Ever since Star Wars: Episode IV premiered in 1977, there has been no shortage of Sw fans around the globe. One of the biggest fan communities ever, Star Wars maintains a massive cult following almost half a century later and despite Disney’s plentiful efforts in ruining it for everyone. But what’s the secret recipe for this franchise’s overwhelming and stable success?
George Lucas recently revealed it, but his answer wasn’t what most fans expected.
George Lucas About Star Wars’ Popularity
Recently, the Star Wars creator gave an interview to Brut. Among other things, Lucas was asked about what exactly, in his opinion, made the Star Wars movies so compelling to generations upon generations of fans, and he was quick to reveal his secret ingredient: the undying child that lives in him and most Star Wars fans.
“[Star Wars is] designed as a film for twelve-year olds to say ‘You’re going through puberty,...
George Lucas recently revealed it, but his answer wasn’t what most fans expected.
George Lucas About Star Wars’ Popularity
Recently, the Star Wars creator gave an interview to Brut. Among other things, Lucas was asked about what exactly, in his opinion, made the Star Wars movies so compelling to generations upon generations of fans, and he was quick to reveal his secret ingredient: the undying child that lives in him and most Star Wars fans.
“[Star Wars is] designed as a film for twelve-year olds to say ‘You’re going through puberty,...
- 5/27/2024
- by dean-black@startefacts.com (Dean Black)
- STartefacts.com
George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola reflected on their lifelong bond as the “Megalopolis” director presented the “Star Wars” visionary with Cannes Film Festival’s honorary Palme d’Or on Saturday night.
Before Lucas received the award, he was greeted in the theater by a several-minute standing ovation, during which he gave the crowd a thumbs-up and got a little teary-eyed. When Coppola came on stage, the two embraced and exchanged some private remarks.
In his speech, Coppola recalled his first meeting with Lucas, who shadowed him on the set of his film “Finian’s Rainbow” in 1968.
“Pleased to have someone in my own generation, I suggested he come every day, but only on one condition: That he come up with a brilliant suggestion every day, which he consistently did. And with that began an association that has lasted a lifetime,” Coppola said. “And he went on and on, making film history,...
Before Lucas received the award, he was greeted in the theater by a several-minute standing ovation, during which he gave the crowd a thumbs-up and got a little teary-eyed. When Coppola came on stage, the two embraced and exchanged some private remarks.
In his speech, Coppola recalled his first meeting with Lucas, who shadowed him on the set of his film “Finian’s Rainbow” in 1968.
“Pleased to have someone in my own generation, I suggested he come every day, but only on one condition: That he come up with a brilliant suggestion every day, which he consistently did. And with that began an association that has lasted a lifetime,” Coppola said. “And he went on and on, making film history,...
- 5/25/2024
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Confession time: despite being a serious film buff, and preaching the gospel of physical media, I only recently upgraded to a 4K Blu-ray player. While I’ve been watching 4K for years on my Apple TV, I also upgraded my 4K TV to one with Dolby Vision built-in, and some of the results I’ve been seeing on restorations of my favourite movies have been blowing my mind. For those of you who maybe haven’t taken the plunge, here’s a list of five that have really knocked my socks off:
The Crow (1994)
Our man Tyler Nichols was so impressed with the transfer on the recent 4K disc that he devoted an entire column to it last week. For me, this was one of the first movies I opted to pick up, as it’s never really looked all that great on DVD or Blu-ray. I’ve been lucky...
The Crow (1994)
Our man Tyler Nichols was so impressed with the transfer on the recent 4K disc that he devoted an entire column to it last week. For me, this was one of the first movies I opted to pick up, as it’s never really looked all that great on DVD or Blu-ray. I’ve been lucky...
- 5/22/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
The Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont was once approached to write a Star Wars film for George Lucas. The Star Wars director was not the best at writing dialogue and tried seeking outside help for the same. However, Darabont couldn’t go through with the negotiations to write Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. The Green Mile director explained that he couldn’t affiliate himself with the project since it was a non-guild job.
A still from George Lucas’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace | Lucasfilm Ltd.
George Lucas exited the DGA, WGA, and MPA in 1980 after they fined his film The Empire Strikes Back for breaking the rules. During the prequel trilogy, Lucasfilm refused to become a signatory to any of these guilds, making it difficult for Darabont to accept the writing job.
The Shawshank Redemption Director Couldn’t Work For George Lucas...
A still from George Lucas’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace | Lucasfilm Ltd.
George Lucas exited the DGA, WGA, and MPA in 1980 after they fined his film The Empire Strikes Back for breaking the rules. During the prequel trilogy, Lucasfilm refused to become a signatory to any of these guilds, making it difficult for Darabont to accept the writing job.
The Shawshank Redemption Director Couldn’t Work For George Lucas...
- 5/20/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
Candace Cameron Bure [Image: Courtesy of Great American Media]
Forming part of the Great American Christmas 2024 programming event on Great American Family, production has wrapped on A Christmas Less Traveled. The movie stars Candace Cameron Bure and Eric Johnson and is set to premiere in November 2024. Read on to find out more about this new, original holiday movie and its cast.
Candace Cameron Bure & Eric Johnson star in A Christmas Less Traveled Candace Cameron Bure [Image @candacecbure/Instagram]
Great American Family has announced that production is complete on what is likely to be the most anticipated new holiday film of Great American Christmas 2024. A Christmas Less Traveled stars Candace Cameron Bure (My Christmas Hero and A Christmas Present) and Eric Johnson (Call Me Mrs. Miracle and Flash Gordon) and will air in November.
According to the press release, The Dine and Dash Diner has a mounting stack of unpaid bills. This forces its owner, Desi (Bure) to sell her beloved,...
Forming part of the Great American Christmas 2024 programming event on Great American Family, production has wrapped on A Christmas Less Traveled. The movie stars Candace Cameron Bure and Eric Johnson and is set to premiere in November 2024. Read on to find out more about this new, original holiday movie and its cast.
Candace Cameron Bure & Eric Johnson star in A Christmas Less Traveled Candace Cameron Bure [Image @candacecbure/Instagram]
Great American Family has announced that production is complete on what is likely to be the most anticipated new holiday film of Great American Christmas 2024. A Christmas Less Traveled stars Candace Cameron Bure (My Christmas Hero and A Christmas Present) and Eric Johnson (Call Me Mrs. Miracle and Flash Gordon) and will air in November.
According to the press release, The Dine and Dash Diner has a mounting stack of unpaid bills. This forces its owner, Desi (Bure) to sell her beloved,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Anne King
- Celebrating The Soaps
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!
King Kong (1976) SteelBook 4K Uhd from Paramount
The 1976 remake of King Kong is now available on SteelBook 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray via Paramount. The 134-minute theatrical version is presented in 4K with Hdr., while the 182-minute TV cut is included on Blu-ray. No other special features are included.
From producer Dino De Laurentiis, the monster movie is directed by John Guillermin and written by Lorenzo Semple Jr. (Flash Gordon). Jeff Bridges, Charles Grodin, and Jessica Lange star.
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter Apparel from Gutter Garbs
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter turns 40 tomorrow, and Gutter Garbs is celebrating with a design by Sam Coyne.
T-shirts for $30, long sleeves for $40, zip-up hoodies for...
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
King Kong (1976) SteelBook 4K Uhd from Paramount
The 1976 remake of King Kong is now available on SteelBook 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray via Paramount. The 134-minute theatrical version is presented in 4K with Hdr., while the 182-minute TV cut is included on Blu-ray. No other special features are included.
From producer Dino De Laurentiis, the monster movie is directed by John Guillermin and written by Lorenzo Semple Jr. (Flash Gordon). Jeff Bridges, Charles Grodin, and Jessica Lange star.
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter Apparel from Gutter Garbs
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter turns 40 tomorrow, and Gutter Garbs is celebrating with a design by Sam Coyne.
T-shirts for $30, long sleeves for $40, zip-up hoodies for...
- 4/12/2024
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Brian Blessed is only 87 years old, but he has lived enough adventures for 10 lifetimes. He has been acting professionally since 1957, and has since racked up hundreds of credits on stage, screen, and in video games. His enormous frame (and beard) cut a striking figure, and his big booming voice could likely be heard from the moon. He's played Shakespeare, Dumas, Doyle, Asterix, "Doctor Who," "Flash Gordon," and "Peppa Pig."
In 1963, Blessed helped deliver a baby in public. He bit through the umbilical cord to complete his task, and licked the infant's face to comfort it. He had attempted to scale Mount Everest on three occasions, each time with assisted oxygen. He has also summited Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Aconcagua. He survived a plane crash in the jungles the Venezuela. He once hiked to the North Pole on foot and claims to have punched a polar bear in the nose. As of this writing,...
In 1963, Blessed helped deliver a baby in public. He bit through the umbilical cord to complete his task, and licked the infant's face to comfort it. He had attempted to scale Mount Everest on three occasions, each time with assisted oxygen. He has also summited Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Aconcagua. He survived a plane crash in the jungles the Venezuela. He once hiked to the North Pole on foot and claims to have punched a polar bear in the nose. As of this writing,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Back when he first won the role, Flash Gordon was the vehicle that was supposed to propel Sam J. Jones to instant fame. As it turns out, it was the vehicle that propelled him to instant infamy, after the movie quickly fizzled out at the box office Still, the film has gone on to become a cult classic, and Jones has found that he’s won over a lot of fans with the film. Jones is still happy to talk about the role, as he did during a Q&a at a fan event, where he talked about why he believes he got the starring role in the movie. (Click on the media bar below to hear Sam J. Jones) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Sam_Jones_Making_Flash_Gordon_.mp3
Flash Gordon is available on DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K, and most digital platforms.
The post A Sam J. Jones...
Flash Gordon is available on DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K, and most digital platforms.
The post A Sam J. Jones...
- 2/10/2024
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
One of the best things about the old Star Wars Expanded Universe was that it afforded writers a chance to delve deeply into the various supporting players who would pop in and out of the original trilogy with nary an explanation for who they were or what their deal even was. One might call this the Boba Fett Syndrome. Take Lando Calrissian's (Billy Dee Williams) cyborg pal Lobot, who joined the smuggler in going legit after Lando became the Baron Administrator of Cloud City. He makes but a few wordless appearances in "The Empire Strikes Back" only to vamoose, never to be seen or mentioned again.
These days, Lobot has a wholly fleshed-out and consistent canonical backstory thanks to books like the "Lando" and "War of the Bounty Hunters" comics series. However, before Disney assumed control of the franchise, you just had to piece together the character's history as best...
These days, Lobot has a wholly fleshed-out and consistent canonical backstory thanks to books like the "Lando" and "War of the Bounty Hunters" comics series. However, before Disney assumed control of the franchise, you just had to piece together the character's history as best...
- 2/8/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" starts with Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones venturing into a booby-trapped tomb, defying death at every turn and escaping with the golden idol. Throughout the 1981 adventure epic, Indy finds himself in similarly precarious situations, managing to narrowly escape with his life in each instance. Frankly, filming "Raiders" itself sounds about as perilous.
There's a reason director Steven Spielberg was amazed Ford and his stunt team survived the shoot. He and his crew took several risks when it came to filming the action that could have easily resulted in tragedy, like making Ford run in front of a real 300-pound boulder for his dramatic tomb escape. The star even got his right leg trapped under a plane during the flying-wing fight scene. But Spielberg did have his limits. Ford was prohibited from doing the stunts that were more likely to lead to actual death. Those were reserved for the stunt team,...
There's a reason director Steven Spielberg was amazed Ford and his stunt team survived the shoot. He and his crew took several risks when it came to filming the action that could have easily resulted in tragedy, like making Ford run in front of a real 300-pound boulder for his dramatic tomb escape. The star even got his right leg trapped under a plane during the flying-wing fight scene. But Spielberg did have his limits. Ford was prohibited from doing the stunts that were more likely to lead to actual death. Those were reserved for the stunt team,...
- 1/15/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Nineteen sixty-eight has to be considered the apex of psychedelic sexploitation romps, with the release of Candy, adapted from Mason Hoffenberg and Terry Southern’s satirical reworking of Voltaire’s Candide, and Roger Vadim’s Barbarella, based on Jean-Claude Forest’s comic, and partially scripted by Southern (alongside an armada of other credited writers). Both employ a rambling, shaggy-dog structure as an excuse to flagrantly foreground softcore sexual hijinks tinged with a pungent whiff of social commentary, albeit the latter aspect may be easier to discern in Candy’s perverse daisy chain of events.
Southern’s contributions to the Dino De Laurentiis-produced Barbarella can be detected in some of its wittier lines (“A good many dramatic situations begin with screaming!”) and sly pokes at the persistence of class-consciousness. Aside from Southern, the two films are linked by the presence of Anita Pallenberg, style icon and muse of the Rolling...
Southern’s contributions to the Dino De Laurentiis-produced Barbarella can be detected in some of its wittier lines (“A good many dramatic situations begin with screaming!”) and sly pokes at the persistence of class-consciousness. Aside from Southern, the two films are linked by the presence of Anita Pallenberg, style icon and muse of the Rolling...
- 11/21/2023
- by Budd Wilkins
- Slant Magazine
George Lucas' "Star Wars" was a whole-cloth piece of world building. Inspired by gee-whiz sci-fi serials like "Flash Gordon," Lucas envisioned a sprawling saga that would stretch over multiple chapters. There was just one problem: the technology required to bring his vision to fruition didn't exist.
If you're any kind of "Star Wars" fan, you know about John Dykstra's revolutionary motion-control camera (the Dykstraflex), a pioneering piece of equipment that allowed Lucas to pull off the climactic trench run. You're also most certainly aware of how Rick Baker and Stuart Freeborn conjured up their groundbreaking creature effects. But do you know the story of how the lightsaber, the Jedi weapon of choice, was discovered?
While Lucas' idea for the lightsaber was brought to vivid life by the brilliant conceptual designer Ralph McQuarrie, someone had to either build or find the saber That someone was art director Roger Christian. And...
If you're any kind of "Star Wars" fan, you know about John Dykstra's revolutionary motion-control camera (the Dykstraflex), a pioneering piece of equipment that allowed Lucas to pull off the climactic trench run. You're also most certainly aware of how Rick Baker and Stuart Freeborn conjured up their groundbreaking creature effects. But do you know the story of how the lightsaber, the Jedi weapon of choice, was discovered?
While Lucas' idea for the lightsaber was brought to vivid life by the brilliant conceptual designer Ralph McQuarrie, someone had to either build or find the saber That someone was art director Roger Christian. And...
- 10/21/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
‘Elsbeth’ Flies To France
Paramount Global Content Distribution has licensed the highly anticipated CBS Studios series “Elsbeth” to TF1 in France.
Starring Emmy Award winner Carrie Preston, “Elsbeth” is based on the popular character of Elsbeth Tascioni, the astute but unconventional attorney featured in “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight.” “The series has been highly sought after in the French territory and this agreement will provide TF1 viewers exclusive access to the series in the market,” Paramount Global Content Distribution said.
The new series finds Elsbeth in New York City tackling a new investigative role and working alongside the NYPD after leaving her successful legal career in Chicago.
“TF1 is delighted to welcome this new series, driven by the talent of the amazing Carrie Preston,” said Sophie Leveaux, Tfi’s artistic director of acquisitions and international drama development, noting that the “Good Wife” universe was adored by audiences. “‘Elsbeth...
Paramount Global Content Distribution has licensed the highly anticipated CBS Studios series “Elsbeth” to TF1 in France.
Starring Emmy Award winner Carrie Preston, “Elsbeth” is based on the popular character of Elsbeth Tascioni, the astute but unconventional attorney featured in “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight.” “The series has been highly sought after in the French territory and this agreement will provide TF1 viewers exclusive access to the series in the market,” Paramount Global Content Distribution said.
The new series finds Elsbeth in New York City tackling a new investigative role and working alongside the NYPD after leaving her successful legal career in Chicago.
“TF1 is delighted to welcome this new series, driven by the talent of the amazing Carrie Preston,” said Sophie Leveaux, Tfi’s artistic director of acquisitions and international drama development, noting that the “Good Wife” universe was adored by audiences. “‘Elsbeth...
- 10/16/2023
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Rick Riordan's middle-grade book series "Percy Jackson and the Olympians," and its larger universe of ancient mythology-based books, is arguably one of the few franchises that could legitimately be considered the heir to the "Harry Potter" phenomenon — but with way fewer scandals. Like the magical teenage boy, Percy Jackson also got a big-budget theatrical film adaptation (one directed by "Harry Potter" alum Chris Columbus and starring Logan Lerman and Alexandra Daddario). It made decent money but was so horrendous the author still talks trash about the two movies today.
The story follows a tween boy who discovers he is the son of the actual Greek god Poseidon and a human woman and is tasked with going on a road trip across the United States to find Zeus' stolen lightning bolt or risk a war on Olympus. Now, fans of the books will get a second chance at seeing the story play out on screen.
The story follows a tween boy who discovers he is the son of the actual Greek god Poseidon and a human woman and is tasked with going on a road trip across the United States to find Zeus' stolen lightning bolt or risk a war on Olympus. Now, fans of the books will get a second chance at seeing the story play out on screen.
- 9/19/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Six U.K. works-in-progress have been selected for the 12th edition of Locarno’s First Look, an international launchpad for films in post-production taking place during Locarno Pro Days.
Since its introduction in 2012, First Look has already focused on Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Israel, Poland, the Baltic Countries, Portugal, Serbia, Switzerland and Germany
This year, the late Mike Hodges – known for “Get Carter” or “Flash Gordon” – will be celebrated in “All at Sea,” produced by Hurricane Films, a semi-autobiographical documentary depicting his life. The film was directed, written and narrated by Hodges himself.
“We have been working with Mike on this feature documentary over the past three, four years. We lost him in December, but luckily, we have a director’s cut and an even more pressing need to make sure his final film sees the light of the big screen,” says Solon Papadopoulos.
“Mike was a humble visionary and a delight to work with.
Since its introduction in 2012, First Look has already focused on Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Israel, Poland, the Baltic Countries, Portugal, Serbia, Switzerland and Germany
This year, the late Mike Hodges – known for “Get Carter” or “Flash Gordon” – will be celebrated in “All at Sea,” produced by Hurricane Films, a semi-autobiographical documentary depicting his life. The film was directed, written and narrated by Hodges himself.
“We have been working with Mike on this feature documentary over the past three, four years. We lost him in December, but luckily, we have a director’s cut and an even more pressing need to make sure his final film sees the light of the big screen,” says Solon Papadopoulos.
“Mike was a humble visionary and a delight to work with.
- 7/26/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
A wannabe "Jaws" rip-off theorized what would happen if a killer whale wreaked revenge on humanity -- "Orca" was a warning. Let's be honest: it's kind of a surprise that it's taken this long for killer whales to revolt against humans. We've poisoned their oceans, killed their young, and forced them into a life of showbiz in cramped theme park pools. Humans had a good run but it seems that orcas are the new mammals in charge.
Sailors working off the coast of Western Europe have reported a series of attacks by a group of orcas they said seemed to be "coordinated." This included striking and sinking a number of boats, although no human casualties have been reported. Some scientists said spikes in aggression may have been started by a female orca nicknamed White Gladis, who is believed to have suffered trauma after a collision with a sailboat.
While other...
Sailors working off the coast of Western Europe have reported a series of attacks by a group of orcas they said seemed to be "coordinated." This included striking and sinking a number of boats, although no human casualties have been reported. Some scientists said spikes in aggression may have been started by a female orca nicknamed White Gladis, who is believed to have suffered trauma after a collision with a sailboat.
While other...
- 5/26/2023
- by Kayleigh Donaldson
- Slash Film
A phenomenon familiar to those in England, but perhaps obscure to those elsewhere, is the notion of the Page Three Girl. In 1970, the lascivious supermarket tabloid The Sun, a paper run by Rupert Murdoch, began running photographs of up-and-coming models, usually topless, on page three. The photos became so popular that other tabloids like the Daily Mirror and the Daily Star followed suit. The models featured became known as Page Three Girls, and some of them became minor celebrities for their spreads. Page Three Girls, of course, sparked an enormous amount of controversy. From this author's own childhood recollections, some tried to pass off the topless pictures phenomenon as a bit of harmless, sexy fun folded into a newspaper that was already completely lacking in credibility anyway. Others objected to the outwardly prurient nature of the nudie pictures, pointing to them as a prime example of widespread sexism and the commodification of women's bodies.
- 5/25/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
It's astonishing to consider how quickly "Star Wars" rose to prominence in the pop culture consciousness. George Lucas, the director of the 1977 original, merely wanted to make a high-octane version of classical space opera stories like the ones seen in "Flash Gordon" serials of the 1940s. One could not have predicted the overwhelming response from young audiences, or their thirst for toys and tie-in products, a relative novelty at the time. Fast-forward to 1983, and there had already been one beloved sequel, a TV special, and more toys than the Earth's landfills knew what to do with. When the time came to make "Return of the Jedi," Lucas had become a mere executive producer and story writer, hoping to farm out the directing gig to ... well, to anyone who fit two certain criteria.
Many might know that several soon-to-be-prominent directors were approached to direct "Return of the Jedi." David Cronenberg had...
Many might know that several soon-to-be-prominent directors were approached to direct "Return of the Jedi." David Cronenberg had...
- 5/25/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Over the weekend, something unexpected happened. At least at the box office.
Sony’s “The Pope’s Exorcist,” a slimly budgeted supernatural thriller based, in part, on the real-life story of Father Gabriele Amorth (played by Russell Crowe), a Roman Catholic priest and former Resistance fighter in World War II who by the year 2000 had boasted that he had performed over 50,000 exorcisms, went up against more fearsome opponent than the devil himself – “Renfield,” a big-budget horror comedy from Universal starring Nicolas Cage and Nicholas Hoult. Incredibly, “The Pope’s Exorcist” came out on top.
And much of that success had to do with the nimble direction of Julius Avery, the Australian director of Bad Robot’s criminally underrated “Overlord” and last year’s Sylvester Stallone vehicle “Samaritan.”
TheWrap talked to Avery about getting past the tired tropes of the exorcism genre, working with Crowe and what his “Flash Gordon” movie was going...
Sony’s “The Pope’s Exorcist,” a slimly budgeted supernatural thriller based, in part, on the real-life story of Father Gabriele Amorth (played by Russell Crowe), a Roman Catholic priest and former Resistance fighter in World War II who by the year 2000 had boasted that he had performed over 50,000 exorcisms, went up against more fearsome opponent than the devil himself – “Renfield,” a big-budget horror comedy from Universal starring Nicolas Cage and Nicholas Hoult. Incredibly, “The Pope’s Exorcist” came out on top.
And much of that success had to do with the nimble direction of Julius Avery, the Australian director of Bad Robot’s criminally underrated “Overlord” and last year’s Sylvester Stallone vehicle “Samaritan.”
TheWrap talked to Avery about getting past the tired tropes of the exorcism genre, working with Crowe and what his “Flash Gordon” movie was going...
- 4/19/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Israeli actor Topol was an international film star celebrated for roles including milkman Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and Bond villain-turned-collaborator Milos Columbo in For Your Eyes Only.
Now, his family have said that, between acting gigs, he worked as a secret Mossad agent, living a secret double life of “adventure and courage.”
The actor died last month aged 87, and his family have spoken to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, saying Topol used his London home as a base from where he targeted embassies, airports and airlines of his country’s Arab enemies.
They told the paper that Topol’s extra-curricular activities once saw him bugging an Arab country’s embassy using the flat next door, and pretending to be a dental patient to cover for drilling noise.
His son Omer said: “I don’t know exactly what the appropriate definition is for the missions and duties he performed.
“But what...
Now, his family have said that, between acting gigs, he worked as a secret Mossad agent, living a secret double life of “adventure and courage.”
The actor died last month aged 87, and his family have spoken to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, saying Topol used his London home as a base from where he targeted embassies, airports and airlines of his country’s Arab enemies.
They told the paper that Topol’s extra-curricular activities once saw him bugging an Arab country’s embassy using the flat next door, and pretending to be a dental patient to cover for drilling noise.
His son Omer said: “I don’t know exactly what the appropriate definition is for the missions and duties he performed.
“But what...
- 4/15/2023
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Toward the end of the Lucasfilm Showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration, Kathleen Kennedy talked about how George Lucas's vision for "Star Wars" going forward was to explore the past, present, and future of the timeline and the universe. To that end, the television projects that were announced only mostly fit that bill. "The Acolyte" will take us deeper into the past of "Star Wars" than we've ever seen in live-action to the era of "The High Republic."
The Second Season of "Andor" will show us a growing Empire in the time before the battle of Yavin. The continuing adventures of "The Mandalorian," "Ahsoka," and "Skeleton Crew" will show us a galaxy in the midst of resurgence after the end of the Empire. These are all really safe periods of time. But when they made announcements for the films, Lucasfilm swung for the fences with movies set in three...
The Second Season of "Andor" will show us a growing Empire in the time before the battle of Yavin. The continuing adventures of "The Mandalorian," "Ahsoka," and "Skeleton Crew" will show us a galaxy in the midst of resurgence after the end of the Empire. These are all really safe periods of time. But when they made announcements for the films, Lucasfilm swung for the fences with movies set in three...
- 4/7/2023
- by Bryan Young
- Slash Film
Leo D. Sullivan, an Emmy-winning pioneer in animation with a career of over 50 years and work on dozens of cartoons, has died. He was 82.
Sullivan died March 25 of heart failure at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center.
Throughout his career, Sullivan helped bring characters to life through his animation, storyboarding, directing and producing. His work spanned numerous television shows, including “Hey, Hey, Hey, It’s Fat Albert,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “My Little Pony” and “Flash Gordon,” along with companies like Hanna-Barbera, Warner Brothers and Spunbuggy Works. Sullivan contributed to the opening animation on “Soul Train” which premiered in 1971.
The Lockhart, Texas native moved to Los Angeles in 1952, and soon entered the industry running errands for “Looney Tunes” animator Bob Clampett. In the 1960s, Sullivan joined former Disney animator Floyd Norman to help co-found Vignette Films, a company that created educational films for U.S. students about historic Black figures.
The...
Sullivan died March 25 of heart failure at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center.
Throughout his career, Sullivan helped bring characters to life through his animation, storyboarding, directing and producing. His work spanned numerous television shows, including “Hey, Hey, Hey, It’s Fat Albert,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “My Little Pony” and “Flash Gordon,” along with companies like Hanna-Barbera, Warner Brothers and Spunbuggy Works. Sullivan contributed to the opening animation on “Soul Train” which premiered in 1971.
The Lockhart, Texas native moved to Los Angeles in 1952, and soon entered the industry running errands for “Looney Tunes” animator Bob Clampett. In the 1960s, Sullivan joined former Disney animator Floyd Norman to help co-found Vignette Films, a company that created educational films for U.S. students about historic Black figures.
The...
- 4/6/2023
- by Sophia Scorziello
- Variety Film + TV
Spoilers follow.
"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is a film steeped in nostalgia, and frankly, even more nostalgia than we're used to.
Lots of movies try to evoke pleasant childhood memories of popular characters and stories, but in this film, almost every frame and every sound pays homage to the vast history of the beloved video game franchise. Iconic characters and locales, sound effects and musical themes; this is a movie that depends, in every way, on the audience's familiarity with the history of "Super Mario Bros." in all of its previous incarnations.
But the homages don't stop there, and they don't stop until the lights come up in the theater. The very last plot point in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is a weirdly explicit reference to a very weird movie, a movie that was notoriously unpopular and unsuccessful, and which failed to launch a popular franchise despite a big cast,...
"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is a film steeped in nostalgia, and frankly, even more nostalgia than we're used to.
Lots of movies try to evoke pleasant childhood memories of popular characters and stories, but in this film, almost every frame and every sound pays homage to the vast history of the beloved video game franchise. Iconic characters and locales, sound effects and musical themes; this is a movie that depends, in every way, on the audience's familiarity with the history of "Super Mario Bros." in all of its previous incarnations.
But the homages don't stop there, and they don't stop until the lights come up in the theater. The very last plot point in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is a weirdly explicit reference to a very weird movie, a movie that was notoriously unpopular and unsuccessful, and which failed to launch a popular franchise despite a big cast,...
- 4/5/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Looking over George Lucas' filmography, one can find no films set in the present day. Indeed, only one of Lucas' feature films is set in the future, and his "Thx 1138" is a dystopian hellscape of corporate control and utter emotionlessness. His other five directorial efforts are all set in the past, where youth was enjoyable and heroes existed in distant galaxies (even if "American Graffiti" was set just a decade before its release date). The past was bright. It's the future we have to be suspicious of.
Lucas once said that he was influenced by Arthur Lipsett's 1964 short film "21-87," a heady, abstract film about how humanity has reached an inflection point, and that society is now officially primed for collapse. This film, however obscure, offers a handy primer on Lucas' entire body of work. If there is a hero's journey to be had, it belongs in the ancient world.
Lucas once said that he was influenced by Arthur Lipsett's 1964 short film "21-87," a heady, abstract film about how humanity has reached an inflection point, and that society is now officially primed for collapse. This film, however obscure, offers a handy primer on Lucas' entire body of work. If there is a hero's journey to be had, it belongs in the ancient world.
- 3/11/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Chaim Topol, the renowned star of "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Flash Gordon," has died. The world renowned actor of both the stage and screen was 87 years old. According to The Times of Israel, Topol passed away in Tel Aviv after dealing with Alzheimer's disease for many years.
In large part thanks to his decades-long run as Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof," both on stage and on screen, Topol earned a reputation as being the first Israeli actor to truly find fame and recognition around the world. His profile was bolstered greatly following the smash success of 1971's Oscar-winning adaptation of "Fiddler," for which Topol was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Topol "one of the most outstanding Israeli stage artists," as well as a "giant of Israeli culture and will be greatly missed." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also had the following to say in a statement:
"Sadly,...
In large part thanks to his decades-long run as Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof," both on stage and on screen, Topol earned a reputation as being the first Israeli actor to truly find fame and recognition around the world. His profile was bolstered greatly following the smash success of 1971's Oscar-winning adaptation of "Fiddler," for which Topol was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Topol "one of the most outstanding Israeli stage artists," as well as a "giant of Israeli culture and will be greatly missed." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also had the following to say in a statement:
"Sadly,...
- 3/9/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Chaim Topol, a leading Israeli actor who charmed generations of theatergoers and movie-watchers with his portrayal of Tevye, the long-suffering and charismatic milkman in “Fiddler on the Roof,” has died in Tel Aviv, Israeli leaders said Thursday. He was 87.
The cause was not immediately released.
Israeli leaders on Thursday tweeted their memories and condolences to Topol’s family.
Israel’s ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog hailed Topol as “one of the most outstanding Israeli actors,” who “filled the movie screens with his presence and above all entered deep into our hearts.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Topol’s “contribution to Israeli culture will continue to exist for generations.”
Read More: Gary Rossington, Last Surviving Original Lynyrd Skynyrd Member, Dead At 71
Benny Gantz, Israel’s former minister of defense, praised Topol for helping Israelis connect to their roots.
“We laughed and cried at the same time over the deepest wounds of Israeli society,...
The cause was not immediately released.
Israeli leaders on Thursday tweeted their memories and condolences to Topol’s family.
Israel’s ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog hailed Topol as “one of the most outstanding Israeli actors,” who “filled the movie screens with his presence and above all entered deep into our hearts.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Topol’s “contribution to Israeli culture will continue to exist for generations.”
Read More: Gary Rossington, Last Surviving Original Lynyrd Skynyrd Member, Dead At 71
Benny Gantz, Israel’s former minister of defense, praised Topol for helping Israelis connect to their roots.
“We laughed and cried at the same time over the deepest wounds of Israeli society,...
- 3/9/2023
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
Chaim Topol, who earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance as Tevye in acclaimed musical Fiddler on the Roof, has died. He was 87.
Although born in Israel, Chaim Topol gained his greatest prominence in American and British movies. Following Fiddler on the Roof (for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy), he played astronomer Galileo Galilei. But it was his appearances in 1980’s Flash Gordon and the 1981 Bond movie For Your Eyes Only that gained him a new fanbase.
In Flash Gordon, Topol played disgraced scientist Hans Zarkov, a useful ally to the titular hero. The following year, at the insistence of producer Alfred R. Broccoli’s wife, he landed the role of Milos Columbo. The smuggler Columbo, like Zarkov, proved a necessary aid to the protagonist, saving James Bond’s (Roger Moore) life in the last act. Always a rich man of character,...
Although born in Israel, Chaim Topol gained his greatest prominence in American and British movies. Following Fiddler on the Roof (for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy), he played astronomer Galileo Galilei. But it was his appearances in 1980’s Flash Gordon and the 1981 Bond movie For Your Eyes Only that gained him a new fanbase.
In Flash Gordon, Topol played disgraced scientist Hans Zarkov, a useful ally to the titular hero. The following year, at the insistence of producer Alfred R. Broccoli’s wife, he landed the role of Milos Columbo. The smuggler Columbo, like Zarkov, proved a necessary aid to the protagonist, saving James Bond’s (Roger Moore) life in the last act. Always a rich man of character,...
- 3/9/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Fiddler on the Roof star Chaim Topol, who became professionally known solely by his last name, died Thursday, March 9, in Tel Aviv. He was 87. The Israeli actor had been battling Alzheimer’s. For generations of movie fans and theatergoers he will forever be remembered as Tevye, the hugely charming, but long-suffering milkman in the classic film Fiddler on the Roof in which he performed the song “If I Were a Rich Man.” He also appeared as a Greek smuggler in the James Bond movie For Your Eyes Only, and in the sci-fi film Flash Gordon. On television he starred in the 1983 ABC miniseries The Winds of War and War and Remembrance (1988). He starred in another ABC miniseries Queenie (1987), the 1973 NBC TV movie The Going Up of David Lev and the 1979 ABC TV movie The House on Garibaldi Street. Israel’s president Isaac Herzog said Topol “filled the cinema screens with...
- 3/9/2023
- TV Insider
The actor is best known for his Oscar-nominated role in ’Fiddler On The Roof’
Israel actor Chaim Topol, best known for his Oscar-nominated role in Fiddler On The Roof, has died at the age of 87.
The news was confirmed by Israeli president Isaac Herzog on Twitter, who called Topol “one of the most outstanding Israeli stage artists”. The actor, who went by his last name, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s several years ago.
Topol first rose to prominence in 1964 with his performance in Ephraim Kishon’s Sallah Shabati (1964) which earned him a Golden Globe for best male newcomer.
The actor...
Israel actor Chaim Topol, best known for his Oscar-nominated role in Fiddler On The Roof, has died at the age of 87.
The news was confirmed by Israeli president Isaac Herzog on Twitter, who called Topol “one of the most outstanding Israeli stage artists”. The actor, who went by his last name, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s several years ago.
Topol first rose to prominence in 1964 with his performance in Ephraim Kishon’s Sallah Shabati (1964) which earned him a Golden Globe for best male newcomer.
The actor...
- 3/9/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Chaim Topol, the star of Fiddler on the Roof and Bond film For Your Eyes Only, has died aged 87.
The Israeli actor’s death was announced by the country’s president in a statement on Wednesday (8 March).
President Isaac Herzog shared the news on Twitter, in which he paid tribute to “one of the leading giants of Israeli culture”.
He said: “[Topol was] a gifted actor who conquered many stages in Israel and overseas, filled the cinema screens with his presence and above all entered deep into our hearts.”
In his statement, Herzog added that despite being awarded for his “talent and creation”, it was the people of Israel that had won “the most important award” by being able to enjoy his work.
He added that throughout his career, the actor had “represented us with great respect”, before sending condolences to his “dear family and all his loved ones”.
Topol...
The Israeli actor’s death was announced by the country’s president in a statement on Wednesday (8 March).
President Isaac Herzog shared the news on Twitter, in which he paid tribute to “one of the leading giants of Israeli culture”.
He said: “[Topol was] a gifted actor who conquered many stages in Israel and overseas, filled the cinema screens with his presence and above all entered deep into our hearts.”
In his statement, Herzog added that despite being awarded for his “talent and creation”, it was the people of Israel that had won “the most important award” by being able to enjoy his work.
He added that throughout his career, the actor had “represented us with great respect”, before sending condolences to his “dear family and all his loved ones”.
Topol...
- 3/9/2023
- by Megan Graye
- The Independent - Film
Chaim Topol, the spirited Israeli actor and singer who, one season following another, portrayed Tevye the milkman in Fiddler on the Roof on stages all around the world and in an Oscar-nominated turn in Norman Jewison’s 1971 film adaptation, has died. He was 87.
Topol died Thursday in Tel Aviv after a long illness, his rep, Jean Diamond, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Israel’s first international movie star, Topol also played famed Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in Galileo (1975); an American scientist, Dr. Hans Zarkov, in the cult sci-fi classic Flash Gordon (1980); and Milos Columbo, a Greek smuggler and ally of Roger Moore’s James Bond, in For Your Eyes Only (1981).
As Polish family man Berel Jastrow, he was central to the plot of two acclaimed 1980s ABC miniseries, The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, both based on Herman Wouk novels.
In a pairing that a matchmaker would surely appreciate,...
Topol died Thursday in Tel Aviv after a long illness, his rep, Jean Diamond, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Israel’s first international movie star, Topol also played famed Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in Galileo (1975); an American scientist, Dr. Hans Zarkov, in the cult sci-fi classic Flash Gordon (1980); and Milos Columbo, a Greek smuggler and ally of Roger Moore’s James Bond, in For Your Eyes Only (1981).
As Polish family man Berel Jastrow, he was central to the plot of two acclaimed 1980s ABC miniseries, The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, both based on Herman Wouk novels.
In a pairing that a matchmaker would surely appreciate,...
- 3/9/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Chaim Topol, who became professionally known solely by his last name in a career that included starring in “Fiddler on the Roof” on stage and screen and co-starring in the James Bond movie “For Your Eyes Only” and the sci-fi film “Flash Gordon,” died Thursday in Tel Aviv after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 87 years old.
Topol’s death was confirmed by Israel’s president Isaac Herzog, who described him as a “gifted actor who conquered many stages in Israel and overseas, filled the cinema screens with his presence and especially entered deep into our hearts.”
Topol began his long association with the starring role of Tevye the milkman in the musical “Fiddler on the Roof” in 1967, appearing in the West End production, which ran for 2,030 performances. He starred in Norman Jewison’s 1971 film version, which carried a budget estimated at $9 million and garnered a domestic gross of $80 million.
Topol’s death was confirmed by Israel’s president Isaac Herzog, who described him as a “gifted actor who conquered many stages in Israel and overseas, filled the cinema screens with his presence and especially entered deep into our hearts.”
Topol began his long association with the starring role of Tevye the milkman in the musical “Fiddler on the Roof” in 1967, appearing in the West End production, which ran for 2,030 performances. He starred in Norman Jewison’s 1971 film version, which carried a budget estimated at $9 million and garnered a domestic gross of $80 million.
- 3/9/2023
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
Chaim Topol, the Israeli actor who achieved international stardom for his portrayal of Tevye in several stage productions of “Fiddler on the Roof” as well as the 1971 stage adaptation, died Wednesday following a years-long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 87.
Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, announced the news, saying in a statement that Topol was a “gifted actor who conquered many stages in Israel and overseas, filled the cinema screens with his presence and especially entered deep into our hearts.”
Though Topal was best known for “Fiddler,” over his decades-long career he also starred in a range of films that have become recognized as classics. Among them, he portrayed mad scientist Hans Zarkov in director Mike Hodges’ “Flash Gordon” (1980), and the smuggler-turned-hero Milos Columbo in the 1981 James Bond film “For Your Eyes Only.”
Topal was born in Tel Aviv, then part of British Mandate Palestine, in 1935. He first developed...
Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, announced the news, saying in a statement that Topol was a “gifted actor who conquered many stages in Israel and overseas, filled the cinema screens with his presence and especially entered deep into our hearts.”
Though Topal was best known for “Fiddler,” over his decades-long career he also starred in a range of films that have become recognized as classics. Among them, he portrayed mad scientist Hans Zarkov in director Mike Hodges’ “Flash Gordon” (1980), and the smuggler-turned-hero Milos Columbo in the 1981 James Bond film “For Your Eyes Only.”
Topal was born in Tel Aviv, then part of British Mandate Palestine, in 1935. He first developed...
- 3/9/2023
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Chaim Topol, an Israeli actor best known for his role as Tevye in the film version of Fiddler on the Roof, died Thursday at age 87 in Tel Aviv after a multi-year battle with Alzheimer’s.
Topol had a wide range of credits, but will always be known for the central character of Tevye — first in stage productions, then later in the film. He later returned to the stage with the role.
Born in Tel Aviv in 1935, Topol began his acting career while completing his Idf service in the army’s entertainment troupe, where he met his wife, Galia. After that, he joined a theater group, appearing in multiple productions before his first film role, the 1961 drama I Like Mike.
But it was his 1964 role in the film Sallah Shabati that first gained Topol serious attention, both domestically and internationally. Topol played the title role in the now-iconic film about the...
Topol had a wide range of credits, but will always be known for the central character of Tevye — first in stage productions, then later in the film. He later returned to the stage with the role.
Born in Tel Aviv in 1935, Topol began his acting career while completing his Idf service in the army’s entertainment troupe, where he met his wife, Galia. After that, he joined a theater group, appearing in multiple productions before his first film role, the 1961 drama I Like Mike.
But it was his 1964 role in the film Sallah Shabati that first gained Topol serious attention, both domestically and internationally. Topol played the title role in the now-iconic film about the...
- 3/9/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
The "Star Wars" franchise has always been connected. Even in the very beginning, before the character of Luke Skywalker became fully formed, George Lucas planned to connect the different stories of his galaxy far, far away with the framing device of a "Journal of the Whills." While that concept was ultimately abandoned, Lucas never stopped trying to connect his different "Star Wars" projects.
There were the movies, which went back in time to tell the story of how the galaxy ended up the way it is in the original trilogy, but also the "Clone Wars" cartoons were all connected. But the version of "Star Wars" Lucas created and was therefore considered canon is not the same as the Expanded Universe with multiple moving parts and interweaving stories.
Instead, the prequels were, well, direct predecessors to the story of the original trilogy while "The Clone Wars" served to retroactively fill in...
There were the movies, which went back in time to tell the story of how the galaxy ended up the way it is in the original trilogy, but also the "Clone Wars" cartoons were all connected. But the version of "Star Wars" Lucas created and was therefore considered canon is not the same as the Expanded Universe with multiple moving parts and interweaving stories.
Instead, the prequels were, well, direct predecessors to the story of the original trilogy while "The Clone Wars" served to retroactively fill in...
- 2/28/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Movies That Made Me veteran guest and screenwriter Dan Waters discusses his favorite year of cinema (1989) with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Phantom Carriage (1921)
Love At First Bite (1979)
Hudson Hawk (1991)
Demolition Man (1993)
Heathers (1989)
Warlock (1989)
The Matrix (1999)
Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Jaws (1975)
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
Nashville (1975)
Born On The Fourth Of July (1989)
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Field Of Dreams (1989)
My Left Foot (1989)
Crimes And Misdemeanors (1989)
Do The Right Thing (1989)
Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
Sex Lies And Videotape (1989)
Easy Rider (1969)
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
All That Jazz (1979)
Hair (1979)
Alien (1979)
Fight Club (1999)
Office Space (1999)
Magnolia (1999)
The Sixth Sense (1999)
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
American Pie (1999)
The Iron Giant (1999)
All About My Mother (1999)
Being John Malkovich (1999)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Pretty In Pink (1986)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Say Anything… (1989)
Miracle Mile (1989)
True Love (1989)
Powwow Highway (1989)
Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
Southside With You...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Phantom Carriage (1921)
Love At First Bite (1979)
Hudson Hawk (1991)
Demolition Man (1993)
Heathers (1989)
Warlock (1989)
The Matrix (1999)
Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Jaws (1975)
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
Nashville (1975)
Born On The Fourth Of July (1989)
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Field Of Dreams (1989)
My Left Foot (1989)
Crimes And Misdemeanors (1989)
Do The Right Thing (1989)
Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
Sex Lies And Videotape (1989)
Easy Rider (1969)
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
All That Jazz (1979)
Hair (1979)
Alien (1979)
Fight Club (1999)
Office Space (1999)
Magnolia (1999)
The Sixth Sense (1999)
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
American Pie (1999)
The Iron Giant (1999)
All About My Mother (1999)
Being John Malkovich (1999)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Pretty In Pink (1986)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Say Anything… (1989)
Miracle Mile (1989)
True Love (1989)
Powwow Highway (1989)
Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
Southside With You...
- 2/21/2023
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
"Star Trek: Prodigy," which just wrapped its first season on Paramount+, takes place in a distant corner of the "Stat Trek" universe that hasn't yet been explored by the Federation. A group of teenagers, fleeing the man who has enslaved them in a mine, discover a derelict Starfleet vessel called the U.S.S. Protostar. On board, they are instructed by a hologram of Capt. Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) on how to operate the ship, but also how to work together as a Starfleet crew might. The teens have to work through their anxieties and inexperience, but find that they do work well as a team. Their goal is to return to Federation space, while solving the mystery of their abandoned vessel.
"Prodigy" is set about five years after the events of "Star Trek: Voyager," and it is the third animated series in the vast "Trek" franchise. It's also the first...
"Prodigy" is set about five years after the events of "Star Trek: Voyager," and it is the third animated series in the vast "Trek" franchise. It's also the first...
- 1/3/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
There seem to be two distinct trains of thought when it comes to 1980's "Flash Gordon." Either viewers think it's a flawed yet lovable pulp romp, or they hate its absurd cheesiness. No matter what side you're on, you have to admit that the late Mike Hodge's adaptation of the popular comic strip series was visually distinct and impressive at times. The film's ending, in particular, was arguably on par with the "Star Wars" films at the time, just with a distinct campy tone.
As it turns out, the ending we got wasn't exactly the ending we got. According to author and filmmaker John Walsh, the original and much more, ahem, flashy ending was trimmed down due to its over-ambition. When speaking to Den of Geek about his book "Flash Gordon: The Official Story of the Film" in 2021, Walsh revealed some major details about this scrapped ending, which included...
As it turns out, the ending we got wasn't exactly the ending we got. According to author and filmmaker John Walsh, the original and much more, ahem, flashy ending was trimmed down due to its over-ambition. When speaking to Den of Geek about his book "Flash Gordon: The Official Story of the Film" in 2021, Walsh revealed some major details about this scrapped ending, which included...
- 12/31/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
Stephen Greif — the British actor known for his work on some iconic British TV shows including “Blake’s 7”, “Citizen Smith” and, most recently, Netflix’s “The Crown” — has died. He was 78.
News of Greif’s death was first shared by his agency, Michelle Braidman Associates, who took to social media to share a tribute to the veteran actor.
“With great sadness we announce the death of our wonderful client Stephen Greif,” the agency shared. “His extensive career included numerous roles on screen and stage, including at the National Theatre, RSC and in the West End.”
“We will miss him dearly and our thoughts are with his family and friends,” the statement added.
With great sadness we announce the death of our wonderful client Stephen Greif.
His extensive career included numerous roles on screen and stage, including at the National Theatre, RSC and in the West End.
We will miss him...
News of Greif’s death was first shared by his agency, Michelle Braidman Associates, who took to social media to share a tribute to the veteran actor.
“With great sadness we announce the death of our wonderful client Stephen Greif,” the agency shared. “His extensive career included numerous roles on screen and stage, including at the National Theatre, RSC and in the West End.”
“We will miss him dearly and our thoughts are with his family and friends,” the statement added.
With great sadness we announce the death of our wonderful client Stephen Greif.
His extensive career included numerous roles on screen and stage, including at the National Theatre, RSC and in the West End.
We will miss him...
- 12/27/2022
- by Becca Longmire
- ET Canada
The character of Flash Gordon has had a long and rich history in pop culture lasting almost 100 years. The first appearance of the space bound all-American hero was found in a science-fiction comic strip created in 1934 by illustrator Alex Raymond and writer Don Moore. Former Olympian and actor Buster Crabbe appeared as the character in the classic Universal serials that depicted Flash Gordon's clashes with Ming the Merciless on the planet Mongo. Fondly remembered for their air of wispy nostalgia, the "Flash Gordon" serials always ended on a cliffhanger. I remember one in particular where Flash is thrown down a dark hole with no chance of escape, only to be saved by the sudden deployment of a net in the first scene of the next episode.
That is to say, "Flash Gordon" was always a little ridiculous.
The Buster Crabbe serials have certainly left their mark on film history, but...
That is to say, "Flash Gordon" was always a little ridiculous.
The Buster Crabbe serials have certainly left their mark on film history, but...
- 12/25/2022
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
Brian Blessed has paid tribute to Mike Hodges, who directed him in the film Flash Gordon.
Hodges, who also directed Get Carter and The Long Good Friday, died, aged 90 on Saturday (17 December),
The news was announced by Mike Kaplan, Hodges’ longtime friend who produced his film I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead in 2003.
Blessed appeared on BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme, where he said Hodges had “a very powerful personality and a joyful, cheerful, brilliant imagination”.
He said that 1980’s Flash Gordon is “the only film, apart from Henry V with Kenneth Branagh, that I raced to the studio to start filming”.
Blessed, 86, described the filmmaker as having “a brilliant imagination”, adding: “His direction – mind-blowing. Great manner, great perception. The film was a breath of fresh air.”
A quintessential product of the era, Flash Gordon was a box-office success in the UK and subsequently developed a...
Hodges, who also directed Get Carter and The Long Good Friday, died, aged 90 on Saturday (17 December),
The news was announced by Mike Kaplan, Hodges’ longtime friend who produced his film I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead in 2003.
Blessed appeared on BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme, where he said Hodges had “a very powerful personality and a joyful, cheerful, brilliant imagination”.
He said that 1980’s Flash Gordon is “the only film, apart from Henry V with Kenneth Branagh, that I raced to the studio to start filming”.
Blessed, 86, described the filmmaker as having “a brilliant imagination”, adding: “His direction – mind-blowing. Great manner, great perception. The film was a breath of fresh air.”
A quintessential product of the era, Flash Gordon was a box-office success in the UK and subsequently developed a...
- 12/22/2022
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
British director Mike Hodges, known for directing “Get Carter”, “Flash Gordon”, “Croupier” and more, died at his home in Dorset, England, on Dec. 17. He was 90.
Hodges’ longtime friend, Mike Kaplan, confirmed his death to Et calling the late director “a great friend and a great filmmaker.”
“For a part of his career, he was under-appreciated, and he is not anymore,” the film producer shared. “‘Get Carter’ was a huge success all over the world. He had a great sense of humour. All of his movies were entrenched with humour and personality.”
Born in Bristol, England in 1932, Hodges first became an accountant before doing his required military service by serving on a British minesweeper. He began his career in show business as a teleprompter operator for British television.
Landing work on ABC’s “Armchair Theatre”, Hodges rose quickly to become a producer and director, entering the international film scene with 1971’s...
Hodges’ longtime friend, Mike Kaplan, confirmed his death to Et calling the late director “a great friend and a great filmmaker.”
“For a part of his career, he was under-appreciated, and he is not anymore,” the film producer shared. “‘Get Carter’ was a huge success all over the world. He had a great sense of humour. All of his movies were entrenched with humour and personality.”
Born in Bristol, England in 1932, Hodges first became an accountant before doing his required military service by serving on a British minesweeper. He began his career in show business as a teleprompter operator for British television.
Landing work on ABC’s “Armchair Theatre”, Hodges rose quickly to become a producer and director, entering the international film scene with 1971’s...
- 12/21/2022
- by Becca Longmire
- ET Canada
British director Mike Hodges, known for films like “Flash Gordon” and “Croupier”, has died. He was 90. His death was confirmed to NBC News by producer and “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” collaborator Mike Kaplan, reports ‘People’ magazine.
According to Kaplan, Hodges died at his home in Dorset, England, due to heart failure. Hodges’ long standing career dates back to the 1950s. Before getting a start in films, he spent two years in mandatory national service on a royal navy minesweeper, which he credits as the inspiration for his first film, “Get Carter”.
In a letter published by The Guardian in May, quoted by ‘People’, he said: “For two years, my middle-class eyes were forced to witness horrendous poverty and deprivation that I was previously unaware of. I went into the navy as a newly qualified chartered accountant and complacent young Tory, and came out an angry, radical young man.
According to Kaplan, Hodges died at his home in Dorset, England, due to heart failure. Hodges’ long standing career dates back to the 1950s. Before getting a start in films, he spent two years in mandatory national service on a royal navy minesweeper, which he credits as the inspiration for his first film, “Get Carter”.
In a letter published by The Guardian in May, quoted by ‘People’, he said: “For two years, my middle-class eyes were forced to witness horrendous poverty and deprivation that I was previously unaware of. I went into the navy as a newly qualified chartered accountant and complacent young Tory, and came out an angry, radical young man.
- 12/21/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Mike Hodges, director of Flash Gordon, has passed. Finally saw this movie during the pandemic and it brought me such joy. Have watched it a bunch of times since. Nothing else like it. Rest in Peace, sir. pic.twitter.com/v0YQDBmaFs
— Brian Lynch (@BrianLynch) December 20, 2022
Tributes have been paid to Get Carter director Mike Hodges who has died at the age of 90.
His long-time friend Mike Kaplan confirmed the director's death in Dorset on Saturday, although no further details have been released.
After his gangster classic starring Michael Caine as a man out for justice, which Hodges adapted himself for the screen from the book by Ted Lewis, he reteamed with the star on Pulp the following year.
Among his other credits were Flash Gordon and, with Clive Owen, Croupier and I'll Sleep When I'm Dead. Owen told us in an interview he believed...
— Brian Lynch (@BrianLynch) December 20, 2022
Tributes have been paid to Get Carter director Mike Hodges who has died at the age of 90.
His long-time friend Mike Kaplan confirmed the director's death in Dorset on Saturday, although no further details have been released.
After his gangster classic starring Michael Caine as a man out for justice, which Hodges adapted himself for the screen from the book by Ted Lewis, he reteamed with the star on Pulp the following year.
Among his other credits were Flash Gordon and, with Clive Owen, Croupier and I'll Sleep When I'm Dead. Owen told us in an interview he believed...
- 12/21/2022
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Director Mike Hodges has died aged 90.
The filmmaker behind Get Carter and Flash Gordon died on Saturday (17 December) of heart failure at his home in Dorset.
His death was confirmed by producer Mike Kaplan, a friend and collaborator of Hodges’, who said he died of heart failure.
Born in Bristol in 1932, Hodges worked as a chartered accountant and in the Navy under national service before beginning a career in the screen industries.
His first media job was as a teleprompter operator and he quickly rose up the ranks in UK television.
He made his feature debut in 1971 with Get Carter, which he wrote and directed. Starring Michael Caine, it follows a London gangster who returns home to Newcastle after learning about the death of his brother.
Hodges initially wrote the role of Jack Carter for Ian Hendry and was surprised to learn that an actor as prominent as Caine would...
The filmmaker behind Get Carter and Flash Gordon died on Saturday (17 December) of heart failure at his home in Dorset.
His death was confirmed by producer Mike Kaplan, a friend and collaborator of Hodges’, who said he died of heart failure.
Born in Bristol in 1932, Hodges worked as a chartered accountant and in the Navy under national service before beginning a career in the screen industries.
His first media job was as a teleprompter operator and he quickly rose up the ranks in UK television.
He made his feature debut in 1971 with Get Carter, which he wrote and directed. Starring Michael Caine, it follows a London gangster who returns home to Newcastle after learning about the death of his brother.
Hodges initially wrote the role of Jack Carter for Ian Hendry and was surprised to learn that an actor as prominent as Caine would...
- 12/21/2022
- by Isobel Lewis
- The Independent - Film
Mike Hodges, director of films like "Get Carter," "Croupier," and "Flash Gordon," has died in Dorset, England, at the age of 90, according to Variety. The site reports that Hodges' passing was announced by his friend Mike Kaplan, who worked on his film "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" as a producer. Hodges was known for crime dramas, with his last feature film released in 2003. He worked with Michael Caine in both "Get Carter," a British gangster drama, and 1972's "Pulp," about a pulp fiction author tasked with ghost-writing a celebrity's memoir, then solving that celebrity's murder.
Crime was a draw for Hodges, who said in an interview with Mulholland Books for his 2010 debut novel "Watching the Wheels Come Off," "Crime is the litmus that shows what's really going on below the surface. That's why I'm attracted to it. Besides, as one myself, sinners interest me more than saints." Writers also figured into another film from Hodges,...
Crime was a draw for Hodges, who said in an interview with Mulholland Books for his 2010 debut novel "Watching the Wheels Come Off," "Crime is the litmus that shows what's really going on below the surface. That's why I'm attracted to it. Besides, as one myself, sinners interest me more than saints." Writers also figured into another film from Hodges,...
- 12/21/2022
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
Sad news to report today as it was announced that British writer and director Mike Hodges died on December 17th at the age of 90. Hodges was best known for directing Get Carter, which has been described as “one of the great British gangster films of all time,” as well as Flash Gordon, the colourful, pulpy sci-fi fantasy based on the comic strip of the same name.
Mike Hodges got his start working as a teleprompter operator for British television before writing and directing films for TV. His first feature film was Get Carter, a crime drama which starred Michael Caine as a London gangster who returns to his hometown to learn about his brother’s supposedly accidental death. He reunited with Caine for his next film, Pulp, and went on to direct The Terminal Man, Flash Gordon, Morons from Outer Space, A Prayer for the Dying, Black Rainbow, Croupier, and...
Mike Hodges got his start working as a teleprompter operator for British television before writing and directing films for TV. His first feature film was Get Carter, a crime drama which starred Michael Caine as a London gangster who returns to his hometown to learn about his brother’s supposedly accidental death. He reunited with Caine for his next film, Pulp, and went on to direct The Terminal Man, Flash Gordon, Morons from Outer Space, A Prayer for the Dying, Black Rainbow, Croupier, and...
- 12/21/2022
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Mike Hodges, best known as the director of gritty, stylish thrillers like Get Carter — the original — Croupier, The Terminal Man and I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead has died, according to his longtime friend and the producer of I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead, Mike Kaplan. Hodges was 90.
Hodges was a relatively new director who’d worked mostly in TV when he burst upon the international film scene with Get Carter in 1971. The crime drama starring Michael Caine is still considered among the best British gangster films ever made. Set against a working class background in northern England, Hodges blended irony and humor with stark tension and sudden violence. Those elements became, along with his attention to atmosphere, his signatures. The film was remade in 2000 with Sylvester Stallone as the lead.
Michael Caine in ‘Get Carter’ circa 1971. (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)
In 2000, his film Croupier introduced the world to Clive Owen.
Hodges was a relatively new director who’d worked mostly in TV when he burst upon the international film scene with Get Carter in 1971. The crime drama starring Michael Caine is still considered among the best British gangster films ever made. Set against a working class background in northern England, Hodges blended irony and humor with stark tension and sudden violence. Those elements became, along with his attention to atmosphere, his signatures. The film was remade in 2000 with Sylvester Stallone as the lead.
Michael Caine in ‘Get Carter’ circa 1971. (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)
In 2000, his film Croupier introduced the world to Clive Owen.
- 12/20/2022
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Mike Hodges, British director known for “Croupier,” “Flash Gordon,” and “Get Carter,” has died. He was 90.
Hodges’ good friend Mike Kaplan and producer of “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” confirmed the director’s death to multiple media outlets.
At the beginning of his career, Hodges carved out a space for himself in crime dramas with “Get Carter” (1971) and “Pulp” (1972), concluding with “Croupier” (1999) and “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” (2003). Outside of this bookend category of his catalog, he was also known for his rendition of “Flash Gordon.”
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Hodges adapted “Get Carter” from a novel by Ted Lewis. The story follows Caine, a London gangster who seeks vengeance fr his brother’s murder. The British gangster movie experienced a resurgence after its 2000 remake starring Sylvester Stallone in the role of Caine.
Hodges’ second film “Pulp” consisted of another crime drama,...
Hodges’ good friend Mike Kaplan and producer of “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” confirmed the director’s death to multiple media outlets.
At the beginning of his career, Hodges carved out a space for himself in crime dramas with “Get Carter” (1971) and “Pulp” (1972), concluding with “Croupier” (1999) and “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” (2003). Outside of this bookend category of his catalog, he was also known for his rendition of “Flash Gordon.”
Also Read:
Stephanie Bissonnette, Cast Member of ‘Mean Girls the Musical,’ Dies at 32
Hodges adapted “Get Carter” from a novel by Ted Lewis. The story follows Caine, a London gangster who seeks vengeance fr his brother’s murder. The British gangster movie experienced a resurgence after its 2000 remake starring Sylvester Stallone in the role of Caine.
Hodges’ second film “Pulp” consisted of another crime drama,...
- 12/20/2022
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
“Get Carter” writer-director Mike Hodges has died at age 90.
Longtime friend and “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” producer Mike Kaplan confirmed Hodges’ passing on December 20. Hodges died of heart failure December 17 at his home in Dorset, England. He is survived by his wife Carol Laws, two sons Ben and Jake Hodges, and five grandchildren.
Hodges helmed gangster thriller novel adaptation “Get Carter,” which starred Michael Caine as hitman Jack Carter who investigates a pornography ring involved in his brother’s murder. The 1971 neo-noir film was named one of the 100 best British films of all-time by Sight and Sound magazine in 1999.
Hodges and Caine formed production company Three Michaels along with “Get Carter” producer Michael Klinger. The trio returned for 1972’s “Pulp,” with Caine playing a bodice-ripper novelist hired by a former actor (Mickey Rooney) to ghostwrite his autobiography.
Hodges later directed “The Terminal Man,” “Damien: Omen II,” “Black Rainbow,...
Longtime friend and “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” producer Mike Kaplan confirmed Hodges’ passing on December 20. Hodges died of heart failure December 17 at his home in Dorset, England. He is survived by his wife Carol Laws, two sons Ben and Jake Hodges, and five grandchildren.
Hodges helmed gangster thriller novel adaptation “Get Carter,” which starred Michael Caine as hitman Jack Carter who investigates a pornography ring involved in his brother’s murder. The 1971 neo-noir film was named one of the 100 best British films of all-time by Sight and Sound magazine in 1999.
Hodges and Caine formed production company Three Michaels along with “Get Carter” producer Michael Klinger. The trio returned for 1972’s “Pulp,” with Caine playing a bodice-ripper novelist hired by a former actor (Mickey Rooney) to ghostwrite his autobiography.
Hodges later directed “The Terminal Man,” “Damien: Omen II,” “Black Rainbow,...
- 12/20/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
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