Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/RIP: Estelle Getty (1923-2008)http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/rip-estelle-getty-1923-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/rip-estelle-getty-1923-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/22/rip-estelle-getty-1923-2008/#commentsFiled under:

Following the success of the Sex and the City movie, I was really, really hopeful (noted in passing here) for a Golden Girls movie featuring the four stars of the ever-popular TV series. Unfortunately, my dream can no longer be fulfilled, because one of the ladies has passed on. Early this morning, at her home in Los Angeles, Estelle Getty (aka "Sophia") died, three days shy of turning 85.

Though the cause of death was not specified, Getty had been suffering from Lewy Body Dementia since at least 2000, when she stopped making public appearances. She was not even able to appear in a Golden Girls reunion that aired on Lifetime in 2003. Obviously, she wouldn't have been able to star in a theatrical film, either.

Getty was best known for her role on The Golden Girls, but movie fans will forever remember her also as the titular matriarch teamed up with Sylvester Stallone in the dreadful action comedy Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot. She also appears in Stuart Little, Mask and, in a pre-famous minor role, Tootsie. My favorite, though, is her feisty department store owner in Mannequin. Or, maybe her appearance in the surreal clip above, which comes from her awesome 1993 workout video.

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]]>estelle gettyEstelleGettygolden girlsGoldenGirlsmannequinmasksex and the citySexAndTheCitystop or my mom will shootStopOrMyMomWillShootstuart littleStuartLittletootsieChristopher CampbellTue, 22 Jul 2008 15:02:00 ESTDiscuss: Heath Ledger and James Deanhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/15/discuss-heath-ledger-as-james-dean/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/15/discuss-heath-ledger-as-james-dean/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/15/discuss-heath-ledger-as-james-dean/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

In the last twenty-four hours alone, countless news articles have compared the late Heath Ledger to James Dean. Of course it helps that the two actors -- whose careers lie fifty years apart -- bear physical resemblances to each other. The real reason for the frequency of the comparison, however, revolves around the possibility that Ledger, like Dean, might end up with a posthumous Oscar nomination.

Other than Dean, whose death in a 1955 car accident was preceded by two nominations back-to-back, six actors have landed the distinction -- but only one, Peter Finch, actually won (for Network in 1976). However, Ledger is now perceived an actor who possessed a potential he never quite realized, while Dean was already an icon by the time of his death (and he still didn't win the prize). If Ledger gets nominated for his performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight, the award will also acknowledge the great career that never was. Dean surely would have followed Giant with other wonderful performances, but his brief filmography also allowed the actor to reach a level of prestige that Ledger would have needed a few more movies to attain. So does this comparison really hold up?

The media certainly seems to think so. "Like Dean, he could endure as a mythic figure of talent silenced before his time," writes the AP. "People are aflutter over seeing the final performance of a new James Dean," reports The Huffington Post. " One quality that Ledger and Dean did share is rapid growth," notes the Baltimore Sun.

Continue reading Discuss: Heath Ledger and James Dean

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]]>dark knightDarkKnightfeaturedgiantheath ledgerheath ledger jokerHeathLedgerHeathLedgerJokerhuffington postHuffingtonPostjames deanJamesDeanjokerpeter finchPeterFinchthe dark knightTheDarkKnightEric KohnTue, 15 Jul 2008 12:03:00 ESTRIP: Reel Important People -- July 14, 2008http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/14/rip-reel-important-people-july-14-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/14/rip-reel-important-people-july-14-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/14/rip-reel-important-people-july-14-2008/#commentsFiled under:

  • Evelyn Keyes (1916-2008) - Actress - Played Scarlett O'Hara's little sister, Suellen, in Gone With the Wind. She also co-starred in The Seven Year Itch, The Jolson Story, in which she also sings, Mrs. Mike, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Union Pacific, Before I Hang, A Thousand and One Nights, The Prowler, Johnny O'Clock, Enchantment and A Return to Salem's Lot and made a cameo appearance in the 1956 version of Around the World in Eighty Days, produced by her then-boyfriend Michael Todd. Her husbands included Artie Shaw, John Huston and Charles Vidor, who directed her in The Desperadoes, The Lady in Question and Ladies in Retirement. She died of uterine cancer July 4, in Montecito, California. (Variety)
  • Henry Beckman (1921-2008) - Actor - Appears in The Brood, Niagara, The Wrong Man, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Marnie, Sweet Charity, Silver Streak, I Love You to Death, Death Hunt and Kiss Me, Stupid. He died June 17 in Barcelona. (Variety)
  • James "Jimbo" Breen (1955-2008) - Greensman, Carpenter, Actor - Worked on M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense, Signs, Unbreakable and The Village, appears in Lady in the Water and can be heard in The Happening. He also worked on Beloved, In Her Shoes, Two Bits and Annapolis. He died of cancer July 3, in Pennsylvania. (Philly.com)

Continue reading RIP: Reel Important People -- July 14, 2008

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]]>annie hallAnnieHallcharles h. joffeCharlesH.Joffeeveyln keyesEveylnKeyesfrancis the muleFrancisTheMulegone with the windGoneWithTheWindharry potter and the sorcerers stoneHarryPotterAndTheSorcerersStoneharveyingmar bergmanIngmarBergmanlars von trierLarsVonTrieroscar brodneyOscarBrodneysense and sensibilitySenseAndSensibilitytammy and the bachelorTammyAndTheBachelorthe brave little toasterthe glenn miller storythe violinTheBraveLittleToasterTheGlennMillerStoryTheViolinvicky cristina barcelonaVickyCristinaBarcelonawoody allenWoodyAllenChristopher CampbellMon, 14 Jul 2008 17:02:00 ESTCinematical Visits MOMA's "Dali: Painting and Film" Exhibithttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/cinematical-visits-momas-dali-painting-and-film-exhibit/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/cinematical-visits-momas-dali-painting-and-film-exhibit/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/02/cinematical-visits-momas-dali-painting-and-film-exhibit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,



Even the weirder artists of the twentieth century have been attracted to the allure of Hollywood filmmaking, and Salvador Dali was no exception. In the fall of 1941, the surrealist painter hosted a masquerade party at Pebble Beach during one of his regular visits to the town. Called "Surrealism Night in An Enchanted Forest," the fundraising event, intended to assist European refugee artists, brought out a number of stars, including Bob Hope and Ginger Rogers. It was here, the story goes, that Dali became attached to a major studio production called Moontide. The great German emigre Fritz Lang was hired to direct the movie, and asked Dali to create a three-minute nightmare sequence for the film. Unfortunately, after the incident at Pearl Harbor later that year, Twentieth Century Fox deemed the project too bleak. Lang was replaced, and Dali's nightmare sequence went with him.

Although inspired by the movies, Dali didn't always have the easiest time making them. He would get another chance to inject his hallucinatory vision into American cinema with the hypnosis scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound, but it's his unrealized projects that truly indicate the scope of the painter's ambition. So many ideas, such little time. Dali: Painting and Film, a breathtakingly unique exhibit currently on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, surveys Dali's completed cinematic works in addition to tidbits from the ones that never came to fruition. Marvelously structured to show how his paintings were intentionally cinematic, the exhibit contains all the obvious highlights from Dali's movie career alongside lesser-known productions. The importance in film history of his collaborations with Luis Bunuel remain uncontested; two large screens in separate rooms showing Un Chien Andalou (where the opening eye splicing retains its original gross-out impact) and L'Age D'Or attest to that. Fewer visitors, however, might know about Dali's collaboration with the Marx Brothers on a deliriously strange movie that sounded too good to be true.

Gallery: Dali: Painting and Film

EntranceUn Chien AndalouThe lobster phone. Portrait of Jack Warner

Continue reading Cinematical Visits MOMA's "Dali: Painting and Film" Exhibit

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]]>1932filmadolf hitlerAdolfHitlerafter hoursAfterHoursalfred hitchcockAlfredHitchcockandy warholAndyWarholanimal crackersAnimalCrackersbabaouobob hopeBobHopechaos and creationChaosAndCreationdalidali fascismdali painting and filmdaliandithesurrealis...DaliFascismDaliPaintingAndFilmdestinodisney animationDisneyAnimationfeaturedfritz langFritzLangginger rogersGingerRogersgiraffes on horseback saladGiraffesOnHorsebackSaladharpo marxHarpoMarximpressions from upper mongoliaImpressionsFromUpperMongolialage dorLageDorluis bunuelLuisBunuelmartin scorseseMartinScorsesemomamomastoremoontidemuseum of modern artMuseumOfModernArtpearl harborPearlHarborpersistence of visionPersistenceOfVisionsalvador daliSalvadorDalispainspellboundsurrealismsurrealist womanSurrealistWomanthe age of innocencethe marx brothersthe surrealist womanTheAgeOfInnocenceTheMarxBrothersTheSurrealistWomantwentieth century foxTwentiethCenturyFoxun chiean andalouun chien andalouUnChieanAndalouUnChienAndalouwalt disneyWaltDisneyEric KohnWed, 02 Jul 2008 22:02:00 ESTR.I.P. Don S. Davishttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/r-i-p-don-s-davis/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/r-i-p-don-s-davis/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/01/r-i-p-don-s-davis/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This may not have gotten its own post were I not blogging here. But for better or worse I am, and so you get to read about Don S. Davis, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 65.

Davis is one of the many versatile, unheralded character actors to have moved through Hollywood in relative anonymity. I wouldn't say he was a phenomenal talent, though he was certainly very good, but it so happens that he played two pivotal roles on two television shows that, more than any other works of art, shaped my taste in movies and stories when I was a young teenager.

As Captain William Scully, Agent Scully's father, Davis was the heart of what may have been The X-Files' finest hour (as any self-respecting X-Files fan knows, the Season 1 episode in which he appeared was called "Beyond the Sea"). And as Major Briggs on Twin Peaks, he carried one of that show's creepiest, most memorable plotlines. Whenever he would appear, I knew I was in for another amazing Lynchian what-the-hell moment.

Continue reading R.I.P. Don S. Davis

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]]>don s. davisDonS.Davisthe x-filesTheX-filestwin peaksTwinPeaksEugene NovikovTue, 01 Jul 2008 12:35:00 ESTRIP: Reel Important People -- June 30, 2008http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/rip-reel-important-people-june-30-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/rip-reel-important-people-june-30-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/30/rip-reel-important-people-june-30-2008/#commentsFiled under:

  • William Vince (1963-2008) - Producer - Oscar-nominated for producing Capote. He also produced Saved!, Just Friends, Ripley Under Ground, The Final Cut, The Snow Walker, The 4th Floor, Air Bud, Air Bud: Golden Receiver, Malicious and the upcoming films Push, The Stanford Prison Experiment and Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which stars Heath Ledger. He died of sarcoma June 21, in Vancouver. (CBC)
  • John Barnes (1920-2008) - Film Historian - Co-founder of the Barnes Museum of Cinematography, which was in St. Ives, Cornwall, England (it closed in 1986) and author of multiple texts, including the five-volume "The Beginnings of Cinema in England, 1894-1901." He died June 1. (Guardian)
  • Robert L. Bendick (c.1917-2008) - Director, Producer - Co-produced the Oscar-nominated documentary This is Cinerama and co-directed a follow-up, Cinerama Holiday. He died June 22. (Entertainment Insiders)
  • Rodric Beckham (1914-2008) - Former U.S. Army-Air Corp. Staff Sergeant who spent much of World War II in a German POW camp. He appears in Billy Wilder's Stalag 17 along with other WWII POW survivors. He died June 21. (Entertainment Insiders)
  • Howard Brandy (1929-2008) - Publicist, Producer - Handled PR for A Hard Days Night, Help! and Privilege and was a publicist for the Police Academy movies, The Karate Kid, Part III, Young Frankenstein, The Last Emperor, The Pope of Greenwich Village, The Last Seduction, Things Are Tough All Over, Runaway Train, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man and Gorky Park. He also handled the Academy Awards campaigns for All About My Mother, Sexy Beast and Sweet and Lowdown and produced the 1970s exploitation films Blood from the Mummy's Tomb and The Take. He was apparently the inspiration for the cartoon character Dudley Do-Right, who received his own movie starring Brendan Fraser in 1999. He died June 21 in Los Angeles. (Variety)

Continue reading RIP: Reel Important People -- June 30, 2008

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]]>ben-hurbig birdBigBirdcapoteruss meyerRussMeyersesame streetSesameStreetstalag 17Stalag17the muppetsTheMuppetsChristopher CampbellMon, 30 Jun 2008 18:02:00 EST'Dark Knight' Will Include Classy Dedicationhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/27/dark-knight-will-include-classy-dedication/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/27/dark-knight-will-include-classy-dedication/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/27/dark-knight-will-include-classy-dedication/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I'm sure everyone expected The Dark Knight to close with a Heath Ledger "in memoriam" after the fade to black. So it will. Warner Bros. has released the text of the dedication that will accompany the film, and it reads:

"In memory of our friends Heath Ledger & Conway Wickliffe"

Wickliffe (the IMDb has him as "Comway" but other sources, as well as the dedication, say "Conway") is the Maori special-effects technician who was killed in a stunt car accident last September. He was on a camera truck following the Batmobile around a racetrack when the truck spun out of control and crashed into a tree.
It's very classy of Chris Nolan & Co., I think, to tribute Wickliffe in the same line as the far more famous and publicly-mourned Ledger. Their whole handling of Ledger's death has been on the money; they haven't shied away from showcasing his performance in the marketing, but nor have they given the slightest indication that they're attempting to exploit its profile. The result: going to see the movie doesn't feel the least bit skeevy or off, at least for me.

I am a bit concerned about the possible posthumous Oscar campaign though, especially after Peter Travers semi-officially got it off the ground last week. Since Ledger almost certainly wouldn't have had a shot at it for this role were he still alive, I'm afraid the notion of the "posthumous Oscar" would overwhelm his actual performance, which looks fantastic.

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]]>christopher nolanChristopherNolanconway wickliffeConwayWickliffeheath ledgerHeathLedgerthe dark knightTheDarkKnightEugene NovikovFri, 27 Jun 2008 12:02:00 ESTRIP: Reel Important People -- June 23, 2008http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/23/rip-reel-important-people-june-23-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/23/rip-reel-important-people-june-23-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/23/rip-reel-important-people-june-23-2008/#commentsFiled under:


  • Dody Goodman (1915-2008) - Comedienne, Actress - Played "Blanche", the principal's secretary in Grease and Grease 2 and Tom Hanks' absent-minded secretary in Splash and Splash, Too (in which Hanks was replaced by Todd Waring). She also appears in Silent Movie, Max Dugan Returns, Private Resort, Cool as Ice, Frozen Assets and Bedtime Story, and she had a recurring role in the Alvin and the Chipmunk cartoons, including the 1987 feature, The Chipmunk Adventure, providing her voice to the character of Miss Miller, adopted mother of the Chipettes. She died June 22 in Englewood, New Jersey. (AP)
  • Sidney J. Bartholomew Jr. (c.1954-2008) - Production Designer, Writer, Director - Won an Emmy for his work on TV's Pee-Wee's Playhouse before collaborating on most of the Farrelly brothers' films, including There's Something About Mary, Dumb & Dumber, Kingpin, Shallow Hal, Me, Myself and Irene, Stuck on You, The Heartbreak Kid, Say It Isn't So (produced by the Farrellys) and Osmosis Jones, in which he appears. He also co-wrote and directed the 2003 soccer comedy Just 4 Kicks, which starred Tom Arnold. He died June 15 in Los Angeles. (Variety)
  • George Carlin (1937-2008) - Comedian, Actor - Appears in Dogma, Outrageous Fortune, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, Jersey Girl, The Prince of Tides, Car Wash, Scary Movie 3, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, With Six You Get Egg Roll and the documentaries The Aristrocrats, F*ck, Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism and The N Word. He also voiced characters in Cars, Happily N'Ever After and Tarzan II. For info on his death, read William's full post.
  • Cyd Charisse (1921-2008) - Actress, Dancer - Starred in Singin' in the Rain, Brigadoon, Party Girl, Ziegfeld Follies, The Band Wagon, It's Always Fair Weather, Two Weeks in Another Town, The Silencers and Silk Stockings. For info on her death, read my full post.

Continue reading RIP: Reel Important People -- June 23, 2008

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]]>charlie brownCharlieBrowncyd charisseCydCharissekermit the frogKermitTheFrogthe farrelly brothersthe muppetsTheFarrellyBrothersTheMuppetsChristopher CampbellMon, 23 Jun 2008 19:03:00 ESTGeorge Carlin Passes Away at 71http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/23/george-carlin-passes-away-at-71/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/23/george-carlin-passes-away-at-71/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/23/george-carlin-passes-away-at-71/#commentsFiled under: ,

Not four years ago, my father took me to see George Carlin perform his stand-up routine live as a belated birthday gift, and what a pleasure it was to see one of my favorite comedians display his considerable - and considerably crude - talents within spitting distance of my impressionable young psyche.

Even if that weren't the case, it would still be extremely sad to see Carlin go, as Reuters unfortunately reports. He appears to have passed away just last night of heart failure, at the age of 71.

Carlin had nearly thirty film and TV credits to his name, and while his most recent role happened to be in Happily N'Ever After of all things, he'll surely be more fondly remembered for his roles in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Dogma, and for his numerous Emmy-nominated stand-up specials and Grammy-winning comedy albums.

Of perhaps the slightest comfort and tribute was the fact that the news of his passing had me uttering aloud one of his "Seven Dirty Words", a routine which brought him to Washington, D.C. in order to tangle with the U.S. Supreme Court back in 1978... and yet, earlier this week, the Kennedy Center offered him reason to return to the nation's capital three decades after the fact, when they were to honor him this November with their annual Mark Twain Prize for lifetime achievement in comedy.

Our thoughts go out to his loved ones. He will undoubtedly be deeply missed.

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]]>bill and teds excel...BillAndTedsExcel...cinematicaldogmafeaturedgeorge carlinGeorgeCarlinobituaryWilliam GossMon, 23 Jun 2008 08:51:00 ESTCyd Charisse is Dancing Up in Heavenhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/17/cyd-charisse-is-dancing-up-in-heaven/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/17/cyd-charisse-is-dancing-up-in-heaven/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/17/cyd-charisse-is-dancing-up-in-heaven/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



I'm not the most knowledgeable man when it comes to dance, but I'm at least a little familiar with Cyd Charisse. As everyone should be. Next to Ginger Rogers, she was possibly the most iconic female dancer in film history. Even those of us cinephiles who skip out on most dance musicals have at least seen her famous number from Singin' in the Rain (above). A few years ago, when Moviefone counted down the Top 10 Best Dance Scenes, it was #2 (just behind Dirty Dancing).

Charisse has died of an apparent heart attack at the age of 86, and she's hopefully joining old partners Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly for some of the best dance scenes ever seen up in heaven. With the former, she was paired up in The Band Wagon, Ziegfeld Follies and Silk Stockings (for which she received a Golden Globe nomination), and with the latter, she danced in Brigadoon, It's Always Fair Weather, Invitation to Dance and, of course, in Singin' in the Rain.

Continue reading Cyd Charisse is Dancing Up in Heaven

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]]>cyd charisseCydCharissedancingfred astaireFredAstairegene kellyGeneKellysilk stockingsSilkStockingssingin in the rainSinginInTheRainsomethings got to giveSomethingsGotToGivethe silencersTheSilencerstwo weeks in another townTwoWeeksInAnotherTownChristopher CampbellTue, 17 Jun 2008 22:02:00 ESTCinematical Seven: Stan Winston's Greatest Achievementshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/cinematical-seven-stan-winstons-greatest-achievements/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/cinematical-seven-stan-winstons-greatest-achievements/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/cinematical-seven-stan-winstons-greatest-achievements/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Make-up, animatronics and effects legend Stan Winston passed away on Sunday at the too-young age of 62. In memoriam, Cinematical humbly presents this list of the man's most enduring achievements.

Some of my most treasured movie memories -- childhood and otherwise -- are courtesy of Stan Winston. What impressed me about this list as I was making it was that Winston specialized in realizing the imaginations of our greatest filmmakers -- directors like Burton, Spielberg, Cameron. Winston was a genius himself, of course, but he also facilitated genius, and that's just as important. Those guys owe him so much.

He had many accomplishments beyond the ones I've listed. That's what the comment thread is for.


1. Jurassic Park's Dinosaurs.

It's hard to describe the impression Jurassic Park made back in 1993. I was 9 years old, which was just old enough to be properly amazed. This was the new generation of popular cinema: perfect, lifelike wonders on the screen as if it were the most natural thing on the planet. Earlier technicians did a lot with simple puppetry, stop-motion and miniatures, but now all bets were off, and all barriers seemed lifted. Once you accepted the scientific goofiness of the film's premise, no further suspension of disbelief was necessary. Winston opened the gates to a whole new cinematic playground.

Continue reading Cinematical Seven: Stan Winston's Greatest Achievements

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]]>a.i. artificial intelligenceA.i.ArtificialIntelligencealiensbatman returnsBatmanReturnsdanny devitoDannyDevitoedward scissorhandsEdwardScissorhandsjames cameronJamesCameronjohnny deppJohnnyDeppjurassic parkJurassicParkpredatorstan winstonStanWinstonsteven spielbergStevenSpielbergterminator 2 judgment dayTerminator2JudgmentDaythe terminatorTheTerminatortim burtonTimBurtonEugene NovikovMon, 16 Jun 2008 22:15:00 ESTRIP: Reel Important People -- June 16, 2008http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/rip-reel-important-people-june-16-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/rip-reel-important-people-june-16-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/rip-reel-important-people-june-16-2008/#commentsFiled under:

  • Eliot Asinof (1919-2008) - Writer - Author of the book "8 Men Out," which was made into the John Sayles film Eight Men Out, and the novel "Ten Second Jailbreak" which became the 1975 Charles Bronson film Breakout. He also appears in Eight Men Out and Sayles' Sunshine State. He died of complications of pneumonia June 10, in Hudson, New York. (NY Times)
  • Tim Russert (1950-2008) - News Commentator - Appears as himself in the documentaries Fahrenheit 9/11, Why We Fight, The Hunting of the President and Martial Law 9/11: Rise of the Police State. He died of a heart attack June 13, in Washington, D.C. (Washington Post)
  • Keith Best (1922/1923-2008) - Engineer - Built the titular bridge of The Bridge on the River Kwai. He died of cancer June 1, in York, England. (The Press)
  • Arthur Bloom (1920-2008) - Sound Technician - Sound recordist for Fame, Wall Street, Sophie's Choice, Brighton Beach Memoirs, The World According to Garp, Married to the Mob, One Trick Pony and the music documentary Festival. He was also a boom operator for The Warriors, Kramer vs. Kramer, Starting Over,The Prisoner of Second Avenue and The Boys in the Band. He died June 10. (Entertainment Insiders)
  • Algis Budrys (1934-2008) - Writer - Author of the novels "Master of the Hounds," which became the 1972 film To Kill a Clown, starring Alan Alda and Blythe Danner, and "Who?," which was made into a 1973 film of the same name (also known as Robo Man), starring Elliott Gould. He died of metastatic malignant melanoma June 9, in Evanston, Illinois. (Chicago Tribune)

Continue reading RIP: Reel Important People -- June 16, 2008

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]]>Christopher CampbellMon, 16 Jun 2008 19:02:00 ESTStan Winston Passes Awayhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/stan-winston-passes-away/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/stan-winston-passes-away/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/16/stan-winston-passes-away/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



A number of sources are reporting that pioneering make-up, special effects, and animatronics wizard Stan Winston has died at age 62 -- far too soon. No word yet on cause of death.

The word "legend" gets tossed around a lot when famous people die, but Stan Winston is a legend. He brought to life the Terminator, Jurassic Park's dinosaurs, Predator, Edward Scissorhands, and the Penguin, just to name a few. Even now, when one would think the advent of CGI would have started to make him obsolete, his practical effects genius got him work on movies like Iron Man and the forthcoming Terminator Salvation. I guess it was inevitable that in the age of computers, Winston would go from creating wonders to perfecting them. But Iron Man owes a great deal to him. He kept Tony Stark from looking silly in that metal suit.

Far from being obsolete, Stan Winston is irreplaceable. Movie lovers will never forget him.

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]]>edward scissorhandsEdwardScissorhandsfeaturedjurassic parkJurassicParkpredatorstan winstonstan winston passes awayStanWinstonStanWinstonPassesAwayterminatorEugene NovikovMon, 16 Jun 2008 15:30:00 ESTStuntman Dies on Set of John Woo's 'Red Cliff'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/10/stuntman-dies-on-set-of-john-woos-red-cliff/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/10/stuntman-dies-on-set-of-john-woos-red-cliff/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/10/stuntman-dies-on-set-of-john-woos-red-cliff/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The world tragically lost another stuntman Monday morning, in northern Beijing, China. 23-year-old Lu Yanqing was killed in what is being reported as a "bizarre" fire involving two boats, which were being used for John Woo's latest, the historical epic Red Cliff. Woo was actually not around at the time of the accident -- he was in Hong Kong -- and has not yet been quoted with any official statement.

Under the direction of the film's second unit, the scene that resulted in tragedy featured a small, smoking boat that was to crash into a large ancient warship. Upon collision, when machines began emitting more smoke, an unexpected flame shot up, killing the one stuntman and injuring another three (or seven) people. The exact cause of the fire is being investigated, but one report says the current theory is that "the crew might have accidentally ignited a flame that came into contact with inflammable gas on a boat, setting off the fire from which Lu was unable to escape."

Continue reading Stuntman Dies on Set of John Woo's 'Red Cliff'

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]]>john wooJohnWoored cliffRedCliffromance of the three kingdomsRomanceOfTheThreeKingdomsstuntmanthe battle of red cliffTheBattleOfRedClifftony leungTonyLeungChristopher CampbellTue, 10 Jun 2008 09:32:00 ESTRIP: Reel Important People - June 9, 2008http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/09/rip-reel-important-people-june-9-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/09/rip-reel-important-people-june-9-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/09/rip-reel-important-people-june-9-2008/#commentsFiled under:


  • Dino Risi (1916-2008) - Writer, Director - Oscar-nominated for his 1974 Italian film Scent of a Woman (which was remade in 1992 with Al Pacino). His career spans from the 1940s to the 1990s, and he is credited with being one of the masters of the Commedia all'italiana (Italian Comedy). Other films include Pane, amore e..., which starred Sophia Loren and Vittorio DeSica, Poor, But Handsome, A Difficult Life, The Easy Life and Opiate '67 (aka 15 from Rome). In 2002, the Venice Film Festival honored him with a lifetime achievement Golden Lion. He died June 7 in Rome. (Reuters)
  • Bobby Anderson (1933-2008) - Child Actor - Played Little George Baily (younger version of James Stewart) in It's a Wonderful Life. He also appears in The Bishop's Wife, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Samson and Delilah, A Place in the Sun and Raoul Walsh's Silver River. He died of melanoma June 6, in Palm Springs, California. (LA Times)
  • Saban Bajramovic (1936-2008) - Singer, Composer, Actor - Legendary singer of Roma music (aka Romani or Gypsy music) and star of the 1997 Macedonian film Gypsy Magic. He died June 8 in Nis, Serbia. (Javno)
  • Harry Bernsen (1925-2008) - Producer - Associate producer of Andrew V. McLaglen's Fools' Pride, which starred James Stewart, and Something Big, which starred Dean Martin. He also produced Take a Hard Ride and Three the Hard Way, both starring Fred Williamson and Jim Brown, as well as a European stage musical based on Mrs. Doubtfire. He was the father of actor Corbin Bernsen. He died May 31 in Woodland Hills, California. (Variety)
  • Richard F. Brophy (1945-2008) - Producer - Line producer for the horror films House and Speak of the Devil and producer of The Boneyard. He died May 28 in Hollywood. (IMDb)

Continue reading RIP: Reel Important People - June 9, 2008

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]]>audrey hepburnAudreyHepburndino risiDinoRisiits a wonderful lifeItsAWonderfulLifemrs. doubtfireMrs.Doubtfirescent of a womanScentOfAWomanChristopher CampbellMon, 09 Jun 2008 18:02:00 ESTRIP: Reel Important People -- June 2, 2008http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/02/rip-reel-important-people-june-2-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/02/rip-reel-important-people-june-2-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/02/rip-reel-important-people-june-2-2008/#commentsFiled under:

  • Lorenzo Odone (1978-2008) - ALD Patient - His story inspired the film Lorenzo's Oil, in which he was portrayed by child actor Zack O'Malley Greenburg and others. He died May 30 in Fairfax, Virginia. (Washington Post)
  • Cornell Capa (1918-2008) - Photojournalist - Founder and first director of NYC's International Center of Photography. He was also a still photographer on the set of The Misfits. He died of Parkinson's disease May 23, in New York City. (AP)
  • Alexander Courage (1919-2008) - Composer - Oscar-nominated for co-scoring Doctor Dolittle and The Pleasure Seekers (both with Lionel Newman) and best known for composing the original Star Trek theme. He also wrote original music for Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Arthur Penn's The Left Handed Gun and André de Toth's Day of the Outlaws. As an orchestrator, he worked on Singin' in the Rain, Oklahoma!, Show Boat, Annie Get Your Gun, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Guys and Dolls, The Band Wagon, Funny Face, Porgy and Bess, Gigi, The Big Country, Hello, Dolly!, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Legend, Basic Instinct, Jurassic Park, Hook, L.A. Confidential, The Mummy, Mulan and many, many other films. He died May 15 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Variety)
  • Bo Diddley (1928-2008) - Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist - Blues and Rock legend whose songs "Who Do You Love?" and "Mannish Boy" have appeared on multiple movie soundtracks. He also appears in Trading Places, Blues Brothers 2000, Rockula, Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! and a number of documentaries, including D.A. Pennebaker's short Keep on Rockin' and Taylor Hackford's Chuck Berry Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll. For info on his death, see Monika's full post.

Continue reading RIP: Reel Important People -- June 2, 2008

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]]>alienbabebo diddleyBoDiddleycatherine deneuveCatherineDeneuvegeorge millerGeorgeMillerlorenzos oilLorenzosOilmel brooksMelBrooksstar trekstar warsStarTrekStarWarsyves saint laurentYvesSaintLaurentChristopher CampbellMon, 02 Jun 2008 20:02:00 ESTRIP Bo Diddleyhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/02/rip-bo-diddley/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/02/rip-bo-diddley/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/02/rip-bo-diddley/#commentsFiled under: ,



It may seem weird to include a Heathers clip for this post, but, the mention of Bo Diddley in the film is one of my favorite non-R-rated moments of the film. WARNING: NSFW for language after the first minute and a half, but that's after the Diddley reference.

I'm sad to say that Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer Bo Diddley is no longer with us. CNN reports that the famous guitarist died today in Florida of heart failure. He was famous for his "Bo Diddley" beat, present in songs like "Who Do You Love," he opened for a diverse collection of performers from The Clash to The Dead, but his impact wasn't only on the musical world.

He wrote "Love is Strange" for Mickey and Sylvia, which became an uber-famous piece in Dirty Dancing. On film, to name a few, he played a pawnbroker in Trading Places, as you can see above -- his name was referenced in Heathers, and he popped up in other flicks like Blues Brothers 2000. Also, Diddley was one of the names under the Chess label, so hopefully we'll see him in the upcoming biopics on Leonard Chess.

Rest in peace, Bo. You'll be missed.

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]]>Bo DiddleyBoDiddleyCinematicalMonika BartyzelMon, 02 Jun 2008 18:02:00 ESTCinematical's Friday Night Double Feature: In Memory of Harvey Kormanhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/30/cinematicals-friday-night-double-feature-in-memory-of-harvey-k/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/30/cinematicals-friday-night-double-feature-in-memory-of-harvey-k/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/30/cinematicals-friday-night-double-feature-in-memory-of-harvey-k/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



At first, this was going to be a post about music on DVD -- in honor of the eleventh anniversary of Jeff Buckley's death, which horribly coincides with my birthday. But then there was another bout of sadness for the 29th -- the death of Harvey Korman. Coincidentally, I'd had a whole conversation yesterday about Abe Vigoda, and old funny men who are still alive. I wish this was the case for the great Harvey.

I'm not going to write a lot about his career -- Scott did that wonderfully in his obituary. And, I've already given you the double feature that covers my favorite Korman film roles -- the Mel Brooks-inspired March double feature of History of the World, Part 1 and Blazing Saddles. But Harvey Korman was really special, and he's given me, and many others, so very many laughs over the years that he deserves the Double Feature tonight.

But things are going to be a little different this week. So much of Korman's work is worth the time that I'm abandoning the two-film format and, instead, giving you a selection of clips and moments from the spectrum of Korman's career. Use this as a jumping point for your own Korman double or triple feature, or enjoy a full Harvey Korman marathon. Enjoy the clips after the jump, and weigh in on your favorite Korman moments in the comments.

Harvey, you will be deeply missed.

Continue reading Cinematical's Friday Night Double Feature: In Memory of Harvey Korman

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]]>CinematicalHarvey KormanHarveyKormanMonika BartyzelFri, 30 May 2008 19:02:00 ESTThe Brilliant Harvey Korman Passed Away Yesterdayhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/30/the-brilliant-harvey-korman-passed-away-yesterday/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/30/the-brilliant-harvey-korman-passed-away-yesterday/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/30/the-brilliant-harvey-korman-passed-away-yesterday/#commentsFiled under:



You young'ens might not remember Harvey Korman all that well, seeing as he hasn't popped up in any movies over the last several years, but trust me on this: He was one of the planet's funniest men. Seriously. I do believe his last appearance in cinemas was in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas -- but don't judge the man based on that. Hollywood has very little use for very old comedians, regardless of how talented they are.

Introduced to my generation as part of the Carol Burnett Show ensemble, Mr. Korman had a flawless chemistry with frequent partner Tim Conway -- but I'll always remember the man as one of Mel Brooks' most reliable go-to comics. Harvey Korman stole large scenes from Dracula: Dead and Loving It, High Anxiety, and History of the World: Part 1 -- but he delivered one of the all-time funniest supporting performances in the 1974 classic Blazing Saddles. As the perpetually befuddled villain Hedy Lamarr ("That's Hedley!"), Korman unleashed a force-of-nature comedic performance that STILL brings me to tears whenever I watch it.

Over the course of his 40-year career, Mr. Korman appeared in a wide variety of films, very few of which were actually worthy of his skills: Americathon, Herbie Goes Bananas, First Family, Trail of the Pink Panther, Curse of the Pink Panther, The Longshot, Munchies, Radioland Murders, Jingle All the Way ... you get the point. But he did play the voice of The Great Gazoo on the original Flintstones cartoon and he appeared in the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special!

But all you need to know about Harvey Korman is right there in The Carol Burnett Show and a handful of Mel Brooks movies. Just a brilliantly funny man. He died yesterday at 81 years of age. Rest in peace, Mr. Korman.

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]]>dead at 81DeadAt81harvey kormanHarveyKormanScott WeinbergFri, 30 May 2008 14:32:00 ESTRIP: Reel Important People -- May 27, 2008http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/27/rip-reel-important-people-may-27-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/27/rip-reel-important-people-may-27-2008/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/27/rip-reel-important-people-may-27-2008/#commentsFiled under: ,

  • Joseph Pevney (1911-2008) - Director, Actor - Directed James Cagney as Lon Chaney in Man of a Thousand Faces, Boris Karloff in The Strange Door, Debbie Reynolds in Tammy and the Bachelor, Frank Sinatra in Meet Danny Wilson, Joan Crawford in Female on the Beach, Martin and Lewis in 3 Ring Circus, which he also co-wrote, and Rock Hudson in Back to God's Country, Shakedown, Air Cadet, 1951's Iron Man and Twilight for the Gods. Beginning in the '60s, he mostly directed for television, including a number of episodes of Star Trek. Prior to directing, he acted in films noir of the '40s, including Robert Rossen's Body and Soul and Jules Dassin's Thieves' Highway. He died May 24 in Palm Desert, California. (The Desert Sun)
  • Sydney Pollack (1934-2008) - Oscar-winning Director, Producer, Actor - Won two Academy Awards for directing and producing Out of Africa and was nominated for directing and producing Tootsie and for directing They Shoot Horses, Don't They and for producing Michael Clayton. For more on his career and death, read Eric's full post.
  • Del Ankers (1916-2008) - Cinematographer, Photographer - Shot the early Jim Henson shorts Wilson's Meats Meeting Film #1 and Wilson's Meats Meeting Film #2 and appears as himself in the former. He also shot Henson's actual Wilson's Meats commercials. He died May 15 in Great Falls, Virginia. (Washington Post)

Continue reading RIP: Reel Important People -- May 27, 2008

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]]>dick martinDickMartinharry potter and the half-blood princeHarryPotterAndTheHalf-bloodPrincelaugh-insydney pollackSydneyPollackChristopher CampbellTue, 27 May 2008 17:02:00 EST