For a brief shining moment at the beginning of the 21st century, it seemed as though the historical epic was back. Despite the sniffs of some prominent film critics, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator walked away with the Best Picture Oscar in the century’s first year; a flood of sword and sandal epics invaded cinemas like the 1950s never ended; and it generally wasn’t a Russell Crowe movie unless the Australian thespian was waving a saber, cutlass, gladius, or other form of blade through the air.
Yet the movie which arguably stood tallest during this fleeting period was Peter Weir’s Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. Not so much adapting any single novel in author Patrick O’Brian’s legendary Aubrey-Maturin book series, Weir pulled from close to a half-dozen tales in this saga set on the high seas during the Napoleonic Wars. Often celebrated for their historical authenticity and verisimilitude,...
Yet the movie which arguably stood tallest during this fleeting period was Peter Weir’s Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. Not so much adapting any single novel in author Patrick O’Brian’s legendary Aubrey-Maturin book series, Weir pulled from close to a half-dozen tales in this saga set on the high seas during the Napoleonic Wars. Often celebrated for their historical authenticity and verisimilitude,...
- 1/29/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Hollywood works in phases. We’re in the middle of a vast superhero movie phase, which, maybe, seems to be on the downslide. Twenty-five years ago, war movies were all the rage in the wake of Saving Private Ryan, and once those taped off, historical epics became the blockbuster of choice for studios. Indeed, it was the smash success of Braveheart and Gladiator that paved the way for this run of films which started to tape off in the mid-aughts after a few mammothly pricey films, such as The Last Samurai and Troy, only earned modest profits for their studios. One such film was 20th Century Fox’s Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. It earned critical raves but cost too much to become the franchise Fox was hoping for, with it being based on a long-running series of books by Patrick O’Brien. Yet, the movie holds...
- 11/8/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
(Welcome to Best Action Scene Ever, a column dedicated to breaking down the best, most effective action sequences throughout the genre. In this edition, we're hoisting our flags and setting sail to dive into the climactic naval battle in "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" ... subject to the requirements of the service, of course.)
Ask me for a movie genre that best exemplifies filmmaking done right on every level — particularly in the most fundamental aspects — and chances are I'm showing you a highly-acclaimed historical epic. There's just something about the incredibly vast canvass afforded by these sweeping, big-budget stories that lend themselves to an attention to detail rarely matched by any other production. If one of the goals of cinema is complete immersion, then few can even hope to compare to the sense of texture and immediacy provided by these period pieces. Dialogue tends to take on...
Ask me for a movie genre that best exemplifies filmmaking done right on every level — particularly in the most fundamental aspects — and chances are I'm showing you a highly-acclaimed historical epic. There's just something about the incredibly vast canvass afforded by these sweeping, big-budget stories that lend themselves to an attention to detail rarely matched by any other production. If one of the goals of cinema is complete immersion, then few can even hope to compare to the sense of texture and immediacy provided by these period pieces. Dialogue tends to take on...
- 5/29/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Artistic Director Urszula Śniegowska has created a family here of great cineastes and cinephiles. Included is the Austin posse with David Gordon Green receiving the double-barreled Indie Star Award and the European debut of his latest film, "Our Brand is Crisis" with the formidable Sandra Bullock in her ballsiest role ever playing the political strategist, James Carville, as she dictates the terms to her candidate for the President of Bolivia played by my new heartthrob, the Portuguese actor, Joaquim de Almeida. David says he may star in the next film he will direct which will be in Portuguese.
I'm betting on David Gordon Green becoming heir to the throne now occupied by Clint Eastwood as Warner Bros. creates its new brand. Warner Bros. also supplied the Clint Eastwood prints and virtual prints for the Eastwood retrospective. His masterpiece "The Unforgiven" was shown in 35mm. The evolution of Dgg since the Sundance debut (and his own first feature) of " George Washington" in 2000 shows his skill directing both indie and major genres.
The family in the Austin posse includes the grand director Berndt Mader ("Winnebago Man") of "Booger Red" (exec produced by Dgg) with his producer, Irish transplant and immigrant Johnny McAllister who co-wrote with Berndt, and Onur Tukel, the "Turkish Woody Allen" whose own directed and produced " Summer of Blood" debuted at Tribeca last year and was a huge hit at the Champs Elysees Film Festival (this year June 7-14), the sister of Aff who share their child Us in Progress. "Booger Red" is a hybrid documentary/narrative about a veteran reporter who searches for the truth behind the largest purported child sex ring in Texas history. On his journey through the bowels of East Texas, he's forced to confront his own history with abuse while he discovers that the allegations at the root of his investigation might have never happened.
At one of the nightly bar gatherings (which last til 4 am!), Dgg credited Onur for keeping the independent film scene in Austin alive.
Second to receive the double-barreled Indie Star Award with Dgg was Hal Hartley whose humble acceptance of the prize touched us all. He thanked the audience, a new generation for its "fresh" questions, a great pleasure for him after 25 years of doing Q&As. And he thanked the festival for putting on the most complete retrospective of his film ever held.
The Audience Award of Us$10,000 went to the Spectrum film "Dope" by Rick Famuyiwa , one of the freshest films to show in Sundance this year; a delightful, sweet romp with young talents De'aundre Bonds, Kiersey Clemons and Tony Revolori as they follow the orders of dope dealer Rakim Mayers, through the streets of Inglewood California.
The Audience Award of Us$5,000 went to the American Doc film "Transfatty Lives" by Patrick O'Brian. The Awards were funded by festival sponsor, Bny Mellon, wealth management and investments banker to the world. Started by Alexander Hamilton in 1784, Bny Mellon is one of the longest-lasting financial institutions in the world.
Festival Director Roman Gutek has created a great and lasting bond between film artists in U.S. and in Poland. He has also created Europe's largest international film festival, New Horizons, held here in Wroclaw July 25-31 which this year will have a special section of America as depicted by European filmmakers. In addition he has created Europe's largest arthouse multiplex, the New Horizons Theater where these two festivals are held.
I'm betting on David Gordon Green becoming heir to the throne now occupied by Clint Eastwood as Warner Bros. creates its new brand. Warner Bros. also supplied the Clint Eastwood prints and virtual prints for the Eastwood retrospective. His masterpiece "The Unforgiven" was shown in 35mm. The evolution of Dgg since the Sundance debut (and his own first feature) of " George Washington" in 2000 shows his skill directing both indie and major genres.
The family in the Austin posse includes the grand director Berndt Mader ("Winnebago Man") of "Booger Red" (exec produced by Dgg) with his producer, Irish transplant and immigrant Johnny McAllister who co-wrote with Berndt, and Onur Tukel, the "Turkish Woody Allen" whose own directed and produced " Summer of Blood" debuted at Tribeca last year and was a huge hit at the Champs Elysees Film Festival (this year June 7-14), the sister of Aff who share their child Us in Progress. "Booger Red" is a hybrid documentary/narrative about a veteran reporter who searches for the truth behind the largest purported child sex ring in Texas history. On his journey through the bowels of East Texas, he's forced to confront his own history with abuse while he discovers that the allegations at the root of his investigation might have never happened.
At one of the nightly bar gatherings (which last til 4 am!), Dgg credited Onur for keeping the independent film scene in Austin alive.
Second to receive the double-barreled Indie Star Award with Dgg was Hal Hartley whose humble acceptance of the prize touched us all. He thanked the audience, a new generation for its "fresh" questions, a great pleasure for him after 25 years of doing Q&As. And he thanked the festival for putting on the most complete retrospective of his film ever held.
The Audience Award of Us$10,000 went to the Spectrum film "Dope" by Rick Famuyiwa , one of the freshest films to show in Sundance this year; a delightful, sweet romp with young talents De'aundre Bonds, Kiersey Clemons and Tony Revolori as they follow the orders of dope dealer Rakim Mayers, through the streets of Inglewood California.
The Audience Award of Us$5,000 went to the American Doc film "Transfatty Lives" by Patrick O'Brian. The Awards were funded by festival sponsor, Bny Mellon, wealth management and investments banker to the world. Started by Alexander Hamilton in 1784, Bny Mellon is one of the longest-lasting financial institutions in the world.
Festival Director Roman Gutek has created a great and lasting bond between film artists in U.S. and in Poland. He has also created Europe's largest international film festival, New Horizons, held here in Wroclaw July 25-31 which this year will have a special section of America as depicted by European filmmakers. In addition he has created Europe's largest arthouse multiplex, the New Horizons Theater where these two festivals are held.
- 10/28/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Though its been a while since we've heard anything about a sequel to Peter Weir's 2003 adventure-drama Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, that's not stopping Russell Crowe from crying out for support. The actor recently tweeted: "If you want a Master and Commander sequel I suggest you e-mail Tom Rothman at Fox and let him know your thoughts." This is the same Rothman that supposedly had a hand in ruining Wolverine and is now holding back on Master and Commander. Some may remember that Crowe did say a script had been written based off of another novel, but it was still in the very early stages. We haven't heard much since that update a few summers ago, but it sounds like it hasn't moved very far. According to Crowe, they're looking to adapt the eleventh novel of Patrick O'Brian's 20-novel series, titled The Reverse of the Medal,...
- 12/7/2010
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Back in July of 2009, Russell Crowe was in negotiations to reprise the role of Jack Aubrey in a sequel to "Master and Commander." The actor revealed that a script based on Patrick O'Brian's 11th (out of 20) novel, called "The Reverse of Medal," has been written. But apparently 20th Century Fox didn't see a reason for a sequel, considering that the first film only grossed $93 million domestically on a $150 million budget. So Crowe is now attempting to get fans to write to the studio asking for "Master and Commander 2." He wrote on Twitter: "If you want a 'Master and Commander' sequel I suggest you e-mail Tom Rothman at Fox and let him know your thoughts."...
- 12/7/2010
- WorstPreviews.com
(Paul Bettany in Gangster No. 1, above.)
[I did this interview with Paul Bettany in 2002 and it originally appeared in Venice Magazine, This was one of the earlier long-form interviews he did in the States. Other than as the "Naked Guy" in A Knight's Tale and the imaginary roommate in A Beautiful Mind, he was unknown to the American public at the time. But Gangster No. 1, while not a perfect film (largely due to the difficulty in believing that Bettany grew into Malcolm McDowell as an older man), showcased an actor in Bettany who had screen presence and intensity that was impossible to look away from.
Bettany is currently starring in the film Legion, set to open this month. Here's a look back at the period in his life when he was just about to become famous.]
The Contender
With Gangster No. 1, Paul Bettany reveals himself, all hype aside, as one of the most promising actors of his generation.
by Terry Keefe
The Silent Scream. As delivered by Paul Bettany in his new film Gangster No. 1, it's one of the most bone-chilling moments you'll see on screen this year, or any other year, for that matter. And there isn't a CGI effect in sight. Bettany simply closes his eyes, kicks back his head, and unleashes a blood-curdling scream as the sound drops out completely. This amazingly effective moment is designed to symbolize the unrelenting evil which lurks within Bettany's character, known only as Young Gangster, as he...
[I did this interview with Paul Bettany in 2002 and it originally appeared in Venice Magazine, This was one of the earlier long-form interviews he did in the States. Other than as the "Naked Guy" in A Knight's Tale and the imaginary roommate in A Beautiful Mind, he was unknown to the American public at the time. But Gangster No. 1, while not a perfect film (largely due to the difficulty in believing that Bettany grew into Malcolm McDowell as an older man), showcased an actor in Bettany who had screen presence and intensity that was impossible to look away from.
Bettany is currently starring in the film Legion, set to open this month. Here's a look back at the period in his life when he was just about to become famous.]
The Contender
With Gangster No. 1, Paul Bettany reveals himself, all hype aside, as one of the most promising actors of his generation.
by Terry Keefe
The Silent Scream. As delivered by Paul Bettany in his new film Gangster No. 1, it's one of the most bone-chilling moments you'll see on screen this year, or any other year, for that matter. And there isn't a CGI effect in sight. Bettany simply closes his eyes, kicks back his head, and unleashes a blood-curdling scream as the sound drops out completely. This amazingly effective moment is designed to symbolize the unrelenting evil which lurks within Bettany's character, known only as Young Gangster, as he...
- 1/13/2010
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
According to the Associated Press, Russell Crowe is in the early stages of negotiations to reprise the role of Jack Aubrey as a British sea captain in a new movie version from the "Master and Commander" series of novels.
Crowe told the AP on Friday that a script based mostly on the eleventh novel of Patrick O'Brian's 20-novel series, "The Reverse of the Medal", had been written, but that discussions were at a very early stage.
"There's still a long way to go," Crowe told AP at a cricket match between England and Australia in London. He said talks had been taking place with the owner of the rights to the novels.
Crowe gave no indication of when filming could start but said it was one of a number of projects he is considering.
The original 2003 film took place during the Napoleonic Wars, as brash British captain Jack Aubrey...
Crowe told the AP on Friday that a script based mostly on the eleventh novel of Patrick O'Brian's 20-novel series, "The Reverse of the Medal", had been written, but that discussions were at a very early stage.
"There's still a long way to go," Crowe told AP at a cricket match between England and Australia in London. He said talks had been taking place with the owner of the rights to the novels.
Crowe gave no indication of when filming could start but said it was one of a number of projects he is considering.
The original 2003 film took place during the Napoleonic Wars, as brash British captain Jack Aubrey...
- 7/18/2009
- CinemaSpy
In a discussion of recent underrated films go - and granted, my definition of recent may differ from yours - I would still bring up Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. I might be the only person who believes a movie that earned ten Oscar nominations and over $200 million around the world is underrated, I realize, but honestly, did you know it made that much and was so heavily nominated?
Russell Crowe wants another Master and Commander movie, and in theory, I'm all for it. Crowe tells the AP (via USA Today) "there's still a long way to go" in adapting the Patrick O'Brian book The Reverse of the Medal into a film. O'Brian wrote over 20 novels based on Crowe's character, Capt. Jack Aubrey and Paul Bettany's low-key doctor, Stephen Maturin. At issue is acquiring the film rights to the novel.
Now, I said that in theory I support this.
Russell Crowe wants another Master and Commander movie, and in theory, I'm all for it. Crowe tells the AP (via USA Today) "there's still a long way to go" in adapting the Patrick O'Brian book The Reverse of the Medal into a film. O'Brian wrote over 20 novels based on Crowe's character, Capt. Jack Aubrey and Paul Bettany's low-key doctor, Stephen Maturin. At issue is acquiring the film rights to the novel.
Now, I said that in theory I support this.
- 7/17/2009
- by Colin Boyd
- GetTheBigPicture.net
The Associated Press is reporting that Russell Crowe is in early talks to reprise the role of Jack Aubrey in a follow-up to 2003's Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World , directed by Peter Weir and co-starring Paul Bettany. Crowe said on Friday that a script based mostly on the eleventh novel of Patrick O'Brian's 20-novel series, "The Reverse of the Medal," had been written. "There's still a long way to go," Crowe said, adding that he had been talking with the owner of the rights to the novels. "The Reverse of the Medal," published in 1986, sees Aubrey in the Caribbean in his ship Hms Surprise, where he meets his illegitimate son Samuel Panda, a Catholic priest born from an illicit liaison.
- 7/17/2009
- Comingsoon.net
Gladiator star Russell Crowe is learning to play the violin for his latest film Master And Commander. The movie, set during the Napoleonic wars, is adapted from a book by British author Patrick O'Brian and the Oscar-winner is mastering the instrument for the role as a seafarer in the nostalgic saga. He says, "I have got to the point where I know I can make a beautiful sound."...
- 10/17/2002
- WENN
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.