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Though she became known to the world for playing the feisty rebel champion Princess Leia Organa in the "Star Wars" franchise, Carrie Fisher tended to take roles in comedies. Many of her best roles are in comedies, ranging from starring in a sex scene opposite Warren Beatty in "Shampoo" as a teen to playing a middle-aged nun who picks up some stoner hitchhikers in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," but in 1988, she starred in a deadly serious Agatha Christie mystery. "Appointment with Death" follows Christie's most famous detective, Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov), as he tries to solve the murder of the wealthy Emily Boynton (Piper Laurie) while on holiday in Europe with her family following the death of her husband and some concerns about his will. 

It might seem kind of unusual based on the rest of her amazing filmography, but Fisher starred as Nadine Boynton, the wife of...

As 2024 comes to a close, we here at JoBlo.com would like to take a moment to pay tribute to some of the people who sadly passed away this year. Our deepest respect goes out to everyone in the industry we have lost, and our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of those who died in 2024. These talented individuals will always be remembered for their impact on the world of film and television.

In Memory Of…

David Soul

David Soul died on January 4th at the age of 80. The actor was best known for playing Detective Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson on Starsky & Hutch alongside Paul Michael Glaser.

Although Starsky & Hutch would become one of the most iconic shows of the ’70s, Soul and Glaser had no clue it would become as successful as it did. “We didn’t have a clue it was going to be so successful.

[Editor’s note: this list was originally published September 2023, and has since been updated.]

There was a time not too long ago when whodunnits seemed to be a dusty relic of cinema’s past. Mysteries about a cast of colorful characters at the center of a murder case, and the intrepid detective investigating them, were far and few between in movie theaters for what felt like decades, and the rare films to feature those plots seldom attracted much attention. But nowadays, the genre is back, baby.

In 2017, Kenneth Branagh directed and starred as the iconic detective Hercule Poirot in “Murder on the Orient Express,” based on one of mystery writer Agatha Christie’s most famous novels. It was the first high-profile Christie adaptation to hit theaters in ages, after 1988’s “Appointment with Death.” The movie was highly successful, and Branagh has returned to that Poirot mustache with “Death on the Nile” and “A Haunting in Venice,” the latter of which opened in theaters this month.

Anybody who looked carefully at the Christmas presents unwrapped by the family in Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographically inspired 1969-set film Belfast will have spotted a copy of Agatha Christie’s The Hallowe’en Party. It was an Easter egg for the eagle-eyed, teasing which Hercule Poirot story the actor-director and screenwriter Michael Green were planning to tackle next on the big screen, after 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express and 2022’s Death on the Nile.

Green and Branagh took several liberties with The Hallowe’en Party, changing its title to A Haunting in Venice, much of its plot, and moving it from the English village of Woodleigh Common to the ghostly, mist-filled streets and canals of Venice. They wanted to venture into uncharted territory for their third Christie adaptation, and the result was an atmospheric horror-tinged treat.

So what’s next? There’ve been no official announcements, so short of...

David Soul, the actor-singer who famously starred as Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson in the beloved TV series Starsky & Hutch and scored a Number One hit with the soft rock ballad “Don’t Give Up on Us,” has died at the age of 80.

Soul’s wife, Helen Snell, confirmed her husband’s death in a statement to the BBC, saying he died Thursday “after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family.” No cause of death was provided.

“He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor,...

Actor David Soul, who co-starred with Paul Michael Glaser on the TV series Starsky & Hutch, has passed away.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Soul died on Thursday at the age of 80 years old. His passing was confirmed by his wife, Helen Snell, with a statement from the family. Snell said that Soul died after a "valiant battle for life in the loving company of family." She added, "He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend. His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.”

As an actor, Soul is very well known for playing Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson in Starsky & Hutch, one of the two titular characters alongside Paul Michael Glaser's David Michael Starsky. A buddy cop show, Starsky & Hutch followed two detectives in Southern California. The series ran...

Piper Laurie, known for her standout performances in films like Carrie and The Hustler, has passed away at the age of 91 Laurie had a diverse career, appearing in stage performances, television shows, and movies. Her role as Margaret White in Carrie earned her critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination, revitalizing her Hollywood career. Throughout her career, Laurie played a range of roles, showcasing her talent and versatility. Her passing has received tributes from colleagues and fans, highlighting her lasting impact on the industry.

Piper Laurie, the actress who became best known for her roles in Carrie, Children of a Lesser God and The Hustler, has died at the age of 91. The news of the Oscar nominated star’s passing was confirmed by the actress’ manager, Marion Rosenberg, who told Variety Laurie was, “A beautiful human being and one of the great talents of our time.”

Born in Detroit in 1932, Laurie...

Piper Laurie, who blossomed as an actress only after extricating herself from the studio system and went on to rack up three Oscar nominations, has died. She was 91.

Laurie’s manager Marion Rosenberg confirmed the news to Variety, writing, “A beautiful human being and one of the great talents of our time.”

Laurie scored her first Oscar nomination for her work opposite Paul Newman in 1961’s classic poolhall drama “The Hustler,” in which she played an alcoholic who memorably tells Newman’s character, “Look, I’ve got troubles and I think maybe you’ve got troubles. Maybe it’d be better if we just leave each other alone.”

Though she informally retired to raise a family for more than a decade, she returned to film and television in the mid-’70s and racked up an impressive roster of characterizations, including Oscar-nominated turns in “Carrie” and in “Children of a Lesser God,...

There’s no shortage of brilliant detectives in novels, film and television, but one of the greatest — or at least the one with the fanciest facial hair — is Hercule Poirot. The Belgian investigator, created by Agatha Christie, has appeared 33 novels, more than 50 short stories, and has been played by a variety of iconic actors.

But for whatever reason, Poirot has only sporadically appeared on the big screen, with many of his earliest movie appearances being lost to time, while some of his other noteworthy adventures were rewritten as vehicles for Christie’s other beloved creation, Miss Marple.

Here we take a look at the various theatrically-released adventures of Hercule Poirot, from the 1930s to today, and see which of his mysteries were truly worth solving.

Photo credit: Columbia

Honorable Mention: “Murder By Death” (1976)

Neil Simon’s wacky spoof of the supersleuth genre, directed by Robert Moore, features an all-star cast...

A Haunting in Venice, the third installment in Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot film series, marks a turning point for the film series, as while the first installment, Branagh’s 2017 remake of Murder on the Orient Express, was a box office success, the previous entry, Death on the Nile, was one of the biggest box office flops of 2022.

Unlike Branagh’s remakes of Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express, A Haunting in Venice is based on Agatha Christie’s previously un-filmed 1969 Poirot novel Hallowe’en Party, and the supernatural-themed A Haunting in Venice clearly represents an attempt, after the failure of Death on the Nile, to appeal to a broader and younger audience, including horror fans.

Indeed, with A Haunting in Venice, Branagh has made a gothic horror film in which Branagh’s legendary Belgian detective Poirot visits a supposedly haunted mansion, where Poirot witnesses a Halloween-night séance,...

The whodunit is back.

At least that seems to be the case in recent years with the success of Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot movies—the third one, A Haunting in Venice, hits theaters this week—Rian Johnson’s Knives Out thrillers, and even TV shows like Only Murders in the Building. But according to someone who should know, the great-grandson of legendary murder mystery writer Agatha Christie, the classic detective story subgenre has never quite gone away.

“I would say that the movie industry came to the game late,” says James Prichard, a man who is not only Christie’s descendant but also the chairman and CEO of Agatha Christie Ltd., which manages the literary and media rights to his great-grandmother’s works. “We’ve never gone away, we’ve been making stuff all through the last 10, 20, 30 years. But we didn’t make a movie for a very long time.

If you thought you'd seen the last of Hercule Poirot, think again. Agatha Christie's famous Belgian detective, who has appeared in countless of her mystery novels, returns in "A Haunting in Venice," which is set to premiere on Sept. 15. The movie is based on Christie's 1969 novel "Hallowe'en Party," which revolves around Poirot embroiled in another murder mystery. The original story takes place at a Halloween party, while the upcoming adaptation sees the detective at a séance.

"A Haunting in Venice" coproducer and director Kenneth Branagh is set to reprise his role as Poirot for the third time in the upcoming film. He first made his debut as Poirot in the star-studded 2017 film "Murder on the Orient Express." Five years later, he returned as Poirot in the 2022 movie "Death on the Nile," which also had a stacked cast. The third film in the Branagh trilogy will also feature huge stars...

Adapted from the immensely popular novel Hallowe'en Party by prodigious writer Agatha Christie, A Haunting in Venice takes place in post-World War II Venice where Poirot, now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a séance. Yet, when one of the guests is apparently assassinated, Poirot must involve himself in false spiritualism and the occult to delve into the truth.

As Agatha Christie's investigations and inquests with featured retired detective turned advisor Poirot continued in "Evil Under the Sun" and "Appointment with Death." Both novels ended up as failed early '80s attempts, but there's little guarantee those already-filmed screenplay properties would even be available to 20th Century Studios for remakes. This dubious status on the Poirot intellectual properties leads enthusiasts to wonder if this is the last outing of their favorite mustachioed sleuth.

Why More Poirot Is Needed

With additional members such as Michelle Yeoh and Tina Fey joining the cast,...

We have a relatively quiet week of home media releases ahead of us this week, but the titles that are coming out are a rad bunch of films nonetheless. Scream Factory is doing the Dark Lord’s work with both the Collector’s Edition of April Fool’s Day and the HD release of Frankenstein: The True Story. If you missed it in theaters back in January, Nicolas Pesce’s The Grudge (2020) is headed to various platforms this Tuesday, and Arrow Video has put together a stellar Special Edition release of Philip Ridley’s The Passion of Darkly Noon as well.

Other Blu-ray and DVD releases for March 24th include Endless Night, Cabal, Hunter’s Moon, The Zombinator, and The Wizard: Collector’s Edition.

April Fool’s Day: Collector’s Edition

Good friends...with some time to kill. When Muffy St. John invited her college friends up to her parents' secluded...

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars and not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.

Today, we celebrate royalty. Carrie Fisher had an eclectic career, to say the very least. From her tumultuous childhood with mother Debbie Reynolds to her young career defined as Princess Leia to her final stage as an accomplished writer and advocate for those struggling with depression. Conor O’Donnell and I are joined by Courtney Enlow, associate editor of Syfy Wire fangirls and the co-host on podcasts Trends Like These and Strong Female Characters.

The B-Sides discussed include Under The Rainbow, Garbo Talks, Hollywood Vice Squad, The Time Guardian, Appointment With Death, and She’s Back. Carrie had a long, B-Sidey 80s folks! Of course, Postcards From The Edge comes up, as does Carrie Fisher’s final book...

At the bitter end of a ten-year slide into ever-cheaper productions, The Cannon Group sends stars David Bradley (a nice guy), Steve James (everyone's favorite) and Marjoe Gortner (a stiff) to South Africa for an anemic entry in this series. Cannon is considered a 'fun' subject this year because of those funny documentaries that came out. Savant cut the trailer for this particular picture, so takes the opportunity to talk about the wild life and times in the Cannon trailer department. American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt Blu-ray Olive Films 19 / B&W / 2:35 1:85 widescreen / 1:37 flat Academy / 90 min. / Street Date August 16, 2016 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98 Starring David Bradley, Steve James, Marjoe Gortner, Michele Chan,Yehuda Efroni, Alan Swerdlow. Cinematography George Bartels Film Editor Michael J. Duthie Original Music George S. Clinton Written by Gary Conway from characters by Avi Kleinberger & Gideon Amir Produced by Harry Alan Towers Directed...

In 1987, the late Lauren Bacall paid her last of five visits to The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. She had two recently completed movies to talk up, but in the first interview segment above, the actress and host don’t get around to lesser-remembered titles Appointment with Death and Mr. North. Instead, they focused on Katharine Hepburn’s recently published memoir The Making of The African Queen: Or How I Went to Africa With Bogart, Bacall and Huston and Almost Lost My Mind, with Bacall telling stories about her time on the set. The clip’s given new resonance today by an […]...

In 1987, the late Lauren Bacall paid her last of five visits to The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. She had two recently completed movies to talk up, but in the first interview segment above, the actress and host don’t get around to lesser-remembered titles Appointment with Death and Mr. North. Instead, they focused on Katharine Hepburn’s recently published memoir The Making of The African Queen: Or How I Went to Africa With Bogart, Bacall and Huston and Almost Lost My Mind, with Bacall telling stories about her time on the set. The clip’s given new resonance today by an […]...

Legendary screen siren Lauren Bacall died of a massive stroke at her home in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning.

Her death was confirmed by Robbert de Klerk, the co-managing partner of the Humphrey Bogart Estate with her son Stephen Bogart. In a statement he said: "She passed away peacefully earlier today in New York."

Her daughter, Leslie Bogart, said the family was not sharing any additional information at this time.

The 89-year-old actress has appeared in more than sixty films over her career and was best known for her distinctive smoky voice. Smart, sultry and witty - she was a beauty with brains and a devastating wit, always a highly assertive and sassy on screen presence who classed up every film she was in.

Her film debut was also one of her more memorable roles - she was 19 and co-starred with Humphrey Bogart in "To Have and Have Not". She...

Death Wish: Michael Winner’s movie vs. original novel [See previous post: "Michael Winner Dies."] "The point of the novel Death Wish," adds author Brian Garfield, "is that vigilantism is an attractive fantasy but it only makes things worse in reality. By the end of the novel, the character (Paul) is gunning down unarmed teenagers because he doesn’t like their looks. The story is about an ordinary guy who descends into madness." (Photo: Death Wish Charles Bronson.) A few years ago, Sylvester Stallone had plans to remake Death Wish, which (probably not coincidentally) has elements in common with Stallone’s (perhaps even more brutal and more pro-vigilantism) Cobra (1985). Stallone’s Death Wish remake, however, never came to fruition. Early in 2012, The Grey‘s director Joe Carnahan stated that he was planning an updated version of Death Wish. Michael Winner’s other ’70s movies: Directing Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, and more Charles Bronson Among Michael Winner...

Andrew Pulver looks back through some of the key films of director Michael Winner, who has died aged 77

Play It Cool (1962)

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After a string of short films, Winner broke into features in the early 60s, with low budget thrillers and trendy pop musicals. Quite a few of them had "cool" in the title – including the nudie pic Some Like It Cool. The Billy Fury pic Play It Cool was considerably more commercially viable, no doubt inspired by the success of Cliff Richard's Young Ones film. Fury – in a real stretch – plays an up-and coming rocker called Billy Universe; Anna Palk the heiress who he might or might not get together with, and Dennis Price (!) as her overbearing dad.

The Cool Mikado (1962)

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Frankie Howerd led the line for Winner's followup, produced by Howard Baim,...

DVD Playhouse—July 2010

By

Allen Gardner

Two From Powell/Pressburger Criterion releases gorgeous new transfers of two of the greatest films to come out of post-war Britain, from that period’s greatest filmmaking team: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Black Narcissus was originally released in 1947 and caused a sensation with its explosive story about a nun (Deborah Kerr), cloistered in a remote convent in the Himalayas, who must battle elements both external (the punishing weather) and internal (temptations of the flesh over duty to the spirit). Also features stellar turns by England’s greatest actresses at the time: Flora Robson, Kathleen Byron and a young Jean Simmons. One of the most dazzling films ever made, bolstered by Oscar-winning cinematography from Jack Cardiff. Bonuses: New transfer, supervised by Cardiff, editor Thelma Schoonmaker Powell; Introduction by filmmaker Bernard Tavernier; Commentary by Powell and Martin Scorsese; Featurettes; Documentaries and interviews; Trailer. The Red Shoes,...

"Mad Men" returns tonight which means for a few weeks the lovely Christina Hendricks and the dashing John Hamm will be featured weekly on television again. I'm not super current on the show, I tend to catch the occasional episode on TV and my parents are working their way through the DVDs so a lot of what goes on is I'll see something from whatever season is current, then watch a few old episodes and it'll all make much better sense. Probably not the best approach to TV viewing. Of course, I also spend most of my time watching that show drooling over the clothing so I'm probably missing the point on several levels. Anyway, here's Sunday night's TV:

7:00pm: "Dateline NBC" on NBC

"Sons of Tuscon" on Fox

8:00pm: "Big Brother" on CBS

"Food Network Challenge: Paranormal Cakes" on Food Network. I've tried to make these a couple of times,...

We're just getting back into The United States of Tara on Showtime and now Toni Collette is heading overseas. Deadline Hollywood reports that she and Ioan Gruffudd are starring in Foster -- a family film being shot in London that they describe as "a feel-good Sixth Sense." But it's more than just Casper-y. It seems that the supporting cast boasts Anne Reid, Richard E. Grant, and Hayley Mills. Yes, Ms. Child Star herself, who hasn't had a feature film since 2004's 2BPerfectlyHonest, and hasn't had a wide-spread feature since 1988's Appointment with Death.

Based on a 2005 short by Jonathan Newman (collaborating with producers Deepak Nayar), the film focuses on a couple (Collette and Gruffudd) who decide to adopt a child after their son is killed. "One day a boy unexpectedly arrives on their doorstep," which leads to the previously mentioned twist. Deadline's Tim Adler says: "It gives me shivers every time I think about it,...

Legendary character actor Peter Ustinov, who won two Oscars for roles in Spartacus and Topkapi, died Sunday night in Switzerland of heart failure; he was 82. Also a prolific writer, Ustinov began his acting career at the age of 17 and sold his first screenplay (for The True Glory) at 24. At age 30, he earned his first Oscar nomination for his turn as Nero in Quo Vadis?, effectively establishing himself as one of the screen's most versatile supporting actors. Though known to most moviegoers as a portly British character actor, Ustinov was a multi-talented entertainer who also wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the acclaimed 1962 film Billy Budd, wrote innumerable novels and plays (including Romanoff and Juliet), and traveled extensively as a humanitarian, raconteur and humorist. Ustinov's biographer, John Miller, once remarked that the actor, who was knighted in 1990, "had enough careers for about six other men." Though confined to a wheelchair later in his life, Ustinov continued to raise money for UNICEF and most recently appeared in the film Luther. Other notable roles include his turns as Agatha Christie detective Hercule Poirot in Death on the Nile, Evil Under the Sun and Appointment with Death as well as films Lorenzo's Oil, Logan's Run, Hot Millions (for which he also received a Screenplay Oscar nomination), The Sundowners and The Egyptian. --Prepared by IMDb staff...