Category: General News

HITCHCOCK Opening In Theaters During Awards Season – November 23, 2012

“Good evening” Oscar race. Prime for an Awards Season run, Fox Searchlight Pictures has set the release date for the upcoming drama HITCHCOCK – November 23, 2012. The latest poster is fantastic. The first trailer for the film will be here soon, so stay tuned. HITCHCOCK is a love story about one of the most influential filmmakers of the last century, Alfred Hitchcock and his wife and partner Alma Reville. The film takes place during the making of Hitchcock’s seminal movie PSYCHO.

The film stars Academy Award® winners Sir Anthony Hopkins as Alfred Hitchcock and Dame Helen Mirren as his wife, Alma. Sacha Gervasi, whose big screen debut, ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL won the 2010 Best Documentary Feature prize at the Independent Spirit Awards, will direct from a screenplay by John McLaughlin, revisions by Ryan Murphy, Stephen Rebello and Sacha Gervasi, based on the book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello.

Principal photography for HITCHCOCK started on April 13th in Los Angeles.

The film will also star Scarlett Johansson (LOST IN TRANSLATION) as Janet Leigh, James D’Arcy (MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD) as Anthony Perkins, Jessica Biel (THE ILLUSIONIST ) as Vera Miles, Michael Stuhlbarg (A SERIOUS MAN) as Lew Wasserman, Toni Collette (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE) as Hitchcock’s secretary Peggy, Michael Wincott (THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO) as Ed Gein, Kurtwood Smith (TO DIE FOR) as Geoffrey Shurlock, Richard Portnow (GOOD MORNING VIETNAM) as Barney Balaban and Danny Huston (THE CONSTANT GARDENER) as Whitfield Cook.

Sir Anthony Hopkins received the Academy Award for Best Actor for THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and subsequent nominations for THE REMAINS OF THE DAY and NIXON. Hopkins has previously starred in HANNIBAL, MEET JOE BLACK, INSTINCT, TITUS, HOWARD’S END, BRAM STROKER’S DRACULA, LEGENDS OF THE FALL and THE ROAD TO WELLVILLE.

Dame Helen Mirren received the Academy Award for Best Actress for THE QUEEN and was also nominated for THE LAST STATION. She has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress for THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE and GOSFORD PARK. Most recently, she starred in THE DEBT. Mirren played the iconic role of Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison over seven miniseries in the acclaimed British drama “Prime Suspect.”

Sacha Gervasi made his feature film directorial debut with the Independent Spirit Award® winning ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL in 2009. He began his career as a screenwriter with the film THE BIG TEASE with Craig Ferguson, and later, he scripted the screenplay for Steven Spielberg’s THE TERMINAL in 2004. Ivan Reitman, Tom Pollock and Joe Medjuck of Montecito Pictures (UP IN THE AIR) will produce along with Tom Thayer and Alan Barnette. Ali Bell and Richard Middleton will be executive producers. The film will be co-financed by Fox Searchlight Pictures and Cold Spring Pictures. HITCHCOCK will be released worldwide by Fox Searchlight Pictures.

New Extended First Look at LES MISÉRABLES!

A new behind-the-scenes sneak peek has been released for LES MISERABLES, with a ton of previously-unseen footage from the movie. The video goes inside the process of shooting the movie, and how it differed from how musicals are usually done. The gist of it is that the way director Tom Hooper has his cast sing on set, rather than mouthing already-recorded lyrics, allows for more emotionally complex work from the actors. It’s hugely exciting stuff, whether or not you’re a fan of the classic stage musical from which the film is adapted. I’ve been waiting for something to revive musicals on the big screen, and a seemingly-guaranteed smash like LES MISERABLES might just be the film to do the trick.

Les Misérables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe and still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 27th year.  Helmed by The King’s Speech’s Academy Award®-winning director, Tom Hooper, the Working Title/Cameron Mackintosh production stars Hugh Jackman, Oscar® winner Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, Samantha Barks, with Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption—a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit.  Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole.  When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.

In December 2012, the world’s longest-running musical brings its power to the big screen in Tom Hooper’s sweeping and spectacular interpretation of Victor Hugo’s epic tale.  With international superstars and beloved songs—including “I Dreamed a Dream,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More” and “On My Own”—Les Misérables, the show of shows, is now reborn as the cinematic musical experience of a lifetime.

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Warner Bros. Pictures’ THE GREAT GATSBY Opens in Theaters May 10, 2013

Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ THE GREAT GATSBY will open early in the Summer 2013 season, hitting theaters on May 10 in the U.S. and Canada, with an international rollout beginning the following week. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Fellman stated, “Audiences have been looking forward to Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation of one of the most beloved books of all time, and we felt this beautifully extravagant and dramatic film would be a perfect way for us to kick off our Summer slate.”

Kwan Vandenberg added, “Baz’s unique take on ‘Gatsby’ is glitzy and glamorous, with his juxtaposition of the classic tale and contemporary themes hitting just the right note. This film should really add heat to the competitive Summer season.”

From the uniquely imaginative mind of writer/producer/director Baz Luhrmann comes the new big screen adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. The filmmaker has created his own distinctive visual interpretation of the classic story, bringing the period to life in a way that has never been seen before, in a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role.

THE GREAT GATSBY follows Fitzgerald-like, would-be writer Nick Carraway as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz, bootleg kings, and sky-rocketing stocks. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy, and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan. It is thus that Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, within and without of the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles.

Academy Award® nominee DiCaprio (“J. Edgar,” “Aviator”) plays Jay Gatsby, with Tobey Maguire starring as Nick Carraway; Oscar® nominee Carey Mulligan (“An Education”) and Joel Edgerton as Daisy and Tom Buchanan; Isla Fisher and Jason Clarke as Myrtle and George Wilson; and newcomer Elizabeth Debicki as Jordan Baker. Indian film legend Amitabh Bachchan will play the role of Meyer Wolfsheim.

Oscar® nominee Luhrmann (“Moulin Rouge!”) directs the film in 3D from a screenplay co-written with frequent collaborator Craig Pearce, based on Fitzgerald’s book. Luhrmann produces, along with Catherine Martin, Academy Award® winner Douglas Wick (“Gladiator”), Lucy Fisher and Catherine Knapman. The executive producers are Academy Award® winner Barrie M. Osborne (“Lord of the Rings – Return of the King”) and Bruce Berman.

Two-time Academy Award®-winning production and costume designer Catherine Martin (“Moulin Rouge!”) designs as well as produces. The editors are Matt Villa, Jason Ballantine and Jonathan Redmond, and the director of photography is Simon Duggan. The music is by Craig Armstrong.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, in association with A&E Television, a Bazmark/Red Wagon Entertainment Production, a Film by Baz Luhrmann, THE GREAT GATSBY. In theaters May 10, 2013, the film will be distributed in 3D and 2D by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures.

http://thegreatgatsby.warnerbros.com/
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Steven Spielberg’s LINCOLN World Premiere To Close AFI FEST

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today that LINCOLN, directed by AFI Life Achievement Award recipient and Academy Award®-winning director Steven Spielberg, and released by DreamWorks Pictures/Twentieth Century Fox, in association with Participant Media, will have its Official World Premiere on Thursday, November 8, as the Closing Night Gala of AFI FEST 2012 presented by Audi. The film stars Academy Award®winner Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role; Academy Award® winners Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones; Academy Award® nominees David Strathairn, Jackie Earle Haley, John Hawkes and Hal Holbrook; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader and Jared Harris. Academy Award®-winning composer John Williams scored the film, with 2012 marking a collaboration between Spielberg and Williams that has enriched 26 of their films together. From an original screenplay by Academy Award® nominee Tony Kushner based in part on the best-selling book, “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln” by noted historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, the revealing drama explores our 16th President’s tumultuous final months in office during the Civil War.

”Steven Spielberg is an American master, enriching the cultural legacy of our nation with each new film in his extraordinary career,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. ”We are honored he has chosen AFI FEST for the World Premiere of LINCOLN, an historic cinematic event in itself as it brings the most dramatic American history to life for new generations.”

“Steven Spielberg epitomizes American filmmaking,” said Jacqueline Lyanga, Director, AFI FEST, “and who better to tell the story of one of the most significant figures in our country’s history. In this important presidential election year, Spielberg’s LINCOLN reminds us that the challenges of the past remain as relevant today.”

Spielberg has an impressive history with AFI. He was the recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1995, the highest honor for a career in film; five of his movies rate among the greatest films of all time on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies list: SCHINDLER’S LIST (#8), E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (#24), JAWS (#56), RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (#66) and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (#71); and last year he completed a one-hour special at the AFI Conservatory with friend and collaborator John Williams entitled TCM PRESENTS AFI’S MASTER CLASS: THE ART OF COLLABORATION that explored the four-decade friendship and working relationship between the two artists, among the most prolific and influential collaborations in film history. In addition, both Spielberg and producer Kathleen Kennedy serve on the American Film Institute’s Board of Trustees, which is chaired by Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sony Corporation, and is comprised of leaders of the motion picture and television communities and leaders from global goods and services companies. Spielberg has been an AFI Trustee since 1986, Kennedy since 1994.

LINCOLN stars acclaimed actor Day-Lewis, who has been honored with two Academy Awards® for his lead performances in THERE WILL BE BLOOD and MY LEFT FOOT. His film credits also include GANGS OF NEW YORK, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE AGE OF THE INNOCENCE and THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS.

For the fourth consecutive year, AFI FEST will continue its unprecedented offer of free tickets to all screenings, but only the Star Patron Package and Marquee Patron Package will provide reserved seating at the Official World Premiere closing night gala of LINCOLN. These and other AFI FEST Patron Packages and Passes – which can include access to sold-out galas and other high-demand films and events – are on sale now at AFI.com/AFIFEST. The American Film Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational and cultural organization, and Patron Packages are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

Free individual tickets to AFI FEST screenings and galas will be available to AFI members on Wednesday, October 24 in a 24-hour advance window before they become available to the general public on October 25. In addition, AFI members Two Star level and above receive a 10% discount on all Patron Packages and Passes. Information about AFI Membership is available at AFI.com/membership.

AFI FEST, celebrating its 26th year, will take place November 1 through 8 in Hollywood, California, at the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

For more information about AFI, visit AFI.com or connect with AFI at facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, twitter.com/AmericanFilm and youtube.com/AFI.

Steven Spielberg directs two-time Academy Award® winner Daniel Day-Lewis in LINCOLN, a revealing drama that focuses on the 16th President’s tumultuous final months in office. In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, Lincoln pursues a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country and abolish slavery. With the moral courage and fierce determination to succeed, his choices during this critical moment will change the fate of generations to come.

Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, Hal Holbrook and Tommy Lee Jones, LINCOLN is produced by Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, with a screenplay by Tony Kushner, based in part on the book “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln” by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The DreamWorks Pictures/Twentieth Century Fox film, in association with Participant Media, releases in U.S. theaters exclusive on November 9, 2012, with expansion on November 16, 2012.

For additional information about LINCOLN, visit thelincolnmovie.com, like the movie at Facebook.com/Lincolnmovie or follow the movie at  twitter@Lincolnmovie.

Watch Two New FRANKENWEENIE Clips


©2012 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Watch these new clips from the upcoming FRANKENWEENIE. They’ll leave you cackling like Dracula’s minion Renfield. For the die-hard Movie Geeks, many of you will recognize the classic horror films which inspired several of the character names such as Victor Frankenstein, Elsa Van Helsing, Mayor Burgemeister, and Edgar “E” Gore. The Animation Geeks will appreciate the fact that over 200 puppets and sets were created for the film.

When Tim Burton originally conceived the idea for FRANKENWEENIE he envisioned it as a full-length, stop-motion animated film. Due to budget constraints, he instead directed it as a live-action short, released in 1984. FRANKENWEENIE follows in the footsteps of Tim Burton’s other stop-motion animated films CORPSE BRIDE and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS – both of which were nominated for Academy Awards®. The voice cast includes four actors who worked with Burton on previous films: Winona Ryder (“Beetlejuice,” “Edward Scissorhands”), Catherine O’Hara (“Beetlejuice,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas”), Martin Short (“Mars Attacks!”) and Martin Landau (“Ed Wood,” Sleepy Hollow”).

From creative genius Tim Burton (“Alice in Wonderland,” The Nightmare Before Christmas”) comes FRANKENWEENIE, a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.

A stop-motion animated film, FRANKENWEENIE was filmed in black and white and rendered in 3D. The talented voice cast includes: Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron, Conchata Ferrell and Winona Ryder.

Presented by Disney, FRANKENWEENIE is directed by Tim Burton, produced by Tim Burton and Allison Abbate, from a screenplay by John August, based on a screenplay by Lenny Ripps, based on an original idea by Tim Burton. FRANKENWEENIE releases in U.S. theaters on October 5, 2012.

Check out the film’s official site here: http://disney.go.com/frankenweenie/

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©2012 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


©2012 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Michael Bay’s First PAIN AND GAIN Poster Debuts – Paramount Pictures Announces April 26, 2013 Release Date

Paramount Pictures has announced the release date for PAIN & GAIN. The film will be in theaters on April 26, 2013. PAIN AND GAIN is directed by Michael Bay and stars Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson.

Based on a true story, PAIN AND GAIN follows a group of bodybuilders who engaged in a campaign of kidnapping, extortion and murder in Florida. First told in an article from the Miami New Times, the movie’s producers include Bay, Donald De Line and Ian Bryce.

In February, Paramount Pictures announced that Bay has signed a two-picture deal with the studio. This past spring filming began on PAIN AND GAIN and will be followed by the next installment in the hit TRANSFORMERS franchise.

Bay will bring audiences a new take on the TRANSFORMERS franchise as he begins production on the fourth installment in the hit series of movies based on the best-selling Hasbro toyline.  The third, and most recent installment of the franchise, “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” is the fourth highest global grossing film of all time with 1.124 billion dollars of worldwide box office success. Directed by Bay, the movie will re-unite the filmmaking team from the hit franchise, including producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto and Ian Bryce; and executive producers Steven Spielberg, Bay, Brian Goldner and Mark Vahradian. Paramount Pictures will release the film on June 29th, 2014.

Website: http://www.painandgainmovie.com

Four New WRECK-IT RALPH Posters Are Here And They Are Wreck-Tacular!

WRECK-IT RALPH takes moviegoers on a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping journey in which Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) – tired of being overshadowed by Fix-It Felix, Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer), the “good guy” star of their game – sets off on a quest to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero. The film also features the voices of Jane Lynch and Sarah Silverman. In theaters Nov. 2, check out these super new posters from WRECK-IT RALPH. Every gamer should have them!

Did you know that John C. Reilly received a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award® nomination for his role in the musical “Chicago.” He has starred in more than 50 films including “Carnage,” “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” “The Aviator” and “Step Brothers,” as well as “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” in which he performed his GRAMMY® Award-nominated song “Walk Hard.” For her now iconic role of Sue Sylvester in the television series “Glee,” Jane Lynch won Emmy® and Golden Globe® Awards. She has appeared in numerous films by writer/director Christopher Guest, including “Best in Show” and “A Mighty Wind.”

Sarah Silverman is an Emmy®-winning actress and comedian who starred in her own Comedy Central show, “The Sarah Silverman Program.” She can be seen in the drama feature “Take This Waltz” and is the author of the New York Times best-seller, “The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption and Pee.” Jack McBrayer is an Emmy® nominee for portraying Kenneth Parcell on “30 Rock.” His other animated film voice credits include “Despicable Me.” He appeared in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” among other films. He will next be seen in “The Campaign” for Warner Bros. and “The To-Do List” for CBS Films.

Director Rich Moore has won critical acclaim for directing episodes of such cutting edge animated television series as “The Simpsons,” “Futurama” and “Drawn Together.” He won the directing Emmy® Award in the category of Outstanding Animated Program for “Roswell That Ends Well.” He also received an Annie Award for that same episode of “Futurama.” He is an alumnus of CalArts. Clark Spencer previously produced the Disney animated hits “Winnie the Pooh,” “Bolt” and “Lilo & Stitch.”

From Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy®-winning director Rich Moore comes “Wreck-It Ralph,” a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping adventure. For decades, Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has been overshadowed by Fix-It Felix, Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer), the good-guy star of their game who always gets to save the day. Tired of playing the role of a bad guy, Ralph takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a journey across the arcade through multiple generations of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero.

On his quest, Ralph meets tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch) from the first-person action game Hero’s Duty, and feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) from the candy-coated cart racing game, Sugar Rush, who may just be his first real friend. But everything changes when a deadly enemy is unleashed, threatening the entire arcade and Vanellope herself. Ralph finally gets his chance to save the day—but can he do it in time?

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WAMG At The INDIANA JONES: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES Press Day At Skywalker Ranch

Indiana Jones and his one of a kind tales are finally coming to blu-ray, and to celebrate INDIANA JONES : THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES, I went on a little adventure of my own… to the press day at the legendary Skywalker Ranch.

In June of 1981 director Steven Spielberg and executive producer George Lucas introduced the world to Indiana Jones when the unforgettable RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK debuted in cinemas. Exploding to instant acclaim, the film has now been carefully restored, alongside remastered versions of the archaeologist’s other thrilling adventures: INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM, INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE and INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. Prepare for excitement, adventure and snakes – “Why did it have to be snakes?” – all with pristine picture and sound when INDIANA JONES: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES debuts on Blu-ray today from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution.

CHECK OUT THE TRAILER HERE:

Before going to the ranch, myself and the rest of my media cohorts were picked up and magically whisked to a local theater to see RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK on the IMAX screen. The film looks fantastic. It was a treat to see such a classic film on the big screen. (You can read more tomorrow about the restoration in my review of INDIANA JONES : THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES.)

The next morning we were taken over the river and through the woods (literally) to the Skywalker Ranch. The first location that we were taken to was George Lucas’ private Stag Theater Screening Room, which seats 300 people. While inside, they showed us clips from the new 2-part documentary that is included in the bonus features in the blu-ray set. They also went over how they restored RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.

While restoring RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, they were painstakingly careful. Their main goal was to preserve the films original look, sound and feel. They scanned the original film at 4K and then went over each and every frame individually to check for damages, and to make repairs.

Next, Academy Award winning sound designer Ben Burtt and visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren talked a bit about working on the films.

The sound design was restored using Ben Burtt’s original master mix, which had been preserved in the archives since 1981. They created new, higher quality stereo surrounds by using the original effects and music tracks. Originally, these were only used in mono. Burtt stated that he was not to pleased with the original sound of the film…

“I felt for years that the original recordings that were done back in 1981, the original masters on RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK were possibly… higher quality than what we were getting on the release of the film, you know, theatrically as well as on home video. I’d actually gone to a screening of the film at the Academy, and I hadn’t heard it in many years, and I was a little disappointed by what I heard… and I thought there was some… I wanna look into this!”

Dennis Muren on the visual effects:

“The effects for the Indy films took second place to, ahh, the story… and the characters. That’s what were featured in the Indy films. You know, Harrison Ford, all of the supplimentary actors… the secondary guys, the sets, the locations, just the plot… all that stuff was in the forefront, and our effects did not… uh, in any way could not show up as being flashy. They had to just fit right within that.”

You can check out some of their thoughts on the film here:

All of the discs feature teaser and theatrical trailers. INDIANA JONES: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES also includes a special bonus disc with such features as On the set with Raiders of the Lost Ark, Making the Films, The Stunts of Indiana Jones, The Effects of Indy, and so much more!

Next, we were taken into an area where few have traveled… The Lucasfilm Archives. Walking into the Lucasfilm Archives was like walking into my own nerdy wonderland. They had a nice display of Indiana Jones props and costumes laid out for us to enjoy. Check out my pictures below. (There are also more in the thumbnails towards the bottom of the page.) Everything below is film used.

While there, we also got a brief tour of a part of the property, including the Tech Building, George Lucas’s vineyards, and Ewok Lake. You can check out those photos, as well as more from the Lucasfilm Archives below.

For those of you that would like a chance to see some of the props in person, the will be displayed from October 12th, 2012 -August 21st, at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, California as part of the Indiana Jones: Adventures in Archaeology exhibit.

INDIANA JONES : THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES is in stores today

JUDGE DREDD – The Blu Review

By Joe Vanourney

“I didn’t break da law!  I am da law!”

Sylvester Stallone stars as “Judge Dredd,” in 1995’s futuristic action adventure based on a popular comic book character, now available on Blu-ray for the first time, featuring an all new digital restoration with enhanced picture and sound.  The Blu-ray is timed to capitalize on this week’s theatrical release of Lionsgate’s “Dredd 3D” starring Karl Urban in a new take on the character.

In a future where crime has taken over the cities, all-powerful “judges” act with supreme authority of both the police force and legal system, acting as judge, jury, and sometimes executioner, Judge Dredd is the most feared law enforcer of them all.  A corrupt former judge devises a sinister plot to bring him down, framing him for murder, and Dredd stops at nothing to even the scales of justice.

The film also stars Diane Lane as one of Dredd’s fellow street judges, Armand Assante as a former judge/friend of Dredd who escapes from prison to seek revenge, Max Von Sydow and Jurgen Prochnow as supreme judges, and Rob Schneider as a prisoner that Dredd must partner with.

When then film was released back in 1995, it was panned pretty heavily, a bit unfairly I think.  Yes, it is campy at times.  Yes, a few of the visual effects seemed rushed.  But the film was light, fun entertainment and worked for me.  A climatic shouting match near the film’s end where Stallone and Assante are screaming at full volume trying to see who can “outslur” each other made me laugh in the theater back then and it made me laugh again watching it 17 years later, but that is part of the film’s charm.  Part of the criticism may be that the film deviated in tone from the comic source material.  That is a fair criticism, but in this case I think it more or less worked, and time hasn’t altered my view.  The new “Dredd 3D” is supposed to be darker in tone, and we will see how that plays for audiences when it comes out.

The video quality of this new release from Disney is superb, a first-rate presentation of a catalog title.  I compared this video transfer to both the 1996 laserdisc transfer, which was shockingly grainy in comparison, and the original DVD release.  The Blu-ray blows it away.  The clarity of some of the visual images is absolutely stunning, and the colors are vibrant.

The audio quality is also top-notch, with a new 5.1 DTS-HD MA track.  The music score from Alan Silvestri was always good—it’s loud, it’s aggressive, and it compliments the loud over-the-top gunfire sound effects.  If you like to play explosions and gunfire and crashes at a raised volume on your sound system, this is one you will like.

What the new Blu-Ray lacks is a nice set of bonus features.  There are only two: a theatrical trailer and a 20-minute making of featurette made in 1995 titled “Stallone’s Law: The Making of Judge Dredd,” a poorly-edited and produced puff piece produced to probably air as filler on whatever cable tv network was set to air Judge Dredd in the 90s.

I would have liked to have seen some kind of new feature included, at least an audio commentary track with director Danny Cannon and/or Stallone.  The film has a history of production delays and feuds between the two as to how Dredd should be portrayed—Stallone wanted his face to be shown, Cannon did not.  The original ending of the film (which I saw at a test screening at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles months before the film came out) had a main character dying who is now alive in the released version.  I would like to hear a candid recap of the experience by the two.  Maybe some day.

So is it worth the upgrade?  If you don’t currently own it or are a huge fan looking to get the best video and quality presentation—absolutely.  If you are looking for insightful bonus features—not so much.

“Judge Dredd” is available on Blu-Ray now from Walt Disney Home Entertainment.

FILM QUALITY: 3.5 OUT OF 5 STARS

VIDEO QUALITY: 4.5 OUT OF 5 STARS

AUDIO QUALITY: 4.5 OUT OF 5 STARS

BONUS FEATURES: 1 OUT OF 5 STARS

The Academy Launches First-Ever “Film-to-Film” Festival – CARNIVAL OF SOULS, Terry Gilliam’s BRAZIL On Schedule

In celebration of its recent film preservation efforts, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will launch the first-ever “Film-to-Film” Festival, which will run September 27 through September 29, in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills and the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. A year ago the Academy Film Archive launched an ambitious effort called “Project Film-to-Film,” aimed at preserving as many films on film as possible over a two-year period. The initiative’s main goal is to take advantage of the current, but threatened, availability of film stock to create new prints of a diverse range of motion pictures, encompassing the whole history of the art form.

More than 390 new prints have already been created from the best available film elements, covering significant narrative features and documentaries, as well as experimental, animated and short film titles. The wide variety of titles range from “Navajo,” the only film to receive Oscar® nominations for both Documentary Feature and Cinematography, to “Naked Yoga,” a short once presumed lost, and “Carnival of Souls,” a cult favorite that has been rescued from late-night television and restored to the big screen.

The complete “Film-to-Film” Festival schedule is as follows:

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

Samuel Goldwyn Theater, 7:30 p.m.

BRAZIL (1985), Original Director’s Cut (35mm, color, 142 min.)
Onstage discussion with Katherine Helmond and Arnon Milchan

Writer-director Terry Gilliam’s “Brazil” is set in an alternative reality “somewhere in the 20th century,” where civil servant Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) fights a hopeless battle against a totalitarian state. The film earned Academy Award® nominations for Original Screenplay (Gilliam, Tom Stoppard, Charles McKeown) and Art Direction (Art Direction: Norman Garwood; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray). The stellar supporting cast includes Helmond, Jim Broadbent, Robert De Niro, Ian Holm, Bob Hoskins, Charles McKeown and Michael Palin.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

Linwood Dunn Theater, 7:30 p.m.

ANIMATED AND LIVE ACTION SHORTS PROGRAM
This program illustrates the wide range of films preserved by the Film-to-Film initiative, including a rare short made by the Academy itself, intriguing works by noted animators and the big-screen debut of crooner Phil Harris.

OF MEN AND DEMONS, John Hubley and Faith Hubley (1969, 16mm, color, 9 min.)
Academy Award nominee: Cartoon Short Subject
SO THIS IS HARRIS, Mark Sandrich (1933, 35mm, black-and-white, 28 min.)
Academy Award winner: Comedy Short Subject 
THE UNICYCLE RACE, Robert Swarthe (1966, 35mm, color, 7 min.)
RAILWAY WITH A HEART OF GOLD, Carson “Kit” Davidson (1965, 16mm, color, 15 min.)
SCREEN ACTORS, (1950, 35mm, black-and-white, 9 min.)

Linwood Dunn Theater, 9:30 p.m.

EXPERIMENTAL FILM PROGRAM
The boundaries of the film medium are stretched, ignored and laughed at in these experimental shorts that manipulate sight, sound, narrative and the relationship between filmmaker and spectator.

EYE MYTH, Stan Brakhage (1967, 35mm, color, silent 24fps, 9 seconds)
NIGHT MULCH & VERY, Stan Brakhage (2001, 35mm, color, silent 24fps, 6 min.)
EXPERIMENTS IN MOTION GRAPHICS, John Whitney (1968, 16mm, color, sound, 11min.)
MADAME MAO’S LOST LOVE LETTERS, Tom Leeser & Diana Wilson (1983, 35mm, color,
3 min.)
BABOBILICONS, Daina Krumins (1982, 35mm, color, 16 min.)
PENCIL BOOKLINGS, Kathy Rose (1978, 35mm, color, 14 min.)
FURIES, Sara Petty (1977, 35mm, color, 3 min.)
SONOMA, Sky-David, formerly known as Dennis Pies (1977, 35mm, color, 7 min.)
BACKGROUND, Carmen D’Avino (1973, 35mm, color, 20 min.) Academy Award nominee: Documentary Short Subject

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

Linwood Dunn Theater, 2 p.m.

DOC PROGRAM #1
The afternoon’s first program illustrates the diverse topics of the documentaries covered by the initiative, with a short about the spiritual aspects of Hatha yoga, and the Maysles brothers’ portrait of movie distributor Joseph E. Levine.

NAKED YOGA, Paul Cordsen (1974, 35mm, color, 25 min.)
Academy Award nominee: Documentary Short Subject
SHOWMAN, Albert Maysles and David Maysles (1963, 35mm, black-and-white, 52 min.)

Linwood Dunn Theater, 4 p.m.

DOC PROGRAM #2
The afternoon’s second documentary program features two titles that use a semi-documentary approach to convey stories of World War II rumor-mongering and the cultural conflict faced by a young Navajo boy.

MR. BLABBERMOUTH!, Basil Wrangell (1942, 35mm, black-and-white, 19 min.)
Academy Award nominee: Documentary Short Subject
NAVAJO, Norman Foster (1952, 35mm, black-and-white, 70 min.)
Academy Award nominee: Documentary Feature; Black-and-White Cinematography

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

Linwood Dunn Theater, 7:30 p.m.

SPIDER BABY (1968, 35mm, black-and-white, 81 min.)
World premiere of the Academy Film Archive’s new restoration from the original negative, with special guest writer-director Jack Hill.

Filmed in 1964 but not released theatrically until 1968, this cult classic marked the solo directorial debut of Hill. The eerie story follows three siblings suffering from a rare genetic disorder that causes them to regress to a primal state of being and act out with savage, incestuous and animalistic behavior.

Linwood Dunn Theater, 9:30 p.m.

CARNIVAL OF SOULS (1962, 35mm, black-and-white, 78 min.)
World premiere of the Academy Film Archive’s new restoration from the original negative.

Director Herk Harvey’s only feature film was made on a tiny budget with a crew largely composed of industrial filmmakers from Lawrence, Kansas. Filled with evocative images, the film tells the story of a young woman who seemingly survives a car crash but is haunted by a ghostly figure that is somehow connected to an abandoned carnival pavilion.

Tickets for each screening in the “Film-to-Film” Festival are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID, and may be purchased online at www.oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office, or by mail. Each time slot listed indicates a separate ticketed program. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Doors open an hour before each program. Ticketed seating is unreserved. For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.