Australian actress and comedian Rebel Wilson made her directorial debut with the musical film “The Deb,” which premiered at the closing night of the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday. Wilson both directed and starred in the movie. She explained her passion for musicals developed after watching a stage production as a teenager that helped her through dark times.
“The Deb” tells the story of two cousins from different backgrounds who both seek attention and discover themselves through their rural Australian high school’s upcoming debutante ball. Taylah Simpkins, played by Natalie Abbott, is an outcast who sees the ball as her chance to transform. Meanwhile, her city-dwelling cousin Maeve, played by Charlotte MacInnes, views the traditional event as outdated and looks to challenge social norms.
Inspired by classic Australian movies like “Muriel’s Wedding” and “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” Wilson said she wanted to create a...
“The Deb” tells the story of two cousins from different backgrounds who both seek attention and discover themselves through their rural Australian high school’s upcoming debutante ball. Taylah Simpkins, played by Natalie Abbott, is an outcast who sees the ball as her chance to transform. Meanwhile, her city-dwelling cousin Maeve, played by Charlotte MacInnes, views the traditional event as outdated and looks to challenge social norms.
Inspired by classic Australian movies like “Muriel’s Wedding” and “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” Wilson said she wanted to create a...
- 9/15/2024
- by Naser Nahandian
- Gazettely
Pitch Perfect actress Rebel Wilson directed, produced and starred in The Deb, an Australian musical comedy that had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Saturday night.
And Wilson, who was on hand for a post-screening Q&a at Roy Thomson Hall for TIFF’s closing night film, explained why her next directorial efforts will only be musicals. “When I was a teenager, it was a pretty dark time, and I got to see a musical at 14 years of age, because my dog auditioned for it,” she recalled.
The dog didn’t get the gig, but Wilson got hooked on musicals. “I saw these people dancing and singing on stage, they were so colorful and joyful, and that really helped me through my teenage years,” she added.
Wilson said she’s had two offers to direct musicals in the near future. “That’s why, if I’m directing more movies,...
And Wilson, who was on hand for a post-screening Q&a at Roy Thomson Hall for TIFF’s closing night film, explained why her next directorial efforts will only be musicals. “When I was a teenager, it was a pretty dark time, and I got to see a musical at 14 years of age, because my dog auditioned for it,” she recalled.
The dog didn’t get the gig, but Wilson got hooked on musicals. “I saw these people dancing and singing on stage, they were so colorful and joyful, and that really helped me through my teenage years,” she added.
Wilson said she’s had two offers to direct musicals in the near future. “That’s why, if I’m directing more movies,...
- 9/15/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With the goal of making a big-screen Australian musical in the vein of movies like Muriel’s Wedding and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert that made such an impression on her growing up, Rebel Wilson has in many ways measured up to the delights that made those films modern classics in The Deb, which just had its world premiere at the closing night of the Toronto Film Festival.
Overshadowed in the past few weeks by a public dispute between Wilson and the film’s producers that nearly derailed this premiere, that kind of negative energy should not cloud what, for much of its two-hour running time, is a toe-tapping, dazzling, fun and young musical entertainment with an exceptional cast in the kind of showcase that makes future stars. Wilson knows exactly what kind of entertainment she wants to serve up here, and for at least the first half...
Overshadowed in the past few weeks by a public dispute between Wilson and the film’s producers that nearly derailed this premiere, that kind of negative energy should not cloud what, for much of its two-hour running time, is a toe-tapping, dazzling, fun and young musical entertainment with an exceptional cast in the kind of showcase that makes future stars. Wilson knows exactly what kind of entertainment she wants to serve up here, and for at least the first half...
- 9/15/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
by Mark Brinkerhoff
Wow. The power of women.
I remember Nicole Kidman's speech at the 2018 Golden Globes like it was yesterday. You certainly could sense a genuine sisterhood between the five principle stars of Big Little Lies, HBO's unexpectedly titanic, initially limited series. Amid the backdrop of #MeToo, it was quite a moment for Nicole Kidman and company.
The actress's output in the 2010s was, charitably, something of a mixed bag. For every dazzling turn in Rabbit Hole (2010), The Paperboy (2012), or Paddington (2014), there were plenty of barely released (if at all) misfires like Tresspass (2011), The Railway Man (2013), and Queen of the Desert (2015). With the notable exception of Lion (2016), things looked awfully bleak for Kidmaniacs stateside heading into a post-presidential election year...
Wow. The power of women.
I remember Nicole Kidman's speech at the 2018 Golden Globes like it was yesterday. You certainly could sense a genuine sisterhood between the five principle stars of Big Little Lies, HBO's unexpectedly titanic, initially limited series. Amid the backdrop of #MeToo, it was quite a moment for Nicole Kidman and company.
The actress's output in the 2010s was, charitably, something of a mixed bag. For every dazzling turn in Rabbit Hole (2010), The Paperboy (2012), or Paddington (2014), there were plenty of barely released (if at all) misfires like Tresspass (2011), The Railway Man (2013), and Queen of the Desert (2015). With the notable exception of Lion (2016), things looked awfully bleak for Kidmaniacs stateside heading into a post-presidential election year...
- 7/5/2024
- by Mark Brinkerhoff
- FilmExperience
Disney is hoping to perk up the summer box office with eagerly-anticipated Pixar sequel Inside Out 2 at 684 sites, making it this weekend’s widest new release.
Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust return for the follow-up, that once again dives into the emotional fabric of lead character Riley. This time, puberty has turned up, and it’s bringing with it Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, and Ennui, portrayed by Adèle Exarchopoulos. Returning voice cast members include Amy Poehler and Kyle MacLachlan. Kelsey Mann directs.
The first film, back in 2015, opened to £7.4m from 608 sites.
Re-releases out this weekend include...
Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust return for the follow-up, that once again dives into the emotional fabric of lead character Riley. This time, puberty has turned up, and it’s bringing with it Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, and Ennui, portrayed by Adèle Exarchopoulos. Returning voice cast members include Amy Poehler and Kyle MacLachlan. Kelsey Mann directs.
The first film, back in 2015, opened to £7.4m from 608 sites.
Re-releases out this weekend include...
- 6/14/2024
- ScreenDaily
Peacock has announced the lineup of movies, TV shows, and live sports that will be available on the streaming service in June. The Peacock June 2024 schedule includes Monkey Man, Love Island USA Season 6, The Valley season finale, Olympic Trials, Pride Month programming, and more.
This month’s sizzling line-up takes us back to the hottest villa on TV to meet a new group of bombshells in Season 6 of Love Island USA (premiering exclusively on Peacock on June 11). Grab a glass of wine for an extended and uncensored version of the season finale of The Valley, premiering Wednesday, June 5, exclusively on Peacock.
The streaming service will also offer titles like The Continental (season one is streaming now), the first three John Wick movies, Gladiator, and a trio of films from The Bourne franchise arriving June 1. Plus, don’t miss WWE’s legendary Clash at the Castle: Scotland in Glasgow on June 15 live on Peacock.
This month’s sizzling line-up takes us back to the hottest villa on TV to meet a new group of bombshells in Season 6 of Love Island USA (premiering exclusively on Peacock on June 11). Grab a glass of wine for an extended and uncensored version of the season finale of The Valley, premiering Wednesday, June 5, exclusively on Peacock.
The streaming service will also offer titles like The Continental (season one is streaming now), the first three John Wick movies, Gladiator, and a trio of films from The Bourne franchise arriving June 1. Plus, don’t miss WWE’s legendary Clash at the Castle: Scotland in Glasgow on June 15 live on Peacock.
- 5/23/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
Exclusive: Stephan Elliott, who directed the celebrated cult classic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, tells this column that a sequel “is happening” and that the original movie’s stars Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving are back “on board” 30 years after the film’s initial release.
“I’m not repeating myself, we’ll start the new film in Australia, but by God, we’re going on one helluva journey,” Elliott reveals.
“The original cast is on board, I’ve got a script that everybody likes, we’re still working out deals. … It’s happening,” he adds with brio.
Since it played a midnight screening in Un Certain Regard at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, Priscilla has become a byword for glittering, extravagant excess. That was a party night to remember; except I was there and all I can remember is getting back to my hotel at 6 a.
“I’m not repeating myself, we’ll start the new film in Australia, but by God, we’re going on one helluva journey,” Elliott reveals.
“The original cast is on board, I’ve got a script that everybody likes, we’re still working out deals. … It’s happening,” he adds with brio.
Since it played a midnight screening in Un Certain Regard at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, Priscilla has become a byword for glittering, extravagant excess. That was a party night to remember; except I was there and all I can remember is getting back to my hotel at 6 a.
- 4/19/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Thirty years after Priscilla, Queen of the Desert thrust him on to the international stage, the actor discusses tiring of Hollywood villains and his most challenging role yet
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Hugo Weaving is striding down Wharf 4 in Sydney’s Walsh Bay where the wind is kicking up and dark rain clouds are building. Tall and lanky, he is dressed in his signature black rehearsal jeans and T-shirt, black work boots on his feet, reading glasses hooked on his shirt neck.
He approaches with open arms, as if he might hug, but settles for a warm handshake before a quick photoshoot. Passersby stop for a look. He is recognised, perhaps from his roles in The Lord of the Rings and The Matrix, but today at least, no one approaches him for a selfie.
As we set out for a lunchtime stroll up and down the Walsh Bay wharves,...
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Hugo Weaving is striding down Wharf 4 in Sydney’s Walsh Bay where the wind is kicking up and dark rain clouds are building. Tall and lanky, he is dressed in his signature black rehearsal jeans and T-shirt, black work boots on his feet, reading glasses hooked on his shirt neck.
He approaches with open arms, as if he might hug, but settles for a warm handshake before a quick photoshoot. Passersby stop for a look. He is recognised, perhaps from his roles in The Lord of the Rings and The Matrix, but today at least, no one approaches him for a selfie.
As we set out for a lunchtime stroll up and down the Walsh Bay wharves,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Elissa Blake
- The Guardian - Film News
Not long after the 1994 film became a smash hit, the titular bus disappeared. Where did it go? Who had it? And could it be recovered before it was too late?
Thirty years ago, a humble silver bus was transformed into a cinematic icon when the low-budget Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert became a heart-warming, Oscar-winning smash hit.
But for years, no one has known where the bus used in Stephan Elliott’s film went. Not long after the 38-day shoot finished in 1993, it seemingly vanished without a trace. This did not stop countless Australians from claiming they either owned it or knew who owned it, or that they had spotted it somewhere up and down the country.
Thirty years ago, a humble silver bus was transformed into a cinematic icon when the low-budget Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert became a heart-warming, Oscar-winning smash hit.
But for years, no one has known where the bus used in Stephan Elliott’s film went. Not long after the 38-day shoot finished in 1993, it seemingly vanished without a trace. This did not stop countless Australians from claiming they either owned it or knew who owned it, or that they had spotted it somewhere up and down the country.
- 4/11/2024
- by Sian Cain
- The Guardian - Film News
Stars: Trinity The Tuck, Heidi N Closet, Crystal Methyd, Cara Melle, Neil Sandilands, Donia Kash, Gabriel Harry Meltz, Daniel Janks, Gustav Rossouw | Written and Directed by Jem Garrard
At a time when hate and intolerance towards the LGBTQ+ community is on the rise, I wanted to write a horror comedy with heart that showcased drag queens and queers as the heroes. Drag queens have always been a symbol of resistance and resilience, so seeing them kick-ass against a bunch of blood-sucking vampires felt like a comical, yet pointed allegory.
– Jem Garrard, writer/director, Slay
Slay is what you might get if you mixed From Dusk Till Dawn with To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Only, instead of putting Hollywood actors in drag, cast lead roles with contestants from RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Four drag queens, Mama Sue Flay (Trinity The Tuck), Robin Banks,...
At a time when hate and intolerance towards the LGBTQ+ community is on the rise, I wanted to write a horror comedy with heart that showcased drag queens and queers as the heroes. Drag queens have always been a symbol of resistance and resilience, so seeing them kick-ass against a bunch of blood-sucking vampires felt like a comical, yet pointed allegory.
– Jem Garrard, writer/director, Slay
Slay is what you might get if you mixed From Dusk Till Dawn with To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Only, instead of putting Hollywood actors in drag, cast lead roles with contestants from RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Four drag queens, Mama Sue Flay (Trinity The Tuck), Robin Banks,...
- 3/29/2024
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
Park Circus is continuing to release brilliant old films in UK cinemas. Next up, The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert.
After it announced that it’s bringing two of Danny Boyle’s breakthrough films back in UK cinemas in May, Park Circus is also getting ready to bring another classic to the big screen.
From 14th June, you can catch The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert in cinemas if you missed it back in 1994 when it was first released – or just want to revisit a much-loved classic on the big screen.
The film follows two drag queens and a transgender woman as they board the titular bus Priscilla to journey across the Australian outback. They meet all kinds of characters on their journey from Sydney to Alice Springs for a job at the Lasseters Hotel Casino Resort.
Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce and Terence Stamp star in the film,...
After it announced that it’s bringing two of Danny Boyle’s breakthrough films back in UK cinemas in May, Park Circus is also getting ready to bring another classic to the big screen.
From 14th June, you can catch The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert in cinemas if you missed it back in 1994 when it was first released – or just want to revisit a much-loved classic on the big screen.
The film follows two drag queens and a transgender woman as they board the titular bus Priscilla to journey across the Australian outback. They meet all kinds of characters on their journey from Sydney to Alice Springs for a job at the Lasseters Hotel Casino Resort.
Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce and Terence Stamp star in the film,...
- 3/21/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert premiered to a rapturous, midnight-screening reception at Cannes on May 15, 1994. The tart, feel-good comedy follows a trio of Sydney drag queens — Terrence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce — who travel by bus (that’s Priscilla) to a gig in the Outback, finding their way into hijinks and eye-popping outfits along the way. The film became a crossover sensation and even won an Oscar for its costumes (this despite having a costume budget of approximately $5,000). Its writer-director Stephan Elliott joins THR‘s It Happened in Hollywood podcast this week to reveal all about this making of the comedy classic on the cusp of its 30th birthday. Here are five facinating takeaways from the episode:
Guy Pearce Was Desperate to Shed his Soap Opera Image
Pearce was 26 and well-known to Australian and U.K. audiences at the time as the star of Neighbors, the popular soap,...
Guy Pearce Was Desperate to Shed his Soap Opera Image
Pearce was 26 and well-known to Australian and U.K. audiences at the time as the star of Neighbors, the popular soap,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Seth Abramovitch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
April Ferry, the Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning costume designer known for her work on Big Trouble in Little China, Maverick, Rome and Game of Thrones, died Thursday, the Costume Designers Guild announced. She was 91.
Ferry, who graduated to costume designer on Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill (1983), collaborated with John Hughes on Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), She’s Having a Baby (1988) and Flubber (1997) and with Jonathan Mostow on U-571 (2000), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and Surrogates (2009).
She received her Academy Award nom for Richard Donner’s reimagining of Maverick (1994) — she lost out to Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on Oscar night — and won her Emmy in 2006 for HBO’s Rome.
Her résumé also included Made in Heaven (1987), Child’s Play (1988), The Babe (1992), Donner’s Radio Flyer (1992), Unlawful Entry (1992), Free Willy (1993), Beethoven’s 2nd (1993), Little Giants (1994), Donnie Darko (2001), Elysium (2013), RoboCop (2014) and Jurassic World (2015).
In 2014, she...
Ferry, who graduated to costume designer on Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill (1983), collaborated with John Hughes on Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), She’s Having a Baby (1988) and Flubber (1997) and with Jonathan Mostow on U-571 (2000), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and Surrogates (2009).
She received her Academy Award nom for Richard Donner’s reimagining of Maverick (1994) — she lost out to Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on Oscar night — and won her Emmy in 2006 for HBO’s Rome.
Her résumé also included Made in Heaven (1987), Child’s Play (1988), The Babe (1992), Donner’s Radio Flyer (1992), Unlawful Entry (1992), Free Willy (1993), Beethoven’s 2nd (1993), Little Giants (1994), Donnie Darko (2001), Elysium (2013), RoboCop (2014) and Jurassic World (2015).
In 2014, she...
- 1/12/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Perhaps no single theatrical image sums up Broadway’s 2023 more effectively than Jessica Chastain’s Nora leaving her dreary, unfulfilled doll house life to exit directly into the unlimited possibilities of an honest-to-god New York City street.
Unless maybe it’s that huge tree that sprouts up smack dab in the middle of an abandoned Southern plantation home after the Appropriate cast has left the stage, a gut-punch reminder that the sins of a nation’s past don’t just wither away because we don’t want to see them.
Or maybe it was Leslie Odom Jr. delivering that eulogy-coda in Purlie Victorious, blessing his “Africanic brothers” — and the audience — with the words “Now may the Constitution of the United States go with you; the Declaration of Independence stand by you; the Bill of Rights protect you; and the State Commission Against Discrimination keep the eyes of the law upon you,...
Unless maybe it’s that huge tree that sprouts up smack dab in the middle of an abandoned Southern plantation home after the Appropriate cast has left the stage, a gut-punch reminder that the sins of a nation’s past don’t just wither away because we don’t want to see them.
Or maybe it was Leslie Odom Jr. delivering that eulogy-coda in Purlie Victorious, blessing his “Africanic brothers” — and the audience — with the words “Now may the Constitution of the United States go with you; the Declaration of Independence stand by you; the Bill of Rights protect you; and the State Commission Against Discrimination keep the eyes of the law upon you,...
- 12/29/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
At the time of its 1978 release, "Superman" was one of the most expensive films ever made, boasting a $55 million budget. To tell the story of the famous Man of Steel — an out-of-this-world superhero of immense strength that stood for American values — director Richard Donner's film had to be larger-than-life. The colors were vivid, the airborne special effects were (at the time) groundbreaking, and it had an outstanding cast that truly brought these beloved comic book characters to life and treated them as dynamic individuals.
Christopher Reeve, especially, gives a spectacular performance in the lead role. What he does best is clearly mark the differences and tension between his naive, dweeby alter ego Clark Kent and the formidable Superman. You can literally see and hear the changes in his persona through the way he carries himself and uses his voice. Margot Kidder is his perfect romantic foil as the spunky Lois Lane,...
Christopher Reeve, especially, gives a spectacular performance in the lead role. What he does best is clearly mark the differences and tension between his naive, dweeby alter ego Clark Kent and the formidable Superman. You can literally see and hear the changes in his persona through the way he carries himself and uses his voice. Margot Kidder is his perfect romantic foil as the spunky Lois Lane,...
- 11/30/2023
- by Caroline Madden
- Slash Film
The only thing better than a free thing is more of that free thing. This month, Amazon’s ad-supported streamer Freevee is adding dozens of new titles to its existing library of thousands, and no matter your choice (or choices), Freevee titles are available for free on the platform with no additional membership required, so you can watch without an additional hit to the bank account this holiday season!
Take a tour through both the classic and current this December, including the 1950s classic film noir “The Night of the Hunter,” the queer history classic “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” and the complete series collection of “Night Court,” “The Waltons,” and more.
Once you brush up on your history, catch up with the contemporaries, such as the beloved sci-fi series “Fringe”, the animated hit “Hotel Transylvania,” and the superhero black comedy “Kick-Ass.”
Check out The Streamable’s...
Take a tour through both the classic and current this December, including the 1950s classic film noir “The Night of the Hunter,” the queer history classic “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” and the complete series collection of “Night Court,” “The Waltons,” and more.
Once you brush up on your history, catch up with the contemporaries, such as the beloved sci-fi series “Fringe”, the animated hit “Hotel Transylvania,” and the superhero black comedy “Kick-Ass.”
Check out The Streamable’s...
- 11/29/2023
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
It was South Australia’s last drive-in cinema – a scene in Priscilla was even filmed there. The historic screen lasted 50 years but couldn’t survive furious winds
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The closure of a drive-in rarely makes the news but Coober Pedy’s is no ordinary drive-in. Since it was built by volunteers in 1965 it has served as a meeting point for the remote opal mining community, itself immortalised on film in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. For decades miners turned up in their utes, still filled with mining equipment and gelignite. As beer was sold at the drive-in, the operators had to ban patrons from bringing along explosives.
But curtains have now closed on South Australia’s last drive-in after furious winds reaching almost 120km/h ripped through the town on 15 November, leaving the screen in tatters.
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The closure of a drive-in rarely makes the news but Coober Pedy’s is no ordinary drive-in. Since it was built by volunteers in 1965 it has served as a meeting point for the remote opal mining community, itself immortalised on film in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. For decades miners turned up in their utes, still filled with mining equipment and gelignite. As beer was sold at the drive-in, the operators had to ban patrons from bringing along explosives.
But curtains have now closed on South Australia’s last drive-in after furious winds reaching almost 120km/h ripped through the town on 15 November, leaving the screen in tatters.
- 11/25/2023
- by Amanda Lee
- The Guardian - Film News
The prestigious London Indian Film Festival is ready to once again showcase outstanding films in its Autumn programme. This extraordinary festival, running from 25th October to 4th November, will feature incredible films with many Indian and South Asian premieres, as well as classic movies and even a first web series preview. Plus, so much more!
The festival is expanding and bringing even more excellence with screenings and special events in 5 different locations, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, and Bradford.
Berlin
It starts in London with the European premiere of the fast-paced whodunnit espionage drama Berlin. From writer and director Atul Sabharwal, this compelling spy thriller stars Aparshakti Khurana (Jubilee) as a young sign language teacher lured into the dark world of espionage. Undercover security forces coerce him to interrogate a young deaf man, powerfully played by Ishwak Singh (Rocket Boys), accused of spying. Veteran actor Kabir Bedi also features in a commanding cameo.
The festival is expanding and bringing even more excellence with screenings and special events in 5 different locations, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, and Bradford.
Berlin
It starts in London with the European premiere of the fast-paced whodunnit espionage drama Berlin. From writer and director Atul Sabharwal, this compelling spy thriller stars Aparshakti Khurana (Jubilee) as a young sign language teacher lured into the dark world of espionage. Undercover security forces coerce him to interrogate a young deaf man, powerfully played by Ishwak Singh (Rocket Boys), accused of spying. Veteran actor Kabir Bedi also features in a commanding cameo.
- 10/8/2023
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Will Swenson will play his final performance as Neil Diamond in Broadway’s A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical on Sunday, Oct. 29, producers announced today.
A replacement for the starring role will be announced at a future date.
“It’s been the thrill of a lifetime to get to stand in Neil’s shoes,” Swenson said in a statement. “It’s been such an incredible honor to get to know Neil, to tell his powerful story, and bring his amazing songs to Broadway audiences every night. I’m immensely proud of the moving, beautiful show we made. I will miss it very much.”
A reason for Swenson’s departure was not disclosed, but his planned departure date suggests a year-long contract coming to a close: He and the bio-musical began previews at the Broadhurst Theatre last Nov. 2 (official opening was Dec. 4).
“Making A Beautiful Noise with Will Swenson was a deep and wonderful experience,...
A replacement for the starring role will be announced at a future date.
“It’s been the thrill of a lifetime to get to stand in Neil’s shoes,” Swenson said in a statement. “It’s been such an incredible honor to get to know Neil, to tell his powerful story, and bring his amazing songs to Broadway audiences every night. I’m immensely proud of the moving, beautiful show we made. I will miss it very much.”
A reason for Swenson’s departure was not disclosed, but his planned departure date suggests a year-long contract coming to a close: He and the bio-musical began previews at the Broadhurst Theatre last Nov. 2 (official opening was Dec. 4).
“Making A Beautiful Noise with Will Swenson was a deep and wonderful experience,...
- 9/28/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Werner Herzog And Peter Zeitlinger Set For Camerimage Honors
Camerimage’s special award for cinematographer-director duos will be handed to Werner Herzog and Peter Zeitlinger. Both filmmakers will receive the award in person at Camerimage’s upcoming 31st edition, where they will meet with the festival audience in Toruń, Poland, and present a retrospective review of their films, including both feature and documentary productions. Zeitlinger and Herzog have collaborated for 30 years. Alongside their first joint venture, Death for Five Voices (1995), their productions include the documentaries Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997), My Best Fiend (1999), Wheel of Time (2003), Grizzly Man (2005), Encounters at the End of the World (2007), Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010), Into the Abyss (2011), From One Second to the Next (2013), Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World (2016), Into the Inferno (2016), Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds (2020), Theatre of Thought (2022), and the feature films Invincible (2001), Rescue Dawn (2006), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), My Son,...
Camerimage’s special award for cinematographer-director duos will be handed to Werner Herzog and Peter Zeitlinger. Both filmmakers will receive the award in person at Camerimage’s upcoming 31st edition, where they will meet with the festival audience in Toruń, Poland, and present a retrospective review of their films, including both feature and documentary productions. Zeitlinger and Herzog have collaborated for 30 years. Alongside their first joint venture, Death for Five Voices (1995), their productions include the documentaries Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997), My Best Fiend (1999), Wheel of Time (2003), Grizzly Man (2005), Encounters at the End of the World (2007), Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010), Into the Abyss (2011), From One Second to the Next (2013), Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World (2016), Into the Inferno (2016), Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds (2020), Theatre of Thought (2022), and the feature films Invincible (2001), Rescue Dawn (2006), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), My Son,...
- 8/24/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Clockwise from top left: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert (MGM), Tangerine (Magnolia Pictures), The Birdcage (MGM), Moonlight (Lionsgate)Graphic: AVClub
June means Pride Month, and Pride Month means celebrating queer art—which we could all use more of given the current state of things. In the spirit of 2023 Pride,...
June means Pride Month, and Pride Month means celebrating queer art—which we could all use more of given the current state of things. In the spirit of 2023 Pride,...
- 6/1/2023
- by Richard Newby, Manuel Betancourt, Brandon Kirby, Jack Smart, Alison Foreman
- avclub.com
From trans lives to celebrations of drag, queer film pulled no punches as it hit screens in the 90s with a DIY bravura that transformed the movie industry
Queer film exploded like a glitter cannon in the 1990s, sending sparkling product raining down in every direction. Trans lives hit the screen in Orlando and Boys Don’t Cry, alongside dynamic bulletins from the Black queer experience. We had jubilant celebrations of drag with Paris Is Burning and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, provocations from New Queer Cinema in the shape of Poison, Swoon and Edward II; there were auteurist masterpieces and timeless coming-out stories. The Wachowski sisters, Lisa Cholodenko, François Ozon and Bruce Labruce all made their debuts; Pedro Almodóvar and Gus Van Sant went stratospheric. Benefiting from a surge in the fortunes of independent cinema, and a defined focus for anger brought about by Aids activism, queer...
Queer film exploded like a glitter cannon in the 1990s, sending sparkling product raining down in every direction. Trans lives hit the screen in Orlando and Boys Don’t Cry, alongside dynamic bulletins from the Black queer experience. We had jubilant celebrations of drag with Paris Is Burning and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, provocations from New Queer Cinema in the shape of Poison, Swoon and Edward II; there were auteurist masterpieces and timeless coming-out stories. The Wachowski sisters, Lisa Cholodenko, François Ozon and Bruce Labruce all made their debuts; Pedro Almodóvar and Gus Van Sant went stratospheric. Benefiting from a surge in the fortunes of independent cinema, and a defined focus for anger brought about by Aids activism, queer...
- 5/26/2023
- by Ryan Gilbey
- The Guardian - Film News
Rebel Wilson is set to direct her first feature, The Deb, a musical set in Australia “that brings the bush into the city.”
The Deb was written by Hannah Reilly and Meg Washington based on a stage show that Wilson championed when it premiered at Sydney’s Australian Theatre for Young People (Atyp) in 2022. Wilson revealed that she also will co-star in the film and told us that two songs not used in the stage production will be featured in the film.
Amanda Ghost, Len Blavatnik and Gregor Cameron are producing through their company Unigram (Tetris) and sister company AI Film.
Shooting on locations in Sydney and rural New South Wales starting in September, The Deb will be produced in partnership with Wilson’s Camp Sugar Productions and award-winning Australian producer Bunya Productions. Danny Cohen executive...
The Deb was written by Hannah Reilly and Meg Washington based on a stage show that Wilson championed when it premiered at Sydney’s Australian Theatre for Young People (Atyp) in 2022. Wilson revealed that she also will co-star in the film and told us that two songs not used in the stage production will be featured in the film.
Amanda Ghost, Len Blavatnik and Gregor Cameron are producing through their company Unigram (Tetris) and sister company AI Film.
Shooting on locations in Sydney and rural New South Wales starting in September, The Deb will be produced in partnership with Wilson’s Camp Sugar Productions and award-winning Australian producer Bunya Productions. Danny Cohen executive...
- 5/24/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Rebel Wilson is getting behind the camera and has lined up her first feature as director.
The Deb, in which Wilson will also co-star, will be a musical comedy set in rural Australia, produced by Amanda Ghost, Len Blavatnik, and Gregor Cameron via their company Unigram (Tetris) and sister company AI Film (I, Tonya, Hacksaw Ridge).
Adapted from of the original hit musical of the same name — which debuted to critical acclaim in Australia — The Deb will be produced in partnership with Rebel Wilson’s Camp Sugar Productions (Senior Year, The Hustle) and award-winning Australian producer Bunya Productions (The Drover’s Wife, Mystery Road). Danny Cohen executive produces on behalf of Blavatnik’s Access Entertainment.
Originally premiering at Sydney’s Australian Theatre for Young People (Atyp) in 2022, The Deb stage production was written by Hannah Reilly (Sheilas, Growing up Gracefully) and includes original songs from singer-songwriter Meg Washington (The Beach...
The Deb, in which Wilson will also co-star, will be a musical comedy set in rural Australia, produced by Amanda Ghost, Len Blavatnik, and Gregor Cameron via their company Unigram (Tetris) and sister company AI Film (I, Tonya, Hacksaw Ridge).
Adapted from of the original hit musical of the same name — which debuted to critical acclaim in Australia — The Deb will be produced in partnership with Rebel Wilson’s Camp Sugar Productions (Senior Year, The Hustle) and award-winning Australian producer Bunya Productions (The Drover’s Wife, Mystery Road). Danny Cohen executive produces on behalf of Blavatnik’s Access Entertainment.
Originally premiering at Sydney’s Australian Theatre for Young People (Atyp) in 2022, The Deb stage production was written by Hannah Reilly (Sheilas, Growing up Gracefully) and includes original songs from singer-songwriter Meg Washington (The Beach...
- 5/24/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rebel Wilson is directing her first feature film with musical comedy “The Deb,” a big-screen adaptation of an Australian musical set in the outback.
The film is produced by Amanda Ghost, Len Blavatnik, and Gregor Cameron via their company Unigram, which recently produced Apple TV+ movie “Tetris,” and sister outfit AI Film. The project was launched around the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, at a private event aboard billionaire investor Blavatnik’s yacht, where cast members from the Aussie musical performed a number of songs on the vessel’s upper deck.
Blavatnik, sporting a baseball cap with branding for the movie, introduced the singers, making it clear to the intimate gathering aboard his three-floor yacht that he was an enthusiastic backer of the project and, indeed, Wilson.
Variety caught up on the boat with the “Pitch Perfect” star, who also has a role in the film. “Because I’ve been...
The film is produced by Amanda Ghost, Len Blavatnik, and Gregor Cameron via their company Unigram, which recently produced Apple TV+ movie “Tetris,” and sister outfit AI Film. The project was launched around the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, at a private event aboard billionaire investor Blavatnik’s yacht, where cast members from the Aussie musical performed a number of songs on the vessel’s upper deck.
Blavatnik, sporting a baseball cap with branding for the movie, introduced the singers, making it clear to the intimate gathering aboard his three-floor yacht that he was an enthusiastic backer of the project and, indeed, Wilson.
Variety caught up on the boat with the “Pitch Perfect” star, who also has a role in the film. “Because I’ve been...
- 5/24/2023
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
A Spy Among Friends star Guy Pearce has issued a lengthy apology after wading in on the debate around film and television roles for trans actors. Pearce, who played drag queen Felicia Jollygoodfellow in the 1994 road movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, took to Twitter on Monday, March 27, to share his thoughts on whether non-trans actors should be able to play trans characters. “A question – if the only people allowed to play trans characters r trans folk, then r we also suggesting the only people trans folk can play r trans characters,” the Mare of Easttown actor wrote in a now-deleted tweet. “Surely that will limit ur career as an actor? Isn’t the point of an actor to be able play anyone outside ur own world?” Some commenters on the tweet pointed out how few trans roles are available; therefore, those parts should go to trans people.
- 3/29/2023
- TV Insider
LA Confidential and Memento star Guy Pearce has made a lengthy apology after tweeting about the debate around roles for trans actors.
Pearce, whose breakout role was as a drag queen in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, had questioned the debate around trans actors playing both trans and non-trans characters in a now-deleted tweet.
Pearce had written: “A question – if the only people allowed to play trans characters r trans folk, then r we also suggesting the only people trans folk can play r trans characters. Surely that will limit ur career as an actor? Isn’t the point of an actor to be able play anyone outside ur own world?”
He had then engaged with several respondents, debating the roles available to trans actors and saying this was “a very different point” to the one he was making.
Today he issued a long letter on Twitter,...
Pearce, whose breakout role was as a drag queen in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, had questioned the debate around trans actors playing both trans and non-trans characters in a now-deleted tweet.
Pearce had written: “A question – if the only people allowed to play trans characters r trans folk, then r we also suggesting the only people trans folk can play r trans characters. Surely that will limit ur career as an actor? Isn’t the point of an actor to be able play anyone outside ur own world?”
He had then engaged with several respondents, debating the roles available to trans actors and saying this was “a very different point” to the one he was making.
Today he issued a long letter on Twitter,...
- 3/29/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
In the 1990s and early 2000s, the Academy Awards red carpet underwent a sea change. During the nascent era of the celebrity stylist, fearless stars not only began donning high-end designer labels (like awards show pioneer Armani) but also flouted traditional Oscar dress-code decorum in new ways, sometimes inviting the wrath of prevailing critics.
Among the looks that shook things up — and made an indelible impression on fashion and pop culture — were Sharon Stone’s proto-high-low dressing, Jada Pinkett Smith’s sensational two-piece set, actresses in one-of-a-kind vintage looks and a still controversial aughties affectation (the whale tail).
Nearly three decades later, the influence of the era’s Oscar red carpet can be seen all over the TikTok generation, Fall 2023 runways and, yes, once again on recent awards-season red carpets.
Sartorial Protest
In 1995, Lizzy Gardiner accepted her Oscar in a gown she created out of 254 American Express gold cards. The Adventures of Priscilla,...
Among the looks that shook things up — and made an indelible impression on fashion and pop culture — were Sharon Stone’s proto-high-low dressing, Jada Pinkett Smith’s sensational two-piece set, actresses in one-of-a-kind vintage looks and a still controversial aughties affectation (the whale tail).
Nearly three decades later, the influence of the era’s Oscar red carpet can be seen all over the TikTok generation, Fall 2023 runways and, yes, once again on recent awards-season red carpets.
Sartorial Protest
In 1995, Lizzy Gardiner accepted her Oscar in a gown she created out of 254 American Express gold cards. The Adventures of Priscilla,...
- 3/10/2023
- by Fawnia Soo Hoo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
One wonders what Ingeborg Bachmann — the celebrated Austrian poet, author, linguist and thinker who became a darling of the midcentury, continental European literary set — would make of the staunchly old-fashioned Margarethe von Trotta biopic that now bears her name. She might be happy to be portrayed by Vicky Krieps — who among us would not be? She might be gratified by the occasional mention of one of her poems or lectures, and the nice amber tinge to Martin Gschlacht’s stately photography. Or she might be justifiably miffed that for all she achieved across a glittering, eccentric literary career, it is her rocky personal life and the men who rocked it, that are the film’s sole, stultifying focus.
Then again, the movie’s Bachmann would be unlikely to have much time to think on the issue at all, being far too busy agonizing over the grand dramatic tragedy of a soured romance.
Then again, the movie’s Bachmann would be unlikely to have much time to think on the issue at all, being far too busy agonizing over the grand dramatic tragedy of a soured romance.
- 2/19/2023
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Rose Byrne is detailing what it was like getting Dolly Parton’s blessing for Seriously Red and transforming into her Elvis Presley.
In an interview with Collider, published online Saturday, the Insidious star said she drove from Atlanta to Chattanooga, Tennessee to meet with the singer’s longtime manager, Danny Nozell, because “we knew without Dolly there was just no way we could do it [the film].”
“We had to try to get this script in [to] her, and to get her blessing, and to see if she could help us get the music,” she said. “If we didn’t have the music, it would’ve been very different. I don’t know what the movie would’ve become, but it certainly wouldn’t have been a Dolly Parton impersonator.”
Byrne said Nozell, who was a champion of the film, got it to Parton. “Within a few weeks, she said, ‘Yeah, I really love it.
In an interview with Collider, published online Saturday, the Insidious star said she drove from Atlanta to Chattanooga, Tennessee to meet with the singer’s longtime manager, Danny Nozell, because “we knew without Dolly there was just no way we could do it [the film].”
“We had to try to get this script in [to] her, and to get her blessing, and to see if she could help us get the music,” she said. “If we didn’t have the music, it would’ve been very different. I don’t know what the movie would’ve become, but it certainly wouldn’t have been a Dolly Parton impersonator.”
Byrne said Nozell, who was a champion of the film, got it to Parton. “Within a few weeks, she said, ‘Yeah, I really love it.
- 2/12/2023
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Will Swenson will reprise his Boston performance in A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical when the production moves to Broadway this fall, producers confirmed today.
Swenson will be joined in New York by his Boston costars Mark Jacoby (Swenson and Jacoby play Diamond at different stages of the icon’s life), Robyn Hurder as Marcia, and Linda Powell as Doctor.
The castings were announced today by producers Ken Davenport and Bob Gaudio. A Beautiful Noise begins previews Wednesday, November 2 ahead of a Sunday, December 4 opening night at the Broadhurst Theatre.
Rounding out the cast will be Jessie Fisher, Michael McCormick, Tom Alan Robbins, and Bri Sudia as Ellie Greenwich and Rose Diamond.
Director Michael Mayer said in a statement, “I’m excited to bring our stunning company to the Broadhurst this fall to celebrate the music and life of Neil Diamond. His exceptional career speaks for itself, and I...
Swenson will be joined in New York by his Boston costars Mark Jacoby (Swenson and Jacoby play Diamond at different stages of the icon’s life), Robyn Hurder as Marcia, and Linda Powell as Doctor.
The castings were announced today by producers Ken Davenport and Bob Gaudio. A Beautiful Noise begins previews Wednesday, November 2 ahead of a Sunday, December 4 opening night at the Broadhurst Theatre.
Rounding out the cast will be Jessie Fisher, Michael McCormick, Tom Alan Robbins, and Bri Sudia as Ellie Greenwich and Rose Diamond.
Director Michael Mayer said in a statement, “I’m excited to bring our stunning company to the Broadhurst this fall to celebrate the music and life of Neil Diamond. His exceptional career speaks for itself, and I...
- 9/6/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Werner Herzog turned 80 on September 5, and he did so at a place that loves him dearly (and where he serves as an executive director): the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado. There, you can be immersed in the festival’s fare thanks to a booming, massive theater named for the enigmatic director, smack-dab next to a mountain where you can tempt your own “Grizzly Man” experience. With such birthday timing, the festival world premieres an affectionate but broad documentary about his career, “Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer,” which distinctly takes a more literal route to understanding such an enigmatic figure.
Read More: Venice Film Festival Preview: 16 Must-See Films To Watch
An oeuvre and mind like Herzog’s can inspire many entertaining third-person observations, which this movie shares right off the bat, like toasts at a party. Robert Pattinson (Herzog’s “Queen of the Desert”) remarks that “It’s impossible to see...
Read More: Venice Film Festival Preview: 16 Must-See Films To Watch
An oeuvre and mind like Herzog’s can inspire many entertaining third-person observations, which this movie shares right off the bat, like toasts at a party. Robert Pattinson (Herzog’s “Queen of the Desert”) remarks that “It’s impossible to see...
- 9/5/2022
- by Nick Allen
- The Playlist
Iconic Events Releasing is kicking off Pride Month on June 2 with a nationwide rerelease of MGM’s Oscar-winning movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Released in 1994, the Stephan Elliott directed and written title starred Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving, and Guy Pearce as a trio of performers who take their drag show on the road to perform at a small -town casino in the middle of the Australian desert, and for a host of locals throughout the rural Outback. The movie featured stellar Oscar-winning costumes by Lizzy Gardiner (who stole the Oscar show with a dress made out of 254 American Express Gold cards) and Tim Chappel with a soundtrack that included such classics as Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and Abba’s “Mamma Mia,”. The pic is known for blazing a trail on the big screen for its LGBT themes, becoming a landmark title in LGBT cinema.
Released in 1994, the Stephan Elliott directed and written title starred Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving, and Guy Pearce as a trio of performers who take their drag show on the road to perform at a small -town casino in the middle of the Australian desert, and for a host of locals throughout the rural Outback. The movie featured stellar Oscar-winning costumes by Lizzy Gardiner (who stole the Oscar show with a dress made out of 254 American Express Gold cards) and Tim Chappel with a soundtrack that included such classics as Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and Abba’s “Mamma Mia,”. The pic is known for blazing a trail on the big screen for its LGBT themes, becoming a landmark title in LGBT cinema.
- 5/10/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The Masked Singer has found itself in the middle of political controversy during its current seventh season after Deadline revealed that Rudy Giuliani was one of the contestants. Donald Trump’s lawyer was unmasked this week on the Fox reality competition series.
But for executive producer Craig Plestis, who brought the Korean format to the U.S., the challenge remains the same for every season.
“For us, it’s always that struggle, what can we do that’s different, that’s exciting to get the viewers engaged more. This season with [the show’s tagline] ‘The Good, The Bad and the Cuddly’ and having them challenge each other is just another way to keep it fresh and inviting for the viewers. It’s a challenge to keep it fresh and reimagine it as much as possible while keeping the core of who is under the balance,” he said during the show’s panel at...
But for executive producer Craig Plestis, who brought the Korean format to the U.S., the challenge remains the same for every season.
“For us, it’s always that struggle, what can we do that’s different, that’s exciting to get the viewers engaged more. This season with [the show’s tagline] ‘The Good, The Bad and the Cuddly’ and having them challenge each other is just another way to keep it fresh and inviting for the viewers. It’s a challenge to keep it fresh and reimagine it as much as possible while keeping the core of who is under the balance,” he said during the show’s panel at...
- 4/23/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Syrian-American actor Jay Abdo (“Hologram for the King”) is set to play the lead in “Broadcast,” a drama about the atrocities of the Syrian civil war that will mark the directorial debut of U.S. actor and producer Grant Cramer.
Cramer has produced several indie pics of various genres, including Afghanistan-set Special Forces thriller “Lone Survivor,” which was shot in New Mexico. He more recently produced the Nicolas Cage horror-comedy “Willy’s Wonderland.”
Cramer initially came on board “Broadcast” as a producer and subsequently made it his passion project and directorial debut, according to a statement.
Abdo (pictured) was a big star in Syria before fleeing his homeland for the U.S. to escape persecution after speaking out against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The actor is boarding “Broadcast” as both the pic’s protagonist and co-producer.
Once in the U.S., Abdo changed his first name from Jihad...
Cramer has produced several indie pics of various genres, including Afghanistan-set Special Forces thriller “Lone Survivor,” which was shot in New Mexico. He more recently produced the Nicolas Cage horror-comedy “Willy’s Wonderland.”
Cramer initially came on board “Broadcast” as a producer and subsequently made it his passion project and directorial debut, according to a statement.
Abdo (pictured) was a big star in Syria before fleeing his homeland for the U.S. to escape persecution after speaking out against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The actor is boarding “Broadcast” as both the pic’s protagonist and co-producer.
Once in the U.S., Abdo changed his first name from Jihad...
- 4/7/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment have co-acquired North American rights to The Forgiven, a starry thriller written and directed by John Michael McDonagh, which premiered at the 2021 Toronto Film Festival. Roadside will release the film in theaters next spring, with Vertical handling its digital rollout.
The Forgiven is based on the novel of the same name by Lawrence Osborne. It centers on wealthy Londoners David (Ralph Fiennes) and Jo Henninger (Jessica Chastain), who are involved in a tragic accident with a local teenage boy, after speeding through the Moroccan desert to attend an old friend’s lavish weekend party. Arriving late at the grand villa with the debauched party raging, the couple attempts to cover up the incident with the collusion of the local police. But when the boy’s father arrives seeking justice, the stage is set for a tension-filled culture clash in which David...
The Forgiven is based on the novel of the same name by Lawrence Osborne. It centers on wealthy Londoners David (Ralph Fiennes) and Jo Henninger (Jessica Chastain), who are involved in a tragic accident with a local teenage boy, after speeding through the Moroccan desert to attend an old friend’s lavish weekend party. Arriving late at the grand villa with the debauched party raging, the couple attempts to cover up the incident with the collusion of the local police. But when the boy’s father arrives seeking justice, the stage is set for a tension-filled culture clash in which David...
- 11/11/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Neighbours launched him, and since then the star of Memento and Zone 414 has seized his Hollywood roles with a unique intensity. He talks about death, drugs, being a dad and divorce
At the start of this century, Guy Pearce was sitting pretty. He had shaken off the frothy soap bubbles of Neighbours, where he was one of the show’s original batch of pin-ups, along with Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, and was proving himself a versatile film actor – first as a sharp-clawed drag artist in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, then as a clench-jawed cop in LA Confidential.
Awaiting release was the existential thriller Memento, directed by a promising up-and-comer named Christopher Nolan. First, though, he heard whispers that Kenneth Turan, the film critic of the LA Times, had been singing his praises in a review of the military courtroom drama Rules of Engagement.
Continue reading.
At the start of this century, Guy Pearce was sitting pretty. He had shaken off the frothy soap bubbles of Neighbours, where he was one of the show’s original batch of pin-ups, along with Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, and was proving himself a versatile film actor – first as a sharp-clawed drag artist in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, then as a clench-jawed cop in LA Confidential.
Awaiting release was the existential thriller Memento, directed by a promising up-and-comer named Christopher Nolan. First, though, he heard whispers that Kenneth Turan, the film critic of the LA Times, had been singing his praises in a review of the military courtroom drama Rules of Engagement.
Continue reading.
- 9/30/2021
- by Ryan Gilbey
- The Guardian - Film News
As predicted, Roadshow’s The Dry has crossed the $20 million mark.
This means the Robert Connolly film, based on Jane Harper’s best selling novel, is now the 14th highest grossing Australian film of all time, surpassing titles such as The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Muriel’s Wedding and The Dish (not adjusting for inflation).
And the mystery drama is likely to still have life in it, with star and producer Eric Bana doing a set of Q&As screenings this week.
“The astounding success of The Dry confirms what Roadshow has always known, that there will always be an appetite for quality Australian productions which can without a doubt rival their Hollywood counterparts at the box office,” said Roadshow Films CEO Joel Pearlman.
“We will continue working with local industry and our partners in exhibition to deliver these crowd favourites to the big screen.”
Now 12 weeks in release,...
This means the Robert Connolly film, based on Jane Harper’s best selling novel, is now the 14th highest grossing Australian film of all time, surpassing titles such as The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Muriel’s Wedding and The Dish (not adjusting for inflation).
And the mystery drama is likely to still have life in it, with star and producer Eric Bana doing a set of Q&As screenings this week.
“The astounding success of The Dry confirms what Roadshow has always known, that there will always be an appetite for quality Australian productions which can without a doubt rival their Hollywood counterparts at the box office,” said Roadshow Films CEO Joel Pearlman.
“We will continue working with local industry and our partners in exhibition to deliver these crowd favourites to the big screen.”
Now 12 weeks in release,...
- 3/22/2021
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Crime drama has ranked number one since start of year.
Cornerstone Films has closed a raft of deals with top buyers on Eric Bana crime drama and Australian box-office smash The Dry led by Leonine for German-speaking Europe.
The film has held on to the number one spot for five consecutive weeks since it opened via Roadshow Films on January 1 on A$3.5m (Usd $1.9m), a mighty debut for an independent feature.
The Dry currently stands at more than A$16m ($8.94m) and has overtaken Muriel’s Wedding and The Water Diviner to rank 17th on Australia’s all-time top...
Cornerstone Films has closed a raft of deals with top buyers on Eric Bana crime drama and Australian box-office smash The Dry led by Leonine for German-speaking Europe.
The film has held on to the number one spot for five consecutive weeks since it opened via Roadshow Films on January 1 on A$3.5m (Usd $1.9m), a mighty debut for an independent feature.
The Dry currently stands at more than A$16m ($8.94m) and has overtaken Muriel’s Wedding and The Water Diviner to rank 17th on Australia’s all-time top...
- 2/9/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
We’re finally at the point where filming is starting to wrap up on productions that were postponed or halted due to Covid-19 back in March. Studios have been able to work within the new safety protocols to finish films that can possibly be released in 2021, including the forthcoming drama “The Forgiven,” which is set to star Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain.
Read More: ‘The 355’: Jessica Chastain Responds To Casting Backlash Regarding Penélope Cruz
With the film having just wrapped up its production, after being shut down in March, Focus Features is ready to shed some light on who else stars in “The Forgiven.” So, now, according to Deadline, we know that Chastain and Fiennes are joined by Said Taghmaoui (“La Haine”), Caleb Landry Jones (“X-Men: First Class”), Matt Smith (“The Crown”), Christopher Abbott (“The Sinner”), Ismael Kanater (“Queen Of The Desert”), Marie-Josée Croze (“Munich”), Alex Jennings (“The Crown...
Read More: ‘The 355’: Jessica Chastain Responds To Casting Backlash Regarding Penélope Cruz
With the film having just wrapped up its production, after being shut down in March, Focus Features is ready to shed some light on who else stars in “The Forgiven.” So, now, according to Deadline, we know that Chastain and Fiennes are joined by Said Taghmaoui (“La Haine”), Caleb Landry Jones (“X-Men: First Class”), Matt Smith (“The Crown”), Christopher Abbott (“The Sinner”), Ismael Kanater (“Queen Of The Desert”), Marie-Josée Croze (“Munich”), Alex Jennings (“The Crown...
- 10/14/2020
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Thanks to the ever-growing popularity of RuPaul’s reality game-show, drag has become increasingly present in the public eye. Once an underground LGBT culture, drag is now in most households, in our music, and also in our cinema.
Of course, drag has been in films since the creation of cinema with popular movies such as Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and To Wong Foo, With Love Julie Newmar becoming cult classics. Now it is part of the mainstream, we can expect more and more movies about drag culture, such as this charming new release.
Directed by Thorn Fitzgerald and starring Jackie Weaver, Stage Mother revolves around conservative mother Maybelline who has been estranged from her son after he came out as gay. Sadly, after his death, Maybelline heads to San Francisco to run his bar, Pandora’s Box. Whilst there, Maybelline has to confront her own prejudices whilst getting closer to...
Of course, drag has been in films since the creation of cinema with popular movies such as Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and To Wong Foo, With Love Julie Newmar becoming cult classics. Now it is part of the mainstream, we can expect more and more movies about drag culture, such as this charming new release.
Directed by Thorn Fitzgerald and starring Jackie Weaver, Stage Mother revolves around conservative mother Maybelline who has been estranged from her son after he came out as gay. Sadly, after his death, Maybelline heads to San Francisco to run his bar, Pandora’s Box. Whilst there, Maybelline has to confront her own prejudices whilst getting closer to...
- 7/25/2020
- by Sarah Cook
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Apple has acquired rights to Werner Herzog’s astronomy documentary “Fireball” for its Apple Original film slate and will premiere the film on Apple TV Plus in more than 100 territories.
Herzog collaborated with British professor Clive Oppenheimer on the project. The duo teamed on the Academy Award-nominated Antarctic documentary “Encounters at the End of the World” and the Emmy-nominated “Into the Inferno.“
“Fireball” explores how shooting stars, meteorites and deep impacts have focused the human imagination on other realms and worlds, and on our past and our future. It’s a Werner Herzog Film production from Spring Films. The film is produced by André Singer & Lucki Stipetić, executive produced by Richard Melman and made with the help and support of Sandbox Films.
Apple Original’s documentaries include “Boys State”; “The Elephant Queen”; “Beastie Boys Story” and docuseries “Visible: Out On Television.” “Boys State” won the U.S. documentary competition at...
Herzog collaborated with British professor Clive Oppenheimer on the project. The duo teamed on the Academy Award-nominated Antarctic documentary “Encounters at the End of the World” and the Emmy-nominated “Into the Inferno.“
“Fireball” explores how shooting stars, meteorites and deep impacts have focused the human imagination on other realms and worlds, and on our past and our future. It’s a Werner Herzog Film production from Spring Films. The film is produced by André Singer & Lucki Stipetić, executive produced by Richard Melman and made with the help and support of Sandbox Films.
Apple Original’s documentaries include “Boys State”; “The Elephant Queen”; “Beastie Boys Story” and docuseries “Visible: Out On Television.” “Boys State” won the U.S. documentary competition at...
- 7/24/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Apple announced Friday that it will release a new Werner Herzog documentary, “Fireball,” on its Apple TV+ platform. The film explores how shooting stars, meteorites, and deep impacts on Earth have shaped human mythology and focused our attention on other realms and worlds.
“Fireball” will mark the third collaboration between the legendary director and geoscientist Clive Oppenheimer, who is co-directing the doc.
Oppenheimer, a professor of volcanology at the University of Cambridge, appeared in Herzog’s 2007 Antarctica-set Oscar-nominated “Encounters at the End of the World,” and again in Netflix’s 2016 doc “Into the Inferno.” That most recent film earned an Emmy nomination and followed the pair as they traveled the world to explore various volcanic sites. Much like “Fireball,” that film also drew connections between natural phenomena and its impact on humankind.
“Fireball” will also reunite Herzog with “Inferno” producers André Singer and Lucki Stipetić. Werner Herzog Film is producing alongside Spring Films,...
“Fireball” will mark the third collaboration between the legendary director and geoscientist Clive Oppenheimer, who is co-directing the doc.
Oppenheimer, a professor of volcanology at the University of Cambridge, appeared in Herzog’s 2007 Antarctica-set Oscar-nominated “Encounters at the End of the World,” and again in Netflix’s 2016 doc “Into the Inferno.” That most recent film earned an Emmy nomination and followed the pair as they traveled the world to explore various volcanic sites. Much like “Fireball,” that film also drew connections between natural phenomena and its impact on humankind.
“Fireball” will also reunite Herzog with “Inferno” producers André Singer and Lucki Stipetić. Werner Herzog Film is producing alongside Spring Films,...
- 7/24/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Season 2 of His Dark Materials will feature the talents of someone who’s been Superman’s (kinda) dad and also one of his greatest enemies.
Terrence Stamp, who voiced Jor-El in Smallville and played General Zod in the Superman films, has signed on to portray Giacomo Paradisi in the HBO series. As readers of Philip Pullman’s book trilogy know, Paradisi shows up in the novel series’ second installment, The Subtle Knife, as the onetime bearer of the titular weapon.
More from TVLineFleabag Couple Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Andrew Scott to Reunite (Sorta) on HBO's His Dark MaterialsHis Dark Materials Season...
Terrence Stamp, who voiced Jor-El in Smallville and played General Zod in the Superman films, has signed on to portray Giacomo Paradisi in the HBO series. As readers of Philip Pullman’s book trilogy know, Paradisi shows up in the novel series’ second installment, The Subtle Knife, as the onetime bearer of the titular weapon.
More from TVLineFleabag Couple Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Andrew Scott to Reunite (Sorta) on HBO's His Dark MaterialsHis Dark Materials Season...
- 7/23/2020
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars and filmmakers and not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.
Today we celebrate a dark knight. The Batman himself, Robert Pattinson. Over a decade ago, the young actor leapt into the hearts of many a young fan playing Edward in the Twilight series. As his star rose, Pattinson would get weirder and weirder in his role choices. The ultimate result is a filmography primarily built by B-sides. Today, Conor and I focus on four: Remember Me, Water for Elephants, Queen of the Desert, and Damsel.
We bring up that GQ profile that got some traction at the start of quarantine, The Takeout’s attempt to make Pattinson’s “fast food pasta,” the quite-memorable ending of Remember Me, the impressive life of Gertrude Bell (on which...
Today we celebrate a dark knight. The Batman himself, Robert Pattinson. Over a decade ago, the young actor leapt into the hearts of many a young fan playing Edward in the Twilight series. As his star rose, Pattinson would get weirder and weirder in his role choices. The ultimate result is a filmography primarily built by B-sides. Today, Conor and I focus on four: Remember Me, Water for Elephants, Queen of the Desert, and Damsel.
We bring up that GQ profile that got some traction at the start of quarantine, The Takeout’s attempt to make Pattinson’s “fast food pasta,” the quite-memorable ending of Remember Me, the impressive life of Gertrude Bell (on which...
- 7/2/2020
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
In this episode, Ben and Daniel talk to actor and singer Nathan Lee Graham about Lena Horne's 1981 live album 'Lena Horne The Lady and Her Music.' They also discuss Andr De Shields, Billy Porter, 'Mame,' Robin de Jess, 'Showboat,' Angela Lansbury, 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' Judy Garland, Jenifer Lewis, James Brown III, Hal Prince, Susan Stroman, and Eartha Kitt. Nathan talks about social activism through art and how performers like Lena and Eartha have influenced his career. Nathan has starred on Broadway in beloved shows such as 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' and Michael John Lachiusa's 'The Wild Party.' He's appeared in the hit films 'Zoolander,' 'Sweet Home Alabama,' and 'Hitch,' and on TV shows such as 'The Comeback,' 'Absolutely Fabulous,' and 'Katy Keene.'...
- 3/9/2020
- by Ben Rimalower
- BroadwayWorld.com
The American Society of Cinematographers said Thursday that it will give this year’s Board of Governors Award to Werner Herzog. The prolific writer-director and occasional actor (Disney+’s The Mandalorian) will be honored January 25 at the 34th annual Asc Awards for Outstanding Achievement at Hollywood & Highland’s Ray Dolby Ballroom.
The Asc Board of Governors Award is given to industry stalwarts whose body of work has made significant and indelible contributions to cinema. It is reserved for filmmakers who have been champions for directors of photography and the visual art form.
The German-born Herzog has produced, written, and directed more than 70 feature and documentary films, with Oscar nominations for his documentary Encounters at the End of the World (2009) and an Emmy nom for Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997).
His credits at the vanguard of German cinema along with fellow filmmakers Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Volker Schlöndorff include Aguirre, the Wrath of God...
The Asc Board of Governors Award is given to industry stalwarts whose body of work has made significant and indelible contributions to cinema. It is reserved for filmmakers who have been champions for directors of photography and the visual art form.
The German-born Herzog has produced, written, and directed more than 70 feature and documentary films, with Oscar nominations for his documentary Encounters at the End of the World (2009) and an Emmy nom for Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997).
His credits at the vanguard of German cinema along with fellow filmmakers Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Volker Schlöndorff include Aguirre, the Wrath of God...
- 1/9/2020
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Legendary director Werner Herzog, one of the founders of the German New Wave, whose films embrace obsessive quests and maddening conflicts with nature, will receive the American Society of Cinematographers’ Board of Governors Award at the 34th annual Asc Awards on January 25 (at Hollywood & Highland’s Ray Dolby Ballroom).
“Werner Herzog is truly a unique storyteller, and we are honored to recognize him for his prolific contributions to cinema,” said Asc President Kees van Oostrum.
Herzog has produced, written, and directed more than 70 feature and documentary films. His volatile, love-hate relationship with actor Klaus Kinski resulted in such powerful films as “Aguirre, the Wrath of God,” “Fitzcarraldo,” “Nosferatu the Vampyre,” and “Woyzeck.” Other masterpieces include “Stroszek” and “The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser,” both starring street musician-turned actor Bruno S.
Herzog received an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature for “Encounters at the End of the World,” while “Little Dieter Needs to Fly...
“Werner Herzog is truly a unique storyteller, and we are honored to recognize him for his prolific contributions to cinema,” said Asc President Kees van Oostrum.
Herzog has produced, written, and directed more than 70 feature and documentary films. His volatile, love-hate relationship with actor Klaus Kinski resulted in such powerful films as “Aguirre, the Wrath of God,” “Fitzcarraldo,” “Nosferatu the Vampyre,” and “Woyzeck.” Other masterpieces include “Stroszek” and “The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser,” both starring street musician-turned actor Bruno S.
Herzog received an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature for “Encounters at the End of the World,” while “Little Dieter Needs to Fly...
- 1/9/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
To celebrate the home entertainment release of Once Upon a Time in London which will be available on DVD from the 10th June 2019, we have a copy of the DVD up for grabs, courtesy of Signature Entertainment!
Gateway Films, Ratio Film & Signature Entertainment presents Once Upon A Time In London, starring Leo Gregory, Terry Stone, Jamie Foreman, footballer Jamie O’Hara, Union J’s Jj Hamblett, legendary boxer Joe Egan, Geoff Bell, Holly Earl, Nadia Forde, Kate Braithwaite, Roland Manookian, Josh Myers, Andy Beckwith, Ali Cook, Doug Allan, Justin Salinger, and Laura Carter (Celebrity Big Brother). Comedian Simon Munnery, and boxers Steve Collins and Frank Buglioni round out this amazing cast from all strata of the entertainment and sports worlds.
Once Upon a Time in London charts the epic rise and legendary fall of a nationwide criminal empire that lasted for three action-packed decades from the late 1930s. The one-time...
Gateway Films, Ratio Film & Signature Entertainment presents Once Upon A Time In London, starring Leo Gregory, Terry Stone, Jamie Foreman, footballer Jamie O’Hara, Union J’s Jj Hamblett, legendary boxer Joe Egan, Geoff Bell, Holly Earl, Nadia Forde, Kate Braithwaite, Roland Manookian, Josh Myers, Andy Beckwith, Ali Cook, Doug Allan, Justin Salinger, and Laura Carter (Celebrity Big Brother). Comedian Simon Munnery, and boxers Steve Collins and Frank Buglioni round out this amazing cast from all strata of the entertainment and sports worlds.
Once Upon a Time in London charts the epic rise and legendary fall of a nationwide criminal empire that lasted for three action-packed decades from the late 1930s. The one-time...
- 5/29/2019
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
For all its finely considered dread, the reason Robert Eggers’ ungulate-deifying debut The Witch made such a cultural mark had far more to do with its sense of mischief. Sure, puritan religious life is fine, Eggers seemed to say, but have you ever tried living deliciously? His second feature, The Lighthouse, brilliantly confirms that taste for devilry and narrative subterfuge. It’s a ghost story drenched in gritty, saltwater-flecked period accuracy and anchored in cautionary maritime fables, but one with a boozy, amorous, and darkly comic edge that made me think of everything from The Birds to Ben Wheatley’s similarly trippy A Field in England. Needless to say, it rules.
Shot in black-and-white on a piece of Atlantic rock off the coast of Nova Scotia, Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson give two outstanding performances in what can hardly have been the most pleasant shoot. A story goes that when...
Shot in black-and-white on a piece of Atlantic rock off the coast of Nova Scotia, Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson give two outstanding performances in what can hardly have been the most pleasant shoot. A story goes that when...
- 5/19/2019
- by Rory O'Connor
- The Film Stage
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