Features
The Fan: A Panel on Roger Ebert at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
At Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, a panel talked about Roger Ebert’s connection to the world of science fiction and comic book fandom.
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On what comprises a sci-fi game changer; UK wages in significant decline; National Geographic Channel veers into sensational fare; how Westerns are changing in the 21st century; Duncan Jones’ wife battles cancer.
Found Footage: Snippets of the Jerry Lewis project “The Day the Clown Cried” see the light of day
Footage from “The Day the Clown Cried,” an unfinished Holocaust film Jerry Lewis attempted to make, is seeing the light of day. Is that a good thing?
Haji, 1946-2013: Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! star
Haji, one of the stars of “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” has passed away.
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A list of the movies that mogul Harvey Weinstein has brutally edited, over their directors’ objections; interview with Syd Mead, who helped design “Alien,” “Blade Runner,” “TRON” and other classic SF films;
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Woody Allen speaks; confessions of a white Southern Christian racist; YouTube cofounders launch new video service; Pixar discovers animal rights; David Gordon Green a go-go; druglord Rafael Caro Quntero released from prison; trailer for Spike Jonze’s new movie.
Karen Black, 1939-2013: a ravenous appetite for pretending
Karen Black, who died Aug. 7 at 74, was the “what the hell?” emblem of the American New Wave, its most extreme, improvisational player, its most unusual, unaccountable, unstable presence.
Disney tries to make non-Pixar “Planes” soar. Will people notice the difference?
Though the new film “Planes” is almost a sequel to “Cars,” it’s not from Pixar and was originally intended to be a direct-to-video project. How is Disney handling this tricky bit of brand confusion?
David Gordon Green’s Traveling Movie Circus
Director David Gordon Green has had a remarkably eclectic career, from delicate indies like “George Washington” to stoner comedy “Your Highness,” with stops along the way for the “Halftime in America” Chrysler ad and episodes of HBO’s “Eastbound & Down.” What keeps him going?
Steven Moffat: Destroyer of Hopes and Dreams
Ian Grey thinks the choice of Peter Capaldi, yet another white male, to play Doctor Who is a symptom of an underlying problem: Showrunner Steven Moffat.
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The debate on norms of behavior in movie theaters (to shush or not to shush) rages on, Christy Lemire muses on Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer’s critic-conspiracy theory, Letterboxd and The Dissolve announce a partnership, a record store owner tells all, and what makes Walter White of “Breaking Bad” special.
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An Orson Welles film thought to be lost forever is discovered, Karen Black’s husband writes movingly about her battle with cancer, a pink planet rocks scientists’ theories of planet formation, our very own Ignatiy Vishnevetsky has been keeping busy reviewing for other sites (we’re cool with that) and Mark Millar is becoming themost powerful person in comic books.
From Slapstick to Smackdown: Physical Comedy Lives in Pro Wrestling
Bob Calhoun argues that the great tradition of physical comedy is alive and well and living in the professional wrestling ring
“Low Winter Sun” Premieres in Shadow of Other TV Antiheroes
After Vic Mackey on “The Shield” and so many anti-heroes in all walks of life in television dramas of the last decade, are audiences ready for another corrupt police officer? “Low Winter Sun,” a new drama series on AMC, has Brian Tallerico wondering.
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Comcast’s plans to fight piracy may change how we watch what we download, new Doctor Who’s post-punk music past is revealed, Hollywood looks to turn more movies into Broadway shows, Donna Bowman muses on how to watch “Breaking Bad” and iTunes makes some old Johnny Carson excerpts available.
Scoring Dystopia: Composer Ryan Amon Discusses His Music for “Elysium”
Ryan
Amon talks about the YouTube video that led to his first feature
film score, in this week’s “Elysium,” directed by Neill Blomkamp
(“District 9”) and starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster.
“It’s called ‘Sharknado.’ We can’t go too far.” Sharknado screenwriter Thunder Levin on this summer’s cable sensation
Screenwriter Thunder Levin discusses “Sharknado,” the SyFy Channel movie that lit Twitter on fire.
Quiet Mastery: Hitchcock’s early films
Hitchcock’s silent films have been lovingly restored, and they’re touring selected cities. If you’re anywhere near one of these cities, it’s worth the trip to see as many as you can.
