Years after "The Sopranos" started what we consider the Peak TV era, there came a show that changed network TV forever: "Lost." It's a show that is as controversial as it is influential, one that helped bring serialization to mainstream TV, make the showrunner as recognizable among TV obsessives as the actors on screen, and delivered one of the most controversial endings in history (though it is a perfect send-off for the show).
Much like "Star Wars," it doesn't matter where you fall on the love/hate scale of "Lost," there is one thing all fans can agree on — the score remains consistently stellar throughout.
A big part of why "Lost" is still talked about so many years later is Michael Giacchino's score. There is a reason why Giacchino has played multiple concerts celebrating the music of the show since it ended in 2010, and why hundreds of people from...
Much like "Star Wars," it doesn't matter where you fall on the love/hate scale of "Lost," there is one thing all fans can agree on — the score remains consistently stellar throughout.
A big part of why "Lost" is still talked about so many years later is Michael Giacchino's score. There is a reason why Giacchino has played multiple concerts celebrating the music of the show since it ended in 2010, and why hundreds of people from...
- 5/1/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
When we talk about lost films, most people immediately think of silent movies, cinema on nitrate that either went up in flames or was in the hands of studios who didn't see the value in preserving it. Although we've come a long way in terms of film preservation since then, there are still plenty of films from the second half of the 20th century that may not be technically "lost," but are nearly impossible to track down and actually watch. They may have been put out on comparatively low-quality VHS back in the day, but not a peep since then -- these films never got a DVD or Blu-ray release, and aren't available on any of the streaming services.
If you're lucky, you might be able to find a grainy, unsanctioned VHS transfer on an unauthorized YouTube account, but even then, there's a lack of permanency, since they could be...
If you're lucky, you might be able to find a grainy, unsanctioned VHS transfer on an unauthorized YouTube account, but even then, there's a lack of permanency, since they could be...
- 4/14/2024
- by Audrey Fox
- Slash Film
With just ten days to go until the Cannes Film Festival lineup is unveiled, one title heavily tipped to premiere is David Cronenberg’s The Shrouds, starring Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, Guy Pearce, and Sandrine Holt. While U.S. distribution has yet to be confirmed, French distributor Pyramide Films has now unveiled a September 25, 2024 release date alongside news that it will be the director’s longest film yet.
Clocking in at 119 minutes, it’s just a hair longer than Dead Ringers and Naked Lunch, which both ran 115 minutes. The distributor also confirms returning collaborators cinematographer Douglas Koch and editor Christopher Donaldson, who shot and edited Crimes of the Future, respectively, and the Canadian director’s longtime composer Howard Shore.
Here’s a new synopsis as well: “Karsh, 50, is a renowned businessman. Inconsolable since the death of his wife, he invents a revolutionary and controversial system, GraveTech, which allows the living...
Clocking in at 119 minutes, it’s just a hair longer than Dead Ringers and Naked Lunch, which both ran 115 minutes. The distributor also confirms returning collaborators cinematographer Douglas Koch and editor Christopher Donaldson, who shot and edited Crimes of the Future, respectively, and the Canadian director’s longtime composer Howard Shore.
Here’s a new synopsis as well: “Karsh, 50, is a renowned businessman. Inconsolable since the death of his wife, he invents a revolutionary and controversial system, GraveTech, which allows the living...
- 4/1/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
One does not simply watch the first season of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" without coming away impressed by composer Bear McCreary's luscious and evocative score for the series. Reactions to the Amazon Prime Video show may have ranged from one extreme to the other upon release in late 2022, but hopefully, fans of all stripes could agree that the music of Middle-earth lived up to the sky-high standards set by the original trilogy of movies. While the series remains indebted to the visuals and locations used by director Peter Jackson, there's no doubt that the legendary and award-winning efforts of Howard Shore played just as crucial a role in defining the soundscape of a world inhabited by Hobbits, Dwarves, and all sorts of other fantastical beings. In turn, those contributions certainly influenced the various themes, motifs, and original songs McCreary sprinkled throughout the fantasy show.
- 3/26/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
One day in 1979, the phone rang at producer Bob Weiss’ house. “Be on your property tonight,” said the voice on the other line. According to the book Wild and Crazy Guys: The Comedy Mavericks of the ’80s Changed Hollywood Forever by Nick de Semlyen, later that evening, an object came flying over the fence and onto Weiss’ backyard. It was the script for a Blues Brothers movie that Wiess commissioned from Dan Aykroyd, who created the musical comedy act with John Belushi for Saturday Night Live.
If the way that Aykroyd delivered the manuscript was odd, the contents inside were even weirder. Titled The Return of the Blues Brothers and credited to the “Scriptatron Gl-9000,” the script was 324 pages long, far more than the 120 page standard, and filled with unlikely digressions.
Weiss shouldn’t have been surprised. Even if the 26-year-old Aykroyd had written a script before (he hadn’t...
If the way that Aykroyd delivered the manuscript was odd, the contents inside were even weirder. Titled The Return of the Blues Brothers and credited to the “Scriptatron Gl-9000,” the script was 324 pages long, far more than the 120 page standard, and filled with unlikely digressions.
Weiss shouldn’t have been surprised. Even if the 26-year-old Aykroyd had written a script before (he hadn’t...
- 3/22/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
It’s been two decades since an epic fantasy film made history at the Oscars, winning every category in which it was nominated, and three women set new records. There weren’t many surprises at the 76th Academy Awards, but there were some memorable moments. Billy Crystal hosted for his eighth time on February 29, 2004. Read on for Gold Derby’s Oscars flashback 20 years ago to 2004.
It was finally Peter Jackson‘s time as the third installment of his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy earned him a trio of awards. Despite numerous nominations, the first two films failed to make big showings; however, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” not only claimed Best Picture, but won all 11 categories in which it was nominated. It tied with “Ben-Hur” (1960) and “Titanic” (1998) for most wins in one ceremony, and holds the record for biggest sweep. It was the 10th film...
It was finally Peter Jackson‘s time as the third installment of his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy earned him a trio of awards. Despite numerous nominations, the first two films failed to make big showings; however, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” not only claimed Best Picture, but won all 11 categories in which it was nominated. It tied with “Ben-Hur” (1960) and “Titanic” (1998) for most wins in one ceremony, and holds the record for biggest sweep. It was the 10th film...
- 3/3/2024
- by Susan Pennington
- Gold Derby
Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Godzilla Minus One Figure from Super 7
Currently decimating theaters, Godzilla Minus One will stomp onto toy shelves in September 2024 as part of Super 7’s Ultimates action figure line.
Up for pre-order for $85, the King of the Monsters stands 8.4” tall and 14.22″ long. Two interchangeable heads (neutral and roaring) are included.
Willy’s Wonderland 4K Uhd from Scream Factory
Want more animatronic fun in the vein of Five Nights at Freddy’s? Willy’s Wonderland will be released on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray in Steelbook and standard packaging on February 13 via Scream Factory.
Nicolas Cage stars with Emily Tosta, Ric Reitz, Chris Warner, Kai Kadlec, Christian DelGrosso, Caylee Cowan, Terayle Hill, Jonathan Mercedes, David Sheftell, and Beth Grant also star.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Godzilla Minus One Figure from Super 7
Currently decimating theaters, Godzilla Minus One will stomp onto toy shelves in September 2024 as part of Super 7’s Ultimates action figure line.
Up for pre-order for $85, the King of the Monsters stands 8.4” tall and 14.22″ long. Two interchangeable heads (neutral and roaring) are included.
Willy’s Wonderland 4K Uhd from Scream Factory
Want more animatronic fun in the vein of Five Nights at Freddy’s? Willy’s Wonderland will be released on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray in Steelbook and standard packaging on February 13 via Scream Factory.
Nicolas Cage stars with Emily Tosta, Ric Reitz, Chris Warner, Kai Kadlec, Christian DelGrosso, Caylee Cowan, Terayle Hill, Jonathan Mercedes, David Sheftell, and Beth Grant also star.
- 12/8/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
The animated adaptations of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings from the 1970s and 1980s have a bit of a bad reputation these days, but these are not entirely deserved. In particular, Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass’ 1977 TV movie of The Hobbit, with a screenplay by Romeo Miller, gets a lot of things right that Peter Jackson’s three-part live-action film adaptation did not.
The most obvious advantage that the animated version has over the live-action films is its length. The fact that the live-action movies are too long is pretty well-established, but by way of a reminder, the book of The Hobbit is about 300 pages long, with slight variations in each edition. Other books of similar length that have been adapted into films include Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Emma Donoghue’s Room, John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.
The most obvious advantage that the animated version has over the live-action films is its length. The fact that the live-action movies are too long is pretty well-established, but by way of a reminder, the book of The Hobbit is about 300 pages long, with slight variations in each edition. Other books of similar length that have been adapted into films include Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Emma Donoghue’s Room, John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.
- 12/1/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in partnership with Netflix, has today unveiled 10 upcoming individuals from the screen industries selected for BAFTA Breakthrough in India. In this historic first, BAFTA simultaneously introduces its UK, USA, and India participants, with 42 talented individuals selected globally.
The ten names for BAFTA Breakthrough India were selected by a distinguished jury of industry experts, including Jury Chair and BAFTA Breakthrough Ambassador Guneet Monga Kapoor, Manvendra Shukul, Monika Shergill, Rajiv Menon (Filmmaker), Naman Ramachandran (Critic & Journalist), Sid Roy Kapur (Founder of Roy Kapur Films & Producer), Shaunak Sen (Filmmaker) and Ratna Pathak Shah.
The list of BAFTA Breakthrough India participants for 2023 is:
Abhay Koranne | Writer – Rocket Boys Abhinav Tyagi | Editor – An Insignificant Man Don Chacko Palathara | Director/Writer – Joyful Mystery Kislay| Writer – Soni Lipika Singh Darai | Director/Writer – Some Stories Around Witches Miriam Chandy Menacherry | Producer – From the Shadows and The Leopard’s Tribe...
The ten names for BAFTA Breakthrough India were selected by a distinguished jury of industry experts, including Jury Chair and BAFTA Breakthrough Ambassador Guneet Monga Kapoor, Manvendra Shukul, Monika Shergill, Rajiv Menon (Filmmaker), Naman Ramachandran (Critic & Journalist), Sid Roy Kapur (Founder of Roy Kapur Films & Producer), Shaunak Sen (Filmmaker) and Ratna Pathak Shah.
The list of BAFTA Breakthrough India participants for 2023 is:
Abhay Koranne | Writer – Rocket Boys Abhinav Tyagi | Editor – An Insignificant Man Don Chacko Palathara | Director/Writer – Joyful Mystery Kislay| Writer – Soni Lipika Singh Darai | Director/Writer – Some Stories Around Witches Miriam Chandy Menacherry | Producer – From the Shadows and The Leopard’s Tribe...
- 11/30/2023
- by Editorial Desk
- GlamSham
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in partnership with Netflix, has today unveiled 10 upcoming individuals from the screen industries selected for BAFTA Breakthrough in India. In this historic first, BAFTA simultaneously introduces its UK, USA, and India participants, with 42 talented individuals selected globally.
The ten names for BAFTA Breakthrough India were selected by a distinguished jury of industry experts, including Jury Chair and BAFTA Breakthrough Ambassador Guneet Monga Kapoor, Manvendra Shukul, Monika Shergill, Rajiv Menon (Filmmaker), Naman Ramachandran (Critic & Journalist), Sid Roy Kapur (Founder of Roy Kapur Films & Producer), Shaunak Sen (Filmmaker) and Ratna Pathak Shah.
The list of BAFTA Breakthrough India participants for 2023 is:
Abhay Koranne | Writer – Rocket Boys Abhinav Tyagi | Editor – An Insignificant Man Don Chacko Palathara | Director/Writer – Joyful Mystery Kislay| Writer – Soni Lipika Singh Darai | Director/Writer – Some Stories Around Witches Miriam Chandy Menacherry | Producer – From the Shadows and The Leopard’s Tribe...
The ten names for BAFTA Breakthrough India were selected by a distinguished jury of industry experts, including Jury Chair and BAFTA Breakthrough Ambassador Guneet Monga Kapoor, Manvendra Shukul, Monika Shergill, Rajiv Menon (Filmmaker), Naman Ramachandran (Critic & Journalist), Sid Roy Kapur (Founder of Roy Kapur Films & Producer), Shaunak Sen (Filmmaker) and Ratna Pathak Shah.
The list of BAFTA Breakthrough India participants for 2023 is:
Abhay Koranne | Writer – Rocket Boys Abhinav Tyagi | Editor – An Insignificant Man Don Chacko Palathara | Director/Writer – Joyful Mystery Kislay| Writer – Soni Lipika Singh Darai | Director/Writer – Some Stories Around Witches Miriam Chandy Menacherry | Producer – From the Shadows and The Leopard’s Tribe...
- 11/30/2023
- by Editorial Desk
Sure, 28 Oscar nominations and 17 wins aren’t to be sniffed at. But the remarkable thing about Peter Jackson‘s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy is that it should have been nominated for more. Only one of the cast was nominated for an Oscar across all three films — that was for Best Supporting Actor for Sir Ian McKellen in 2002 for “The Fellowship of the Ring” — while there were a few other curious snubs that, in hindsight, just don’t make sense. So, there was actually more room to nominate this rightly-heralded trilogy of astounding films. With that in mind, here are five more Oscar nominations “The Lord of the Rings” should have landed.
Best Original Score: “The Two Towers”
The music of “The Lord of the Rings” has gone down as one of the best scores ever committed to film. Howard Shore‘s adored score is so top drawer it leaves you clamoring for more.
Best Original Score: “The Two Towers”
The music of “The Lord of the Rings” has gone down as one of the best scores ever committed to film. Howard Shore‘s adored score is so top drawer it leaves you clamoring for more.
- 11/15/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Although analog technology has gone all but extinct in the 40 years since Videodrome first permeated viewers’ psyches, there’s no denying the prescience of its themes. Writer-director David Cronenberg, circa 1983, portended the exploitation of the internet age, virtual reality, and media manipulation. At its core, Videodrome confronts the viewer to examine their own relationship with entertainment.
As the head of Civic TV, Max Renn caters to the subterranean market, transmitting sex and violence into Toronto homes over Uhf airwaves. His appetite for depravity no longer fulfilled by the likes of softcore pornography, Max’s interest is piqued by a mysterious pirated broadcast called Videodrome. As he describes it, “It’s just torture and murder. No plot, no characters. Very, very realistic. I think it’s what’s next.”
Max’s perception of reality is altered from the moment he’s first exposed to Videodrome, as devious hallucinations — from a cancerous...
As the head of Civic TV, Max Renn caters to the subterranean market, transmitting sex and violence into Toronto homes over Uhf airwaves. His appetite for depravity no longer fulfilled by the likes of softcore pornography, Max’s interest is piqued by a mysterious pirated broadcast called Videodrome. As he describes it, “It’s just torture and murder. No plot, no characters. Very, very realistic. I think it’s what’s next.”
Max’s perception of reality is altered from the moment he’s first exposed to Videodrome, as devious hallucinations — from a cancerous...
- 10/17/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Hamaguchi Ryûsuke’s Evil Does Not Exist is a turn away from the empathy of the filmmaker’s earlier work and toward an aesthetic that’s jagged and chilly. Watching the film brings to mind the evolution of the career of Paul Thomas Anderson, who went from crafting messy humanist spectacles to austere, immaculate chamber pieces that appear to exist in perpetual anxiety over being digested on conventional emotional terms. Evil Does Not Exist suggests a similar turn for Hamaguchi, and though this film finds him more than capable of playing the role of cryptic genius auteur, one may wonder what is lost in the trade.
Evil Does Not Exist’s first images embody the tension of the title, which seems to promise assurance with the meter of a warning. Tracking shots move through a forest from the vantage point of the ground, as if someone is on their back...
Evil Does Not Exist’s first images embody the tension of the title, which seems to promise assurance with the meter of a warning. Tracking shots move through a forest from the vantage point of the ground, as if someone is on their back...
- 9/15/2023
- by Chuck Bowen
- Slant Magazine
Marking perhaps the greatest coup any festival’s managed these last ten years, the Film Fest Gent––recently in our sights for their addition of Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s new(er) feature Gift––are celebrating their 50th anniversary with 25 new shorts by an absolute murderer’s row of filmmakers, among them: Paul Schrader, Terence Davies, Bi Gan, Jia Zhangke, Radu Jude, Helena Wittmann, Naomi Kawase, and João Pedro Rodrigues. Ff Gent’s unusual method was to first hire composers for a short, one- or two-minute piece, then asking this range of filmmakers––”who engage in more “traditional narrative cinema, as well as experimental work and documentary, to ensure diversity––letting sound inspire image. The majority of them (Schrader being a notable exception) are showing completely free.
Find the available films below:
The post Film Fest Gent Are Now Streaming New Shorts from Terence Davies, Bi Gan, Jia Zhangke, and More first appeared on The Film Stage.
Find the available films below:
The post Film Fest Gent Are Now Streaming New Shorts from Terence Davies, Bi Gan, Jia Zhangke, and More first appeared on The Film Stage.
- 9/15/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Nominees in the categories of discovery of the year, public choice award and the new game music award have been revealed.
Film Fest Gent and The World Soundtrack Academy has unveiled the second and final wave of nominations for the 2023 World Soundtrack Awards, which will take place on October 21 at the Film Fest Gent in Belgium, with Golda, Avatar: The Way Of Water and The Menu among the additional titles represented.
Nominations for discovery of the year, public choice award, Wsa game music award, best original score for a Belgian production and the Sabam Award for best original composition by...
Film Fest Gent and The World Soundtrack Academy has unveiled the second and final wave of nominations for the 2023 World Soundtrack Awards, which will take place on October 21 at the Film Fest Gent in Belgium, with Golda, Avatar: The Way Of Water and The Menu among the additional titles represented.
Nominations for discovery of the year, public choice award, Wsa game music award, best original score for a Belgian production and the Sabam Award for best original composition by...
- 9/5/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
It’s a case of one score to rule them all, as Howard Shore’s stirring epic soundtrack for The Lord of the Rings trilogy was voted the U.K.’s favorite movie music.
Shore’s score for the Rings film, which has won three Academy Awards, three Golden Globes and four Grammys, came out ahead of some of the greatest and most recognizable soundtracks of all time, including John Williams’ music for Schindler’s List and Star Wars, which came second and third respectively.
The list of the top 100 film scores was compiled by popular U.K. radio station Classic FM, as part of their annual Movie Music Hall of Fame. More than 10,000 people voted for this year’s edition and the winner was revealed on Sunday by Jonathan Ross, the former presenter of the BBC’s Film program.
“Many thanks to all the Classic FM listeners,” Shore told...
Shore’s score for the Rings film, which has won three Academy Awards, three Golden Globes and four Grammys, came out ahead of some of the greatest and most recognizable soundtracks of all time, including John Williams’ music for Schindler’s List and Star Wars, which came second and third respectively.
The list of the top 100 film scores was compiled by popular U.K. radio station Classic FM, as part of their annual Movie Music Hall of Fame. More than 10,000 people voted for this year’s edition and the winner was revealed on Sunday by Jonathan Ross, the former presenter of the BBC’s Film program.
“Many thanks to all the Classic FM listeners,” Shore told...
- 8/29/2023
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
From the Nc-17 ménage à trois of Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Dreamers” to James Spader having intercourse with Rosanna Arquette’s leg wound in David Cronenberg’s “Crash,” producer Jeremy Thomas loves a controversy onscreen.
Cinema raconteur Mark Cousins pays homage to the Oscar-winning producer in his 2021 Cannes Classics selection, “The Storms of Jeremy Thomas.” The film follows Cousins on Thomas’ annual pilgrimage to the Cannes Film Festival — literally, the producer drove for decades from England to the fest — and a five-day road movie through France. Together, they remember Thomas’ most acclaimed and provocative films as a producer, from his Oscar-winning “The Last Emperor” to “Crash” and its scandalous opening at the festival in 1996, Nicolas Roeg’s “Bad Timing,” Jerzy Skolimowski’s “Eo,” plus Cronenberg’s “Naked Lunch,” Jonathan Glazer’s “Sexy Beast,” and Terry Gilliam’s reviled child abuse fairy tale, “Tideland.”
The film includes Thomas’ stories of movie stars like Marlon Brando,...
Cinema raconteur Mark Cousins pays homage to the Oscar-winning producer in his 2021 Cannes Classics selection, “The Storms of Jeremy Thomas.” The film follows Cousins on Thomas’ annual pilgrimage to the Cannes Film Festival — literally, the producer drove for decades from England to the fest — and a five-day road movie through France. Together, they remember Thomas’ most acclaimed and provocative films as a producer, from his Oscar-winning “The Last Emperor” to “Crash” and its scandalous opening at the festival in 1996, Nicolas Roeg’s “Bad Timing,” Jerzy Skolimowski’s “Eo,” plus Cronenberg’s “Naked Lunch,” Jonathan Glazer’s “Sexy Beast,” and Terry Gilliam’s reviled child abuse fairy tale, “Tideland.”
The film includes Thomas’ stories of movie stars like Marlon Brando,...
- 8/24/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
It took a village to bring Amazon’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” to life and into homes.
The Middle-earth fantasy drama wowed Emmy voters with its craft- work, scoring nominations in main-title design, prosthetic makeup, fantasy/sci-fi costumes, sound editing, special visual effects and original main-title theme music. Set thousands of years before the Third Age of the Peter Jackson-helmed “The Lord of the Rings” film trilogy, the first season introduced viewers to elves, dwarves, orcs and Harfoots (one of three hobbit races) during a time of prosperity and relative peace.
Costume designer Kate Hawley and her team built more than 2,000 outfits. By using vegetable dyes as well as berry stains, she achieved unique shades and tones for her costumes.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Costume Design) -Credit: Prime Video
As for the sets, 20 visual effects studios and 1,500 visual effects artists...
The Middle-earth fantasy drama wowed Emmy voters with its craft- work, scoring nominations in main-title design, prosthetic makeup, fantasy/sci-fi costumes, sound editing, special visual effects and original main-title theme music. Set thousands of years before the Third Age of the Peter Jackson-helmed “The Lord of the Rings” film trilogy, the first season introduced viewers to elves, dwarves, orcs and Harfoots (one of three hobbit races) during a time of prosperity and relative peace.
Costume designer Kate Hawley and her team built more than 2,000 outfits. By using vegetable dyes as well as berry stains, she achieved unique shades and tones for her costumes.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Costume Design) -Credit: Prime Video
As for the sets, 20 visual effects studios and 1,500 visual effects artists...
- 8/5/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
When Emmy nominations were announced on July 12, artisans in the craft categories made a splash in more ways than one — some landed multiple nominations in several categories, others inched closer to achieving Egot status and many received first-time recognition.
Here, Variety looks at some of the contenders in the Creative Art categories.
Multiple Nods
Editor Stephanie Filo landed three nominations this year in two different categories. She is up for Netflix’s “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” in the editing in a limited or anthology. series category, HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and Hulu’s “History of the World, Part II” in the picture editing for variety programming slot. With the latter two, she will be going up against editors from NBC’s “Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter,” Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” and the editors of “Saturday Night Live.”
Filo is...
Here, Variety looks at some of the contenders in the Creative Art categories.
Multiple Nods
Editor Stephanie Filo landed three nominations this year in two different categories. She is up for Netflix’s “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” in the editing in a limited or anthology. series category, HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and Hulu’s “History of the World, Part II” in the picture editing for variety programming slot. With the latter two, she will be going up against editors from NBC’s “Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter,” Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” and the editors of “Saturday Night Live.”
Filo is...
- 8/2/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
When in Hobbiton, do as the elves do. Lizzo recently stopped by the New Zealand attraction — best known as a major filming location for the Lord of the Rings franchise — and made the most of the occasion, cosplaying Legolas and performing the film’s soundtrack.
“Lizzolas in her natural habitat,” Lizzo wrote alongside the video on Instagram, in which she’s sporting a green getup and bleached-blonde locks like Orlando Bloom’s portrayal of the character in Peter Jackson’s adaptations. She topped it all off by trading in her flute for a recorder to perform Howard Shore’s “Concerning Hobbits.” Watch it below.
Lizzo has just a couple of international dates left on her headlining tour, and you can grab tickets at StubHub. Then, she’s set to headline Philadelphia’s Made in America festival this September. She also recently belted Radiohead’s “Creep” while out at karaoke.
Meanwhile,...
“Lizzolas in her natural habitat,” Lizzo wrote alongside the video on Instagram, in which she’s sporting a green getup and bleached-blonde locks like Orlando Bloom’s portrayal of the character in Peter Jackson’s adaptations. She topped it all off by trading in her flute for a recorder to perform Howard Shore’s “Concerning Hobbits.” Watch it below.
Lizzo has just a couple of international dates left on her headlining tour, and you can grab tickets at StubHub. Then, she’s set to headline Philadelphia’s Made in America festival this September. She also recently belted Radiohead’s “Creep” while out at karaoke.
Meanwhile,...
- 7/28/2023
- by Abby Jones
- Consequence - Music
Recently Guillermo del Toro, the Oscar-winning director behind “The Shape of Water,” “Nightmare Alley” and “Pinocchio,” said that collecting physical media, in the midst of streamers unceremoniously deleting thousands of titles, is nothing short of a “moral imperative.” And we agree. Each month new home video releases – of both classic films and newer titles – come out. And each one is cause for celebration. With that in mind, we want to highlight the very best titles of every month.
Here are the biggest and best releases for July 2023.
Paramount Pictures
“The Truman Show” (out now)
While there are no new extras on this edition of “The Truman Show,” Peter Weir’s minor masterpiece is now celebrating its 25th anniversary, with the same collection of bonus material that accompanied its previous Blu-ray release. But the movie gets a big upgrade where it counts – in both the picture quality (thanks to a new...
Here are the biggest and best releases for July 2023.
Paramount Pictures
“The Truman Show” (out now)
While there are no new extras on this edition of “The Truman Show,” Peter Weir’s minor masterpiece is now celebrating its 25th anniversary, with the same collection of bonus material that accompanied its previous Blu-ray release. But the movie gets a big upgrade where it counts – in both the picture quality (thanks to a new...
- 7/26/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
An Emmy win could bring composers Howard Shore and Hans Zimmer just a Tony away from Egot.
This morning when the Emmy nominations were announced, Zimmer (Dune) was cited for the score of Apple TV+’s Prehistoric Planet and Shore (The Lord of the Rings) collected his first Emmy nom for Amazon’s The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power. They are among those celebrating Creative Arts Emmy nominations.
Nominees who could add an Emmy next to their Academy Awards are Oscar winning sound mixer for Bohemian Rhapsody Paul Massey (Emmy nominated for David Bowie doc Moonage Daydream alongside three-time Oscar nominee David Giammarco); sound supervisors John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone (Oscar winners for Bohemian Rhapsody, who are Emmy nominated for Moonage Daydream); and mixer Skip Lievsay (Oscar winner for Gravity, who is Emmy nominated for Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie).
Meanwhile, multi Grammy winner Ed Sheeran...
This morning when the Emmy nominations were announced, Zimmer (Dune) was cited for the score of Apple TV+’s Prehistoric Planet and Shore (The Lord of the Rings) collected his first Emmy nom for Amazon’s The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power. They are among those celebrating Creative Arts Emmy nominations.
Nominees who could add an Emmy next to their Academy Awards are Oscar winning sound mixer for Bohemian Rhapsody Paul Massey (Emmy nominated for David Bowie doc Moonage Daydream alongside three-time Oscar nominee David Giammarco); sound supervisors John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone (Oscar winners for Bohemian Rhapsody, who are Emmy nominated for Moonage Daydream); and mixer Skip Lievsay (Oscar winner for Gravity, who is Emmy nominated for Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie).
Meanwhile, multi Grammy winner Ed Sheeran...
- 7/12/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Despite all the musical superstars who entered this year’s Emmy competition, only one – Ed Sheeran – managed to score when the 75th annual Emmy Award nominations were announced Wednesday.
Sheeran was nominated (along with co-writers Max Martin and Foy Vance) for the song “A Beautiful Game” for the season 3 finale of “Ted Lasso,” one of two songs from the popular Apple TV+ series that made it into the music-and-lyrics category.
Emmy’s 550-member music peer group ignored the original songs entered by Dolly Parton, David Byrne, Steve Martin, Kid Cudi, Donald Glover and Lainey Wilson, as well as those from such Oscar-winning tunesmiths as Alan Menken, Steven Schwartz, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.
Among the seven music categories, a surprising number of first-time nominees was recognized, and more than one-fourth of all the nominees in the five composition and songwriting categories are women, another positive sign of change in the Hollywood musical landscape.
Sheeran was nominated (along with co-writers Max Martin and Foy Vance) for the song “A Beautiful Game” for the season 3 finale of “Ted Lasso,” one of two songs from the popular Apple TV+ series that made it into the music-and-lyrics category.
Emmy’s 550-member music peer group ignored the original songs entered by Dolly Parton, David Byrne, Steve Martin, Kid Cudi, Donald Glover and Lainey Wilson, as well as those from such Oscar-winning tunesmiths as Alan Menken, Steven Schwartz, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.
Among the seven music categories, a surprising number of first-time nominees was recognized, and more than one-fourth of all the nominees in the five composition and songwriting categories are women, another positive sign of change in the Hollywood musical landscape.
- 7/12/2023
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Two-time Oscar-winning editor Pietro Scalia will be honored by the Locarno Film Festival with its Vision Award honoring technical achievements and advancements in film.
Scalia, who was born in Sicily but grew up in Switzerland and studied film at UCLA, has won Oscars for “JFK” and “Black Hawk Down.” Over the past two decades he’s collaborated closely with top directors such as Ridley Scott, Oliver Stone, Bernardo Bertolucci, Gus Van Sant, Rob Marshall, Sam Raimi and Michael Mann. His recent work includes Mann’s upcoming “Ferrari.”
Scalia will receive the Locarno award on Aug. 3 during a ceremony on the Swiss fest’s 8,000-seat Piazza Grande, followed on Aug. 4 by an onstage conversation and screenings of two standout titles from his career: “Good Will Hunting” (1997) and “Black Hawk Down” (2001).
“In the beginning there was the editing, as Eisenstein taught us, and as Hollywood formally defined it,” said Giona A. Nazzaro,...
Scalia, who was born in Sicily but grew up in Switzerland and studied film at UCLA, has won Oscars for “JFK” and “Black Hawk Down.” Over the past two decades he’s collaborated closely with top directors such as Ridley Scott, Oliver Stone, Bernardo Bertolucci, Gus Van Sant, Rob Marshall, Sam Raimi and Michael Mann. His recent work includes Mann’s upcoming “Ferrari.”
Scalia will receive the Locarno award on Aug. 3 during a ceremony on the Swiss fest’s 8,000-seat Piazza Grande, followed on Aug. 4 by an onstage conversation and screenings of two standout titles from his career: “Good Will Hunting” (1997) and “Black Hawk Down” (2001).
“In the beginning there was the editing, as Eisenstein taught us, and as Hollywood formally defined it,” said Giona A. Nazzaro,...
- 6/27/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
A version of this story about director the music of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” first ran in the Drama Series issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine
Led Zeppelin famously invoked J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” series in several hit songs (“Ramble On” and “Misty Mountain Hop” among them), and if you’re looking for the right composer to reimagine Middle-earth for a multiyear Amazon Prime series adaptation, you go right to the ultimate rock-and-roll composer: Bear McCreary.
But don’t let the long dark hair and drummer vibe fool you, as McCreary can craft a dramatic, haunting score for just about any genre there is. “Sci-fi, fantasy, horror, period pieces, these are all things that inspire me and get me out of bed,” says McCreary with a noticeable jolt of energy. “And “The Lord of the Rings” is the godfather of so much of that.
Led Zeppelin famously invoked J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” series in several hit songs (“Ramble On” and “Misty Mountain Hop” among them), and if you’re looking for the right composer to reimagine Middle-earth for a multiyear Amazon Prime series adaptation, you go right to the ultimate rock-and-roll composer: Bear McCreary.
But don’t let the long dark hair and drummer vibe fool you, as McCreary can craft a dramatic, haunting score for just about any genre there is. “Sci-fi, fantasy, horror, period pieces, these are all things that inspire me and get me out of bed,” says McCreary with a noticeable jolt of energy. “And “The Lord of the Rings” is the godfather of so much of that.
- 6/20/2023
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
Three months from now, the Weeknd might just have an Emmy to place alongside his four Grammys and his Oscar nomination.
That’s because he joins a dozen other music superstars — including Dolly Parton, Common, Ryan Tedder, “Weird Al” Yankovic and Meshell Ndegeocello — who have entered work in this year’s Emmy competition.
Voting began yesterday in the seven music categories. Approximately 550 members of the Academy’s music branch will cast ballots, although viewing the hundreds of entries before voting ends on June 26 is an impossible task, Academy officials privately concede.
The Weeknd, aka Abel Tesfaye, is among the 19 entries in the Music Direction category. He submitted “The Weeknd Live at Sofi Stadium,” an HBO special that aired in February. If nominated, he’s likely to be up against such past winners as Adam Blackstone and Rickey Minor (“The Oscars”).
Most of the big-name performers have entered the song category...
That’s because he joins a dozen other music superstars — including Dolly Parton, Common, Ryan Tedder, “Weird Al” Yankovic and Meshell Ndegeocello — who have entered work in this year’s Emmy competition.
Voting began yesterday in the seven music categories. Approximately 550 members of the Academy’s music branch will cast ballots, although viewing the hundreds of entries before voting ends on June 26 is an impossible task, Academy officials privately concede.
The Weeknd, aka Abel Tesfaye, is among the 19 entries in the Music Direction category. He submitted “The Weeknd Live at Sofi Stadium,” an HBO special that aired in February. If nominated, he’s likely to be up against such past winners as Adam Blackstone and Rickey Minor (“The Oscars”).
Most of the big-name performers have entered the song category...
- 6/17/2023
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Fantasy show composers Gustavo Santaolalla (“The Last of Us”), Bear McCreary (“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”) and Ramin Djawadi (“House of the Dragon”) knew going in that their respective projects had built-in audiences — and that those fandoms should be kept in mind while creating their scores.
“The Last of Us” showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin told Santaolalla that music needed to be “another character” for the HBO series adapted from the video game he previously scored. Rather than create new themes, Santaolalla organically transitioned the music to TV. The South American instrument called “the ronroco,” which he used to write “The Last of Us” theme, was integral in keeping that connectivity for fans who had experienced Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie’s (Bella Ramsay) journey before.
Santaolalla also brought back “All Gone,” “The Path” and other fan-favorite tracks for “The Last of Us” TV series.
“The Last of Us” showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin told Santaolalla that music needed to be “another character” for the HBO series adapted from the video game he previously scored. Rather than create new themes, Santaolalla organically transitioned the music to TV. The South American instrument called “the ronroco,” which he used to write “The Last of Us” theme, was integral in keeping that connectivity for fans who had experienced Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie’s (Bella Ramsay) journey before.
Santaolalla also brought back “All Gone,” “The Path” and other fan-favorite tracks for “The Last of Us” TV series.
- 5/25/2023
- by Amon Warmann
- Variety Film + TV
Composers including Howard Shore, Patrick Doyle and Daniel Pemberton have taken part.
The World Soundtrack Awards (Wsa), taking place annually at Film Fest Gent, is pairing 25 composers with 25 filmmakers for a short film project called 25 x 2 to celebrate the festival’s 50th anniversary.
Composers including Howard Shore, Patrick Doyle and Daniel Pemberton have composed a short piece of music (1-2 minutes) with many recorded by the Brussels Philharmonic orchestra. Filmmakers Including Terence Davies, Radu Jude, Paul Schrader, Naomi Kawase and Ildikó Enyedi are now creating shorts based on the scores.
The shorts will be presented at this year’s Film Fest Gent,...
The World Soundtrack Awards (Wsa), taking place annually at Film Fest Gent, is pairing 25 composers with 25 filmmakers for a short film project called 25 x 2 to celebrate the festival’s 50th anniversary.
Composers including Howard Shore, Patrick Doyle and Daniel Pemberton have composed a short piece of music (1-2 minutes) with many recorded by the Brussels Philharmonic orchestra. Filmmakers Including Terence Davies, Radu Jude, Paul Schrader, Naomi Kawase and Ildikó Enyedi are now creating shorts based on the scores.
The shorts will be presented at this year’s Film Fest Gent,...
- 5/21/2023
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
Composers including Howard Shore, Patrick Doyle and Daniel Pemberton have taken part.
The World Soundtrack Awards (Wsa), taking place annually at Film Fest Gent, is pairing 25 composers with 25 filmmakers for a short film project called 25 x 2 to celebrate the festival’s 50th anniversary.
Composers including Howard Shore, Patrick Doyle and Daniel Pemberton have composed a short piece of music (1-2 minutes) with many recorded by the Brussels Philharmonic orchestra. Filmmakers Including Terence Davies, Radu Jude, Paul Schrader, Naomi Kawase and Ildikó Enyedi are now creating shorts based on the scores.
The shorts will be presented at this year’s Film Fest Gent,...
The World Soundtrack Awards (Wsa), taking place annually at Film Fest Gent, is pairing 25 composers with 25 filmmakers for a short film project called 25 x 2 to celebrate the festival’s 50th anniversary.
Composers including Howard Shore, Patrick Doyle and Daniel Pemberton have composed a short piece of music (1-2 minutes) with many recorded by the Brussels Philharmonic orchestra. Filmmakers Including Terence Davies, Radu Jude, Paul Schrader, Naomi Kawase and Ildikó Enyedi are now creating shorts based on the scores.
The shorts will be presented at this year’s Film Fest Gent,...
- 5/21/2023
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
Composers including Howard Shore, Patrick Doyle and Daniel Pemberton have taken part.
The World Soundtrack Awards (Wsa), taking place annually at Film Fest Gent, is pairing 25 composers with 25 filmmakers for a short film project called 25 x 2 to celebrate the festival’s 50th anniversary.
Composers including Howard Shore, Patrick Doyle and Daniel Pemberton have composed a short piece of music (1-2 minutes) with many recorded by the Brussels Philharmonic orchestra. Filmmakers Including Terence Davies, Radu Jude, Paul Schrader, Naomi Kawase and Ildikó Enyedi are now creating shorts based on the scores.
The shorts will be presented at this year’s Film Fest Gent,...
The World Soundtrack Awards (Wsa), taking place annually at Film Fest Gent, is pairing 25 composers with 25 filmmakers for a short film project called 25 x 2 to celebrate the festival’s 50th anniversary.
Composers including Howard Shore, Patrick Doyle and Daniel Pemberton have composed a short piece of music (1-2 minutes) with many recorded by the Brussels Philharmonic orchestra. Filmmakers Including Terence Davies, Radu Jude, Paul Schrader, Naomi Kawase and Ildikó Enyedi are now creating shorts based on the scores.
The shorts will be presented at this year’s Film Fest Gent,...
- 5/21/2023
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
One of the biggest blockbuster hits of 2003 was the Pixar animated feature “Finding Nemo,” featuring the voice talents of Albert Brooks and Ellen Degeneres, and directed by Andrew Stanton. It was Pixar’s fifth feature following “Toy Story,” “A Bug’s Life,” “Toy Story 2” and “Monsters, Inc.” Released two decades ago on May 30, 2003, “Finding Nemo” was a box office smash, making $70 million its opening weekend in the United States and eventually reaching $380 million nationwide and $941 million worldwide. Read on for our celebration of the “Finding Nemo” 20th anniversary.
Most of the nation’s critics loved the film, including Moira MacDonald in Seattle Times, who said it’s “enchanting; written with an effortless blend of sweetness and silliness, and animated with such rainbow-hued beauty, you may find yourself wanting to freeze-frame it.” And Lou Lemenick in New York Post called it “a dazzling, computer-animated fish tale with a funny, touching script...
Most of the nation’s critics loved the film, including Moira MacDonald in Seattle Times, who said it’s “enchanting; written with an effortless blend of sweetness and silliness, and animated with such rainbow-hued beauty, you may find yourself wanting to freeze-frame it.” And Lou Lemenick in New York Post called it “a dazzling, computer-animated fish tale with a funny, touching script...
- 5/18/2023
- by Brian Rowe
- Gold Derby
When Lorne Michaels set out to shake up the late-night television landscape with "Saturday Night Live," there were certain, long-standing traditions he was willing to observe. One of those was the assemblage of a house band. Though the show wasted no time filling America's living rooms with the provocative music of Gil Scott-Heron, Jimmy Cliff, and Frank Zappa, the Saturday Night Live Band was an impressive if unexciting assortment of solid session musicians. And the man who brought them together was a then relatively unknown composer named Howard Shore.
The Toronto-born Shore had the inside track to the gig thanks to a friendship with Michaels that stretched back to summer camp. But while Shore had made a name for himself via the jazz fusion band Lighthouse and his score for magician Doug Henning's popular stage show "Spellbound" (which eventually transferred to Broadway as "The Magic Show"), he wasn't overly...
The Toronto-born Shore had the inside track to the gig thanks to a friendship with Michaels that stretched back to summer camp. But while Shore had made a name for himself via the jazz fusion band Lighthouse and his score for magician Doug Henning's popular stage show "Spellbound" (which eventually transferred to Broadway as "The Magic Show"), he wasn't overly...
- 3/11/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
In Japanese mythology, Namazu was believed to be an underground fish that caused earthquakes, as immortalized in several namazu-e woodblock prints of the Edo period. Imprisoned and subdued under a large stone by Takemikazuchi, the god of thunder, earthquakes were believed to occur whenever Takemikazuchi let his guard down, meaning Namazu could wriggle free, flapping his giant body to-and-fro to cause havoc for the unsuspecting citizens above.
Perhaps Takemikazuchi doesn’t do a good job — Japan has, on average, 1,500 earthquakes a year, with its 700 islands sitting perilously close to the Pacific Earthquake Belt, also known as the suitably demonic “Ring of Fire.” In “Suzume,” , this mythical giant catfish is replaced by a snakepit of burning, writhing, fire-red worms, who escape from a hellish netherworld bent on causing geographical devastation. Siloed away in a magical land, these worms are normally contained by doorways secured by “keystones,” with doors guarded and kept...
Perhaps Takemikazuchi doesn’t do a good job — Japan has, on average, 1,500 earthquakes a year, with its 700 islands sitting perilously close to the Pacific Earthquake Belt, also known as the suitably demonic “Ring of Fire.” In “Suzume,” , this mythical giant catfish is replaced by a snakepit of burning, writhing, fire-red worms, who escape from a hellish netherworld bent on causing geographical devastation. Siloed away in a magical land, these worms are normally contained by doorways secured by “keystones,” with doors guarded and kept...
- 2/23/2023
- by Steph Green
- Indiewire
The massive success of The Rings of Power and the undying popularity of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film trilogy are proof of the longevity of J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium. But while Jackson’s extended editions have been pored over by fans for years, there are those who might have enjoyed the movies but have never read the books. The latter group might be surprised to learn that there are actually quite a few scenes in the films that you’ll never find in the books. Because they never happened on the page at all.
There is always a specific reason as to why changes are made, whether it’s in service of a screen adaptation’s pacing, deeper character development, or the notion that a new narrative twist can improve the experience in theaters. In many instances, things Jackson added to Tolkien’s saga have helped to...
There is always a specific reason as to why changes are made, whether it’s in service of a screen adaptation’s pacing, deeper character development, or the notion that a new narrative twist can improve the experience in theaters. In many instances, things Jackson added to Tolkien’s saga have helped to...
- 2/15/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Of all the below-the-line categories at the Oscars, Best Original Score is the most difficult to predict early on due to the finicky nature of the music branch of the academy. Scores that sound like frontrunners are disqualified for a variety of reasons, from the number of credited composers to the amount of previously recorded music used. (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2023 Oscars Best Original Score predictions.)
Starting with the 2019 Oscars, the academy released a shortlist of 15 contenders. We got this year’s roster of semi-finalists on December 21, 2022. A second round of voting by the members of the music branch, again using preferential voting, will cut these 15 down to the final five nominees. These will be announced, along with the final contenders in all of the other competitive categories on January 24. The entire voting membership of the academy will then vote for the winners, which will be revealed during...
Starting with the 2019 Oscars, the academy released a shortlist of 15 contenders. We got this year’s roster of semi-finalists on December 21, 2022. A second round of voting by the members of the music branch, again using preferential voting, will cut these 15 down to the final five nominees. These will be announced, along with the final contenders in all of the other competitive categories on January 24. The entire voting membership of the academy will then vote for the winners, which will be revealed during...
- 2/6/2023
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Tl;Dr:
The Saturday Night Live theme is similar to a John Lennon song.The song’s music video is like the opening of the show.The track in question was a collaboration with Elton John. Yoko Ono and John Lennon | R. Brigden / Stringer
The Saturday Night Live theme sounds like one of John Lennon’s songs. The song came out a year before SNL premiered. Notably, John’s song was a big hit in the United States but barely made a mark in the United Kingdom.
The ‘Saturday Night Live’ theme is as jazzy as 1 John Lennon song
“Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” was one of John’s most popular solo songs. It sticks out from most of John’s solo hits because it takes so much influence from jazz music. The opening riff of the track sounds like the jazzy riff from the SNL opening theme.
The...
The Saturday Night Live theme is similar to a John Lennon song.The song’s music video is like the opening of the show.The track in question was a collaboration with Elton John. Yoko Ono and John Lennon | R. Brigden / Stringer
The Saturday Night Live theme sounds like one of John Lennon’s songs. The song came out a year before SNL premiered. Notably, John’s song was a big hit in the United States but barely made a mark in the United Kingdom.
The ‘Saturday Night Live’ theme is as jazzy as 1 John Lennon song
“Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” was one of John’s most popular solo songs. It sticks out from most of John’s solo hits because it takes so much influence from jazz music. The opening riff of the track sounds like the jazzy riff from the SNL opening theme.
The...
- 2/1/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Plot: A tourist (Alexander Skarsgard) visiting an unstable, totalitarian country accidentally kills someone in an auto accident. He’s sentenced to death but discovers that he can have a clone made to take his place for the right price. Soon, he falls in with a maniacal group of affluent tourists who’ve taken advantage of this fact to engage in wild acts of hedonism and violence.
Review: To say Infinity Pool is not for the faint of heart is an understatement. One could have said the same thing about director Brandon Cronenberg’s last movie, Possessor, but the extreme violence and sex on display here go beyond anything shown in that film. Those who catch it in theaters when it opens this week may not understand why the film is so controversial, but that’s because those audiences will be seeing a censored, R-rated cut. The version we got at Sundance,...
Review: To say Infinity Pool is not for the faint of heart is an understatement. One could have said the same thing about director Brandon Cronenberg’s last movie, Possessor, but the extreme violence and sex on display here go beyond anything shown in that film. Those who catch it in theaters when it opens this week may not understand why the film is so controversial, but that’s because those audiences will be seeing a censored, R-rated cut. The version we got at Sundance,...
- 1/28/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Before "Avatar: The Way of Water," composer Simon Franglen was intimately familiar with the "Avatar" universe. Franglen collaborated with the late, great James Horner on the first film and composed music for Walt Disney World's Avatar theme park land. With "Avatar: The Way of Water," the composer expands the musical landscape of Pandora while also honoring the work of Horner, whose scores for "Titanic" and several other films were produced by Franglen.
For James Cameron's sequel, the composer brought in musicians and instruments from all over the world to continue to define Pandora and its characters. It's a sweeping score that's as majestic as the images, both familiar and otherworldly. It's "relentless," as Franglen puts it -- just the way Cameron wanted it. The composer's career outside of "Avatar" is another epic story for another day, but he's worked with the likes of Pink Floyd, Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston,...
For James Cameron's sequel, the composer brought in musicians and instruments from all over the world to continue to define Pandora and its characters. It's a sweeping score that's as majestic as the images, both familiar and otherworldly. It's "relentless," as Franglen puts it -- just the way Cameron wanted it. The composer's career outside of "Avatar" is another epic story for another day, but he's worked with the likes of Pink Floyd, Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston,...
- 12/27/2022
- by Jack Giroux
- Slash Film
My roundup of the year in cinematic soundtracks is a sonic collage of emotion and sensations, mixed together with both pop and orchestral flourishes.We start off with music from Tár, Todd Field’s return to filmmaking and the story of the renowned conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic (Cate Blanchett). Hildur Guðnadóttir’s concept album features music from within the film and inspired by it, with original pieces alongside beloved works by Elgar and Mahler.Experiencing Memoria at the cinema turned my senses upside down. Here Apichatpong Weerasethakul is in full force, offering a cinematic experience of the sensory. If one were to critique a film based solely on its sonic sensibilities, Memoria achieves the highest embodiment of altered states possible through the marriage of sound and visuals. The realms of human consciousness are Apichatpong's focus and it is through sound design and music that we fall into his world.
- 12/20/2022
- MUBI
Click here to read the full article.
Flying saucers over Bayreuth! Unspeakable horrors descend on the Philharmonic! Ten words I never thought I’d write. But Plan 9 From Outer Space is being turned into an opera.
The legendary, and legendarily bad, cult film from 1957 — which Tim Burton paid tribute to in his Oscar-winning 1994 feature Ed Wood starring Johnny Depp as the Plan 9 director — will get the classical music treatment courtesy of Thai composer, and B-movie fanatic, Somtow Sucharitkul.
Plan 9 From Outer Space: A Really Grand Opera by Somtow Sucharitkul is currently in the libretto stage. Rehearsals will begin in earnest next year. Sucharitkul plans to release a teaser “suite from the opera” next fall and to premiere the full opera in 2024. Torsten Neumann, director of the Oldenburg Film Festival, Germany’s leading indie film fest, is producing.
“Plan 9 is, of course, celebrated as the worst picture ever made and a cultural icon,...
Flying saucers over Bayreuth! Unspeakable horrors descend on the Philharmonic! Ten words I never thought I’d write. But Plan 9 From Outer Space is being turned into an opera.
The legendary, and legendarily bad, cult film from 1957 — which Tim Burton paid tribute to in his Oscar-winning 1994 feature Ed Wood starring Johnny Depp as the Plan 9 director — will get the classical music treatment courtesy of Thai composer, and B-movie fanatic, Somtow Sucharitkul.
Plan 9 From Outer Space: A Really Grand Opera by Somtow Sucharitkul is currently in the libretto stage. Rehearsals will begin in earnest next year. Sucharitkul plans to release a teaser “suite from the opera” next fall and to premiere the full opera in 2024. Torsten Neumann, director of the Oldenburg Film Festival, Germany’s leading indie film fest, is producing.
“Plan 9 is, of course, celebrated as the worst picture ever made and a cultural icon,...
- 12/19/2022
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As noted in our Best TV Shows list, there was just a lot of television in 2022. It’s so, so easy for great work to get lost in the relentless churn of new streaming content, even as reality programming bends us ever closer to the “30 Rock” universe. It’s even easier for great musical work to get lost on television, where scores are able to have an ambition and originality the rest of a legacy IP production might lack, or to embrace experimental elements viewers may not even notice while they’re watching a conventional-looking scene. We double-checked that film legends John Williams and Howard Shore came to TV to score themes this year, because it feels like a million years ago already now.
Speaking of legacies, Ramin Djawadi and Siddhartha Khosla pushed the boundaries of some of the most iconic recent scores on television even as “The House...
Speaking of legacies, Ramin Djawadi and Siddhartha Khosla pushed the boundaries of some of the most iconic recent scores on television even as “The House...
- 12/17/2022
- by Sarah Shachat and Steve Greene
- Indiewire
It wasn’t a surprise to see that Scott Cooper had recruited Christian Bale to star in his most recent project, Netflix’s upcoming “The Pale Blue Eye.” However, it was a nice surprise to learn that Howard Shore would be providing the music.
The film, which is a follow-up to “Antlers,” is set in West Point in 1830 and is based on Louis Bayard’s novel of the same name.
Continue reading ‘The Pale Blue Eye’ Exclusive Music: Listen To 2 Tracks From Howard Shore’s Powerful Score at The Playlist.
The film, which is a follow-up to “Antlers,” is set in West Point in 1830 and is based on Louis Bayard’s novel of the same name.
Continue reading ‘The Pale Blue Eye’ Exclusive Music: Listen To 2 Tracks From Howard Shore’s Powerful Score at The Playlist.
- 12/12/2022
- by Jamie Rogers
- The Playlist
(Warning: Spoilers ahead for "The Rings of Power" finale.)
"The Lord of the Rings" franchise continues to deliver songs that slap. The original trilogy of films by Peter Jackson includes a score by Howard Shore that's still in heavy rotation among fans two decades later. "The Hobbit" movies, despite their inconsistent quality, delivered a haunting rendition of "Far Over The Misty Mountains Cold," plus an Ed Sheeran song that had no reason to go as hard as it did, "I See Fire."
Now, with the first season of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" drawing to a close, J.R.R. Tolkien's rather lyrical poetic writing is once again lending itself to another great song. The episode ends with a familiar voice ushering in the end credits singing with a hypnotic version of some of the trilogy's most famous words. Who sings that closing song? It's Fiona Apple!
"The Lord of the Rings" franchise continues to deliver songs that slap. The original trilogy of films by Peter Jackson includes a score by Howard Shore that's still in heavy rotation among fans two decades later. "The Hobbit" movies, despite their inconsistent quality, delivered a haunting rendition of "Far Over The Misty Mountains Cold," plus an Ed Sheeran song that had no reason to go as hard as it did, "I See Fire."
Now, with the first season of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" drawing to a close, J.R.R. Tolkien's rather lyrical poetic writing is once again lending itself to another great song. The episode ends with a familiar voice ushering in the end credits singing with a hypnotic version of some of the trilogy's most famous words. Who sings that closing song? It's Fiona Apple!
- 10/14/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Branford Marsalis, Thomas Newman, Howard Shore, and Kris Bowers — what do they have in common, besides each being an accomplished composer, conductor, and/or recording artist in his own right? Within the past four years, they all produced a film score that didn’t even register as a blip on the Oscar radar. “Let Them All Talk” and “Pieces of a Woman” gained zero traction for 15-time Oscar nominee Newman and three-time “The Lord of the Rings” Oscar winner Shore. Bowers and Marsalis had respectively picked up momentum elsewhere on the awards circuit for “Green Book” (the eventual Best Picture winner) and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (the eventual Best Makeup and Hairstyling winner), yet those two films’ Oscar fortunes couldn’t do anything to boost their chances in Best Original Score.
There’s no chalking it up to crowded fields, or voter bias. It all comes down to the rules: Prior to last Oscar season,...
There’s no chalking it up to crowded fields, or voter bias. It all comes down to the rules: Prior to last Oscar season,...
- 10/12/2022
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Throughout history, societies have told each other stories through song. Often, those ditties were the only way these stories could be passed down and remembered. There were drinking songs, sea shanties, songs to pass the time, songs to walk by, and songs to lift the heart. There is something about communal singing that lets us be a part of a group, sharing in something we know and love. Songs can keep the beat that soldiers march to or traveling groups walk to. They mourn those who have passed or brighten up a day with a funny twist.
J.R.R. Tolkien was a scholar of mythology and history and liberally seasoned his writings with songs. We've heard some of them in "The Hobbit" trilogy, and even a few in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Who could forget the song Aragorn sings at his coronation? Go watch it right now and try...
J.R.R. Tolkien was a scholar of mythology and history and liberally seasoned his writings with songs. We've heard some of them in "The Hobbit" trilogy, and even a few in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Who could forget the song Aragorn sings at his coronation? Go watch it right now and try...
- 10/7/2022
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
No matter how zoomed-out the view, you can only fit so many mountain ranges, so many massive armies, and so many dirty hobbit fingernails into a single frame. In Middle Earth, it’s the musical score that can always go further, capturing emotion, character turmoil, and the awe and wonder of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world in a way that (sometimes literally) echoes far beyond what we can see. The way music works with the image often makes the best scenes out of Tolkien’s stories feel as rousingly epic as they do and why, in both the Peter Jackson film trilogy and Prime Video’s new television series, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” scenes that are just bits of landscape catching on fire (or flooding and catching on fire) pack such a punch.
The Amazon show posed the same challenge to showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne...
The Amazon show posed the same challenge to showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne...
- 10/2/2022
- by Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
Dir: David Cronenberg. Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, Don McKellar, Scott Speedman. 107 mins
A little boy is having his supper. He munches away happily on a plastic bin in the bathroom. This is one of the typically disconcerting early scenes in Canadian body horror maestro David Cronenberg’s very grotesque new film (a world premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival). This kid has the uncanny ability to digest plastic. He has been created that way as an experiment into whether humanity can start feeding on its own industrial waste.
Crimes of the Future shares a title with a film Cronenberg made way back near the start of his career, in 1970. It has all the traits that fans look for in its director’s work, full of provocative ideas and very lurid imagery. But the storytelling is cold and detached. At times, the narrative is hard to follow.
A little boy is having his supper. He munches away happily on a plastic bin in the bathroom. This is one of the typically disconcerting early scenes in Canadian body horror maestro David Cronenberg’s very grotesque new film (a world premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival). This kid has the uncanny ability to digest plastic. He has been created that way as an experiment into whether humanity can start feeding on its own industrial waste.
Crimes of the Future shares a title with a film Cronenberg made way back near the start of his career, in 1970. It has all the traits that fans look for in its director’s work, full of provocative ideas and very lurid imagery. But the storytelling is cold and detached. At times, the narrative is hard to follow.
- 9/23/2022
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- The Independent - Film
"The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" takes a rather abstract approach to its opening credits, but there was a lot of thought put into the symbolism behind it. Over about a minute and a half each week, we hear Howard Shore's opening theme for "The Rings of Power" and see formations of sand coming together. They break apart just as quickly, and though the shapes aren't always circular and the designs are less colorful, they almost bring to mind mandalas, geometric figures used in Eastern religions for meditation. Netflix's "House of Cards," for example, once featured Tibetan monks crafting an intricate sand mandala in the White House, only for them to brush it all away at the end of the episode, as if to show the transient beauty of life.
"The Rings of Power" drew inspiration from an altogether different source for its opening credits.
"The Rings of Power" drew inspiration from an altogether different source for its opening credits.
- 9/19/2022
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
When it comes to the most entertaining Easter eggs and tidbits sprinkled throughout "The Lord of the Rings," there are a handful of time-honored traditions that fans have passed down and made sure to turn into endearing memes. Did you know that Viggo Mortensen broke his toe after kicking a helmet? How about the fact that Sir Christopher Lee was the only cast member to actually know J.R.R. Tolkien? Oh, and then there are all the various cameos by director Peter Jackson throughout the trilogy.
But even the most knowledgeable viewers may have missed a specific fun fact that has linked every single live-action Tolkien adaptation together. Of all the talent that have participated in various Middle-earth stories over the last two decades, only a sole individual has left their fingerprints on each and every one on-camera. No, it's not mo-cap actor extraordinaire Andy Serkis or even director Peter Jackson,...
But even the most knowledgeable viewers may have missed a specific fun fact that has linked every single live-action Tolkien adaptation together. Of all the talent that have participated in various Middle-earth stories over the last two decades, only a sole individual has left their fingerprints on each and every one on-camera. No, it's not mo-cap actor extraordinaire Andy Serkis or even director Peter Jackson,...
- 9/16/2022
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Main title creators Mark Bashore and Katrina Crawford were given a unique challenge in creating the title sequence for “The Rings of Power,” a series from the world of J.R.R. Tolkien that would introduce fans of “The Lord of the Rings” to the much older and less familiar Second Age.
Bashore credits Crawford with their approach to the overall main title design, saying, “She came up with this idea of portals into other worlds. You have 90 seconds or sometimes less to transport people psychologically into a place where they’re ready. And it’s oftentimes the only thing that lives across seasons and seasons. Everything else changes. The directors, the writers, the shows change, but the one thing is that portal.”
Tolkien once wrote that his world was created from the music of angelic beings. It was with such heavenly inspiration that Bashore, Crawford and their team at Plains of...
Bashore credits Crawford with their approach to the overall main title design, saying, “She came up with this idea of portals into other worlds. You have 90 seconds or sometimes less to transport people psychologically into a place where they’re ready. And it’s oftentimes the only thing that lives across seasons and seasons. Everything else changes. The directors, the writers, the shows change, but the one thing is that portal.”
Tolkien once wrote that his world was created from the music of angelic beings. It was with such heavenly inspiration that Bashore, Crawford and their team at Plains of...
- 9/16/2022
- by Karen M. Peterson
- Variety Film + TV
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