Wesley Snipes recently returned to screens in his iconic role as vampire Daywalker Blade, and fans of the actor have now latched onto one of his panned 90s movies, the political thriller, Murder at 1600. Having joined the Tubi library earlier this month, the film has jumped into the free streamer’s Top 10, and seems to be holding steady there despite the lack of love shown to it on its original release in 1997.
Directed by Dwight H. Little and starring Snipes and Diane Lane, Murder at 1600 tells the story of a tense and deadly investigation that begins with a murder inside the White House. Detective Harlan Regis (Snipes) is thrown into a battle against a corrupt government, and a shadowy conspiracy that could reach all the way to the top of the political power tree. Like many action movies of the decade, the film leans into several familiar tropes and twists,...
Directed by Dwight H. Little and starring Snipes and Diane Lane, Murder at 1600 tells the story of a tense and deadly investigation that begins with a murder inside the White House. Detective Harlan Regis (Snipes) is thrown into a battle against a corrupt government, and a shadowy conspiracy that could reach all the way to the top of the political power tree. Like many action movies of the decade, the film leans into several familiar tropes and twists,...
- 2/16/2025
- by Anthony Lund
- MovieWeb
Stephen King's Misery has become a free streaming hit after dropping on Tubi a few weeks ago. Users of the free streaming service are finding the 1990 adaptation to be a worthy psychological horror thriller that just has to be revisited. At the time of writing, Misery sits in third spot on Tubi's list of most popular films. Other titles currently vying for attention on the platform include the Wesley Snipes thriller, Murder at 1600, Patrick Swayze's 80s hit, Road House, and the demonically delightful Megan Fox horror movie, Jennifer's Body.
Written by American playwright William Goldman, and directed by Rob Reiner, Misery is based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Stephen King. The story follows a writer named Paul Sheldon, who's returning from his retreat where he wrote the end of a successful series of romantic novels centering around the fictional character Misery Chastain. Sheldon has...
Written by American playwright William Goldman, and directed by Rob Reiner, Misery is based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Stephen King. The story follows a writer named Paul Sheldon, who's returning from his retreat where he wrote the end of a successful series of romantic novels centering around the fictional character Misery Chastain. Sheldon has...
- 2/15/2025
- by Federico Furzan
- MovieWeb
A White House set made for just $90,000 ultimately became one of the most ubiquitous backdrops of the 1990s…
Clint Eastwood prowled his cameras around it for the tepid 1997 thriller Absolute Power. Lloyd Bridges stood in the middle of it as ‘Tug’ Benson in Hot Shots! Part Deux. It’s on display in 1990s hits The Pelican Brief and In The Line Of Fire. Yet the $90,000 White House set that was designed by a production designer called J Michael Riva was actually built for a rather sweet comedy: Ivan Reitman’s 1993 hit, Dave.
If you’re unfamiliar with the movie, Dave sees Kevin Kline in the title role, as an everyday man who becomes President of the United States. He uses this office for kindness, doing good, and fighting for the impoverished rather than the ric… okay, I’ll move on. Co-starring Sigourney Weaver, the $28m movie earned over $90m at the box office,...
Clint Eastwood prowled his cameras around it for the tepid 1997 thriller Absolute Power. Lloyd Bridges stood in the middle of it as ‘Tug’ Benson in Hot Shots! Part Deux. It’s on display in 1990s hits The Pelican Brief and In The Line Of Fire. Yet the $90,000 White House set that was designed by a production designer called J Michael Riva was actually built for a rather sweet comedy: Ivan Reitman’s 1993 hit, Dave.
If you’re unfamiliar with the movie, Dave sees Kevin Kline in the title role, as an everyday man who becomes President of the United States. He uses this office for kindness, doing good, and fighting for the impoverished rather than the ric… okay, I’ll move on. Co-starring Sigourney Weaver, the $28m movie earned over $90m at the box office,...
- 2/13/2025
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
Action movie star Wesley Snipes is also an experienced martial artist who is skilled in multiple styles. His celebrated combat abilities supported his performance as one of the superhero genre's founding fathers in the original Blade trilogy that kicked off in 1998. Before that, he starred opposite Sylvester Stallone in Demolition Man and became synonymous with exciting action.
Blade actor Wesley Snipes would not have had as successful an acting career without his passion and commitment to training in martial arts. Many of his most famous parts utilize his impressive martial arts prowess, with major projects opening the door for more black actors in action roles. Snipes reprised the legendary Blade in Deadpool and Wolverine, 20 years after his trilogy ended, merging the Fox Universe of Marvel characters into the MCU, and giving comic book movie audiences one last taste of his martial arts skills and highlighting his talent as a physical performer.
Blade actor Wesley Snipes would not have had as successful an acting career without his passion and commitment to training in martial arts. Many of his most famous parts utilize his impressive martial arts prowess, with major projects opening the door for more black actors in action roles. Snipes reprised the legendary Blade in Deadpool and Wolverine, 20 years after his trilogy ended, merging the Fox Universe of Marvel characters into the MCU, and giving comic book movie audiences one last taste of his martial arts skills and highlighting his talent as a physical performer.
- 9/23/2024
- by Jeremy Garrett
- ScreenRant
Dwight Little’s legacy falls into one of three categories: horror, action, and TV. From the horror couplet that is Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and the Robert Englund-starring Phantom of the Opera to the action trilogy of Rapid Fire, Marked for Death, and Murder at 1600, as well as his TV work (The X-Files among his most-known projects), Little has managed to reinvent himself numerous times over his 30+ years career.
It’s not an easy task to stay relevant in an ever-evolving landscape, especially in the age of streaming, but Little’s instincts have always guided his creative hand. With his new memoir, Still Rolling: Inside the Hollywood Dream Factory, the filmmaker walks the reader through various stages of his career, shares insider tips and tricks, and regales with celebrity encounters.
Little, whose TV credits also include Prison Break, The Practice, and Bones, muses on the...
It’s not an easy task to stay relevant in an ever-evolving landscape, especially in the age of streaming, but Little’s instincts have always guided his creative hand. With his new memoir, Still Rolling: Inside the Hollywood Dream Factory, the filmmaker walks the reader through various stages of his career, shares insider tips and tricks, and regales with celebrity encounters.
Little, whose TV credits also include Prison Break, The Practice, and Bones, muses on the...
- 1/11/2024
- by Bee Delores
- bloody-disgusting.com
Don Mancini’s “Chucky” Season 3 premiered on USA and Syfy earlier this week – the season premiere is also now streaming on Peacock and YouTube – and Bloody Disgusting has now been provided with some Spoiler photos from Episode 1, along with a sneak peek at the upcoming Episode 2. Next week’s episode is titled “Let the Right One In.”
In Season 3, Episode 2, airing on October 11, 2023, “Jake, Devon and Lexy hatch a plan to take down Chucky by befriending the President’s teenage son.”
Preview Episode 2 and recap Episode 1 by checking out the image gallery below!
You can read Meagan’s review of Season 3: Part 1 for Bloody Disgusting right here. She writes, “Once again, ‘Chucky’ delivers excessive blood splatter and campy fun.”
In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, Season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House.
In Season 3, Episode 2, airing on October 11, 2023, “Jake, Devon and Lexy hatch a plan to take down Chucky by befriending the President’s teenage son.”
Preview Episode 2 and recap Episode 1 by checking out the image gallery below!
You can read Meagan’s review of Season 3: Part 1 for Bloody Disgusting right here. She writes, “Once again, ‘Chucky’ delivers excessive blood splatter and campy fun.”
In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, Season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House.
- 10/6/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Everyone’s favorite killer doll returned to both USA and Syfy last night with the “Chucky” Season 3 premiere, and the full episode has been uploaded to YouTube – free for everyone!
In the “Chucky” Season 3 premiere, titled “Murder at 1600,” Chucky finds a new friend ’til the end in the White House. Meanwhile, Jake, Devon, and Lexy look for Caroline.
Watch the full Season 3 premiere below!
You can also read Meagan’s review of Season 3: Part 1 for Bloody Disgusting right here. She writes, “Once again, ‘Chucky’ delivers excessive blood splatter and campy fun.”
In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, Season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House. How did Chucky wind up here? What in God’s name does he want? And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky...
In the “Chucky” Season 3 premiere, titled “Murder at 1600,” Chucky finds a new friend ’til the end in the White House. Meanwhile, Jake, Devon, and Lexy look for Caroline.
Watch the full Season 3 premiere below!
You can also read Meagan’s review of Season 3: Part 1 for Bloody Disgusting right here. She writes, “Once again, ‘Chucky’ delivers excessive blood splatter and campy fun.”
In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, Season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House. How did Chucky wind up here? What in God’s name does he want? And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky...
- 10/5/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
When Chucky puts his mind to something, he tends to get results, even if there are several bumps in the road.
The killer doll returned triumphantly on Chucky Season 3 Episode 1, a chilling hour that took him into the White House.
It's the perfect location for him to hide in plain sight because none of the people who want to take him down can get inside.
The security is second to none -- depending on who you ask!
The political tone of the premiere worked well to give the series a soft reboot.
Going into Chucky Season 3, it was hard to tell how the series would be able to keep Jake, Devon, Lexy, Tiffany, and Nica as a part of the narrative because the series moved to a whole new location.
But the beauty of Chucky being in Washington D.C. is that he can manipulate the people who believe he's good,...
The killer doll returned triumphantly on Chucky Season 3 Episode 1, a chilling hour that took him into the White House.
It's the perfect location for him to hide in plain sight because none of the people who want to take him down can get inside.
The security is second to none -- depending on who you ask!
The political tone of the premiere worked well to give the series a soft reboot.
Going into Chucky Season 3, it was hard to tell how the series would be able to keep Jake, Devon, Lexy, Tiffany, and Nica as a part of the narrative because the series moved to a whole new location.
But the beauty of Chucky being in Washington D.C. is that he can manipulate the people who believe he's good,...
- 10/5/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
On October 4, 2023, the third season of “Chucky” premiered on Syfy and the USA Network to predominantly positive reviews from critics. In this cycle of the series, which is a continuation of the “Child’s Play” franchise, the murderous doll discovers a new friend “’til the end” that just happens to live in the White House. Devon Sawa, who returns each season as a new character, plays President James Collins. The first episode titled “Murder at 1600” kicks off the hilarious horror show and can be streamed on Peacock.
The ensemble cast includes Jennifer Tilly reprising the role of Tiffany Valentine from the film franchise, as well as Zackary Arthur, Björgvin Arnarson, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Brad Dourif and Fiona Dourif. Read our full review round up below.
See ‘The Traitors’ Season 2 cast: Meet the 21 reality icons and notable figures
Jovy Skol of Nightmarish Conjurings states, “Jennifer Tilly has become the standout in...
The ensemble cast includes Jennifer Tilly reprising the role of Tiffany Valentine from the film franchise, as well as Zackary Arthur, Björgvin Arnarson, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Brad Dourif and Fiona Dourif. Read our full review round up below.
See ‘The Traitors’ Season 2 cast: Meet the 21 reality icons and notable figures
Jovy Skol of Nightmarish Conjurings states, “Jennifer Tilly has become the standout in...
- 10/4/2023
- by Vincent Mandile
- Gold Derby
Plot: In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House. How did Chucky wind up here? What in God’s name does he want? And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky inside the world’s most secure building, all while balancing the pressures of romantic relationships and growing up? Meanwhile, Tiffany faces a looming crisis of her own as the police close in on her for “Jennifer Tilly’s” murderous rampage last season.
Review: Chucky‘s reign of small-screen terror has been a surprising success for two seasons in a row. Fans have delighted in the diminutive doll’s murderous spree around Hackensack, New Jersey, which saw the return of many characters from the original franchise. Deepening the backstory of Charles Lee Ray...
Review: Chucky‘s reign of small-screen terror has been a surprising success for two seasons in a row. Fans have delighted in the diminutive doll’s murderous spree around Hackensack, New Jersey, which saw the return of many characters from the original franchise. Deepening the backstory of Charles Lee Ray...
- 10/3/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
By the end of Don Mancini’s “Chucky“ Season 2, orphans Jake Wheeler (Zackary Arthur), Devon (Bjorgvin Arnarson), and Lexy (Alyvia Alyn Lind) found a new stable home, free from Chucky (Brad Dourif). With Chucky on the lam and Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) accosted by the authorities, all seemed well for Hackensack and the franchise’s protagonists, save for one or two loose ends. As for the killer Good Guy doll, he doesn’t appear interested in Hackensack anymore.
Season 3 puts Chucky’s ambition on display as the pint-sized serial killer takes aim at the White House. With the third outing of “Chucky” split into halves, Season 3: Part 1’s more self-contained narrative keeps overarching plot threads on the backburner in favor of setting up a White House bloodbath that puts the camp in politics.
Chucky may still have a bone to pick with Jake, Devon, and Lexy, but his unwavering lust for power takes precedence.
Season 3 puts Chucky’s ambition on display as the pint-sized serial killer takes aim at the White House. With the third outing of “Chucky” split into halves, Season 3: Part 1’s more self-contained narrative keeps overarching plot threads on the backburner in favor of setting up a White House bloodbath that puts the camp in politics.
Chucky may still have a bone to pick with Jake, Devon, and Lexy, but his unwavering lust for power takes precedence.
- 10/3/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
On Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at 9:00 Pm, Syfy will air the first episode of Season 3 of “Chucky” titled “Murder at 1600.”
In this episode, Chucky, the mischievous doll, embarks on a new adventure and finds a new friend within the walls of the White House. Meanwhile, Jake, Devon, and Lexy continue their search for Caroline, a journey that promises to unravel mysteries and confrontations.
“Chucky” is known for its thrilling and suspenseful storytelling, as well as its unexpected twists and turns. This season opener is no exception, as it introduces a fresh and intriguing setting for the ever-menacing Chucky doll.
Viewers can anticipate a suspenseful and captivating episode as Chucky’s new escapades in the White House promise to deliver surprises and chilling moments. Don’t miss the Season 3 premiere of “Chucky” on October 4th at 9:00 Pm on Syfy.
Release Date & Time: 9:00 Pm Wednesday 4 October 2023 on Syfy
Chucky Murder...
In this episode, Chucky, the mischievous doll, embarks on a new adventure and finds a new friend within the walls of the White House. Meanwhile, Jake, Devon, and Lexy continue their search for Caroline, a journey that promises to unravel mysteries and confrontations.
“Chucky” is known for its thrilling and suspenseful storytelling, as well as its unexpected twists and turns. This season opener is no exception, as it introduces a fresh and intriguing setting for the ever-menacing Chucky doll.
Viewers can anticipate a suspenseful and captivating episode as Chucky’s new escapades in the White House promise to deliver surprises and chilling moments. Don’t miss the Season 3 premiere of “Chucky” on October 4th at 9:00 Pm on Syfy.
Release Date & Time: 9:00 Pm Wednesday 4 October 2023 on Syfy
Chucky Murder...
- 9/29/2023
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
On Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at 9:00 Pm, USA Network will air the Season 3 premiere of “Chucky” with an episode titled “Murder at 1600.” This episode promises to be a thrilling addition to the series.
In “Murder at 1600,” Chucky, the notorious killer doll, finds himself in a new and unexpected setting—the White House. As Chucky settles into his new surroundings, he forms an unlikely friendship. Meanwhile, Jake, Devon, and Lexy are on a mission to locate someone named Caroline.
This installment of “Chucky” is sure to deliver the suspense and horror that fans of the franchise have come to expect. With its unique blend of dark humor and chilling scares, “Chucky” continues to captivate audiences with its tales of the malevolent doll.
If you’re a fan of the series or enjoy a good scare, don’t miss the Season 3 premiere of “Chucky” on October 4th, 2023, at 9:00 Pm on USA Network.
In “Murder at 1600,” Chucky, the notorious killer doll, finds himself in a new and unexpected setting—the White House. As Chucky settles into his new surroundings, he forms an unlikely friendship. Meanwhile, Jake, Devon, and Lexy are on a mission to locate someone named Caroline.
This installment of “Chucky” is sure to deliver the suspense and horror that fans of the franchise have come to expect. With its unique blend of dark humor and chilling scares, “Chucky” continues to captivate audiences with its tales of the malevolent doll.
If you’re a fan of the series or enjoy a good scare, don’t miss the Season 3 premiere of “Chucky” on October 4th, 2023, at 9:00 Pm on USA Network.
- 9/29/2023
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
The third season of Syfy and USA Network’s hit cult horror series, Chucky, is finally arriving next month, and seems to be taking an equally ridiculous and horrific turn.
Syfy released the full-length trailer on its YouTube channel, which shows that the notorious killer doll, Chucky, has somehow found his way into the White House, becoming the favorite toy of young Henry Collins, the son of President James Collins. While Chucky's motives within the nation's highest office remain unclear, the trailer teases a reunion with familiar faces from the previous seasons.
Related: 10 Funniest Supernatural Shows, Ranked
In Season 3, Chucky establishes an unexpected connection with Henry, offering him companionship in the unfamiliar White House environment. The trailer reveals a key scene in which Chucky gives a FaceTime call to Jake, Devon, and Lexy, to entice them and declare, "They'll never forget me this time." The gang decides to go on...
Syfy released the full-length trailer on its YouTube channel, which shows that the notorious killer doll, Chucky, has somehow found his way into the White House, becoming the favorite toy of young Henry Collins, the son of President James Collins. While Chucky's motives within the nation's highest office remain unclear, the trailer teases a reunion with familiar faces from the previous seasons.
Related: 10 Funniest Supernatural Shows, Ranked
In Season 3, Chucky establishes an unexpected connection with Henry, offering him companionship in the unfamiliar White House environment. The trailer reveals a key scene in which Chucky gives a FaceTime call to Jake, Devon, and Lexy, to entice them and declare, "They'll never forget me this time." The gang decides to go on...
- 9/18/2023
- by Aman Goyal
- Comic Book Resources
Sorry, Devon – Chucky’s back! The first trailer for the upcoming third season of Chucky has arrived just two weeks after the initial teaser dropped.
With season three of Chucky just a few weeks away – and the iconic character scaring it up at Halloween Horror Nights – the trailer teases the return of fan favorite Devon Sawa and Jennifer Tilly, plus guest starring roles for SNL’s Sarah Sherman and Kenan Thompson.
As per Syfy: “In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House. How did Chucky wind up here? What in God’s name does he want? And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky inside the world’s most secure building, all while balancing the pressures of romantic relationships and growing up? Meanwhile,...
With season three of Chucky just a few weeks away – and the iconic character scaring it up at Halloween Horror Nights – the trailer teases the return of fan favorite Devon Sawa and Jennifer Tilly, plus guest starring roles for SNL’s Sarah Sherman and Kenan Thompson.
As per Syfy: “In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House. How did Chucky wind up here? What in God’s name does he want? And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky inside the world’s most secure building, all while balancing the pressures of romantic relationships and growing up? Meanwhile,...
- 9/18/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Don Mancini’s hit series “Chucky” returns for Season 3 on both USA and Syfy on October 4, and the first clip from the new season was texted – yes, texted – over to Bd this afternoon.
Check out the clip below, which reunites Devon Sawa and Chucky. Sawa has played different characters in every season of “Chucky” to date. This time? He’s the U.S. President!
The “Chucky” Season 3 premiere is titled “Murder at 1600,” airing on October 4.
In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, Season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House. How did Chucky wind up here? What in God’s name does he want? And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky inside the world’s most secure building, all while balancing the pressures of romantic relationships and growing up?...
Check out the clip below, which reunites Devon Sawa and Chucky. Sawa has played different characters in every season of “Chucky” to date. This time? He’s the U.S. President!
The “Chucky” Season 3 premiere is titled “Murder at 1600,” airing on October 4.
In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, Season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House. How did Chucky wind up here? What in God’s name does he want? And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky inside the world’s most secure building, all while balancing the pressures of romantic relationships and growing up?...
- 9/13/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
A new nightmare is on the way in a batch of Chucky Season 3 photos. Taking his bloodlust all the way to The White House, the latest season of Syfy and USA Network’s hit horror series will see the killer doll stepping into the world of politics. Aptly titled, “Murder at 1600,” this season’s premiere episode will take viewers into the historic home with fresh images featuring a look at Chucky’s new digs alongside the first family.
- 9/11/2023
- by Britta DeVore
- Collider.com
Don Mancini’s hit series “Chucky” returns for Season 3 on both USA and Syfy on October 4, and we’ve got a sneak peek at the brand new season’s debut episode this morning.
The “Chucky” Season 3 premiere is titled “Murder at 1600,” airing on October 4.
In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, Season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House. How did Chucky wind up here? What in God’s name does he want? And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky inside the world’s most secure building, all while balancing the pressures of romantic relationships and growing up?
Meanwhile, Tiffany faces a looming crisis of her own as the police close in on her for “Jennifer Tilly’s” murderous rampage last season.
The returning cast will include Brad Dourif,...
The “Chucky” Season 3 premiere is titled “Murder at 1600,” airing on October 4.
In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, Season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House. How did Chucky wind up here? What in God’s name does he want? And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky inside the world’s most secure building, all while balancing the pressures of romantic relationships and growing up?
Meanwhile, Tiffany faces a looming crisis of her own as the police close in on her for “Jennifer Tilly’s” murderous rampage last season.
The returning cast will include Brad Dourif,...
- 9/11/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
George R. Robertson, the Canadian actor who portrayed the police chief and later police commissioner Henry Hurst in the first six Police Academy films, has died. He was 89.
Robertson died Sunday at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, his family announced.
Robertson also showed up in small roles in three films that were nominated for the best picture Oscar — Airport (1970), Norma Rae (1979) and JFK (1991) — and portrayed vice president Dick Cheney in the 2006 ABC miniseries The Path to 9/11.
Robertson appeared as Hurst in 1994 in the first Police Academy movie, directed by Hugh Wilson, and stuck around through Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989). His character grows more tolerant of the wacky recruits led by Commandant Lassard (George Gaynes) as the franchise moves along.
The actor did not make the trip to Moscow for the 1994 installment but was on one episode of the 1997-98 Police Academy series at CTV.
George Ross Robertson...
Robertson died Sunday at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, his family announced.
Robertson also showed up in small roles in three films that were nominated for the best picture Oscar — Airport (1970), Norma Rae (1979) and JFK (1991) — and portrayed vice president Dick Cheney in the 2006 ABC miniseries The Path to 9/11.
Robertson appeared as Hurst in 1994 in the first Police Academy movie, directed by Hugh Wilson, and stuck around through Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989). His character grows more tolerant of the wacky recruits led by Commandant Lassard (George Gaynes) as the franchise moves along.
The actor did not make the trip to Moscow for the 1994 installment but was on one episode of the 1997-98 Police Academy series at CTV.
George Ross Robertson...
- 2/3/2023
- by Mike Barnes and Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
Amanda Mackey, the busy casting director who worked on The Fugitive and four other films for director Andrew Davis and shared an Emmy nomination for populating Larry Kramer‘s The Normal Heart, has died. She was 70.
Mackey died Saturday at Calvary Hospital in Brooklyn after a battle with myelodysplastic syndrome, a form of blood cancer, longtime business partner Cathy Sandrich Gelfond told The Hollywood Reporter.
She received one Artios Award for her work on A League of Their Own (1993) and shared another one with Sandrich Gelfond for Smokin’ Aces (2006) — she collected 15 Artios nominations in all — and the pair were featured in the eye-opening 2012 documentary Casting By.
Mackey was “an unwaveringly steadfast friend and champion in a time when women weren’t as supportive to other women as they are now,” Sandrich Gelfond said in a statement. “She believed in me, lifted me up and gave me a career.
Amanda Mackey, the busy casting director who worked on The Fugitive and four other films for director Andrew Davis and shared an Emmy nomination for populating Larry Kramer‘s The Normal Heart, has died. She was 70.
Mackey died Saturday at Calvary Hospital in Brooklyn after a battle with myelodysplastic syndrome, a form of blood cancer, longtime business partner Cathy Sandrich Gelfond told The Hollywood Reporter.
She received one Artios Award for her work on A League of Their Own (1993) and shared another one with Sandrich Gelfond for Smokin’ Aces (2006) — she collected 15 Artios nominations in all — and the pair were featured in the eye-opening 2012 documentary Casting By.
Mackey was “an unwaveringly steadfast friend and champion in a time when women weren’t as supportive to other women as they are now,” Sandrich Gelfond said in a statement. “She believed in me, lifted me up and gave me a career.
- 8/31/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
You’re going to have to steel yourself for this monster of a content update. Between them, Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime have an obscene number of quality titles debuting this weekend.
Be it films or television shows, new releases or old classics, there’s a ton to dig into here. So if you’re ready, let’s dive right in…
Netflix
July 31st
Get Even — Netflix Original
Latte and the Magic Waterstone — Netflix Family
Seriously Single — Netflix Film
The Speed Cubers — Netflix Documentary
Sugar Rush: Extra Sweet — Netflix Original
The Umbrella Academy: Season 2 — Netflix Original
Vis a vis: El Oasis (Locked Up) — Netflix Original
August 1st
A Knight’s Tale
Acts of Violence
The Addams Family (1991)
An Education
Being John Malkovich
Death at a Funeral
Dennis the Menace
Elizabeth Harvest
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Hardcore Henry
Iron Man: Armored Adventures: Season 1-2
Jurassic Park...
Be it films or television shows, new releases or old classics, there’s a ton to dig into here. So if you’re ready, let’s dive right in…
Netflix
July 31st
Get Even — Netflix Original
Latte and the Magic Waterstone — Netflix Family
Seriously Single — Netflix Film
The Speed Cubers — Netflix Documentary
Sugar Rush: Extra Sweet — Netflix Original
The Umbrella Academy: Season 2 — Netflix Original
Vis a vis: El Oasis (Locked Up) — Netflix Original
August 1st
A Knight’s Tale
Acts of Violence
The Addams Family (1991)
An Education
Being John Malkovich
Death at a Funeral
Dennis the Menace
Elizabeth Harvest
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Hardcore Henry
Iron Man: Armored Adventures: Season 1-2
Jurassic Park...
- 7/31/2020
- by Alex Crisp
- We Got This Covered
HBO Max has a lot to offer in August, with titles to look forward to including the premiere of a brand new Seth Rogen movie called “An American Pickle” on Aug. 6, and Christopher Nolan’s 2008 Batman film “The Dark Knight” out Aug. 1.
The nascent streaming service also shares content with HBO, with new films coming like “Jojo Rabbit” out Aug. 1, “Birds of Prey” out Aug. 15, “Richard Jewell” out Aug. 8, and “Queen & Slim,” out Aug. 22. The upcoming series “Lovecraft County,” which mixes fact and fantasy and takes place in 1950s Jim Crow America, arrives Aug. 16.
Leaving throughout the month include, tragically, all eight “Harry Potter” films, which will be gone after Aug. 25. Other absolute classics like “Good Will Hunting,” “You’ve Got Mail,” and both “Kill Bill” movies will be gone after Aug. 31, so watch them while you can.
Below is the full list of everything coming and going in August.
The nascent streaming service also shares content with HBO, with new films coming like “Jojo Rabbit” out Aug. 1, “Birds of Prey” out Aug. 15, “Richard Jewell” out Aug. 8, and “Queen & Slim,” out Aug. 22. The upcoming series “Lovecraft County,” which mixes fact and fantasy and takes place in 1950s Jim Crow America, arrives Aug. 16.
Leaving throughout the month include, tragically, all eight “Harry Potter” films, which will be gone after Aug. 25. Other absolute classics like “Good Will Hunting,” “You’ve Got Mail,” and both “Kill Bill” movies will be gone after Aug. 31, so watch them while you can.
Below is the full list of everything coming and going in August.
- 7/30/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
With the end of the month ahead of us, we now have a full list of everything that’s coming to Netflix and the various other streaming services across August. The sites will continue to do their best to keep you from straying out into the sun for the rest of the summer, too, as each of them has got a whole heap of new movies and TV shows coming to their libraries that you’ll want to check out. Mostly classic films you’ll enjoy sticking on again, but also a few much-anticipated originals, too.
See below for the full line-up of titles coming to Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu and Prime Video, as well as our own picks for what should be on your radar.
August 1
Netflix
A Knight’s Tale
Acts of Violence
The Addams Family (1991)
An Education
Being John Malkovich
Death at a Funeral
Dennis the Menace...
See below for the full line-up of titles coming to Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu and Prime Video, as well as our own picks for what should be on your radar.
August 1
Netflix
A Knight’s Tale
Acts of Violence
The Addams Family (1991)
An Education
Being John Malkovich
Death at a Funeral
Dennis the Menace...
- 7/25/2020
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
HBO Max is continuing to pull from Warner Bros.’ incredible back catalogue of movies, with August bringing a huge number of new titles to the streaming service. With over 130 new pieces of content, the list of upcoming arrivals encompasses classic films of all kinds, from Oscar winners to comedies, horrors to family pics and, of course, tons of blockbusters.
A highlight for many users will probably be the glut of Batman films coming to HBO Max at the start of the month. Every cinematic outing for the Caped Crusader from 1989’s Batman starring Michael Keaton to 2008’s The Dark Knight with Christian Bale (which just celebrated its 12th anniversary this weekend) are going up on the site. Sticking in Gotham, both seasons of Harley Quinn are also coming to HBO Max, following their original release on DC Universe.
Elsewhere on August 1st, some of the more notable new titles include Before Sunrise and its sequel,...
A highlight for many users will probably be the glut of Batman films coming to HBO Max at the start of the month. Every cinematic outing for the Caped Crusader from 1989’s Batman starring Michael Keaton to 2008’s The Dark Knight with Christian Bale (which just celebrated its 12th anniversary this weekend) are going up on the site. Sticking in Gotham, both seasons of Harley Quinn are also coming to HBO Max, following their original release on DC Universe.
Elsewhere on August 1st, some of the more notable new titles include Before Sunrise and its sequel,...
- 7/20/2020
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
It’s August 2020 and that can only mean one thing: HBO Max is about to enter Lovecraft Country.
Over the years HBO (and by the transitive property its new HBO Max streaming offshoot) has grown accustomed to debuting a buzzworthy new TV show or limited series every couple of months. For August 2020 that will almost certainly be Southern Gothic horror series Lovecraft Country. The J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele-produced thriller arrives on August 14 on HBO and HBO Max.
Other strong HBO Max originals arriving in August include the documentary Class Action Park (release date Tbd), Seth Rogen-starring comedy An American Pickle (Aug. 6), and finales for I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, Doom Patrol, and Perry Mason.
Of course, HBO Max is designed to house much of WarnerMedia’s content across many mediums. That means some recent movies on note like Jojo Rabbit (Aug. 1), Richard Jewell (Aug. 8), and Birds of Prey (Aug.
Over the years HBO (and by the transitive property its new HBO Max streaming offshoot) has grown accustomed to debuting a buzzworthy new TV show or limited series every couple of months. For August 2020 that will almost certainly be Southern Gothic horror series Lovecraft Country. The J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele-produced thriller arrives on August 14 on HBO and HBO Max.
Other strong HBO Max originals arriving in August include the documentary Class Action Park (release date Tbd), Seth Rogen-starring comedy An American Pickle (Aug. 6), and finales for I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, Doom Patrol, and Perry Mason.
Of course, HBO Max is designed to house much of WarnerMedia’s content across many mediums. That means some recent movies on note like Jojo Rabbit (Aug. 1), Richard Jewell (Aug. 8), and Birds of Prey (Aug.
- 7/20/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
There is more to Donald Trump and Bette Midler’s recent Twitter altercation than what first meets the eye, according to Jimmy Kimmel, who showed viewers just how deep this rabbit hole goes during Wednesday’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
“This, by the way, is not the first time that Trump has lashed out at Bette Midler. This has been going on for years,” the ABC late-night host said in his opening monologue, referring to Potus’ Tuesday Twitter jab at “washed up psycho” Midler, after she apologized for sharing a fake quote from him.
“He’s criticized her looks, her singing, her appearance on the Oscars,” Kimmel continued. “He doesn’t like her at all, which made me wonder why, where [does] this animosity came from? And I’ve been doing some research and I think I figured it out. It all starts with a popular movie from 1993: ‘Hocus Pocus.'...
“This, by the way, is not the first time that Trump has lashed out at Bette Midler. This has been going on for years,” the ABC late-night host said in his opening monologue, referring to Potus’ Tuesday Twitter jab at “washed up psycho” Midler, after she apologized for sharing a fake quote from him.
“He’s criticized her looks, her singing, her appearance on the Oscars,” Kimmel continued. “He doesn’t like her at all, which made me wonder why, where [does] this animosity came from? And I’ve been doing some research and I think I figured it out. It all starts with a popular movie from 1993: ‘Hocus Pocus.'...
- 6/6/2019
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
I've got a trailer for a great looking thriller for you to watch today for a film called Last Rampage. The movie has a modern day western vibe as Robert Patrick escapes from prison and goes on a murderous rampage as he is being hunted down by Bruce Davison. The movie also stars Heather Graham and is based on a true story. Here's the synopsis:
In the summer of 1978, convicted murderer Gary Tison (Patrick) and his cellmate Randy Greenawalt (Chris Browning) staged a daring escape from an Arizona State Prison, with the help of Tison’s three teenage sons. Their murderous rampage through the southwestern desert shocked the nation with its brutality. While Sheriff Cooper (Davison) hunted the men down, Tison's wife (Graham) vehemently defended her family in the press.
The movie is an adaptation of the book Last Rampage: The Escape of Gary Tison written by James W. Clarke.
In the summer of 1978, convicted murderer Gary Tison (Patrick) and his cellmate Randy Greenawalt (Chris Browning) staged a daring escape from an Arizona State Prison, with the help of Tison’s three teenage sons. Their murderous rampage through the southwestern desert shocked the nation with its brutality. While Sheriff Cooper (Davison) hunted the men down, Tison's wife (Graham) vehemently defended her family in the press.
The movie is an adaptation of the book Last Rampage: The Escape of Gary Tison written by James W. Clarke.
- 8/15/2017
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
The Little Film Company has added true crime thriller Last Rampage: The Escape of Gary Tison to its slate for next month’s American Film Market (Afm).
Currently in post-production, Last Rampage is the story of the real life 1978 prison escape by convicted murderer Tison and a fellow inmate, which led to Tison and his sons going on a killing spree across several Us states.
Dwight Little (Murder at 1600) directs from a script by Alvaro Rodriguez and Jason Rosenblatt based on the book about Tison by James W Clarke.
The film stars Robert Patrick, Heather Graham, Molly C Quinn and William Shockley and is produced by Eric M Breiman and Robert Patrick and co-produced by Sandy Little and Alvaro Rodriguez.
Currently in post-production, Last Rampage is the story of the real life 1978 prison escape by convicted murderer Tison and a fellow inmate, which led to Tison and his sons going on a killing spree across several Us states.
Dwight Little (Murder at 1600) directs from a script by Alvaro Rodriguez and Jason Rosenblatt based on the book about Tison by James W Clarke.
The film stars Robert Patrick, Heather Graham, Molly C Quinn and William Shockley and is produced by Eric M Breiman and Robert Patrick and co-produced by Sandy Little and Alvaro Rodriguez.
- 10/8/2016
- ScreenDaily
The Little Film Company has added true crime thriller Last Rampage: The Escape of Gary Tison to its slate for next month’s American Film Market (Afm).
Currently in post-production, Last Rampage is the story of the real life 1978 prison escape by convicted murderer Tison and a fellow inmate, which led to Tison and his sons going on a killing spree across several Us states.
Dwight Little (Murder at 1600) directs from a script by Alvaro Rodriguez and Jason Rosenblatt based on the book about Tison by James W Clarke.
The film stars Robert Patrick, Heather Graham, Molly C Quinn and William Shockley and is produced by Eric M Breiman and Robert Patrick and co-produced by Sandy Little and Alvaro Rodriguez.
Currently in post-production, Last Rampage is the story of the real life 1978 prison escape by convicted murderer Tison and a fellow inmate, which led to Tison and his sons going on a killing spree across several Us states.
Dwight Little (Murder at 1600) directs from a script by Alvaro Rodriguez and Jason Rosenblatt based on the book about Tison by James W Clarke.
The film stars Robert Patrick, Heather Graham, Molly C Quinn and William Shockley and is produced by Eric M Breiman and Robert Patrick and co-produced by Sandy Little and Alvaro Rodriguez.
- 10/8/2016
- ScreenDaily
This week, Cinematic Sound Radio presents another program from the archives. This program, which originally aired in August 2014, featured the music from the filmography of the versatile composer Christopher Young. We will be featuring music from some well-known films as well as music from some obscure gems. You'll hear music from Runaway Jury, The Shipping News, Murder At 1600, Swordfish, The Big Kahuna, The Fly II and Getting Even. Listen on PodTyrant
Permalink...
Permalink...
- 10/6/2016
- by Ben Pearson
- GeekTyrant
Longtime political pundit John McLaughlin has died. He was 89. The creator, executive producer and host of The McLaughlin Group "passed away peacefully," according to the CBS show's Facebook page on Tuesday. "A message from the McLaughlin Group family. Earlier this morning, a beloved friend and mentor, Dr. John McLaughlin, passed away peacefully at the age of 89," the statement read. "As a former jesuit priest, teacher, pundit and news host, John touched many lives. For 34 years, The McLaughlin Group informed millions of Americans. Now he has said bye bye for the last time, to rejoin his beloved dog, Oliver, in heaven.
- 8/17/2016
- by Karen Mizoguchi
- PEOPLE.com
Longtime political pundit John McLaughlin has died. He was 89. The creator, executive producer and host of The McLaughlin Group "passed away peacefully," according to the CBS show's Facebook page on Tuesday. "A message from the McLaughlin Group family. Earlier this morning, a beloved friend and mentor, Dr. John McLaughlin, passed away peacefully at the age of 89," the statement read. "As a former jesuit priest, teacher, pundit and news host, John touched many lives. For 34 years, The McLaughlin Group informed millions of Americans. Now he has said bye bye for the last time, to rejoin his beloved dog, Oliver, in heaven.
- 8/17/2016
- by Karen Mizoguchi
- PEOPLE.com
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Warner Bros has struggled with its blockbusters of late. But back in summer 1997 - Batman & Robin's year - it faced not dissimilar problems.
Earlier this year it was revealed that Warner Bros, following a string of costly movies that hadn’t hit box office gold (Pan, Jupiter Ascending, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., In The Heart Of The Sea), was restructuring its blockbuster movie business. Fewer films, fewer risks, more franchises, and more centering around movie universes seems to be the new approach, and the appointment of a new corporate team to oversee the Harry Potter franchise last week was one part of that.
In some ways, it marks the end of an era. Whilst it retains its relationships with key directing talent (Ben Affleck, Clint Eastwood, Christopher Nolan for instance), Warner Bros was, for the bulk of the 1990s in particular, the studio that the others were trying to mimic. It worked with the same stars and filmmakers time and time again, and under then-chiefs Terry Semel and Robert Daly, relationships with key talent were paramount.
Furthermore, the studio knew to leave that talent to do its job, and was also ahead of the pack in developing franchises that it could rely on to give it a string of hits.
However, whilst Warner Bros is having troubles now, its way of doing business was first seriously challenged by the failure of its slate in the summer of 1997. Once again, it seemed to have a line up to cherish, that others were envious of. But as film by film failed to click, every facet of Warner Bros’ blockbuster strategy suddenly came under scrutiny, and would ultimately fairly dramatically change. Just two summers later, the studio released The Matrix, and blockbuster cinema changed again.
But come the start of summer 1997? These are the movies that Warner Bros had lined up, and this is what happened…
February - National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation
Things actually had got off to a decent enough start for the studio earlier in the year, so it's worth kicking off there. It brought Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo back together, for the fourth National Lampoon movie, and the first since 1989’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Interestingly, it dropped the National Lampoon moniker in the Us, and instead released the eventual movie as Vegas Vacation. It was a belated sequel, back when belated sequels weren’t that big a thing.
The film was quickly pulled apart by reviewers, but it still just about clawed a profit. The production budget of $25m was eclipsed by the Us gross of $36m, and the movie would do comfortable business on video/DVD. Not a massive hit, then, but hardly a project that had a sense of foreboding about it.
Yet the problems were not far away.
May – Father's Day
Warner Bros had a mix of movies released in the Us in March and April 1997, including modest Wesley Snipes-headlined thriller Murder At 1600, and family flick Shiloh. But it launched its summer season with Father’s Day, an expensive packaged comedy from director Ivan Reitman, starring Robin Williams and Billy Crystal. It had hit written all over it.
Father’s Day was one of the movies packaged by the CAA agency, and its then-head, Mike Ovitz (listed regularly by Premiere magazine in the 1990s as one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, if not the most powerful man). That he brought together the stars, the director and the project, gave a studio a price tag, and the studio duly paid it. Given Warner Bros’ devotion to star talent (Mel Gibson, then one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and a major Warner Bros talent, was persuaded to film a cameo), it was a natural home for the film. It quickly did the deal. few questions asked.
That package, and CAA’s fees for putting it together, brought the budget for a fairly straightforward comedy to a then-staggering $85m. The problem, though, was that the film simply wasn’t very good. It’s one of those projects that looks great on paper, less great when exposed on a great big screen. Warner Bros has snapped it up, without - it seems - even properly reading the script.
Premiere magazine quoted a Warner Bros insider back in November 1997 as saying “when [CAA] calls and says ‘we have a package, Father’s Day, with Williams and Crystal and Reitman, we say ‘great’”, adding “we don’t scrutinise the production. When we saw the movie, it took the wind out of us. We kept reshooting and enhancing, but you can’t fix something that’s bad”.
And it was bad.
The movie would prove to be the first big misfire of the summer, grossing just $35m in the Us, and not adding a fat lot more elsewhere in the world. Warner Bros’ first film of the summer was a certified flop. More would soon follow.
May - Addicted To Love
A more modestly priced project was Addicted To Love, a romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick. Just over a year later, Warner Bros would hit big when Meg Ryan reunited with Tom Hanks for Nora Ephron’s You’ve Got Mail. But here? The film was a modest success, at best.
Directed by Griffin Dunne (making his directorial debut), and put together in partnership with Miramax, Addicted To Love was based around the Robert Palmer song of the same name. But whilst it was sold as a romcom, the muddled final cut was actually a fair bit darker. There was an underlying nastiness to some moments in the film, and when the final box office was tallied, it came in lower than the usual returns for pictures from Ryan or Broderick. Counter-programming it against the release of The Lost World: Jurassic Park didn’t massively help in this instance either, especially as the Jurassic Park sequel would smash opening weekend records.
Addicted To Love ended up with $34.6m at the Us box office. It would eke out a small profit.
June - Batman & Robin
And this is when the alarm bells started to ring very, very loudly. Summer 1997 was supposed to be about a trio of sure-fire hit sequels: Batman 4, Jurassic Park 2 and Speed 2. Only one of those would ultimately bring home the box office bacon, the others being destroyed by critics, and ultimately leaving far more empty seats than anticipated in multiplexes.
Batman & Robin, it’s easy to forget, came off the back of 1995’s Joel Schumacher-steered Batman reboot, Batman Forever that year's biggest movie). It had one of the fastest-growing stars in the world in the Batsuit (George Clooney), and the McDonald’s deals were signed even before the script was typed up. You don’t need us to tell you that you could tell, something of a theme already in Warner Bros' summer of '97.
That said, Batman & Robin still gave Warner Bros a big opening, but in the infancy of the internet as we know it, poisonous word of mouth was already beginning to spread. The film’s negative cost Warner Bros up to $140m, before marketing and distribution costs, and it opened in the Us to a hardly-sniffy $42m of business (although that was down from previous Batman movies).
But that word of mouth still accelerated its departure from cinemas. It was then very rare for a film to make over 40% of its Us gross in its first weekend. But that’s just what Batman & Robin did, taking $107.3m in America, part of a worldwide total of $238.2m. This was the worst return for a Batman movie to date, and Warner Bros had to swiftly put the brakes on plans to get Batman Triumphant moving.
It would be eight years until Batman returned to the big screen, in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. Warner Bros would undergo big changes in the intervening period.
As for the immediate aftermath of Batman & Robin? Warner Bros co-chief Robert Daly would note at the end of '97 that “we’d have been better off with more action in the picture. The movie had to service too many characters”, adding that “the next Batman we do, in three years – and we have a deal with George Clooney to do it – will have one villain”.
Fortunately, Warner Bros’ one solid hit of the summer was just around the corner…
July - Contact
And breathe out.
Warner Bros bet heavily again on expensive talent here, with Robert Zemeckis bringing his adaptation of Carl Sagan’s Contact to the studio for his first film post-Forrest Gump. Warner Bros duly footed the $90m bill (back when that was still seen as a lot of money for a movie), a good chunk of which went to Jodie Foster. It invested heavily in special effects, and gave Zemeckis licence to make the film that he wanted.
The studio was rewarded with the most intelligent and arguably the best blockbuster of the summer. I’ve looked back at Contact in a lot more detail here, and it remains a fascinating film that’s stood the test of time (and arguably influenced Christopher Nolan’s more recent Interstellar).
Reviews were strong, it looked terrific, and the initial box office was good.
But then the problem hit. For whilst Contact was a solid hit for Warner Bros, it wasn’t a massively profitable one. Had Father’s Day and Batman & Robin shouldered the box office load there were supposed to, it perhaps wouldn’t have been a problem. But when they failed to take off, the pressure shifted to Contact.
The movie would gross $100.9m in the Us, and add another $70m overseas (this being an era were international box office rarely had the importance it has today). But once Warner Bros had paid its bills, there wasn’t a fat lot over for itself. Fortunately, the film still sells on disc and on-demand. Yet it wasn’t to be the massive hit the studio needed back in 1997.
July - One Eight Seven
From director Kevin Reynolds, the man who helmed Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves and Waterworld, came modestly-priced drama 187, starring Samuel L Jackson (in a strong performance). Warner Bros wouldn’t have had massive box office expectations for the film (although it can't have been unaware that the inspirational teacher sub-genre was always worth a few quid), and it shared production duties on the $20m movie with Mel Gibson’s Icon Productions. But still, it would have had its eye on a modest success. What it got in return was red ink.
The film’s not a bad one, and certainly worth seeking out. But poor reviews gave the film an uphill struggle from the off – smaller productions arriving mid-summer really needed critics on their side, as they arguably still do – and it opened to just $2.2m of business (the less edgy, Michelle Pfeiffer-headlined school drama Dangerous Minds had been a surprise hit not two years before).
By the time its run was done, 187 hadn’t even come close to covering its production costs, with just under $6m banked.
Warner Bros’ summer slate was running out of films. But at least it had one of its most reliable movie stars around the corner…
August - Conspiracy Theory
What could go wrong? Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts were two of the biggest movie stars in the world in 1997, at a time when movie stars still equated to box office gold. Director Richard Donner, one of Warner Bros’ favourite directors, had delivered the Lethal Weapons, Maverick, Superman, The Goonies and more for the studio. Put them altogether, with Patrick Stewart (coming to wider public consciousness at the time off the back of his Star Trek: The Next Generation work) as a villain, and it should have been a big hit.
Conspiracy Theory proved to be one of the more ambitious summer blockbusters of the era. It lacks a good first act, which would be really useful in actually setting up more of what’s going on. But Gibson played an edgy cab driver who believes in deep government conspiracies, and finds himself getting closer to the truth than those around him sometimes give him credit for.
Warner Bros was probably expecting another Lethal Weapon with the reunion of Gibson (who had to be persuaded to take Conspiracy Theory on) and Donner (it’s pretty much what it got with the hugely enjoyable Maverick a few years’ earlier), but instead it got a darker drama, with an uneasy central character that didn’t exactly play to the summer box office crowd.
The bigger problem, though, was that the film never quite worked as well as you might hope. Yet star power did have advantages. While no juggernaut, the film did decent business, grossing $137m worldwide off the back of an $80m budget ($40m of which was spent on the salaries for the talent before a single roll of film was loaded into a camera). That said, in the Us it knocked a genuine smash hit, Air Force One, off the top spot. Mind you in hindsight, that was probably the film that the studio wished it had made (the cockpit set of Warner Bros' own Executive Decision was repurposed for Air Force One, fact fans).
Still: Warner Bros did get Lethal Weapon 4 off Gibson and Donner a year later…
August - Free Willy 3: The Rescue
Yeah.
Warner Bros opened its third Free Willy film on the same day as Conspiracy Theory (can you imagine a studio opening two big films on the same day now), but it was clear that this was a franchise long past its best days (and its best days hardly bring back the fondest of memories).
Still, Free Willy movies were relatively modest in cost to put together, and Warner Bros presumably felt this was a simple cashpoint project. But in a year when lots of family movies did less business than expected (Disney’s Hercules, Fox’s Home Alone 3, Disney’s Mr Magoo), Free Willy 3 barely troubled the box office. It took in just over $3m in total, and Willy would not be seen on the inside of a cinema again.
August - Steel
Not much was expected from Steel, a superhero movie headlined by Shaquille O’Neal. Which was fortunate, because not much was had.
It had a mid-August release date in the Us, at a point when a mid-August release date was more of a dumping ground than anything else. And even though the budget was set at a relatively low $16m, the film – and it’s an overused time – pretty much bombed. It took $1.7m at the Us box office, and given that its appeal hinged on a major American sports star whose fame hardly transcended the globe, its international takings did not save it (it went straight to video in many territories).
It was a miserable end to what, for warner bros, had been a thoroughly miserable summer.
So what did hit big in summer 1997?
Summer 1997 was infamous for big films failing to take off in the way that had been expected – Hercules, Speed 2, and the aforementioned Warner Bros movies – but there were several bright spots. The big winner would be Barry Sonnenfeld’s light and sprightly sci-fi comedy Men In Black, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Star power too helped score big hits for Harrison Ford (Air Force One), Julia Roberts (My Best Friend’s Wedding) and John Travolta (Face/Off).
This was also the summer that Nicolas Cage cemented his action movie credentials with Face/Off and Con Air. Crucially, though, the star movies that hit were the ones that veered on the side of 'good'. For the first of many years, the internet was blamed for this.
Oh, and later in the year, incidentally, Titanic would redefine just what constituted a box office hit...
What came next for Warner Bros?
In the rest of 1997, Warner Bros had a mix of projects that again enjoyed mixed fortunes. The standout was Curtis Hanson’s stunning adaptation of L.A. Confidential, that also proved to be a surprise box office success. The Devil’s Advocate didn’t do too badly either.
However, two of the studio’s key filmmakers failed to really deliver come the end of 1997. Clint Eastwood’s Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil failed to ignite (although many felt he was always on a hiding to nothing in trying to adapt that for the screen), and Kevin Costner’s The Postman would prove arguably the most expensive box office disappointment of the year. No wonder the studio rushed Lethal Weapon 4 into production for summer 1998. Oh, and it had The Avengers underway too (not that one), that would prove to be a 1998 disappointment.
The studio would eventually take action. The Daly-Semel management team, that had reigned for 15 years, would break up at the end of 1999, as its traditional way of doing business became less successful. The pair had already future projects that were director driven to an extent (Eyes Wide Shut), and it would still invest in movies with stars (Wild Wild West). But the immediate plan of action following the disappointment of summer 1997 – to get Batman 5 and Superman Lives made – would falter. It wouldn’t be until 1999’s The Matrix (a film that Daly and Semel struggled to get) and – crucially – 2001’s Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone that the studio would really get its swagger back...
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Movies Feature Simon Brew Warner Bros 16 Jun 2016 - 05:19 Conspiracy Theory Father's Day Addicted To Love Contact National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation One Eight Seven Steel Batman & Robin Free Willy 3: The Rescue...
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Warner Bros has struggled with its blockbusters of late. But back in summer 1997 - Batman & Robin's year - it faced not dissimilar problems.
Earlier this year it was revealed that Warner Bros, following a string of costly movies that hadn’t hit box office gold (Pan, Jupiter Ascending, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., In The Heart Of The Sea), was restructuring its blockbuster movie business. Fewer films, fewer risks, more franchises, and more centering around movie universes seems to be the new approach, and the appointment of a new corporate team to oversee the Harry Potter franchise last week was one part of that.
In some ways, it marks the end of an era. Whilst it retains its relationships with key directing talent (Ben Affleck, Clint Eastwood, Christopher Nolan for instance), Warner Bros was, for the bulk of the 1990s in particular, the studio that the others were trying to mimic. It worked with the same stars and filmmakers time and time again, and under then-chiefs Terry Semel and Robert Daly, relationships with key talent were paramount.
Furthermore, the studio knew to leave that talent to do its job, and was also ahead of the pack in developing franchises that it could rely on to give it a string of hits.
However, whilst Warner Bros is having troubles now, its way of doing business was first seriously challenged by the failure of its slate in the summer of 1997. Once again, it seemed to have a line up to cherish, that others were envious of. But as film by film failed to click, every facet of Warner Bros’ blockbuster strategy suddenly came under scrutiny, and would ultimately fairly dramatically change. Just two summers later, the studio released The Matrix, and blockbuster cinema changed again.
But come the start of summer 1997? These are the movies that Warner Bros had lined up, and this is what happened…
February - National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation
Things actually had got off to a decent enough start for the studio earlier in the year, so it's worth kicking off there. It brought Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo back together, for the fourth National Lampoon movie, and the first since 1989’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Interestingly, it dropped the National Lampoon moniker in the Us, and instead released the eventual movie as Vegas Vacation. It was a belated sequel, back when belated sequels weren’t that big a thing.
The film was quickly pulled apart by reviewers, but it still just about clawed a profit. The production budget of $25m was eclipsed by the Us gross of $36m, and the movie would do comfortable business on video/DVD. Not a massive hit, then, but hardly a project that had a sense of foreboding about it.
Yet the problems were not far away.
May – Father's Day
Warner Bros had a mix of movies released in the Us in March and April 1997, including modest Wesley Snipes-headlined thriller Murder At 1600, and family flick Shiloh. But it launched its summer season with Father’s Day, an expensive packaged comedy from director Ivan Reitman, starring Robin Williams and Billy Crystal. It had hit written all over it.
Father’s Day was one of the movies packaged by the CAA agency, and its then-head, Mike Ovitz (listed regularly by Premiere magazine in the 1990s as one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, if not the most powerful man). That he brought together the stars, the director and the project, gave a studio a price tag, and the studio duly paid it. Given Warner Bros’ devotion to star talent (Mel Gibson, then one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and a major Warner Bros talent, was persuaded to film a cameo), it was a natural home for the film. It quickly did the deal. few questions asked.
That package, and CAA’s fees for putting it together, brought the budget for a fairly straightforward comedy to a then-staggering $85m. The problem, though, was that the film simply wasn’t very good. It’s one of those projects that looks great on paper, less great when exposed on a great big screen. Warner Bros has snapped it up, without - it seems - even properly reading the script.
Premiere magazine quoted a Warner Bros insider back in November 1997 as saying “when [CAA] calls and says ‘we have a package, Father’s Day, with Williams and Crystal and Reitman, we say ‘great’”, adding “we don’t scrutinise the production. When we saw the movie, it took the wind out of us. We kept reshooting and enhancing, but you can’t fix something that’s bad”.
And it was bad.
The movie would prove to be the first big misfire of the summer, grossing just $35m in the Us, and not adding a fat lot more elsewhere in the world. Warner Bros’ first film of the summer was a certified flop. More would soon follow.
May - Addicted To Love
A more modestly priced project was Addicted To Love, a romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick. Just over a year later, Warner Bros would hit big when Meg Ryan reunited with Tom Hanks for Nora Ephron’s You’ve Got Mail. But here? The film was a modest success, at best.
Directed by Griffin Dunne (making his directorial debut), and put together in partnership with Miramax, Addicted To Love was based around the Robert Palmer song of the same name. But whilst it was sold as a romcom, the muddled final cut was actually a fair bit darker. There was an underlying nastiness to some moments in the film, and when the final box office was tallied, it came in lower than the usual returns for pictures from Ryan or Broderick. Counter-programming it against the release of The Lost World: Jurassic Park didn’t massively help in this instance either, especially as the Jurassic Park sequel would smash opening weekend records.
Addicted To Love ended up with $34.6m at the Us box office. It would eke out a small profit.
June - Batman & Robin
And this is when the alarm bells started to ring very, very loudly. Summer 1997 was supposed to be about a trio of sure-fire hit sequels: Batman 4, Jurassic Park 2 and Speed 2. Only one of those would ultimately bring home the box office bacon, the others being destroyed by critics, and ultimately leaving far more empty seats than anticipated in multiplexes.
Batman & Robin, it’s easy to forget, came off the back of 1995’s Joel Schumacher-steered Batman reboot, Batman Forever that year's biggest movie). It had one of the fastest-growing stars in the world in the Batsuit (George Clooney), and the McDonald’s deals were signed even before the script was typed up. You don’t need us to tell you that you could tell, something of a theme already in Warner Bros' summer of '97.
That said, Batman & Robin still gave Warner Bros a big opening, but in the infancy of the internet as we know it, poisonous word of mouth was already beginning to spread. The film’s negative cost Warner Bros up to $140m, before marketing and distribution costs, and it opened in the Us to a hardly-sniffy $42m of business (although that was down from previous Batman movies).
But that word of mouth still accelerated its departure from cinemas. It was then very rare for a film to make over 40% of its Us gross in its first weekend. But that’s just what Batman & Robin did, taking $107.3m in America, part of a worldwide total of $238.2m. This was the worst return for a Batman movie to date, and Warner Bros had to swiftly put the brakes on plans to get Batman Triumphant moving.
It would be eight years until Batman returned to the big screen, in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. Warner Bros would undergo big changes in the intervening period.
As for the immediate aftermath of Batman & Robin? Warner Bros co-chief Robert Daly would note at the end of '97 that “we’d have been better off with more action in the picture. The movie had to service too many characters”, adding that “the next Batman we do, in three years – and we have a deal with George Clooney to do it – will have one villain”.
Fortunately, Warner Bros’ one solid hit of the summer was just around the corner…
July - Contact
And breathe out.
Warner Bros bet heavily again on expensive talent here, with Robert Zemeckis bringing his adaptation of Carl Sagan’s Contact to the studio for his first film post-Forrest Gump. Warner Bros duly footed the $90m bill (back when that was still seen as a lot of money for a movie), a good chunk of which went to Jodie Foster. It invested heavily in special effects, and gave Zemeckis licence to make the film that he wanted.
The studio was rewarded with the most intelligent and arguably the best blockbuster of the summer. I’ve looked back at Contact in a lot more detail here, and it remains a fascinating film that’s stood the test of time (and arguably influenced Christopher Nolan’s more recent Interstellar).
Reviews were strong, it looked terrific, and the initial box office was good.
But then the problem hit. For whilst Contact was a solid hit for Warner Bros, it wasn’t a massively profitable one. Had Father’s Day and Batman & Robin shouldered the box office load there were supposed to, it perhaps wouldn’t have been a problem. But when they failed to take off, the pressure shifted to Contact.
The movie would gross $100.9m in the Us, and add another $70m overseas (this being an era were international box office rarely had the importance it has today). But once Warner Bros had paid its bills, there wasn’t a fat lot over for itself. Fortunately, the film still sells on disc and on-demand. Yet it wasn’t to be the massive hit the studio needed back in 1997.
July - One Eight Seven
From director Kevin Reynolds, the man who helmed Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves and Waterworld, came modestly-priced drama 187, starring Samuel L Jackson (in a strong performance). Warner Bros wouldn’t have had massive box office expectations for the film (although it can't have been unaware that the inspirational teacher sub-genre was always worth a few quid), and it shared production duties on the $20m movie with Mel Gibson’s Icon Productions. But still, it would have had its eye on a modest success. What it got in return was red ink.
The film’s not a bad one, and certainly worth seeking out. But poor reviews gave the film an uphill struggle from the off – smaller productions arriving mid-summer really needed critics on their side, as they arguably still do – and it opened to just $2.2m of business (the less edgy, Michelle Pfeiffer-headlined school drama Dangerous Minds had been a surprise hit not two years before).
By the time its run was done, 187 hadn’t even come close to covering its production costs, with just under $6m banked.
Warner Bros’ summer slate was running out of films. But at least it had one of its most reliable movie stars around the corner…
August - Conspiracy Theory
What could go wrong? Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts were two of the biggest movie stars in the world in 1997, at a time when movie stars still equated to box office gold. Director Richard Donner, one of Warner Bros’ favourite directors, had delivered the Lethal Weapons, Maverick, Superman, The Goonies and more for the studio. Put them altogether, with Patrick Stewart (coming to wider public consciousness at the time off the back of his Star Trek: The Next Generation work) as a villain, and it should have been a big hit.
Conspiracy Theory proved to be one of the more ambitious summer blockbusters of the era. It lacks a good first act, which would be really useful in actually setting up more of what’s going on. But Gibson played an edgy cab driver who believes in deep government conspiracies, and finds himself getting closer to the truth than those around him sometimes give him credit for.
Warner Bros was probably expecting another Lethal Weapon with the reunion of Gibson (who had to be persuaded to take Conspiracy Theory on) and Donner (it’s pretty much what it got with the hugely enjoyable Maverick a few years’ earlier), but instead it got a darker drama, with an uneasy central character that didn’t exactly play to the summer box office crowd.
The bigger problem, though, was that the film never quite worked as well as you might hope. Yet star power did have advantages. While no juggernaut, the film did decent business, grossing $137m worldwide off the back of an $80m budget ($40m of which was spent on the salaries for the talent before a single roll of film was loaded into a camera). That said, in the Us it knocked a genuine smash hit, Air Force One, off the top spot. Mind you in hindsight, that was probably the film that the studio wished it had made (the cockpit set of Warner Bros' own Executive Decision was repurposed for Air Force One, fact fans).
Still: Warner Bros did get Lethal Weapon 4 off Gibson and Donner a year later…
August - Free Willy 3: The Rescue
Yeah.
Warner Bros opened its third Free Willy film on the same day as Conspiracy Theory (can you imagine a studio opening two big films on the same day now), but it was clear that this was a franchise long past its best days (and its best days hardly bring back the fondest of memories).
Still, Free Willy movies were relatively modest in cost to put together, and Warner Bros presumably felt this was a simple cashpoint project. But in a year when lots of family movies did less business than expected (Disney’s Hercules, Fox’s Home Alone 3, Disney’s Mr Magoo), Free Willy 3 barely troubled the box office. It took in just over $3m in total, and Willy would not be seen on the inside of a cinema again.
August - Steel
Not much was expected from Steel, a superhero movie headlined by Shaquille O’Neal. Which was fortunate, because not much was had.
It had a mid-August release date in the Us, at a point when a mid-August release date was more of a dumping ground than anything else. And even though the budget was set at a relatively low $16m, the film – and it’s an overused time – pretty much bombed. It took $1.7m at the Us box office, and given that its appeal hinged on a major American sports star whose fame hardly transcended the globe, its international takings did not save it (it went straight to video in many territories).
It was a miserable end to what, for warner bros, had been a thoroughly miserable summer.
So what did hit big in summer 1997?
Summer 1997 was infamous for big films failing to take off in the way that had been expected – Hercules, Speed 2, and the aforementioned Warner Bros movies – but there were several bright spots. The big winner would be Barry Sonnenfeld’s light and sprightly sci-fi comedy Men In Black, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Star power too helped score big hits for Harrison Ford (Air Force One), Julia Roberts (My Best Friend’s Wedding) and John Travolta (Face/Off).
This was also the summer that Nicolas Cage cemented his action movie credentials with Face/Off and Con Air. Crucially, though, the star movies that hit were the ones that veered on the side of 'good'. For the first of many years, the internet was blamed for this.
Oh, and later in the year, incidentally, Titanic would redefine just what constituted a box office hit...
What came next for Warner Bros?
In the rest of 1997, Warner Bros had a mix of projects that again enjoyed mixed fortunes. The standout was Curtis Hanson’s stunning adaptation of L.A. Confidential, that also proved to be a surprise box office success. The Devil’s Advocate didn’t do too badly either.
However, two of the studio’s key filmmakers failed to really deliver come the end of 1997. Clint Eastwood’s Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil failed to ignite (although many felt he was always on a hiding to nothing in trying to adapt that for the screen), and Kevin Costner’s The Postman would prove arguably the most expensive box office disappointment of the year. No wonder the studio rushed Lethal Weapon 4 into production for summer 1998. Oh, and it had The Avengers underway too (not that one), that would prove to be a 1998 disappointment.
The studio would eventually take action. The Daly-Semel management team, that had reigned for 15 years, would break up at the end of 1999, as its traditional way of doing business became less successful. The pair had already future projects that were director driven to an extent (Eyes Wide Shut), and it would still invest in movies with stars (Wild Wild West). But the immediate plan of action following the disappointment of summer 1997 – to get Batman 5 and Superman Lives made – would falter. It wouldn’t be until 1999’s The Matrix (a film that Daly and Semel struggled to get) and – crucially – 2001’s Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone that the studio would really get its swagger back...
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Movies Feature Simon Brew Warner Bros 16 Jun 2016 - 05:19 Conspiracy Theory Father's Day Addicted To Love Contact National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation One Eight Seven Steel Batman & Robin Free Willy 3: The Rescue...
- 6/13/2016
- Den of Geek
This fall, Sullivan Stapleton and Philip Winchester both find themselves starring in profoundly stupid new shows for NBC. On the one hand, this seems appropriate. The duo spent the past four years playing brothers in arms on Cinemax's "Strike Back," a slick, fun, but at times fairly silly action series that wraps up in a few weeks. "Strike Back" was many things, but smart was rarely among them. (This final season kicked off with a terrorist act that wouldn't have happened if Stapleton and Winchester's boss had literally just said the phrase "He has a bomb in his bag" on one of about seven or eight different occasions.) Still, "Strike Back" was so good in other areas — particularly the rapport between the two leads, and the staging of the various fight and chase scenes they found themselves in constantly — that it was easy to forgive the goofier moments, or the...
- 9/24/2015
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
There are over 20 filmed adaptations, re-imaginings and retellings of Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera, but only one stars Robert Englund. From Dwight Little, the director of Halloween 4 and Murder at 1600, 1989’s The Phantom of the Opera was a poorly received, overtly horrific take on the classic tale, starring Freddy himself.…
The post Scream Factory Details Englund-starring Phantom of the Opera Blu appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.
The post Scream Factory Details Englund-starring Phantom of the Opera Blu appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.
- 12/16/2014
- by Samuel Zimmerman
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Exclusive: In a competitive situation, Wgn America has landed American Dream, a suspense drama project executive produced by House creator David Shore and produced by Sony TV. Written/co-executive produced by feature scribe Wayne Beach (Murder At 1600), the project, now in development, chronicles the cat-and-mouse game that erupts when a Manhattan homicide cop suspects one of America’s top CEOs of being a killer. The relationship becomes mutually dependent: this CEO who needs psychopathic games to refuel himself personally and professionally, and a cop who exploits the game to make inroads into a world he’s always wanted to inhabit – that of the rich and famous. “The cop shares our culture’s obsession with celebrity, killers and the rich,” Beach said. “It isn’t just about how you catch a killer who makes $83 million a year and plays golf with the president, but what happens when your prey is...
- 12/12/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Already being hailed as the “Citizen Kane of Vampire Movies”, the upcoming August release of Blade promises to be one of the finest films ever crafted by man or god. In fact, the buzz in the AOL chat rooms is that in fifteen years, people will be referring to Citizen Kane as “the Blade of Movies”.
Based on the Marvel Comic, the movie will star Wesley Snipes from the recent unforgettable thriller Murder at 1600 as its titular character, a daywalker who kills other vampires. Blade will likely bury the vampire genre, making subsequent vampire movies entirely needless and obsolete. In fact, it seems unlikely that any of the major studios will even be willing to release another vampire movie after this one. In the years since Citizen Kane there haven’t exactly been a barrage of biopics starring fictionalized versions of newspaper magnates, right?
So in honor of the upcoming Blade,...
Based on the Marvel Comic, the movie will star Wesley Snipes from the recent unforgettable thriller Murder at 1600 as its titular character, a daywalker who kills other vampires. Blade will likely bury the vampire genre, making subsequent vampire movies entirely needless and obsolete. In fact, it seems unlikely that any of the major studios will even be willing to release another vampire movie after this one. In the years since Citizen Kane there haven’t exactly been a barrage of biopics starring fictionalized versions of newspaper magnates, right?
So in honor of the upcoming Blade,...
- 4/1/2013
- by Nick F
- Obsessed with Film
It seems that ever since Ronald Reagan took office in the '80s, everyone in Hollywood has been targeting the White House. But we're not talking about career-changing political aspirations here; we're referring to something far more sinister, like attempted coups ("Seven Days in May"), murders of nonessential staff ("Murder at 1600"), and hostile takeovers (the upcoming "White House Down"). But those are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the catastrophes movies have previously visited on the White House. Here, in order of severity, are the five worst things Hollywood has already done to the White House.
- 3/26/2013
- by Sharon Knolle
- Moviefone
"You gonna put the President in a lineup?"
The arrival of the first trailer for Olympus Has Fallen revealed the first of two upcoming movies that are essentially "Die Hard in the White House," but Wesley Snipes and Diane Lane were already on the case of trouble in the White House in 1997's Murder at 1600. Instead of trying to take down terrorists who have taken over the White House, however, Snipes and Lane respectively play a homicide Detective and a Secret Service agent tasked with solving the death of a White House secretary. But with the murder happening inside the White House, everyone's a suspect — even the President. Alan Alda, Dennis Miller and Tate Donovan co-star.
Murder at 1600
Movies nightly on Reelz, check listings
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Link | Posted 1/27/2013 by Ryan
ReelzChannel Movie Movie | Murder at 1600...
The arrival of the first trailer for Olympus Has Fallen revealed the first of two upcoming movies that are essentially "Die Hard in the White House," but Wesley Snipes and Diane Lane were already on the case of trouble in the White House in 1997's Murder at 1600. Instead of trying to take down terrorists who have taken over the White House, however, Snipes and Lane respectively play a homicide Detective and a Secret Service agent tasked with solving the death of a White House secretary. But with the murder happening inside the White House, everyone's a suspect — even the President. Alan Alda, Dennis Miller and Tate Donovan co-star.
Murder at 1600
Movies nightly on Reelz, check listings
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 1/27/2013 by Ryan
ReelzChannel Movie Movie | Murder at 1600...
- 1/27/2013
- by Ryan Gowland
- Reelzchannel.com
In a perfect video to watch on Election Day — or really any day for that matter — video mixologists Wreck & Salvage have put together an astounding compendium of clips of U.S. presidents from sci-fi flicks, comedies, drama, action movies and more. If you have trouble matching each Potus with each movie, below is a handy guide provided by W&S of the 51 films they’ve cribbed from.
The clips, of course, aren’t strung together willy-nilly. There’s a definite arc, flow and rhythm that provide a quasi narrative. Most movie presidents are there to deliver the “oh shit” news to the country — aliens are going to kill us all, an asteroid is going to kill us all, the economy’s in the toilet, all plant life is dying, etc. You know the “oh shit” news is coming when you hear the clichéd refrain, “Good evening, my fellow Americans.” (Actually,...
The clips, of course, aren’t strung together willy-nilly. There’s a definite arc, flow and rhythm that provide a quasi narrative. Most movie presidents are there to deliver the “oh shit” news to the country — aliens are going to kill us all, an asteroid is going to kill us all, the economy’s in the toilet, all plant life is dying, etc. You know the “oh shit” news is coming when you hear the clichéd refrain, “Good evening, my fellow Americans.” (Actually,...
- 11/6/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Spielberg's Lincoln biopic and Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty may have been held back until after the votes are counted, but do Us voters ever allow themselves to be swayed by what they see at the cinema?
Two movies scheduled for release in the Us on 26 December – a traditional slot for hot Oscar contenders – may make poignant viewing for the political classes. They are Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty, a dramatisation of the mission that killed Osama Bin Laden, and Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, a biopic of the 16th president.
If, during that holiday season, Barack Obama is preparing to begin his second term, the films will make pleasant chat at inauguration parties and help to burnish his legend. The Obama administration co-operated with Bigelow in the making of her film – there are allegations that the Pentagon released classified material to the director – while Spielberg, an Obama supporter,...
Two movies scheduled for release in the Us on 26 December – a traditional slot for hot Oscar contenders – may make poignant viewing for the political classes. They are Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty, a dramatisation of the mission that killed Osama Bin Laden, and Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, a biopic of the 16th president.
If, during that holiday season, Barack Obama is preparing to begin his second term, the films will make pleasant chat at inauguration parties and help to burnish his legend. The Obama administration co-operated with Bigelow in the making of her film – there are allegations that the Pentagon released classified material to the director – while Spielberg, an Obama supporter,...
- 8/30/2012
- by Mark Lawson
- The Guardian - Film News
What do you do if you produce a live-action video game of a very popular (at one time, at least) video game, but it goes straight to video in the United States and the director of the actual game series disowns it? Keep making more, obviously. That's the case with Tekken, though in the interest of optimism, the second try is more promising the first. Now, if you're going, "Wait, there was a first live-action Tekken movie?" A quick recap. 2010's Tekken was directed by Dwight H. Little (who mainly does TV work, though he did direct Murder at 1600) and featured Jon Foo, Kelly Overton (both pictured above as Jin and Christie, respectively), Cary-Hiroykui Tagawa, Cung Lee, Luke Goss, and Mircea Monroe as a handful of fighters in a dsytopian future who fight...
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- 5/22/2012
- by Peter Hall
- Movies.com
Disaster specialist Roland Emmerich signs on to direct action drama White House Down
Roland Emmerich’s war on the White House looks set to continue. He clearly isn’t content with depicting aliens blowing up the centre of the Us government in Independence Day and having freak weather do its worst to it in The Day After Tomorrow. That's because now, he's signed on to direct the action drama White House Down.
The script is highly regarded and has been written by James Vanderbilt, who has worked on The Amazing Spider-Man for Sony, as well as its adaptation of Red Riding. These factors presumably helped in the decision to shell out $3m for this new script. Details of the plot are currently being kept a secret, but comparisons to Die Hard and Air Force One are being thrown around. No mention of Murder At 1600 though.
With this being an Emmerich film though,...
Roland Emmerich’s war on the White House looks set to continue. He clearly isn’t content with depicting aliens blowing up the centre of the Us government in Independence Day and having freak weather do its worst to it in The Day After Tomorrow. That's because now, he's signed on to direct the action drama White House Down.
The script is highly regarded and has been written by James Vanderbilt, who has worked on The Amazing Spider-Man for Sony, as well as its adaptation of Red Riding. These factors presumably helped in the decision to shell out $3m for this new script. Details of the plot are currently being kept a secret, but comparisons to Die Hard and Air Force One are being thrown around. No mention of Murder At 1600 though.
With this being an Emmerich film though,...
- 4/3/2012
- Den of Geek
Spring has sprung, and with it comes more than a dozen TV series premieres. Perhaps the buzziest of the bunch arrives this week, from the pen of Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice creator Shonda Rhimes and revolving around a doctor — of spin. Our review:
The Show | ABC’s Scandal, premiering Thursday, April 5 at 10/9c (watch the first seven minutes here)
The Competition | CBS’ The Mentalist, NBC’s Awake, Bravo’s Kathy Griffin-hosted talk show (premiering April 19)
The Cast | Kerry Washington (Ray), Tony Goldwyn (Ghost), Jeff Perry (Grey’s Anatomy), Henry Ian Cusick (Lost), Joshua Malina (West Wing), Darby Stanchfield (NCIS), Guillermo Diaz,...
The Show | ABC’s Scandal, premiering Thursday, April 5 at 10/9c (watch the first seven minutes here)
The Competition | CBS’ The Mentalist, NBC’s Awake, Bravo’s Kathy Griffin-hosted talk show (premiering April 19)
The Cast | Kerry Washington (Ray), Tony Goldwyn (Ghost), Jeff Perry (Grey’s Anatomy), Henry Ian Cusick (Lost), Joshua Malina (West Wing), Darby Stanchfield (NCIS), Guillermo Diaz,...
- 4/2/2012
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Democracy is a flawed concept. Here are 50 films that the IMDb voters would unfairly have you believe are worth no more than 5.9/10…
Six out of ten isn’t a very good score, really. It’s barely over half marks. 60 per cent. It’s alright, but it’s not great. You wouldn’t be proud of getting six out of ten on most kinds of tests, would you? So you might assume that any film that scores under six stars out of ten on the IMDb isn’t very good – possibly even terrible.
But that’s not always the case. Averages don’t tell the whole story; anything that’s potentially controversial or divisive will end up with a score that suggests most people weren’t that bothered about it, since high and low scores will be averaged – and IMDb users often exaggerate their scores anyway, giving a film one star...
Six out of ten isn’t a very good score, really. It’s barely over half marks. 60 per cent. It’s alright, but it’s not great. You wouldn’t be proud of getting six out of ten on most kinds of tests, would you? So you might assume that any film that scores under six stars out of ten on the IMDb isn’t very good – possibly even terrible.
But that’s not always the case. Averages don’t tell the whole story; anything that’s potentially controversial or divisive will end up with a score that suggests most people weren’t that bothered about it, since high and low scores will be averaged – and IMDb users often exaggerate their scores anyway, giving a film one star...
- 2/23/2012
- Den of Geek
Captain America The First Avenger Review. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) movie review, directed by Joe Johnston and starring Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stans, Dominic Cooper, Toby Jones, Neal McDonough, and Derek Luke.
Captain America: The First Avenger’s first act and part of its second act are a nearly perfect superhero film; almost giving birth to another resplendent Iron Man but one that would have eclipsed its predecessor.
The first act consistently gains momentum as World War II rages on in the background and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) need to enlist and “get into the fight” swells. This mentality is a result of a pre-television era where war news footage and photos showing the realities of war are not available, those sustaining the glamour of warfare instead of cultivating stark, universal repugnance towards it.
The first act of Captain America: The First Avenger...
Captain America: The First Avenger’s first act and part of its second act are a nearly perfect superhero film; almost giving birth to another resplendent Iron Man but one that would have eclipsed its predecessor.
The first act consistently gains momentum as World War II rages on in the background and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) need to enlist and “get into the fight” swells. This mentality is a result of a pre-television era where war news footage and photos showing the realities of war are not available, those sustaining the glamour of warfare instead of cultivating stark, universal repugnance towards it.
The first act of Captain America: The First Avenger...
- 9/11/2011
- by filmbook
- Film-Book
Source: FilmShaft - Win A Copy Of Tekken On DVD
Tekken, based on the hugely popular video game franchise, arrives on DVD, Blu-ray and Est courtesy of Optimum Home Entertainment this week and we've got a copy up for grabs. To be in with a chance of winning the glorious prize, answer the simple question below.
Starring Luke Goss (Blade II, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Death Race 2) and featuring some of the biggest stars of the fight scene including Gary Daniels (The Expendables, Fist of the North Star), Cary-Hiroyuki-Tagawa (Kick Boxer II, Mortal Kombat) and American Ufc star Roger Huerta, Tekken is the first live-action movie to be based on the Namco-Bandai video games. Featuring bone-crunching action sequences and incredible displays of martial artistry, Tekken is the film that fans of the series have been crying out for!
Directed by Dwight Little (Murder at 1600, TV’s...
Tekken, based on the hugely popular video game franchise, arrives on DVD, Blu-ray and Est courtesy of Optimum Home Entertainment this week and we've got a copy up for grabs. To be in with a chance of winning the glorious prize, answer the simple question below.
Starring Luke Goss (Blade II, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Death Race 2) and featuring some of the biggest stars of the fight scene including Gary Daniels (The Expendables, Fist of the North Star), Cary-Hiroyuki-Tagawa (Kick Boxer II, Mortal Kombat) and American Ufc star Roger Huerta, Tekken is the first live-action movie to be based on the Namco-Bandai video games. Featuring bone-crunching action sequences and incredible displays of martial artistry, Tekken is the film that fans of the series have been crying out for!
Directed by Dwight Little (Murder at 1600, TV’s...
- 5/5/2011
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
Our favorite actors come and go as newer and younger stars replace them. This process happens every 10 to 20 years, while some actors continue to hold on strong well into their death. What we’ve got for you is a list of actors and actresses that were huge in the 1990s, but that are now ever hardly seen, and what movie killed their career. The list of actors and actresses we have for you below appear in random order, as the amount of “Fail” in each one of them is too great to rank.
Tom Sizemore
This guy was huge in the 1990s, no doubt. If you can think of a big movie from the 90′s, Tom Sizemore was probably in it. Just check out his list of films from that decade: Passenger 57 (1992), True Romance (1993), Wyatt Earp (1994), Natural Born Killers (1994), Strange Days (1995), Heat (1995), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Enemy of the State...
Tom Sizemore
This guy was huge in the 1990s, no doubt. If you can think of a big movie from the 90′s, Tom Sizemore was probably in it. Just check out his list of films from that decade: Passenger 57 (1992), True Romance (1993), Wyatt Earp (1994), Natural Born Killers (1994), Strange Days (1995), Heat (1995), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Enemy of the State...
- 5/4/2011
- by Ryan Laster
- If It's Movies
'We are thrilled to have Diane in the role,' director Zack Snyder says in a statement.
By Eric Ditzian
Diane Lane
Photo: Stefanie Keenan/ Getty Images
While rumors continue to swirl that "Superman" director Zack Snyder is eyeing Viggo Mortensen for a villainous role in the rebooted comic book franchise, Warner Bros. has officially announced the casting of a good guy — or, we should say, a good mom.
Diane Lane is officially onboard to play Martha Kent, the adoptive mother of Clark Kent, according to a studio press release.
"This was a very important piece of casting for me because Martha Kent is the woman whose values helped shape the man we know as Superman," Snyder said in a statement. "We are thrilled to have Diane in the role because she can convey the wisdom and the wonder of a woman whose son has powers beyond her imagination." The...
By Eric Ditzian
Diane Lane
Photo: Stefanie Keenan/ Getty Images
While rumors continue to swirl that "Superman" director Zack Snyder is eyeing Viggo Mortensen for a villainous role in the rebooted comic book franchise, Warner Bros. has officially announced the casting of a good guy — or, we should say, a good mom.
Diane Lane is officially onboard to play Martha Kent, the adoptive mother of Clark Kent, according to a studio press release.
"This was a very important piece of casting for me because Martha Kent is the woman whose values helped shape the man we know as Superman," Snyder said in a statement. "We are thrilled to have Diane in the role because she can convey the wisdom and the wonder of a woman whose son has powers beyond her imagination." The...
- 3/3/2011
- MTV Movie News
'We are thrilled to have Diane in the role,' director Zack Snyder says in a statement.
By Eric Ditzian
Diane Lane
Photo: Stefanie Keenan/ Getty Images
While rumors continue to swirl that "Superman" director Zack Snyder is eyeing Viggo Mortensen for a villainous role in the rebooted comic book franchise, Warner Bros. has officially announced the casting of a good guy — or, we should say, a good mom.
Diane Lane is officially onboard to play Martha Kent, the adoptive mother of Clark Kent, according to a studio press release.
"This was a very important piece of casting for me because Martha Kent is the woman whose values helped shape the man we know as Superman," Snyder said in a statement. "We are thrilled to have Diane in the role because she can convey the wisdom and the wonder of a woman whose son has powers beyond her imagination." The...
By Eric Ditzian
Diane Lane
Photo: Stefanie Keenan/ Getty Images
While rumors continue to swirl that "Superman" director Zack Snyder is eyeing Viggo Mortensen for a villainous role in the rebooted comic book franchise, Warner Bros. has officially announced the casting of a good guy — or, we should say, a good mom.
Diane Lane is officially onboard to play Martha Kent, the adoptive mother of Clark Kent, according to a studio press release.
"This was a very important piece of casting for me because Martha Kent is the woman whose values helped shape the man we know as Superman," Snyder said in a statement. "We are thrilled to have Diane in the role because she can convey the wisdom and the wonder of a woman whose son has powers beyond her imagination." The...
- 3/3/2011
- MTV Music News
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