Wag the Dog") has a sobbing scene and overall intensity that stands out in this crowd.
FRIENDS & LOVERS
Lions Gate Films
C.E.O. Films presents
a Josi W. Konski production
in association with Laguna Entertainment
Writer-director: George Haas
Producer: Josi W. Konski
Executive producer: Gregory Cascante
Director of photography: Carlos Montaner
Production designer: Ren Blanco
Editor: Barry Leirer
Costume designer: Diane Kranz
Music: Emilio Kauderer
Casting: Mike Fenton, Allison Cowitt
Color/stereo
Cast:
Jon: Stephen Baldwin
David: Danny Nucci
Ian: George Newbern
Lisa: Alison Eastwood
Carla: Claudia Schiffer
Jane: Suzanne Cryer
Keaton: Neill Barry
Hans: Robert Downey Jr.
Richard: David Rasche
Snowboarder: Leon
Katherine: Ann Magnuson
Running time -- 103 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 4/16/1999
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tone trouble seriously trips up "Excess Baggage", a sort of comedy, sort of caper, about an attention-starved teen (Alicia Silverstone) whose scheme to orchestrate her own kidnapping backfires when she finds herself being nabbed for real.
The first effort from Silverstone's First Kiss Prods., the picture has been the subject of considerable behind-the-scenes friction, but its major problems are all on screen.
Despite some quirky asides and a promising start, the slight script (credited to Max D. Adams, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais) leaves viewers with precious little to root for and even less to care about. As a result, "Excess Baggage" ends up going nowhere fast -- a predicament that will no doubt be repeated at the boxoffice.
After a number of attention-getting stunts fail to get her billionaire daddy (Jack Thompson) to take notice of her, brazen Emily Hope (Silverstone) thinks she's got him this time by holding herself for ransom.
Unfortunately, her elaborate scheme -- involving electronically altering her voice when she phones in her demands and even doing her own self-binding, handcuffing and gagging before tossing herself into the trunk of her BMW -- goes horribly awry when professional car thief Vincent Roche Benicio Del Toro) makes the fateful mistake of claiming said vehicle as his next parking lot heist.
Unwittingly making off with more than he bargained for, the hapless Vincent eventually discovers his bonus cargo and finds out the hard way that Emily cannot be easily unloaded. She proves to be a formidable adversary, at least until circumstances and a dose of the Stockholm Syndrome (in which hostages become emotionally attached to their abductors), take their inevitable course.
As the poor little rich girl in question, Silverstone invests Emily with a steely determination, but at least as written, her character desperately needed something more than the fact her mother died when she was young to provide some essential vulnerability. For the central figure, she's critically unsympathetic.
Del Toro, meanwhile, best known as one of "The Usual Suspects", puts his patented mumble and eccentric mannerisms to effective use here, but there's just no connecting spark, amorous or otherwise, between himself and his leading lady.
Other cast members, including respected Australian actor Thompson as Silverstone's preoccupied dad and Christopher Walken as his ex-CIA assassin employee, as well as Nicholas Turturro and Harry Connick Jr., have all been better used elsewhere.
Director Marco Brambilla ("Demolition Man") choreographs what little action there is with a sturdy but not particularly inventive touch.
That goes likewise for the Vancouver production's tech credits, which get the job done efficiently if unremarkably.
EXCESS BAGGAGE
Sony Pictures
Columbia Pictures presents
A First Kiss production
A Marco Brambilla film
Director Marco Brambilla
Screenwriters Max D. Adams and Dick Clement
& Ian La Frenais
Story Max D. Adams
Producers Bill Borden, Carolyn Kessler
Director of photography Jean Yves Escoffier
Production designer Missy Stewart
Editor Stephen Rivkin
Music John Lurie
Costume designer Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
Music supervisor Anita Camarata
Casting Mike Fenton and Allison Cowitt
Color/stereo
Cast:
Emily Alicia Silverstone
Vincent Benicio Del Toro
Ray Christopher Walken
Alexander Jack Thompson
Greg Harry Connick Jr.
Stick Nicholas Turturro
Running time -- 98 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
The first effort from Silverstone's First Kiss Prods., the picture has been the subject of considerable behind-the-scenes friction, but its major problems are all on screen.
Despite some quirky asides and a promising start, the slight script (credited to Max D. Adams, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais) leaves viewers with precious little to root for and even less to care about. As a result, "Excess Baggage" ends up going nowhere fast -- a predicament that will no doubt be repeated at the boxoffice.
After a number of attention-getting stunts fail to get her billionaire daddy (Jack Thompson) to take notice of her, brazen Emily Hope (Silverstone) thinks she's got him this time by holding herself for ransom.
Unfortunately, her elaborate scheme -- involving electronically altering her voice when she phones in her demands and even doing her own self-binding, handcuffing and gagging before tossing herself into the trunk of her BMW -- goes horribly awry when professional car thief Vincent Roche Benicio Del Toro) makes the fateful mistake of claiming said vehicle as his next parking lot heist.
Unwittingly making off with more than he bargained for, the hapless Vincent eventually discovers his bonus cargo and finds out the hard way that Emily cannot be easily unloaded. She proves to be a formidable adversary, at least until circumstances and a dose of the Stockholm Syndrome (in which hostages become emotionally attached to their abductors), take their inevitable course.
As the poor little rich girl in question, Silverstone invests Emily with a steely determination, but at least as written, her character desperately needed something more than the fact her mother died when she was young to provide some essential vulnerability. For the central figure, she's critically unsympathetic.
Del Toro, meanwhile, best known as one of "The Usual Suspects", puts his patented mumble and eccentric mannerisms to effective use here, but there's just no connecting spark, amorous or otherwise, between himself and his leading lady.
Other cast members, including respected Australian actor Thompson as Silverstone's preoccupied dad and Christopher Walken as his ex-CIA assassin employee, as well as Nicholas Turturro and Harry Connick Jr., have all been better used elsewhere.
Director Marco Brambilla ("Demolition Man") choreographs what little action there is with a sturdy but not particularly inventive touch.
That goes likewise for the Vancouver production's tech credits, which get the job done efficiently if unremarkably.
EXCESS BAGGAGE
Sony Pictures
Columbia Pictures presents
A First Kiss production
A Marco Brambilla film
Director Marco Brambilla
Screenwriters Max D. Adams and Dick Clement
& Ian La Frenais
Story Max D. Adams
Producers Bill Borden, Carolyn Kessler
Director of photography Jean Yves Escoffier
Production designer Missy Stewart
Editor Stephen Rivkin
Music John Lurie
Costume designer Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
Music supervisor Anita Camarata
Casting Mike Fenton and Allison Cowitt
Color/stereo
Cast:
Emily Alicia Silverstone
Vincent Benicio Del Toro
Ray Christopher Walken
Alexander Jack Thompson
Greg Harry Connick Jr.
Stick Nicholas Turturro
Running time -- 98 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
- 8/29/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Not to be confused with Dante's "Inferno", "Dante's Peak" is an unremarkably plotted disaster movie, centering around the hellacious volcanic inferno that erupts in a bucolic Pacific Northwest community.
Utterly predictable in narrative, the film's strong points are its glorious evocation of the natural beauty of the area and its visceral visualization of an awesome natural eruption.
The Universal film's appeal will be limited to mainstream audiences, particularly younger viewers who are least likely to be lulled by the dormant nature of the story line.
In this scenario, U.S. Geological Survey volcanologist Harry Dalton (Pierce Brosnan) reasons it's better to be safe than sorry in predicting volcanoes. In fact, he's been traumatized by a wrong decision: His fiancee was killed when a fragment of molten volcanic rock smashed into his truck.
Harry is still in a wounded state when he's sent to the front in Dante's Peak, and his assessment that the tiny town is in grave danger is met with suspicion by his superiors. In addition, there are special interests in the town whose minds are closed to the danger. They fear the town's financial development and reputation will be irretrievably damaged by an "alarmist" assessment.
Screenwriter Leslie Bohem layers her story with a solid mix of personal sagas as well as a savvy understanding of frontier towns. But the core narrative is woefully predictable. In some instances, the dialogue is so overwritten or obvious that it is unintentionally funny. Save for Brosnan's stalwart performance as the conflicted geologist, the human drama, even by the standards of disaster films, is unsatisfying and cliched.
The high point of "Dante's Peak" is the crystalline cinematography of Andrzej Bartkowiak, whose compositions captivatingly portray the beauty of the surrounding landscape. Overall, director Roger Donaldson moves the story apace and has an astute sense of how to convey impending disaster. But he's hampered by the slow-moving narrative.
Overall, the special effects are exciting but not overpowering. Modern-day audiences might be disappointed that there is not more fire in this less-than-galvanic volcanic eruption.
DANTE'S PEAK
Universal Pictures
A Pacific Western production
A Roger Donaldson film
Producers Gale Anne Hurd, Joseph M. Singer
Director Roger Donaldson
Screenwriter Leslie Bohem
Executive producer Ilona Herzberg
Director of photography Andrzej Bartkowiak
Production designer Dennis Washington
Editors Howard Smith, Conrad Buff,
Tina Hirsch
Visual effects supervisor Patrick McClung
Associate producer Geoff Murphy
Co-producer Marliese Schneider
Costume designer Isis Mussenden
Music theme James Newton Howard
Music John Frizzell
Casting Mike Fenton, Allison Cowitt
Sound mixer Dave MacMillan
Color/stereo
Cast:
Harry Dalton Pierce Brosnan
Rachel Wando Linda Hamilton
Lauren Wando Jamie Renee Smith
Graham Wando Jeremy Foley
Ruth Elizabeth Hoffman
Paul Dreyfus Charles Hallahan
Greg Grant Heslov
Terry Furlong Kirk Trutner
Running time - 112 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
Utterly predictable in narrative, the film's strong points are its glorious evocation of the natural beauty of the area and its visceral visualization of an awesome natural eruption.
The Universal film's appeal will be limited to mainstream audiences, particularly younger viewers who are least likely to be lulled by the dormant nature of the story line.
In this scenario, U.S. Geological Survey volcanologist Harry Dalton (Pierce Brosnan) reasons it's better to be safe than sorry in predicting volcanoes. In fact, he's been traumatized by a wrong decision: His fiancee was killed when a fragment of molten volcanic rock smashed into his truck.
Harry is still in a wounded state when he's sent to the front in Dante's Peak, and his assessment that the tiny town is in grave danger is met with suspicion by his superiors. In addition, there are special interests in the town whose minds are closed to the danger. They fear the town's financial development and reputation will be irretrievably damaged by an "alarmist" assessment.
Screenwriter Leslie Bohem layers her story with a solid mix of personal sagas as well as a savvy understanding of frontier towns. But the core narrative is woefully predictable. In some instances, the dialogue is so overwritten or obvious that it is unintentionally funny. Save for Brosnan's stalwart performance as the conflicted geologist, the human drama, even by the standards of disaster films, is unsatisfying and cliched.
The high point of "Dante's Peak" is the crystalline cinematography of Andrzej Bartkowiak, whose compositions captivatingly portray the beauty of the surrounding landscape. Overall, director Roger Donaldson moves the story apace and has an astute sense of how to convey impending disaster. But he's hampered by the slow-moving narrative.
Overall, the special effects are exciting but not overpowering. Modern-day audiences might be disappointed that there is not more fire in this less-than-galvanic volcanic eruption.
DANTE'S PEAK
Universal Pictures
A Pacific Western production
A Roger Donaldson film
Producers Gale Anne Hurd, Joseph M. Singer
Director Roger Donaldson
Screenwriter Leslie Bohem
Executive producer Ilona Herzberg
Director of photography Andrzej Bartkowiak
Production designer Dennis Washington
Editors Howard Smith, Conrad Buff,
Tina Hirsch
Visual effects supervisor Patrick McClung
Associate producer Geoff Murphy
Co-producer Marliese Schneider
Costume designer Isis Mussenden
Music theme James Newton Howard
Music John Frizzell
Casting Mike Fenton, Allison Cowitt
Sound mixer Dave MacMillan
Color/stereo
Cast:
Harry Dalton Pierce Brosnan
Rachel Wando Linda Hamilton
Lauren Wando Jamie Renee Smith
Graham Wando Jeremy Foley
Ruth Elizabeth Hoffman
Paul Dreyfus Charles Hallahan
Greg Grant Heslov
Terry Furlong Kirk Trutner
Running time - 112 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
A colorful ad campaign and lack of competition will ensure Fox's animated kid pic a decent opening ''ramble, '' but the thin plot line, ho-hum characters and unexciting animation of ''Once Upon a Forest'' will stifle good word of mouth.
Billed as a project from the creator of ''An American Tail, '' the Hanna-Barbera and David Kirschner concoction of cartoon cliches and environmental awareness will leave most audiences longing for more ambitious and memorable animated classics of the past.
On one level an expensive advertisement for toys and ancillary products, ''Once Upon a Forest'' is part of the never-ending downside to Hollywood's desire to make wholesome family entertainment. While the story is a tad more ambitious conceptwise, its characters and visual style are whipped down to baby food consistency.
The thoroughly forgettable plot involves the quest by three woodland creatures for healing herbs needed to save their friend overcome by poison gas released when a tanker truck overturns near idyllic Dapplewood. Abigail the wood mouse, Edgar the mole and Russell the hedgehog receive instructions from professorial Cornelius the badger, who conducts school-like rambles in the meadows, invents flying machines and warns them to ''avoid the humans.''
Encounters with a nasty owl (that may upset tiny tots), rumbling tractors and a totally gratuitous fowl funeral (stereotypically presented as a gospel music performance) fail to light up the screen. Only a climactic jaunt in Cornelius' ''flapper-wing-a-ma-thing'' delivers a thrill and a chill.
Utilizing a consortium of animation companies, from Wales to Latin America and the Far East, director Charles Grosvenor fails to achieve a fresh or engaging style. James Horner's score is likewise run-of-the-mill.
Monsieur Phantom himself, Michael Crawford, and Ben Vereen are no big help with the largely humorless dialogue and simplistic songs. Bottom line: Only a handful of laughs were registered at a kid-packed preview screening. Not a good sign.
ONCE UPON A FOREST
20th Century Fox
A Hanna-Barbera Production
Produced in association with HTV Cymru/Wales
Director Charles Grosvenor
Producers David Kirschner, Jerry Mills
Executive producers William Hanna, Paul Gertz
Writers Mark Young, Kelly Ward
Story Rae Lambert
Music James Horner
Casting Mike Fenton, Judy Taylor, Allison Cowitt
Animation director Dave Michener
Art director Carol Holman Grosvenor
Supervising film editor Pat A. Foley
Color/stereo
Voices: Michael Crawford, Ben Vereen, Ellen Blain, Ben Gregory, Page Gosney, Elizabeth Moss
Running time -- 68 minutes
MPAA Rating: G
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
Billed as a project from the creator of ''An American Tail, '' the Hanna-Barbera and David Kirschner concoction of cartoon cliches and environmental awareness will leave most audiences longing for more ambitious and memorable animated classics of the past.
On one level an expensive advertisement for toys and ancillary products, ''Once Upon a Forest'' is part of the never-ending downside to Hollywood's desire to make wholesome family entertainment. While the story is a tad more ambitious conceptwise, its characters and visual style are whipped down to baby food consistency.
The thoroughly forgettable plot involves the quest by three woodland creatures for healing herbs needed to save their friend overcome by poison gas released when a tanker truck overturns near idyllic Dapplewood. Abigail the wood mouse, Edgar the mole and Russell the hedgehog receive instructions from professorial Cornelius the badger, who conducts school-like rambles in the meadows, invents flying machines and warns them to ''avoid the humans.''
Encounters with a nasty owl (that may upset tiny tots), rumbling tractors and a totally gratuitous fowl funeral (stereotypically presented as a gospel music performance) fail to light up the screen. Only a climactic jaunt in Cornelius' ''flapper-wing-a-ma-thing'' delivers a thrill and a chill.
Utilizing a consortium of animation companies, from Wales to Latin America and the Far East, director Charles Grosvenor fails to achieve a fresh or engaging style. James Horner's score is likewise run-of-the-mill.
Monsieur Phantom himself, Michael Crawford, and Ben Vereen are no big help with the largely humorless dialogue and simplistic songs. Bottom line: Only a handful of laughs were registered at a kid-packed preview screening. Not a good sign.
ONCE UPON A FOREST
20th Century Fox
A Hanna-Barbera Production
Produced in association with HTV Cymru/Wales
Director Charles Grosvenor
Producers David Kirschner, Jerry Mills
Executive producers William Hanna, Paul Gertz
Writers Mark Young, Kelly Ward
Story Rae Lambert
Music James Horner
Casting Mike Fenton, Judy Taylor, Allison Cowitt
Animation director Dave Michener
Art director Carol Holman Grosvenor
Supervising film editor Pat A. Foley
Color/stereo
Voices: Michael Crawford, Ben Vereen, Ellen Blain, Ben Gregory, Page Gosney, Elizabeth Moss
Running time -- 68 minutes
MPAA Rating: G
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 6/18/1993
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A peroxided Rodney Dangerfield presses his girlfriend's teenage son into cross-dressing in ''Ladybugs, '' a typical vehicle for the comedian that should duplicate the appeal of his previous efforts. It's amazing how many touchy issues Dangerfield can joke about without ever being offensive, and the comedian's likability is the primary appeal of this low-budget feature.
Dangerfield is Chester Lee, a salesman who needs a raise if he's going to marry his fiancee Bess (Ilene Graff). Desperate to impress his boss, Dave Mullen (Tom Parks), Chester agrees to coach the company-sponsored girls championship soccer team, which turns out to be undergoing a rebuilding year with a bunch of hapless neophytes.
Chester and his secretary Julia (Jackee) try managing from a how-to book with no success and, in desperation, Chester pressures Matthew (Jonathan Brandis), Bess's antagonistic, athletic and androgynous-looking son, into dressing up as a girl and playing on the team.
The film essentially plays out every complication this causes -- Chester even finds himself in drag when he has to rescue Matthew from the team's skinny-dipping pool party -- taking care to assert and reassert Chester and Matthew's heterosexuality along the way (Matthew is in love with one of his teammates, Mullen's daughter Kim, played by Vinessa Shaw).
The action occasionally comes to a complete halt while Dangerfield does a mini-standup routine, and the comedian has an uncanny knack of milking laughs from even the most familiar gags. He is a fine identification figure for suburban everyman, trying to grab a modest piece of the pie while trying to hold on to the last, torn shreds of his dignity.
Still, the film has some weird, if unspoken, sexual implications. Every man in the film is intimidated by women and the cross-dressing scenes have a panicky tone. Most of this is buried by the laughs, but it's there all the same.
LADYBUGS
PARAMOUNT
A Ruddy & Morgan Production
Producers Albert S. Ruddy, Andre E. Morgan
Director Sidney J. Furie
Writer Curtis Burch
Director of photography Dan Burstall
Production designer Robb Wilson King
Editors John W. Wheeler, A.C.E., Timothy N. Board
Music Richard Gibbs
Casting Mike Fenton, C.S.A., Valorie Massalas
Color/Dolby
Chester Lee Rodney Dangerfield
Julie Benson Jackee
Matthew Jonathan Brandis
Bess Ilene Graff
Kimberly Vinessa Shaw
Dave Mullen Jeanetta Arnette
Running time -- 89 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
Dangerfield is Chester Lee, a salesman who needs a raise if he's going to marry his fiancee Bess (Ilene Graff). Desperate to impress his boss, Dave Mullen (Tom Parks), Chester agrees to coach the company-sponsored girls championship soccer team, which turns out to be undergoing a rebuilding year with a bunch of hapless neophytes.
Chester and his secretary Julia (Jackee) try managing from a how-to book with no success and, in desperation, Chester pressures Matthew (Jonathan Brandis), Bess's antagonistic, athletic and androgynous-looking son, into dressing up as a girl and playing on the team.
The film essentially plays out every complication this causes -- Chester even finds himself in drag when he has to rescue Matthew from the team's skinny-dipping pool party -- taking care to assert and reassert Chester and Matthew's heterosexuality along the way (Matthew is in love with one of his teammates, Mullen's daughter Kim, played by Vinessa Shaw).
The action occasionally comes to a complete halt while Dangerfield does a mini-standup routine, and the comedian has an uncanny knack of milking laughs from even the most familiar gags. He is a fine identification figure for suburban everyman, trying to grab a modest piece of the pie while trying to hold on to the last, torn shreds of his dignity.
Still, the film has some weird, if unspoken, sexual implications. Every man in the film is intimidated by women and the cross-dressing scenes have a panicky tone. Most of this is buried by the laughs, but it's there all the same.
LADYBUGS
PARAMOUNT
A Ruddy & Morgan Production
Producers Albert S. Ruddy, Andre E. Morgan
Director Sidney J. Furie
Writer Curtis Burch
Director of photography Dan Burstall
Production designer Robb Wilson King
Editors John W. Wheeler, A.C.E., Timothy N. Board
Music Richard Gibbs
Casting Mike Fenton, C.S.A., Valorie Massalas
Color/Dolby
Chester Lee Rodney Dangerfield
Julie Benson Jackee
Matthew Jonathan Brandis
Bess Ilene Graff
Kimberly Vinessa Shaw
Dave Mullen Jeanetta Arnette
Running time -- 89 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 3/28/1992
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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