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July 23, 2017
Amazon’s ‘Landline’ Leads Specialized Releases, Followed by Indian Rom-Com ‘Fidaa’
As “The Big Sick” crosses over to 2,500 theaters and “Dunkirk” takes up all the oxygen as the best-reviewed film of the year, this is a quiet moment for specialized releases. Here’s where they stand.
Opening
Landline (Magnolia) Metacritic: 65; Festivals include: Sundance, San Francisco, Seattle 2017
$52,336 in 4 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $13,084
Amazon brought Magnolia on board to handle theatrical on this Sundance acquisition, a complicated family drama about adult kids dealing with parental infidelity and sibling dynamics, with an eclectic cast including Edie Falco, John Turturro, and Jenny Slate. Opening in four top New York/Los Angeles theaters, this scored the best numbers for the weekend but otherwise not especially impressive. Saturday grosses fell slightly from Friday (in-person appearances were a likely factor).
What comes next: Magnolia adds 35 new dates this Friday as Amazon continues its commitment to the traditional three-month window.
The Midwife (Music Box) Metacritic: 63; Festivals include: Berlin 2016, Seattle 2017
$20,250 in 3 theaters; PTA: $6,750
This French drama with Catherine Deneuve is at three ideal New York/Los Angeles locations, including the Francophile Paris in Manhattan. That helped raise its grosses to still mixed results, as French films continue to struggle on art-house screens.
What comes next: This expands to 25 total screens this Friday.
International releases:
Fidaa (Big Sky) – $(est.) 1,050,000 in 139 theaters; PTA: $7,554
A strong initial result for Sekhar Kammula’s Indian romantic comedy, his first in Telugu.
Week Two
Lady Macbeth (Roadside Attractions)
$123,140 in 40 theaters (+35); PTA: $3,079; Cumulative: $219,420
An aggressive expansion for the second weekend of this 19th-century erotic drama that’s more akin to Flaubert or Lawrence than Shakespeare, with average results. A strong Saturday boost over Friday could suggest initial positive response from an older audience.
Endless Poetry (Abkco)
$(est.) 28,000 in 11 theaters (+9); PTA: $(est.) 2,545; Cumulative: $(est.) 64,000
Alejandro Jodorowsky’s late-life recounting of his Chilean childhood expanded to other large cities, with a result that doesn’t quite sustain its initial New York/Los Angeles momentum.
“Maudie”
Ongoing/expanding (Grosses over $50,000 in under 1,000 theaters)
Maudie (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 14
$390,198 in 233 theaters (+134); Cumulative: $4,065,000
Most of the film’s North American gross comes from Canada, the country that produced it and served as its setting. The total gross for the U.S. is $1.4 million.
The Beguiled (Focus) Week 5
$251,600 in 331 theaters (-395); Cumulative: $10,155,000
Sofia Coppola’s period Gothic drama will end up at about a fifth of her biggest success, “Lost in Translation” (adjusted gross: $65 million).
“The Little Hours”
Courtesy of Sundance
Little Hours (Gunpowder & Sky) Week 3
$162,530 in 114 theaters (+9); Cumulative: $971,637
This contemporary-dialogue comic adaptation of “The Decameron” isn’t getting the same response as its initial platform dates, with a per-theater average of under $1,500 in limited release.
A Ghost Story (A24) Week 3
$141,148 in 43 theaters (+23); Cumulative: $480,478
A continued modest result for David Lowery’s acclaimed reteaming of Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara.
The Hero (The Orchard) Week 7
$145,214 in 191 theaters (-124); Cumulative: $3,705,000
Another summer specialized release for an older audience. Decent response, but likely didn’t get higher because of the amount of alternative films for the same group.
Beatriz at Dinner (Roadside Attractions) Week 7
$114,342 in 116 theaters (-89); Cumulative: $6,706,000
Miguel Arteta’s dinner-gone-wrong drama continues its decent run as one of the above-average recent specialized performers.
Lost in Paris (Oscilloscope) Week 6
$61,500 in 42 theaters (no change); Cumulative: $242,176
Unsophisticated Canadians bewildered in the French capital continues its niche fun as another subtitled film getting modest results. In the same number of theaters it held well, dropping only about 25 percent.
Paris Can Wait (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 11
$53,784 in 66 theaters (-111); Cumulative: $5,449,000
Eleanor Coppola’s film winds down its run after a respectable art-house showing.
Also noted:
The Women’s Balcony (Menemsha) – $34,469 in theaters; Cumulative: $978,263
City of Ghosts (IFC) – $18,216 in 18 theaters; Cumulative: $73,216
The B-Side (Neon) – $16,265 in 25 theaters; Cumulative: $94,584
13 Minutes (Sony Pictures Classics) – $11,984 in 19 theaters; Cumulative: $74,540
Source: IndieWire film
July 23, 2017
Sylvester Stallone Once Again Hints That Ivan Drago — or His Son — Will Appear in ‘Creed 2’
Sylvester Stallone’s Instagram has become to go-to spot for updates on “Creed II.” After teasing that Ivan Drago will return in the sequel to Ryan Coogler’s “Rocky” spinoff and that the “sins of the father” will be a factor as well, Sly more or less confirmed that a Drago will appear — though it may not be the original.
“JUST DONE …. if you are curious , around 439 handwritten pages translates into about a 120 page typed screenplay…#writers cramp #rockybalboa #drago #adoniscreed #MGM,” he wrote alongside a picture of the notebook that apparently contains the handwritten screenplay for “Creed II.” That second hashtag is of the most interest to viewers ready to see Dolph Lundgren reprise his role as the fierce Russian boxer who kills Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) in the ring.
Stallone’s most recent “Creed”-related Instagram post was a photoshopped picture of Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), son of Apollo, in the ring next to the man responsible for his father’s death. We’ll see what form their eventual confrontation takes on when the untitled “Creed” sequel is released.
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Source: IndieWire film
July 20, 2017
Chanelle Aponte Pearson’s Dazzling Ode to Black Lesbian Love Is the Next Great Queer Project of 2017
If the success of “Moonlight” and “Atlanta” are any indication, 2017 is set to become the year of the visionary black auteur (about time already). Joining their ranks soon enough is Chanelle Aponte Pearson, director of ‘195 Lewis,” which recently won a Special Mention from Outfest for “highlighting the contemporary life of queer black woman with flair, vibrancy and substance.”
The short series explores the joys and pitfalls of open relationships in a vibrant community of black queer women living in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. Flowing with original music by members of the community and glowing with luscious colors and warm light, Pearson breathes life into the eclectic mix of characters with equal parts humor and lust. The script, by first-time screenwriters Rae Leone Allen and Yaani Supreme, radiates a confident originality that heralds a fresh new perspective.
Allen and Supreme originally approached filmmaker Terence Nance with a treatment for the series, hoping the director of the 2012 Sundance film “An Oversimplification of Her Beauty” might like the project. He did, but he liked it for Pearson, a producer on “Oversimplification” and operations manager at Nance’s production company, MVMT.
A still from “195 Lewis”
Screenshot
“Terence saw the brief description of the show, and immediately thought, ‘Chanelle — you need to do it,” Pearson told IndieWire. “Terence is really good at encouraging folks to take it beyond the idea stage. We’ve been friends and partners for a long time and he has always been super supportive.”
When Pearson met up with Supreme, the two immediately hit it off. “We talked for hours about queerness in Brooklyn, and poly-ness in Brooklyn and how we’re not seeing that,” recalled Pearson. “We were really excited to create a project reflective of the experiences we were observing in our community.”
For Allen, the impetus to make the series was similar. “Yanni and I both moved to New York around the same time, and we were just blown away by the scene of all the black queer women in Brooklyn,” she said.
She describes an experience every queer woman can identify with: Re-visiting “The L Word” and noticing all the ways the groundbreaking lesbian show (which ended in 2009 and may return soon) feels outdated. “We were like — our lives are so much better than this.”
For the first time since leaving their respective Dallas and Washington D.C. homes, Allen and Supreme found themselves surrounded by a dizzying variety of queer women of color. “All the women had natural hair and Masters degrees. I think it’s a Brooklyn thing,” said Allen. Part of the magic of “195 Lewis” lies in the representation given a community that rarely sees its own stories told — much less one created by its own.
“There are so many images of the opposite of us — black people that are underserved, marginalized, having issues. All that stuff is real, but I think there is a big vacuum around the beauty of our lives. I feel like, it’s almost a service to overdo that. Because there’s so little of it in cinema,” said Allen.
With so much at stake, the team fretted over every single detail, down to each character’s hair. “Even something like, ‘should this character have an afro or should she have a blowout?’” recalled Pearson. “I specifically remember an argument that was — ‘No, Jamila has a blowout, that’s a part of who she is.’”
Of the many comic touches in “195 Lewis,” the often dense philosophical reasoning the characters use to manage the stress of multiple booty calls is its most singular juxtaposition. “A lot of the lines are verbatim from our lives,” said Allen. “Black women are the smartest beings on the planet. They’re the original beings. It’s odd to me when people are taken aback by it. I’m like — ‘Where do you hang out? Who do you talk to?’”
A still from “195 Lewis”
Courtesy Outfest/Screenshot
Pearson modestly attributes the show’s quality to the crew — which she estimates was 90 percent queer women of color. In true indie film form, many of the PAs and grips had little to no experience. Ryann Holmes, founding member of the black and trans collective Bklyn Boihood, stepped in as music supervisor to give the show its electrifying soundtrack.
“I think that’s reflective of the community. Sometimes we’re shut out of a lot of institutions or spaces, so we have to create the opportunities for ourselves to make the work that we want,” Pearson said.
Pearson has received a few industry boosts that will aid the transition from producing to directing: In 2015, she won the Gotham Awards’ Spotlight on Women Filmmakers Live The Dream grant, and she was a fellow with IFP’s Screen Forward Lab. With all the buzz surrounding the project, there is no doubt there are many more accolades coming her way.
“195 Lewis” played Outfest Los Angeles on July 14.
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Source: IndieWire Digital TV
July 19, 2017
A Conversation With Frank Oz and Leonard Maltin at the 2017 SXSW Conference [Video]
“When I came to New York, I had done marionettes for many years and I had only done a few hand puppets. I sat in front of a mirror for months practicing lip synch that Jane Henson taught me, but I didn’t do voices for four years. I didn’t think enough of myself, I had low self-esteem still and I didn’t think I could do it and Jim was about to give up on me, until one day we did a tv show, and he [Jim] forced me to do a character. He forced me and from that point on I started learning, ” — SXSW Featured Speaker, Frank Oz.
Oz is a four-time Emmy winner, a performer with The Muppets, and voiced the part of Yoda in the Star Wars films. He also directed over a dozen films including Little Shop of Horrors and The Score. This year, Oz brought Muppet Guys Talking – Secrets Behind the Show the Whole World Watched to the SXSW Film Festival where, for the first time ever, five of the original Muppet performers came together to discuss the creation of their iconic characters under the visionary leadership of Jim Henson.
Leonard Maltin, one of the world’s most respected film critics and historians, joined Oz for the SXSW Conference Featured Session. He is best known for his widely-used reference work Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide and its companion volume Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide.
Enjoy this candid conversation about Oz’s illustrious career featuring stories from how he got started in puppetry to his humble beginnings as a filmmaker.
Learn More About SXSW 2018
Learn how to successfully enter your film to the 2018 SXSW Film Festival with our How to Submit Your Film video and find out more information about deadlines and fees here.
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 1 when registration, housing, and press accreditation opens for the 2018 SXSW season. We hope to see you in March!
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SXSW News for the latest SXSW coverage, announcements, application tips, and updates.
Photo by Hubert Vestil/Getty Images for SXSW
The post A Conversation With Frank Oz and Leonard Maltin at the 2017 SXSW Conference [Video] appeared first on SXSW.
Source: SxSW Film
July 18, 2017
The Cities Summit at SXSW – A Fresh Look at the Future of Cities
The Cities Summit, a new convergence program for SXSW 2018, explores the future of cities through two full days of inspirational talks, hands on learning sessions, and special events to spark connection. Open to all SXSW registrants, the Cities Summit is designed to bridge the dialogue between city leaders and decision makers with SXSW communities – digital creatives, entrepreneurs, designers, artists and others – for a fresh look at how we shape our cities, and how they shape us.
Cities Summit Focus Areas
As the Sunday, July 23 deadline approaches for PanelPicker entries, note that the Cities Summit will be centering programming around three focus areas:
City As a Narrative
This focus area will tie in the arts, film, music, and culture, for a look at how we tell stories about cities, and how places tell their own stories.
Civic Innovation
An in-depth look at how tech, startups, designers, policymakers, and nonprofits are finding new ways to solve existing problems.
Cities for All
This focus area explores the future of urbanization through topics such as social equity, accessibility, health, immigration, and climate change.
Enter Your PanelPicker Idea
Visit PanelPicker.sxsw.com, login or create a new profile to begin. All ideas received will be posted online for Community Voting from Monday, August 7 – Friday, August 25. Review the resources and tips to get started – PanelPicker entry deadline is Sunday, July 23 at 11:59pm PT. Good luck!
Mark your calendars – registration and housing opens on Tuesday, August 1 for the 2018 SXSW Conference & Festivals in Austin, Texas from March 9-18.
Austin during SXSW 2017 – Photo by Mike Vas
The post The Cities Summit at SXSW – A Fresh Look at the Future of Cities appeared first on SXSW.
Source: SxSW Film
July 16, 2017
How Fantasia Film Festival Has Fostered a New Generation of Genre Filmmakers
When Philippe McKie was seven years old in 1996, his cinephile father took him to a screening of the Japanese anime “The End of Evangelian” at the very first edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal. “It blew my mind,” said McKie in a recent interview. “It created this love for international cinema — and this love for Japanese cinema.”
That passion continued through his teen years, as he continued watching movies at the three-week genre festival and eventually went to film school at Montreal’s Mel-Hoppenheim School of Cinema, before leaving the city to make movies in Japan. Now he’s back in an entirely new context, as a filmmaker with two short films in competition, both made abroad. “It hasn’t even fully dawned on me that I’m part of it now,” he said.
“I know the programmers by reputation but it’s my first time being a part of the fest. I’m meeting these guys for the first time as a filmmaker, so they don’t know, but to me, it’s really special.”
McKie’s experience is a variation on a familiar story in Quebec’s growing genre scene, which Fantasia has fostered for more than two decades. Supported by the province’s cultural SODEC in addition to Telefilm Canada and Creative Europe, Fantasia hosts some 150 features and 300 short films, in addition to the growing genre market Frontières, now in its fifth year.
“There’s definitely an institutional openness to genre that we’re seeing develop,” said Lindsay Peters, the festival’s market and industry director. “It’s taken a long time, but it’s looking positive now.”
McKie’s two shorts in the lineup collectively speak to the expansive nature of Fantasia’s programming strategy: “Breaker” is a cyber-punk thriller set in dystopian Japan, while “Be My First” is an erotic drama about a young woman on an enigmatic mission to lose her virginity. He was clearly enthusiastic to be back at the festival that inspired his burgeoning career. “I think this city is really funky,” he said. “You’ve got this clash of cultures, the whole French-English clash, but it’s also a very artistic city. People are very open. I’m really thankful that I can be from here. It’s always going to be a part of my identity.”
Phillipe McKie
Whereas many film festivals see their local talent move on, Fantasia’s specific focus on genre films has led many filmmakers like McKie to keep coming back to the festival — and, in other cases, stay put. Each of the festival’s three weekends contains a different short film section featuring work by Quebecois directors. One of these is Ariane Louis-Seize, whose wordless 19-minute short “The Wild Skin” revolves around the peculiar experiences of a young woman who discovers a python in her apartment and undergoes a strange erotic experience as a result.
Louis-Seize grew up near Ottawa idolizing Jane Campion’s films, and has found her groove producing work in Montreal. She waits tables two nights a week, but mostly lives off grant money. “I don’t need a lot to live here and feel comfortable,” she said during a happy-hour event for Quebecois filmmakers on the festival’s first weekend. “There are great talents and technicians here. It’s just easier because you have a real industry and I was able to create my own circle. It’s really nice because it’s all so casual.”
A native French speaker for whom speaking English doesn’t come easily, she has no plans to attempt working in other parts of the world. “I really like it here, but I don’t know anything else,” she said, adding that she had no major commercial ambitions. “Honestly, I don’t really think of that. My new short is really unclassifiable. It’s slow, and dark. For now — and probably for the rest of my life — I’ll work here.”
Ariane Louis-Seize
Ariane Louis-Seize
Fantasia’s role in supporting Quebecois filmmakers shows no sign of waning, as much of the market’s activity proves. This year, Canadian producers are eligible for funding from European financing institution Eurimage, and Frontières will host a panel on the fundraising behind two recent projects, “Muse” and “Border.” Another panel finds seven Canadian projects from up-and-coming female writer-directors being pitched in front of industry experts.
One of the participants in the panel is Elza Kephart, who runs the production company Midnight Kingdom Films out of Montreal. Unlike Louis-Seize, Kephart never landed government funding for her projects and attended film school in the U.S., at Emerson. However, Fantasia has played a crucial role in the evolution of her career: When she was looking for support on her directorial debut, 2003’s “Graveyard Alive,” programming director Mitch Davis met with Kephart’s producer early in the production and promised a slot in the lineup. It played there to a sold-out crowd. A decade later, she pitched a project at the market. “I was hooked,” she said. “I feel like the film crowd is a big circus family.”
She’s firmly entrenched in Quebec’s film scene and active in several local organizations, such as the women filmmaker collective Equitable Leaders, which “strives to attain equity for women directors in Quebec’s film industry.” At this year’s market, she’s pitching the project “Slaxxx,” which features a pair of killer pants. “I like death, blood, weirdness,” she said.
For much of Fantasia’s community, the festival provides a validation of their shared sensibilities — and the prospects of finding an audience beyond the limitations of the three-week gathering.
“There’s an opportunity for the local industry to really interact with the national scene,” Peters said. “The Quebec genre community is small, but it’s very strong.”
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Source: IndieWire film
July 16, 2017
Colin Trevorrow Explains Why He Should Still Direct ‘Star Wars’ Despite That Whole ‘Book of Henry’ Thing
Colin Trevorrow’s “The Book of Henry” was so poorly received that some have wondered whether he’ll still direct the untitled “Star Wars: Episode IX.” He wouldn’t be the first director to lose a “Star Wars” gig, as both Josh Trank and Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have been relieved of their duties in taking us to a galaxy far, far away. In a new Hollywood Reporter interview, Trevorrow appears to respond to this speculation by explaining why he’s still the right man for the job.
“Not only did I grow up on these stories, like all of us did, [but] I think that the values of ‘Star Wars’ are values that I hold very close and very dear in my life,” says Trevorrow, perhaps to all of us reading at home or perhaps to Kathleen Kennedy.
“I feel that the message of the way that the Force teaches you to treat other people and show respect for others, and the way it guides you through life, is really important to me. And I hope everybody would realize that that set of stories has affected me as deeply in my life as it has affected them.”
It isn’t quite “let the hate flow through you,” but as a plaintive statement it’s reasonable enough. Read the full interview/plea here.
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Source: IndieWire film
July 16, 2017
‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ Tops ‘Spider-Man’ Box Office But Disappoints Despite Rave Reviews
“War for the Planet of the Apes” (20th Century Fox), the third entry in the third round of the science-fiction series that launched in 1968, achieved a respectable if not spectacular $56.5 million opening, notching the top slot against the second weekend of “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (Sony), which dropped an unexpectedly large 61 per cent.
READ MORE How ‘Planet of the Apes” Started Hollywood’s Franchise Obsession
Remarkable and unprecedented for summertime play, three of the top five films this weekend “Apes,” “Baby Driver” (Sony) and “The Big Sick” (Lionsgate) are critically acclaimed wide releases with Metacritic scores over 80. That range of specialized titles and awards contenders is far from typical summer fare.
“Apes” received the top reviews of this well-regarded trio. The advance buzz was big enough to suggest an opening over $70 million. Instead, it is the lowest — in adjusted grosses, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” did the equivalent of $61 million, 28 per cent below “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” three years ago.
The “War for the Planet of the Apes” total still comes out ahead of several disappointing summer franchise sequels. But with a $150-million production budget before marketing, the movie will need a decent hold and stronger foreign results to make its expected profit. More importantly, the result is not enough to suggest a continuation of this series at this expense. Again, the impact of so much repetition in the release schedule diminishes even the top franchise entries.
“Baby Driver”
Wilson Webb
“Baby Driver” is thriving, with a fabulous hold: only a 33 per cent drop in its third weekend. It’s at $73 million domestic, and could even stretch to reach $100 million.
The Lionsgate/Amazon family dramedy “The Big Sick” raced to $7.6 million and $16 million so far. The number is reasonable for an arthouse crossover with niche appeal (a true romance about a Muslim man whose girlfriend faces a health crisis) but the film fell short of some predictions that it could pass $10 million. Next weekend will be critical to see if it can reach its potential, although it will easily top “The Gift” and “The Zookeeper’s Wife” to become the top specialty release film of 2017.
“Spider-Man: Homecoming”
“Spider-Man: Homecoming” fell a steep 61 per cent, similar to two earlier franchise entries, but far more than its two predecessors, which initiated fresh stars and stories (those dropped 38 and 44 per cent respectively). It competed with “War for the Planet of the Apes” for an overlapping audience. But this now looks to reach $325 million domestic, which is good enough to be a nice profit maker combined with foreign and other revenues. But does it justify more expensive sequels ahead?
The marvel of the summer continues to be Warner Bros./D.C. Comics’ “Wonder Woman,” which fell only 30 per cent in its seventh weekend, just under $7 million and good enough for sixth place. Even with its pattern for strong holds, this one is incredible, and now revises expectations for its total domestic gross to over $400 million.
“Wonder Woman” actually bested the other new wide release, Broad Green’s horror entry “Wish Upon” which could only manage $5.6 million in 2,250 theaters.
The Top Ten came in a $157 million, $6 million better than a year ago. That reverses a recent trend, and helps in the struggle to equal 2017 so far. It could be temporary. As much excitement as there is for Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” next week (which also brings Luc Besson’s “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” from STX and Universal’s raunchy comedy “Girls Trip”), it faces comparison to a weekend last year that saw three new films led by “Star Trek Beyond” which opened to $100 million combined.
Top Ten
1. War for the Planet of the Apes (20th Century Fox) NEW – Cinemascore: A-; Metacritic: 83; Est. budget: $150 million
$56,500,000 in 4,022 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $14,048; Cumulative: $56,500,000
2. Spider-Man: Homecoming (Sony) Week 2; Last weekend #1
$45,200,000 (-61%) in 4,348 theaters (no change); PTA: $10,396; Cumulative: $208,270,000
3. Despicable Me 3 (Universal) Week 3; Last weekend #2
$18,948,000 (-44%) in 4,155 theaters (-380); PTA: $4,560; Cumulative: $187,990,000
4. Baby Driver (Sony) Week 3; Last weekend #3
$8,750,000 (-34%) in 3,043 theaters (-183); PTA: $2,875; Cumulative: $73,152,000
5. The Big Sick (Lionsgate) Week 4; Last weekend #8
$7,600,000 (+112%) in 2,597 theaters (+2,271); PTA: $2,926; Cumulative: $16,037,000
6. Wonder Woman (Warner Bros.) Week 7; Last weekend #4
$6,885,000 (-30%) in 2,744 theaters (-344); PTA: $2,509; Cumulative: $380,636,000
7. Wish Upon (Broad Green) NEW – Cinemascore: C; Metacritic: 30; Est. budget: $12 million
$5,587,000 in 2,250 theaters; PTA: $2,483; Cumulative: $5,587,000
8. Cars 3 (Disney) Week 4; Last weekend #6
$3,167,000 (-41%) in 2,049 theaters (-653); PTA: $1,546; Cumulative: $140,032,000
9. Transformers: The Last Knight (Paramount) Week 4; Last weekend #5
$2,780,000 (-56%) in 2,323 theaters (-918); PTA: $1,197; Cumulative: $124,889,000
10. The House (Warner Bros.) Week 3; Last weekend #7
$1,795,000 (-62%) in 1,633 theaters (-1,501); PTA: $1,099; Cumulative: $23,130,000
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Source: IndieWire film
July 16, 2017
Al Pacino Transforms Into Joe Paterno in First-Look Photo from Barry Levinson’s Untitled HBO Drama
If the words “Untitled Barry Levinson Project” don’t get you excited, then perhaps this first-look photo of Al Pacino as Joe Paterno in the upcoming HBO movie will. Pacino is playing the disgraced coach who was best-known as the winningest coach in college-football history before becoming part of the Jerry Sandusky scandal in late 2011.
JoePa, as he was sometimes known, served as head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1966 to 2011 and racked up 409 wins during his decades-long tenure. Sandusky, the team’s defensive coordinator, was convicted of 45 counts of sexual abuse of young boys in June of 2012 — five months after Paterno’s death from lung cancer at 85. For his alleged role in helping cover up the years-long scandal, Paterno had 111 of his victories vacated by the NCAA.
Levinson, who won an Academy Award for directing “Rain Man” and has received five other nominations, previously worked with Pacino on “You Don’t Know Jack” and “The Humbling.” Riley Keough, Annie Parisse and Kathy Baker co-star in the untitled project, which is currently in production.
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Source: IndieWire film
July 16, 2017
Steven Spielberg Directed ‘Poltergeist,’ Says the Film’s Assistant Cameraman
The question of who actually directed “Poltergeist” has been haunting curious viewers for as long as the movie itself. Tobe Hooper is officially listed as having done so, though it’s long been suspected that co-writer and -producer Steven Spielberg was the true helmer; due to a clause in his “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” contract, however, Spielberg wasn’t technically allowed to direct anything else while preparing his kid-friendly classic.
In an appearance on Blumhouse’s podcast ‘Shock Waves,’ the film’s assistant cameraman more or less confirms that Spielberg was the actual director.
“It was a very intense, very fun, very technical movie to work on. There’s a lot going on. And candidly… Steven Spielberg directed that movie. There’s no question,” says John Leonetti, whose brother Matt was the film’s cinematographer. Leonetti, who directed “Annabelle” as well as the upcoming “Wish Upon,” spares several kind words for Hooper nevertheless.
“However, Tobe Hooper – I adore. I love that man so much,” he says of the genre auteur responsible for the likes of “Lifeforce” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Here he elaborates further:
“Hooper was so nice and just happy to be there. He creatively had input. Steven developed the movie, and it was his to direct, except there was anticipation of a director’s strike, so he was ‘the producer’ but really he directed it in case there was going to be a strike and Tobe was cool with that. It wasn’t anything against Tobe. Every once in a while, he would actually leave the set and let Tobe do a few things just because. But really, Steven directed it.”
That sounds fairly definitive. Listen to the full podcast here.
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Source: IndieWire film