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A spaghetti western is defined as a low-budget Western film created by European directors, and for the most part, they were primarily produced in Italy during the 1960s. In addition to a long list of different filming techniques, spaghetti Westerns were unique in the fact that they often focused on the negative aspects of Westerns, such as the corruption and violence at the center of many of it its stories.

As many Western fans are likely aware, Clint Eastwood famously starred in three spaghetti westerns: A Fistful of Dollars in 1964, The Good, the Bad and The Ugly in 1966, and For a Few Dollars More in 1965. Though he is considered a figurehead within the genre of Spaghetti Westerns, there are a wide variety of Spaghetti Westerns that are just as fantastical but do not star Eastwood.

Viva Zapata! Took Inspiration From Historical Conflicts Starring Marlon Brando, Anthony Quinn, Jean Peters

When imagining Viva Zapata!

Imagine an acerbic love child miraculously spawned by Addison DeWitt of “All About Eve” and Waldo Lydecker of “Laura,” with John Simon serving as midwife, and you will be prepared for Jimmy Erskine, the viciously witty and mercilessly demanding title character played with utterly delicious flamboyance by Ian McKellen in “The Critic.” Directed by Anand Tucker (“Shopgirl”) and written by Patrick Marber (“Notes on a Scandal”), the film is a heady brew of period thriller, compelling melodrama and jet-black comedy, and the second most remarkable thing about it is how seamlessly these diverse elements gel.

Even more remarkable, however, is McKellen’s multifaceted portrayal of the man aptly known as “The Monster,” both behind his back and to his face, in the film’s world of 1930s London theater.

Erskine takes unseemly delight in savagely shredding the productions (and performances) he finds lacking, and the physical appearances of actors he deems unattractive.

Phyllis Dalton, the revered British costume designer who created Peter O’Toole‘s iconic white desert robe for David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia and won Oscars 24 years apart for her work on Lean’s Doctor Zhivago and Kenneth Branagh’s Henry V, has died. She was 99.

Dalton died Thursday, The Telegraph reported. No other details were immediately available.

During her storied 50-year-plus career, Dalton also received an Oscar and BAFTA nomination for Carol Reed’s Victorian-era best picture winner Oliver! (1968); won a BAFTA for The Hireling (1973), set in post-World War 1; and landed an Emmy for Clive Donner’s 1982 telefilm The Scarlet Pimpernel, which takes place amid the French Revolution.

She started out as a wardrobe assistant on Laurence Olivier’s Henry V (1944) and got her first costume designer credit dressing Richard Todd and Glynis Johns on Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue (1953). She even aided the legendary Edith Head on Alfred Hitchcock...

Born 100 years ago today, Rod Serling was a television man. He came up in the 1950s, at the dawn of the medium, during the days of live televised plays—Kraft Television Theatre, Lux Video Theatre, The Motorola Television Hour, etc. Big names would star in meaty productions without the opportunity for a second take,...

No filmmaker ever caught more flack for unabashedly being the kind of filmmaker he wanted to be than Tony Scott. The critical brickbats hit hard in 1983 with his first film, "The Hunger," and there was rarely ever letup. He was the style-over-substance Antichrist born of commercials and music videos. According to Metacritic, only four of his 16 films were positively reviewed during their initial theatrical release, all begrudgingly so. The TV Guide review of "Crimson Tide" backhand-praises Scott as "Hollywood's slickest hack." The man was anything but beloved.

Where are we on Tony Scott today? 12 years after his terribly sudden and wholly unexpected death, he's become a cause amongst trash cinema devotees, who hold him up as a master of aesthetically pleasing mayhem. There are those who adore him, and even prefer him to his more prestige-friendly brother Ridley Scott, but aside from the vastly improved critical standing of "True Romance...

France’s recently restored ‘Notre-Dame Cathedral’, features prominently in the 1831 gothic novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame”, by Victor Hugo, adapted for a 1923 silent film starring Lon Chaney Sr,, a 1939 sound film with Charles Laughton and a 1956 feature starring Anthony Quinn:

“…the story follows the deformed church bell-ringer ‘Quasimodo’, the ‘Roma’ street dancer ‘Esmeralda’ …

“…and Quasimodo's guardian, the ‘Archdeacon Claude Frollo’, in 15th-century Paris.

“All its elements—the ‘Renaissance’ setting, impossible love affairs and marginalized characters…

“…make the work a model of the literary themes of ‘Romanticism’.

“The novel is considered a classic of French literature and adapted repeatedly for film, stage, television, graphic novels and toys.”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Silvia Pinal, an actress in Mexico’s Golden Age of cinema, has died. She was 93.

Pinal had been hospitalized earlier this month for a urinary tract infection. Mexico’s Secretary of Culture confirmed Pinal’s death.

“The Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico regrets the passing of leading actress Silvia Pinal,” read the statement posted on X. “With a career spanning more than six decades, she participated in more than 60 films and plays. Her legacy lives on as a fundamental pillar of cinema, theater and television in Mexico. May she rest in peace.”

Pinal was born in Guaymas, Sonora, México on September 12, 1931. She studied acting at the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature. Pinal’s acting debut was in 1949 with the comedy Dos pesos la dejada.

Making her debut during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, Pinal got to star opposite legendary actor Pedro Infante in La...

Silvia Pinal, the revered film and television actress who left an indelible mark on Mexico’s Golden Age of Cinema, has died. She was 93.

Mexico’s culture secretary, Claudia Curiel de Icaza, as well as the Asociación Nacional de Intérpretes announced Pinal’s passing on social media. The Associated Press reported that Pinal had been hospitalized for a urinary infection several days ago.

During a prolific acting and producing career that spanned seven decades, Pinal gained international fame for toplining three 1960s classics written and directed by Luis Buñuel: the Palme d’Or co-winner Viridiana (1961), The Exterminating Angel (1962) and Simon of the Desert (1965).

Pinal got her start in the theater in the late 1940s working with Cuban-born director Rafael Banquells, who would become the first of her four husbands. Her breakthrough in cinema came in 1950 when at 18 she landed back-to-back leading roles opposite two of Mexico’s biggest film stars,...

Exclusive: A biopic devoted to legendary Italian Rome, Open City and The Rose Tattoo actress Anna Magnani is in development at Indiana Production, the Milan and Rome-based company behind Netflix’s upcoming period drama The Leopard.

Entitled Anna, the production will be directed by Alessio Cremonini (On My Skin), who is also co-writing the screenplay with actress Olivia Magnani, grand-daughter of the late actress and daughter of her only son Luca Magnani.

The feature will focus on Magnani in a pivotal period of her life between the late 1950s and early 1960s, when the actress’s son was coming of age and she was embracing a new role as a mother in Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1962 drama Mamma Roma.

Filming for Anna is scheduled to begin in 2025, with casting in the early stages for the role of Magnani and the many other famous figures from Italy’s film and artistic...

When it comes to acting superstardom, few professional Thespians have as many "certified fresh" films in their portfolio of work as the man, the myth, the legend, John Wayne. In order to achieve such a feat, any movie an actor has appeared in must have scored at least 75% or higher, with at least five reviews from Top Critics, while boasting a minimum of 80 reviews on the aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes.

To his great credit, John Wayne starred in seven films throughout his prolific career, which earned him this "certified fresh" distinction. Spanning a whole range of genres, including war films, romances, and, of course, Westerns, John Wayne continues to prove himself as one of Hollywood's most remarkable talents to this day, as many of his greatest pictures continue to be beloved by critics of all generations.

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Related 15 John Wayne Movies That Changed the Western Genre

John Wayne's prolific career...

A 4K restoration of the 1981 film “Lion of the Desert” is to premiere at the Cairo Film Festival this week. Telling the story of Benito Mussolini’s attempt to defeat the Libyan rebellion against fascist Italian rule, the film stars Oliver Reed and Anthony Quinn and was produced and directed by Syrian-American filmmaker Moustapha Akkad. The trailer for the film is below.

The restoration was carried out by Trancas International Films at Deluxe in London and Private Island Sound in Hollywood, bringing to life the grandeur of the desertscapes and the epic battle scenes, as well as Maurice Jarre’s score. Malek Akkad, Moustapha Akkad’s son, spoke to Variety about the restoration: “It was a labor of love for me. The process involved three of my father’s films – ‘The Message,’ ‘Ar-Risalah’ and ‘Lion of the Desert’ – and each of these films is over three hours in length. It...

The new Prime Video film Brothers is a cavalcade of famous faces having a great time with a raunchy, wacky comedy that has no pretense of seriousness. Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage headline the film as twin brothers plotting a crime after one is released from prison, but the film also has hilarious turns from Brendan Fraser, Glenn Close, Marisa Tomei, Jennifer Landon, and the late, great M. Emmet Walsh, who passed away on March 20, 2024. MovieWeb recently spoke with Brolin and Dinklage about the film, and asked how it was working with Walsh; it was one of his final roles.

"There were a couple of scenes, and there was one that we did with Brendan, and, you know, he had to have his lines kind of yelled out to him," explained Brolin, "which I've seen that happen to younger actors, where you just have a day where you're off, and you go,...

Donald Trump has enjoyed the perks of fame and money for a long time. Life was especially good for him in the 80s as it was in this particular decade that he made his first appearance on the Forbes list and ventured into many significant businesses. New Yorks Trump Tower synonymous with the former Presidents brand opened in 1983, while his semi-memoir, The Art of the Deal, was published in 1987, becoming one of the best-selling American non-fiction books of all time. The tycoon also purchased or became a major investor in many businesses, including the New Jersey Generals and the Eastern Air Lines Shuttle.

Taking advantage of his growing popularity, Donald Trump fulfilled his dream of starring in movies and TV shows. He made his first on-screen appearance playing himself in a 1985 episode of The Jeffersons titled Youll Never Get Rich, before featuring in the miniseries Ill Take Manhattan. He then...

Children of the 1980s understand how deeply weird it is that Donald Trump is now considered a politician. 40 years ago, Trump was a clownish pop culture figure more than anything. He was often described as a real estate mogul in the press, but he was more often parodied on sitcoms and in comic strips as the world's worst millionaire, a caricature of a pseudo-celebrity, and the central symbol of Ronald Reagan's aggressively wicked yuppie class. He was a whimsical punchline more than he was a respected businessman and his financial failures were just as notorious as his successes. I personally recall a joke from Mad Magazine that said Trump was working on a book about his personal success ... but that he was stuck on Chapter 11.

Trump served as the template for multiple villains in other media, including Gordon Gekko from "Wall Street," C. Montgomery Burns from "The Simpsons," King Koopa in "Super Mario Bros,...

A quarter century after winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Girl, Interrupted,” Angelina Jolie is hoping to pick up the Best Actress trophy for her performance in “Maria.” In terms of Oscar history, she’d join Meryl Streep, Jessica Lange, Cate Blanchett, and Renée Zellweger, who all won for featured performances before prevailing again for star turns.

Jolie’s role, that of real-life opera singer Maria Callas, has already been proven to be awards-worthy and won Jane Seymour an Emmy nearly four decades ago. This English rose featured in the 1988 TV movie “Onassis: The Richest Man in the World,” opposite Raul Julia as Aristotle Onassis and Anthony Quinn as his father, Socrates. This remains her only Emmy win from five nominations.

Zellweger won Best Actress for her sensitive portrayal of Judy Garland in the 2020 flick “Judy.” Back in 2001, Tammy Blanchard and Judy Davis took home Emmys for their work...

Film director, screenwriter, and producer, Roland Emmerich, is working on a highly controversial remake as he plans to bring the multi-Oscar-winning Lawrence of Arabia back to screens. Known as "The master of disaster", Emmerich has directed several major blockbuster films, including 1996's smash hit, Independence Day, starring Will Smith, 2004's The Day After Tomorrow, and 2009's 2012. In partnership with writer, Anthony McCarten, known for Bohemian Rhapsody, the two are shopping around a three-season television series titled In Arabia (via THR). The new series will feature even more characters than in the already epic film. The pitch of a television show is intriguing, as the additional runtime could benefit the expansive story by giving the complex political setting and enigmatic characters more time to be explored.

Lawrence of Arabia AdventureBiographyDocumentaryDramaHistoryWar Release Date December 11, 1962Cast Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, Omar Sharif, Jose FerrerStudio Columbia Pictures Expand

Directed by David Lean,...

A Lawrence of Arabia TV show may be on the way, and famous director Roland Emmerich is shopping the idea. Inspired by the epic 1962 movie, which starred eight-time Oscar nominee Peter O'Toole, the show would focus on the real-world historical figure, T. E. Lawrence. Emmerich has extensive experience in Hollywood, having worked on Those About to Die, Independence Day (1996), and The Day After Tomorrow (2004).

According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Emmerich hopes to create a brand-new show about the setting, though he intends to implement a small tweak to the title. Emmerich plans to develop Lawrence in Arabia, which will feature the change because "it has a little bit more characters" compared to the original movie. Emmerich wants three seasons, which would allow more space to explore Lawrence's Arabia than the original 3 hour and 47 minute run-time.

Developing...

Source: THR

Lawrence of Arabia 0

The 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia is...

This is an odd beast. Loosely based (very loosely) on a book by film critic Anthony Quinn, it’s the story of a theatre critic whose venomous writing is the least unpleasant thing about him. It refers lightly to the threat of fascism in 1930s Britain, the persecution of LGBTQ+ people and people of colour, and the perennial quest of newspaper owners to cut costs and rein in their staff. But it doesn’t quite focus on anything beyond its title character, and a hasty (and reportedly reshot) ending drops any big ideas in favour of a more conventional denouement.

The plot has endless elements that take ages to knit together. Ian McKellen is theatre critic Jimmy Erskine, who strides into theatres in a tuxedo, casually tossing his evening scarf and overcoat to the attendant, then writes a scathing review of whatever has offended him that night, with loyal secretary...

As a jaundiced reviewer with a dangerous private life, McKellen brings glorious life to this story of sour toffs in a dishonest decade

Channelling something of his big-screen Richard III from almost 30 years ago, Ian McKellen now portrays an ageing chancer with reptilian contempt for every single person he comes across. And incidentally, no one keeps an unfiltered cigarette in the corner of his mouth with more style than McKellen. His character is a critic, and therefore arrogant, spiteful, bad mannered and unpleasant – and who moreover abandons his much-vaunted integrity and objectivity when it suits him, to salvage his career.

Screenwriter Patrick Marber freely adapts the page-turning bestseller Curtain Call by author and critic Anthony Quinn and Anand Tucker directs. McKellen plays Jimmy Erskine, a cantankerous and much feared theatre critic in 1930s London whose open-secret nocturnal encounters in public parks with young men are beginning to discomfit his proprietor...

Jimmy Erskine (Ian McKellen) has never minced words in his decades-spanning career as the poison-quilled theater critic for London’s Daily Chronicle. When a maligned actress, Nina Land (Gemma Arterton), confronts her nemesis in the street, demanding to know whether she’s really as “appalling” on stage as he’s alleged in print, he responds, with a half-apologetic look of disgust as he recalls her past performances, “I’m afraid so.” Could she have expected mercy? This is, after all, the man who wrote of her on-stage death scene that “when Miss Land finally, blessedly, expires, her death is akin to a deflated dirigible.”

So, let’s take a tip from Jimmy and speak plainly: Despite its perfect grenades of one-liner takedowns, Anand Tucker’s The Critic is nothing short of a mess. It’s only the winking malice of Sir Ian’s title character that prevents it from imploding entirely,...

Directed by Anand Tucker and written by Patrick Marber, The Critic is a period thriller film adapted from Anthony Quinn’s 2015 novel Curtain Call. The film features an outstanding cast, including legendary stage and screen actor Ian McKellen as the notorious theatre critic Jimmy Erskine, while Gemma Arterton stars as the beleaguered actress Nina Land. Mark Strong is David Brooke, the son of a newspaper proprietor while Lesley Manville portrays Nina’s mother, Annabel Land.

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September last year. Following its initial screenings, the film underwent some reshoots and tweaks after festival audiences found the original cut too dark in tone, leading to a slightly lighter version being released.

The film is set in the cutthroat world of 1930s London theatre, where Jimmy Erskine reigns supreme as the most feared and respected critic. His acerbic reviews are known to make or break careers,...

Welcome to The Best Movie You Never Saw, a column dedicated to examining films that have flown under the radar or gained traction throughout the years, earning them a place as a cult classic or underrated gem that was either before it’s time and/or has aged like a fine wine.

With this article, we’re taking a look back at the 1990 thriller Revenge, which was directed by the late, great Tony Scott. Since today – August 19th – marks the anniversary of Scott’s death, we felt this would be an appropriate time to dig into one of his lesser known films, and Revenge fits the bill, even though Quentin Tarantino (who wrote the Scott classic True Romance) has referred to this one as Scott’s masterpiece.

The Story: Michael Cochran (Kevin Costner) , a retired Naval aviator, visits his old friend, Tibey Mendez (Anthony Quinn) at his hacienda in Mexico,...

Sir Ian McKellen is now the most feared drama critic on the West End thanks to his turn in “The Critic.”

McKellen leads the adaptation of Anthony Quinn’s 2015 novel “Curtain Call,” which centers on an aging — but iconic — journalist who teams up with an actress (Gemma Arterton) to exact revenge on his newspaper’s new owner (Mark Strong). The film is set in 1934 London.

“The Critic” is written by Academy Award nominee Patrick Marber and is directed by Anand Tucker (“Hilary and Jackie,” “Shopgirl”).

The official synopsis reads: “Jimmy Erskine (McKellen) is the most feared theatre critic of the age. He lives as flamboyantly as he writes and takes pleasure in savagely taking down any actor who fails to meet his standards. When the owner of the Daily Chronicle newspaper dies, and his son David Brooke (Strong) takes over, Jimmy quickly finds himself at odds with his new boss and his position under threat.

“The Critic” is a 2023 Brit-produced period thriller, directed by Anand Tucker, based on the book “Curtain Call” by Anthony Quinn, starring Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Lesley Manville, Romola Garain and Ben Barnes, releasing September 14, 2024 in theaters:

“…in 1934 London, an actress finds herself in a dark situation…

“… involving a theatre critic…

“…and his paper's editor…”

Click the images to enlarge..

Transmission Films has released an international trailer for The Critic, which is an adaptation of Anthony Quinn’s novel Curtain Call.

An official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, The Critic centers on Jimmy Erskine (Ian McKellen), the Daily Chronicle‘s most famous and featured theatre critic of the age; David Brooke (Mark Strong), with whom he clashes after recently inheriting the paper; and a young actress, Nina Land (Gemma Arterton), who is devastated by Jimmy’s recent negative review of her.

As the three become entangled in a whodunnit wrapped in a Faustian pact, their strange triangle winds tighter and tighter to devastating effect for all those caught in the deadly web of blackmail and betrayal.

The cast includes Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Ben Barnes, Alfred Enoch, Romola Garai, and Lesley Manville.

The Critic was directed by Arnand Tucker from a script by Patrick Marbert.

Exclusive: With Ian McKellen on the mend after wrist and neck injuries he suffered when he fell from the stage during a performance of swashbuckling Shakespearean drama Player Kings in London’s West End, the beloved star is eying a return to work.

No, the knighted thespian won’t be treading the boards anytime soon, but Deadline can reveal that the actor will do some last-minute “danger free“ post-production voice work for murder mystery movie The Critic in which McKellen stars as Jimmy Esrkine, a puffed up, once great first-night drama reviewer. McKellen stars alongside Gemma Arterton as Nina Land, a struggling West End ingénue who witnesses something she shouldn’t have seen.

Mark Strong, Alfred Enoch, Lesley Manville, Ben Barnes and Romona Garai co-star.

Lionsgate UK struck a distribution deal with Zygi Kamasa’s True Brit Entertainment to...

Gareth Edwards' 2016 nostalgia-fest "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" seems to have been made to address what some people call a plot hole in George Lucas' 1977 film "Star Wars." In Lucas' film, the young Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) pilots a light attack craft up to a miniature hole in the exterior of the moon-sized Death Star, drops a bomb in it, and causes the entire superstructure to blow up. It is a satisfying ending to an exhilarating sci-fi pulp adventure.

Starwoids, however, watched Lucas films enough times that they began to ask questions. Why, the query went, would the deathly efficient Empire build a moon-sized planet-killing machine with such a grievous design flaw? Why build something so large and overpowered if a single bomb from a light attack craft can destroy it entirely?

The makers of "Rogue One" took that criticism to heart, and backward-engineered a story to explain the flaw.

True Brit Entertainment has debuted the trailer for the British film ‘The Critic’

Based on Anthony Quinn’s novel Curtain Call, the movie tells the story of Jimmy Erskine (Ian McKellen), the most feared and famous theatre critic in 1930s London, saving his most savage takedowns for Nina Land (Gemma Arterton), an already unsure leading lady.

London, 1934. When the most feared and vicious theatre critic in town Jimmy Erskine (McKellen), finds himself suddenly in the cross hairs of the Daily Chronicle’s new owner David Brooke (Strong), he strikes a Faustian pact with struggling actress Nina Land (Arterton) who is desperate to win his favour.

Directed by Anand Tucker, the movie stars Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Ben Barnes, Alfred Enoch, Romola Garai and Lesley Manville.

Also in trailers – “Hope you like flying…” Trailer drops for ‘Flight Risk’

The movie hits cinemas on September 13th.

The post “Watch your backs…...

Armando Silvestre, a busy actor in the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema who appeared with Clint Eastwood and Shirley MacLaine in Two Mules for Sister Sara, with Yul Brynner in Kings of the Sun and with Burt Lancaster in The Scalphunters, has died. He was 98.

Silvestre died June 2 in Coronado, California, a representative from the Aztlan Mortuary in nearby La Mesa told The Hollywood Reporter.

The powerfully built Silvestre made scores of films in Mexico, among them Here Comes Martin Corona (1952), Rossana (1953), Story of a Mink Coat (1955) with Silvia Pinal, La Sombra Vengadora (1956), The Miracle Roses (1960), Neutrón Contra el Dr. Caronte (1963), La Choca (1974) and Faith, Hope and Charity (1974).

He excelled in Westerns and action adventure movies early in his career en route to compiling more than 200 credits on IMDb.

Armando Silvestre Carrascosa was born in San Diego on Jan. 28, 1926, and raised in Tijuana. His younger brother was Eduardo Silvestre, winner of the Mr.

Lionsgate UK has struck a distribution deal with Zygi Kamasa’s True Brit Entertainment to release Anand Tucker’s The Critic in the UK and Ireland.

Set in 1930s London, the film stars Ian McKellen as a vicious theatre critic who strikes a Faustian pact with a struggling actress, played by Gemma Arterton. Mark Strong, Ben Barnes and Lesley Manville co-star.

It will be released in theatres on September 13.

The Critic premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 and was acquired by True Brit for the UK on the condition the film was re-edited and key cast were brought back...

Lionsgate and True Brit Entertainment will bring Ian McKellen’s The Critic to UK cinemas this September. More on the story below.

Lionsgate and True Brit have partnered up to release The Critic, director Anand Tucker’s new film, in UK cinemas, according to Deadline.

The film follows Ian McKellen’s ruthless theatre critic and the cast also includes Gemma Arteron, Mark Strong, Alfred Enoch, Romola Garai and Lesley Manville. The script was penned by Patrick Marber, based on Anthony Quinn’s novel.

Screen Daily reported in early 2024 that The Critic would be True Brit Entertainment’s first UK film release as a distributor, but it seems that the company has now joined forces with Lionsgate for The Critic’s release.

The Critic had its world premiere at Toronto Film Festival in 2023, where it received mixed reviews (though McKellen’s performance was well received).

“This taut and gripping thriller, led...

Lionsgate UK has locked a deal with Zygi Kamasa’s True Brit Entertainment to release the Ian McKellen pic The Critic.

The studio will release the feature in UK and Irish cinemas on Friday 13 September.

The film stars McKellen alongside Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Alfred Enoch, Romola Garai, Ben Barnes (Shadow and Bone) and Lesley Manville.

Set in 1930s London, the pic is described as “a thrilling tale of ambition, blackmail, and desire with a dazzling anti-hero at its heart.” The synopsis reads: When the most feared and vicious theatre critic in town Jimmy Erskine (Mckellen), finds himself suddenly in the cross hairs of the Daily Chronicle’s new owner David Brooke (Strong), he strikes...

Late in the highly entertaining and enlightening new HBO Documentary Films movie on the life and career of Faye Dunaway we learn how much this iconic star just loves coming to the Cannes Film Festival. “Just about every year,” she says — not only for the world’s best films but also to immerse herself in all aspects of filmmaking. I have seen her many times just soaking it all up cinematically both here in Cannes and Telluride, to name two fests.

So it seems appropriate that the Cannes Classics section would be the place for the World Premiere Wednesday night — in the presence of Dunaway as the French like to call it — of this terrific new docu in which Dunaway pretty much tells it all straight about her life, loves, desires, ambitions, movies, co-stars, depression, controversies, family and hopes for the future in a profession she says she can’t imagine not working in.

If there was any doubt at all about whether Anthony Quinn was a true star, just take a look look at his track record. A film career that lasted 66 (!) years. Appearances in 151 films. Winner of two Academy Awards (for “Viva Zapata!’ and ‘Lust for Life’). Nominated for two more. Two BAFTA nominations. Five Golden Globe nominations. Nominated for a Primetime Emmy. And even a 382-performance run on Broadway as the star of the stage musical “Zorba,” based on his own hit film. That, my friend, is a star.

Born in Mexico but raised in Texas, Quinn began his career as a professional boxer but soon segued to acting. Blessed with looks that defied pigeonholing, Quinn played characters who were Latino, Greek, Italian, Arab and Native American (among many others), allowing him to explore a range of characterizations that few actors would be able to pull off so skillfully. Quinn’s talent,...

On Bill Maher's podcast, Billy Dee Williams reminisced about Laurence Olivier doing blackface in Othello, finding it funny even though it's considered taboo today. He rejects being labeled African-American, citing his diverse heritage, which influences his views on race and acting. The conversation with Maher is a weird and wild one.

The legendary Billy Dee Williams, famous for playing Lando Calrissian in Star Wars and Harvey Dent in Batman (1989), sat down for a bizarre (though honest and congenial) conversation with television personality Bill Maher for his Club Random podcast. It was an awkward conversation with a lot of interruptions and digressions, lapses of memory and grumpy rambling. Maher is not a fan of woke ideology and 'the kids today,' but even he was shocked by Williams' laissez-faire attitude about race and racism — and blackface.

The discussion about blackface began with Williams recounting a story about Laurence Olivier doing...

Since the inception of the Academy Awards, the U.S.-based organization behind them has always strived to honor worldwide film achievements. Their extensive roster of competitive acting winners alone consists of artists from 30 unique countries, three of which first gained representation during the 2020s. The last full decade’s worth of triumphant performers hail from eight countries, while 42.1% of the individual actors nominated during that time originate from outside of America.

The academy’s history of recognizing acting talent on a global scale dates all the way back to the inaugural Oscars ceremony in 1929, when Swiss-born Emil Jannings (who was of German and American parentage) won Best Actor for his work in both “The Last Command” and “The Way of All Flesh.” Over the next three years, the Best Actress prize was exclusively awarded to Canadians: Mary Pickford (“Coquette”), Norma Shearer (“The Divorcee”), and Marie Dressler (“Min and Bill...

As she ascended the Hollywood ladder in the late 2000s, Emily Blunt was a rising star who worked at the forefront of modern cinema and appeared in movies like The Young Victoria and The Devil Wears Prada. The Into the Woods actress’ recent performances in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer have further cemented her status among the greatest actors of our time.

Moreover, her acclaimed performance led to her being nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award. Well, as she becomes a more important icon in modern cinema, Blunt has begun to share her thoughts on the industry, revealing her top four films during a SXSW Q&a session.

Emily Blunt in Oppenheimer

Surprisingly enough, though, none of these works belong to the Interstellar director.

Emily Blunt’s 4 Favorite Movies: No Room for Christopher Nolan?

With a diverse taste in movies, Emily Blunt’s all-time favorite is a reflection of her own bright choices,...

The historical epic “Becket” is turning 60 this week. When it was released, “Becket” was considered Important. It was a huge and handsome production with sumptuous sets and costumes and a cast seemingly of thousands. And it featured two of the top and sexiest stars of the day – Peter O’Toole, fresh from his Oscar-nominated triumph in 1962’s “Lawrence of Arabia” and Richard Burton whose career had been overshadowed with his high-profile love affair with Elizabeth Taylor that began during the production of the infamous 1963 “Cleopatra.”

Set in the 12th century England, “Becket” revolves around the relationship between the hedonistic King Henry II (O’Toole), who never met a wench he didn’t bed, and Thomas Becket, his loyal friend and wingman for Henry’s sexual escapades. And because the Production Code was still in force, the film can only imply that Henry is in love with Becket. Henry makes Becket his...

Robert Downey Jr. looks to have Best Supporting Actor locked up after he swept the precursors for his sterling turn in Christopher Nolan‘s “Oppenheimer.” But while Downey Jr. would be more than a deserving winner for his phenomenal performance, the Oscars always throws up a surprise or two on the actual night. Could we see an upset in Best Supporting Actor?

Downey Jr. is nominated alongside Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”), Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”), Sterling K. Brown (“American Fiction”), and Robert De Niro (“Killers of the Flower Moon”). Gosling has lots of support for his sublime “Barbie” performance while Ruffalo and Brown also have their backers, too. However, the legendary De Niro could prove to be the closest challenger to Downey Jr. thanks to his iconic career and status.

This is De Niro’s ninth Oscar nomination. He’s been nominated for Best Actor five times — in 1977 for “Taxi Driver,...

Bettye McCartt, played by Juno Temple in The Offer, was a crucial part of getting The Godfather made, by supporting producer Albert S. Ruddy behind the scenes. McCartt's real-life impact isn't as well-known as figures like Coppola or Evans, making her portrayal on The Offer a significant and educational choice. Juno Temple brought McCartt to life authentically, embracing the challenge of developing a character with limited information, trusting in the script's accuracy.

Juno Temple plays Bettye McCartt in the Paramount+ series The Offer, but is the character based on a real person? The Offer is about the true exploits of producer Albert S. Ruddy in trying to get The Godfather made. The series stars Miles Teller as Ruddy, while the supporting cast is filled with real-life figures, from producer Robert Evans (Matthew Goode) to director Francis Ford Coppola (Dan Fogler). However, Bettye McCartt is not someone whose important work behind...

By respectively receiving Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominations for “American Fiction,” Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown made history as the first two Black male cast mates to compete in separate categories for the same film. They are also the eighth pair of performers to earn academy recognition for playing brothers and constitute the 29th case of Oscar-nominated sibling characters overall. Check out our photo gallery of this and the previous 28 examples, which date as far back as 1948.

At this point, the only two people who have won Oscars for playing siblings in the same film are “A Streetcar Named Desire” cast mates Vivien Leigh (Best Actress) and Kim Hunter (Best Supporting Actress). Best Actor champ Lee Marvin can technically also be counted alongside them since he was honored for portraying twin brothers in “Cat Ballou.”

The other seven films on this list for which only one...

Henry Fonda's love affair with the Western genre is striking and immutable, showcasing his commitment to showcasing ordinary men speaking out against injustice in the Wild West. Warlock (1959) is a noteworthy classic Western that delves into complex relationships, justice, morality, and personal sacrifice, making it cinematically rich and emotionally charged. Henry Fonda's performance in films like The Tin Star (1957) and Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) demonstrates his acting range, from playing a former sheriff turned bounty hunter to portraying a cold-blooded killer.

Henry Fonda left an indelible mark on the film industry, and many Western titles stand out for their engrossing plots, evocative themes, and exceptional performances. In the six decades of his career, Henry Fonda mastered his craft through the varying quality of nearly one hundred films. His legacy endures as a testament to his commitment to powerful storytelling delivered through authentic characters.

Widely regarded as...

Jack Hogan, who most famously played Pfc William G. Kirby on ABC’s WWII-set series Combat!, died in his sleep Wednesday, December 6, according to the curator of an online community dedicated to Combat! He was 94.

Hogan played Pfc Kirby on 111 episodes of the long-running drama opposite Rick Jason, Vic Morrow and Pierre Jalbert. Robert Altman directed many episodes of the show, which was on the air from 1962-1967. It was not unfamiliar terrain: Hogan had been a staff sergeant in Japan during the Korean War.

Combat! was far from Hogan’s only credit.

He made his debut in the 1956 Anthony Quinn-starrer Man From Del Rio, Hogan worked steadily. He had multiple-epsisode arcs on The Rough Riders, Have Gun – Will Travel, Sea Hunt, Lock Up, Bat Masterson, The Lawman and The Rifleman.

After Combat!, Hogan worked steadily for the better part of the next three decades. His credits during...

Jack Hogan, a retired actor who starred in the WWII drama series “Combat!” from 1962 until 1967, died of natural causes on Dec. 6 at his home on Bainbridge Island, Washington, his son West told Variety. He was 94.

Hogan played Pfc William G. Kirby on the ABC series “Combat!,” starring Rick Jason, Vic Morrow and Pierre Jalbert. The show, which ran for five seasons, follows a squad of American soldiers fighting the Germans in France during WWII.

Born Richard Roland Benson, Jr. on Nov. 24, 1929, in Chapel Hill, N.C., Hogan earned his pilot’s license at the age of 16 and joined the Air Force after graduation. He spent four years serving as a staff sergeant in Japan during the Korean War.

After moving to Hollywood, Hogan worked as a lifeguard at the Beverly Hills Hotel and began taking acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Hogan made his onscreen debut as an uncredited role...

Elliot Silverstein, known for directing films such as “Cat Ballou” and “A Man Called Horse,” died on Nov. 24 in Los Angeles, his family confirmed via Legacy. He was 96.

After working on episodes of TV series like “The Twilight Zone,” “Naked City” and “Route 66,” Silverstein made his feature directorial debut in 1965 with “Cat Ballou,” which starred Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin. Silverstein suggested Marvin play Kid Shelleen when Kirk Douglas turned down the role in the Western comedy. When a producer wanted to replace Marvin with José Ferrer, Silverstein threatened to quit. Marvin ended up winning an Oscar for his role in the film.

Silverstein went on to direct the Anthony Quinn-led “The Happening,” “A Man Called Horse,” starring Richard Harris, and the cult classic “The Car” with James Brolin. He was also integral in forming the Bill of Creative Rights for directors.

While working on his “Twilight Zone” episode “The Obsolete Man,...

Heading into the 81st Golden Globe Awards, legendary performer Harrison Ford is eligible for two different small screen prizes – Best TV Drama Actor and Best TV Supporting Actor – thanks to his respective turns on the inaugural seasons of “1923” and “Shrinking.” These possible dual bids would come 22 years after he was named the 48th recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille career achievement award and make him a proper Golden Globe competitor for the first time since 1996. Given the fact that 33 other DeMille awardees will have preceded him in subsequently landing regular nominations, it only makes sense to analyze those instances to determine just how great his chances of victory at the 2024 ceremony really are.

Until “1923” premiered on Paramount Plus last December, the 81-year-old Ford had never appeared in a regular capacity on a TV program of any kind. Within six weeks, however, he was officially a multi-series star showcasing...

Joanna Merlin, whose acting career stretched from Broadway (she was the original Tzeitel in Fiddler On The Roof), film (she played the dance teacher Miss Berg in Alan Parker’s 1980 film Fame) and TV (Law & Order: SVU‘s Judge Lena Petrovsky on dozens of episodes) has died. She was 92.

Her death was announced on the Instagram page of the New York University Tisch Graduate Acting Program, where Merlin had been on the faculty since 1998.

“Joanna was an actress, master Chekhov teacher, and former casting director for Harold Prince, Stephen Sondheim, Bernardo Bertolucci, and James Ivory,” the NYU message said, adding, “Joanna will be deeply missed at Grad Acting, by the Chekhov community, and by the many people she touched through her artistry.”

As a casting director, Merlin was involved in numerous landmark Broadway productions written by Stephen Sondheim. She was, for many years, Harold Prince’s go-to casting director.

A...

Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s All About Eve has ably demonstrated that a catty feud between theater critics and actresses is crackling subject matter for witty, adult entertainment. Anand Tucker’s The Critic follows a similar premise and, auspiciously, recruited playwright Patrick Marber––a well-known luminary of the British theater scene––to pen a script packed with sharp, acerbic dialog. This, still, is not half-enough. In its quest to surprise audiences, The Critic jumps down too many rabbit holes, progressively losing all semblance of plausibility or insight it might’ve otherwise yielded.

The film is being billed as an adaptation of Anthony Quinn’s well-regarded novel Curtain Call, though one glance at the book summary indicates that significant liberties have been taken––notably, a murder-mystery strand has been entirely jettisoned. What we have instead is an interpersonal drama between several personalities either directly or tangentially related to the theater. Chief among...

Synopsis

Black Hawk Down

From acclaimed director Ridley Scott (The Martian) and renowned producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Pearl Harbor) comes the gripping true story about bravery, camaraderie, and the complex reality of war.

Black Hawk Down stars an exceptional cast including Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, and Eric Bana. In 1993, an elite group of American Rangers and Delta Force soldiers are sent to Somalia on a critical mission to capture a violent warlord whose corrupt regime has led to the starvation of hundreds of thousands of Somalis. When the mission goes quickly and terribly wrong, the men find themselves outnumbered and literally fighting for their lives.

The Guns Of Navarone

Academy Award®-winners Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn star as a team of Allied military specialists recruited for a dangerous but imperative mission: to infiltrate a Nazi-occupied fortress and disable two long-range field guns so that 2,000 trapped British soldiers may be rescued.

This critic might want to look for a different job.

The prospect of seeing the great Ian McKellen take on the role of one of London’s most august theater critics of the 1930s must have looked tantalizing on paper, but sadly this is a show that deserved to close out of town. Despite a colorful central character who could have knowledgeably and amusingly navigated a cruise through the dynamic theatrical scene close to a century ago, The Critic unaccountably shifts its focus away from McKellen’s Jimmy Erskin, who entertainingly dominates the film at the start, and onto a group of characters who are almost entirely uninteresting; there’s not even much juicy inside stuff about the legit theater at an exciting time for it. Given the setting, period and endless possibilities of the material, this is a major disappointment, a drag of the first order.

The only scenes...