There’s no shortage of brilliant detectives in novels, film and television, but one of the greatest — or at least the one with the fanciest facial hair — is Hercule Poirot. The Belgian investigator, created by Agatha Christie, has appeared 33 novels, more than 50 short stories, and has been played by a variety of iconic actors.
But for whatever reason, Poirot has only sporadically appeared on the big screen, with many of his earliest movie appearances being lost to time, while some of his other noteworthy adventures were rewritten as vehicles for Christie’s other beloved creation, Miss Marple.
Here we take a look at the various theatrically-released adventures of Hercule Poirot, from the 1930s to today, and see which of his mysteries were truly worth solving.
Photo credit: Columbia
Honorable Mention: “Murder By Death” (1976)
Neil Simon’s wacky spoof of the supersleuth genre, directed by Robert Moore, features an all-star cast...
But for whatever reason, Poirot has only sporadically appeared on the big screen, with many of his earliest movie appearances being lost to time, while some of his other noteworthy adventures were rewritten as vehicles for Christie’s other beloved creation, Miss Marple.
Here we take a look at the various theatrically-released adventures of Hercule Poirot, from the 1930s to today, and see which of his mysteries were truly worth solving.
Photo credit: Columbia
Honorable Mention: “Murder By Death” (1976)
Neil Simon’s wacky spoof of the supersleuth genre, directed by Robert Moore, features an all-star cast...
- 9/15/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
Synopsis
Broadway bound, the Muppets take Manhattan by storm in this magical musical about breaking into show business! Fresh out of college, Kermit, Fozzie, and the entire cast of Kermit’s musical “Manhattan Melodies” head for the Big Apple with plans to turn their small play into a big hit! All they need now is someone to produce their show! But when no one in town will even meet with them, it’s up to Kermit to believe hard enough for all of his friends that the show Will go on! Family entertainment has never been more fun than this comedy marking Frank Oz’s solo directorial debut.
Disc Details & Bonus Materials
4K Ultra HD Disc
Feature remastered in 4K resolution from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision, plus all-new Dolby Atmos immersive audio 4K picture and Atmos sound mix approved by director Frank Oz Also includes English 5.1 + mono...
Broadway bound, the Muppets take Manhattan by storm in this magical musical about breaking into show business! Fresh out of college, Kermit, Fozzie, and the entire cast of Kermit’s musical “Manhattan Melodies” head for the Big Apple with plans to turn their small play into a big hit! All they need now is someone to produce their show! But when no one in town will even meet with them, it’s up to Kermit to believe hard enough for all of his friends that the show Will go on! Family entertainment has never been more fun than this comedy marking Frank Oz’s solo directorial debut.
Disc Details & Bonus Materials
4K Ultra HD Disc
Feature remastered in 4K resolution from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision, plus all-new Dolby Atmos immersive audio 4K picture and Atmos sound mix approved by director Frank Oz Also includes English 5.1 + mono...
- 8/29/2023
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
NBC network dominated the 35th annual Primetime Emmys, with a groundbreaking drama continuing a winning streak, a little-watched sitcom making its name known and another sitcom proving the network might have cancelled it too soon. Eddie Murphy and Joan Rivers hosted the event on September 25, 1983. Rivers claimed she had waited nine years for an invitation to the Emmys, and would be wearing every dress she owed (which ended up being nine), and Murphy was excited about his first nomination. Read on for our Emmys flashback 40 years ago to 1983.
Two years prior, a little police drama had debuted, changing television with its realism and continuing storylines involving the personal lives of the characters. “Hill Street Blues” not only dominated the Nielsen ratings, but it won numerous Emmys throughout its run. This year would mark its third of four consecutive Best Drama Series victories, winning over “Cagney & Lacey,” “Fame,” “Magnum, P.I.” and “St. Elsewhere.
Two years prior, a little police drama had debuted, changing television with its realism and continuing storylines involving the personal lives of the characters. “Hill Street Blues” not only dominated the Nielsen ratings, but it won numerous Emmys throughout its run. This year would mark its third of four consecutive Best Drama Series victories, winning over “Cagney & Lacey,” “Fame,” “Magnum, P.I.” and “St. Elsewhere.
- 3/31/2023
- by Susan Pennington
- Gold Derby
Leave it to Edgar Allan Poe. While many probably associate the mercurial author and poet with horror milestones like “The Pit and the Pendulum” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” he’s also widely credited with inventing the detective story with his 1841 publication, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” Since then the genre of detective fiction has spanned untold numbers of short stories, novels, plays, radio shows, TV series, and of course, movies.
One of the subsets of detective fiction, the whodunit, remains almost interchangeable with the genre itself and one of its most popular variations. From the urbane, eccentric likes of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot to the more grizzled Sam Spade and Mike Hammer, to the shapeshifting meta-detective Ellery Queen, stories that allow the reader or viewer to solve the mystery right alongside the protagonist are an entertainment staple to this day, as borne out by...
One of the subsets of detective fiction, the whodunit, remains almost interchangeable with the genre itself and one of its most popular variations. From the urbane, eccentric likes of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot to the more grizzled Sam Spade and Mike Hammer, to the shapeshifting meta-detective Ellery Queen, stories that allow the reader or viewer to solve the mystery right alongside the protagonist are an entertainment staple to this day, as borne out by...
- 12/26/2022
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Trailblazing medical drama series “St. Elsewhere” celebrates its 40th anniversary on October 26. Gold Derby recently gathered together 10 cast members of the NBC program for a special reunion. All episodes from the six-season original run are now available for streaming on Hulu.
The series never had the greatest of overall ratings but was saved time and again by the Peacock network due to its Emmy wins and nominations, plus excellent demographics among the 18-49 viewers who advertisers coveted. The show was set at the fictional Boston hospital St. Eligius (nicknamed St. Elsewhere because its rundown conditions), tackling topical medical subjects with unexpected deaths among the patients and staff members throughout the six seasons airing 1982-1988.
SEEEmmys Best Drama Series gallery: Every winner in Emmy Awards history
“St. Elsewhere” was nominated at the Emmy Awards for all six seasons as Best Drama Series but lost to “Hill Street Blues” twice, “Cagney and Lacey” twice,...
The series never had the greatest of overall ratings but was saved time and again by the Peacock network due to its Emmy wins and nominations, plus excellent demographics among the 18-49 viewers who advertisers coveted. The show was set at the fictional Boston hospital St. Eligius (nicknamed St. Elsewhere because its rundown conditions), tackling topical medical subjects with unexpected deaths among the patients and staff members throughout the six seasons airing 1982-1988.
SEEEmmys Best Drama Series gallery: Every winner in Emmy Awards history
“St. Elsewhere” was nominated at the Emmy Awards for all six seasons as Best Drama Series but lost to “Hill Street Blues” twice, “Cagney and Lacey” twice,...
- 10/5/2022
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet, creators of the new Showtime series The Man Who Fell to Earth, talk to hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante about the movies that inspired them.
Show Notes:
Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary
Dirty Pretty Things (2002)
Amistad (1997)
Love Actually (2003)
Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)
Blazing Saddles (1974) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s Blazing Saddles Thanksgiving
Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
The Bad News Bears (1976) – Jessica Bendinger’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
Airplane! (1980) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Bambi (1942)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952) – John Landis trailer commentary
The Asphalt Jungle (1950) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
The Boy Friend (1971) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Yellow Submarine (1968) – George Hickenlooper...
Show Notes:
Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary
Dirty Pretty Things (2002)
Amistad (1997)
Love Actually (2003)
Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)
Blazing Saddles (1974) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s Blazing Saddles Thanksgiving
Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
The Bad News Bears (1976) – Jessica Bendinger’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
Airplane! (1980) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Bambi (1942)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952) – John Landis trailer commentary
The Asphalt Jungle (1950) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
The Boy Friend (1971) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Yellow Submarine (1968) – George Hickenlooper...
- 5/24/2022
- by Alex Kirschenbaum
- Trailers from Hell
By Tim McGlynn
“I am I, Don Quioxte, the man of La Mancha!”
Shout! Factory has released the 1973 film version of Broadway’s hit musical Man of La Mancha. Directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Peter O’ Toole, Sophia Loren and James Coco, this was United Artists’ follow-up to their hugely successful film version of Fiddler on the Roof. It was also one of the last of the roadshow attractions to play across the country. In the Chicago area, where I grew up, this meant a reserved seat engagement at the famed McClurg Court Theater.
Based on author Dale Wasserman’s stage hit, Man of La Mancha, and featuring music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion, itt starred the great Richard Kiley in the role of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes. Well-received by audiences at the time, the show won the 1965 Tony Award for Best Musical.
Mitch Leigh...
“I am I, Don Quioxte, the man of La Mancha!”
Shout! Factory has released the 1973 film version of Broadway’s hit musical Man of La Mancha. Directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Peter O’ Toole, Sophia Loren and James Coco, this was United Artists’ follow-up to their hugely successful film version of Fiddler on the Roof. It was also one of the last of the roadshow attractions to play across the country. In the Chicago area, where I grew up, this meant a reserved seat engagement at the famed McClurg Court Theater.
Based on author Dale Wasserman’s stage hit, Man of La Mancha, and featuring music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion, itt starred the great Richard Kiley in the role of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes. Well-received by audiences at the time, the show won the 1965 Tony Award for Best Musical.
Mitch Leigh...
- 7/18/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
By Tim McGlynn
“I am I, Don Quioxte, the man of La Mancha!”
Shout! Factory has released the 1973 film version of Broadway’s hit musical Man of La Mancha. Directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Peter O’ Toole, Sophia Loren and James Coco, this was United Artists’ follow-up to their hugely successful film version of Fiddler on the Roof. It was also one of the last of the roadshow attractions to play across the country. In the Chicago area, where I grew up, this meant a reserved seat engagement at the famed McClurg Court Theater.
Based on author Dale Wasserman’s stage hit, Man of La Mancha, and featuring music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion, itt starred the great Richard Kiley in the role of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes. Well-received by audiences at the time, the show won the 1965 Tony Award for Best Musical.
By Tim McGlynn
“I am I, Don Quioxte, the man of La Mancha!”
Shout! Factory has released the 1973 film version of Broadway’s hit musical Man of La Mancha. Directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Peter O’ Toole, Sophia Loren and James Coco, this was United Artists’ follow-up to their hugely successful film version of Fiddler on the Roof. It was also one of the last of the roadshow attractions to play across the country. In the Chicago area, where I grew up, this meant a reserved seat engagement at the famed McClurg Court Theater.
Based on author Dale Wasserman’s stage hit, Man of La Mancha, and featuring music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion, itt starred the great Richard Kiley in the role of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes. Well-received by audiences at the time, the show won the 1965 Tony Award for Best Musical.
- 7/18/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Glenn Close’s career is at a crossroads once again during awards season after earning her eighth Oscar nomination in the supporting actress category for her role as Mamaw, the chain-smoking, foul-mouthed, “Terminator” franchise fan and tough-love proponent who takes her struggling grandson under her wing in Ron Howard’s “Hillbilly Elegy.”
Some critics thought Close was the saving grace of the film based on J.D. Vance’s memoir that focuses on an Appalachian family who have fallen on hard times when their once-thriving steel mill town in Ohio is riddled by poverty, addiction, domestic abuse and dead-end jobs. But that didn’t stop her from also earning a dreaded Razzie nomination for her performance. She has the dishonor of joining a club of two other members who also competed in both contests for the same role: Amy Irving in 1983’s “Yentl” and James Coco in 1981’s “Only When I Laugh.
Some critics thought Close was the saving grace of the film based on J.D. Vance’s memoir that focuses on an Appalachian family who have fallen on hard times when their once-thriving steel mill town in Ohio is riddled by poverty, addiction, domestic abuse and dead-end jobs. But that didn’t stop her from also earning a dreaded Razzie nomination for her performance. She has the dishonor of joining a club of two other members who also competed in both contests for the same role: Amy Irving in 1983’s “Yentl” and James Coco in 1981’s “Only When I Laugh.
- 3/22/2021
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Glenn Close scored her eighth Oscar nomination on Monday for her role in “Hillbilly Elegy” — just days after the Razzies named the same performance one of the year’s worst.
This is only the third time an actor has been nominated for both an Oscar and a Razzie for the same role. The first was James Coco in 1981’s “Only When I Laugh,” and the second was Amy Irving for 1983’s “Yentl.” Neither Coco nor Irving won either award.
Close stars as Appalachian grandmother Bonnie “Mamaw” Vance opposite Amy Adams in “Hillbilly Elegy,” which was largely panned by critics upon its release last year. The actress is still looking to take home her first Oscar statue, and was nominated for best actress in a supporting role alongside Maria Bakalova (“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”), Olivia Colman (“The Father”), Amanda Seyfried (“Mank”) and Yuh-Jung Youn (“Minari”).
Meanwhile, Close was nominated for worst supporting...
This is only the third time an actor has been nominated for both an Oscar and a Razzie for the same role. The first was James Coco in 1981’s “Only When I Laugh,” and the second was Amy Irving for 1983’s “Yentl.” Neither Coco nor Irving won either award.
Close stars as Appalachian grandmother Bonnie “Mamaw” Vance opposite Amy Adams in “Hillbilly Elegy,” which was largely panned by critics upon its release last year. The actress is still looking to take home her first Oscar statue, and was nominated for best actress in a supporting role alongside Maria Bakalova (“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”), Olivia Colman (“The Father”), Amanda Seyfried (“Mank”) and Yuh-Jung Youn (“Minari”).
Meanwhile, Close was nominated for worst supporting...
- 3/15/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Disney Plus has added a content disclaimer to the beginning of 18 episodes of “The Muppet Show,” which started streaming on the platform on Friday.
“This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now,” the disclaimer reads. “Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together.”
The disclaimer has been added to a total of 18 episodes throughout the show’s five seasons, including those guest hosted by Jim Nabors, Joel Grey, Steve Martin, Peter Sellers, Cleo Laine, James Coco, Spike Milligan, Crystal Gayle, Kenny Rogers, Beverly Sills, Jonathan Winters, Alan Arkin, James Coburn, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Debbie Harry, Wally Boag and Marty Feldman. The label has been added to each episode for a different reason; but for example, during Cash’s episode,...
“This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now,” the disclaimer reads. “Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together.”
The disclaimer has been added to a total of 18 episodes throughout the show’s five seasons, including those guest hosted by Jim Nabors, Joel Grey, Steve Martin, Peter Sellers, Cleo Laine, James Coco, Spike Milligan, Crystal Gayle, Kenny Rogers, Beverly Sills, Jonathan Winters, Alan Arkin, James Coburn, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Debbie Harry, Wally Boag and Marty Feldman. The label has been added to each episode for a different reason; but for example, during Cash’s episode,...
- 2/21/2021
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Hollywood screenwriter Guy Thomas died Friday at his home in Ventura County, Calif., of a suspected heart attack, his friend Gerri Malcolm confirmed to Variety. He was 66.
Thomas was best known for his screenplay of “The Magic of Belle Isle,” directed by Rob Reiner and starring Morgan Freeman as a struggling alcoholic writer and Virginia Madsen as his neighbor. His other screenplay credits include 1980’s “Wholly Moses!” and 2001’s “Chasing Destiny.”
Before his death, Thomas was working on an alt-history science fiction Western series, “Billy Stars,” with Oscar-nominated producer David Valdes.
Born in Bay Shore, N.Y., Thomas grew up in Georgia, where he first wrote for live theater and eventually for the screen. He sold his first screenplay, “Jungle Boy,” when he was 22. Columbia Pictures head David Begelman hired Thomas as a staff writer of the ABC Series “Carter Country” as an incentive to get him to move to Los Angeles,...
Thomas was best known for his screenplay of “The Magic of Belle Isle,” directed by Rob Reiner and starring Morgan Freeman as a struggling alcoholic writer and Virginia Madsen as his neighbor. His other screenplay credits include 1980’s “Wholly Moses!” and 2001’s “Chasing Destiny.”
Before his death, Thomas was working on an alt-history science fiction Western series, “Billy Stars,” with Oscar-nominated producer David Valdes.
Born in Bay Shore, N.Y., Thomas grew up in Georgia, where he first wrote for live theater and eventually for the screen. He sold his first screenplay, “Jungle Boy,” when he was 22. Columbia Pictures head David Begelman hired Thomas as a staff writer of the ABC Series “Carter Country” as an incentive to get him to move to Los Angeles,...
- 7/14/2020
- by Janet Lee
- Variety Film + TV
Peggy Pope, who played a secretary in the 1980 movie 9 to 5, appeared in dozens of TV series and acted on Broadway, has died. She was 91. Her family said Pope died May 27 in Fort Collins, Co, but did not give a cause of death.
Born Florence Pope on May 15, 1929, in Montclair, NJ, she began her long career on Broadway in the late 1950s, appearing in small roles in a handful of short-lived plays. She ultimately would appear in seven Main Stem shows through 1975, including the 1970 revival of Harvey, for which James Stewart reprised his Oscar-nominated lead role as Elwood P. Dowd from the 1950 film.
By 1966, she was working in TV and made a couple of big-screen appearances in the early ’70s. In 1973, she landed a series-regular role in Calucci’s Department, a CBS sitcom starring James Coco that lasted only a couple of months. Six years later, Pope scored another regular TV role in Billy,...
Born Florence Pope on May 15, 1929, in Montclair, NJ, she began her long career on Broadway in the late 1950s, appearing in small roles in a handful of short-lived plays. She ultimately would appear in seven Main Stem shows through 1975, including the 1970 revival of Harvey, for which James Stewart reprised his Oscar-nominated lead role as Elwood P. Dowd from the 1950 film.
By 1966, she was working in TV and made a couple of big-screen appearances in the early ’70s. In 1973, she landed a series-regular role in Calucci’s Department, a CBS sitcom starring James Coco that lasted only a couple of months. Six years later, Pope scored another regular TV role in Billy,...
- 6/2/2020
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
By Tim McGlynn
Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (Paramount 1970) introduces the title character, scarred by an acid attack, as she leaves the hospital and rents a dilapidated house in small town Massachusetts. Her roommates are Arthur, an introverted epileptic and Warren, a paraplegic who is also gay. Otto Preminger’s 1970 film, based the novel by Marjorie Kellog, has been missing in action until Olive Films’ Blu-ray and DVD release.
Liza Minnelli stars in this charming story as Junie Moon, physically and emotionally damaged by a horrific encounter with a psychotic lover. Actor-Director Robert Moore is Warren, who will not be limited by his wheelchair in the pursuit of love and happiness. Ken Howard is the shy Arthur, who suffers from seizures that seem to be brought on by stress.
After renting a small bungalow from the eccentric Miss Kellog (Kay Thompson), the three set up house and...
Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (Paramount 1970) introduces the title character, scarred by an acid attack, as she leaves the hospital and rents a dilapidated house in small town Massachusetts. Her roommates are Arthur, an introverted epileptic and Warren, a paraplegic who is also gay. Otto Preminger’s 1970 film, based the novel by Marjorie Kellog, has been missing in action until Olive Films’ Blu-ray and DVD release.
Liza Minnelli stars in this charming story as Junie Moon, physically and emotionally damaged by a horrific encounter with a psychotic lover. Actor-Director Robert Moore is Warren, who will not be limited by his wheelchair in the pursuit of love and happiness. Ken Howard is the shy Arthur, who suffers from seizures that seem to be brought on by stress.
After renting a small bungalow from the eccentric Miss Kellog (Kay Thompson), the three set up house and...
- 5/30/2019
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Walter Matthau plays a broke playboy and Elaine May the rich (and single) heiress who might be the key to his money problems. Director/writer May based this mildly black comedy on a short story by Jack Ritchie and peopled it with some of the funniest people on Broadway including Jack Weston and James Coco. The film’s murderous overtones, reminiscent of Chaplin’s Monsieur Verdoux, may have killed it at the box office — this useless trailer, easily the worst we’ve ever featured on Trailers from Hell, certainly didn’t help– but the critics loved it.
The post A New Leaf appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post A New Leaf appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 9/26/2018
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
It is ironic that Neil Simon, who died today at 91, got his inspiration to become a comedy writer from the movies into which he constantly escaped to forget the circumstances of his poor depression-era childhood. Even though he grew up in Washington Heights, much closer to Broadway than Hollywood, it was always the movies of the likes of Chaplin , Keaton and others that stuck with him and led to one of the most sterling careers ever for a writer. Yet by far his greatest success and appreciation came as one of the most successful playwrights of all time, a record of accomplishment that included a whopping 17 Tony nominations and three wins, a Pulitizer Prize for drama, and even as the rare playwright to have a theatre named after him. “I always feel more like a writer when I’m writing a play because of the tradition of the theater … there...
- 8/26/2018
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
This article marks Part 3 of the 21-part Gold Derby series Meryl Streep at the Oscars. Join us as we look back at Meryl Streep’s nominations, the performances that competed with her, the results of each race and the overall rankings of the contenders.
After a remarkable year in film in 1979, including her Academy Awards win for “Kramer vs. Kramer,” Meryl Streep took 1980 off from the big screen, instead focusing her energies on a stage musical of “Alice in Wonderland” that premiered at New York’s Public Theater in December 1980. While the production garnered middling notices, Streep received raves.
The following year, Streep not only returned to the screen but took on her first leading role in a screen adaptation of John Fowles‘ acclaimed 1969 novel “The French Lieutenant’s Woman.” Playwright Harold Pinter adapted the book for the screen and British filmmaker Karel Reisz, who worked wonders with Vanessa Redgrave...
After a remarkable year in film in 1979, including her Academy Awards win for “Kramer vs. Kramer,” Meryl Streep took 1980 off from the big screen, instead focusing her energies on a stage musical of “Alice in Wonderland” that premiered at New York’s Public Theater in December 1980. While the production garnered middling notices, Streep received raves.
The following year, Streep not only returned to the screen but took on her first leading role in a screen adaptation of John Fowles‘ acclaimed 1969 novel “The French Lieutenant’s Woman.” Playwright Harold Pinter adapted the book for the screen and British filmmaker Karel Reisz, who worked wonders with Vanessa Redgrave...
- 1/31/2018
- by Andrew Carden
- Gold Derby
Don’t despair, Jennifer Lawrence: Check out the other great performances that got Razzie nominations
Among this year’s Golden Raspberry Awards nominees are Jennifer Lawrence and Darren Aronofsky, up in Worst Actress and Worst Director respectively for the polarizing psychological thriller “mother!” The film, which earned mixed-to-positive reviews from critics but a damning ‘F’ grade from CinemaScore, is hardly the first picture to, despite many glowing notices, earn Razzie recognition. Not only have the Razzies honored outstanding work, they’ve even bestowed love upon Oscar-nominated performances. (Check out the complete list of Razzie Awards nominations here.)
Brian De Palma received a trio of Worst Director Razzie nominations for “Dressed to Kill” (1980); “Scarface” (1983); and “Body Double” (1984), all of which garnered mixed reviews at the time but now are widely seen as among the filmmaker’s best work. He would go on to, more deservedly, earn Worst Director nominations for the panned “The Bonfire of the Vanities” (1990) and “Mission to Mars” (2000).
See Hey Razzie Awards, Why!
Brian De Palma received a trio of Worst Director Razzie nominations for “Dressed to Kill” (1980); “Scarface” (1983); and “Body Double” (1984), all of which garnered mixed reviews at the time but now are widely seen as among the filmmaker’s best work. He would go on to, more deservedly, earn Worst Director nominations for the panned “The Bonfire of the Vanities” (1990) and “Mission to Mars” (2000).
See Hey Razzie Awards, Why!
- 1/24/2018
- by Andrew Carden
- Gold Derby
Filtered through her experience as an unequalled comic performer, writer-director Elaine May scores a bulls-eye with this grossly underappreciated gem, fashioned in a style that could be called ‘black comedy lite.’ And that’s the release version mangled by the producer. What might it have been if May had been allowed to finish her director’s cut?
A New Leaf Olive Signature
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 102 min. / Street Date December 5, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.99
Starring: Walter Matthau, Elaine May, Jack Weston, George Rose, James Coco, Doris Roberts, Renée Taylor, William Redfield, David Doyle.
Cinematography: Gayne Rescher
Original Music: Neal Hefti
Written by Elaine May from a story by Jack Ritchie
Produced by Hilliard Elkins, Howard W. Koch, Joseph Manduke
Directed by Elaine May
Olive’s next title up for Signature Collection status is A New Leaf, the directing debut of comedienne-writer Elaine May. It’s certainly a worthy title.
A New Leaf Olive Signature
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 102 min. / Street Date December 5, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.99
Starring: Walter Matthau, Elaine May, Jack Weston, George Rose, James Coco, Doris Roberts, Renée Taylor, William Redfield, David Doyle.
Cinematography: Gayne Rescher
Original Music: Neal Hefti
Written by Elaine May from a story by Jack Ritchie
Produced by Hilliard Elkins, Howard W. Koch, Joseph Manduke
Directed by Elaine May
Olive’s next title up for Signature Collection status is A New Leaf, the directing debut of comedienne-writer Elaine May. It’s certainly a worthy title.
- 12/9/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Tony Sokol Oct 14, 2016
Disney is looking for a Pirates Of The Caribbean-esque film adaptation of Don Quixote...
News has reached us that there will be a new Don Quixote movie, but it’s not the one we have been waiting for. Disney is developing a motion picture adaptation of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra’s 1605 novel about a man who believes he is a knight, and a country that thinks he’s a nut. Terry Gilliam, of course, has been trying to get his off the ground for years now. Documentaries have been written, shot and screened about his version, which is still in production hell (the latest was it was set to film this month, but further money troubles have put that back). Maybe if Terry put on Mouse ears.
The screenplay for Disney’s Don Quixote is being written by Billy Ray, who penned The Hunger Games and Captain Phillips.
Disney is looking for a Pirates Of The Caribbean-esque film adaptation of Don Quixote...
News has reached us that there will be a new Don Quixote movie, but it’s not the one we have been waiting for. Disney is developing a motion picture adaptation of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra’s 1605 novel about a man who believes he is a knight, and a country that thinks he’s a nut. Terry Gilliam, of course, has been trying to get his off the ground for years now. Documentaries have been written, shot and screened about his version, which is still in production hell (the latest was it was set to film this month, but further money troubles have put that back). Maybe if Terry put on Mouse ears.
The screenplay for Disney’s Don Quixote is being written by Billy Ray, who penned The Hunger Games and Captain Phillips.
- 10/13/2016
- Den of Geek
Troubling fact: the great director Otto Preminger's worst film is not Skidoo. Three physical misfits form an alternative family as a defense against the world. It's a good idea for a movie, but the writer and director do just about everything wrong that a writer and director can do. Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon Blu-ray Olive Films 1970 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 113 min. / Street Date August 16, 2016 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98 Starring Liza Minnelli, Ken Howard, Robert Moore, James Coco, Kay Thompson, Fred Williamson, Anne Revere, Pete Seeger, Pacific Gas & Electric, Ben Piazza, Emily Yancy, Leonard Frey, Clarice Taylor, Julie Bovasso, Barbara Logan, Nancy Marchand, Angelique Pettyjohn. Cinematography Boris Kaufman, Stanley Cortez Production Design Lyle R. Wheeler Charles Schramm Makeup effects Charles Schramm Film Editors Dean Ball, Henry Berman Original Music Philip Springer Written by Marjorie Kellogg from her novel Produced and Directed by Otto Preminger
Reviewed...
Reviewed...
- 8/20/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
'And Then There Were None' movie with Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Huston, June Duprez, Louis Hayward and Roland Young. 'And Then There Were None' movie remake to be directed by Oscar nominee Morten Tyldum One of the best-known Agatha Christie novels, And Then There Were None will be getting another big-screen transfer. 20th Century Fox has acquired the movie rights to the literary suspense thriller first published in the U.K. (as Ten Little Niggers) in 1939. Morten Tyldum, this year's Best Director Academy Award nominee for The Imitation Game, is reportedly set to direct. The source for this story is Deadline.com, which adds that Tyldum himself “helped hone the pitch” for the acquisition while Eric Heisserer (A Nightmare on Elm Street 2010, The Thing 2011) will handle the screenplay adaptation. And Then There Were None is supposed to have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, thus holding the...
- 9/29/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Ann-Margret movies: From sex kitten to two-time Oscar nominee. Ann-Margret: 'Carnal Knowledge' and 'Tommy' proved that 'sex symbol' was a remarkable actress Ann-Margret, the '60s star who went from sex kitten to respected actress and two-time Oscar nominee, is Turner Classic Movies' star today, Aug. 13, '15. As part of its “Summer Under the Stars” series, TCM is showing this evening the movies that earned Ann-Margret her Academy Award nods: Mike Nichols' Carnal Knowledge (1971) and Ken Russell's Tommy (1975). Written by Jules Feiffer, and starring Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkel, the downbeat – some have found it misogynistic; others have praised it for presenting American men as chauvinistic pigs – Carnal Knowledge is one of the precursors of “adult Hollywood moviemaking,” a rare species that, propelled by the success of disparate arthouse fare such as Vilgot Sjöman's I Am Curious (Yellow) and Costa-Gavras' Z, briefly flourished from...
- 8/14/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Murder mysteries are so commonplace on TV that each week offers seemingly dozens of them on police procedural series and detective shows. But in the movies, whodunits are surprisingly rare, and really good ones rarer still. There's really only a handful of movies that excel in offering the viewer the pleasure of solving the crime along with a charismatic sleuth, often with an all-star cast of suspects hamming it up as they try not to appear guilty.
One of the best was "Murder on the Orient Express," released 40 years ago this week, on November 24, 1974. Like many films adapted from Agatha Christie novels, this one featured an eccentric but meticulous investigator (in this case, Albert Finney as Belgian epicure Hercule Poirot), a glamorous and claustrophobic setting (here, the famous luxury train from Istanbul to Paris), and a tricky murder plot with an outrageous solution. The film won an Oscar for passenger...
One of the best was "Murder on the Orient Express," released 40 years ago this week, on November 24, 1974. Like many films adapted from Agatha Christie novels, this one featured an eccentric but meticulous investigator (in this case, Albert Finney as Belgian epicure Hercule Poirot), a glamorous and claustrophobic setting (here, the famous luxury train from Istanbul to Paris), and a tricky murder plot with an outrageous solution. The film won an Oscar for passenger...
- 11/28/2014
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
The Post-1960S, Pre-Digital Age: Real-time One-offs, 1975-1998
British filmmaker John Byrum is responsible for the first (and in some ways only) real-time period film. Inserts (1975), set in the early 1930s, is about a Boy Wonder movie director (called Boy Wonder, played by Richard Dreyfuss fresh from American Graffiti (1973) and Jaws (1975)) now washed up before the age of 30, resigned to making porn because of Hollywood’s conversion to sound. Not only is Inserts scrupulously real-time (with the exception of the opening credits sequence, which offers glimpses of the stag film we’re about to see made) and period, but it’s rather long for such a film, just shy of two hours. To tell the entire story would be spoiling the fun, but the Boy Wonder deals with recalcitrant actresses, the problem of his own potency, career problems, death, sex, after-death and after-sex…and in the end, as...
British filmmaker John Byrum is responsible for the first (and in some ways only) real-time period film. Inserts (1975), set in the early 1930s, is about a Boy Wonder movie director (called Boy Wonder, played by Richard Dreyfuss fresh from American Graffiti (1973) and Jaws (1975)) now washed up before the age of 30, resigned to making porn because of Hollywood’s conversion to sound. Not only is Inserts scrupulously real-time (with the exception of the opening credits sequence, which offers glimpses of the stag film we’re about to see made) and period, but it’s rather long for such a film, just shy of two hours. To tell the entire story would be spoiling the fun, but the Boy Wonder deals with recalcitrant actresses, the problem of his own potency, career problems, death, sex, after-death and after-sex…and in the end, as...
- 10/18/2014
- by Daniel Smith-Rowsey
- SoundOnSight
‘It's Only a Play’ Theater Review: Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick Remain Broadway's Funniest Team
If only it were a better play. After various incarnations, Terrence McNally's “It's Only a Play” has finally made it to Broadway, where it opened Thursday at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater in a production that reunites Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. Back in 1978, this backstage comedy was called “Broadway, Broadway,” starring Geraldine Page and James Coco, and closed in tryouts in Philadelphia, where it didn't live up to its title. McNally rewrote and retitled the play for productions in the 1980s, and this latest version updates the story of a disastrous post-opening night party to the present day. A.
- 10/10/2014
- by Robert Hofler
- The Wrap
On Wednesday, The Lone Ranger received multiple Razzie nominations, including the notorious Worst Picture nod. The next day, The Lone Ranger was nominated for an Oscar, for best makeup.
This isn’t the first movie to get nods from both ends of the spectrum. Since the Razzies first began back in 1981, 47 movies have been nominated for both “awards”– some even for the same exact person or song. Here’s a look at the club The Lone Ranger just joined:
The Competition
Oscar nods: Film editing, music (original song) for “People Alone” with music by Lalo Schifrin and lyrics by Wilbur...
This isn’t the first movie to get nods from both ends of the spectrum. Since the Razzies first began back in 1981, 47 movies have been nominated for both “awards”– some even for the same exact person or song. Here’s a look at the club The Lone Ranger just joined:
The Competition
Oscar nods: Film editing, music (original song) for “People Alone” with music by Lalo Schifrin and lyrics by Wilbur...
- 1/16/2014
- by Ariana Bacle
- EW.com - PopWatch
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Sept. 4, 2012
Price: DVD $24.95, Blu-ray $29.95
Studio: Olive Films
Walter Matthau prepares for the ride of his life in A New Leaf.
The 1971 comedy favorite A New Leaf marks the directorial debut of Elaine May (The Heartbreak Kid, Ishtar), who also penned the film’s screenplay.
Henry Graham (Walter Matthau, Who’s Got the Action?) is a man with a problem: he has run through his entire inheritance and is completely unequipped to provide for himself. His childhood guardian, Uncle Harry (James Coco, The Cheap Detective), refuses to give him a dime, so Henry devises a plan with the help of his imaginative butler (George Rose, Hawaii) to make his money the old-fashioned way – he can marry it. But he cannot see himself as a happily married man, so he comes up with an even more devious solution… with a temporary loan from his uncle, Henry has six...
Price: DVD $24.95, Blu-ray $29.95
Studio: Olive Films
Walter Matthau prepares for the ride of his life in A New Leaf.
The 1971 comedy favorite A New Leaf marks the directorial debut of Elaine May (The Heartbreak Kid, Ishtar), who also penned the film’s screenplay.
Henry Graham (Walter Matthau, Who’s Got the Action?) is a man with a problem: he has run through his entire inheritance and is completely unequipped to provide for himself. His childhood guardian, Uncle Harry (James Coco, The Cheap Detective), refuses to give him a dime, so Henry devises a plan with the help of his imaginative butler (George Rose, Hawaii) to make his money the old-fashioned way – he can marry it. But he cannot see himself as a happily married man, so he comes up with an even more devious solution… with a temporary loan from his uncle, Henry has six...
- 6/28/2012
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
Netflix has revolutionized the home movie experience for fans of film with its instant streaming technology. Netflix Nuggets is my way of spreading the word about independent, classic and foreign films made available by Netflix for instant streaming.
This Week’s New Instant Releases…
Promised Lands (1974)
Streaming Available: 04/19/2011
Cast: Documentary
Director: Susan Sontag
Synopsis: Set in Israel during the final days of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, this powerful documentary — initially barred by Israel authorities — from writer-director Susan Sontag examines divergent perceptions of the enduring Arab-Israeli clash. Weighing in on matters related to socialism, anti-Semitism, nation sovereignty and American materialism are The Last Jew writer Yoram Kaniuk and military physicist Yuval Ne’eman.
Vision: From the Life of Hildegard von Bingen (2009)
Streaming Available: 04/19/2011
Cast: Barbara Sukowa, Heino Ferch, Hannah Herzsprung, Gerald Alexander Held, Lena Stolze, Sunnyi Melles
Synopsis: Directed by longtime star of independent German cinema Margarethe von Trotta, this reverent...
This Week’s New Instant Releases…
Promised Lands (1974)
Streaming Available: 04/19/2011
Cast: Documentary
Director: Susan Sontag
Synopsis: Set in Israel during the final days of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, this powerful documentary — initially barred by Israel authorities — from writer-director Susan Sontag examines divergent perceptions of the enduring Arab-Israeli clash. Weighing in on matters related to socialism, anti-Semitism, nation sovereignty and American materialism are The Last Jew writer Yoram Kaniuk and military physicist Yuval Ne’eman.
Vision: From the Life of Hildegard von Bingen (2009)
Streaming Available: 04/19/2011
Cast: Barbara Sukowa, Heino Ferch, Hannah Herzsprung, Gerald Alexander Held, Lena Stolze, Sunnyi Melles
Synopsis: Directed by longtime star of independent German cinema Margarethe von Trotta, this reverent...
- 4/20/2011
- by Travis Keune
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
TCM's annual roundup of the best of film will be presented in February/March 2010. This month-long event will feature 360 Academy Award-nominated and winning movies, all presented uncut and commercial-free. The twist this year is that each movie is linked to the next movie in the lineup through a shared actor or actress. The event began Monday, Feb. 1, with Kevin Bacon and James Coco in Only When I Laugh (1981). Coco and Harry Andrews will then be featured in The Man of La Mancha (1972) at 8:15 a.m., followed by Andrews in 55 Days at Peking (1963) at 10:30 a.m. The 2010 edition will feature 22 films making their debut on TCM, including Gladiator (2000),...
- 2/7/2010
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
In the days leading up to the upcoming Academy Awards, Turner Classic Movies will be playing a long round of Oscar-nominated and winning films.
The vintage movie network will air its perennial special "31 Days of Oscar" starting February 1. Paying tribute to films that feature the best that the cinematic medium has to offer, the month-long programming block has a special theme for 2010.
This year's "31 Days" is styled after the game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon," which links actors movie by movie to the titular star. However, rather than six degrees, TCM will utilize a full circle with 360 degrees - 360 movies. Starting with Bacon himself, "31 Days" kicks off at 6 a.m. Et with the actor's "Only When I Laugh." The progression continues in a like format with Bacon's co-star, James Coco, in "Man of La Mancha." Coco's co-star, Harry Andrews, is then featured in "55 Days at Peking," and the sequence continues...
The vintage movie network will air its perennial special "31 Days of Oscar" starting February 1. Paying tribute to films that feature the best that the cinematic medium has to offer, the month-long programming block has a special theme for 2010.
This year's "31 Days" is styled after the game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon," which links actors movie by movie to the titular star. However, rather than six degrees, TCM will utilize a full circle with 360 degrees - 360 movies. Starting with Bacon himself, "31 Days" kicks off at 6 a.m. Et with the actor's "Only When I Laugh." The progression continues in a like format with Bacon's co-star, James Coco, in "Man of La Mancha." Coco's co-star, Harry Andrews, is then featured in "55 Days at Peking," and the sequence continues...
- 12/8/2009
- icelebz.com
Only two roles have been nominated for an Oscar and a Razzie. One was James Coco in "Only When I Laugh." (I'm not laughing — that's an outrage! 'Twas a great performance. Just campy.) What's the other? To see the answer, click the "Continue Reading" link underneath the photos. Answer: Amy Irving. Harvey Keitel and Jack Nicholson were nominated for Razzies for "Last Temptation" and "Hoffa," but not Oscars. Benigni won the Oscar for "Life Is Beautiful" in 1997, of course, but that role wasn't up for a Razzie. He won a Razzie in 2002 for "Pinocchio." More Gold Derby Awards Quizzes: Easiest Oscars quiz ever: What two films suffered the worst shutout? What film...
- 11/8/2009
- by tomoneil
- Gold Derby
The challenge of critiquing something like Bye Bye Monkey is that its storyline (if you can even call it that) is based in a logic so strange and unapproachable that there’s no way of telling what anyone else is going to get out of this movie. I know that I watched a movie, and can roughly recall the order in which events take place, but I am hard pressed to explain exactly how those things came together into what one would call a story. That’s not necessarily a fault, but it does make the experience difficult to relate.
Gerard Lafayette (Gerard Depardieu) is a young man of no particular distinction who makes his living in the slums of New York City by working odd jobs. One day, he comes across the body of King Kong washed up on a nearby beach, with his infant son (played by a...
Gerard Lafayette (Gerard Depardieu) is a young man of no particular distinction who makes his living in the slums of New York City by working odd jobs. One day, he comes across the body of King Kong washed up on a nearby beach, with his infant son (played by a...
- 7/14/2009
- by Anders Nelson
- JustPressPlay.net
Lionel Twain (Truman Capote) has invited the five greatest detectives to a "dinner and murder." How can they resist? Included are a blind butler, a deaf-mute maid, screams, spinning rooms, secret passages, false identities, and more plot turns and twists than are decently allowed.
When you see a plot summary like that, how can you resist? It's pure ridiculousness. Nine years before Clue, there was Neil Simon's Murder By Death -- a most excellent spoof on the classic literary detectives: Peter Falk as Sam Diamond (Spade), Elsa Lanchester as Jessica Marbles (Marple), David Niven and Maggie Smith as Dick and Dora Charleston (Charles), James Coco as Milo Perrier (Poirot), and Peter Sellers as Sidney Wang (Chan). Rounding out the cast, there's James Cromwell as a ridiculous French chauffeur, Eileen Brennan (of later Clue fame) as Spade's dame, Alec Guinness as the butler Bensonmum, Nancy Walker as the deaf-mute maid...
When you see a plot summary like that, how can you resist? It's pure ridiculousness. Nine years before Clue, there was Neil Simon's Murder By Death -- a most excellent spoof on the classic literary detectives: Peter Falk as Sam Diamond (Spade), Elsa Lanchester as Jessica Marbles (Marple), David Niven and Maggie Smith as Dick and Dora Charleston (Charles), James Coco as Milo Perrier (Poirot), and Peter Sellers as Sidney Wang (Chan). Rounding out the cast, there's James Cromwell as a ridiculous French chauffeur, Eileen Brennan (of later Clue fame) as Spade's dame, Alec Guinness as the butler Bensonmum, Nancy Walker as the deaf-mute maid...
- 6/22/2009
- by Monika Bartyzel
- Cinematical
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Cinema Retro columnist David Savage takes a look at Hollywood's most dubious career achievement.
.
Elizabeth Berkley in Showgirls: the film that inspired Whoopi Goldberg to say she hadn't seen this many poles abused since WWII.
In the run-up to this year’s Razzie nominations, to be announced Wednesday, January 21st for 2008’s “honorees” for the worst achievements in moviemaking, the longlist buzz is already getting press. If it’s any indication, 2008 must have been a stink-bomb banner year for movies as it’s rare for the press to report on the worst movies of the year just-passed, before the nominations are even announced.
Among the films emerging as leading contenders for 2008’s gold-plated raspberry statuette -- always bestowed on the eve of the “other” gold-plated statuette ceremony -- are: The Love Guru, Mike Myers’ laughless Bollywood debacle; Speed Racer, Disaster Movie,...
Cinema Retro columnist David Savage takes a look at Hollywood's most dubious career achievement.
.
Elizabeth Berkley in Showgirls: the film that inspired Whoopi Goldberg to say she hadn't seen this many poles abused since WWII.
In the run-up to this year’s Razzie nominations, to be announced Wednesday, January 21st for 2008’s “honorees” for the worst achievements in moviemaking, the longlist buzz is already getting press. If it’s any indication, 2008 must have been a stink-bomb banner year for movies as it’s rare for the press to report on the worst movies of the year just-passed, before the nominations are even announced.
Among the films emerging as leading contenders for 2008’s gold-plated raspberry statuette -- always bestowed on the eve of the “other” gold-plated statuette ceremony -- are: The Love Guru, Mike Myers’ laughless Bollywood debacle; Speed Racer, Disaster Movie,...
- 1/13/2009
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
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