News

If you can’t join ‘em, spoof ‘em.

That’s what David Zucker has made a career out of, and it’s what he is still doing with new instructional-video web series, MasterCrash, a play on MasterClass. In the first episode of MasterCrash, coming out in July, Zucker (Airplane! The Naked Gun! movies) will teach viewers his 15 rules of writing parody. The writer/director’s motivation isn’t (solely) money or fame, nor is it really about teaching a new generation of comedy writers. It is, to some degree at least, about revenge.

“My manager, about three years ago, tried to enter me in MasterClass,” Zucker told The Hollywood Reporter. He was rejected. (MasterClass did not respond to requests for comment.)

Zucker is used to rejection these days. His script with Pat Proft (Hot Shots!) for Naked Gun 4!, which they titled Naked: Impossible!, was passed over in favor of giving Akiva Schaffer (Saturday Night Live,...

Ted Kotcheff, the versatile, two-time Palme d’Or nominee who directed more than two dozen movies including First Blood, Weekend at Bernie’s, Fun with Dick and Jane, North Dallas Forty and Wake in Fright and exec produced hundreds of episodes of Law & Order: Svu during a six-decade career, died Thursday. He was 94.

Family members confirmed the news to Canada’s The Globe and Mail.

Born on April 7, 1931, in Toronto, Kotcheff began his career as a producer and director in 1950s and ’60s TV there. He became an important member of the 1960s fraternity of filmmakers in England, distinguishing himself with the films Life at the Top and Two Gentlemen Sharing. He also won a BAFTA TV Award in 1972 for the BBC drama Play for Today.

By the 1970s, he was focused on longform projects, including features and several made-for-tv movies. He helmed and co-wrote the Australia-set 1971 thriller Wake in Fright,...

Wings Hauser, the versatile character actor known for his intense turns in Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling, Vice Squad and Tough Guys Don’t Dance, has died. He was 77.

Hauser died Saturday at his home in Santa Monica after a long battle with Copd, his daughter, Bright Hauser, told The Hollywood Reporter. She noted that he was using an oxygen tank most recently.

Survivors also include his son, actor Cole Hauser, now playing the fixer Rip Wheeler on Yellowstone.

Hauser had his breakthrough when he starred as a psychopath pimp known as Ramrod in Avco Embassy Pictures’ lurid Vice Squad (1982), directed by horror veteran Gary Sherman. He also sang the theme song for the movie, “Neon Slime.”

Later, he played a racist U.S. Army officer in A Soldier’s Story (1984), directed by Norman Jewison; a cocaine dealer in Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986), starring Richard Pryor; and a...

Actor Wings Hauser, who appeared in dozens of roles over the course of his career, has passed away. He was 77 years old.

The news of Hauser's death was posted on his official Facebook account, sharing how he'd died in the arms of his wife, Cali Lili Hauser, with whom he'd been married since 2002. A cause of death was not mentioned in the post, which included an image of Wings and Cali with a dog by the sea.

“Movie icon Wings Hauser took flight in the arms of his film & music partner, Cali Lili Hauser at their studio this weekend," the announcement stated. "Born in Hollywood, proud Academy member and prouder son of Academy Award winning writer, director, producer Dwight A. Hauser and loving mother Geraldine T. Hauser, Wings Hauser’s one of a kind, legendary career spanned 58 years in movies, TV & music working alongside many of the greatest artists...

Few names are more iconic than John Wayne, whose legendary status was solidified through countless acclaimed box-office successes. As perhaps the defining figure of Hollywood's Golden Age, Wayne’s work in Westerns and war movies made him a household name whose rugged charisma and heroic persona ensured his success from the silent era right through to the end of his career in 1979. With acclaimed collaborations with directors like John Ford and Howard Hawks, Wayne was one of the biggest box office draws from the 1940s through to the 1960s.

The best Wayne movies have truly stood the test of time, and much of his best work also hit it big at the box office. Whether a leading man, co-starring with legends like Maureen O’Hara, or as part of an ensemble cast, Wayne always stood out in every production he was a part of. While the box office takings of Wayne...

William Shatner kicked off his career as a promising young actor in the company of the prestigious Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario. But when, despite strong notices for his performances, he failed to springboard to stardom like his Canadian colleague Christopher Plummer, Shatner lowered his sights and embraced the philosophy of a working actor. This isn't a knock. He shined in his "The Twilight Zone" episodes, and was superb as a racist interloper who stokes violence against the Black residents of a small town in Roger Corman's "The Intruder." However, he also took so many guest roles in television that he ran the risk of driving down his value by dint of his ubiquity.

Three seasons and several great episodes of "Star Trek" fixed that for Shatner, but throughout the 1970s he become closely associated with a kind of laughably serious, easily parodied manneredness. The ne plus ultra of...

Jim Abrahams, one of the creative minds behind such comedies as Airplane!, three Naked Gun movies, and the TV series Police Squad!, died November 26, 2024, at his Santa Monica, California home, Deadline reports. He was 80 years old.

Abrahams was born May 10, 1944, in Shorewood, Wi. He grew up with the brothers David and Jerry Zucker, and the trio often referred to as "Zaz" got their start in Hollywood with The Kentucky Fried Movie. Written by Zaz and directed by John Landis, the film consists of a series of crude, sometimes offensive vignettes something which, by modern standards, could never be made today. Abrahams and the Zucker brothers appeared in the movie alongside James Bond actor George Lazenby, Donald Sutherland, and The Incredible Hulk star Bill Bixby, among others.

The trio got their big break in 1980 with Airplane!, a send-up of '70s disaster flicks like Airport and The Poseidon Adventure. Starring Leslie Nielsen,...

Filmmaker Jim Abrahams, whose work includes co-directing the iconic comedy movie Airplane!, has passed away.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Jim Abrahams died on Tuesday at his home in Santa Monica, California. According to his son, Joseph, the filmmaker's passing was due to natural causes. He was 80 years old.

Abrahams has long been known for his work on several popular slapstick comedy movies. He frequently collaborated with filmmaking brothers Jerry and David Zucker, and the trio co-wrote John Landis' 1977 comedy Kentucky Fried Movie. They followed this up by co-writing and co-directing Airplane!, the 1980 spoof of disaster movies starring Leslie Nielsen, Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, and Robert Stack.

With a budget of less than $4 million, the comedy earned over $171 million at the box office. The film also won a WGA Award for Best Adapted Comedy. It is still remembered fondly as one of the best slapstick comedies ever made, often quoted by...

Jim Abrahams, part of the writing-directing-producing team behind such comedy touchstones as Airplane!, the Naked Gun films, and Police Squad!, died Tuesday at his Santa Monica home. He was 80.

His son, Joseph Abrahams, confirmed the news to our sister site The Hollywood Reporter.

Along with brothers David and Jerry Zucker, Abrahams also was behind laugh-inducing — and often intentionally groan-inducing — comedy films including Top Secret! and the Top Gun spoofs Hot Shots! and Hot Shots! Part Deux. Students of the Mel Brooks School of Anything for a Laugh, the trio paired absurd situations with deadpan lines and fueled Leslie Nielsen’s unlikely rise to leading man after 30 years in the business.

The trio got their big-screen start writing The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977), a series of decidedly un-pc vignettes directed by John Landis that ranged from silly to uproarious to “what the hell?!” and back. Sample: A TV news anchor deadpans from...

Jim Abrahams, the writer-director who with brothers Jerry and David Zucker turned the comedy genre on its ear with such zany efforts as Airplane!, Police Squad! and The Naked Gun films, died Tuesday. He was 80.

Abrahams died of natural causes at his home in Santa Monica, his son Joseph told The Hollywood Reporter.

The trio made their first mainstream impression by writing the sketch-filled Kentucky Fried Movie (1977), directed by John Landis in his prelude to Animal House, and they also combined for Top Secret! (1984), starring a young Val Kilmer, and Ruthless People (1986), featuring Bette Midler and Danny DeVito.

Without his childhood buddies from Wisconsin, Abrahams directed Big Business (1988), starring Midler and Lily Tomlin, and co-wrote and helmed Hot Shots! (1991) and its 1993 sequel, both starring Charlie Sheen.

Joke-filled and laden with sight gags and puns, the humor of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker, or Zaz as they came to be known, was fast,...

What if I told you that the late directing legend George Romero wrote and directed an ahead-of-its-time “one bad day” revenge slasher classic back in 2000 that mixed Michael Douglas in Falling Down with Michael Myers from Halloween and featured a live performance by The Misfits… yet no one noticed? It would take Robert Stack and a special episode of Unsolved Mysteries to uncover how a film that was arguably one of George Romero’s best films in the second half of his career went completely unnoticed, and stayed that way even as we speak today… This is just what happened to Bruiser.

Look for yourself and you’ll find a very thin file on the existence of Bruiser (watch it Here). To craft even the video you’re watching right now we had to reach into the time vault of eBay and find a DVD copy featuring a commentary from...

So it’s spooky time, and instead of doing something productive like making a Flukeman costume, we’ve taken a dive back into The X-Files—specifically the ‘Monsters of the Week’ episodes. Sure, everyone talks about the alien conspiracy, and don’t get me wrong, I love digging into the mythology arc as much as anyone. But what about the ones that still keep us up at night? Whether it’s from the hellish nightmares or those 3 a.m. ‘what is my existence?’ thoughts, these episodes have a way of sticking with you. You’ve been waiting for more so let’s go reignite those childhood fears…or joys.

Bad Blood- Season 5, ep 12: I’ve got a thing for unreliable narrators, especially when both Mulder and Scully are on storytelling duty. Bad Blood is classic Vince Gilligan, mixing absurdity with just enough Halloween flavor to make the list.

With the arrival of volumes four and five of Netflix's hugely popular Unsolved Mysteries after a two-year hiatus, true-crime-hungry fans are looking forward to a new set of unexplained deaths or perplexing disappearances to get their teeth into. The original Unsolved Mysteries show, which ran from 1988 to 2010, famously had a hand in solving hundreds of the cases it featured, naturally raising the question of whether, since its reboot under Netflix's banner in 2020, the new show has had a similar impact.

Solving cases takes time, effort, and often the public's cooperation. Five volumes and four years after the reboot, Unsolved Mysteries has yet to solve as many cases as the original, but there remains plenty of time to do so. The new Netflix show's time will come, but to date, there's just one case the series can justifiably claim to have brought to a close, while a couple more have been significantly impacted.

This year’s Transformers One takes the lore and explores how both Optimus Prime and Megatron went from practically brothers to becoming bitter enemies. But back in 1987, an epic movie version of the popular animated television show would bring their battle to the big screen for the first time. It’s Transformers: The Movie on this episode of Revisited.

The Background and the plot

The Transformers cartoon from 1984 was one of several children’s shows that was made explicitly to sell toys. It joined the likes of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, G.I. Joe and Voltron. However, this is a good example of “if you can make a product that’s cool enough, we won’t dwell on the shallow corporate reason for its existence.” Kids everywhere in the 80s loved the varied vehicles and characters and the creativity of unfolding and switching parts to turn it into a fighting soldier robot.

Many of the Transformers movies are available to watch on streaming now, giving audiences time to catch up before Transformers One. Over the years, Transformers has gone through multiple iterations, including the TV series The Transformers in the 80s as well as numerous other films. The bulk of the Transformers live-action movie series is now synonymous with Michael Bay, who has been involved with the vast majority of the series.

The Transformers movie universe is expanding with the release of Transformers One. Unlike its most immediate predecessors, Transformers One is a fully animated project. It explores the backstory of Optimus Prime and Megatron, who grew up as friends before becoming notorious enemies later on in the series. Additionally, a Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover movie is in the works. Those interested in catching the Transformers series can do so on streaming platforms.

Every Live-Action Transformers Movie Is Streaming On...

Everyone knows that Steven Spielberg's "1941" was a notorious box office flop. And everyone ... is wrong. Despite its reputation over the years, Spielberg's 1979 war comedy was not a box office failure. It just looked that way because, well, it was a Steven Spielberg movie. In '79, in the wake of the record-breaking box office juggernaut that was "Jaws" and its successful follow-up "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Steven Spielberg seemed untouchable. It felt like the wunderkind director could not fail — that, like a cinematic King Midas, everything he touched would turn to gold.

"1941" changed that. While the film went on to become a modest box office success, taking in $94.9 million on a $35 million budget, it was not well received. Critics were mixed at best on the film. As Roger Ebert wrote, "The movie finally reduces itself to an assault on our eyes and ears, a nonstop series of climaxes,...

Even 44 years after its release, Airplane! is still considered one of the funniest movies ever made, having entertained generations of fans, and forever ruined any earnest use of the word “surely” in a sentence.

A big reason why Airplane! works so well is its casting. While Paramount wanted to cast the biggest comedy stars of the day, floating names like Chevy Chase and Bill Murray, directors Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams and David Zucker instead opted to hire more dramatic actors in the lead roles, such as Lloyd Bridges and Leslie Nielsen. Keep in mind, this was back when Leslie Nielsen was still considered a dramatic actor.

Enlisting serious actors to play every single absurd scene completely straight is what made the movie hilarious. But casting non-comedians in a comedy did present certain challenges. For example, in order to get the right performance out of Robert Stack, of TV’s The Untouchables fame,...

Narration in TV shows is nothing new. It has been around since shows like The Wonder Years and the original Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack as host. The narrator is designed to guide viewers through whats going on in the scene. It is sometimes an internal monologue of a pivotal character. With something like a docuseries, viewers expect that the narrator is revealing accurate facts and details. But when it comes to fictional dramas, comedies, and other content, narrative detail is fair game, subject to interpretation and perception.

It's that special time of the year when streamers start to announce their eerie October offerings. Fans of the mystifying can rejoice, as Netflix will drop the fifth volume of its Unsolved Mysteries reboot just in time for Halloween, and no doubt much sooner than anyone could have expected. The mystery docuseries' fourth volume landed on the streamer this July (making it a three-month turnaround between Volumes 4 and 5). For context, the show's second volume initially aired back in 2022.

An Instagram post shared on the official page of Unsolved Mysteries reads, "There are more mysteries to come. Stay tuned, detectives." While the image teases, "The Search Continues." It confirms the forthcoming volume's October release, but doesn't provide an exact date, so we'll just have to wait on that.

Netflix

The popular docuseries reboot was born from a collaboration between Shawn Levy (Stranger Things) and his 21 Lap Entertainment banner, Cosgrove-Meurer Productions (the...

Netflix rolled out more “Unsolved Mysteries” with the reboot show’s fourth volume back in July, and we’ve learned that “Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 5” is already coming soon.

“Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 5” premieres on Netflix in October 2024.

Stay tuned for more details including the official premiere date.

Netflix previews, “The iconic and gripping series returns, featuring more unexplained deaths, baffling disappearances, and bizarre paranormal activity.”

There are currently 26 episodes of the new series up for streaming on Netflix, with the episodes covering everything from murders to disappearances, hauntings, and UFO sightings.

Unsolved Mysteries is from the creators of the original docuseries, Cosgrove/Meurer Productions, and 21 Laps Entertainment, the producers of Stranger Things.

Executive producer Shawn Levy said in a recent statement, “Unsolved Mysteries continues to resonate with viewers in ways we could never have imagined, with some episodes leading to solving cases that were once thought unsolvable. It is a privilege...

Tom Hanks' underrated films showcase his diverse talent and captivate viewers with unique narratives and characters. Joe Versus the Volcano, Road to Perdition, and The 'Burbs are prime examples of Hanks' ability in lesser-known projects. These movies explore themes of personal transformation, morals, and resilience, highlighting Hanks' versatility and depth as an actor.

Tom Hanks is one of Hollywood's most beloved and accomplished actors, renowned for his blockbuster hits like Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, and Toy Story. His talent for bringing depth and humanity to his characters has earned him a place in the hearts of audiences worldwide. However, despite his fame, some of the best scenes of Tom Hanks' entire career, have flown under the radar, overshadowed by his more iconic ones. These underrated films showcase his versatility and ability to captivate viewers, even in lesser-known projects.

Tom Hanks' underrated movies offer a glimpse into his talent. From dramas to comedies,...

Fans of Unsolved Mysteries are divided on the Netflix revival, particularly the focus on Jack the Ripper's case, which lacks interviews with key players. Viewers wanted more current mysteries explored, like the disappearances of Brian Shaffer and Maura Murray, which offer potential for resolution. The latest season has sparked debate over the value of rehashing old cases versus highlighting cases with a chance of being solved.

Since being resurrected by Netflix, Unsolved Mysteries has gained more fans who are obsessed with true crime and unsolved cases. It's the DNA that made the original show with host Robert Stack such a hit because its viewers would, in equal parts, frighten themselves and think they could help solve one of the mysteries at the center of each episode. Fans have been nitpicky about the Netflix version, particularly the show doing away with narration, something the late Stack added to the original...

The "Body in the Basement" episode of Unsolved Mysteries covers Amanda Antonis mysterious death in horrifying detail. The episode raises questions about foul play vs. tragic accident, leaving viewers unsettled and haunted. Fans speculate on various theories, including a plausible accidental death scenario due to Amanda's disorientation.

Unsolved Mysteries is one of the preeminent mystery documentary series that arguably inspired so many that came after it. On the air since 1987, first presented wonderfully by the signature trench coat-wearing Robert Stack, the series has seen multiple iterations through the decades. Most recently, it was brought back by Netflix in 2019 in the form of a reboot. This one doesnt have a host but still covers cold cases involving everything from murder to strange disappearances and paranormal activity.

Through the four volumes to date, the latest of which includes five episodes released in July 2024, there have been a few episodes, in particular, that haunt viewers more than others.

Unsolved Mysteries, a long-running series since the late 1980s, has released a total of 607 episodes and specials as of July 2024. The show has had a turbulent history with various hosts, network changes, and cancelations, yet has remained popular and enduring. Netflix revived Unsolved Mysteries in 2020 with a new documentary-style format, focusing on single stories per episode for a more immersive experience.

The classic series Unsolved Mysteries is the gift that keeps on giving to cold case and paranormal phenomena fans, with hundreds upon hundreds of episodes to show for and more still yet to come. As its title suggests, the documentary-style TV show created by John Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer explores a range of unexplained cases, from true crime whodunits to supernatural stumpers, and has done so since the late 1980s. In 1987, to be exact, Unsolved Mysteries began as a procession of TV specials before burgeoning into a full-fledged...

2024 has been an extraordinary year for film preservation, with theatrical premieres of new restorations of “The Searchers” and “North by Northwest” unspooling at festivals and repertory houses while pristine new editions of essential films like Michael Powell’s “Peeping Tom” and Martha Coolidge’s “Not a Pretty Picture” become available for home viewing via 4K and Blu-ray releases. The 1952 adventure film “Bwana Devil” is not held in as high regard as those classics by most cinephiles, but its restoration and Blu-ray release from Kino Lorber are just as significant. The first color 3D feature film, “Bwana Devil” was a game changer in Hollywood history, and Kino’s Blu-ray provides the first chance in decades to see it as it was originally presented — an experience that reveals “Bwana Devil” is a far more exciting film than its tepid reputation would indicate.

“Bwana Devil” was the brainchild of writer, producer, and director Arch Oboler,...

This August, Paramount+ is bringing you a lot of entertainment with the highly anticipated streaming release of the biographical film Bob Marley: One Love and a very weird but humorous and heartfelt film Sasquatch Sunset, which follows the daily lives of a Sasquatch family. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Paramount+ this month and have a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the 10 best films that are coming to Paramount+ in August 2024 with a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

Airplane! (August 1)

Airplane! is a disaster absurdist comedy film written and directed by Jim Abrahams, David, and Jerry Zucker. Based on the 1957 drama film Zero Hour! by Arthur Hailey, Hall Bartlett, and John Champion, the 1980 film follows Ted Striker, a former pilot with a fear of flying as he finds himself in the impossible situation of landing a...

Feuds and rivalries are very common in Hollywood, with even legendary names like the renowned filmmaker Steven Spielberg not being a far reach for it. While his iconic long-ongoing silent dispute with Hollywood heartthrob Tom Cruise was one thing, the Jurassic Park saga helmer held an even greater skirmish with one other celebrity.

Steven Spielberg. | Credit: Gage Skidmore/Cc-by-sa 2.0/Wikimedia Commons.

This celebrity was the late actor cum political activist famous for his leading man roles in multiple genres, Charlton Heston. As it turns out, Heston wanted to star in one tremendously acclaimed film from Spielberg, but the latter’s rejection led him to develop a conflict with him that was great enough to eclipse even the director’s vendetta with Cruise.

Steven Spielberg’s Discord with Charlton Heston: How It All Began

Steven Spielberg has forever been one of the best project-tamers in Hollywood, and his masterpieces speak volumes...

Netflix has released an official trailer for Unsolved Mysteries Volume 4. The new batch of five episodes will be dropping on the streaming platform on July 31.

There will be a variety of cases explored in the new volume. They include the story of a discovered severed head that still has not been identified; a woman who died mysteriously in a basement; eyewitness reports of a flying creature in the Chicago area; the search for justice following a young woman's brutal murder; and the case of Jack the Ripper, one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in history. A sneak peek at the new episodes can be seen by watching the trailer below.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Related Netflix's New Superhero Series Nets Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score & Sky-High Viewership

Netflix has found a hit with a new superhero series.

The series comes from the creators of the original Unsolved Mysteries,...

Unsolved Mysteries has been airing, off and on, presented in different styles and by different hosts, for nearly forty years at this point. It all began with specials hosted by Raymond Burr, Karl Malden, and Robert Stack in the ’80s, followed by a series that went for several years with Stack as the host. (And Virginia Madsen being added as co-host eventually.) Dennis Farina hosted a revival that lasted a few years. And in 2020, the Netflix streaming series brought the world their Unsolved Mysteries reboot, which doesn’t have a host at all. The first six episodes of this revival, called volume 1, arrived on Netflix on July 1, 2020. Volume 2, also consisting of six episodes, dropped on October 19, 2020. Volume 3, which consisted of nine episodes that were released over a period of three weeks, came along in October and November of 2022. All five episodes of Unsolved Mysteries volume 4 will be streaming on Netflix...

More “Unsolved Mysteries” is on the way from Netflix, with five brand new mysteries set to unfold when “Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 4″ premieres Wednesday, July 31.

Netflix previews, “The iconic and gripping series returns, featuring more unexplained deaths, baffling disappearances, and bizarre paranormal activity.”

There are currently 21 episodes of the new series up for streaming on Netflix, with the episodes covering everything from murders to disappearances, hauntings, and UFO sightings.

Unsolved Mysteries is from the creators of the original docuseries, Cosgrove/Meurer Productions, and 21 Laps Entertainment, the producers of Stranger Things.

Co-creator & executive producer Terry Dunn Meurer said in a new statement, “This is our most unique volume yet. From one of the most notorious unsolved cases of all time to all-new baffling mysteries, there’s something for everyone to solve.”

Executive producer Shawn Levy adds, “Unsolved Mysteries continues to resonate with viewers in ways we could never have imagined, with...

In a resplendent career spanning five decades, Steven Spielberg has undoubtedly come to master the art of filmmaking, with astronomical hits like E.T. and Schindler’s List attesting to the same. But even the most illustrious director like him isn’t invincible to the occasional theatrical flop.

Steven Spielberg | Photo by Elena Ternovaja licensed under Cc By-sa 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Turns out, Spielberg had already been advised against making one of his films that not only botched commercially but failed to get into critics’ good books as well. So, maybe he could’ve avoided that one, albeit he doesn’t regret it by any means.

Steven Spielberg Was Forewarned Of Not Making This Flop

If there’s one Steven Spielberg movie that is unanimously regarded as perhaps his most disastrous work in an otherwise flourishing career, it would be the war comedy starring John Belushi. Based on the epochal events that unfolded at Pearl Harbor,...

Unsolved Mysteries has been airing, off and on, presented in different styles and by different hosts, for nearly forty years at this point. It all began with specials hosted by Raymond Burr, Karl Malden, and Robert Stack in the ’80s, followed by a series that went for several years with Stack as the host. (And Virginia Madsen being added as co-host eventually.) Dennis Farina hosted a revival that lasted a few years. And in 2020, the Netflix streaming series brought the world their Unsolved Mysteries reboot, which doesn’t have a host at all. The first six episodes of this revival, called volume 1, arrived on Netflix on July 1, 2020. Volume 2, also consisting of six episodes, dropped on October 19, 2020. Volume 3, which consisted of nine episodes that were released over a period of three weeks, came along in October and November of 2022. Now Netflix has finally confirmed that Unsolved Mysteries volume 4 will be streaming in July!

More “Unsolved Mysteries” is on the way from Netflix, with the streamer announcing this week that “Unsolved Mysteries” Volume 4″ will premiere on Wednesday, July 31.

Netflix previews, “The iconic and gripping series returns, featuring more unexplained deaths, baffling disappearances, and bizarre paranormal activity.”

There are currently 21 episodes of the new series up for streaming on Netflix, with the episodes covering everything from murders to disappearances, hauntings, and UFO sightings.

Unsolved Mysteries is from the creators of the original docuseries, Cosgrove/Meurer Productions, and 21 Laps Entertainment, the producers of Stranger Things.

“Someone, somewhere, knows the truth.” That core idea is the basis for “Unsolved Mysteries,” which began haunting viewers in 1988 with the classic Robert Stack-hosted iteration. The original series lasted 11 years, defining a genre of true crime programming and inspiring generations of amateur sleuths worldwide. The show celebrated its 35th anniversary last year.

The post “Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 4” Comes to...

Steven Spielberg, the maestro behind some of Tinseltown’s greatest spectacles, embraced the pandemonium in his 1979 war comedy odyssey, 1941. This film is often cited as Spielberg’s out-of-control gamble, but what many don’t realize is the unique space it occupies in the director’s illustrious career.

Following the colossal success of Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg went where few dared, proving that even legends can afford a playful detour. Having said that, critics & audiences were initially mixed, and the actor John Wayne himself bristled at its irreverence toward the film’s plot circling “World War II”.

Steven Spielberg’s 1941 | Universal Pictures

But Spielberg never harbored “embarrassment” for this quirky war comedy. In fact, statistics show that 1941 was not the flop it’s reputed to be; it earned more than its production costs at the box office.

1941: Revisiting the War Comedy That Holds a...

From leading the most acclaimed Star Wars release, The Empire Strikes Back to starring in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Blade Runner, the ’80s saw Harrison Ford at his peak. Moreover, apart from taking leading roles in major sci-fi and fantasy releases, he also made sure to star in several acclaimed dramas, including Witness, which earned him an Oscar nod for Best Actor.

But while Ford took on many iconic gigs, especially in the 80s, the actor also chose to turn down a plethora of them, including Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables.

Harrison Ford Rejected the Offer to Headline Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables Harrison Ford | Credit: Star Wars (Lucasfilm and Disney)

By the time Harrison Ford was done with the original Star Wars trilogy, the actor was one of the most in-demand actors in the world and was reasonably the favorite pick for many directors. Brian De Palma,...

Social media is always posting clips of belligerent airline passengers having meltdowns even getting into fisticuffs with flight attendants and fellow travelers. But today’s outbursts look positively tame to compared to the ill-behavior of the passengers and even the crew on a plane bound to San Francisco from Honolulu in “The High and the Mighty,” which opened in L.A. on May 27, 1954. The film went into general release in July. They drink, they cry, they fight and even restrain a passenger who has a gun.Meanwhile, the young pilot nearly loses it, the veteran pilot is haunted with memories of a crash, the navigator is a nervous wreck. Smoking, even by the crew, is allowed.

Directed by William A. Wellman, who helmed another airplane classic 1927’s Oscar-winner “Wings,” adapted by Ernest Gann from his best seller and produced by star John Wayne and his partner Robert Fellows, “The High and the Mighty...

True Crime is a part of everyday media that the TV series, specials, films, and documentaries all about it have been around forever. But actually, that’s not the case. The format we now see, wasn’t the norm at all in the 80s when Unsolved Mysteries began its iconic run. A weekly series built around cases and interviews with the people who were a part of them, re-enacting the crimes…had never been done before.

But then one day a series came along that would not only showcase True Crime but would also give us ghosts, UFOs, and all points in between. Not only that, but the theme song would cause Ptsd in most kids my age who had the fortune or misfortune to hear it. That series is Unsolved Mysteries, a series so popular that it changed not only pop culture but the way investigations within law enforcement were conducted.

Steven Spielberg is undoubtedly one of the greatest voices in filmmaking today. Since the ’70s, he has proven himself to be a very competent director who can dabble in any filmmaking genre with ease. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of The Lost Ark, Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park, The Color Purple, etc. are examples of his complete mastery over varied genres.

Melinda Dillon and Cary Guffey in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Spielberg tasted success early in his career with Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. When he decided to put a comedic spin on the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, many, including John Wayne, warned him that it would backfire on him. The underwhelming reception of the film led to a big realization of the mistakes that he made.

John Wayne’s Warning About 1941 Was The First Sign of the Film...

When Steven Spielberg set out to helm "1941" (a film John Wayne tried to stop him from making), he was seemingly unbeatable. Here was the man who invented the summer blockbuster with "Jaws," then followed it up with the big hit "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." He was on top of the world, and it felt like anything he put his name on was going to be a success. Then "1941" crashed and burned. 

Sort of. 

Here's the thing: in the grand scheme of things, "1941" was not relly a flop. However, because critics were mixed on the flick and it wasn't as big of a hit as Spielberg's previous two movies, it was seen as a failure. Spielberg the wunderkind was showing signs of fatigue. And to be fair, "1941" is definitely one of Spielberg's weaker efforts. Based very loosely on true events, the film follows several...

With the back-to-back blockbuster combo of "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Steven Spielberg had firmly established himself as a sui generis Hollywood visionary when, in 1978, he chose to make "1941." Most people consider this a near-disaster of a decision. The anarchic World War II comedy, set in panicked Southern California in the immediate wake of the assault on Pearl Harbor, was a 180-degree turn from the spirited adventure and childlike yearning of his previous two films. It was silly, vulgar and more than a little mean. And, most audaciously, it was making light of the country's understandably crazed reaction to an attack that killed thousands of U.S. military personnel.

Spielberg's co-conspirators in this juvenile affront to one of the worst days in 20th century American history were screenwriters John Milius, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale — and, really, all you have to do is watch "Used Cars...

Phil Karlson’s The Scarface Mob was originally made as a two-part pilot for the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse anthology series before the 80-minute episodes were re-cut for theatrical release. Given the sterility of so much dramatic television in the 1950s, it’s hard to imagine Karlson—best known for hard-hitting noirs like Kansas City Confidential and The Phenix City Story—seeing the format as suitable for his style. But Desi Arnaz, a huge admirer of the latter film, promised Karlson no studio interference. And while The Scarface Mob’s story presents a clear battle between good and evil in the form of Eliot Ness (Robert Stack) and Al Capone’s (Neville Brand) Chicago bootlegging empire, Karlson’s gritty brutality finds its way on-screen as the film conflates the maniacal ruthlessness of both men’s actions.

Stack’s performance went a long way in cementing Ness’s legacy in the public imagination.

Files of the Unexplained lacks the spooky tone that made Unsolved Mysteries captivating for viewers. Unlike Unsolved Mysteries, Files of the Unexplained struggles with storytelling, feeling disjointed and lacking in depth. The series presents too many possibilities without clear direction, leaving episodes feeling empty and lacking coherence.

From aliens to sea creatures and plenty in between, Netflix’s Files of the Unexplained is a new docuseries exploring several mysterious phenomena. Taking the number one spot on the streaming platform, the series consists of eight episodes, each investigating specific enigmas without definitive explanations. Narrated by Tijuana Ricks, the show has already been compared to the wildly popular mystery series Unsolved Mysteries, which Netflix revived in 2020. Much like Unsolved Mysteries, Files of the Unexplained doesn’t necessarily provide answers to the questions it raises. Instead, it relies on viewers to explore the possibilities of what could be true.

Originally airing in 1987, Unsolved Mysteries...

In the episode of "The X-Files" called "Bad Blood," Agents Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Mulder (David Duchovny) have to get their story straight after Mulder murders a young man (Patrick Renna) believing him to be a vampire. Know immediately that "Bad Blood" is one of the rare comedy episodes of "The X-Files," and that it is deeply beloved by X-Philes the world over. Indeed, /Film listed it as the best episode of the series, replacing the show's usual funereal tone with one of whimsy. This is an episode wherein Mulder, when knocked in the head, uncontrollably begins singing "Theme from Shaft."

"Bad Blood" is told in a pair of flashbacks, telling slightly different versions of the same event, "Rashomon"-style. Scully recalls investigating a series of mysterious cattle exsanguinations in Texas and is careful to relate Mulder's behavior as cavalier and condescending. She also notes that there was no evidence of vampires.

Actor Beau Bridges is being honored in a place of special significance to his family.

The star of The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Descendants, Norma Rae, and more than 200 other films and television series received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sonoma International Film Festival on Friday. His late father, actor Lloyd Bridges, traced his roots to the town in California’s wine country.

“I can really feel my dad, Lloyd’s spirit here with me in Sonoma, because this is where he was raised,” Bridges tells Deadline. “He was born in San Leandro and raised in Sonoma on Spain Street. He was an altar boy at the St. Francis Church, and then he moved to Petaluma, went to Petaluma High School. So, this is his territory, and to have this acknowledgement here in the seat of our family, so to speak, is really special to me.”

Beau Bridges on-set...

More “Unsolved Mysteries” is on the way from Netflix, with the streamer announcing as part of their 2024 Preview today that “Unsolved Mysteries” Volume 4″ is coming soon.

Netflix previews, “The iconic and gripping series returns, featuring more unexplained deaths, baffling disappearances, and bizarre paranormal activity.”

We don’t yet have a premiere date, but the new season is expected in 2024.

There are currently 21 episodes of the new series up for streaming on Netflix, with the episodes covering everything from murders to disappearances, hauntings, and UFO sightings.

Unsolved Mysteries is from the creators of the original docuseries, Cosgrove/Meurer Productions, and 21 Laps Entertainment, the producers of Stranger Things.

“Someone, somewhere, knows the truth.” That core idea is the basis for “Unsolved Mysteries,” which began haunting viewers in 1988 with the classic Robert Stack-hosted iteration. The original series lasted 11 years, defining a genre of true crime programming and inspiring generations of amateur sleuths worldwide.

Richard Romanus, the tough-guy character actor best known for his turn as Michael Longo, the Little Italy loan shark who gets into it with Robert De Niro’s Johnny Civello in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets, has died. He was 80.

Romanus died Dec. 23 in a private hospital in Volos, Greece, his son, Robert Romanus, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Romanus handled prominent voice roles for Ralph Bakshi in 1977’s Wizards (as the elf warrior Weehawk) and 1982’s Hey Good Lookin’ (as the leader of a 1950s greaser gang), and in between, he played the cab driver Harry Canyon in another animated film, Heavy Metal (1981).

He also appeared on four episodes of The Sopranos as Richard Lapenna, the on-again, off-again husband of Lorraine Bracco’s Jennifer Melfi, from 1999-2002.

In Mean Streets (1973), Romanus’ character is famously disrespected by Johnny when he leans on him for his money.

“You know, Michael, you make me laugh,...

Marisa Pavan, the Italian actress who received an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actress for the 1955 drama The Rose Tattoo, died Wednesday at her home in Gassin, France. She was 91 and no cause was given. Her death was announced on her official social media site.

Pavan, the sister of actress Pier Angeli, appeared in such films as Diane (1956), starring Lana Turner, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956) with Gregory Peck, and in the film noir The Midnight Story (1957) with Tony Curtis.

In The Rose Tattoo, Pavan played Rosa, who grieves the death of her husband until meeting a truck driver played by Burt Lancaster.

Pavan lost in her Oscar category to Jo Van Fleet, who also appeared in The Rose Tattoo, but won the Oscar for East of Eden.

Other films Pavan starred in during the ’50s include John Paul Jones, a historical adventure film starring Robert Stack.

In...

Marisa Pavan, the Italian actress and twin sister of Pier Angeli who received an Oscar nomination for her performance as the daughter of Anna Magnani’s seamstress in the 1955 drama The Rose Tattoo, has died. She was 91.

Pavan died Wednesday in her sleep at her home in Gassin, France, near Saint-Tropez, Margaux Soumoy, who wrote Pavan’s 2021 biography, Drop the Baby; Put a Veil on the Broad!, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Pavan also portrayed the French queen Catherine de’ Medici in Diane (1956), starring Lana Turner; an Italian girl who had an affair years ago with a corporate exec (Gregory Peck) in The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956); and the love interest of a former cop (Tony Curtis) investigating the murder of a priest in the film noir The Midnight Story (1957).

In Paramount’s The Rose Tattoo (1955), an adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play that won four Tony Awards, including best play,...

"Unsolved Mysteries: Behind the Legacy" is a documentary that reflects on the success of the original 1987 show and its impact on helping to solve cases. The crew interviews the original team and shares never-before-seen footage of host Robert Stack, offering fans a new perspective on their favorite mysteries. The show's co-creator, Terry Dunn Meurer, discusses the show's longevity, the importance of audience involvement, and the pride she feels in helping to bring closure to families through solved cases.

Debuting exclusively on Pluto TV on October 5, Unsolved Mysteries: Behind the Legacy is now available to watch on major streaming platforms. The documentary features interviews with the crew of the original 1987 show and highlights its most impactful cases. Including never-before-seen footage of the late Robert Stack, Behind the Legacy takes a look back at everything Unsolved Mysteries has achieved with the help of its loyal fan base.

Alongside John Cosgrove, Terry Dunn...

Chicago – The distinctive voice of actor Robert Stack rang out 35 years ago, heralding in one of the first “true crime” TV series, “Unsolved Mysteries.” For one day only, Chicago will participate in a screening at the Wrigleyville’s Alamo Drafthouse on October 4th, 2023 (4pm), of the new documentary “Unsolved Mysteries: Behind the Legacy.” For more information and tickets, click Um:btl.

The doc series, which gives viewers a glimpse behind the scenes of the groundbreaking TV show, features interviews with creators, actors, producers, and directors of the aeries, as well as never-before-seen outtakes of beloved host Robert Stack. The fascinating show biz story, created by FilmRise and Cosgrove/Muerer Productions exclusively for Alamo Drafthouse theatergoers, in commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the series, honors one of television’s most recognizable shows and the fans who were integral to its success.

’Unsolved Mysteries: Behind the Legacy’ One Day Only Screening, October 4th,...