Exclusive: Artists Equity has come on to Kiss of the Spider Woman, serving as the main studio and producer of the feature adaptation of the 1993 Broadway musical based on Manuel Puig’s landmark 1976 novel. Diego Luna and Tonatiuh will star in the adaptation as Valentin Arregui and Luis Molina, respectively. They join Jennifer Lopez, who was previously announced in the titular role. Puig’s novel was, of course, previously adapted for the screen by Héctor Babenco. That 1985 version was nominated for four Oscars, with William Hurt winning Best Actor.
The show, which won seven Tony Awards, was written by Terrence McNally with a score by composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb. The film is scripted and directed by Oscar winner Bill Condon, with Barry Josephson, Tom Kirdahy and Greg Yolen producing alongside Ben Affleck and Matt Damon for Artists Equity, which has secured independent financing for the film.
Michael Joe,...
The show, which won seven Tony Awards, was written by Terrence McNally with a score by composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb. The film is scripted and directed by Oscar winner Bill Condon, with Barry Josephson, Tom Kirdahy and Greg Yolen producing alongside Ben Affleck and Matt Damon for Artists Equity, which has secured independent financing for the film.
Michael Joe,...
- 4/9/2024
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
In a pairing that delighted '90s kids the world over, Adam Sandler and Brendan Fraser recently sat down for an interview as part of Variety's "Actors on Actors" series, serving as both an "Airheads" reunion for the pair and a conversation between two of the biggest and most bankable stars at the end of the 20th century. Fraser had his breakthrough role in the comedy "Encino Man," which showed his ability to play a charming, hilarious, and hunky character that has had a pretty unconventional upbringing. This performance, paired with his rising star in Hollywood, made him the perfect choice to play the titular "George of the Jungle" in Sam Weisman's film for Disney.
In talking about the role, Sandler playfully acknowledged that Fraser was "jacked" and so "good-looking" in the film that it disappointed him. "You weren't supposed to do that to us," he joked. "You did right by the character,...
In talking about the role, Sandler playfully acknowledged that Fraser was "jacked" and so "good-looking" in the film that it disappointed him. "You weren't supposed to do that to us," he joked. "You did right by the character,...
- 12/7/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Film-lover designed film posters in Rome in 1960s, including one for Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2.
David Weisman, the Oscar-nominated producer of Kiss Of The Spider Woman and an accomplished graphic artist, has died in Los Angeles from illness. He was 77.
Weisman passed away on October 9 at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles due to complications from neuroinvasive West Nile virus.
Born in Binghamton, New York, on March 11, 1942, Weisman attended Syracuse University’s School of Fine Arts in the early 1960’s. Inspired by La Dolce Vita, Weisman dropped out of college and travelled to Italy, where he found work designing film posters in Rome,...
David Weisman, the Oscar-nominated producer of Kiss Of The Spider Woman and an accomplished graphic artist, has died in Los Angeles from illness. He was 77.
Weisman passed away on October 9 at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles due to complications from neuroinvasive West Nile virus.
Born in Binghamton, New York, on March 11, 1942, Weisman attended Syracuse University’s School of Fine Arts in the early 1960’s. Inspired by La Dolce Vita, Weisman dropped out of college and travelled to Italy, where he found work designing film posters in Rome,...
- 10/18/2019
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
David Weisman, an Academy Award nominee as producer of Kiss of the Spider Woman and an accomplished graphic artist, died on October 9 from complications from neuroinvasive West Nile virus. He died in Los Angeles at Cedars Sinai at age 77, according to his publicist.
Born in Binghamton, New York, in March 1942, Weisman attended Syracuse University’s School of Fine Arts in the early 1960’s. Inspired by the classic Italian film La Dolce Vita and armed with a gift for languages, Weisman dropped out of college to design film-posters in Rome. There he met Federico Fellini, for whom he created a poster for 8 1/2 (Otto e mezzo).
Returning to New York, he collaborated with Otto Preminger, who asked him to create the title sequence for Hurry Sundown. He then became Preminger’s assistant on the film. Weisman also designed the key art for The Boys in the Band, among many others.
In 1967, with...
Born in Binghamton, New York, in March 1942, Weisman attended Syracuse University’s School of Fine Arts in the early 1960’s. Inspired by the classic Italian film La Dolce Vita and armed with a gift for languages, Weisman dropped out of college to design film-posters in Rome. There he met Federico Fellini, for whom he created a poster for 8 1/2 (Otto e mezzo).
Returning to New York, he collaborated with Otto Preminger, who asked him to create the title sequence for Hurry Sundown. He then became Preminger’s assistant on the film. Weisman also designed the key art for The Boys in the Band, among many others.
In 1967, with...
- 10/18/2019
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
David Weisman, who was Oscar-nominated as producer of “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” died Oct. 9 in Los Angeles due to complications from West Nile virus. He was 77.
Weisman had a long career as a graphic designer and photographer and co-wrote and co-directed cult classic “Ciao! Manhattan” about 1960s icon Edie Sedgwick.
Born in Binghamton, N.Y., Weisman dropped out of Syracuse University in the early 1960s to design film posters in Rome. He met Federico Fellini and created a poster for “8 1/2” before returning to New York to work with Otto Preminger on “Hurry Sundown.” He also designed the key art for “The Boys in the Band” and many other films.
On “Ciao! Manhattan” he partnered with John Palmer, an alumnus of Andy Warhol’s Factory. He worked as associate director on avant-garde film “The Telephone Book” and created “Shogun Assassin,” edited from a series of Japanese samurai movies.
Weisman begin...
Weisman had a long career as a graphic designer and photographer and co-wrote and co-directed cult classic “Ciao! Manhattan” about 1960s icon Edie Sedgwick.
Born in Binghamton, N.Y., Weisman dropped out of Syracuse University in the early 1960s to design film posters in Rome. He met Federico Fellini and created a poster for “8 1/2” before returning to New York to work with Otto Preminger on “Hurry Sundown.” He also designed the key art for “The Boys in the Band” and many other films.
On “Ciao! Manhattan” he partnered with John Palmer, an alumnus of Andy Warhol’s Factory. He worked as associate director on avant-garde film “The Telephone Book” and created “Shogun Assassin,” edited from a series of Japanese samurai movies.
Weisman begin...
- 10/18/2019
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Disney takes another trip in to the jungle this week and so do we... George of the Jungle (1997) Director: Sam Weisman Stars: Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann, Thomas Hayden Church Encino Man meets Tarzan. George Of The Jungle is a movie that has no right working as well as it does. I don’t think anyone was clamoring for a live-action... Read More...
- 4/13/2016
- by Jason Adams
- JoBlo.com
Brendan Fraser plays a Tarzan-like jungle-dweller, raised by gorillas, who rescues an heiress (Leslie Mann) from a lion and returns with her to San Francisco. Fraser is a delight as the oddball who swings into the trees rather than round them in the movie that deservedly finally made him a star. This entertaining Disney jungle farce is an old-fashioned delight, as a very decent cast try to out-grimace each other under director Sam Weisman's evident orders to go as far over the top as possible to win the laughs.
- 4/22/2014
- Sky Movies
Four-time Grammy Award nominee Jewel has signed on as a new judge for the reality competition series for a cappella groups, joining Shawn Stockman, Ben Folds and returning host Nick Lachey. NBC recently greenlighted a fourth cycle of The Sing-Off which is set to air as a holiday strip over several nights later this year. The Sing-Off did solid business for NBC when it aired as a week-long strip in December 2009 and 2010, part of the network’s holiday programming. But when NBC slated it as a two-hour regular weekly series in fall 2011, it fizzled. Now it’s reverting back to that original format. The program showcases the country’s top a cappella groups who have dreams of walking away with the top prize – a recording contract and $100,000. The Sing-Off is produced by One Three Media (a Hearst/Mark Burnett company) along with Outlaw Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television. Mark Burnett...
- 7/2/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
Brendan Fraser plays a Tarzan-like jungle-dweller, raised by gorillas, who rescues an heiress (Leslie Mann) from a lion and returns with her to San Francisco. Fraser is a delight as the oddball who swings into the trees rather than round them in the movie that deservedly finally made him a star. This entertaining Disney jungle farce is an old-fashioned delight, as a very decent cast try to out-grimace each other under director Sam Weisman's evident orders to go as far over the top as possible to win the laughs.
- 4/19/2013
- Sky Movies
D2: The Mighty Ducks
Written by Steven Brill
Directed by Sam Weisman
USA, 1994, imdb
Listen to our Mousterpiece Cinema D2:
The Mighy Ducks podcast or read Josh‘s extended thoughts about the film.
*****
For any critic, opinions about a particular piece of art are influenced by your life experiences.
I grew up loving hockey in general and the Montreal Canadians in particular. The first hockey game that I ever saw was “The New Year’s Eve Classic” on December 31, 1975 between the Red Army and the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens out-shot the Red Army 38-13, but every Soviet shot was a planned dagger designed to confuse and destroy Montreal goaltender Ken Dryden, while Vladislav Tretiak batted away shots from every conceivable angle. The game, which many considered at the time to be the unofficial World Championship ended in a 3-3 tie.
Some call it “The Greatest Tie Game Ever Played...
Written by Steven Brill
Directed by Sam Weisman
USA, 1994, imdb
Listen to our Mousterpiece Cinema D2:
The Mighy Ducks podcast or read Josh‘s extended thoughts about the film.
*****
For any critic, opinions about a particular piece of art are influenced by your life experiences.
I grew up loving hockey in general and the Montreal Canadians in particular. The first hockey game that I ever saw was “The New Year’s Eve Classic” on December 31, 1975 between the Red Army and the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens out-shot the Red Army 38-13, but every Soviet shot was a planned dagger designed to confuse and destroy Montreal goaltender Ken Dryden, while Vladislav Tretiak batted away shots from every conceivable angle. The game, which many considered at the time to be the unofficial World Championship ended in a 3-3 tie.
Some call it “The Greatest Tie Game Ever Played...
- 4/1/2012
- by Michael Ryan
- SoundOnSight
D2: The Mighty Ducks
Directed by Sam Weisman
Written by Steven Brill
Starring Emilio Estevez and Kathryn Erbe
Making a good sports movie can be a difficult prospect, no matter what sport’s in the spotlight. Not everyone seeing your movie is an aficionado of the game. For every great baseball movie, someone may be in the audience and completely lost by whatever minutia is being presented to them. The same goes for basketball, football, and hockey movies. What’s more, if a filmmaker targets their sports movie specifically to die-hard fans of the game, they may find themselves at a bit of a loss when the movie sails over most people’s heads. I don’t deny that it’s potentially more difficult to target a movie about something so narrowly focused to a wide audience. But it’s something filmmakers should try.
This goes double for family movies.
Directed by Sam Weisman
Written by Steven Brill
Starring Emilio Estevez and Kathryn Erbe
Making a good sports movie can be a difficult prospect, no matter what sport’s in the spotlight. Not everyone seeing your movie is an aficionado of the game. For every great baseball movie, someone may be in the audience and completely lost by whatever minutia is being presented to them. The same goes for basketball, football, and hockey movies. What’s more, if a filmmaker targets their sports movie specifically to die-hard fans of the game, they may find themselves at a bit of a loss when the movie sails over most people’s heads. I don’t deny that it’s potentially more difficult to target a movie about something so narrowly focused to a wide audience. But it’s something filmmakers should try.
This goes double for family movies.
- 3/3/2012
- by Josh Spiegel
- SoundOnSight
Let’s face it. We can’t hide it. We all have those movies that we like that others would shun. These are guilty pleasures: the ones that aren’t that great but we love for some reason or another. Here are mine. Be sure to list yours in the comments, if you’d like.
Last Action Hero (1993)
Rotten Tomatoes: 38%
Actors: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austin O’Brien, F. Murray Abraham, Art Carney, Charles Dance
Director: John McTiernan/Writers: Shane Black and David Arnott
Here’s the thing: I will defend this movie’s concept till Doomsday. A movie about a kid with a magic ticket that gets pulled into an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie? Genius concept. Yes, the kid is annoying. Yes, the movie doesn’t reach the heights of a McTiernan/Black team-up as well as one might think. It’s interesting to note that McTiernan isn’t working as much...
Last Action Hero (1993)
Rotten Tomatoes: 38%
Actors: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austin O’Brien, F. Murray Abraham, Art Carney, Charles Dance
Director: John McTiernan/Writers: Shane Black and David Arnott
Here’s the thing: I will defend this movie’s concept till Doomsday. A movie about a kid with a magic ticket that gets pulled into an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie? Genius concept. Yes, the kid is annoying. Yes, the movie doesn’t reach the heights of a McTiernan/Black team-up as well as one might think. It’s interesting to note that McTiernan isn’t working as much...
- 12/20/2011
- by Zack Parks
- GeekTyrant
Below you can read the full press release from NBC regarding The Sing-Off's return to television. In case you don't feel like reading through the whole thing, here's what you need to know about the a cappella singing competition show before it airs tonight at 8 Pm.
Season two of The Sing-Off will feature the same host and judges as season one; Nick Lachey is the host and Ben Folds (Ben Folds Five), Shawn Stockman (Boyz II Men) and Nicole Scherzinger (Dancing With the Stars) are your judges. This season, there will be ten groups competing for the title. There were only eight last season. The program will run for five nights. The first night is tonight, and the battle will continue on December 8, 13 and 15, and conclude December 20 (8-10 p.m. Et each night).
The groups are as follows: Committed, Eleventh Hour, Pitch Slapped, Groove For Thought, Jerry Lawson & Talk Of The Town,...
Season two of The Sing-Off will feature the same host and judges as season one; Nick Lachey is the host and Ben Folds (Ben Folds Five), Shawn Stockman (Boyz II Men) and Nicole Scherzinger (Dancing With the Stars) are your judges. This season, there will be ten groups competing for the title. There were only eight last season. The program will run for five nights. The first night is tonight, and the battle will continue on December 8, 13 and 15, and conclude December 20 (8-10 p.m. Et each night).
The groups are as follows: Committed, Eleventh Hour, Pitch Slapped, Groove For Thought, Jerry Lawson & Talk Of The Town,...
- 12/7/2010
- by Crit Obara
- TVovermind.com
Zuzanna Szadkowski had always imagined a certain career path for herself: character parts, lots of theater, very little television. "I thought I was a theater actor and TV was for, like, 20-year-old girls who are blond and size 2," she says, chuckling. "I didn't think that was a place where I would find employment."All that changed when Szadkowski met teacher-director Sam Weisman, who was brought in to helm one of her Mfa classes at Harvard University's American Repertory Theater Institute. "He was very different from the other faculty we had," she recalls. "He has almost like X-ray vision: He can see the way that you work, and he can talk to you and make changes in your process in a very precise way. It resonated with me because he helps you see how you're perceived, gets you out of your head, and gives you direct advice."Some of the advice...
- 9/29/2010
- backstage.com
Actors including Tobey Maguire, Jason Alexander, and Carla Gugino talk about the teachers who helped them hone their skills. Larry Moss and Jason Alexander Jason Alexander's wife, Daena E. Title, first introduced him to acting teacher Larry Moss, who told the budding actor, "You are very, very good. And I could make you much better." David Legrant Fortunately for actors such as Tobey Maguire, Danny Glover, Bernadette Peters, and Steve Martin, David Legrant stuck with his passion: teaching generations of actors the craft he knows and loves. Sam Weisman and Zuzanna Szadkowski Zuzanna Szadkowski had always imagined a certain career path for herself: character parts, lots of theater, very little television. All that changed when Szadkowski met teacher-director Sam Weisman. Howard Fine and Carla Gugino Fans often express amazement at Carla Gugino's ability to capture such a wide range of personas, but Gugino credits her longtime acting teacher, Howard Fine,...
- 9/29/2010
- backstage.com
George of the Jungle director Sam Weisman and writer Josh Shelov have boarded The Miracle of St. Anthony, a basketball movie being made by Walden Media.
Kerner Entertainment and Jordan Kerner are set to produce the film, an adaptation of sports columnist Adrian Wojnarowski's 2005 book.
The book explores a year in the life of renowned Jersey City high school basketball coach Bob Hurley Sr., who has coached dozens of future college and NBA stars. It centers on a year when Hurley fought to keep his school, St. Anthony's, open while transforming a group of unprepared players into champions.
"It's impossible not to be affected by this story, whether you're a basketball fan or not," Weisman said. "Walden is the perfect home for telling this incredible story."
Walden vp development Evan Turner will oversee the project, which reunites Weisman and Kerner, who worked together on 1997's Jungle and 1994's D2: The Mighty Ducks.
Weisman is represented by UTA, 3 Arts Entertainment and attorney Christine Cuddy. Kerner is repped by CAA.
Kerner Entertainment and Jordan Kerner are set to produce the film, an adaptation of sports columnist Adrian Wojnarowski's 2005 book.
The book explores a year in the life of renowned Jersey City high school basketball coach Bob Hurley Sr., who has coached dozens of future college and NBA stars. It centers on a year when Hurley fought to keep his school, St. Anthony's, open while transforming a group of unprepared players into champions.
"It's impossible not to be affected by this story, whether you're a basketball fan or not," Weisman said. "Walden is the perfect home for telling this incredible story."
Walden vp development Evan Turner will oversee the project, which reunites Weisman and Kerner, who worked together on 1997's Jungle and 1994's D2: The Mighty Ducks.
Weisman is represented by UTA, 3 Arts Entertainment and attorney Christine Cuddy. Kerner is repped by CAA.
- 9/27/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jane O'Brien has been tapped to adapt In the Stars, a comedic novel written by Eileen Cook that JC Spink, Mason Novick and Chris Bender are producing for New Line.
The story follows a woman who, after being dumped by her boyfriend, poses as a psychic to give his new girlfriend a fake reading designed to break them up. When her readings do a lot more than she could have predicted, the woman finds herself caught up in rising stardom and needs to figure out where the answers to her own life questions lie.
Langley Perer is overseeing for Benderspink, while Merideth Finn shepherds for New Line.
Benderspink has The Guy Not Taken at DreamWorks and Eighth Wonder at Universal. The company is developing Save the Date as well as the sci-fi thriller Y: The Last Man for New Line.
O'Brien, who is talk show host Conan O'Brien's sister, has written for The Simpsons and was a producer on Futurama. Featurewise, she wrote Love Sucks, which Sam Weisman is producing and is attached to direct.
The story follows a woman who, after being dumped by her boyfriend, poses as a psychic to give his new girlfriend a fake reading designed to break them up. When her readings do a lot more than she could have predicted, the woman finds herself caught up in rising stardom and needs to figure out where the answers to her own life questions lie.
Langley Perer is overseeing for Benderspink, while Merideth Finn shepherds for New Line.
Benderspink has The Guy Not Taken at DreamWorks and Eighth Wonder at Universal. The company is developing Save the Date as well as the sci-fi thriller Y: The Last Man for New Line.
O'Brien, who is talk show host Conan O'Brien's sister, has written for The Simpsons and was a producer on Futurama. Featurewise, she wrote Love Sucks, which Sam Weisman is producing and is attached to direct.
Sam Weisman has signed on to direct the family comedy Widow's Broom for Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies. Chris Van Allsburg is adapting the feature from his book of the same name. Bill Teitler, Van Allsburg's production partner in the shingle Golden Mean, is producing with Radar Pictures and Nickelodeon. Karen Rosenfelt is overseeing for the studio, with Julia Pistor supervising on behalf of Nickelodeon. Paramount will distribute the picture. The story revolves around a New England family suffering the loss of their father. When the family stumbles upon a witch's broom, it springs to life, sweeping away the neighbors, teaching the kids magic and helping to heal the family. The studio is looking at an early 2005 start date. Van Allsburg's other books include The Polar Express, Jumanji and Zathura. Weisman's credits include George of the Jungle for the Walt Disney Co. and Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star for Paramount. He is repped by UTA.
- 8/24/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When "The Out of Towners" was first released in 1970, the edgy, Neil Simon-penned satire pitted a hapless Dayton, Ohio, couple (played by Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis) against a nasty New York City rife with muggers, strikers and protesters.
Although somewhat shrill, the movie nevertheless offered up a telling snapshot of the social and political turmoil of that period.
Stripped of that context, the reconceived and hyphenated version is a kinder, gentler "Out-of-Towners" -- not to mention aimless and tedious -- set in a flavorless Manhattan that is neither threatening nor vibrant.
It may as well have been Peoria.
At least old pros Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn manage to deliver where screenwriter Marc Lawrence ("Forces of Nature") and director Sam Weisman ("George of the Jungle") have blandly failed -- and they'll be the only reason the out-of-touch "Out-of-Towners" generates some baby boomer interest.
Ultimately, boxoffice will unlikely be anything to write home about, although video store check-outs should be brisk.
Following an unnecessary prologue, the picture kicks into promising gear as sort of a "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" for the AARP crowd, with Martin and Hawn's Henry and Nancy Clark attempting to get from Ohio to New York for a big job interview at a prestigious ad agency.
With both kids now out of the house, the Clarks are looking to rekindle the spark in their marriage, and the perky Nancy -- who's determined to "suck the marrow out of life" -- figures a little impromptu vacation may be just the ticket.
But once they finally reach the Big Apple, the weary, hungry couple encounter an uninspired, garden variety of NYC cliches -- from cranky cabbies to snooty hotel managers. At least the latter is played to comic perfection by John Cleese, but there's still only so much he can bring to the limited character.
To their credit, Goldie and Steve, who were so good together in 1992's "Housesitter" -- with her infectious kookiness effectively unraveling his controlled, button-down demeanor -- really make an effort to sell it, but they're stuck with picked-over merchandise.
Worse still, even the few inventive bits that manage to generate a few chuckles, like a multilingual in-car navigation system and a mugger who claims to be Andrew Lloyd Webber, are usually marred by Weisman's annoyingly telegraphed directing style.
And despite the efforts of production designer Ken Adam and director of photography John Bailey, even New York City -- which, in theory, should have shared equal billing with Martin and Hawn -- feels lifeless and artificial.
Likewise, composer Marc Shaiman's busy jump, jive and wail score works awfully hard to manufacture a sense of momentum; while, on the tunes front, the picture offers further proof that Louis Prima has officially replaced Louis Armstrong as the reigning musical poster boy of feel-good romantic comedies.
THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS
Paramount
A Robert Evans production
in association with Cherry Alley Prods.
and the Cort/Madden Co.
A Sam Weisman film
Director: Sam Weisman
Screenwriter: Marc Lawrence
Based on the screenplay by: Neil Simon
Producers: Robert Evans, Teri Schwartz, Robert Cort and David Madden
Executive producers: Christine Forsyth-Peters, Philip E. Thomas
Director of photography: John Bailey
Production designer: Ken Adam
Editor: Kent Beyda
Costume designer: Ann Roth
Music: Marc Shaiman
Color/stereo
Cast:
Henry Clark: Steve Martin
Nancy Clark: Goldie Hawn
Greg: Mark McKinney
Mr. Mersault: John Cleese
Running time -- 90 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
Although somewhat shrill, the movie nevertheless offered up a telling snapshot of the social and political turmoil of that period.
Stripped of that context, the reconceived and hyphenated version is a kinder, gentler "Out-of-Towners" -- not to mention aimless and tedious -- set in a flavorless Manhattan that is neither threatening nor vibrant.
It may as well have been Peoria.
At least old pros Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn manage to deliver where screenwriter Marc Lawrence ("Forces of Nature") and director Sam Weisman ("George of the Jungle") have blandly failed -- and they'll be the only reason the out-of-touch "Out-of-Towners" generates some baby boomer interest.
Ultimately, boxoffice will unlikely be anything to write home about, although video store check-outs should be brisk.
Following an unnecessary prologue, the picture kicks into promising gear as sort of a "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" for the AARP crowd, with Martin and Hawn's Henry and Nancy Clark attempting to get from Ohio to New York for a big job interview at a prestigious ad agency.
With both kids now out of the house, the Clarks are looking to rekindle the spark in their marriage, and the perky Nancy -- who's determined to "suck the marrow out of life" -- figures a little impromptu vacation may be just the ticket.
But once they finally reach the Big Apple, the weary, hungry couple encounter an uninspired, garden variety of NYC cliches -- from cranky cabbies to snooty hotel managers. At least the latter is played to comic perfection by John Cleese, but there's still only so much he can bring to the limited character.
To their credit, Goldie and Steve, who were so good together in 1992's "Housesitter" -- with her infectious kookiness effectively unraveling his controlled, button-down demeanor -- really make an effort to sell it, but they're stuck with picked-over merchandise.
Worse still, even the few inventive bits that manage to generate a few chuckles, like a multilingual in-car navigation system and a mugger who claims to be Andrew Lloyd Webber, are usually marred by Weisman's annoyingly telegraphed directing style.
And despite the efforts of production designer Ken Adam and director of photography John Bailey, even New York City -- which, in theory, should have shared equal billing with Martin and Hawn -- feels lifeless and artificial.
Likewise, composer Marc Shaiman's busy jump, jive and wail score works awfully hard to manufacture a sense of momentum; while, on the tunes front, the picture offers further proof that Louis Prima has officially replaced Louis Armstrong as the reigning musical poster boy of feel-good romantic comedies.
THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS
Paramount
A Robert Evans production
in association with Cherry Alley Prods.
and the Cort/Madden Co.
A Sam Weisman film
Director: Sam Weisman
Screenwriter: Marc Lawrence
Based on the screenplay by: Neil Simon
Producers: Robert Evans, Teri Schwartz, Robert Cort and David Madden
Executive producers: Christine Forsyth-Peters, Philip E. Thomas
Director of photography: John Bailey
Production designer: Ken Adam
Editor: Kent Beyda
Costume designer: Ann Roth
Music: Marc Shaiman
Color/stereo
Cast:
Henry Clark: Steve Martin
Nancy Clark: Goldie Hawn
Greg: Mark McKinney
Mr. Mersault: John Cleese
Running time -- 90 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
Tap those bongos now for "George, George, George of the Jungle," as Disney's vine-swinging, long-haired inhabitant of the deep bush catapults into action in this deliriously daffy family film, starring Brendan Fraser as the good-hearted but accident-prone George. The word-of-mouth beat will travel far and wide as Buena Vista should tap a roar of approval among kids, as well as we more subversive taller people, for this brainy dumb-stuff.
From the fertile and slyly satiric imagination of the late Jay Ward, who developed the "George of the Jungle" characters into a memorable late-1960s cartoon series, the screenwriting duo of Dana Olsen and Audrey Wells has sagely transmogrified "George" to a contemporary jungle man, replete with many of the same problems the modern male is confronted with -- namely the incursions of the civilized world. To George's '90s treehouse abode come not explorers and slavers but, rather, a pair of rich twits (Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church), a Brahmin couple from San Francisco who are on a prenuptial safari. Goosed with some daffy, albeit prototypical comic characters such as two dunderheaded poachers and some devilishly deadpan guides who are great levelers of the simple safari folks' pretensions, "George" is a nimble blend of high-flying farce and screwy social satire.
For the film scholars in attendance too young to have savored the delights of such ancient comedy classics as "Crocodile Dundee II", there's even a high-wire, farcical midsection where George is swept away to the City by the Bay when the uppity Ursula decides he is the man for her. While Ursula tries to outfit George in the finery and ways of her tony upbringing, he of course takes a more direct approach to the mores and nuances of San Francisco high life. Most wonderfully, it's snooty San Francisco that takes it on the chin in this breezy send-up of modern-day life.
Will George escape San Francisco unscathed by the unnatural ways and odd conventions of 20th century sophistication? Will he swing freely with this honor and integrity intact among his good friends the wise Ape, the tookie tookie bird and his trusty elephant, Shep? What will gentle George learn about love? Without tipping off the plot to all the development people out there who can't figure out where the "whammy" points are, let's just say that it's George, not that Greek muscleman, who will most likely emerge as Disney's most potent and likable summer hero.
Since it's not our policy to bray negatively on a movie that boasts an elephant that scampers and bounds around like a big puppy, we'll merely mention that the visual special effects under the supervision of Tim Landry are expert and inspired. In fact, director Sam Weisman's balancing act between the zany story and the clever technical contributions is sharp and sweet. Best of all, credit to Fraser for his high-flying, good-hearted performance as gentle, heroic George.
Cast a net of praise also around Mann and Church for their nutty performances as the ultra-snooty couple and to John Cleese for his Tory-ish voicing of an ape named Ape. The other players are a similarly inspired and off-the-wall bunch, including Richard Roundtree as a condescending guide and, of course, the tweedle-dumb and tweedle-dumber comic bad-guy duo of Greg Cruttwell and Abraham Benrubi.
Marc Shaiman's zesty music, braced by the jaunty theme song, has enough bounce and pizazz to launch a score of toe-tappers' conventions.
GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE
Buena Vista
Walt Disney Pictures
Producers David Hoberman,
Jordan Kerner, Jon Avnet
Director Sam Weisman
Screenwriters Dana Olsen, Audrey Wells
Story Dana Olsen
Based upon characters created by Jay Ward
Director of photography Thomas Ackerman
Production designer Stephen Marsh
Editors Stuart Pappe, Roger Bondelli
Music Marc Shaiman
Executive producer C. Tad Devlin
Visual effects supervisor Tim Landry
Co-producer Lou Arkoff
Costume designer Lisa Jensen
Casting Amanda Mackey Johnson,
Cathy Sandrich
Production sound David Kelson
Color/stereo
Cast:
George Brendan Fraser
Ursula Stanhope Leslie Mann
Lyle Van de Groot Thomas Haden Church
Kwame Richard Roundtree
Max Greg Cruttwell
Thor Abraham Benrubi
Beatrice Stanhope Holland Taylor
Betsy Kelly Miller
Arthur Stanhope John Bennett Perry
Voice of Ape John Cleese
Running time -- 92 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
From the fertile and slyly satiric imagination of the late Jay Ward, who developed the "George of the Jungle" characters into a memorable late-1960s cartoon series, the screenwriting duo of Dana Olsen and Audrey Wells has sagely transmogrified "George" to a contemporary jungle man, replete with many of the same problems the modern male is confronted with -- namely the incursions of the civilized world. To George's '90s treehouse abode come not explorers and slavers but, rather, a pair of rich twits (Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church), a Brahmin couple from San Francisco who are on a prenuptial safari. Goosed with some daffy, albeit prototypical comic characters such as two dunderheaded poachers and some devilishly deadpan guides who are great levelers of the simple safari folks' pretensions, "George" is a nimble blend of high-flying farce and screwy social satire.
For the film scholars in attendance too young to have savored the delights of such ancient comedy classics as "Crocodile Dundee II", there's even a high-wire, farcical midsection where George is swept away to the City by the Bay when the uppity Ursula decides he is the man for her. While Ursula tries to outfit George in the finery and ways of her tony upbringing, he of course takes a more direct approach to the mores and nuances of San Francisco high life. Most wonderfully, it's snooty San Francisco that takes it on the chin in this breezy send-up of modern-day life.
Will George escape San Francisco unscathed by the unnatural ways and odd conventions of 20th century sophistication? Will he swing freely with this honor and integrity intact among his good friends the wise Ape, the tookie tookie bird and his trusty elephant, Shep? What will gentle George learn about love? Without tipping off the plot to all the development people out there who can't figure out where the "whammy" points are, let's just say that it's George, not that Greek muscleman, who will most likely emerge as Disney's most potent and likable summer hero.
Since it's not our policy to bray negatively on a movie that boasts an elephant that scampers and bounds around like a big puppy, we'll merely mention that the visual special effects under the supervision of Tim Landry are expert and inspired. In fact, director Sam Weisman's balancing act between the zany story and the clever technical contributions is sharp and sweet. Best of all, credit to Fraser for his high-flying, good-hearted performance as gentle, heroic George.
Cast a net of praise also around Mann and Church for their nutty performances as the ultra-snooty couple and to John Cleese for his Tory-ish voicing of an ape named Ape. The other players are a similarly inspired and off-the-wall bunch, including Richard Roundtree as a condescending guide and, of course, the tweedle-dumb and tweedle-dumber comic bad-guy duo of Greg Cruttwell and Abraham Benrubi.
Marc Shaiman's zesty music, braced by the jaunty theme song, has enough bounce and pizazz to launch a score of toe-tappers' conventions.
GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE
Buena Vista
Walt Disney Pictures
Producers David Hoberman,
Jordan Kerner, Jon Avnet
Director Sam Weisman
Screenwriters Dana Olsen, Audrey Wells
Story Dana Olsen
Based upon characters created by Jay Ward
Director of photography Thomas Ackerman
Production designer Stephen Marsh
Editors Stuart Pappe, Roger Bondelli
Music Marc Shaiman
Executive producer C. Tad Devlin
Visual effects supervisor Tim Landry
Co-producer Lou Arkoff
Costume designer Lisa Jensen
Casting Amanda Mackey Johnson,
Cathy Sandrich
Production sound David Kelson
Color/stereo
Cast:
George Brendan Fraser
Ursula Stanhope Leslie Mann
Lyle Van de Groot Thomas Haden Church
Kwame Richard Roundtree
Max Greg Cruttwell
Thor Abraham Benrubi
Beatrice Stanhope Holland Taylor
Betsy Kelly Miller
Arthur Stanhope John Bennett Perry
Voice of Ape John Cleese
Running time -- 92 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
- 7/14/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.