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20 articles from 2009
Christmas TV movies have lost their special glitter | Jason Solomons
5 December 2009 4:09 PM, PST
| The Guardian - TV News
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A festive treat has become tired repeats or cartoons. Jason Solomons suggests it should now be a season for Fellini or Renoir
Forget about Christmas movies with snow and tinsel and grumpy fathers learning lessons. Those have their place, and no doubt we'll have our fill of them, good and bad, over the coming month, from Elf to Scrooged, from The Muppet Christmas Carol to Miracle on 34th Street.
What worries me is the lack of new classics. Growing up, my favourite Christmas movies were never the ones actually about Christmas. Rather, it was the season of Billy Wilder and Fred Astaire, a time for The Great Escape and The Towering Inferno, for The Poseidon Adventure and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In short, Christmas was when you learned about film, its rich history and capacity to thrill and unite.
It was when I watched films with my dad
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- Jason Solomons
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Son of Birthday Suits
24 November 2009 4:27 AM, PST
| FilmExperience
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Celebrating the cinematic personalities born on 11/24. Even if you're not cinematic, you're probably a personality. Wish yourself a happy one in the comments. There's no way there's been no Scorpios (or now) Saggitarians reading. Speak up when it's your big day!
Garret, Shirley and 'Izzy'
1913 Geraldine Fitzgerald actress (Wuthering Heights, The Mango Tree, Rachel Rachel)
1942 Billy Connolly, comedian, actor, 'Mr. Brown' (he who was beloved by Judi Dench) and 'Barry' (he who was poisoned by Michelle Pfeiffer)
1949 Manuel De Sica composer (The Garden of the Fitzi Continis), Son of Vittorio
1954 Emir Kusturica two-time Cannes winning Serbian filmmaker behind Underground & When Father Was Away on Business (Oscar nominee)
1964 Garret Dillahunt, terrific actor who has lately specialized in the skin-crawlingly creepy (The Road, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) and the endearingly pathetic (No Country For Old Men and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) but a
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- NATHANIEL R
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Disaster movies: Why we love them (especially in hard times)
16 November 2009 4:33 PM, PST
| EW.com - The Movie Critics
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At the local megaplex Saturday night, my wife and I were 25 minutes early walking into a theater to see 2012, but the place was already jammed, with scarcely a seat in sight. That's not your average sold-out show – that's anticipation. There's nothing quite like the end of the world to get an audience united and juiced, all worked up. We were able to snag two seats in the fourth row, ordinarily too close for my taste, but in this case the super-close-up vantage worked smashingly well. Gawking up at the screen to watch all that corporate steel and glass buckle and collapse,
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- Owen Gleiberman
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The nervous, noncommittal noughties can't end soon enough | John Harris
16 November 2009 1:00 PM, PST
| The Guardian - Film News
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In a decade defined by fatalism and impotence, film-makers and writers have been quick to tap into our sense of impending doom
Just to make sure filmgoers leave the present decade on a high, this month brings two suitably upbeat blockbusters. The first is 2012, which topped box office takings in the Us and Britain at the weekend, and is directed by Roland Emmerich – who also brought us the aliens-blitz-Earth delight Independence Day and the eco-disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow. This time humanity's demise seems to be traceable to the horrors foretold in an ancient Mayan prophecy, though the standard plotline quickly materialises: John Cusack and on-screen family attempting to escape tsunamis, landslides and those obligatory aesthetic disasters whereby iconic global landmarks are ground into dust.
For those who want something that bit more cerebral, there is also the film version of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, out in the Us later this month.
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- John Harris
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'2012': The Greatest Irwin Allen Movie Never Made
14 November 2009 9:03 PM, PST
| CinemaSpy
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Imagine taking every big disaster film ever made, from The Towering Inferno and Earthquake, to The Poseidon Adventure, and squishing them all together into one film. You'd essentially have Roland Emmerich's 2012, a movie so shapeless of plot and devoid of meaning, that it's actually half way entertaining. If — and here comes the caveat — you remember to check your brain at the concession stand, the film's ridiculously simple premise and mind-numbingly overwrought effects are actually kind of fun.
The story begins with the usual scientists-discovering-an-imminent-cataclysmic-event scenario, which coincidentally ties to the Mayan civilization's "prediction" that the world will end on December 21, 2012. (The Mayans actually never made such a prediction—but that's a whole other topic. And even if they had, they apparently didn't have the foresight to predict that the Spanish would conquer them...so, so much for "predictions.")
Of course, the "science" in the film is scientific gobbledygook—something
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November 13: DVD alternatives to this weekend’s multiplex offerings
13 November 2009 5:13 PM, PST
| www.flickfilosopher.com
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We know how it is: You’d like to go to the movies this weekend, but you’re gonna be busy escaping the end of the world. But you can have a multiplex-like experience at home with a collection of the right DVDs. And when someone asks you on Monday, “Hey, did you see 2012 this weekend?” you can reply, “No, I watched all the movies that Roland Emmerich was giving the middle finger to instead.”
Instead Of: 2012, in which Roland Emmerich destroys Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Yellowstone Park, Washington DC, Hawaii, the Pacific Ocean, the Himalayas, China, and the careers of John Cusack and Chiwetel Ejiofor...
Watch: The classic 1951 science fiction movie When Worlds Collide, about humanity’s attempts to save itself when a rogue planet is discovered on a collision course with Earth: can they build an escape spaceship in time? If you need more modern disaster scenarios, be
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- MaryAnn Johanson
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Movie Review: 2012
12 November 2009 9:16 PM, PST
| MovieRetriever
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Nov 13, 2009
If you judge a film based on how well it delivers what an audience should expect of it, I find it hard to believe that 2012 could possibly disappoint (other than possibly ruining dinner plans with its extreme length). This is the culmination of Roland Emmerich's career, an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink film that never hides its intention to be nothing more than a ridiculous, over-the-top, jaw-dropping rollercoaster of an experience. Is it good? It depends on what you mean by “good.” Was The Poseidon Adventure good? The Towering Inferno? 2012 is a ...Read more at MovieRetriever.com
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Review: '2012'
12 November 2009 4:07 PM, PST
| FEARnet
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"Torture porn" is a phrase that (unfortunately) was coined to describe explicitly gory horror films, ones that (allegedly) invite you to leer, linger and drool over the worst sort of atrocities imaginable. It only seems fair, then, that I semi-coin the phrase "disaster porn" to describe Roland Emmerich's latest cinematic gargantuan: 2012. I feel it's worth mentioning that A) I don't believe that Roland Emmerich has ever made a good film, but B) I grew up with a deep and passionate love for the best of Irwin Allen's films. (Mostly just The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno, really, but I've seen 'em all.) So if I can get behind the mega-bombastic, ultra-plastic, ensemble cast body-count
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2012 Review
12 November 2009 9:27 AM, PST
| Filmofilia
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“2012” delivers everything you could possibly want from a blockbuster disaster movie, though you have to wonder how Roland Emmerich is going to top the end of the world.
It’s not so much that the Earth is destroyed, but that it’s done so thoroughly. “2012,” the mother of all disaster movies (and the father, and the extended family) spends half an hour on ominous set-up scenes (scientists warn, strange events occur, prophets rant and of course a family is introduced) and then unleashes two hours of cataclysmic special events hammering the Earth relentlessly.
This is fun. “2012″ delivers what it promises, and since no sentient being will buy a ticket expecting anything else, it will be, for its audiences, one of the most satisfactory films of the year. It even has real actors in it. Like all the best disaster movies, it’s funniest at its most hysterical. You think you’ve seen end-of-the-world movies?
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- Allan Ford
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10 Things I Learned This Week
6 November 2009 5:35 PM, PST
| The Wrap
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By Michael Adams
1. 2012 = Bang For Your Buck
Roland Emmerich’s mega disaster mash-up does exactly what it says on the tin. His puree job of every end-of-the-world movie ever made – with big dollops of “Airport," “The Poseidon Adventure” and “Titanic” thrown in for good measure – is spectacular and a terrific popcorn entertainment. It’s also one of the best comedies of 2009, although it’s open to debate how intentional the laughs are.
http://www.empireonline.com.au/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?Fid=135843
Not sure about a TV
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- Josh Dickey
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Two More Clips from Roland Emmerich’s ‘2012’
5 November 2009 1:35 PM, PST
| ScreenRant.com
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Columbia Pictures recently released two more clips from the upcoming disaster movie, 2012. These clips, while not as long as the five minute clip we previously posted, still have yet to show anything that makes me feel like this film will be anything more than a money-grab at the end of the world. (Which, I guess, would be the perfect time to do it).
In the first clip we find a zombie-free Woody Harrelson playing “crazy” internet blogger Charlie Frost who knows everything there is to know about the end of the world and warns Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) that, in typical movie fashion, the destruction will start in Hollywood, California. (It’s movies like this that always make me feel better about living in Michigan. So far it looks like I’m surviving Independence Day and when Skynet becomes self-aware on Judgement Day).
In the second clip we find the
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- Anthony Ocasio
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Exclusive Interview: The Psychobilly of Deadbolt...
4 October 2009 7:34 PM, PDT
| Fangoria
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After checking out their recent release, Voodoo Trucker (read the review here), Fangoria Musick's resident dark-rock aficionado, Doctor Raven, sought out the self-professed "Scariest Band in the World" to get inside their heads and find out what makes these Psychobilly animals tick.
Below you'll find the Doctor's exclusive interview with Deadbolt.
With the acclaim currently being gained by many acts in the Northwest, my little batch of patchouli-stinking heaven is starting to become the first (maybe second) stop for many Goth, Industrial, and Psychobilly acts starting the West Coast leg of their tours. And for these bands, there's no better place to do that than in Diablo’s Downtown Lounge, a creepy little dive affectionately referred to by locals as “The Satan Room.” Diablo’s works diligently to attract the best acts as they make their way through Oregon.
Boasting accolades like Best Nightclub in the Nation for 2007 and 2008, as
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- no-reply@fangoria.com (Doctor Raven)
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Rip Dick Durock
25 September 2009 6:03 PM, PDT
| DreadCentral.com
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Without a doubt the hardest part of our job reporting on the latest horror news is when one of our own is taken from us. We're very sad to inform you that Dick Durock, best known for his role as the "Swamp Thing", passed away last week at his home in Oak Park, California, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Durock, 72, was the subject of a fond tribute from Erin Blasko of the South Bend Tribune. Excerpts follow:
Born in South Bend in the late 1930s, Richard "Dick" Durock survived an early family tragedy to become a minor Hollywood player and fanboy idol for his role as Swamp Thing in the two feature films and television series of the same name.
Despite his success, he remained a humble Midwesterner at heart.
"He didn't get a big head. He was down-to-earth, very natural," Frank Varrichione, Durock's brother-in-law, said.
Dick Durock
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- The Woman In Black
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Little Scene : Scarecrow
30 July 2009 6:07 AM, PDT
| t5m.com
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(1973, Schatzberg)
When Scarecrow premiered (and won the Ex-aequo award) at Cannes in 1973 Al Pacino had was hot off The Godfather and Gene Hackman had just completed The Poseidon Adventure and had already won an Oscar for his role in The French Connection.
Popeye Doyle and Micheal Corleone face to face, two of the stars of the decade jostling for position. Pacino, buoyant, having just had Francis Ford Coppola fight for him to stay in the greatest family saga of all time, would walk straight into Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon for Sidney Lumet and into one of the greatest acting careers in history. Hackman, himself was about to star in the masterful The Conversation (again for Coppola) and was (arguably) at the peak of his career.
So what's this beautiful little dual character study called Scarecrow sandwiched, on IMDb between some of the most acclaimed and influential movies of the
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- Neil Innes
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Honoring Oscar-Winning Actor Ernest Borgnine: An Appreciation
28 July 2009 10:17 AM, PDT
| HollywoodChicago.com
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Chicago – HollywoodChicago.com’s ace photographer, Joe Arce, recently photographed the Academy Award winning actor Ernest Borgnine at a book signing event in Chicago. The 92 year-old survivor was in excellent spirits, telling many rich anecdotes to the gathered crowd.
As a kid, I first came upon Ernie as the rascally Lt. Commander Quinton McHale in “McHale’s Navy” (1962-66), heavy in afternoon reruns at the time. I was surprised to see him re-appear in the cult disaster film “The Poseidon Adventure” (1972) as the loud and abrasive Mike Rogo, the cop that never believed Gene Hackman’s preacher-to-the-promised-land of rescue.
92 year-old Oscar winning actor Ernest Borgnine flashes his famous smile for the HollywoodChicago.com lens at the signing of his book ‘Ernie: The Autobiography’ on July 20, 2009 at Borders North Michigan Avenue in Chicago.
Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
But Borgnine was much more than those two famous roles,
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- adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
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Mock 2012 trailer confirms it's a disaster
8 July 2009 12:15 PM, PDT
| Corona's Coming Attractions
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Critics of Roland Emmerich's 2012 movie have already panned it as "disaster porn" based solely on the footage seen in the two trailers. These detractors do seem to have a point; has there been any other film in the history of filmmaking that's shown the end of the world in such a spectacular way? Not even at the height of the 1970s and that era's stream of disaster flicks like The Towering Inferno, The Poseidon Adventure, Earthquake, The Day the Earth Caught Fire and every other Irwin Allen produced feature was there as much civilization mayhem as seen in the 2012 previews.
A YouTube account called JoinROACH celebrates those films of yesterday and their connection to Emmerich's latest disaster movie by creating a mock trailer for 2012 as if it were coming out circa 1975 and playing at your local grindhouse theater. With its cheesy music and leading graphics one can't help but
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- Patrick Sauriol
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Bruce Lee: Legends Of The Dragon Vols. 1-3
8 May 2009 10:43 AM, PDT
| Cinemaretro.com
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By Spencer Lloyd Peet
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There have been many books written about the charismatic
‘King of Kung Fu’ Bruce Lee since his untimely death in 1973. None, however, have captured his passion for
filmmaking quite like Bruce Lee:
Legends of the Dragon by Steve Kerridge. This three volume pictorial history of the
making of his third Hong Kong action film, Way
of the Dragon, follows ‘The little Dragon’ through true timeline from April
to August 1972 in Italy and Hong Kong. Each
book is lavishly illustrated with several rare and unseen photos that have come
from the Bruce Lee Estate archive and the personal collection of Bruce’s
friends and colleagues. Many of those
who were involved in the film, such as Bruce’s business partner Raymond Chow,
actor and American Karate Champion Chuck Norris, leading Lady Nora Miao and
production manager Chaplin Chang, share their stories.
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- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
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Spring Leap and Sideways Crawl
28 April 2009 1:14 PM, PDT
| Vanity Fair
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Oh forget about the Mets and the Yankees and low-flying aircraft. Oberon's Grove reminds us that tonight is the kick-off for the spring season of New York City Ballet and links to new YouTube preview videos featuring Nycb dancers Maria Kowroski and Rebecca Krohn. I will be in attendance this Saturday in my usual luxury seat, stuck between two recalcitrant blocs of senior citizens who refuse to adjourn for intermission, forcing me to crawl over them like Gene Hackman in The Poseidon Adventure while maintaining my dignity lest the ghost of Lincoln Kirstein be watching.
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TCM: Private Screenings—Interview With Ernest Borgnine
26 January 2009 10:15 AM, PST
| Twitch
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Along with discussing TCM’s upcoming “31 Days of Oscar” and reminiscing on Arlene Dahl, Robert Osborne and I talked about Ernest Borgnine, with whom he recently taped an interview for TCM’s “Private Screenings”, which will premiere on Monday, January 26, 2009, 5:00Pm (Pt), followed by a four-film tribute. Borgnine, a venerable 92-year-old, is the oldest living Academy Award®-winning actor, now that Charlton Heston has passed away. Osborne and I exchanged a few comments regarding this Hollywood legend and then a few hours later I was offered the chance to share a few minutes with Ernie as well.
* * *
Robert Osborne: [Ernie] may be matched with Olivia DeHaviland because she’s 92 as well. Jennifer Jones, I believe, is a couple of years younger. I must say that—knowing both of them—Borgnine and Olivia, is that they are both examples of how great it can be to live that long if you have good genes.
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- Michael Guillen
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The Hedda Lettuce "Poseidon Adventure" Screening Part Deux!
23 January 2009 5:49 PM, PST
| Cinemaretro.com
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Regarding David Savage's report earlier today on our web site about tomorrow's New York City screening of The Poseidon Adventure hosted by drag queen Hedda Lettuce, comes Retro columnist Tom Lisanti's perspective:
Drag legend Hedda Lettuce hosts a tribute screening to the granddaddy of all disaster movies The Poseidon Adventure (1972) this Saturday night, January 24, 10 P.M. at Clearview Chelsea Theatres on 23rd Street and 8th Avenue in New York. Forget the atrocious remakes, this is the one to see!
As everyone knows by now it is New Year's Eve on the SS Poseidon when just after the stroke of midnight a huge tidal wave causes the ship to go topsy turvy and a small band of survivors must climb, crawl, swim their way to the bottom now the top of the ship. Hip preacher Gene Hackman leads to safety a ragtag band of stereotypes including tough talking cop Ernest Borgnine
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- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
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