George Carlin, the Grammy-Award winning standup comedian and actor who was hailed for his irreverent social commentary, poignant observations of the absurdities of everyday life and language, and groundbreaking routines like āSeven Words You Can Never Say on Television,ā died in Santa Monica, Calif., on Sunday, according to his publicist, Jeff Abraham. He was 71.
The cause of death was heart failure. Mr. Carlin, who had a history of heart problems, went into the hospital on Sunday afternoon after complaining of heart trouble.
Coming to late prominence in the late 60s he established himself as comic with a knack for black humor and observations on politics, language, and religion.
His groundbreaking “Seven Dirty Words” routine in 1978 broke new ground in comedy and defined acceptable free speech limits on broadcast media in the United States.
It led to the landmark 1978 case F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation at the U.S. Supreme Court which saw a narrow 5-4 decision by the justices which affirmed the government’s right to regulate Carlin’s act on the public airwaves.
In the 80s and 90s his routines were wonderfully perceptive assaults against what he saw as the flaws in modern-day society.
This is another viral video of games designer Matt Harding – who travelled the world and shot footage of himself and others dancing in various places across the globe.
This is the third video of his to become a huge viral hit and already has 529,142 views on YouTube.
Live TV can be very funny, especially when someone does something they shouldn’t.
Joan Rivers was recently on Loose Women (for US readers, it is essentially the UK version of The View) and she clearly didn’t realise it was a live show when she gave her thoughts on Russell Crowe:
ITV bosses issued the predictably stern press release:
Guests are always briefed that it is a live daytime show and are reminded not to swear or use inappropriate language.
An editorial decision was taken that Joan Rivers should not appear in the final part of the programme.
We would like to apologise to Loose Women viewers for the inappropriate language used on today’s show.
But Joan was hilariously unrepentant about the whole affair, according to BBC News:
‘I said: I apologise. Everyone apologised. It was hilariously funny’.
During a commercial break, Rivers said producers took her off the set, adding that it was the first time she had been removed in 40 years and she was ‘thrilled’.
However, the star is prepared to return – but only on her terms.
‘I would be delighted to go back if they would apologise and give me a gift’.
I’ve been off ill for a couple of days so apologies for the delay in posting this but last night I saw the very sad news that Stan Winston had passed away at the age of 62.
Even if you aren’t a huge film fan you probably know some of his work: the robots in the Terminator series, the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park and the alien colony in Aliens– all were created by Stan Winston studios.
In his career he won a total of four Oscars and set a new standard in make-up, puppets and visual effects.
Director and longtime collaborator James Cameron issued this tribute:
He ran at full throttle, in both work and play, and was a man of kindness, wisdom and great humour.
He was a kid that never grew up, whose dreams were writ large on the screens of the world.
I am proud to have been his friend, and I will miss him very deeply.
The entertainment industry has lost a genius, and I lost one of my best friends.
Here is a look back at the highlights of his career.
THE TERMINATOR SERIES
Although his company was founded in the 70s and achieved a level of recognition in the industry it was in 1984 that his work broke through globally with The Terminator.
A surprise sci-fi hit, it was the tale of a merciless cyborg assassin sent back in time to kill the mother of a future rebel leader.
One of the enduring images from the film is the T-101 cyborg, which we see in the future sequences and in the later stages of the film as the Terminator loses his outer skin.
This video is from a making of film shot in 1984, showing how Winston’s team operated the robot in aĀ chase sequence:
On this film Cameron married groundbreaking CGI by ILM with make up and mechanical work from Winston’s team – the combination redefined visual effects in cinema.
Check out this segment of a 2002 documentary about the film – Stan makes an interesting point about art and technology at 5.01:
Although Cameron didn’t return for Terminator 3, Winston did and made the T-1 robots that feature near the end.
ALIENS
When James Cameron made Aliens, the 1986 the sequel to Ridley Scott’s Alien, the story called for colony of creatures rather than just the single beast of the first film.
Given that this was made in the mid-80s before the CGI revolution heralded by The Abyss and T2, it is a testament to Winston’s work that the alien creatures still look so damn good.
Here is a video of Winston, Cameron and their team talking about the re-creating H.R. Giger’s original monster for the sequel:
PREDATOR
In 1987 Winston helped create another a memorable movie monster in Predator.
Like Aliens it was a beast from another world and like Terminator it also starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, only this time he was the good guy.
The visual camoflaugue effects and the costume were highly impressive, in some ways a foretaste of the T-1000 in Terminator 2.
The actor who played the Predator was Kevin Peter Hall – someone also now sadly no longer with us. Check out Stan’s warm tribute to him in this video:
For the first blockbuster of this summer his team worked on the creation of the different Iron Man suits.
Here is a video of him signing autographs and joking around with fans from Comic Con last year:
Stan had been battling multiple myeloma (a plasma cell cancer) for for seven years and on Sunday he died at home in California surrounded by his family.
Dirty Harry is one of the most iconic cops in the history of cinema and Warner Bros have just released a DVD box set of all five movies entitled The Dirty Harry Collection.
It is a pretty lavish affair and if you are a fan of the character or Clint Eastwood then it is well worth purchasing.
WARNING: There are spoilers in this review, so if you haven’t seen any of the films then be warned.
The first and best of the series saw Clint Eastwood take on the role of Harry Callahan – a no-nonsense cop in San Francisco who has to deal with a rooftop sniper named Scorpio.
The success of the film took his career to another level, establishing him as one of the major box office stars of the 1970s.
It remains a landmark cop film that influenced a generation of filmmakers with films like Lethal Weapon, Die Hard and Speed all being inspired by it to some degree.
Revisiting the film is interesting experience – the craft of the film is quite striking and for director Don Siegel it was the high watermark of his long collaboration with Eastwood.
As a police procedural thriller it is is slick, absorbing and tightly plotted. There is very little narrative waste here but visually it is interesting too. Cinematographer Bruce Surtees and director Siegel make great use of the fabulous San Francisco locations.
The low lit night time sequences are also unusually dark – an interesting foretaste when you consider Eastwood’s fondness for low lighting as a director in later years.
As an actor Eastwood brings the same dry, distant quality that he brought to the Man With No Name in Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy. The loner cop figure can be seen as an extension of the bounty hunter figure from those films – a violent avenger who understands the blurry differences between justice and the law.
As for the villain, Andy Robinson is remarkably creepy as Scorpio, with his childlike insults and temper tantrums. The clash between the cop and the sniper is interesting as it is Harry who behaves in a way that is deemed unacceptable in the eyes of the law.
It was this sense of moral ambiguity and the underlying rage at bureaucracy in the wake of the Miranda andĀ Escbedo rulings in the 60s (the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney) that gave ammunition to the films’ critics.
Most notably, Pauline Kael of The New Yorker loathed the film, denouncing it as a:
“right-wing fantasy [that is] a remarkably simple-minded attack on liberal values”
Viewing the film now, these criticisms seem a little outlandish, but there is no doubt that the film does touch on the cultural conflicts of the times. Scorpio abuses Harry as a ‘pig’, wears a CND peace sign on his belt and also knows the rights that have been given to him by the liberal 60s.
But the film and the central character are more libertarian than right wing: Harry hates the complacency and opportunism of his bosses; is perturbed by the lack of concern towards the victim’s rights; plus, there also seems to be a lingering class resentment towards his superiors, especially in the scene where he argues with the District Attorney and a Judge.
Another aspect of the film that doesn’t often get talked about is the violence. Although by today’s standards the acts depicted on screen seem relatively tame, the sadistic behaviour of Scorpio is disturbing. He shoots a young black boy in the head, leaves a 14-year old girl to suffocate to death, hijacks a school bus and revels in his own cruelty.
Although based on the Zodiac killer, he seems to represent a new kind of murderer ushered in by Charles Manson – one who was concerned with their public notoriety as much as they were with brutalizing the innocent.
But interestingly the film points out parallels between cop and killer – they both loners who hate authority and they both break the law, albeit to very different ends. It is worth noting that Harry only brings Scorpio to justice when he is on leave and effectively outside the law.
It is also fascinating to view this film after Zodiac, the film which last year explored the killings that inspired Dirty Harry.
There are a number of intriguing parallels: Don Siegel’s film contracts to a vivid resolution whilst David Fincher’s keeps expanding to an inconclusive mystery; Harry and Scorpio represent two different sides of the same violent coin whilst Dave Toschi, Robert Graysmith and Paul Avery form a triangle of characters obsessed by a lone killer who is never truly revealed; and whilst Dirty Harry is a thriller with political overtones, Zodiac is a drama with existential vibes. Both are very different but still somehow connected.
Like a lot of first films in a series, it remains the best and none of the successive Harry films could match it.
As Harry foils the bank robbery near the beginning of the film, he walks past a theatre showing Play Misty for Me, which Eastwood directed and starred in.
Writer John Milius made a major contribution to the film (as well as Dirty Harry’s mystique). He wrote the lines Harry quotes to punks about “Did he fire six shots or five?” and the immortal “Do you feel lucky, punk?
The Smith & Wesson Model 29.44 Magnum revolver Harry uses is not actually considered a practical weapon for police officers due to the excessive recoil which makes re-aiming at the target difficult.
When director Don Siegel fell ill during the shoot, Clint Eastwood took over and directed the scene where Harry rescues a would-be suicide jumper and the encounter with a homosexual in Mt. Davidson Park.
Don Siegel and Clint Eastwood cast Andrew Robinson for the role of Scorpio after seeing him in a production of Fyodor Dostoevsky‘s The Idiot – Robinsonwas so convincing that he received death threats after the film was released.
The line where Scorpio says “My, that’s a big one” when Callahan removes his gun was an ad-lib by Andrew Robinson. The crew cracked up laughing at the double entendre but the line stayed.
Scorpio’s real name is never revealed through out the entire movie – the end credits simply list him as “killer”.
The gravel pit at the end of the film was a place Clint had gone to as a child with his parents.
The final scene where Harry throws his badge in the river is a homage to a similar scene from High Noon but Clint was uneasy about doing it until he was convinced otherwise by Siegel.
Albert Popwell who plays the ‘punk’ Harry taunts in the bank sequence would go on to appear in every “Dirty Harry” film except The Dead Pool – playing a different character in each movie.
In what seemed to be a reaction to the criticisms of Dirty Harry, the plot of Magnum Force saw Harry dealing with evil inside the police force as a group of vigilante traffic cops take the law into their own hands by killing criminals who seem beyond the law.
The film was directed by Ted Post, who also directed Clint in TV’s Rawhide and Hang ‘Em High. Although it isn’t as good as the first one, it is still of some interest.
Although it was probably a coincidence, in retrospect the plot seems to tap into the distrust of authority in the early 70s with the Watergate scandal about to end the Nixon presidency.
More interestingly, the screenplay was written by John Milius (who worked uncredited on the original film) and Michael Cimino – two writers who would go on to direct war movies that some found to be conservative (The Deer Hunter) or right wing (Red Dawn).
The vigilante officers or Magnum Force of the title also feature actors who would go on to greater fame such as Tim Matheson, David Soul and Robert Urich. Hal Holbrook also turns up in a memorable role as Harry’s boss Lt Briggs.
It moves along at a fair pace although the editing and direction are not in the same class as the first film.
Here are some facts:
At one point when Harry is in his apartment by himself, he looks at a photo of him and his wife: the only time the audience ever gets to see the late Mrs. Callahan who was mentioned in the previous film.
Harry’s tagline for this film was “A man’s got to know his limitations”, or variations on this phrase. This replaced the line from the first film “Do you feel lucky?”.
David Soul‘s performance as one of the vigilante cops, led to his being cast as Detective Ken Hutchinson in the classic cop series Starsky and Hutch (1975).
According to writer John Milius, the reason the sex scene with the Asian woman is in the script is because Clint Eastwood received many fan letters from Asian women that contained sexual propositions.
The final Dirty Harry film of the 1970s sees Callahan take on a group of left wing revolutionaries called The People’s Revolutionary Strike Force, who start to terrorise San Francisco.
It also sees Harry team up with a female partner, Insp. Kate Moore (Tyne Daly), so whilst the film was swinging back to the right politically, it also made concessions to feminism in the 70s.
Directed by James Fargo, it is a much more perfunctory film than it’s predecessors although it does have some memorable moments, especially the climax on Alcatraz prison.
Here are some facts:
Originally titled ‘Moving Target’, the script was left for Eastwood at his Carmel restaurant, The Hog’s Breath Inn, by two aspiring screenwriters, (Gail Morgan Hickman and S.W. Schurr). Ā Eastwood was interested enough to turn it over to two of his favorite script doctors, Sterling Silliphant and Dean Riesner
The two militant organizations depicted in the film – the People’s Revolutionary Strike Force and Uhuru – were modeled after two real-life militant groups, the Symbionese Liberation Army (which kidnapped Patty Hearst) and the Black Panthers.
In the 80s, Daly was cast as detective Mary Beth Lacey in the hit TV show Cagney and Lacey.
Father John Voss – the priest who shields the gang – is played by M.G. Kelly – in real life a noted DJ and radio personality.
3 years later Eastwood was back on Alcatraz for the prison drama Escape from Alcatraz (1979)
Although the series was meant to end with The Enforcer, the popularity of the character was such that Warner Bros persuaded Clint to do a fourth film.
This one sees Harry forced to take a vacation after a run in with a local gangster. There he comes across a vigilante (Sondra Locke) who is trying to get revenge on the criminals who raped her and her sister.
Although it is a weak entry to the series it became famous for a catchphrase that people often (wrongly) attribute to the first Dirty Harry: “Go ahead , make my day“.
As for the film, it is watchable with the usual funny one liners but is fairly pedestrian as a thriller.Ā The reason for it’s commercial success would appear to be the presence of Eastwood and the public’s nostalgia for a cop like Harry in the Regan era.
Here are some facts:
This was the highest-grossing of the Dirty Harry film series.
It is the only Dirty Harry film not primarily set in San Francisco.
The reason the film was made at all had to do with a survey Warner Bros did for the Sean Connery Bond remake Never Say Never Again (1983). They asked movie goers to name an actor and a famous part that actor played. Clint Eastwood as “Dirty Harry” scored so high in the survey results, the studio told Eastwood it would be “open” to making another and Eastwood made this film as a result.
Although Clint Eastwood made the phrase “Go ahead, make my day” famous, it was originally used a year earlier by actor Gary Swanson in the movie Vice Squad (1982). Swanson, who played a Hollywood vice cop, said the line, “Go ahead scumbag, make my day,” to actor Wings Hauser, who played a pimp, during a bust.
Bradford Dillman is seen in the film as Captain Briggs; in the previous film, The Enforcer, he portrayed Captain Jerome McKay. It is unknown if McKay and Briggs are distant relatives. Hal Holbrook played Lieutenant Briggs in Magnum Force.
The fifth film in the series is almost a homage to the character – a film who’s enjoyable moments are guilty pleasures rather than anything especially substantial.
The plot sees Harry drawn into a murder plot as a serial killer bumps off several people connected with a death pool run by a film director (Liam Neeson).
The main motivation for this film being made would appear to be the fact that Warner Bros needed a reliable title for the summer of 1988.
It also coincided with a relative creative slump in Eastwood’s career when he was making too many average films (such as Pink Cadillac and The Rookie) before his renaissance in the 90s with Unforgiven.
The main pleasures here are seeing a 26 year old Jim Carrey play the obnoxious rocker who is the first victim and the presence of Guns N’ Roses on the soundtrack.
Welcome to the Jungle was chosen as the tie-in track for the film and by 1988 when the film was released they had become massive.
This was the only Dirty Harry movie not to feature Albert Popwell. He played a robber in “Dirty Harry”, a pimp in “Magnum Force”, a militant in “The Enforcer, and Horace King in “Sudden Impact”.
The extras on the DVD are extensive and are spread out on each of the discs.
Dirty Harry – Special Features:
A fine and informative commentary by longtime Eastwood associate/biographer Richard Schickel
The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry: New featurette on the influence and legacy of Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry: The Original: with Clint Eastwood and the film’s creators looking back at the creation of the Dirty Harry character
Dirty Harry’s Way:Ā A promotional short focusing on the toughness of the movie’s main character.
Interview gallery: With Patricia Clarkson, Joel Cox, Clint Eastwood, Hal Holbrook, Evan Kim, John Milius, Ted Post, Andy Robinson, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Robert Urich
Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso: A 1993 TV program on his life and career, including scenes from his work and interviews with friends, fellow actors and crew members
Trailer gallery: Dirty Harry, Magnum Force, The Enforcer, Sudden Impact and The Dead Pool
Magnum Force – Special Features:
New commentary by director and Magnum Force screenwriter John Milius (in which Milius – within the first 10 minutes – appears to call for the vigilante style execution of Enron executives – I assume he is joking!)
A Moral Right: The Politics of Dirty Harry: Another featurette with filmmakers, social scientists and authors on the politics and ethics of the Dirty Harry films.
The Hero Cop: Yesterday and Today: Another featurette
The Enforcer – Special Features:
New commentary by Enforcer director James Fargo
The Business End: Violence in Cinema: Featurette on the violence in the films
Harry Callahan/Clint Eastwood: Something Special in Films: Another featurette on the character.
Sudden Impact – Special Features:
New commentary by filmmaker and Eastwood associate/biographer Richard Schickel
The Evolution of Clint Eastwood: Featurette on the film in the context of Eastwood’s career as a director
The Dead Pool – Special Features:
New commentary by Dead Pool producer David Valdes and Dead Pool cinematographer Jack N. Green
The Craft of Dirty Harry: Featurette on the cinematography, editing, music, and production design of the Dirty Harry films.
The box set also contains:
Clint Eastwood: Out Of The Shadows – On a separate DVD this is a fine feature length documentary from 2000 about Eastwood’s career, narrated by Morgan Freeman.
A 44 page hardcover book on the films.
A Dirty Harry wallet with metal badge and removable Inspect. Harry Callahan ID card
Five 5″ x 7″ lobby poster reproduction cards and an exclusive Ultimate Collector’s Edition card
A Scorpio Map: 19″ x 27″ map of San Francisco detailing Harry’s hunt for the killer in the first film
A one-page personal note from Clint
Reproductions of telegrams from Warner Bros to Clint (and vice versa) throughout the making of the series.
Overall this is a highly impressive box set, even if the films themselves do decline in quality somewhat.
That said, Warner Bros deserve great credit for the care and attention they have put into this set of films from one of their most consistent and legendary stars.
Plus, as a studio they deserve special praise for allowing you to skip straight to the menu instead of being forced to watch godawful piracy ads or trailers of upcoming films. Why can’t other major studios be like this?
Anyway, the Dirty Harry Collection is highly recommended as a package, especially at the reasonable price of under Ā£30.
Will Eastwood ever return to the role? Let’s leave the last word to him:
Paul Newman, the legendary actor and philanthropist, is battling cancer, his longtime neighbor and business partner said Wednesday.
Newman, 83, has recently appeared gaunt in photos, and dropped plans to direct a play in his Connecticut hometown.
Writer A.E. Hotchner, who partnered with Newman to start Newman’s Own salad dressing company in the 1980s, said the actor told him about the disease about 18 months ago.
He did not specify what kind of cancer, but said Newman is in active treatment.
“I know that it’s a form of cancer,” Hotchner told The Associated Press. “It’s a form of cancer and he’s dealing with it.”
Newman issued a statement late Tuesday that he’s “doing nicely” but didn’t specifically address questions about cancer. A call was placed to his spokesman Wednesday seeking comment.
However, Hotchner is now saying the AP misquoted him, according to MSNBC:
Paul Newmanās friend and business partner, A.E. Hotchner, is denying a report, which quotes him telling the Associated Press that the actor is fighting cancer.
āI saw him last week and he seemed fine,ā Hotchner told Access Hollywood exclusively. āI have no knowledge of any diagnosis or doctors.ā
Earlier Wednesday, the AP reported that Hotchner confirmed Newman was battling cancer and was currently undergoing treatment.
The longtime friend and business partner of Newmanās told Access the quotes are incorrect.
āThe AP misquoted me. I have no knowledge of Mr. Newman being treated for any illness,ā Hotchner said.
Not only was it well designed but it managed to preserve the unique flavour of the TV show.
Some of the functions proved popular, especially the ability to create a Simpsons avatar which spread like wildfire when people used them for their Facebook profiles.
I saw the film last night and despite the reports about strife on the set, it is a solidly entertaining Marvel adaptation.
The Hulk is perhaps the trickiest character to get right on the big screen but the new film does a good job, not only in getting the CG down better but in making a more focused and compelling story.
I always wondered how they were going to position the story in relation to the last Hulk film and strangely it appears to take off after the last one with Banner in South America looking for a cure.
However, that is about the only concession as the film establishes it’s own back story with a smart and efficient opening credits sequence that functions as a prologue.
Wisely, they are quite restrained with the CGI for the Hulk – the rendering is better and there is smarter use of light and how they reveal him.
The action is well done, even if it gets a little repetitive (basically the Hulk takes on the military and smashes stuff up) but the lead performances are good.
Norton proves what a versatile actor he can be, giving Banner depth as well as charm and Tyler is solid as Ross. William Hurt and Tim Roth are little bit too one dimensional, but it’s not too much of a big deal.
So, I’m guessing that whilst it won’t do huge numbers, it has successfully put the Hulk franchise back on track.
But given Tony Stark’s appearance in the film (and Nick Fury’s cameo in Iron Man), what could Marvel be planning?
Since they were founded in 1979 by Harvey and Bob Weinstein, the company (named after their parents Miriam and Max) started releasing films such as The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball before carving out a niche as the key US independent distributor.
I recently spoke to Peter about the history of Miramax, the larger than life methods of the founders, the landmark films they released and their legacy.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was one of the major cinematic achievements of the past year – a film of outstanding technique and extraordinary emotional depth.
It is adapted from the memoir of Jean-Dominique Bauby, the editor of French Elle magazine who’s privileged life came to a halt after a devastating strokeĀ left him with Locked-in Syndrome – a condition which meant he could only move his left eye.
The film documents his struggle in hospital as he gradually learns how to communicate by blinking to speech therapists as they recite the most used letters of the alphabet.
Director Julian Schnabel brought a sense of beauty and wonder to a difficult story and Ronald Harwood’s script found a clever way of dealing with the seemingly unfilmable aspects of the original book.
The way in which things are shot from the central characterās point of view is ingenious and also highly effective in conveying his condition.
In a year of dark films, this was notable in that it found hope, humour and humanity amidst the terrible condition of its main character.
It didn’t really get the audience it deserved at cinemas, so it is essential viewing now if you missed it first time around.
Pathe have done a fine job on the DVD release which contains the following extras:
Feature commentary with director Julian Schnabel: An engaging and thoughtful commentary from Schnabel which manages to convey his ideas about the film without overdoing the anecdotes. The film clearly means a lot to him and his comments are enlightening about the real life Bauby and how the film was constructed.
Submerged: The Making of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (12 mins): This behind the scenes featurette contains interviews with the filmmakers and producers detailing their involvement and thoughts about the film.
Cinematic Vision (7 mins): Producers John Killick, Kathleen Kennedy and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski explain the experience of working with Schnabel.
Charlie Rose interviews Julian Schnabel (20 mins): A meaty interview which provides a decent overview of the story and how Schnabel ended up making the film.
Check out the trailer for the film here:
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is out now on DVD from Pathe
The phone goes on sale in the US and the 22 biggest markets (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK) on July 11th.
UPDATE: Here is the keynote announcement from Steve Jobs:
On a more lighthearted note here is the 60 second version:
One of the most surprising and charming hits of last year was Juno.
The title character is a teenage girl (Ellen Page) who has to deal with an unexpected pregnancy by her best friend (Michael Cera) and decides to give up the baby to an adoptive couple (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner).
It stands up well on a second viewing and although the sharp and witty dialogue was probably what most people loved first time around, the emotional undercurrents and nuanced performances are what stand out when revisiting the film.
Fox have done a good job on the DVD with a solid transfer and some nice extras which include:
Audio Commentary with Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody: An excellent commentary from the director and screenwriter. They make a highly engaging pair as they reel off anecdotes about the production including bloopers (like the abortion clinic door and the wrong phone codes in the Pennysaver), ideas behind certain scenes, the actors on screen and the fact that the DJ Cut Chemist actually play’s Juno’s chemistry teacher.
Deleted Scenes (with optional commentary by Reitman & Cody): The deleted scenes are nearly all of the ‘I-can-see-why-they-were-deleted’ variety and often quite short, but there are a couple of notable sequences including an alternate montage of the film’s climax with a rockier music track.
Gag Reel: A collection of outtakes with a variety of actors corpsing.
Gag Take: An intriguing outtake of a scene in the shop where Rainn Wilson (who plays the guy behind the counter) gets into an argument with Reitman about how to hold shopping bags. It actually looks like a real on-set spat but given that it is called a ‘gag reel’ then maybe its some kind of joke. Ellen Page’s instant reaction to an insult is particularly funny.
Cast & Crew Jam: A weird motange of the cast and crew jamming with instruments.
Screen Tests: These are sometimes included on DVDs and in the case of this film are interesting raw versions of scenes from the film. The tests with Page and Cera stand out as you can see how they nailed their roles even at an early stage.
Featurettes: There are several mini-documentaries that focus on various aspects of the production including ‘Way Beyond Our Maturity Level: Juno-Leah-Bleeker’, ‘Diablo Cody is Totally Boss’, ‘Jason Reitman for Shizz’ and ‘Honest to Blog! Creating Juno’. All of them have some interesting parts but they tend to be the kind of EPK on set interviews that crop up on traditional ‘making of’ shows.
Here is a trailer for the film:
Juno is out on DVD today from Fox Home Entertainment
Paramount is folding the marketing, distribution and physical production departments of Paramount Vantage into the larger studio. Three people will be laid off.
Move comes on the heels of other recent developments that prove specialty labels are feeling the economic pinch.
Time Warner turned New Line Cinema into a production label in April, laying off 450 staffers, and then in May shuttered Warner Independent Pictures and Picturehouse.
Vantage’s merged marketing department will be led by worldwide marketing prexy Gerry Rich.
Vantage execs Megan Colligan and Josh Greenstein landed promotions as co-presidents of domestic marketing, reporting to Rich.
The consolidated distribution department will be led by Jim Tharp, president of domestic theatrical distribution, and the combined physical production department will be headed by Georgia Kacandes, executive vice president of physical production, who will report to Paramount Films production prexy Brad Weston.
Despite the scaling back, it will still be run as a production label under president Nick Meyer.
The three people laid off were distribution chief Rob Schulze, production head Mark Bakshi and marketing co-president Guy Endore-Kaiser.
Paramount Film Group president John Lesher – the former agent who used to run Vantage until he was promoted to the main studio a few months back – says that he is still committed to the specialty arm:
“We’re going to stay in this business. We’re committed to it and love it but in a disciplined way.”
This is the official press release from Paramount:
Hollywood, CA (June 3, 2008) – Paramount Pictures and Paramount Vantage today announced the consolidation of its marketing, distribution and physical production departments, which will serve both entities.
The merged marketing department will be lead by Gerry Rich (President, Worldwide Motion Picture Marketing).
Megan Colligan and Josh Greenstein who were promoted to Co-Presidents of Domestic Marketing, will report to Mr. Rich.
The consolidated distribution department will be lead by Jim Tharp (President, Domestic Theatrical Distribution) and the combined physical production department will be headed by Georgia Kacandes, Executive Vice President, Physical Production.
Mr. Tharp and Mr. Rich will continue to report to Rob Moore, Vice Chairman, Paramount Pictures.Ā Georgia Kacandes will report to Brad Weston, President, Production, Paramount Films.
āThe new consolidated structure allows both Paramount and Paramount Vantage to leverage the strengths and resources of a combined talent base, while minimizing redundancies and optimizing efficiencies,ā said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman, Paramount Pictures.
āTodayās change is in line with our strategy to restructure the business for the long term,ā added John Lesher, President, Paramount Film Group.Ā āIt takes into account the dynamic nature of the marketplace and positions Paramount for the future.ā
Although the situation here isn’t as drastic as the Warner Bros meltdown, Vantage is almost certainly going to be producing less specialty films per year.
Added to that, logic would suggest that they would be more commercial titles given that this whole move is driven by the desire to make Paramount more profitable across the board.
How has Paramount Vantage done over the last two years?
From a distance the division appears to have had some notable successes, but when you look closely at even their most high profile films, there are some significant negatives if you look at them with a hard nosed accountant’s eye:
An Inconvenient Truth: Undoubtedly a success, it is one of the biggest grossing documentaries of all time. But a lot of marketing money was spent to etch the film on the public’s minds and win an Oscar.
Babel: Despite the award nominations it didn’t gross that much in the US and actually made most of it’s money abroad – which didn’t help Vantage as they sold off the foreign rights. Like An Inconvenient Truth, the marketing and Oscar campaign didn’t come cheap.
No Country for Old Men: Despite winning Best Picture at the Oscars, this was a co-production with Miramax who distributed it in the US.
Into the Wild: Another awards contender that came up a little short when it came to US grosses.
There Will Be Blood: Like No Country, this garnered muchĀ acclaim and did well for such dark (albeit brilliant) material but ultimately wasn’t that profitable after an expensive awards campaign.
Son of Rambow: Bought at Sundance in 2007, it earned an impressive $8 million in the UK but only $2 million in the US.
And what about the misfires?
Black Snake Moan: Craig Brewer’s bizarre semi-exploitation film bombed despite the presence of Cristina Ricci chained to a radiator.
Year of the Dog: Mike White’s unfunny comedy with Molly Shannon was another film that failed to connect with audiences.
A Mighty Heart: Despite the presence of Angelina Jolie as Marianne Pearl, a big launch at Cannes and the fact that it was really rather good, this tale of murdered Wall Street Journal reporter was too dark for mainstream audiences. With a budget of $14 million and a domestic gross of around $9 million, you can almost hear the Paramount accountants having a coronary down the hallway.
Margot at the Wedding: Noah Baumbach’s arch comedy/drama with Nicole Kidman, Jack Black and Jennifer Jason Leigh was another film that didn’t exactly set the box office on fire.
Other specialty labels also share distribution, marketing and physical production with their parent studio.
Focus Features, Miramax Films Sony Pictures Classics and Fox Searchlight do not share these functions with their parent.
Producing high-quality lower-budget specialty films is a specialized art unto itself and you’re better off NOT using the big-studio people for that function.
Autonomous distribution and marketing goes hand-in-hand with choosing the right product.
Focus did move to have the big studio distribute its Rogue pics, and when Fox Searchlight takes a film really wide, it gets backroom help from the bigger studio.
And what of the long term future of Vantage?
As of this minute, Vantage is in jeopardy.
If [Brad] Grey, [John] Lesher, [Rob] Moore and [Nick] Meyer operate in good faith to make a go of it, there’s a slim chance it will survive in some form. But I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.
For anyone who cares about mainstream Hollywood studios funding films like There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men, then this is depressing news. However, given the current global financial squeeze, perhaps inevitable.
Is this be the start of a wider trend amongst the major studios as they scale back their specialty arms?
It also stars Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes, Sarah Paulson, Stana Katic, Dan Lauria, Jaime King, Paz Vega and Louis Lombardi.
Miller says of the movie:
Much has been the fuss in the comicsā blogosphere about my SPIRIT movieāmuch justified, much hoped for, and much to my delight, that there has been a fuss at all.
Some comics readers are terrified that THE SPIRIT will be a retread of my SIN CITY. Others quarrel over the change of the SPIRITāS traditional blue hat, mask, and jacket, to black.
These are understandable concerns for any lover of Will Eisnerās masterpiece. I take this opportunity to address these concerns. With glee, I take this opportunity.
THE SPIRIT is, with every effort I give it, not a rusty, dusty old monument to the work of my beloved Mentor, so much as it is an extension of what I know to have been Eisnerās central intent: to create something new, witty, and exploratory. Thatās what he did. Thatās what Iām doing.
It only resembles SIN CITY in that I am its director, and, well, yes, I have my ways and my proclivities. Luckily, I was able to discern three important proclivities I share with the Master. We both love good stories. We both love New York City. And we both love beautiful women.
He also addresses the blue suit issue:
Now, about that blue suit. Comic books have long traditions based on the limitations of pre-digital printing.
Among these are traditions from the old newsprint-run-through-letterpress approach (yes, comics have beenāand still do–follow tradition that dates all the way back to Gutenberg!).
Bad printing on pulp paper is why it was necessary for every superhero to have his emblem printed on his chest, and that everything thatās black be printed in blue.
Hence Supermanās preposterous blue hair. And the Spiritās blue hat, mask, and suit. In testsāand we did severalāthe blue made the Spirit look like an unfortunate guest at a Halloween party.
Going to black brings back his essential mystery, his Zorro-like sexiness. It also makes that red tie of his look very, very cool.
So I made the call, with all respect to Eisnerās creation, and most importantly, to what I perceived as his underlying intention. It was an easy call for me to make. The Spirit dresses in black, and looks much the better for it.
As I said, my desire was never to slavishly follow the rules of ā40s printing into campy oblivion, but to reintroduce Eisnerās creation, via modern technology, to our brave new world.
Set in West Texas during 1980 and is the story of a hunter named Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) who comes across on a suitcase full of cash at the scene of a drug deal gone horribly wrong.
Taking the money, he is then relentlessly pursued by a sinister hitman named Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), who has been hired to retrieve it.
As Moss tries to evade Chigur a local sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) tries to keep pace with both men and protect Moss’s wife Carla Jean (Kelly Macdonald).
No Country for Old Men was not only a startling return to form, but scooped the Best Picture Oscar earlier this year and saw them awarded writing and directing honours too.
Often the winner of the Best Picture at the Oscars is a case of the Academy ignoring the better film in favour of one that makes them feel good.
But the last couple of years has seen a different mood at the Academy with The Departed winning Best Picture last year and now this dark tale taking home the gold statuette.
The performances are outstanding: Brolin is a revelation as Moss, Jones gives a career best performance as Bell and Bardem deservedly won Best Supporting Actor for his chilling portrayal of Chigur – one of modern cinema’s most memorable villains.
Kelly MacDonald and Woody Harrelson also chip in with fine work, whilst regular Coen collaborator Roger Deakins captures the dark, harsh beauty of West Texas with some truly stunning cinematography.
Paramount’s DVD release for the UK is mostly very. The transfer is excellent, capturing the original colours and tones with precision and care.
The extras are solid, if not spectacular, and contain the following featurettes:
The Making of No Country For Old Men: This is a making of featurette that runs for about 24 minutes. It contains interviews from the set with the filmmakers and cast and most of it provides a good insight into the production and how certain sequences were put together.
Working with The Coens: Although shorter at about 8 mins this section features Bardem, Brolin, Jones, MacDonald and exec producer Robert Graftalk about working with the Coens and their working methods.
Diary Of A Country Sheriff: Another short featurette (about 6 mins long) that focuses on the importance of Sheriff Bell, Anton Shigur and the Texan landscape to the movie. The actors and the Coens discuss the importance of these elements to the film.
I’m guessing that a 2-disc edition with more beefed up features may be a possibilty somewhere down the line but for admirers of the film, this is still an essential addition to anyone’s DVD collection.
I spoke to Kelly Macdonald about about the film back in December and you can listen to the interview here:
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A massive fire broke out at the Universal Studios film and TV studio on Sunday, engulfing one soundstage and burning a New York City street set.
A total of 400 firefighters from several Los Angeles-area fire departments were battling the blaze, said L.A. County Fire Inspector Sam Padilla, adding that three firefighters were being treated for minor injuries.
Padilla said the fire had been contained to a single structure, the “King Kong” exhibit, by 9 a.m. (1600 GMT) and he predicted the fire would be “knocked down” within hours.
“A total of five structures within the New York exhibit, including one soundstage, were lost,” said another L.A. County fire inspector, Frank Garrido, who added that the blaze had started in the back-lot area depicting New York City, which was destroyed.
He said about three-quarters of a building housing a “King Kong” exhibit was destroyed.
A building that holds a video vault of original and master versions of old movies had been destroyed and the vault itself had been “compromised.”
Ron Meyer, the president of Universal Studios, said, however, that “nothing irreplaceable was lost” in the video vault.
The exact monetary damage had not yet been fully assessed.
The blaze was first reported in a sound stage on the studio back lot at about 4:45 a.m., and about 400 local firefighters were helping Universal Studios’ ownĀ firefighters quench the fire.
Several acres on the 230-acre back lot were burning at one point, creating a black cloud over the famed Hollywood Hills
According to the fire departmnents, the flamesĀ “blew very fast” through theĀ area of the New York street facades, then moved through Courthouse Square where Back To The Future was shot,Ā then engulfedĀ the King Kong building, totally destoying its inside.
Hampering firefirghter efforts inside theĀ video vault building was the thick black smoke billowing from all those plastic containers on fire.
The cause of theĀ blaze is under investigation. But today’sĀ inferno at Universal City is eerily burning many of the same back lot areas destroyed by a disastrous blaze in 1990.
In that fire, gale-force Santa Ana winds whipped flames through the New York Street, the set used for the film Ben Hur, and most of the Courthouse Square facades.
That damage was estimated at more than $50 million, and an elaborate reconstruction project took several years to rebuild the sets.
The 1990 fire was officially ruled arson and reportedly deliberately set by a security guard with a cigarette lighter.
UPDATE 03/05/08:
Here are more details about the damage done to the Universal archive.
Jeffrey Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere quotes a studio exec who has emailed him:
A studio exec has written and clarified some points about the Universal fire and the films (prints) that were destroyed.
First, he says, “No archival material is stored at Deluxe — circulating prints of the more popular titles are kept there. Those prints, of course, remain unharmed.”
Secondly, “A monumental amount of Universal’s archival prints — highly precious, still screened on occasion, and not to be confused with original camera negatives — were destroyed in the fire.”
Thirdly, “Even though the negatives are allegedly safe in New Jersey, this is still a colossal tragedy. It will take Universal years — if not decades — to replace all the lost archival prints (assuming they even have the inclination).”
“Also remember that Universal owns pre-1950s Paramount, so much of those archival prints have been lost as well. UCLA maintains nitrate prints of those titles, but those are not lent out for screenings.”
…the Universal Studios fire destroyed nearly 100% of archived 35mm prints kept in the so-called “video” vault on the lot.
I am assured by insiders that the negatives are not affected, thankfully — only the actual 35mm prints used for repertory circulation of classic films.
Prints from that very rich vault which also includes pre-1950 Paramount include such classics as Frankenstein, Son of Frankenstein, Duck Soup, Hell’s Angels, Brides of Dracula, Incredible Shrinking Man, Buck Privates, Hold That Ghost, and so many, many more.
Some Industry types are emailing me that, with these prints gone, and the expense of making new prints, they fear that art houses and cultural organizations and film societies and festivals may never see these films theatrically again.
But I’m told that Universal has already committed itself to making new prints. Of course, there will be delay and disappointment in the immediate future. But that’s only a timing issue.
I’m told it’s possible that some of these prints may have duplicates in storage at other locations.
