Frank Capra was a three-time Oscar winner who dominated the box office throughout the 1930s with his populist fables, nicknamed “Capra-corn.” Yet how many of these titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at 12 of Capra’s greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1897 in Siciliy, Italy, Capra came to the United States with his family in 1903. His work often reflected an idealized vision of the American dream, perhaps spurned by his own experiences as an immigrant. Depression-era audiences lapped up his sweetly sentimental screwball comedies, which often centered on the plight of the common man.
He earned his first Oscar nomination for directing “Lady for a Day” (1933), and his loss was infamously embarrassing: when presented Will Rogers opened the envelope, he said, “Come up and get it, Frank!” Capra bounded to the stage, only to learned that Frank Lloyd (“Cavalcade”) has won instead.
No matter, because...
Born in 1897 in Siciliy, Italy, Capra came to the United States with his family in 1903. His work often reflected an idealized vision of the American dream, perhaps spurned by his own experiences as an immigrant. Depression-era audiences lapped up his sweetly sentimental screwball comedies, which often centered on the plight of the common man.
He earned his first Oscar nomination for directing “Lady for a Day” (1933), and his loss was infamously embarrassing: when presented Will Rogers opened the envelope, he said, “Come up and get it, Frank!” Capra bounded to the stage, only to learned that Frank Lloyd (“Cavalcade”) has won instead.
No matter, because...
- 5/10/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
With Good Kill in UK cinemas this week, Ryan looks back at writer-director Andrew Niccol’s classic sci-fi debut, 1997's Gattaca...
It’s all there in that swooning opening music: Gattaca isn’t just another sleek film about the future. The feature debut of New Zealand-born director Andrew Niccol, the smart, elegant, intensely moving Gattaca may just be his finest film to date.
The film introduces us to Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), who’s in the process of a carrying out a painstaking daily ritual: shaving every stray hair from his body, exfoliating his skin and burning the material left behind - it’s as though Vincent’s treating himself as a crime scene.
Vincent lives in a future where genetic profiling has divided society into Valids - those whose DNA has been fettled to perfection by scientists before birth - and In-valids - those conceived naturally, with all potential genetic flaws it involves.
It’s all there in that swooning opening music: Gattaca isn’t just another sleek film about the future. The feature debut of New Zealand-born director Andrew Niccol, the smart, elegant, intensely moving Gattaca may just be his finest film to date.
The film introduces us to Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), who’s in the process of a carrying out a painstaking daily ritual: shaving every stray hair from his body, exfoliating his skin and burning the material left behind - it’s as though Vincent’s treating himself as a crime scene.
Vincent lives in a future where genetic profiling has divided society into Valids - those whose DNA has been fettled to perfection by scientists before birth - and In-valids - those conceived naturally, with all potential genetic flaws it involves.
- 4/8/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
The St. Louis Globe-Democrat is a monthly newspaper run by Steve DeBellis, a well know St. Louis historian, and it’s the largest one-man newspaper in the world. The concept of The Globe is that there is an old historic headline, then all the articles in that issue are written as though it’s the year that the headline is from. It’s an unusual concept but the paper is now in its 27th successful year! Steve and I collaborated in 2011 on an all-Vincent Price issue of The Globe and he has asked me to write a regular monthly movie-related column. Since there is no on-line version of The Globe, I will be posting all of my articles here at We Are Movie Geeks. Since this month’s St. Louis Globe-Democrat is written as if it’s 1959, I decided to write about two of my favoririte films from that...
- 5/12/2014
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
As if he isn't already busy enough with his thriving movie career and family responsibilities, Brad Pitt is adding yet another job to his resume, furniture designer!
The Moneyball star, 48, is teaming up with furniture maker Frank Pollaro -- who is noted for creating impeccable reproductions of Art Deco furnishings -- to design his own line, according to Architectural Digest.
Video: Brad Pitt Debuts Full-Length Chanel Ad
Pitt will kick off his collection by debuting about a dozen pieces, including tables, chairs, and "one rather fantastic bed," during a public showing in New York from November 13-15.
"I've been doodling ideas for buildings and furniture since the early 1990s, when I first discovered [Charles Rennie] Mackintosh and Frank Lloyd Wright, Pitt tells the magazine. "Actually, I found Wright in college, when looking for a lazy two-point credit to get out of French. It forever changed my life."
Video: Sneak Peek of Brad Pitt in Killing Them Softly
The star remained...
The Moneyball star, 48, is teaming up with furniture maker Frank Pollaro -- who is noted for creating impeccable reproductions of Art Deco furnishings -- to design his own line, according to Architectural Digest.
Video: Brad Pitt Debuts Full-Length Chanel Ad
Pitt will kick off his collection by debuting about a dozen pieces, including tables, chairs, and "one rather fantastic bed," during a public showing in New York from November 13-15.
"I've been doodling ideas for buildings and furniture since the early 1990s, when I first discovered [Charles Rennie] Mackintosh and Frank Lloyd Wright, Pitt tells the magazine. "Actually, I found Wright in college, when looking for a lazy two-point credit to get out of French. It forever changed my life."
Video: Sneak Peek of Brad Pitt in Killing Them Softly
The star remained...
- 11/5/2012
- Entertainment Tonight
Joss Whedon fans, get ready for a taste of what's to come in his upcoming movie "The Cabin in the Woods." The film just released their first movie poster and it looks like Frank Lloyd Wright mixed with M. C. Escher mixed with scary.
The film is a twist on the young, attractive kids stuck in the woods story we've seen countless times in movies like "Friday the 13th" (and all its incarnations) and "The Blair Witch Project." It stars Amy Acker, Chris Hemsworth, Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford.
It's set for an April 13 release. Just a couple weeks later, Whedon's much larger film, "The Avengers," (also with Hemsworth) is coming out.
"The Cabin in the Woods" is directed by Drew Goddard, who has worked with Whedon countless times on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel." He's also directed a number of episodes of "Lost."...
The film is a twist on the young, attractive kids stuck in the woods story we've seen countless times in movies like "Friday the 13th" (and all its incarnations) and "The Blair Witch Project." It stars Amy Acker, Chris Hemsworth, Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford.
It's set for an April 13 release. Just a couple weeks later, Whedon's much larger film, "The Avengers," (also with Hemsworth) is coming out.
"The Cabin in the Woods" is directed by Drew Goddard, who has worked with Whedon countless times on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel." He's also directed a number of episodes of "Lost."...
- 12/3/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
New York City's Film Forum will salute director Nicholas Ray with a 14-film retrospective, July 24 through August 6.
Born Nicholas Raymond Kienzle in Galesville, Wisconsin, Ray won a scholarship at age 16 to study drama and architecture at the University of Chicago, and would later earn a fellowship with Frank Lloyd Wright. Following college, he moved to New York, where he joined Elia Kazan's Theatre of Action.
Upon moving to Hollywood, Ray was hired as an assistant for Kazan's first film, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn." He made his directorial debut at Rko in 1947 with the noir classic "They Live By Night." After directing seven more pictures at Rko, Ray became a free agent and produced some of his most memorable work, including "Johnny Guitar," "Rebel Without a Cause" and "Bigger Than Life." Ray's Hollywood career ended after he collapsed from nervous exhaustion on a set in 1962. Remaining in ill health...
Born Nicholas Raymond Kienzle in Galesville, Wisconsin, Ray won a scholarship at age 16 to study drama and architecture at the University of Chicago, and would later earn a fellowship with Frank Lloyd Wright. Following college, he moved to New York, where he joined Elia Kazan's Theatre of Action.
Upon moving to Hollywood, Ray was hired as an assistant for Kazan's first film, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn." He made his directorial debut at Rko in 1947 with the noir classic "They Live By Night." After directing seven more pictures at Rko, Ray became a free agent and produced some of his most memorable work, including "Johnny Guitar," "Rebel Without a Cause" and "Bigger Than Life." Ray's Hollywood career ended after he collapsed from nervous exhaustion on a set in 1962. Remaining in ill health...
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