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

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

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The Substance is a satirical body horror film written and directed by Coralie Fargeat. The 2024 film follows the story of Elisabeth Sparkle, a popular star renowned for an aerobics show but on her 50th birthday, she gets fired from her boss for being old. She soon finds a laboratory that offers her a drug that promises to transform her into a better and younger version of herself. The Substance stars Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley in the lead roles with Dennis Quaid, Hugo Diego Garcia, Oscar Lesage, Tiffany Hofstetter, and Alexandra Papoulias Barton starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the body horror, biting commentary, and compelling characters in The Substance here are some similar movies you should check out next.

The Neon Demon (Prime Video) Credit – Amazon Studios

The Neon Demon is a psychological horror film...

Alvin Rakoff, the Canadian-born filmmaker who directed Laurence Olivier in A Voyage Round My Father, has died. He was 97.

His death was confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter by his longtime publicist, Nick Pourgourides. He passed away on Oct. 12 surrounded by family at home in Chiswick, a neighborhood in London.

Rakoff as a writer, director and producer of over 100 TV, film and stage productions, as well as novels, directed Olivier and co-stars Alan Bates and Jane Asher in the 1982 TV drama A Voyage Round My Father, a film written by John Mortimer and which earned the director his second Emmy Award.

Alvin and Olivier also worked together on Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson and A Talent for Murder, both shot in 1983. The two-time Emmy Award winner also gave a young Sean Connery his first leading role in the 1957 film Requiem for a Heavyweight, and Alan Rickman as a young actor was...

Alvin Rakoff, the veteran Canadian filmmaker best known for pics like the 1982 feature A Voyage Round My Father starring Laurence Olivier, died in Chiswick, London, October 12 surrounded by his family. He was 97.

Rakoff’s former personal agent confirmed the news with Deadline this morning.

Born on on February 6, 1927, in Toronto Rakoff was the third of seven children. After graduating from the University of Toronto with a psychology degree, Rakoff spent time as a news reporter. His first job as a writer was with the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC), which later sponsored Rakoff to visit the UK. Within days of arriving, he sold his first fiction script to the BBC. He was soon invited to join the BBC’s director’s training course and, the following year at the age of twenty-six, Rakoff became the youngest producer/director in the BBC drama department.

As Rakoff once recalled: “I trained at the BBC as a director-producer.

Canadian director, writer and producer Alvin Rakoff, best known for directing Laurence Olivier in “A Voyage Round My Father,” has died at the age of 97.

The cause of death was “old age,” his publicist told Variety. He died on Oct. 12 at home, surrounded by his family.

Over a career spanning more than four decades, which began when television was still only available in black-and-white, Rakoff was involved in over 100 television, film and stage productions as well as writing novels. According to his representatives, he was still working into his ’90s.

Rakoff was the third of seven children born to Sam and Pearl Rakoff in Toronto in 1927. His parents owned a dry goods shop but the director grew up in poverty after the Great Depression hit in 1929. He would later recount the experience in his novel “Baldwin Street.”

After seeing his first film in a theater at the age of 6, his...

Chicago – One of the most notorious films in cinema history is undoubtably “Caligula” (1980). This very expensive independent film about a Roman emperor had a checkered history – from its principle photography beginning in 1976 to its release date – and featured big stars like Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole and John Gielgud. When a “reconstruction” was in order, the writer, art historian and Chicago native Thomas Negovan was hired to create “The Ultimate Cut.” Negovan will appear at two screenings on September 29th and 30th at Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre. For tickets and more information, click Caligula.

“Caligula” was one of those “utmost” 1970s-era film projects, financed by the infamous owner of the nudie publication Penthouse Magazine, Bob Guccione, and was directed by auteur Tinto Brass, written by prominent author Gore Vidal and starred Malcolm McDowell at his acting peak. When the cost overruns went out of control, Guccione seized...

Dame Maggie Smith, the British actress who starred in Harry Potter films, the wildly popular Downton Abbey series and scores of other movies, TV shows, West End and Broadway productions in a career that brought two Oscars, five BAFTAs, four Emmys and a Tony Award, died today. She was 89.

Smith’s death was confirmed by her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin. In a statement shared with UK media, they said: “She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.”

Smith was one of the finest British screen and stage stars of her generation and will be remembered for her performances in iconic films and TV shows, including Harry Potter and Downton Abbey. Her...

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are now officially members of the Egot club. On Night 2 of the Creative Arts Emmys, the duo won Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the “Only Murders in the Building” song “Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?”, sharing the honor with co-writers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Pasek and Paul are the twentieth and twenty-first people to Egot — and the second and third this year, after Elton John took home an Emmy in January for his 2022 Disney+ variety special “Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium.” The 18 other members of the illustrious club include Helen Hayes, Rita Moreno, Audrey Hepburn, John Gielgud, Whoopi Goldberg, Mel Brooks, Mike Nichols, Tim Rice, Robert Lopez, Viola Davis, John Legend and Jennifer Hudson.

In the third season Hulu’s “Only Murders,” Steve Martin performs the tongue-twister of a tune as part of “Death Rattle Dazzle,” the short-lived musical...

Composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul just won their first Emmy Awards at Sunday night’s Creative Arts ceremony, making them the 20th and 21st people ever to achieve an Egot. They won in the Best Music and Lyrics category alongside Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman for their catchy tune “Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?” from “Only Murders in the Building.” They were up against song nominees from “Girls5eva,” “Saturday Night Live,” “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” and “True Detective: Night Country.” Enjoy watching our interview with Pasek, Paul, Shaiman and Wittman from earlier this summer.

The duo’s previous Egot wins began in 2016 when they, along with composer Justin Hurwitz, won the Oscar for Best Original Song for “La La Land.” They won the Tony in 2017 for their score from that year’s Best Musical champ, “Dear Evan Hansen.” In 2018 they won the Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album for that same show.

Greenwich Entertainment has acquired U.S. and Canadian distribution rights to “Mad About the Boy – The Noel Coward Story,” an intimate portrait of one of the 20th century’s greatest writers and wits.

Barnaby Thompson produced, wrote and directed the documentary about Coward, using unprecedented access to Coward’s estate. The film is told in his own words and music, using his diaries, photos and home movies, along with archival interviews with Coward and his contemporaries. Alan Cummings narrates and Rupert Everett voices Coward.

Coward was a popular and acclaimed playwright, actor, director, singer, songwriter and novelist. He wrote 60 plays, 500 songs, five screenplays, 14 films adapted from his plays, nine musicals, 300 poems, 21 short stories, two novels and three autobiographies. He also performed in over 70 plays and 12 movies.

But before he achieved fame, he grew up in poverty and left school when he was only nine years old. He was also covertly...

With a career spanning over 50 years, Sigourney Weaver has showcased her versatility across Broadway, television, and film, creating iconic heroic characters in both dramatic and comedic roles. Her remarkable talent has earned her three Academy Award nominations.

Born Susan Alexandra Weaver on October 8, 1949, in New York City, she adopted the name Sigourney at age 14, inspired by a character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby.

Weaver graduated from Stanford University and obtained a master’s degree from the Yale School of Drama. Even as she found fame and success on the screen, she would maintain her love for the stage throughout her career. Her many theater credits include four Broadway productions: Sir John Gielgud’s production of The Constant Wife in 1975, the groundbreaking 1984 production of David Rabe’s Hurlyburly opposite William Hurt, Harvey Keitel and a newcomer named Cynthia Nixon, and the 1996 production of Sex and Longing, written...

Plot: Tormented by the murder of his family, the young, wary Caligula eliminates his devious adoptive grandfather Tiberius and seizes control of the declining Roman Empire as it descends into a spiral of depravity, destruction and madness.

Review: One of the most infamous movies of all time, Caligula has long been one of the most intriguing projects in cinema history. Developed and produced by Penthouse founder Bob Guccione, Caligula was the most expensive independently produced film upon its release. From filming to release, Caligula took four years and included the departure of screenwriter Gore Vidal and director Tinto Brass and the addition of explicit pornographic material by Guccione, which resulted in a critical drubbing and countless legal proceedings taken against the film. While restorations have been attempted before, producer Thomas Negovan’s ultimate cut of the film pored over almost one hundred hours of footage to compile a vision of Caligula,...

Initially Released in 1980, Caligula was the most expensive independent film in cinema history but had a tumultuous journey to the screen. Written by the esteemed Gore Vidal and headed by the stellar cast of Malcolm McDowell, Dame Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole and Sir John Gielgud, Caligula was meant to be an epic showcase of the generation’s finest talent, addressing the corrupting influence of power amid the rampant sexuality of the Roman court.

However, Penthouse founder (and the film’s financier) Bob Guccione seized control of the negative, randomly inserting graphic scenes of unsimulated sex and gratuitous violence. The cast and film team disavowed what had become a blatant desecration of Vidal’s themes, who sued to have his name removed from the project. The extensive coverage of behind-the-scenes notoriety also had an unexpected effect: the film was a box-office success.

Caligula: The Ultimate Cut is a Complete reconstruction of...

Update: A trailer for Caligula: The Ultimate Cut has been unveiled and can be seen at the top of this article. Graphic artist Bill Sienkiewicz has also created poster art that can be seen at the bottom of this article.

Directed by Tinto Brass from a screenplay by Gore Vidal (which many people tinkered with while bringing it to the screen), the 1979 film Caligula was the most expensive independent film in cinema history – but the story told in the film was overshadowed by the behind-the-scenes story. As a press release notes, “Penthouse founder (and the film’s financer) Bob Guccione seized control of the negative, randomly inserting graphic scenes of unsimulated sex and gratuitous violence. The cast and film team disavowed what had become a blatant desecration of Vidal’s themes, and Vidal sued to have his name removed from the project. The extensive coverage of behind-the-scenes notoriety also had...

"The most notorious Emperor in history returns..." Drafthouse Films has unveiled a new official trailer for Caligula: The Ultimate Cut, a 4K restoration of the infamous erotic classic. The epic Italian film follows Caligula as he kills his devious adoptive grandfather and takes control of the decadent Roman Empire, soon spiraling into depravity, devastation, and utter madness. "Drafthouse Films is a beacon of excellence and taste in independent cinema, and in the 3 years while I was constructing the film I hoped that they would be involved in bringing Caligula: The Ultimate Cut to American audiences," states producer Thomas Negovan. This brand new "Ultimate Cut" is a completely fresh reconstruction based on tons of footage found in the Penthouse archive. They removed all the depravity that was controversially added during the first release, and it has been restored to what should've been all along. "Graphic artist Dave McKean added a prologue...

Hollywood just can’t stop thinking about the Roman Empire. Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator 2” is in the works, and Francis Ford Coppola’s Roman epic-inspired “Megalopolis” premieres in theaters in September. Now, the infamously iconic “Caligula” is landing a recut and 4K restoration.

IndieWire exclusively unveils the official trailer and poster for “Caligula: The Ultimate Cut.” The all-new cut features never-before-seen footage, including alternate takes and camera angles, and with — for the first time ever — the complete film narrative. Drafthouse Films acquired “Caligula: The Ultimate Cut” after its 2024 Cannes Film Festival premiere and will take the movie back to theaters this summer.

Released in 1980 after director Tinto Brass disavowed his credit amid extensive changes, the controversial classic made history as the most expensive independent film of all time. Gore Vidal’s script centered on the corrupting influence of power and sexuality of the Roman court, with Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren,...

Only 19 people have won the awards grand slam known as the Egot. They are (in chronological order of achievement) composer Richard Rodgers, actress Helen Hayes, actress Rita Moreno, actor John Gielgud, actress Audrey Hepburn, composer Marvin Hamlisch, orchestrator Jonathan Tunick, writer/director/composer Mel Brooks, director Mike Nichols, actress Whoopi Goldberg, producer Scott Rudin, composer Robert Lopez, singer and actor John Legend, composer Tim Rice, composer Andrew Lloyd

Webber, composer Alan Menken, actress/producer Jennifer Hudson, actress Viola Davis and composer Elton John.

There are a total of eight people who have won a combination of the Tony, Oscar and Grammy without an Emmy Award. The two living people are featured in this photo gallery because they could still achieve the Egot. They are composer Benj Pasek and composer Justin Paul.

The six deceased people are actor Henry Fonda, composer Oscar Hammerstein, composer Alan Jay Lerner, composer Frank Loesser, composer...

At the 27th Academy Awards, Oscar helped Edmond O’Brien win an Oscar.

O’Brien played sleazy show biz publicist Oscar Muldoon in 1954’s “The Barefoot Contessa,” which starred Humphrey Bogart and Ava Gardner. Bogart had been crowned Best Actor of 1951 for “The African Queen,” and had also contended for the same award for 1943’s Best Picture, “Casablanca.” Gardner was coming off of her first and only nomination, for Best Actress in 1953’s “Mogambo.” “The Barefoot Contessa” was written and directed by Academy favorite Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who had won back-to-back Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars for 1949’s “A Letter to Three Wives” and 1950’s Best Picture, “All About Eve.”

”The Barefoot Contessa” didn’t fare quite as well at the Oscars as “Letter” or “Eve.” Neither Bogart or Gardner received nominations, though Bogart was cited for his role in that same year’s Best Picture entry “The Caine Mutiny.

Carla Gugino has been tapped to play Hollywood screen legend Vivien Leigh in the forthcoming biopic “The Florist.”

The film is directed by Nick Sandow (star of “Orange is the New Black”) and will explore Leigh’s struggle with bipolar disorder in the 1960s, as she prepares to lead the Broadway production of John Gielgud’s Chekhov adaptation of “Ivanov.” Screenwriter Jayce Bartok (“The Cake Eaters”) put the script together based on a box of love letters.

Leigh earned her place in cinema history as Scarlett O’Hara, the central character in 1939’s “Gone With the Wind,” opposite Clark Gable. Leigh also played the landmark role of Blanche DuBois opposite Marlon Brando in 1951’s “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

“I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to excavate a woman as complex, contradictory, and compelling as Vivien. From the moment I read the script, I knew ‘The Florist’ was a journey I had to pursue,...

He had barely started his career when abuse left him mentally ill. But he went on to phenomenal success – and has just been made president of the UK’s leading drama school

This is the first time David Harewood has stepped through the doors of Rada’s London headquarters since he became its president in mid-February, and he’s immediately struck by flashbacks of his time as a student here. “Stunning memories,” he says. “Memories of my audition, the paintings … and that staircase will always be memorable because you walk in and go: ‘Oh my God, I’m at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art!’ It’s very evocative.”

Harewood, 58, is the first person of colour to lead Rada, and he follows in the footsteps of such luminaries as Kenneth Branagh, Richard Attenborough, Princess Diana and John Gielgud. It is the most prestigious of acting schools – some would say the...

Nicole Scherzinger, Succession star Sarah Snook, Game of Thrones and Sherlock actor Mark Gatiss, a revival of the musical Sunset Boulevard and the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow were among the winners at the 2024 Olivier Awards, which celebrate achievements in London theater. The ceremony at Royal Albert Hall in the British capital was hosted by Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham.

The revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s Sunset Boulevard, which has starred Scherzinger as Norma Desmond and is set to come to Broadway this year, won the best musical revival award, the best actress honor for the former Pussycat Dolls singer and five other honors after also leading the nominations with 11.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a prequel to the Netflix hit series, which has hinted at its Broadway ambitions, won the best new entertainment or comedy play award, as well as the Olivier for best set design.

Dear England,...

Exclusive: Drafthouse Films has acquired Caligula: The Ultimate Cut, the 4K Ultra HD reconstruction of the notorious Tinto Brass movie.

This latest presentation of the famous movie made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023 and includes never-before-seen footage and alternate takes and camera angles.

Drafthouse will release the film theatrically across North America in August 2024, followed by a streaming and 4K Uhd Blu-ray release. The Uhd Blu-ray will have new interviews with star Malcolm McDowell and the film’s reconstructionist, art historian Thomas Negovan.

Initially Released in 1980, Caligula was one of the most expensive independent films to date but had a tumultuous journey to screen. Written by Gore Vidal and starring Malcolm McDowell, Dame Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole and Sir John Gielgud, Penthouse founder (and the film’s financer) Bob Guccione seized control of the negative and made significant changes to the movie, including the addition of...

Everyone remembers their first time. That is the first time they saw Marlon Brando.

For the late Mike Nichols, seeing Brando on Broadway in 1947 in his seminal turn as Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams‘ “A Streetcar Named Desire,” was the catalyst that lead to his career in the arts which saw him become a rare Egot winner. The teenage Nichols and his then girlfriend’s mother were given tickets for the second night of the Elia Kazan-directed production. “There had never been anything like it, I know that by now,” Nichols recalled in a 2010 L.A. Times interview. It was, to this day, the only thing onstage that I had ever seen that was 100% real and 100% poetic. Lucy and I weren’t exactly theater buffs, but we couldn’t get up at the intermission. We were just so stunned. Your heart was pounding. It was a major experience.”

Susan L.

Spooky titles lead the new openers at the UK and Ireland box office this weekend with Sony’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire unleashing into 687 cinemas.

The fifth addition to the ghoul-hunting franchise is slightly up from its predecessor Ghostbusters: Afterlife which opened in 670 locations in 2021. That film had an opening weekend of £3.7m and ended shy of £12m. It also has more locations than Paul Feig’s female reboot which debuted in 581 sites in 2016 before making £4.4m in its opening weekend.

The first Ghostbusters made an impressive £12.4m at the box office back in 1984 while Ghostbusters II scored £8.3m in 1989.

Gil Kenan...

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

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

Long before he won the 2024 Best Supporting Actor Oscar for “Oppenheimer,” Robert Downey Jr. made his screen debut at age five in the experimental 1970 film “Pound,” which was directed by his father and co-starred his mother and sister. Upon clinching said prize, he emulated only three other men who were first honored by the academy at least half a century into their acting careers. Considering both male categories (and only counting credited roles in feature films), his waiting period of 54 years far exceeds the all-time average, which now stands at 19.5 years.

Although nearly two full decades separate their time-of-win ages (58 and 77), Downey came within five years of breaking John Gielgud’s general record for longest acting career preceding an Oscar victory. The English performer has held that distinction since 1982, when he was lauded for his supporting turn in “Arthur” 58 years after debuting in “Who Is the Man?” (1924). While no male...

Pageantry. Screw ups. Touching tributes. Private beefs made public. There are plenty of reasons to watch the Oscars. But they all amount to partaking in, witnessing, movie history in its many forms — the high art, the gossip, the record-breaking moments when an arthouse director becomes a household name.

However, there are a lot of ways to set a record. There are big moments like Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tying the record with 11 trophies or Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite becoming the first film not in English (or silent) to win Best Picture. And then, beyond those sit the oddities and records that are nearly impossible to break. Give me records like Walter Brennan winning three Best Supporting Actor awards because, as a former extra, he was popular with the Union of Film Extras, who were allowed to vote. At least, the story goes, they were allowed...

Edward Bond, the Oscar-nominated Blow-Up screenwriter and playwright whose Saved and Early Morning were banned in the UK, fueling a legal review that led to the end of stage censorship in the country, has died, his agency said. He was 89.

Casarotto Ramsay and Associates said he died Sunday but did not reveal the cause.

“Edward was one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century,” the agency tweeted. “He made his mark upon the theatrical world with radical, thought-provoking, and unerringly original work.”

Bond’s first screenplay was the English-language dialogue for Blow-Up, Michelangelo Antonioni’s 1966 classic that starred David Hemming and Vanessa Redgrave. Earning him an Original Screenplay Oscar nom, it was the first of about a dozen film credits including Walkabout (1971) and Laughter in the Dark (1968).

Born on July 18, 1934, in London, Bond quit school as a teenager and would see his debut play, The Pope’s Wedding, produced...

The BBC is celebrating the art of the literary adaptation by screening a variety of classics on BBC Four. More details here.

The BBC is quite rightly celebrated for its rich history of book to screen adaptations, such as the iconic 1995 version of Jane Austen’a Pride And Prejudice to Cbbc’s hugely successful adaptation of Dame Jacqueline Wilson’s Tracy Beaker series.

It has now put together a season of 14 adaptations from the BBC archive, some of which have rarely been seen since their original broadcast.

The dramas are:

The Great Gatsby

Toby Stephens, Mira Sorvino and Paul Rudd lead the cast in this 2000 BBC adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel on the American dream in the jazz age.

Small Island

Naomie Harris, Ruth Wilson, David Oyelowo, Benedict Cumberbatch and Ashley Walters star in this 2009 TV version of Andrea Levy’s novel focusing on the lives and...

Clockwise from top left: This Is Me... Now: A Love Story (Prime Video), Red Rocket (A24), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Paramount)Image: The A.V. Club

Amazon’s Prime Video kicks off February with a summer blockbuster, a new “narrative-driven cinematic odyssey” from Jennifer Lopez, and a bunch of...

Just weeks ago, Sir Elton John became the 19th entertainer to win the highly desirable Egot by claiming his first ever Emmy Award. And now, which person is the most likely to be the 20th Egot later this year, in 2025 or beyond? Here is a summary of the 80 people who have the best chance right now.

The most likely duo could be composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (actually meaning a 20th and 21st Egot if they win). They are producers and songwriters for the third season of “Only Murders in the Building,” so they will have a couple of opportunities in September at the Emmys. They first won an Oscar, Tony, and Grammy.

For the 2024 Grammys, nobody is nominated who could become an Egot, so the next possible chance would be 2025. There are a total of 25 people who have won everything needed except a Grammy. They are actress Ellen Burstyn,...

Martin McCallum, a British theatrical producer whose work on more than 500 Broadway and West End shows saw his participation in some of the most successful stage productions in modern theater history, died peacefully, surrounded by family, on January 14 in Sydney, Australia. He was 73.

His death was announced by his family. A cause was not disclosed.

The President of the Society of London Theatre from 1999 to 2002 and a member of the Broadway League since 1988, McCallum made an indelible mark on Broadway with massive hits, critical favorites and even two high-profile flops.

His impact on the London theater scene was even greater. Born in Blackpool on April 6, 1950, McCallum began his stage career as an assistant stage manager at the Castle Theatre Farnham,...

Joe Biden hasn’t had anything to say so far about Donald Trump’s big win at the Iowa caucuses last night, but when it comes to Elton John, the man in the White House was ebullient this morning.

“Sir Elton John has been a tidal wave throughout his career to help people rise up and make hope and history rhyme,” Potus said Tuesday in a social media post praising the “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” performer’s ascension to Egot status. “Six Grammy Awards. Two Oscars. One Tony, And now, one Emmy.”

The singer’s Disney+ special Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium beat Chris Rock Selective Outrage, The Oscars, 75th Annual Tony Awards and The Apple Music Super Bowl Lvii Halftime Show Starring Rihanna in the the Outstanding Variety Special (Live) category on Monday at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards. Elton wasn’t in attendance at the Dtla ceremony.

Elton John won an Emmy Award on Monday for his 2022 Disney+ special “Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium” – and with the trophy John became the 19th person to achieve an Egot. The terms stands for competitive victories of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards.

Recovering from an knee operation, John was not present at the ceremony to pick up his Emmy. The award was accepted by winning producer Ben Winston, onstage along with John’s husband, producer David Furnish.

But in statement John said, “I am incredibly humbled to be joining the unbelievably talented group of Egot winners tonight. The journey to this moment has been filled with passion, dedication, and the unwavering support of my fans all around the world. Tonight is a testament to the power of the arts and the joy that it brings to all our lives. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my career,...

Elton John is the latest member of the Egot club, scoring his first Emmy for best variety special (live).

The 2023 Emmy Awards win for the musician’s Farewell From Dodger Stadium special, which he secured during Monday night’s telecast, joins his Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards.

The Disney+ special chronicles the musician’s final North American show as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour. The tour began in 2018 and was set to end in 2021 but was postponed, like many tours, by the Covid-19 pandemic.

John was recovering from a knee operation and couldn’t attend the show, so producer Ben Winston accepted the award on his behalf. “He’s absolutely fine, but he wanted to send his love and thanks to the Television Academy for this incredible award,” Winston said. “We did know this was going to be historic because it was going to win a man...

Sir Elton John just won his first Emmy Award on Monday night’s ceremony, making him the 19th person ever to achieve an Egot. His Disney+ program “Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium” was nominated for Best Variety Special (Live) against “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage,” “The Oscars,” “Super Bowl Lvii Halftime Show” and “75th Annual Tony Awards.”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member has also won two Oscars for Best Original Song (“Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” from “The Lion King” in 1994; and I’m Gonna Love Me Again” from “Rocketman” in 2019). He won a Tony Award for the original score of “Aida” in 2000. And he’s a five-time Grammy Award winner for “That’s What Friends Are For” (1987), “Basque” (1992), “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (1995), “Candle in the Wind” (1998) and “Aida” (2001).

SEEElton John songs: 25 greatest hits ranked worst to best

Only 18 people previously have won...

Exclusive: Starring an electrifying Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Boulevard ends its limited run at London’s Savoy Theatre on January 6. However, Deadline can reveal in its 2024 West End look ahead that the singer will lead the Andrew Lloyd Webber show to Broadway in November, according to insiders connected with the production.

Scherzinger, who won the Evening Standard’s best musical performance prize for her show-stopping turn as Norma Desmond, has indicated to producers that she will commit to a six-month season in New York, we understand. The Es also recently named the show’s helmer Jamie Lloyd as Best Director [Disclosure: this writer is a member of the Es judging panel].

Nicole Scherzinger in ‘Sunset Boulevard’

Meanwhile, another Es winner, Jack Thorne’s glorious drama The Motive and the Cue, staged by Sam Mendes, has transferred from London’s National Theatre to the Noël Coward, and we can also reveal The Motive and the Cue is in the early stages of discussions for a run in NYC.

In “Caligula: The Ultimate Cut,” absolute power corrupts absolutely, but even using absolutely all of the footage shot for the notorious production back in 1976 does not necessarily result in a better film. The most expensive independent film ever produced until that time, “Caligula” was conceived by late Penthouse founder Bob Guccione as a sexually explicit film that also featured real actors and high production values; hiring bestselling author Gore Vidal to write a script for Italian avant-garde director Tinto Brass (“Salon Kitty”), Guccione subsequently attracted such respected thespians as Malcolm McDowell, Peter O’Toole, John Gielgud and Helen Mirren to star. But after disputes between Brass and Vidal prompted the author to sue to remove his name from the film, Guccione commandeered final cut and inserted shots of graphic sex and violence, prompting cast and crew alike to disavow the film.

Devoting a substantial portion of his adult life to “Caligula...

“A Haunting in Venice,” the latest all-star mystery film starring and directed by Kenneth Branagh, tells the story of the detective Hercule Poirot trying to uncover another killer after someone is murdered at a séance in Italy. With Branagh’s latest movie currently in theaters, let’s look back at his eight Oscar races and talk about how the actor-director finally won his first gold trophy just last year.

In early 2022, Branagh broke the record for nominations in the highest number of different categories at the Academy Awards. Of his eight Oscar mentions, he has competed in seven categories total — Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Screenplay and Best Live Action Short Film. The first two he made it into were Director and Actor for “Henry V,” the William Shakespeare adaptation released in 1989. His directorial debut resulted in an Academy Award win for Best Costume Design,...

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

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

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

Photo credit: Columbia

Honorable Mention: “Murder By Death” (1976)

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

Giuliano Montaldo, the admired Italian filmmaker who wrote and directed Sacco & Vanzetti, the John Cassavetes-starring Machine Gun McCain and every episode of the big-budget 1982 miniseries Marco Polo, has died. He was 93.

Montaldo died Wednesday at his home in Rome, his family announced.

His big-screen résumé also included The Reckless (1965), starring Renato Salvatori; Grand Slam (1967), starring Janet Leigh; Giordano Bruno (1973), starring Gian Maria Volonté and Charlotte Rampling; And Agnes Chose to Die (1976), starring Ingrid Thulin; and The Gold Rimmed Glasses (1987), starring Philippe Noiret, Rupert Everett, Stefania Sandrelli and Valeria Golino.

Of the 20 films Montaldo helmed, 16 were set to music by Ennio Morricone; no other director collaborated with the famed composer more.

Montaldo also served as president of Italy’s Rai Cinema from 1999-2004.

Montaldo’s gangster tale Machine Gun McCain (1969), which also starred Britt Ekland, Gena Rowlands and Peter Falk, and Sacco & Vanzetti (1971), about the Massachusetts trial and 1927 execution of...

Paramount+ is starting September with a bang with hundreds of new film titles joining its library, from comedies like “Blazing Saddles” and “The Big Lebowski,” to award-winning dramas like “Schindler's List” and “Forrest Gump” and sci-fi thrillers like “Terminator 2” and “Annihilation.”

But the streamer isn’t stopping there, with even more TV series (including Paramount+ originals and exclusives) and sports available throughout the month on the Paramount+ Essential plan and even more titles on the Paramount+ with Showtime.

Check out The Streamable’s picks for the top five titles arriving to the streamer this month!

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What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Paramount+ in September 2023? “Blazing Saddles” | Friday, Sept. 1

Return to Rock Ridge with Mel Brooks’ fourth-wall-breaking classic that will leave you anything but tired. The satirical Western-black comedy follows...

She’s been nominated for seven BAFTAs (winning one), seven Golden Globes (winning two), a couple of Oscars and an Emmy. She’s worked with armfuls of top directors including Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton and David Cronenberg. And 40 years ago, she created one of sitcom’s best-loved characters as the capricious Queen Elizabeth (Queenie to her pals) in Blackadder.

And now Miranda Richardson has proven herself so good she’s been cast not once but twice in Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens, first playing Madame Tracy in series one, and now taking on the tailor-made role of Shax, who becomes Hell’s representative on Earth after Crowley (David Tennant) gets fired.

What better time to revisit some of Miranda Richardson’s most memorable performances, from her impressive film debut in Dance With a Stranger to her more recent appearances in Harry Potter and Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None?...

Biography films are a fascinating genre that depict the lives of real people, often with dramatic and artistic flair. They can inspire us, educate us, entertain us, and challenge us to think about the world in new ways. Some of the most acclaimed and influential films of all time belong to this genre, and they span across different eras, cultures, and themes.

In this article, we will rank the 10 best biography films of all time, after the release of Oppenheimer in 2023. Oppenheimer is a biographical film directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American scientist who led the development of the atomic bomb during World War II. The film has been praised for its stunning cinematography, complex narrative, and powerful performances. It is widely considered to be one of the best films of 2023, and a masterpiece of biographical cinema.

But what are the other films...

The actor and writer on prepping to play famous people, the thrill of seeing Tom Cruise every day on Mission: Impossible, and his love of Naked Attraction

You have taken on the roles of Bamber Gascoigne, Malcolm McLaren, Peter Mandelson and Larry Grayson. How do you deliver believable portrayals of such well-known figures? VerulamiumParkRanger

I’ll start with the voice. Some are easier than others. I’ve just finished at the National Theatre, playing Sir John Gielgud, who sits very well in my voice. Larry Grayson was quite difficult. He’s deeper and rustier than you’d expect. The key to Malcolm McLaren was realising that he sounds like Larry the Lamb, strange and croaky. Mandelson has this underbite, which changes the shape of your face. The way he speaks is deliberate and laborious. Bamber Gascoigne is all about the glasses. I try to get glasses into any part. They’re very useful props.

Despite appearances on television throughout the past five decades, Sir Elton John just received his first ever Emmy Awards nomination. His Disney+ program “Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium” is nominated for Best Variety Special (Live). A win would elevate him into a legendary Egot champion, the 19th person to join that exclusive club.

Nominees in this category are “Super Bowl Lvii Halftime Show Starring Rihanna,” “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage,” “The Oscars” and “75th Annual Tony Awards.”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member already has two Oscars for Best Original Song (“Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” from “The Lion King” in 1994; and I’m Gonna Love Me Again” from “Rocketman” in 2019). He won a Tony Award for the original score of “Aida” in 2000. And he’s a five-time Grammy Award winner for “That’s What Friends Are For” (1987), “Basque” (1992), “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (1995), “Candle...

Producers target autumn release ahead of Halloween.

Signature Entertainment has struck a deal with Cinema Management Group (Cmg) for all UK rights to the animated adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost featuring an all-star cast led by Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, and Freddie Highmore.

The feature played at this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival in Official Selection as a Special Event and the producers are targeting an autumn release ahead of Halloween.

The story takes place in 1900 as an American family moves into the infamous Canterville Chase, an ancestral home that has been haunted for 300 years by a cursed ghost,...

It’s succession season at the UK’s National Theatre with Rufus Norris, the institution’s Artistic Director, announcing that he will step down in 2025 after a decade in the post.

“It’s good to keep leadership evolving,” Norris noted during a press conference at the National’s base on the south side of the River Thames, in the shadow of Waterloo Bridge.

The National’s board will determine Norris’s successor. They will cast a net far and wide and there’s an eagerness to end the white male hold on the Nt’s leadership.

Meanwhile, Norris has been getting on with the business of running the country’s flagship theatre company.

Nt Artistic Director Rufus Norris. Photo by Baz Bamigboye/Deadline.

Succession star Harriet Walter returns to the Nt to lead a new adaptation by Alice Birch of Federico Garcia Lorca’s The House of Bernardo Alba.

It...

Malcolm McDowell as Caligula. Thomas Negovan: 'What Malcolm did would be the equivalent of watching someone who had to prepare for any eventuality' The convoluted story surrounding the notorious cinema production of the sword and sandals epic Caligula some 40 or so years ago is as intriguing as the tale of the infamous Roman emperor himself. At only 24 years old he ruled for just four years until he was brutally slain alongside his wife and daughter by a group of guardsmen and dumped into a shallow grave.

Producer Thomas Negovan has unearthed more than 90 hours of original camera negatives and audio to make a new edit for Caligula: The Ultimate Cut which was unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival in its Classics strand. He believes that new footage of the likes of Malcolm McDowell as the emperor, Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole and John Gielgud now has some resemblance to the...

Only 18 people have won the awards grand slam known as the Egot. They are (in chronological order of achievement) composer Richard Rodgers, actress Helen Hayes, actress Rita Moreno, actor John Gielgud, actress Audrey Hepburn, composer Marvin Hamlisch, orchestrator Jonathan Tunick, writer/director/composer Mel Brooks, director Mike Nichols, actress Whoopi Goldberg, producer Scott Rudin, composer Robert Lopez, singer and actor John Legend, composer Tim Rice, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, composer Alan Menken, actress/producer Jennifer Hudson and actress Viola Davis.

Tour our photo gallery above for information about the 28 living people who just need an Academy Award to achieve Egot. They are: actor Andre De Shields, actress Cynthia Erivo, composer/producer Anne Garefino, actor Hugh Jackman, actor James Earl Jones, composer and producer Quincy Jones, actress Rachel Bay Jones, composer John Kander, composer Tom Kitt, composer/actress Cyndi Lauper, composer Alex Lacamoire, producer Stan Lathan, actress Katrina Lenk, actress Audra McDonald,...