Harrison Ford returns to the role of the legendary hero archaeologist for this highly anticipated final installment of the iconic franchise– a big, globe-trotting, rip-roaring cinematic adventure. Starring along with Ford are Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”), Antonio Banderas (“Pain and Glory”), John Rhys-Davies (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Shaunette Renée Wilson (“Black Panther”), Thomas Kretschmann (“Das Boot”), Toby Jones (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), Boyd Holbrook (“Logan”), Olivier Richters (“Black Widow”), Ethann Isidore (“Mortel”) and Mads Mikkelsen (“Another Round”).
Directed by James Mangold (“Ford v Ferrari,” “Logan”) and written by Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth and David Koepp and James Mangold, based on characters created by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman, the film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel, with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas serving as executive producers. John Williams, who has scored each Indy adventure since the original Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, has once again composed the score.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: Marquee display at the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny U.S. Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
Fans and celebrities turned out on Wednesday evening for the U.S. Premiere of Lucasfilm’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. In attendance at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood were stars Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Olivier Richters and Ethann Isidore; Director/Writer James Mangold; Producers Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel; Executive Producers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas; and Composer John Williams.
Alongside the cast and filmmakers introducing the movie, the audience was also treated to a surprise 15-minute orchestral performance of the iconic “Indiana Jones” theme music, conducted by John Williams himself.
The film opens in theaters on June 30.
Harrison Ford returns to the role of the legendary hero archaeologist for this highly anticipated final installment of the iconic franchise– a big, globe-trotting, rip-roaring cinematic adventure. Starring along with Ford are Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”), Antonio Banderas (“Pain and Glory”), John Rhys-Davies (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Shaunette Renée Wilson (“Black Panther”), Thomas Kretschmann (“Das Boot”), Toby Jones (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), Boyd Holbrook (“Logan”), Olivier Richters (“Black Widow”), Ethann Isidore (“Mortel”) and Mads Mikkelsen (“Another Round”). Directed by James Mangold (“Ford v Ferrari,” “Logan”) and written by Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth and David Koepp and James Mangold, based on characters created by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman, the film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel, with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas serving as executive producers.
John Williams, who has scored each Indy adventure since the original Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, has once again composed the score.
Check out the photos from the emotional night.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: (L-R) Harrison Ford and George Lucas attend the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny U.S. Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney)LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: Steven Spielberg attends the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny U.S. Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: (L-R) Bob Iger, CEO, Walt Disney Company, John Williams, George Lucas, James Mangold, Harrison Ford, Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm, Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall and Alan Bergman, Chairman, Disney Studios Content attends the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny U.S. Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney)LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: Set design details at the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny U.S. Premiere after party at The Hollywood Roosevelt in Hollywood, California on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: (L-R) Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Karen Allen and James Mangold attend the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny U.S. Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney)LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: Costume props at the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny U.S. Premiere after party at The Hollywood Roosevelt in Hollywood, California on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: John Williams performs onstage during the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny U.S. Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney)LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: Cast and crew onstage during the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny U.S. Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney)LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: (L-R) Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm, John Williams, and James Mangold attend the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny U.S. Premiere after party at The Hollywood Roosevelt in Hollywood, California on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: John Williams performs onstage during the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny U.S. Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
And finally…
Indiana Jones and Short Round reunited in Hollywood on Wednesday night.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: (L-R) Ke Huy Quan and Harrison Ford attend the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny U.S. Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney)
Ke Huy Quan surprised Harrison Ford at the “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” star-studded premiere in Hollywood.
Quan won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in March for his role in “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”
“The Goonies” actor played Short Round, the trusty sidekick of the fictional archeologist, in 1984’s “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”
And now the 93rd Annual Oscars are finished. Another one for the records books, it is now history. But how to quench your thirst for a bit more Hollywood history? Here’s the perfect refresher. It’s a warm, interview and clip-filled look back at one of the motion picture industry’s greatest producers. As a matter of fact (and it’s hammered home here) he was the head (or close to) of four of the major studio (really, you’d know the logos). Oh, and he’s still with us, offering his sage advice and counsel to filmmakers and stars. So we’re not talking about the cigar-chomping Golden Age studio moguls who are usually vilified in the non-fiction books and films (The biggest villain of MANK may be the ruthless and controlling Louis Mayer). No, this is about a man whose influence may have ushered in, maybe not a silver, but a bronze age, from the 1970s to just about a decade or so ago. And unlike Mayer and his contemporaries Zanuck, Zucker, Laemmie, and Cohn he truly has movies in his blood (real silver screen DNA). This documentary feature subject is Alan Ladd, Jr., often referred to as LADDIE: THE MAN BEHIND THE MOVIES.
Our genial guide through this remarkable man’s life and career truly knows her subject. It’s his daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones, who tells us that this film began as a birthday present, one that we now all get to share. Unfortunately, the subject has a legendary tendency to be … well tight-lipped. But luckily his former collaborators and friends (and so many are in both groups, surprisingly) are quick to sing his praises. But before those triumphs, there was a difficult childhood. That blood and DNA, well it comes from the 1940s through the 50s matinee idol Alan Ladd, who himself was tight-lipped in noir thrillers (THIS GUN FOR HIRE) and Westerns (the iconic SHANE). But being the son of a movie star is close to hitting the genetic lottery, right? You’d think so, but Laddie was the only son Senior had with his first wife Marjorie. Nearing his teens when papa remarried, Laddie was largely ignored as the star remarried and began a new family with Sue Carol. We hear heart-wrenching stories from stepbrother David (an actor who ended up marrying the fourth TV Charlie’s Angel). Perhaps this helped to motivate Laddie at the boarding and military schools and college. By the time he’s finished his education, his father passes at age of 50 from years of alcohol and prescription pill abuse. Now Laddie was free of his shadow and ready to make a name for himself behind the scenes in show “biz”. In the wild 1960’s he was an agent representing several actors, including Peter Sellars (“Completely mad.” Laddie quickly offers) which lead to film production, then soon taking the reins of Twentieth Century Fox’s European division. Around the time he began his own family with school sweetheart Patricia, the call came in for his return to the states and tasked with saving the flailing Fox (still reeling from the one-two bombs of DOCTOR DOOLITTLE and HELLO DOLLY). He quickly established himself as an exec who valued up-and-coming filmmakers, having an open mind and keen box office instincts. When Columbia balked at Mel Brooks’ insistence to shoot YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN in black and white, Laddie saw the method in his madness and said yes. When Richard Donner brought the script for the horror opus THE OMEN, Laddie defied the studio’s heads and insisted Donner (then known for TV work) direct. And when the hot young director of AMERICAN GRAFFITI needed a home for his weird Flash Gordon-homage, Laddie again irked the board of directors by giving a “green light” for STAR WARS. Soon after the megahit ALIEN (again helmed by a relatively unknown Ridley Scott). Alan left Fox to form his own division, The Ladd Company, which merged with Warner Brothers (studio two). From there it was a leap to United Artists in the late 1980s, before finishing up at Paramount in the 1990s and early 2000s (and grabbing an Oscar for BRAVEHEART in 1995).
Okay, so the director is a tad prejudiced, though Ms. Ladd-Jones hasn’t pieced together a fawning Father’s Day card of a flick about the family patriarch. Its opening (Laddie’s early years) is chocked-full of old school glitz and glamour (Alan Ladd pretty much carried Paramount through the 1940s), the staged studio publicity stills can’t erase the abandonment of Laddie’s teen years (David becomes quite emotional as he recalls the neglect of his poppa to his firstborn). And despite being saddled with that name (teachers couldn’t believe his actor lineage), the story really comes alive as Laddie spreads his creative wings and soars. Happily, most of the folks that aided that meteoric rise pay their respects. George Lucas sings his praises while Mel Brooks slays with some great stories (“Peru just got color” kills every time). One of the more pleasant revelations concerns Laddie’s desire to keep all of his major movie talents on the same floor of the Fox building, as a free-wheeling film school, leading to Brooks helping to tweak the late Paul Mazursky’s script (he’s sadly been gone for nearly seven years, so this footage reminds us of his endearing charm). The doc also benefits from Richard Donner’s laid-back sardonic wit (“Ladd, Jr.? He made that ‘Very Brady sequel’, right?”). As the decades (and great clips) zip by we get Mel Gibson’s BRAVEHEART tales and Ben Affleck (sporting an odd “boy band” hairstyle with a full beard) on Laddie’s help with his directorial debut GONE BABY GONE (“lose the ‘chamber of commerce’ shots”). But there seems to be one artist who continues to pop up in this saga, Ridley Scott. We see a few seconds from his debut THE DUELISTS before the big explosion (poor John Hurt’s chest) of AlIEN. When Laddie heads to the WB lot, Scott follows with BLADE RUNNER, thought of as a box office dud in 82, the film’s influence extends into the current slate of SF epics. Then in a complete turnabout, Scott is convinced to helm the dusty dirty box office smash THELMA & LOUIS (with Laddie influencing its off-beat ending). Aside from STAR WARS, Laddie also throws his support behind award-winning films that his former studios dumped (Fox stepped away, so Warners grabbed the Best Picture Oscar for CHARIOTS OF FIRE). But so that we don’t think of him as too “high brow” we’re reminded that he also started the POLICE ACADEMY franchise (also inspiring the end scene of the first one). Ms. Ladd-Jones also delves into the misfires, particularly THE RIGHT STUFF which rankles Laddie so much that he has never watched it (“lost control, too long and too over budget”). Hey Mr. L, I think it’s still pretty great. And we hear of his sadness at the ending of his first marriage, although his marriage to Cindra has given him great joy and another family (including a talented biographer). And though his office days are behind him, he’s still in great demand for his storytelling instincts and vast knowledge (though many in the film will admit that he can be a soft or “low talker” ala “Seinfeld”). If you’re in the mood for a terrific crash course in the big studio films of the past fifty or so years, then you’ll be informed and greatly entertained by spending a fast-paced 83 minutes with LADDIE: THE MAN BEHIND THE MOVIES.
3.5 Out of 4
LADDIE: THE MAN BEHIND THE MOVIES is available to rent and buy on digital download beginning on April 26, 2021
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK screens with live music accompaniment by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra March 27-29th at Powell Hall in St. Louis (718 N Grand Blvd)
I’ve often said there’s nothing better than watching silent movies with live music, but what about watching sound movies with live music? When the movie is RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and the score is being performed by the award-winning St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, it just becomes one of those events that can’t be missed. Justin Freer conducts John William’s beloved score performed live by the STL Symphony with Steven Spielberg’s’s adventure classic shown from the Powell Hall stage beginning at 7pm Friday March 17 and 18, and 2pm Sunday March 19th.
Check out this trailer for the event:
George Lucas and Steven Spielberg’s first ode to the serial adventure is still a densely atmospheric, loaded thrill ride. Indiana Jones is such a fascinating, larger-than-life personality that he outright demands our attention when he’s on the screen (which is about 95% of the time) and, even when we think we’ve got him figured out, still manages to surprise us. Casting Harrison Ford was absolutely crucial, though, because without his off-the-chart levels of confidence and charisma, the character wouldn’t have been able to get away with half the things he does or says. Although it trots the globe, seemingly without rest, the plot is actually very well-paced and wisely gives the cold shoulder to any hint of overwrought back-story or origin. We’re having enough fun in the present, so why get caught up in anything more complicated than “He’s a professor who moonlights as a tomb raider”? Quick-witted and funny when appropriate, exciting and unpredictable the rest of the time, it manages a near-perfect blend of realism and fantasy.
You can enjoy RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK again on the big screen when it plays with live music accompaniment by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra beginning at 7pm March 17th and 18th, and 2pm Sunday March 19th at Powell Hall in St. Louis (718 N Grand Blvd)
2016 claimed a long list of entertainers, but the grim reaper’s most unexpected one-two punch came between the final two holidays with the death of movie icons Carrie Fisher on December 12 and her mother Debbie Reynolds a mere 36 hours later. With the premiere of the documentary about the pair, “Bright Lights” on HBO this weekend, we at the Geeks site thought we should take a look at their considerable contributions to film.
Let’s start with Carrie, who was born in Hollywood, USA on October 21, 1956, the daughter of Debbie and singer/actor Eddie Fisher. She appeared on stage with her mother throughout the late 60’s and early 70’s, even getting her first small screen credit in the 1969 TV movie “Debbie Reynolds and the Sound of Children”. It wasn’t until 1975, when she would make her big screen debut opposite Warren Beatty (quite an arrival) in Hal Ashby’s hit SHAMPOO. Watch out, this clip is definitely NSFW!!
Yes, that flick did well at the box office, but it was paled in comparison to her follow-up film, a blockbuster that changed the face of the industry: 1977’s STAR WARS.
Princess Leia Organa was the role that gave Carrie screen immortality. She would return to the character in 1980’s THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK , 1983’s THE RETURN OF THE JEDI, and 2015’s STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS. When George Lucas was the recipient of the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, she shared some stories of that time…
But Carrie’s film career encompassed more than that blaster-totin’ royal rebel. She appeared in many comedies opposite a long list of impressive leading men. She was the ballistic ex of John Belushi in THE BLUES BROTHERS.
She would co-star with another SNL castmate, Chevy Chase, in UNDER THE RAINBOW. Carrie would work with Tom Hanks twice, first in THE MAN WITH ONE RED SHOE, and later in the cult classic THE BURBS.
Woody Allen cast her as Dianne Wiest’s “frenemy” in HANNAH AND HER SISTERS, But she was a much better pal to Meg Ryan in WHEN HARRY MET SALLY.
Carrie balanced lots of supporting film roles, like the nun in JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, along with many TV appearances (new episodes of Amazon’s “Catastrophe” will be streaming soon). However the majority of her time the last couple of decades has been devoted to her writing. Carrie adapted her book POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE for director Mike Nichols who assembled a star-studded cast led by Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine.
Soon after, she was in demand as an uncredited “script doctor” brought in to “punch up” the dialogue for films such as LETHAL WEAPON 3, OUTBREAK, THE WEDDING SINGER, and STOP! OR MY MOM WILL SHOOT. Happily her work in this December’s next Star Wars flick, Episode VIII, was completed, so fans will get to spend a bit more time with that princess who has a thing for scoundrels.
Now, it’s mama’s turn! She was born Mary Frances Reynolds on April first, 1932 in El Paso, Texas. After making Debbie her official first name, she was a beauty queen (Miss Burbank of 1948) who caught the eye of Hollywood talent scouts, and her first two films were for Warner Brothers (JUNE BRIDE in 48 and THE DAUGHTER OF ROSIE O’GRADY in 1950). Soon the smart folks at MGM scooped her up. She “lip-synced “I Wanna Be Loved by You” as Helen Kane (the inspiration for Betty Boop) in the musical biopic THREE LITTLE WORDS. IN TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE she captivated movie goers with her duet with Carleton Carpenter, “Aba Daba Honeymoon”. MR IMPERIUM followed, but her next film would be her entry into super-stardom. Some say it’s the greatest movie musical of all time, while it was included in the top ten comedies of all time by AFI. We’re talking about that 1952 gem…SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN.
…and here’s one of many memorable musicals numbers, “Good Morning”
Debbie was now one of MGM’s most popular stars. After a couple more musicals, she would branch out into more adult romantic comedies, such as THE TENDER TRAP with Frank Sinatra and SUSAN SLEPT HERE opposite Dick Powell.
After co-starring in THE CATERED AFFAIR, written by Paddy Chayefsky and Gore Vidal, and BUNDLE OF JOY with real-life hubby Eddie Fisher, Debbie launched a film franchise (and later TV series) as an innocent backwoods girl finding love in TAMMY AND THE BACHELOR. Her rendition of the theme song even became a juke box fave.
As the 1960’s began Debbie was at the top of the box office, scoring a major role in the Cinerama spectacle HOW THE WEST WAS WON. In 1964 she would finally be nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actress as the lead in THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN (a role she would later say was her favorite of all her films).
Two years later she would win praise in the biography, THE SINGING NUN. As the decade ended, Debbie appeared in two very adult marriage comedies, DIVORCE AMERICAN STYLE, with Dick Van Dyke, and HOW SWEET IT IS! with James Garner, along with forays into horror (1971’s WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH HELEN?) and animation (1973’s CHARLOTTE’S WEB). Work on stage and television then occupied most her time, along with collecting movie memorabilia for a possible future museum. Happily she might a triumphant return to the big screen in the 1990’s with a supporting role in Oliver Stone’s HEAVEN & EARTH. Her last truly great movie role might be as the title character in Albert Brooks’s MOTHER in 1996.
The next year Debbie would go on to play Kevin Kine’s mum in Frank Oz’s IN & OUT. Her last feature film role was in 2012’s ONE FOR THE MONEY. Three years later she would be given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Screen Actors’ Guild. And almost a year ago Debbie would finally be honored by the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
We at this site join movie fans across the globe in saluting one of the greatest dynasties in cinema history. Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher, thank you for being a part of films that will studied and enjoyed forever. Your legacy will never be forgotten.
Wow. Just the sound of it rolling off the tongue… Who would have thought this would happen? We all dreamt about the possibility of the saga being taken further than six episodes, even if as secretly closeted fans, but did we ever truly believe it would happen? Now it has and I do not feel I am alone in saying it’s been worth the wait. Even those who found the film little more than average have to admit, this is something truly special, even generational, for some.
I’ve admired J.J. Abrams as an all-around, fully immersed filmmaker for some time now. From his original content on television and the big screen to revamping STAR TREK and now STAR WARS, he’s a special kind of movie geek. No one can argue that his heart and soul isn’t in every fiber of making a fantastic movie and doing it right. This, more than anything else, is why I personally have looked forward to being able to revisit this film at home, in depth and experience it on a more intimate level, separate from but equally thrilling as the experience of seeing it in a packed theater.
For some of us, the Saga took a heartbreaking turn to the dark side with the “prequelogy,” a time of lost hope and shattered dreams. An era we yearned for so deeply that, for many of us, ended up stabbing us so cruelly, so heartlessly in the backs. We had our strong moments, our proud moments in that clouded age of anger and disappointment, but the journey was long and wrought with banality and shame. One word… midichlorians. One name… Jar Jar Binks. Oh, the sounds still send shivers down my spine.
If Star Wars were a religion, one could make the argument that Abrams is the messiah. That’s not my outlook, but I can see the case taking a solid foothold with a segment of the fandom. Every epic yarn has it’s peaks and valleys, a dark age followed by a renewed renaissance. Who better to usher up the new enlightened period than Abrams?
Wait… I can hear them now. I hear the groans and poorly annunciated digs on THE FORCE AWAKENS as simply being A NEW HOPE recycled. Fair enough. There is some merit in that argument, on the surface. I encourage those that feed on this, however, to look within the ancient lore that has so heavily influenced this and so many other modern fables and make a case that this is, at it’s core, a traditional and proven method of storytelling. The Buddhists believe in reincarnations. The Christians believe in the resurrected savior. Why not, then, can we not have our Jedi come in familiar cycles of discovery and enlightenment?
On with the story… darkness reigns and the secretive, ruthless Sith influence once again threatens freedom and peace throughout the galaxy. Once again, the bad guys have a nasty toy, only this time it’s way bigger and meaner. They call themselves the First Order, are eerily reminiscent of the Nazi Third Reich, and are led by a psychotic, ill-tempered sociopath who blames others’ for his own shortcomings. Kylo Ren has daddy issues as well as anger management issues, struggling to fit into grandaddy Vader’s big black boots. Meanwhile, a spunky young loner girl named Rey scrapes out a meager existence on a desert planet as an under-appreciated scavenger while the force lies dormant within her.
Yoda, Qui gon and Obi-wan are dead, Luke has gone AWOL and there seems no hope of a Jedi resurgence to save the day. Instead, Princess Leia leads her rag tag resistance against unsurmountable odds until a cowardly storm trooper gets cold feet on his first day, helping the best pilot in the resistance escape captivity in the process of defecting and thus begins the dawn of a renewed fight.
All of this is shot in breathtakingly beautiful, larger than life scope and accompanied by yet another impressively iconic score from the legendary John Williams. Much to Abrams’ credit, the film utilizes as much practical special effects as possible and it pays off. The detail and immense realism, placing the audience amidst the action and eerily familiar foreign landscapes allows us the immerse ourselves deeper into the childlike fantasy of the Star Wars saga. Abrams understands this and succeeds in rekindling that youthful flame whereas the prequels were more focused on attracting the fresh young flickers while greatly ignoring the long-glowing embers.
Rich in color, design and detail, the sets and the locations alike are painstakingly evident when taking the time to study the blu-ray edition of THE FORCE AWAKENS. The initial home release of the film, which included both the blu-ray, the DVD and the digital copy, opens up the new chapter to fans in all it’s unencumbered theatrical glory. We need not be concerns about which version or re-edit we’re stumbled upon. It’s the one, the only, the intended version.
New creatures and characters, a fresh young cast, reminiscent of what we were given in the original trilogy, whereas these relative unknowns prove two things: first, that Abrams is a casting genius, and second, that these “rookies” nailed it, especially Daisy Ridley as Rey. Giving a jaw-dropping, fully convincing performance of emotion, physical ability and adaptiveness shows me we are in for a real treat as certainly she will pursue her connection with the force and train to become Jedi. When it comes to girl power, Rey is right up there with Weaver’s Ripley and Theron’s Furiosa. Converse to this is Finn’s unheroic reluctance to anything noble or courageous, but in contrast to Rey is strangely fitting and the two rub off an one another, leading Finn to have a change of heart and mind.
THE FORCE AWAKENS is, in many ways familiar, but is in just as many ways fresh and invigorating as well. While this initial home release does contain some worthwhile extras, by the current modern standards is fairly basic. Certainly, future editions will reveal existing golden nuggets being held back in secrecy and new ones to be mined from the archives, a la Special Limited Anniversary Collectors’ Editions, et al. With that said, this one is far from bare-boned and has merit amidst it’s menus.
My own experience, having revisited the film at home on blu-ray with my boys, 11 and 8 years old, was a wealth of revelatory glory. Glued to the events unfolding on hi-def, these three pairs of eyes were, and as the film ended, I found myself not forsaken, but accompanied during my quest to conquer the bonus features by my 8-year old, equally glued to the documentarian escapades as myself, when he turned to me and said “we’re just a couple of movie geeks.” I wipes a tear from my eye and realized all is well in the world and Star Wars has returned in a way with which we can all be proud.
Bonus Features:
Secrets of the Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey — Having originally premiered at SXSW to help promote the film, this documentary is as much a marketing tool as it is an engaging, light-hearted glance behind the scenes of the film. This documentary s longer than most made for home release, is not so long as to intimidate a viewer. The film also unveils some lesser realized casting choices that non-die hard fans may not have otherwise known. A good chunk of the film does feel a bit like collected junkets, but one ting that certainly was not lost on me while watching this was how grateful and humbled the cast and crew involved with this filmmaking experience are to the fact that this is a story of meteoric cultural significance and should be treated as such.
The Story Awakens: The Table Read — A rather truncated, brief but revealing feature that gives the audience a fascinating insight into the actors’ journey of discovering, adapting and becoming a role as part of a larger story.
Building BB-8 — Perhaps my favorite bonus feature of this release, the research, time and skill that went into bringing this little guy to life in awe-inspiring. Not since No,5 from SHORT CIRCUIT have a connected so fully with the cuteness of a self-aware robot.
Crafting Creatures — What’s a Star Wars film without the obligatory featurette about how they created the monster/creature makeup and effects? Nonetheless, well worth viewing as a standard option available on most similar genre films.
Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight — Kylo Ren, Rey and Finn, and how they made this fight look so darn good! It takes a lot of practice time and hard work to perform a convincing, realistic, emotionally-charged, thrilling light saber fight and this helps to explain.
John Williams: The Seventh Symphony — Basically, a short, but well-deserved tribute to a living legend.
ILM: The Visual Magic of the Force — A short, but insightful glimpse into what ILM does and what puts them at the top of their game.
Deleted Scenes — There are only a handful of relatively short deleted scenes, but undoubtedly there are many more that may likely reveal themselves in future releases. With that said, these are some interesting omissions and are curious to consider.
STAR WARS: EPISODE VII – THE FORCE AWAKENS will be available on a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo Pack on Tuesday, April 5th, 2016
The most acclaimed and enduring film music in Hollywood history, the original soundtracks of Star Wars Episodes I-VI will be reissued by Sony Classical in three new, definitive editions – Star Wars: The Ultimate Vinyl Collection(11 LPs), Star Wars: The Ultimate Soundtrack Collection (10 CDs plus DVD) and Star Wars: The Ultimate Digital Collection (hi-resolution download).
All composed by the legendary five-time Oscar-winning composer, John Williams, these unique collector’s sets are being reissued after the latest chapter in the saga, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, opens in theaters. All three of Sony Classical’s new soundtrack editions will be released worldwide January 8, 2016.
Star Wars: The Ultimate Vinyl Collection includes each of the six film soundtracks – from Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace to Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi – in deluxe gatefold sleeves faithfully replicating the original artwork. Audio was transferred from the original LP masters using the highest resolution (up to 192kHz/24bit) and pressed with heavy 180 gram vinyl. The six double-LP sets are presented in a black, soft-touch laminated slipcase with an embossed, hot silver foil Star Wars logo, which includes a digital download card for one complete box set (all six soundtracks).
Star Wars: The Ultimate Soundtrack Collection includes the original six soundtracks in mini album jackets on 9 CDs, plus a bonus CD featuring a new audio interview with Harrison Ford (Han Solo) alongside an interview with John Williams. Also included is the DVDStar Wars: A Musical Journey, a one hour special hosted by actor Ian McDiarmid (Chancellor Palpatine) highlighting select musical themes alongside key sequences from the films. Rounding out the set are a fold-out poster and three collectible stickers.
Since Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope was released in 1977, composer John Williams’ scores have defined the soaring adventure for all six episodes in the saga. Williams won the Academy Award® for Best Original Score for the series’ first film and received Oscar nominations for Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983). His Star Wars music has also won four Grammy Awards, two BAFTA Awards and a Golden Globe.
Williams continues his association with the Star Wars saga, composing the score for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, to be released worldwide in December 2015.
Celebrate the April 10th digital release of the Star Wars saga with this collection of fun facts and interstellar statistics. For the first time ever, all six epic films in the Saga, from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi, will be available on Digital HD.
Want more behind-the-scenes revelations? Then check out the extras on Star Wars: The Digital Collection.
Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn rescue Queen Amidala, ruler of a peaceful planet invaded by dark forces. On their escape, they discover nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker, a child prodigy who is unusually strong in the Force.
Anakin Skywalker’s Podracer in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was created from an interesting collection of vehicles and props. The front of the shuttle, in which Anakin sits, was made from the shell of a 1960’s racing car called a Maserati Birdcage.
It took three to four months to create many of the intricate and lavish costumes worn by Natalie Portman as Padmé Amidala. Much of the fine detailing was hand stitched to couture levels by a talented wardrobe team.
In total, a team of 45 animators worked on Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. The team created more than 60 digital characters, including Jar Jar Binks. A crew of 15 animators worked solely on the iconic Gungan from the planet Naboo.
STAR WARS: ATTACK OF THE CLONES
When Jedi apprentice Anakin Skywalker is assigned to protect Senator Padmé Amidala, he discovers his love for her…and his own darker side. Obi-Wan Kenobi uncovers a secret clone army as the galaxy marches towards full-scale war.
Look carefully at the head statues in the Jedi Archives that Obi-Wan visits in Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones. The busts are sculpted in the shape of some very famous Star Wars faces including George Lucas, animation director Rob Coleman, model supervisor Brian Gernand and visual effects supervisors Pablo Helman and John Knoll.
A secluded lakeside retreat in Lake Como was the romantic setting used as the location for Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala’s first kiss. George Lucas was on vacation in Lake Como – and in the process of writing the script for the movie – when he decided that the ultra romantic setting would be perfect for the film.
The scene where Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan travel in an elevator at the start of Episode II wasn’t in the original script. George Lucas wanted to add an introductory scene to the movie to show how well these two characters get along, even though there is a little tension between them in the scene that follows.
C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels makes a cameo appearance in the movie’s club scene behind Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker. Daniels is not in his C-3PO outfit for the shot, but the actor’s face is clear to see. Can you spot him?
The calm Kaminoan race appears briefly in Attack Of The Clones. They are a very graceful and serene alien race – but they were completely CG in the movie. Fashion models and the elegance of tai chi inspired the movie’s animators in creating Kaminoan characters Taun We and Lama Su.
STAR WARS: REVENGE OF THE SITH
Clone Wars rage across the galaxy. The sinister Sith Lord seizes control of the Republic and corrupts Anakin Skywalker to be his dark apprentice, Darth Vader. Obi-Wan Kenobi must confront his fallen friend in an epic lightsaber duel.
In total, 72 sets created for Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith. The largest set was the stage where Anakin Skywalker has an epic lightsaber battle with Count Dooku [played by Christopher Lee in the movie].
Christopher Lee wasn’t on set when the fight scene between Count Dooku and Anakin Skywalker was shot. A stunt man performed the fighting choreography and his face was replaced with Lee’s. In other parts of the scene, a completely digital Count Dooku was used, too.
Adding a mechanical arm to Hayden Christensen’s body in the movie’s bedroom scene was an interesting challenge for the Star Wars special effects team. During the filming of the shirtless scene, Christensen wore a blue glove on set. The special effects crew later replaced the glove with a computer-generated robotic arm for the finished film.
George Lucas and his two daughters make a cameo appearance in the hallway of the movie’s elegant opera scene. George’s daughters refused to appear in the movie unless their father joined them. In the finished film footage, the director has a blue face and can be spotted talking to his younger daughter. His oldest daughter is in the center of the hallway as Anakin Skywalker runs past.
STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE
Young farm boy Luke Skywalker is thrust into a galaxy of adventure when he intercepts a distress call from the captive Princess Leia. The event launches him on a daring mission to rescue her from the clutches of Darth Vader and the Evil Empire.
Despite being a big-budget blockbuster, the creative team often built props as economically as possible. For example, the pod that C-3PO and R2-D2 use to escape in Star Wars: A New Hope was created from two paint buckets. It was only used in two shots in the movie.
Ben Burtt is a Lucasfilm icon who created the many sounds of Star Wars. To research the sound of the Star Destroyer at the start of Episode IV, he had a fairly unsuccessful recording expedition to White Sands Missile Range. The sound designer was invited to record a number of military and scientific rockets taking off – but the result was crackly and poppy rather than the deep, rumbling and booming rocket engine. The sounds couldn’t be used as he’d hoped.
Look closely at the asteroids in A New Hope. The creative team was criticized that their asteroid designs resembled potatoes – but if you look in the far distance during Millennium Falcon chase scenes of A New Hope, real potatoes were actually used!
Archivists at Lucasfilm recently discovered the original lightsaber prop from Star Wars: Episode IV. You can see the discovery in all its glory in the bonus extras from the new digital release, Star Wars: The Digital Collection. What else will you discover with the new extras? Between 1975 and 1978, Charles Lippincott interviewed the cast and crew of Star Wars: A New Hope. These tapes remained lost for 40 years… Until now! You can hear excerpts from the tapes in the exclusive extras for the new digital release.
STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
The Rebels scatter after the Empire attacks their base on the ice planet Hoth. Han Solo and Princess Leia are pursued by Imperials, while Luke trains with Jedi Master Yoda. Luke must battle Darth Vader and learns the shocking truth of his past.
In the Star Wars fan world, there’s a lot of controversy about the color of the coat Han Solo wears on the planet Hoth in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Many fans think the coat is blue, but it’s actually brown. You can see it in the bonus extras of Star Wars: The Digital Collection.
If Anthony Daniels fell over in his C-3PO costume, he couldn’t get up on his own. The costume wasn’t very flexible at all. In fact, the actor couldn’t sit down whilst wearing it. Whenever you see C-3PO sitting in The Empire Strikes Back, either you don’t see below the waist or Anthony would sit down on set without the costume and they would build it up around him.
Which everyday kitchen item was used to create the sound of C-3PO moving in the early movies? According to Ben Burtt, it was a couple of ice-cube trays being bashed around.
Harrison Ellenshaw – Matte Painting Supervisor for Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back – is no stranger to Disney. Harrison is the son of Peter Ellenshaw, who was a matte painter for Disney for many, many years. Peter worked on iconic movies including Mary Poppins, Bedknobs And Broomsticks and Swiss Family Robinson – and he was named a Disney Legend in 1993. Harrison can be seen talking about the use of matte paintings in the Star Wars saga in the bonus extras for the new digital release, Star Wars: The Digital Collection.
STAR WARS: THE RETURN OF THE JEDI
The Empire prepares to crush the Rebellion with a more powerful Death Star. The Rebel fleet counters with a massive attack on the space station. Luke Skywalker confronts Darth Vader in a final climactic duel.
Listen up when the carbonite block in which Han Solo is encased falls to the floor in Star Wars: The Return Of The Jedi. What was used to create the sound of the carbonite mass hitting the ground? Ben Burtt simply recorded the sound of a big garbage dumpster outside his home.
The iconic shot of Han Solo breaking out of the carbonite block was an interesting challenge for the movie’s special effects team. The crew made a wax figure of Harrison Ford and shone a bright light behind it for part of the epic transformation.
It was a huge task to move the mammoth life-size puppet of Jabba The Hutt on the set of Star Wars: The Return Of The Jedi. The special effects team had to stand behind and inside the character in order to try and make him move as realistically as possible. There’s a crewmember in the tail of Jabba, along with two crewmembers on remote controls, which were used to move the tongue and the eyes of the behemoth character.
The sand dune backgrounds for the scenes in which Jabba The Hutt’s barge heads to the Sarlacc Pit were all shot in Yuma, Arizona. When the background scenes were being shot, a sound crew was sent into the dunes – but the main thing they captured was sand in their equipment due to the high winds in the area! Instead, the sound crew headed off to a local naval air station where they recorded jets landing and taking off. These sounds became the basis for a lot of the speeder bikes seen later in the movie.
“I just love listening to Wolfman. My Mom won’t let me at home. Because he’s a Negro. I think he’s terrific!”
AMERICAN GRAFFITI will screen in 35mm at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium Friday February 20th at 7:30pm. The screening will be introduced by Webster University Professor Joe Schuster.
You can have all the STAR WARS movies, Episodes One through whatever – I’ll trade them all straight up for AMERICAN GRAFFITI and consider myself as having got the best end of the deal.
AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973) was only George Lucas’ second major film as a director (though he was already plenty experienced at filmmaking) and it is an extraordinary movie that has aged wonderfully. AMERICAN GRAFFITI chronicles one long night in the lives of some recent high school graduates in a north California in 1962. But it’s not just a look at the teenage ritual of cruising. By the time the next day is dawning, the main characters have all learned lessons about life and themselves and glimpsed the directions their futures will go in.
A group of talented young actors form the core of the large cast in this film. Ronny Howard, as he’s billed here, pulls off the formidable task of turning in a performance that makes one forget about his past as a well-known child actor from a popular TV show. He plays Steve, an All-American boy eager to enter the new world of college, which means leaving home. He talks with his girlfriend Laurie (Cindy Williams) about how their relationship might change now that they’re both soon to be worldly adults. Perhaps they should consider seeing other people. Fighting ensues between the two, causing Laurie to at least temporarily abandon him for another cruiser, one in whom she has no interest whatsoever.
Steve’s good friend Curt likes to have a good time too, but he’s also a sensitive budding writer. His great ambition is to shake JFK’s hand. But he’s having his doubts this evening about going away to college, something Steve can hardly believe he’s hearing. He spends the night getting mixed up with a local gang and chasing a fantasy woman he sees at a stoplight. Another friend, Terry (or “Toad”), played by Charlie Martin Smith, is in heaven this evening. This Vespa-driving, awkward bumbler is to be entrusted with Steve’s fine automobile while he’s away. In it he picks up a fast girl with a bit of a reputation who under normal circumstances he’d never have a chance with. The group is rounded out by Big John Milner (Paul Le Mat), king of the cruisers who can outrun all challengers in his rod. But this local legend is once again going to be left behind by another group of high-school grads while he cruises the same strip.
There are also several other fine supporting performances, led by a young Mackenzie Phillips as a 13-year old who gets pawned off on Big John. Bo Hopkins also shines as the leader of the small-time local gang, the Pharaohs. Also seen here are Harrison Ford and Kathy (Kathleen) Quinlan in their pre-star days. In addition, Suzanne Somers, “the girl in the white T-Bird,” has one of the most effective cameo roles in Hollywood history.
All the actors mentioned are good ones, but they all benefit from Lucas’ guidance. The film is enlivened by a knowledgeable choice of period rock & roll which serves as a pervasive but unobtrusive backdrop for the action. The conclusion wraps things up beautifully as we get a taste of what will happen to these characters we’ve come to care so much about in this short time. George Lucas may have made films with more flash and more popular appeal, but none has more heart and soul than AMERICAN GRAFFITI, a true classic of American cinema. Movie lovers will get a chance to experience AMERICAN GRAFFITI CAUSE in all of its 35mm glory when it plays on the big screen this Friday, February 20th at 7:30 at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 E. Lockwood in Webster Groves), one of the last venues in St. Louis that can screen 35mm film prints. It’s part of Webster University’s Centennial Film Series – a look at the Movies that Defined the Past 100 Years.
The Webster University Film Series, housed in the School of Communications, is the Midwest’s premier hosting venue for American and foreign films. The Series is host to speakers and visiting artists who address the pertinent issues in films presented. In an effort to further integrate film with education, the Film Series provides workshops with artists and experts.
Unless otherwise noted, admission is:
$6 for the general public $5 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools $4 for Webster University staff and faculty
Free for Webster students with proper I.D.
Advance tickets are available from the cashier before each screening or contact the Film Series office (314-246-7525) for more options. The Film Series can only accept cash or check.
Winifred Moore Auditorium (470 E. Lockwood, Webster Groves, MO 63119) :
Directions: Taking Highway 44 East, exit left on Elm Ave. Make a right on East Lockwood Ave. Immediately after passing Plymouth Ave., there will be a parking lot entrance to your right (lot B). Winifred Moore Auditorium is behind Webster Hall
“Strange Magic,” a new animated film from Lucasfilm Ltd., is a fairy tale—but not your average fairy tale. It’s a madcap musical with a princess who has sworn off love, a vulnerable villain, a slightly nutty Sugar Plum Fairy, a tenacious and big-hearted elf, a mischievous imp, and a knight who is no Prince Charming.
With Marius DeVries serving as musical director and soundtrack producer, the Strange Magic digital soundtrack from Buena Vista Records is now available at digital retail.
The physical CD will be available on Feb. 17. “Strange Magic” from Touchstone Pictures will be in theaters on Jan. 23, 2015.
“Strange Magic” welcomes an extraordinary roster of voice talent, including Alan Cumming (CBS’ “The Good Wife,” Broadway’s “Cabaret”) as Bog King, Evan Rachel Wood (“The Ides of March“) as feisty fairy Marianne, Elijah Kelley (“Hairspray,” “Lee Daniels’The Butler”) as lovelorn elf Sunny, newcomer Meredith Anne Bull as Marianne’s lovesick sister Dawn, Sam Palladio (ABC’s “Nashville“) as heartbreaker Roland, Kristin Chenoweth (Broadway’s “Wicked”) as the potion-making Sugar Plum Fairy, Maya Rudolph(“Big Hero 6,” “Bridesmaids”) as Bog’s mum Griselda, Alfred Molina (“Chocolat”) as the Fairy King, and Bob Einstein (HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and Peter Stormare (“Fargo“) as Stuff and Thang, Bog’s loyal goblin assistants.
“I wanted to do something fun and happy yet unexpected,” says executive producer George Lucas. “It’s a story about love and how the most unlikely people fall in love. It’s about finding true beauty in someone’s soul regardless of how they look.”
Music producer Marius de Vries (“Moulin Rouge”) serves as both the musical director and composer, and chose the songs in collaboration with music supervisor Steven Gizicki, weaving together new versions of favorite songs from the last six decades—including songs made famous by artists ranging from Mickey & Sylvia and Elvis Presley to Kelly Clarkson, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. De Vries says he took Lucas’ lead when it came to the stylistic anchors of the film’s music. “Each of the kingdoms’ tribes is colored by a specific genre of pop music drawn from a very eclectic and diverse range of periods and styles, and woven into a narrative tapestry that still manages to feel coherent and emotionally logical.”
Director Gary Rydstrom says ‘American Graffiti’ was one of the inspirations for the movie. “But for ‘Strange Magic,’ we took the idea a step further,” he says. “Every song helped tell the story, but because the songs come with such history, they evoke emotional tugs on your heart strings.”
Adds Lucas, “I love telling stories with music. ‘Strange Magic’ may take a different approach than we did with ‘American Graffiti,’ but I had just as much fun. I love all kinds of music from classical to ethnic to contemporary. Since childhood, music has been an important part of my life.
“I chose Marius [de Vries] as the musical director because I loved what he did with ‘Moulin Rouge,'” Lucas continues. “And I’ve turned to Gary [Rydstrom] for many years for his talent in sound design. I’ve always thought that sound and music were just as important as the visuals in a film. It was an extraordinary experience to work with such a dynamic duo on such an intricate collection of songs and the complementary score.”
The track list follows:
1. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” Performed by Evan Rachel Wood and Sam Palladio 2. “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” Performed by Evan Rachel Wood 3. “Three Little Birds” Performed by Elijah Kelley and Meredith Anne Bull 4. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” Performed by Marius DeVries 5. “C’mon Marianne / Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” Performed by Sam Palladio and Evan Rachel Wood 6. “Trouble” Performed by Alan Cumming 7. “Love Is Strange” Performed by Kristin Chenoweth 8. “Say Hey” Performed by Elijah Kelley 9. “Mistreated” Performed by Alan Cumming 10. “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” Performed by Meredith Anne Bull 11. “Straight On” Performed by Evan Rachel Wood and Alan Cumming 12. “Strange Magic” Performed by Evan Rachel Wood and Alan Cumming 13. “Tell Him / Wild Thing” Performed by Meredith Anne Bull, Maya Rudolph, Evan Rachel Wood and Alan Cumming
Soundtrack Album Producers: Marius de Vries and Steven Gizicki
The Strange Magic digital soundtrack is available on January 20, with a physical release set for February 17.
