#Tom is only 21 here in his very first screen actor job

[philiponmycracker]

Tom Hulce from "Forget-Me-Not Lane" (dir. Peter Nichols, The Great Performances, 1974) - Part II / II

[yourdailykitsch]

Taylor Kitsch, an actor known for his roles in such Hollywood productions as "Battleship: Battle for Earth" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", is starring in the new Canal + series "Defeated". In an interview, the actor reveals what he remembers from history lessons, what connects the series' story with the modern world. He also explains why, according to him, every person should visit the former concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Taylor Kitsch started his adventure in Hollywood as a "hottie" - an actor associated with a great body and beautiful face. All because the first role that brought the popularity of the former model Abercrombie and Fitch was the character of naughty lover Tim Riggins in the cult series "Friday Night Lights".

Kitsch did not avoid tough moments in his career - for example, when the $ 250 million John Carter, his first such big role, suffered a disgusting box office failure. But the Canadian knew this taste already - after coming to the USA, he was homeless for some time before finding a job.

For years, he has been successfully playing in big titles and alongside big names. Oliver Stone ("Savages"), Ryan Murphy ("Heart Reflex"), roles alongside Chadwick Boseman ("21 Bridges"), Michael Shannon ("Waco"), Michael Keaton ("American Assassin") and Rihanna ("Battlefield ), the HBO series "Detective," starring Vince Vaughn and Rachel McAdams. Meanwhile, Kitsch finds his way to charity, especially for children.

From 1 January 2021, we will watch him in  "Defeated" . There he plays the role of Brooklyn policeman Max McLoughlin, who in the summer of 1946 is sent to Berlin, which is divided into four spheres of influence. Its task is to support the emerging police structures in the rubble. But upholding order in a space of brutality and lawlessness and clashing political forces - French, American, British and Soviet - will not be easy. Especially since Max does not know that he is used as a pawn in the game to open the Cold War, and somewhere in the maze of Berlin rubble lurks his brother Moritz, a self-proclaimed Nazi hunter who will stop at nothing ...

In addition to Kitsch, the main roles will be: Nina Hoss (local policewoman Elsie Garten), Sebastian Koch (criminal known as Engelmacher, Al Capone of post-war Berlin), Logan Marshall-Green (Max's missing brother, Moritz) and Michael C. Hall (consul Tom Franklin ).

The "Defeated" takes place in Berlin, right after the war. When you decided to play Max McLoughlin, did you have any knowledge of what the situation in Germany was like then?

The seres begins six months after the end of the war. I have the impression that this is a moment that is missing in the educational process - we learn a lot about the war itself, but about what happened immediately after it, for example, I had no idea. The plot of "Defeated" is made up, but our director Måns Mårlind (co-creator of the hit series "Bridge over the Sund") constructed it on the basis of many true stories. I have the impression that fact and fiction are perfectly balanced here. In the process of preparation, he gave us many documentaries and articles that helped to build an idea about the climate of the city from 1946. Discovering the next details of the story was fascinating for me.

Your work gives him a chance to get to know the world, its history, extraordinary places and people. Do you appreciate it?

This is the best part of my job! With each new production, I have a chance to immerse myself in its world and get to know it thoroughly. It could be a war movie like "Survivor", a story about a cult leader ("Waco"), the world of a detective ("Detective") or the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, as in "Heart Reflex". When I was an aspiring actor learning to act in New York, I never imagined that I would be able to live and work like this. Train with Navy Seals or meet Larry Kramer [American playwright, writer and activist for LGBT rights - ed.]. I am very lucky!

Prague, where you shot "Defeated", is a cult city for many Polish filmmakers, due to the famous FAMU school, but also a popular, atmospheric excursion destination. How was your time there?

Lovely. He will refer again to the privilege of working like this: six months in such a wonderful place, it is almost immoral! The only downside was the tight schedule so I didn't discover all the nooks and crannies that I had on the agenda. Fortunately, my driver, a guy in his fifties, was a great-grandfather from Prague, very talkative, and from him I learned the most interesting things - stories about the adventures of my ancestors and friends! Besides, in Prague, if you want to take a history lesson, you go out twenty meters in front of the front door - and it's already getting started. We shot in the summer, before Covid. We had an international team - Czechs, Swedes, Russians, Germans, French ... In use - not only behind the scenes, but also on the set - several languages ​​simultaneously. Really, the only problem for me was my diet. Flour, red meat, stews ... I don't really like to eat like that. At least the beer was delicious, really amazing! In general, I really liked the culture of drinking and eating outside, these gardens, the community ... wonderful thing.

Due to the fact that the film was made in Europe, you had the opportunity to see places related to the war with your own eyes. What made the greatest impression on you? I was lucky, although it is not quite an adequate term that during the shooting we managed to visit the site of the former Auschwitz camp. Of course I knew, I had read about concentration camps before, but this direct contact with the site was invaluable, it gave me a clear idea of ​​what happened. It is difficult for a man to believe what he sees around him. He's standing right next to him, yet he doesn't quite believe it. The space made a huge impression on me. I did not realize how huge Birkenau was, how perfectly organized the entire extermination was. This architecture, the surrounding houses, barracks. Someone designed it, thought over the function down to the smallest detail, and during my visit, I had the chance to trace how and where the whole process took place, step by step. I was standing there and it felt like I was choking, my whole body ached. Such experiences helped me a lot to bring my character to life. Max did not survive the camp himself, but he appears in a place marked by this tragedy, the tragedy of World War II, it affects him. I wish everyone could visit this place because it is a life changing experience.

Movies set in the past can be a perfect mirror for what is here and now. What analogies do you see between that reality and today's world? - Division, the dictate of fear, fear of the unknown, of otherness. Different ways to work through your trauma. These are all threads that connect the "Defeated" space with our reality. For my character, especially the experience of trauma resulting from family history, from the relationship with my brother, becomes the key. They both underwent a similar shock, but their reactions were completely different. I found it very interesting. Max is still hoping for a change, Moritz, as the saying goes, "the platform is gone". They have a completely different perception of one and the same event. Again, it is also a very contemporary thread - one event, situation, and extreme different opinions about it.

Your hero comes from Brooklyn, after you came from Canada, you spent a lot of time in New York. What is so special about the atmosphere of this city that gives it such a "mythical" status? For me, it has always been, I fully agree! Scorsese's "Streets of Poverty" has always been such a cinematic quintessence of New York, with its excellent Keitel and DeNiro. This film is set in the 1940s, which is the present day of Max. He was my point of reference in terms of the accent. Those years were difficult, the inhabitants struggled to make ends meet, and that also had to affect my character's character. Besides, New York has a chic character, New Yorkers feel proud of their roots. It's also something that Max defines.

And you had to transfer this New York feeling to Berlin ... ... to the razed Berlin, which for Max becomes, in a way, another space of trauma, personal again, but this time much more intense.

For this role, you had to master not only a Brooklyn accent, but also the German language. It was difficult?

I had an amazing accent teacher from Berlin, Simone. My rock! Fortunately, Max is an American who speaks German poorly and not a German, because if I had to play a German, I would have had a nervous breakdown! German is a damn hard language, especially for someone who wasn't exposed to such sounds when growing up. I learned everything phonetically. Sometimes I was "suspended" during the scene and then I was saved by Nina [Hoss, a great German acting and screen partner of Kitsch - ed.]. In my career, I have had to play with a South African, Texas, New York accent ... I've learned that there is no such thing as an optimal effect, someone is always dissatisfied. I focus on the vision agreed with the creators and I stick to it. Language is an amazing link between the actor and the protagonist, gives a unique insight into his state of mind and view of the world. I definitely prefer to play the character with an accent than to speak as usual. It's a great transformation tool. The arrangement of the lips, the appearance of the face, and the term are changing. In "Waco" my character, the guru of the sect David Koresh, had an unnaturally high, soft voice, which immediately made the viewer feel differently.

We associate you with American hits, but you are, like Ryan Reynolds or Ryan Gosling, Canadian. Do you feel like an American, or is Canada a state of mind after all?

I started my adventure with the USA when I was 20, I came to school. Now I'm forty, so I've spent half my life here. Madness! Over time, I have grown into this space, I have settled down and I feel at home. I'm talking to you from my home in Austin, Texas. But at the same time, I'll always be Canadian. I go there often, visiting my family and familiar places. Maybe I'll go back one day, who knows?

You've had moments in your career that turned from a promise of triumph to failure, such as the high-budget John Carter, who failed at the box office. Do you have something that you already know: "I'm avoiding this"? I don't have things that, as a rule, I don't do or know that I will never do. But there are some that I don't like. These include radical weight changes. My dear friend must have gained twenty-five kilos for a small, independent film. The first week was great because you eat what you want, then depression started, joint problems, sugar jumping ... I never put my back, but I lost weight. I lost a dozen kilos for the role in "Waco", before that for the "Bang Bang Club". It's fucking hard and very exhausting, especially the older I get. My body and head hate it! Also, until Scorsese calls with some great proposal, I say: enough.

[joeygoeshollywood]

My 25 Favorite Films of 2018

It’s hard to believe that 2018 is already coming to a close. Here’s my 25 favorite films from the year!

25. Black Panther

Roughly twenty films into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the franchise certainly needed a pallet cleanser. Black Panther was certainly the antidote. Not only did we get a standalone film from a superhero we didn’t know much about, it took us on adventure in the fictional high-tech nation of Wakanda. Chadwick Boseman brings a freshness and a unique charm to the Avengers table and he’s accompanied by a very talented cast including Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright, Dana Gurira, and Michael B Jordan, who was easily one of Marvel’s best villains to date. Writer/Director Ryan Coogler (Creed, Fruitvale Station) has established himself as a filmmaker on the rise and his career will not be stopping anytime soon. 

24. Boy Erased

Based on a true story, Boy Erased follows the son of a Baptist preacher and his unsettling experience at a gay conversion program. Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea, Ladybird) continues to prove he’s one of the greatest actors from the millennial generation as a young man who struggles with his sexual identity. Joel Edgerton, who wrote, directed, and starred in the film, strikes a balance between intensity and raw emotion. And Nicole Kidman also gives one of her strongest performances in recent memory as the religious mother who goes on her own journey in embracing her son for who he really is. 

23. Sorry to Bother You

Sorry to Bother You cannot be defined by one genre. Part comedy, part fantasy, part sci-fi, and even part horror, this film from newcomer Boots Riley is an imaginative satire that tackles race, class, and capitalism. This marks the biggest and best role from Lakeith Standfield (Atlanta, Get Out) who stars as a telemarketer who quickly climbs the ranks only to find out that the company he works for has nefarious ambitions. There are a lot of WTF moments in this film that cannot be unseen, but it’s all worth it. 

22. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

What ended up being the best animated film of the year and of the best Spider-Man movies ever, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse reimagines the origin story of this classic Marvel superhero with a new cinematic web-slinger Miles Morales, who teams up with other Spider-Men from other dimensions in order to stop the threat to all of their realities. Between the unique forms of animation, a fun script, and a solid voice cast, Into the Spider-Verse rises above in a year filled with superhero flicks.  

21. The Cloverfield Paradox

When the latest chapter in the Cloverfield franchise dropped on the night of the Super Bowl, everyone rushed to Netflix for the surprise release. And while the critics weren’t exactly kind, The Cloverfield Paradox was still a wild, captivating installment. A group of scientists in space must solve the energy crisis that is causing chaos among nations on Earth, but while doing so find themselves entangled in alternative realities. Gugu Mbathu-Raw, Daniel Brühl, Chris Dowd, David Oyelowo, John Ortiz, Ziyi Zhang, Aksel Hennie and Elizabeth Debicki round out this strong, diverse ensemble. 

20. Mission: Impossible - Fallout

At 56 years old, Tom Cruise continues to defy all odds as he keeps his now 20-year-old franchise alive. Ethan Hunt’s latest mission was fitting enough to be his last as his efforts to once again save the world also has him grappling with questions about his own mortality and the loved ones in his life. One of the best action films of the year, Fallout is a ton of fun and filled with well-choreographed sequences and stunts from Cruise himself. 

19. Bad Times at the El Royale

What is fascinating about Bad Times at the El Royale is how much it felt like a puzzle. With its non-linear editing, every scene felt like an individual puzzle piece that once they come together give you a complete picture. Drew Goddard, the mastermind behind the modern cult classic The Cabin in the Woods, returns with a 60s-era crime thriller with a superb soundtrack, awesome production design, and a stellar cast that features Jeff Bridges, Jon Hamm, Dakota Johnson, Cynthia Erivo, and Chris Hemsworth. 

18. Support the Girls

Support the Girls is a small indie comedy from Andrew Bujalski about a general manager of a sports bar and grill who reaches a boiling point with her life. Regina Hall, best known for her role in the Scary Movie franchise and more recently in Girls Trip, gives the best performance of her career as the heartwarming and heartbreaking Lisa, who while hating her job puts her young waiting staff first. Support the Girls is one of the few films that’s grounded in reality and is a comedic display of ordinary life and the struggles that come with it. 

17. A Simple Favor

What was easily the most Hitchcockian film of the year, A Simple Favor marks a sharp tonal turn from director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Spy). Anna Kendrick stars a single mother who investigates the strange disappearance of her new friend (played by a terrific Blake Lively). Filled with unexpected turns and a few good laughs, A Simple Favor is a sexy thriller that expanded Feig’s talents.                                                                        

16. Thoroughbreds 

Part psychological thriller, part teenage dark comedy, Thoroughbreds resembles a contemporary Heathers. Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, Split) stars as a girl who relies her sociopathic friend (Olivia Cooke) to plot the murder of her awful stepfather. Newcomer Cory Finley makes an outstanding feature debut and is able to strike a balance between the tragedy and humor of this unlikely friendship. 

15. A Quiet Place

John Krasinski wrote, produced, directed, and starred in his second and best feature to date, A Quiet Place. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, a family adapts to living in complete silence in order to keep themselves out of harms way from these deadly creatures who hunt their prey by the sounds they make. Despite the script with barely a page of dialogue, A Quiet Place speaks volumes with high intensity and terrifying performances from Krasinski’s wife Emily Blunt as well as from child actors Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe.  

14. The Death of Stalin

Veep creator Armando Iannucci knows a thing or two about satire. This time, he takes his talents to the big screen with his political comedy The Death of Stalin. As the title explains, the film follows the death of Russian dictator Joseph Stalin and the tug of war over power among his Council of Ministers. The intellectual humor in the screenplay combined with the comical performances of an ensemble cast which includes Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Rupert Friend, Andrea Riseborough, and Jason Isaacs marks one of the best comedies of the year. 

13. Hereditary 

Like a modern day Rosemary’s Baby, Hereditary is an unsettling horror film that surrounds the supernatural occurrences of a grieving family after the passing of its estranged matriarch. Writer/Director Ari Aster masterfully crafts a remarkable yet unexplainable thriller with the help of a career-best performance from Toni Collette. 

12. Three Identical Strangers

Sometimes life is stranger than fiction and there is not a better example of that than Three Identical Strangers, a documentary that tells the real-life story about triplets who were separated at birth who discover each other’s existence in college and their journey to discover the grim circumstances that pulled them apart in the first place. What really felt more like a suspense thriller, Three Identical Strangers is an unpredictable, fascinating film about family and the bonds that hold us together. 

11. Widows

Widows is a grade-a heist film from 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen and Gone Girl screenwriter Gillian Flynn. Viola Davis stars as a widow who settles one final score that was all set by her dead husband (Liam Neeson). Suspenseful and emotional from beginning to end, Widows is a female-dominated drama that features one of the best ensembles of the year, including Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, and Robert Duvall. 

10. Game Night

There was not a more laugh-out-loud funny comedy this year than Game Night. It surrounds a group of friends whose game night takes a wrong turn when what’s supposed to be a fun murder mystery becomes very real. Not only does the plot have plenty of twists and turns, the abundance of self-awareness in this wacky film elevates it from the rest. Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman do their best comedic work in years and they’re accompanied by a hilarious ensemble cast. 

9. Overlord

You don’t often hear of WWII horror films, but Overlord certainly delivers. The J.J. Abrams-produced flick follows a troop of soldiers who stumble upon a gruesome scientific lab where humans are the unfortunate subjects. Overlord is truly an adrenaline rush and the most badass movie of the year. After all, when it comes to Americans kicking some Nazi butt, the gorier the better. 

8. Annihilation 

Annihilation is one of those remarkable films that is so hard to describe. Natalie Portman stars as a biologist who joins a pack of armed explorers in a territory of land where mysteriously the laws of nature are nonexistent. Thought-provoking, captivating, and extremely intense, this female-led sci-fi drama felt like an out-of-body experience. 

7. Crazy Rich Asians

Easily the most enjoyable film of the year, Crazy Rich Asians offers plenty of sights, laughs, and heart. Based off the best-selling novel by Kevin Kwan, this romantic comedy follows NYU professor Rachel (Fresh Off the Boat’s Constance Wu) and her struggle to win over her fiancé’s very judgmental, very crazy, and yes, very rich family. Crazy Rich Asians features eye candy visuals, a fun soundtrack, and a talented ensemble cast. 

6. Roma

Oscar-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity, Children of Men) makes his return with his most personal film yet, Roma. Set in Mexico City in the early 1970s, the Spanish-language film chronicles the life of a middle-class family a maid named Cleo (played by newcomer Yalitza Aparicio). Shot in black and white and with incredible cinematography Roma is timeless story about family, class, and the human spirit. It is easily Netflix’s best original film to date. 

5. If Beale Street Could Talk

Oscar-winning writer/director Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) makes a strong return with a tragic love story about a pregnant young woman who struggles to get her fiancé out of jail after he was wrongfully accused of a crime. Based off the book of the same name, If Beale Street Could Talk felt more like watching a play. Along with the gorgeous cinematography and a moving score, this romance is carried by its two leads Kiki Layne and Stephen James as well as Regina King, who gives an Oscar-worthy performance as Layne’s mother. 

4. Eighth Grade

Middle school is the worst and no film has captured the experience better than Bo Burnham’s debut film Eighth Grade. Despite the ever-changing times, this indie comedy manages to connect adult audiences with eighth grader Kayla Day, who struggles to navigate through her adolescence all while attempting to build her presence on social media. Young actress, Elsie Fisher gives a grounded, comical, and sometimes painful performance and Josh Hamilton gives a strong supporting performance as her single father who tries to lift her spirits. 

3. Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

If you grew up on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, then this film will certainly hit home. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? showcases the life of a Presbyterian minister who developed of the most iconic, impactful children’s shows in television history and the struggles he faced along the way. The documentary features interviews of his family, the crew, and cast members, all who give insight of the genius that is Fred Rogers. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is an emotional film that, if you’re lucky, will restore your faith in humanity. And be warned; there was not a dry eye in that theater. 

2. American Animals

Director Bart Layton has an incredible gift of making hybrid films. His underrated 2012 documentary The Imposter felt more like a mystery thriller. And with American Animals, since it’s based on a true story, he injects documentary elements into what normally would be a heist film. The story surrounds these four college kids who plan to steal an extremely valuable book from the campus library. The four leads do outstanding work, but Evan Peters (of American Horror Story fame) particularly gives the best performance of his career as one of the irresponsible thieves. With great editing and strong source material, American Animals is the best film of the year that virtually no one saw.  

1. The Favourite

It’s no surprise that The Favourite is the favorite film of the year. Yorgos Lanthimos, the previously unsung filmmaker behind The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, brings the real-life 18th Century story of Queen Anne to the 21st Century and injects his twisted sense of humor. Olivia Colman stars as the neurotic, but hilarious ruler and Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz compete for her affection. Beautifully shot and superbly written, The Favourite is a remarkable, flawless cinematic masterpiece. 

[faangirl101]

Reunited, volume 2, Tom Holland x reader

REUNITED MASTERLIST

Pairing: Tom holland x reader

marvelousimaginesforyou asked: Hi! Can you Write a Tom Holland Imagine where the Reader and him met when they were twelve and he was fifteen, they haven‘t seen each other since, then they come on set or meets him and the others at a Bar, and it becomes obvious that he trinke they’ve become very hot (Reader 18 Tom 21) and the Reader thinks the same about him and the other actors Tease Tom about it until he asks the reader out?

“No fucking way”, Iza screamed with a awfully high pitched voice, making it ring in my ears. I shrugged, acting unimpressed even if my heart was pounding painfully hard in my chest. “Tom holland”, Iza muttered while tapping at her computer. Her eyes followed the screen with a new founded intress. “Bitch”, Iza gasped, turning to me with a dropped jaw “This dude is famous, look here”. I couldn't hide my curiosity as i move across the room, tip toeing carefully not to slip on the shiny apartment floor. I looked passed her shoulder only to see the familiar handsome face. A famous actor, Tom holland was a famous actor. Dizzy, i sat down while rubbing my temples. Holy. Fucking. Shit.“That means he has money!”, Iza squealed and i rolled my eyes. I ignore my dirty socks as i throw them up on the wall over the couch. I hit my heels lightly against the material before i sigh “you know it's not the money. He was super sweet and it made me nostalgic”.  She just snorted before throwing herself down next to me “you're in love with him aren't you”. I took a shuddered breath, a warmth spreading my chest. Was i in love with Tom holland? after just meeting him once? Love at first sight was a myth, i knew that much, but…. we have known each other for longer than that, it wasn't exactly the first time you two met. “I dont know”, i muttered while covering my face with my hands. It seemed like if i was keeping things from Iza but that wasn't really the case… I just simply.. didn't know. A vibration from my back pocket made me jump, my fiddling hands trying to grab onto the screen with clammy fingers. “Its Tom”, my voice break of nervosity as i see the little notification pop up. It was a unknown number but from the content i quickly assumed it was Tom. 

Hey y/n! It was nice meeting you the other day, it's been to long. This may be a little to fast forward but maybe we could go for a coffee somebody, for the sake of old friends! 

“He's totally into you”, i didn't even realize Iza was breathing over me until i felt her hot breath rise goosebump on my neck. “what?”, i swallowed hard while trying to control the adrenaline rushing at her comment “why would he”. I didn't even have to look at Iza to know she was rolling her eyes “oh come one, y/n! He's clearly into you, for the sake of old friends my ass”.

And btw, love, It's Tom

I can't help the smile shamelessly growing across my face. I heard a gasp from Iza as i look up to meet her eyes. She Pointed Her index finger right at my face “you're blushing! You're in love with him!”. Embarrassed of being caught i try to hide my burning face by looking down but i seems to only make it worse. “well”, Iza Throws her legs over my lap with ease “you have to answer him”. i gulped. She was right

                                     Hey Tom! I'd love to go out for a coffee someday! I                                         don't do much except being an extra so i'm mostly free!

“Oh no”, Iza looked up at me with a “are you kidding me face”. She took the phone away from me, even if i complained. “I don't do much except…. girl? Why did you tell him that? Now it seems like you don't have a real job”. I furrowed my eyebrows “but…. i don't have a real job”. Once again she gave me the face before scrolling down my phone “but he doesn't need to know that, it just a bit to much information on the first text that's all”. I let out a little “oh no” myself. He would think i'm desperate and weird and….. Pling. New notification

 well, i would gladly like to take up that free time, does thursday sound okay?

“He asked me if i was free thursday”, i mumbled before repeating it louder. Iza clapped my back “way to go girl, me, your fairy godmother, is no longer needed”. I roll my eyes as i slap her playfully “who says you was ever needed”. She pretended to look offended as she turned on the television “okay, but i won't be coming over dusting your cheeks in fairydust when he gonna eat that ass like groceries”. My jaw dropped, a blush settling as I yelped “Iza?!”. She chuckled, satisfied at my reaction.       

                                                 Thursday sounds great! Where should we meet?

I waited agonized for his reply as i kept catching myself biting my fingernails. I read the message over and over again, checking for grammar mistakes. 30 second passed, 40 second passed, 1 minute passed and…. pling

How about this, love, Maybe you can meet me on Set, so can i show you around. There is also a really nice coffee shop near my trailer we can go to.

He wanted me to meet him on set. On freaking set. Of course there was warning bills ringing in the back of my mind. “He's a show off, cocky even. He just wants to prove he has money, knows famous people and has a own trailer”. 

Bloody hell, that came out super cocky.I just want to start spending time with you as fast as i'm off camera.

 I knew he wasn't a show off. After all, he wasn't when you were younger now was he? He seemed to have succeed and made a place for himself… I just hoped he was humble about it.     

                                That's, no joke, the nicest thing  someone has ever told me!

I want to seem chilled, a little laid back, down to earth. I want to sound like this conversation wasn't making my heart beat the way it was. 

Well then, expect me to tell you even more nice things in the future.

Was he flirting…. I sure hope he was. He said future, which means he expect you to keep seeing eachother again. He was practically expecting a second date. Wait, was this a date? No,nononono, This was just two old friends meeting up, right?                                              

                              Well then, you might just be my knight in shining armor…

Flirting isn't exactly your specialty, but in your own opinion? You did pretty good. Proud of yourself you decide to let a confident smirk fall on top of your lips.

Well i'm honored to be a knight for someone like you, princess

The smile grew together with my familiar blush. This was going to be fun.

It was thursday… Yes that's right, thursday as in “the day i meet my childhood friend who got by the way super hot and rich and ripped”. Yep, that thursday. It was  really hot outside, the way new york could get. The second i opened my eyes in my small apartment dorm, a few hair string was glued over my sweaty forehead. The duvet was damp and the sun, that peeked through the curtains was burning over my naked legs. Exhausted i sit up, trying to wake up my hair by ruffling it. It was seven hours until Tom quit filming. It was seven hours until i was going to met him again. Everything had to be perfect. The outfit had to be perfect. The makeup had to be perfect. I blew out a nervous breath as i got up on weak tired legs. I just had to wait 7 hours i guess.I walked up to the familiar building. It was two day since i was here the last time, since i was an extra… but now for completely different reasons. My spaghetti strapped yello dressed flew around in the wind and i was worried i would accidently flash my underwear. I hummed under my breath as i flung up the door. My eyes went back to the screen in my hand, wandering over the message Tom sent.Il meet you at the entry, okay?, loveAt this point i was so nervous i could barely breath. My legs felt like jelly under me as i supported myself against the closet wall. This little friendly meeting could either go really well or to hell and back. I was probably going to say something stupid, act like a complete idiot. It was one minute over 3. There was not as many people here as it was two days ago but i still just wanted to get out of here. I hated how many bodies was moving around me, giving me an extra look. I probably looked lost, standing there leaned next to the double door with nervous flickering eyes. This was a mistake… I should have stayed at home. 

“Y/n”, all my previous thought was gone with the wind when i heard Toms voice. He was sprinting over, in a way reminding me of a child hearing the ice cream truck. He stopped in front of me, wiping his hands on his baby blue jeans. “hey”, i said breathless, taking in his handsome posture. He had a  black t-shirt on that said in white letters “I'm not saying i'm spider-man, but nobody has ever seen me and spider-man in a room together. It hugged his muscles shamelessly just like his pants did. he looked different without his suit, less like an adorable boy and more like a 21-your old man. 

“I like your shirt”, i mumbled carefully, making sure my voice didn't crack. He looked down his boys like he forgot which shirt he was wearing then looked up with a light blush growing. I made Tom holland blush. “I like your dress”, the thick british accent stilled surprised me even if i'm from England myself. Iv been in America for to long. I mimicked his earlier actions, looking down my dress before blushing. “So”, his arms suddenly wraps around my naked shoulders “i just have to have a little chat with the directors then its off to the cafe”. I nodded, trying not to shiver at the contact of his light aired strong arm thrown around me. He lead me from the crowd to another building, as he told me about he got the spider-man part. “It was actually quite odd”, he laughed for himself “they made me do a lot of weird things like pretending to be a dog’”. I chuckled, looking up at his face practically shining in the sun. 

A lock escaped the prison of the thing layer of hair gel to fall down his face. Before i could really think about it I reach up to gently stroke the lock back to his ear. His eyes snap to mine as his pupils dilate. We are suddenly really close to each other, close enough for me to smell his breath dipped in peppermint. His lips looked really inviting,  i couldn't lie. I really wanted to kiss him. Then he broke the spell as his eyes turned away from me. I let out the breath i didn't know i was holding. I almost freaking kissed Tom. I had to get my act together. But his arm is still around me, if not tighter, as we enter a new room. There's couches, two coffee tables and out washed yellow drapes next to the windows. There was two older men slumped down with their phones in the couch. One of them had blonde prince charming hair slicked over his head and a full grown darker beard covering his cheeks. He was dressed in….

”Captain america”, i say out loud, making both men look up at me. Fuck. Chris Evans eyes turn  up at me. “Well i usually go after Chris”, he smiled, showing of a bright pair of teeth “Evans, Chris Evans “. I can't help but to blush out of embarrassment but still can't press away the smile threatening. “Y/l/n, y/n y/l/n”, I said with a dark voice, trying to sound like James bond only to fail miserly. But the guy seemed to still catch the reference as he point over to Tom “i like her”. The other guy had a well trimmed beard, a pair of colored glasses at the end of his nose tip and a great amount of hair for his age. He put out his vein popped hand pampered with two gold rings at me “Robert downey Jr, but you can call me Rob, dear”. I grab his hand, and pray to god its not sweaty. “That's a strong handshake you got there”, he shook it back one more time before dropping it. “Probably not stronger than Iron man”, i meant to whisper it but instead i say it in a perfectly hearebl tone. He don't mind, instead his eyes glimmering in a childish way. “Love”, Tom grab my attention by tapping my shoulder “I'm just going to talk to the directors for a minute, okay?”. I nodded, slightly disappointed when he let go off my shoulder. When Tom is gone, i consider just standing up or actually sitting down. I decide to sit down, hoping it might make the situation less awkward. 

Chris puts down his phone in his lap “how do you know Tom”. I pull down my dress further down my thigh “Childhood friends, but we lost contact until i met him again as an extra on set”. Robert and Cris shares a look before Rob gives me a big honest smile “Oh, you're the infamous childhood friend? he wouldn't stop talking about you yesterday”. Chris nodded along Robs comment before impersonating Toms british accent “you should have seen her guys, she had her hair kinda up like this… and she just grabbed my mask and said my name, and oh she was super beautiful, i asked for her number! Cool right”. I bet my face is flushed red in a swollen blush as my mind repeats the compliment Chris said. Did Tom talk about me? Did Tom call me beautiful? “Oh”, i muttered but a smile still grow over my face “i get why you're an actor, that was a totally perfect impression of Tom”. Chris looks proud, his entire posture giving off a cocky vibe. “Come on”, Rob was leaning further into the conversation with rolling eyes “i can do a better one. Both me and Chris lean back, watching Rob go into character. “Guys”, his english accent is actually not all bad “y/n is…. i can't even describe her, she's bloody brilliant. We hugged, and her hair smelled like strawberry shampoo and she told me i smelled like nanas cookies…. and i love her so much!”. Rob joined Chris laugh but i was to gone to laugh. Did tom actually say that? I thought my blush was bad before but now it was lighting up the entire room. “Chris”, I had to change the subject before i would spill out about my crush on Tom “I'm sorry but Rob’s impression was better than yours”. Chris turned to me, pretending to look offended “What?! Oh, y/n, you were one of my favorites, you know”. I smile at his sarcasm and roll my eyes mostly for show. 

Our conversation is interrupted by Tom entering the room again “Are you ready, love”. I nodded as i gave one last time to both of the men. “oh holland”, Rob opened a coca cola can i didn’t even notice he was holding “we were just telling Y/n about how you fangirled about her yesterday”. Tom look alike he is about to shrink through the floor in that moment. His hand reach up to rub his neck nervously. “Lets go”, i mumbles before getting on my tip toes. All the things Tom said about me rushed through my head. I angle my head slightly to the side as i leave a soft friendly peck at the side of Toms face. It was a bold move, a really bold move actually. But Tom was practicly shining out of proudness as he gave the men in front of us almost a “i told you so” look. His arm was back around my shoulder as he nodded to men before us “Gentlemen, now if you excuse me i have a date to attend”.

[justanothercinemaniac]

Epic Movie (Re)Watch #195 - Kong: Skull Island

Spoilers Below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: Yes.

Was it a movie I saw since August 22nd, 2009: Yes, #478.

Format: Blu-ray

1) 1944 prologue.

The prologue with Marlow and Gunpei does well to set up the film’s strong sense of visuals (look at how nice that freaking beach is!) and wastes absolutely no time in introducing us to our giant monster of the film. One of the criticisms of the 2014 Godzilla was its reluctance to show us Godzilla (something I have mixed feelings on) but this film just dives right into it with great effect.

2) I’ve already made on comparison with the 2014 Godzilla and the reason for that is - for those who don’t know - because this film and that film take place in the same continuity. Warner Brothers and Legendary are crafting a Cinematic Universe based on these giant monster properties, so there are some consistencies between both films which I appreciate. One of those consistencies is the opening credits scene over Monarch footage.

3) Oh boy…

Randa [towards the end of the Vietnam War]: “Mark my words: there will never be a more screwed up time in Washington.”

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

4) The intro to John Goodman’s Bill Randa is very good at establishing how dedicated he is to his mission, even if we don’t understand the backstory yet. We know through the writing and Goodman’s performance that Randa is strongly motivated, that his personal stakes are high, and somehow this work for us even before we figure out why.

5) Samuel L. Jackson as Col. Packard.

Similar to Goodman’s Randa, we get a strong sense of the character’s motivations immediately. Packard is a dog of war who NEEDS a fight. It’s what has defined him and he tries to justify it with [and this is not an exact quote], “We fight the fight so our families back home don’t have to!” But really he’s just looking to stay in the environment he knows. War defines him and he goes chasing for a war when there isn’t one. His deprecation into madness feels very similar to Col. Kurtz from Heart of Darkness and I dig that.

6) Tom Hiddleston as Conrad.

Hilddeston’s performance in this film is a nice departure from - say - Loki (not that he’s bad as Loki). The grizzled/jaded rogue can easily be a cliché trope that ends up creating boring characters, but Hiddleston is able to make Conrad unique. He’s not Han Solo, he’s not the same character Tom Cruise seems to want to play in all his films, he’s a little sadder and a little more tragic. Hiddleston plays this well and I think it is one of many things which helps make the film as good as it is.

7) Brie Larson as Weaver.

I love Brie Larson. You could have Brie Larson read the phone book and I’d watch. I first saw her in Hoot when I was 10 and when she won the Oscar I was so freaking happy. She’s good in everything; even if the movie is of lesser quality Brie Larson is likely very good in it. This film is NOT of lesser quality and Brie Larson is still very good in it. Weaver is strong and determined without devolving into an “Action Girl” trope if that makes sense. She’s not strong because she can kickass (her greatest weapon is her camera), she’s strong because she doesn’t waiver and does the right thing even when it’s easy. She stands on her own, with Larson breathing incredible life into the part which helps her stand side by side with a freaking giant gorilla.

8) As you may have noted from the fact that most of my notes so far have been about characters and actors, this film’s strongest asset may well be its and characters. By using strong character actors such as John Ortiz, Toby Kebbell, Shea Whigham, Thomas Mann, Jason Mitchell, and Marc Evan Jackson (among others) each member of the away team is unique and memorable in their own right. We consistently get small but strong moments which further develop characters like Whigham’s Cole and Kebbell’s Chapman, helping the audience invest in pretty much every single character which results in an emotional response when they die or are put into danger. There is no weak link in this chain, you understand all of them through these small but telling moments/interactions. Somehow the filmmakers are able to take what is often the weakest aspect of a giant monster movie - the human characters - and make it the strongest element in Kong: Skull Island.

9) I particularly resonate with Corey Hawkins as Brooks.

Brooks is sensible, curious, cautious, but never cowardly. He may be reluctant to go into danger but that doesn’t mean he shies away from it, while his relationship with Randa is also fun to watch as it speaks to a strong history between the two. Brooks might be my favorite character in the film. Or second favorite after Marlow, but we’ll get to that later.

10) The scene where all the helicopters fly through the storm is a nice way of dividing the normal world and Skull Island, as when they come through the other side the island already feels like a different world.

11) Skull Island.

Kong’s native land is much more a point of focus in this film than other’s before, warranting an entire subtitle devoted to it. The immediate visual aesthetic upon arriving to Skull Island helps establish the character of this place, which only develops as the film continues. Because that’s what Skull Island is: its a character as important as Kong to this movie. The filmmakers put such care into small moments with the island (the bison, the giant spider encounter, etc.) that it helps to make Skull Island an environment the audience can understand perfectly by the film’s conclusion.

12) First real encounter with Kong. AKA: Kong VS Helicopters.

This scene is absolutely amazing at establishing the incredible scope of our titular monster. We got a sense of his size in the prologue, but now it’s not a sense it’s a definition. This scene establishes Kong. It establishes his size, his strength, his ferocity, all in an incredibly entertaining set piece. Besides the monster, it establishes the sense of action the film will have moving forward and acts as a truly wonderful inciting incident that organically separates the away team. In five minutes, the entire direction of the story has changed and it just feels so organic. Whereas Godzilla took an hour to show its monster, this movie wastes no time in reminding us that Kong is king.

13) This little scene between Packard and Randa about the USS Laughton is an incredibly organic way of tying this movie into the larger Monster-Verse. It is done through the lens of Randa’s backstory and history instead of, “Here’s what the audience needs to know,” much as Bryan Cranston was a device of exposition through tragic obsession in Godzilla. I dig it.

14) I am so so so so SO happy that this film disposes of the “dangerous natives” trope that has plagued pretty much every King Kong movie to come before it. The natives are shown as a culture of people, not vicious animals. They’re not even primitive, necessarily, as Marlow talks about who they’re past certain things our culture has. They’re more simple, peaceful, instead of savage. And they’re not the only non-white representation in the film, there are more non-white people than JUST the natives in this movie and I’m just so over the roof that this film finally did away with that archaic trope.

15) Chapman at the water’s edge is more about developing Kong through an encounter with this giant squid than anything else, letting the audience know that he’s more than just some dumb dangerous beast. Chapman is jus who we see this through.

16) Marlow has so many great moments in this film. I’ll talk more about him and John C. Reilly in a sec, but come on!

Marlow [about WW2]: “What happened with the war? Did we win?”

Slivko: “Which one?”

Marlow: “Eh, that makes sense.”

Marlow [about the “devils” of the island]: “I call them Skullcrawlers.”

Conrad: “Why?”

Marlow: “Because it sounds neat.”

17) John C. Reilly as Marlow.

Marlow is honestly the beating heart of this entire freaking movie. Reilly is able to bring such warmth to the character who is already pretty damn strong in the writing. He shows a respect to nature and the island, he is incredibly kind despite his situation, but that doesn’t mean he’s a pushover. The way he speaks of his lost friend - a former enemy to boot - and the family he misses just wrenches at your heart strings. It is Marlow which propels this film past an empty monster movie to make it an emotional and human adventure where you are rooting for the main characters. I just…I really freaking like Marlow.

18) The film cutting between the three separated parties (Conrad’s party, Packard’s party, and Chapman on his own) could easily have fucked up pacing but the filmmakers are able to do it well enough that it doesn’t mess with the flow of the story. Pacing is never lost.

19) I love the scene where Marlow is caught up on history, like putting a man on the moon and the Cold War. Also I saw this in Chicago like four to five months after the Cubs won so his line about, “Did the Cubs win the world series?” got a good reaction.

20) If you ever want to know how to develop your characters simply, I recommend that you look at the scene where Conrad talks about his late father. Because that’s really what character development is. Small moments where we are made to understand the characters better.

21) I haven’t really talked about Terry Notary or Toby Kebbell’s motion capture work as the titular monster and I really should. It’s easy to forget that there’s an actor behind a character like Kong who just seems so naturally otherworldly, which I think just speaks to how well the performers and motion capture artists do their job. You’re not thinking about the actor behind the part or even if there is an actor there. They embrace the role of Kong so completely that you don’t question you’re just watching Kong on screen.

22) So there’s a moment in the middle of the film when you sort of forget how dangerous Skull Island is, but the movie does a good job of reminding you of the danger by abruptly and shockingly killing of John Ortiz’s character. There was this woman in the theater who jumped so hard when he got swept up by those pterodactyls it made the whole movie better.

23) The mass grave skirmish.

I mentioned this a lot when I was posting about Hitchcock movies last year, but tension does not come from speeding the story up but by slowing it down. That is especially true in this scene, as (in a very Jaws like way) we don’t see the Skullcrawlers for a lot of it but we know they’re there. Meanwhile I absolutely love the way one of them swallowed a camera with a broken flash so that sound and flash of light is what tells you they’re near. Also this is a fucking badass image:

24) Just a quick little thing: I love that this movie doesn’t have a romantic subplot. At all. You can easily ship characters (Brooks and San are two characters I ship), but the film doesn’t take the time to develop any romances which makes sense because THEY’RE ON A FREAKING MONSTER ISLAND TRYING TO GET OF! So yeah, I like that there’s no romance in this movie.

25) The scene where Packard is trying to kill Kong has a number of nice visual parallels with when Kong beat on the helicopters, mainly when Packard clenches his fists.

26) Cole’s death is incredibly heartbreaking because he’s hoping the Skullcrawler will swallow him with two grenades in his hand, but it just whips him against a mountain where his death didn’t even accomplish what he hoped it would. This is why the film takes so much time to develop these characters: so they’re deaths hit harder.

27) Kong VS Skullcrawler

Okay, this is freaking awesome. In the same scene Kong uses a tree as a spear/bat thing to beat on the Skullcrawler BEFORE HE USES A BOAT PROPELLER AS A WEAPON TO WAIL ON THE THING! Also Weaver gets to shoot a flare at the Skullcrawler like a total badass. Honestly this scene is just filled with so many incredible visuals and a wonderful sense of fun from beginning to end. It’s just a really freaking good climax.

28) I’m so happy Marlow survived, that we get to see him return home to his wife and son. I get a little teary every time I see that.

29) Okay, let me tell you something about this post credits scene.

First of all, this is awesome. But I mentioned before that I saw this in the theater. Well when they’re showing all the monsters I hear this guy behind me eagerly say each of their names. “Mothra! Rodan! King Ghidorah!” The movie ends, I turn around to this guy and say, “I don’t know who you are but I feel like I should give you bumps.” This unfortunately speaks to my own biases about what I expected someone who geeks out about Japanese movie monsters to look like, but I was not expecting an African American man in his 60s with the biggest smile on his face ever. AND HE GAVE ME A FIST BUMP! I’ve seen 507 movies in theaters over the course of 8 years and that is one of my favorite stories ever.

Kong: Skull Island is crazy fun and much better than you might expect it to be. The human characters are surprisingly well developed and acted very well, while the film does not skimp on the giant monster action that helps give the movie its entertainment value. John C. Reilly is a particular standout among the cast, but literally I cannot think of a poor performance in this entire film. The visuals are strong, it is paced excellently, and all in all it’s just a very good film I think you should see.

[citizenscreen]

Only a handful of movies have been announced for the 2018 Turner Classic Movies Film Festival (TCMFF), but excitement builds anyway as tickets are scheduled to go on sale in just a few days. The 2018 festival is scheduled for April 26 – 29 and many of us have been waiting for 2018 passes since this year’s event concluded. It’s a vicious cycle we enjoy perpetuating. In any case, mark your calendars for 10AM ET. on Tuesday, November 7 if you’re a Citi member for the exclusive pre sale and for 10AM ET. November 9 for the public sale. Get all of the details you need at TCM. You’ll note, by the way, that passes for this festival are not cheap and overall expenses can be prohibitive, but if you’re a classics fan and have never attended TCMFF it’s a sacrifice worth making at least once. You can read any number of posts about past experiences by many bloggers to know why. Now to 2018…

Along with the anticipation of the festival itself is the yearning for our favorite movies to be screened. I’ve yet to be disappointed with a screening in the five years I’ve attended the festival, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have ideas about what I would love to see. This year is no different. The chosen theme for TCMFF 2018 is Powerful Words: The Page Onscreen, which is intended as a “celebrating the representation of the written word on the silver screen.” When you consider that all movies start out as written words the possibilities for screenings are endless. That said, I still have had specific titles swirling around in my head since the dates and theme were announced and I’d like to share those recommendations with you. I should mention that I planned the list to contain 10 suggestions, but as you’ll see I failed miserably at limiting the list to so few. In fact, it was a strain on my heart to keep it at a svelte 21.

These are not listed in order of preference and I also did not take into account whether any have been screened in previous festivals. I don’t think that should necessarily be a deterrent. You’ll also notice my choices are from varied eras, allowing for the greatest number of guests possible. I’ve highlighted the guests I’d like to see in a few instances to make it easy for TCM to know who they should extend an invitation to. You’re welcome! Also, while I don’t mention the inclusion of writers they would no doubt enhance any presentation. Here we go…

My TCMFF 2018 Recommendations

Powerful Words: The Page Onscreen

Alan Crosland’s The Beloved Rogue (1927) starring John Barrymore and Conrad Veidt gets the most votes in my mind. This film, about French poet François Villon, had been thought lost for decades. According to legend, The Beloved Rogue is the John Barrymore movie the star watched with a large audience who didn’t know he was in attendance. The story goes that Barrymore was standing at the back of the movie palace and, dissatisfied with his own performance, said, “what a ham…”

It would be fun to have Drew Barrymore introduce this movie with Tom Meyers of the Fort Lee Film Commission. Tom and his team have several Barrymore-related projects in the works in Fort Lee. The Barrymores have strong ties to America’s first film town. I believe the TCMFF crowd would appreciate some early film history added to the introduction of the great Barrymore in a silent movie.

  Another movie I am really rooting for is William Dieterle‘s The Life of Emile Zola (1937). This movie has a memorable supporting cast, but it’s the film’s star, Paul Muni, who would make this special. He was my father’s favorite actor, which means a lot to me right now. Plus I’ve never seen him on a big screen. This biopic of the famous French novelist, which won Best Picture of the year, would be the perfect opportunity for me to do so.

  Rouben Mamoulian‘s 1931 screen adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson‘s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is another one I’d love to see. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde stars Fredric March, who won the Oscar for his portrayal of the main character(s), and Miriam Hopkins who is always enjoyable to watch.

  Curtis Bernhardt‘s Devotion (1946) starring Ida Lupino and Olivia de Havilland as Emily and Charlotte Bronte should be a strong contender. The movie also stars Paul Henreid, which means Monika Henreid can be on hand to introduce the movie. Monika has just completed Paul Henreid: Beyond Victor Laszlo, a documentary focused on her father’s career.

  Based on John Steinbeck‘s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, John Ford‘s The Grapes of Wrath (1940) is as essential as it gets among book-to-film adaptations. It would be terrific to have both Jane Fonda and Peter Fonda on hand to introduce this movie, which features one of the greatest performances from their father’s legendary career.

  Based on a collection of stories titled The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling (1894), Disney’s 1967 animated classic of the same name directed by Wolfgang Reitherman should be considered a bare necessity. (Pa rum pum.) But seriously folks, wouldn’t it be fun to watch this animated classic together?

  Norman Taurog‘s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938) would be an enjoyable screening. This movie features a stellar cast and we can have the added attraction of Cora Sue Collins in attendance to discuss the making of it. Cora Sue plays Amy Lawrence in the movie and she is sure to enchant the TCMFF crowd with her stories.

  The perfect vehicle to follow Tom Sawyer is Irving Rapper‘s The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944). This movie is not without its flaws, but it’s no throw away second feature either. After all Twain, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was one of – if not thee – greatest humorists the world has ever known. His story deserves the kind of actors cast in this picture including Fredric March, Alexis Smith, Donald Crisp and Alan Hale leading a terrific list of supporting players. To introduce this one we can have any number of Mark Twain Prize winners including Carol Burnett, Carl Reiner, Billy Crystal, Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg and on and on. Just sayin’.

  Sidney Franklin‘s The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934) starring Norma Shearer and Fredric March focuses on the difficult early family life of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. This is another one I’d love to see with the TCMFF audience. The cast alone is worth standing on line for.

  The lovely Barbara Rush should introduce The Young Philadelphians (1959) in which she co-starred with Paul Newman. Directed by Vincent Sherman, the movie is based on a 1956 novel by Richard Powell. Plus, I happen to be very fond of it and its terrific cast, which includes Alexis Smith, Brian Keith, Robert Vaughn, Billie Burke and a few other classic greats of note. I’d have Illeana Douglas interview Barbara Rush, by the way.

  Rob Reiner’s Misery (1990) is memorable thanks in large part to Kathy Bates’ extraordinary performance as the fan from hell. The fact that the movie is sure to chill even the most ardent horror fan is a side benefit. With Reiner, Bates and James Caan, (who’s also great in the movie) in attendance the experience would be absolutely unforgettable. Jot that down!

  Based on the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847), William Wyler’s 1939 movie of the same title would be a treat on the big screen. I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of this movie because of what I think is a sell out ending. However, I also think it would be an immersive experience watching Wuthering Heights with a TCMFF audience.

  Lumet’s criminally underrated Fail-Safe (1964) starring Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau and another impressive list of players is one of the greatest thrillers of all time. Directed in the style of 12 Angry Men, Fail-Safe is based on the novel by Eugene Burdick. With an ending that leaves one speechless this is sure to be a hit with the TCMFF crowd. Again, the Fondas could introduce it along with Charles Matthau.

  Phil Karlson’s Scandal Sheet (1952) starring Broderick Crawford and Donna Reed is a fantastic film noir choice. I know Reed’s daughter, Mary Owen, does appearances for screenings of her mother’s films. It would be great to have her introduce this movie, which tells the story of a newspaper editor who commits a murder, alongside Eddie Muller.

  George Cukor’s version of Louisa May Alcott’s novel would be fantastic to see on the big screen. Little Women (1933) features an impressive cast any number of which can be well represented for an introduction. To name just two ideas – Tom Meyers would do a swell job of representing the Fort Lee-born Joan Bennett and Wyatt McCrea can discuss the movie and Frances Dee’s career.

  Fred Zinnemann’s Julia (1977) is based on the story by Lillian Hellman and both of the film’s two stars, Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave, deliver affecting performances. It would be a huge attraction to have them both in attendance for a screening of this memorable film.

  Peter Brook’s 1963 adaptation of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a must. I had to read the book in high school and I will never forget the effect it had on me. The same goes for Brook’s naturalistic and truthful telling of the disturbing story. Any member of the cast and/or the director in attendance to discuss the making of the movie would be great.

  Charles Vidor’s Hans Christian Andersen (1952) starring Danny Kaye is my favorite of his movies. Beautiful to look at, wonderful to listen to and with all the charm of its star, Hans Christian Andersen reminds us fairy tales can come true. Who doesn’t want to share that with like-minded classic movie fans?

  An Odets/Lehman screenplay based on a Ernest Lehman novel – that’s what big money screenings are made of. Oh yeah plus Lancaster, Curtis and a memorable supporting cast. That’s what makes up Alexander Mackendrick‘s Sweet Smell of Success (1957) and its cynical world. I would love to see this introduced by Jamie Lee Curtis and Eddie Muller.

  Any number of movies based on the writing of W. Somerset Maugham would be treats at TCMFF. For personal reasons, however, I’m going with William Wyler’s The Letter (1940), which is based on a 1927 play by Maugham. Given this movie’s power of seduction (who can look away after that opening sequence) it deserves an introduction with serious clout. My plan would be to ask either Susan Sarandon, since she narrates the TCM original documentary, Stardust: The Bette Davis Story, or Meryl Streep who narrates the terrific Tribute to Bette Davis on the network. Both of them in attendance talking about Davis before we watch one of her greatest films would be a dream.

  I was going to end my recommendations list with Wilder’s Sunset Blvd. because what better example of writing for the screen is there? But then I couldn’t in good conscience include Wilder’s masterpiece and leave out the movie that beat it at the Oscars, Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s All About Eve (1950), which I also love. Of the two I had to admit Mankiewicz’s movie is the better choice due to the fact that the writer of the short story, The Wisdom of Eve, on which the movie is based does not get screen credit. TCMFF 2018 is the perfect occasion during which to honor the writer’s work officially this many years later. Of course either Sarandon or Streep would do quite nicely introducing this movie alongside Ben Mankiewicz.

Mary Orr’s The Wisdom of Eve was originally a 9-page short story that appeared in Cosmopolitan magazine in May 1946. Orr later expanded the story, in collaboration with Reginald Denham, into a successful play. 20th Century Fox later paid Mary Orr $5,000 for all rights to The Wisdom of Eve. What resulted is one of the all-time great motion pictures, which also deals with the importance of writing to a star’s career – stage or screen.

  Those are my 21 choices. I know acquiring all of the movies I mentioned is not possible and I know that some may not even be in good shape, but maybe I made note of a few that hadn’t occurred to anyone before. If not, then at least I enjoyed giving serious thought to how I would schedule the festival myself if I had great powers. Also, in case anyone’s interested, I have quite a few ideas for panels and Club TCM presentations. For instance, Illeana Douglas can moderate a group discussion about Pioneering  Women Screenwriters and Victoria Riskin can discuss her father Robert Riskin’s many contributions to films. Let me know if you want to hear more of those ideas and what your movie recommendations would be. Here endeth my post.

Hope to see you at TCMFF 2018!

  The Page Onscreen: Recommendations for #TCMFF 2018 Only a handful of movies have been announced for the 2018 Turner Classic Movies Film Festival (TCMFF)

[buddaimond]

Exclusive: Robert Pattinson on ‘The Lost City of Z’, Future Projects, Superhero Movies and More           (Collider)    

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub   April 21, 2017

With The Lost City of Z now playing in in theaters around the country, I recently sat down with Robert Pattinson for an exclusive in-depth interview. During the wide-ranging conversation he talked about got involved in the project, why he wanted to work with James Gray, who decided his character should have an epic beard, shooting on film, memorable moments from filming which included an epic two-and-a-half-hour hike at 3 a.m. through a pitch black forest, why he can’t wait for people to see the Safdie Brothers’ new film Good Time, his experience watching The Handmaiden in NYC, when he’ll be shooting Claire Denis’ High Life, if he’d like to be involved in a superhero movie, and so much more.

If you’re not familiar with The Lost City of Z, the film is based on David Grann‘s best-selling book, “The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon”, and it tells the incredible true story of British explorer Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam), who journeys into the Amazon at the dawn of the 20th century and discovers evidence of a previously unknown, advanced civilization that may have once inhabited the region. Despite being ridiculed by the scientific establishment who regard indigenous populations as “savages”, the determined Fawcett – supported by his devoted wife (Sienna Miller), son (Tom Holland) and aide de camp (Robert Pattinson) – returns time and again to his beloved jungle in an attempt to prove his case, culminating in his mysterious disappearance in 1925.

Loaded with exceptional performances, breathtaking cinematography, and a fantastic script, I absolutely loved the film and strongly recommend checking it out. It’s definitely one of my favorite films of 2017. For more on The Lost City of Z, you can read Chris Cabin’s glowing review.

Here’s what Robert Pattinson had to say:

COLLIDER: You won’t remember this, but I actually interviewed you in New York for Remember Me, back in 2010. So, you’ve landed on your feet.

ROBERT PATTINSON: God. So long ago now and it was 2010.

Yeah. Long time ago.

PATTINSON: Doesn’t feel like a very long time ago.

Time goes by very fast. There’s something I want to talk to you about: I’m a legit fan of your acting. One of the things that I am impressed by is the movies you’ve done. You’re going for cool roles with good directors and you’re going after scripts. For example, I really enjoyed your work in The Rover. And I think that one of the things is a lot of actors have to work because of, you know, they have to pay the mortgage. And I think that one of the benefits you have is you gained that financial freedom after a certain franchise to be able to pick the projects you want to do. Can you sort of talk about what you’ve tried to do over the few years as an actor and the roles you’ve been gravitating towards?

PATTINSON: Yeah, that’s completely right. I mean, I have been incredibly fortunate to be able to do that. But I also think if you get sort of early success there’s always this part of you which feels like, “I need to address the imbalance, I need to kind of earn that success after the fact” [laughs]. And so I try to find roles that are hard and also, I still find now, even after I’ve done loads of really random movies, directors are really surprised that I want to play the parts that I want to play. They just assume that you want to only do the honorable good guy lead who saves the day or dies at the end [laughs]. It’s like, I don’t know, I just kind of don’t think any audience would want to see me do that, or I always think that you have to have a certain understanding of what an audience would want to see from you as a public person as well as a character. So yeah, I generally try and find ways to get my characters severely punished [laughs].

The other thing though is a lot of people I’ve spoken to talk about getting pigeonholed in a certain type of role and the only way you can sort of break that is to show people that you don’t want to do just this one role again and again and again.

PATTINSON: Yeah, and it’s amazing as well how people if you want to get a different role, the majority of time the producers or directors want to see you play a similar role already, whereas the only thing I really want to do is swing wildly from one end to the other [laughs]. But then I think after it’s just starting to kind settle into the kind of area that I want to be in. I knew it would take a long time, but like this year working with Claire Denis and I’m probably going to work—I don’t know if I can say it yet [laughs].

Yeah, don’t. I don’t want to get you in trouble. But by all means, say it.

PATTINSON: I think I’m going to do something with Antonio Campos as well. Do you know Antonio Campos is?

I do.

PATTINSON: The part with him is like –I mean, he actually wanted me to do a different part and I was like, “No this is the part.” It’s this absolutely degenerate [laughs]. But then I did this thing with the Safdie Brothers. I don’t know if you know the Safdies?

I’m not as familiar.

PATTINSON: They did that film called Heaven Knows What about west side junkies.

I definitely didn’t see it, and I don’t think I want to pretend that I did.

PATTINSON: It’s incredible. I have this movie coming out this year with them, which is really like, I don’t know why they trust me on it but it’s playing –It’s like so specifically Queens-related, and I’m obviously not at all acquainted [laughs].

You’re not from New York? I’m surprised to learn this!

PATTINSON: And everyone’s non-actors in it, and we’re pretty much…

Well, American Honey did a great job without traditional actors.

PATTINSON: Yeah, I think it’s the same, man. Elaine or Jen, who cast that? God, my memory is so shit. Yeah, I think it’s the same casting people who did American Honey. But a lot of the people from American Honey came from the Safdie Brothers’ first movie Heaven Knows What.

Oh, there you go.

PATTINSON: Yeah. But she is an amazing street-casting person, she is incredible. And some of the people in—There’s this movie called Good Time, and it’s crazy. I literally can’t wait for it to come out.

That’s what Megan was saying.

PATTINSON: Oh really?

She was saying, “You need to see this movie,” and I’m like, “Okay!”

PATTINSON: It’s just really fun. I mean, it’s kind of like, it’s so scrappy and stuff but you know, I watch so many movies and I find a lot of them very predictable, and also, a little bit playing it safe.

That’s why you should go see The Handmaiden.

PATTINSON: I love The Handmaiden. It’s fucking amazing.

If you want to talk about movies that take twists and turns. I was sitting in the theater, jaw on ground, six times.

PATTINSON: No! I literally thought it was absolutely incredible. And also, I didn’t really know what it was about, and I remember watching in this theater in New York and there’s so many dirty, creepy old men sitting around [laughs] and I was watching like “What? This movie is crazy sexy! I had no idea at all!”

But you mentioned, that’s the type of movie you will not get made in America anymore. Maybe, I don’t even know if it could have ever been made in America.

PATTINSON: It’s that main period where it could have been, but like…

Maybe the early 70s?

PATTINSON: Or 80s. There’s a bunch of…

Oh, that’s true!

PATTINSON: Yeah, yeah. But yeah, I just find it so – I mean, I love going to a theater and just being like, “Wow!” That and I mean, Embrace of the Serpent. Did you ever see that?

I have not, but I’ve heard of it.

PATTINSON: Unbelievable. But yeah, I don’t understand. But this thing I did with the Safdies, it’s kind of very sort of subversive, but at the same time it’s a real genre film. So I think people will see it and kind of be quiet, it seems it’s weirdly accessible for a very strange movie. So, I hope people will like it.

Well, jumping into why I get to talk to you, the actual movie, The Lost City of Z.

PATTINSON: Yeah, sorry!

No, it’s fine! It’s just I really, really enjoyed this film. I walked in not knowing that much. I was captivated beginning to end. Was this a part that you went after? Did James [Gray] come to you? How’d you get involved?

PATTINSON: I met James like a billion times over the years. He was in my top five of people I wanted to work with. I loved We Own the Night, Two Lovers and everything he’s done, really. Even when I just started acting that was the guy I wanted to work with. I’ve been attached to a bunch of different things with him. With this, he gave me the book and I read the book and went “Yeah the book’s really cool. But I mean like, what part?” Because normally the person’s not mentioned that much and I was really young when he first gave it to me, so I was like, “Uh, is it the…?” I think initially he was thinking about me playing the son, and it just kept kind of developing, but he never quite mentioned which part it was [laughs]. But yeah, I really just wanted to work with him and also Darius Khondji.

So whose idea was it for the beard, for losing weight, or whatever you did to get ready for this role?

PATTINSON: Um. No managing weight [laughs].

We should mention that you are eating peanut M&M’s.

PATTINSON: And if there wasn’t a tape recorder, I’d just pour them into my mouth [laughs]. Well, the beard thing was because Costin in reality had this big Victorian mustache and so I was initially intending to have a mustache, but the real Costin was kind of a stout, stocky, short guy and having a big mustache looks very different on that body shape person when I’m kind of a tall, skinny person, it ends up looking sort of quite like Noel Coward-ly. So I thought the mustache wouldn’t really work. And then we just did the screen test, and I was just about to shave off the bottom, and James was like, “No, no! Don’t do that!” which is weird because I end up being the only soldier in World War I with a beard. [laughs] You weren’t allowed to have beards.

Artistic liberty. I understand.

PATTINSON: It’s one of those parts where it’s so Charlie [Hunnam]’s movie and I had a ton of ideas about stuff but nothing really mattered until I could see what story Charlie and James wanted to tell. I had a very specific idea of what the story was, it was actually quite different how it ended up being told when we’re doing the movie, and so I was just kind of just reacting on the fly, and I guess that in a lot of ways just became my character just being along for the ride in a way.

I got to tell you though, it’s just such an incredible story, but I am so impressed with the filmmaking. I know you guys shot on film. Did you guys even remember what the sound of the camera was? Because no one shoots film and it’s so rare.

PATTINSON: You know what, I shoot on film a lot. I pretty much, pretty much every movie I do shoots on film.

Really?

PATTINSON: Yeah.

Even Good Time and Damsel.

PATTINSON: Damsel not but…

High Life?

PATTINSON: I’m not sure if she’s going to shoot on film, but Good Time was. And Good Time was shooting on 35 and we were all shooting completely guerrilla as well, I mean, it was crazy. But I kind of know really, if someone says they’re going to shoot on 35 they’re probably a better filmmaker. They’re either pretentious or better [laughs].

I think James lands in the field of he’s a good filmmaker.

PATTINSON: I mean he wouldn’t, it’s just unthinkable for him to shoot on anything other than on film.

The thing is though what I’m so impressed by is that you shot in the middle of these jungles. We’re talking remote location to bring cameras in there with film, that’s borderline Apocalypse Now.

PATTINSON: But that’s the thing, because I shot The Rover on film as well, and really the technology behind an analog camera is so much more hardy than a digital one, especially in the heat or humidity or anything. I mean, to be honest, everyone thinks that a digital camera is more reliable and every single time I work on any movie, it’s just as many problems, the memory card doesn’t work or blah blah blah, it overheats; it’s the same volume as another camera. I think people are bit taken in by it. The only thing is just doing really, really long takes, but most of the time if you’re doing really long takes they’re probably pretty bad [laughs].

Although I will say that I’ve seen some long takes in film and in TV recently that have really impressed me, just really well done.

PATTINSON: There’s definitely a way if you really, if you are using a digital camera specifically for that reason you have in mind from the beginning, then yeah, it’ll work. But like if you’re just shooting a normal film and just kind of just shooting extra stuff because you can because you’ve got the memory space, it’s a bit pointless. I think there’s also something about –I’ve always found with film it heightens the experience a lot, but more knowing that it’s difficult to work with, it requires experts—I mean a digital camera does too, but I mean there’s just something about the fact that you can actually run out of film so you have to do something.

Hugh Grant told me a really funny story that he still gets very nervous when people call action because especially when the camera’s going, because you know it’s like, “Perform!” So he asked the AD or people to say “Go!” Not even action, because it gets in his head. So I want to ask you, do you have that sort of twitch if you will when “Action” is called? Do you have any sort of neuroses? Or are you sort of like, “I’m in”?

PATTINSON: I’m sort of in before. I was always think there’s an interesting kind of gameplay with where and how you start a scene, where the action happens. I actually get really pissed off when someone doesn’t say “action,” because I just find all of this confusion when someone’s like [whispers] “Okay…” And then it’s like, “Oh the fuck is it? What is ‘okay?’ Just say ‘action,’ everybody else says ‘action!'” Everything just starts and everyone is just like limping into the scene. As soon as you hear action and then you’re so immediately into the scene you can actually dictate the pace of it, because everyone else is supposed to be hearing it at the same time, it’s like a 100-meter sprint and you’re hearing the starting pistol, you can use that for performance.

I always love asking about memorable moments from filming. I would imagine making Lost City, there must be a day or two that you’re gonna remember forever.

PATTINSON: Yeah, probably our last shot on the last day. It was pretty nuts. For some reason we went there in the rainy season and people just could not get the concept that like it’s just going to rain every day. Like, “Come on, guys, it’s going to rain every day! It’s the rain season! Let’s just prepare ourselves for rain.” And every single day there’d be this total confusion when like it started raining and all of the sudden everybody would be like, “WAHHH! Run!” and we always waited too late and we’d have to go –We were in like little tin boats in the middle of an electrical storm going down a river, I mean, it’s like crazy dangerous. But on the last day though, it had been raining in the mountain for hours and hours and hours, and suddenly the flood—like all the rain—started coming down the river, and the river just rose and rose and rose like a foot every couple of minutes and we were on a tiny little sandbank and it was in the night and we were in a nature reserve so you couldn’t have any proper light, so it was all just a few battery-powered lights, and you could barely see anything and you’re covered in sand fleas and stuff. And then suddenly, as the river got higher there all these black caimans just floating past us and trying to get on the sandbank with us, and everyone was trying to carry an entire film crew’s worth of equipment just up the side of a riverbank into the forest. And we just had to walk a two-and-a-half-hour hike at 3 a.m. through pitch black forest with about four torches with like a hundred people to get back to the town. It was completely mental. And it was very fun and a very unique experience.

It’s really good then that the movie turned out so great. Because if you did this entire challenging shoot and then the movie was shit…

PATTINSON: Either way, I wouldn’t really mind. It was so much fun doing it, it could have been just as fun to be a spectacular failure too.

I’m very happy with how it turned out though. You mentioned you have stuff in development. I’m really excited for High Life. I’m curious about what you’re thinking of for the future, and of course I’m going to ask you, the superhero genre is the most popular thing on the planet and I’m sure people have discussed it or at least it’s come up in a meeting. Is that an arena you want to play in? Or have you had sort of your franchise fill?

PATTINSON: Yeah, for sure. I just feel like it’s…it has to feel right and you have to –It’s partly the same thing –I feel like you have to earn something with an audience. If I just did it now, I think producers on any superhero movie, I think they wouldn’t trust me to do it the way I’d want to do it, because I’d want to do something basically really strange. I think you have to earn that freedom to do stuff like that. So I think, if I keep kind of chipping away, trying to do good movies and interesting, strange movies then people will eventually trust you to do that on a bigger scale.

I was going to say I can see you doing a good antagonist in a superhero movie, which would allow you to maybe pursue the strange and weird in a way that the protagonist could not.

PATTINSON: I’d love to do a kind of superhero-y, graphic novel-y thing if it was an original piece. It’s a very different experience when there’s already an audience for it. I’m always interested in Guardians of the Galaxy. I loved Guardians of the Galaxy.

And why wouldn’t you.

PATTINSON: It’s great to have these characters which no one really knows exactly what they’re going to be like; it’s a strange thing when people already have expectations of something. It’s strange to try and please people at the same time.

What was it about High Life? Was it the script? Was it your director? What is it about the project that excites you?

PATTINSON: I cannot believe I’m doing a movie with Claire Denis. I don’t understand how I got it. I feel like, I just keep thinking, “Oh, I know the finances are going to fall apart,” and I know it’s pretty serious financing now. But it also happens to be one of the craziest treatments and all of the people involved in that as well. I don’t know if you know the artist Olafur Eliasson.

I’m not as familiar as you are.

PATTINSON: If you see his work, his basic production design of a spaceship, black hole and stuff. I’ve seen some tests already and it’s unbelievable. And with working with Claire it’s literally rare to find a filmmaker who has not made a bad movie ever and I really think about that with Claire and every single thing she’s done. It’s kind of fascinating. Just one of those people I didn’t think that was a real thing, to be able to get a movie with Claire Denis. I thought they just sort of existed somewhere else.

I am very happy for you, that you’ll be able to pull this off. I think Mia Goth told me she was filming soon. But I guess it’s not filming yet.

PATTINSON: Yeah, no. Apparently we’re starting in August.

I hope the financing comes together.

PATTINSON: [Laughs]. It’s been two-and-a-half years now!

http://collider.com/robert-pattinson-lost-city-of-z-good-time-interview/?utm_campaign=collidersocial&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social#shooting-on-film

[biofunmy]

A power ranking of all 32 ‘Downton Abbey’ movie characters

That’s not to suggest the folks upstairs always wielded more power than their downstairs counterparts. Social propriety only dictates outward behavior, and it often seemed as though the Downton servants were the ones who actually pulled the strings. Such is certainly the case in the “Downton” movie, released Friday, more than three years after the British television series concluded its six-season run.

Set in the late 1920s, the movie consists largely of Downton preparing for a royal visit by King George V and Queen Mary. While the Crawleys — Robert, Cora and their daughters Mary and Edith, along with Robert’s mother Violet — deal with the usual family drama and logistical rubbish, everyone downstairs tries their best to resist a complete takeover from the royal family’s hoity-toity servants. There’s very little plot and very much banter, highlighting power grabs both subtle and fierce.

Here is a definitive power ranking of the “Downton” movie characters, from boring and weakest to magnificent and sneakiest. (Note that the blurbs contain plot spoilers.)

The ‘Downton Abbey’ cast wants to take you back to a more innocent time — 2012

32. Richard “Dickie” Grey, a.k.a. Baron Merton (Douglas Reith)

Who he is: A trusted friend of the Crawley family, Dickie is also Mary’s godfather. In the series, he fought with his spoiled children to marry Isobel Crawley, the mother of Mary’s late husband, Matthew Crawley.

Why he ranks here: Dickie is a perfectly fine person, and it is truly a delight to hear people say his name with an English accent. That said, he is entirely a background character in the movie.

31. Phyllis Baxter, lady’s maid to Cora Crawley (Raquel Cassidy)

Who she is: Not to be visually confused with housekeeper Mrs. Hughes, Miss Baxter is a well-intentioned lady’s maid with a criminal record who, in the series, was briefly blackmailed by Thomas Barrow.

Why she ranks here: Like poor Dickie, Miss Baxter is barely a part of the movie. She finally seems to express her romantic interest in Mr. Molesley toward the end, though, so three cheers for that.

30. Captain Chetwode (Stephen Campbell Moore)

Who he is: Captain Chetwode approaches Tom Branson, a Crawley son-in-law, in public with a devious look in his eyes. The captain looks like all the other random men who pass through Downton, making it difficult for Tom to determine who he is or what his true motivations are.

Why he ranks here: Well, he tries to assassinate the king. While Tom, an Irishman, has his own issues with the English monarchy, he foils the captain’s violent plan as soon as he figures it out.

27, 28 & 29. All of the Crawley great-grandchildren: Sybil “Sybbie” Branson (Fifi Hart); George Matthew Crawley (Oliver and Zac Barker); Marigold Crawley (Eva and Karina Samms)

Who they are: Sybbie is Tom’s child with his late wife, Sybil Crawley. George is Mary’s child with her late husband, Matthew. Marigold was born to Edith and Michael Gregson, Edith’s magazine editor boss who mysteriously disappeared in Germany. Such drama!

Why they rank here: The Crawley great-grandchildren are still very young and therefore inconsequential. But they’ll inherit Downton and the Crawley wealth one day, which means they are somewhat powerful.

26. Joseph Molesley, schoolteacher and occasional footman (Kevin Doyle)

Who he is: Mr. Molesley worked as Matthew’s valet until the latter’s death and later returned to Downton as a footman. He discovered his passion for teaching while helping assistant cook Daisy Mason with her studies and eventually left the house altogether to become a schoolteacher.

Why he ranks here: I only want the best for Mr. Molesley, but by golly if this man isn’t one of the most pitiful characters to ever pass through Downton. He practically faints upon seeing the king and queen.

25. The Royal Chef (Philippe Spall)

Who he is: The better question would be, who does he think he is? Sure, he cooks for the king and queen of England, but he is unnecessarily rude to Downton’s Mrs. Patmore from the moment he walks in.

Why he ranks here: Rudeness is only productive if you’re an established part of Downton.

24. The Royal Butler . . . or the King’s Page of the Back Stairs (David Haig)

Who he is: This guy is the Charles Carson of Kensington Palace, in that he’s been loyal to the royal family for a long time and will do anything to appease them. He clarifies to the Downton folk that he is “not a butler” but, in fact, a king’s page of the back stairs. They don’t give that title much thought.

Why he ranks here: He is the absolute worst, but Mr. Haig is quite convincing in the role.

23. Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville)

Who he is: Robert is the Crawley family patriarch and owns Downton with his eldest daughter, Mary.

Why he ranks here: I honestly could not tell you a single significant thing Robert accomplishes in this movie aside from continuing to co-own Downton, therefore giving the royals a reason to visit and the movie a reason to exist. But hey, that’s pretty important, right?

22. Herbert “Bertie” Pelham, Marquess of Hexham (Harry Hadden-Paton)

Who he is: Edith married Bertie at the very end of the series and, after enduring six seasons of relentless misery, said she was finally “completely happy.” Bertie became Marigold’s stepfather.

Why he ranks here: Bertie is involved in a B-plot that gets quite a bit of screen time, as the king asks Bertie to embark on a project that would keep him away from his family for three months. Even after Edith informs her husband that she is pregnant and that the assignment would require him to miss the first few months of his child’s life, he hesitates to ask the king to find someone else for the job — understandable, but not the ideal course of action.

21. Andrew “Andy” Parker, footman (Michael C. Fox)

Who he is: Andy is a recently hired footman engaged to Daisy.

Why he ranks here: Andy somewhat annoyingly plays a jealous boyfriend for much of the movie, sparked by a flirty plumber arriving to fix Downton’s boiler. While Andy breaks the boiler in a fit of jealousy, it’s pretty cool that he loves Daisy and disregards the monarchy enough to risk sabotaging the royal visit.

20. Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern)

Who she is: Cora is an American heiress married to Robert, with whom she had Mary, Edith and Sybil. She has a fun muddled accent and enjoys providing commentary on strange English customs from an American perspective, which makes her a valuable asset for stateside viewers.

Why she ranks here: Cora senses that Edith is upset and, after learning of the conundrum, takes it upon herself to instead appeal to the queen on Edith and Bertie’s behalf. It works. Hurrah for involved mothers!

18 & 19. King George V (Simon Jones) and Queen Mary (Geraldine James)

Who they are: King George V was the grandfather of the current queen, Elizabeth II. He married Mary of Teck, and together they had six kids — five boys and one girl, Princess Mary, who appears in the movie.

Why they rank here: They’re very powerful in life but don’t do much for the plot, other than show up at Downton and later allow Bertie to stay home with Edith, so they land in the middle(ish) of the ranking.

17. Richard Ellis, perhaps a valet? (Max Brown)

Who he is: Richard works for the royal family and, just like Barrow, seems to get the short end of the stick from time to time.

Why he ranks here: Richard appears to be sweet on Barrow, which is proven true after he bails Barrow out of jail and later kisses him. Though this is admirably bold for the era in which “Downton” is set, Barrow was only jailed in the first place because he went to a gay club with another man after Richard was extremely late to a date he had planned with Barrow.

16. John Bates, valet (Brendan Coyle)

Who he is: Bates is Robert’s soft-spoken valet, and Anna Bates’s husband. He was hired at Downton after having saved Robert’s life while they both served in the second Boer War.

Why he ranks here: Though Bates usually tries to avoid stirring up trouble, he and Anna mastermind a plan to (rightfully) regain control of Downton from the royal family’s servants.

15. Lucy Smith, lady’s maid-turned-companion of Maud Bagshaw (Tuppence Middleton)

Who she is: Lucy, said to be a lady’s maid, accompanies the Crawleys’ relative Maud Bagshaw to Downton for the royal visit, during which Violet tries as best as she can to figure out why the childless Maud hasn’t listed Robert as a beneficiary in her will. Maud prefers to call Lucy her companion, and it is later revealed that they are actually mother and daughter.

Why she ranks here: Though uncomfortable with the tiff between her mother and Violet, Lucy stands her ground when it comes to her inheritance — commendable, given how frightening Violet can be.

14. Princess Mary (Kate Phillips)

Who she is: Princess Mary is the king and queen’s only daughter. She prioritizes her duty to her country over her own happiness and therefore remains in a loveless marriage to a dull, controlling man.

Why she ranks here: Princess Mary struggles with what to do about her marriage, given that a divorce would toss the royal family into scandal. After Tom spots her crying about it outside Downton — as an Irishman, he has no idea who she is — the two of them chat vaguely about obligations to their respective families. Princess Mary is inspired to stand up to her husband, telling him that they have no choice but to change for both of their sakes.

13. Henry Talbot, co-owner of Talbot and Branson Motors (Matthew Goode)

Who he is: Henry and Mary got married at the end of the series, and they have a daughter together. Though he lives at Downton, Henry often travels to different car shows for work (and fun).

Why he ranks here: Henry spends most of the movie away at a Detroit car show because the actor who plays him wasn’t able to fit a full “Downton” shoot into his schedule. He nevertheless receives an entrance scene so dramatic that it rivals the king and queen’s. (Author’s note: I will forever think of Matthew Goode as the guy from 2004′s “Chasing Liberty.” If you’ve seen that, you know how much he puts up with in it, and you’ll agree that Mr. Goode deserves this dramatic scene as restitution.)

12. Charles Carson, retired butler (Jim Carter)

Who he is: The curmudgeonly Mr. Carson rose through the ranks at Downton and eventually became the butler. Though he retired because of health issues, he worked for the Crawleys for so long that the family members, especially Mary, treat him as one of their own. He is married to Mrs. Hughes, the housekeeper.

Why he ranks here: Mary asks Mr. Carson to replace Barrow as butler for the duration of the royal visit, and he agrees. This is rather mean to Barrow on both of their parts — he’s trying his best! — but it’s hard not to notice the respect with which the Downton staff treats Mr. Carson.

11. Isobel Grey, née Crawley, Baroness Merton (Penelope Wilton)

Who she is: Isobel, a former nurse, moved to Downton at the start of the series with her son, Matthew. She remained close to the Crawleys even after Matthew’s death — becoming close frenemies with Violet while co-chairing the hospital — and later married Lord Merton.

Why she ranks here: Isobel tries to act as a mediator in the conflict over who will inherit Maud’s wealth. Unlike Violet, she is able to sense that there is more to Maud’s relationship with Lucy, and encourages Maud to tell Violet the truth in order to put the argument to rest once and for all.

10. Beryl Patmore, cook (Lesley Nicol)

Who she is: Mrs. Patmore is the witty cook who runs Downton’s kitchen. She is exceedingly strict but cares deeply for those she knows well, stepping in as a mother figure to her assistant, Daisy.

Why she ranks here: Along with Daisy, Mrs. Patmore is never afraid to speak her mind — especially when it comes to the royal staff invading her kitchen.

9. Elsie Carson, née Hughes, head housekeeper (Phyllis Logan)

Who she is: Mrs. Hughes is the head housekeeper. She is married to Mr. Carson.

Why she ranks here: With Mr. Carson technically out of Downton, Mrs. Hughes is the most powerful person downstairs. She is the no-nonsense type, and will always look out for her people.

8. Thomas “Tom” Branson, co-owner of Talbot and Branson Motors (Allen Leech)

Who he is: Tom came to Downton as a chauffeur but became a member of the family after marrying Sybil Crawley, against her family’s wishes. They eventually warmed up to him and, following Sybil’s death, he continued to help manage and live at Downton for his daughter’s sake.

Why he ranks here: Tom doesn’t consider himself to be a member of the aristocracy given his humble roots and, as such, is likely the most level-headed character upstairs. Not only does he provide emotional support to Princess Mary and Lucy, two strangers, but he also saves the king’s life.

7. Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith)

Who she is: As Robert’s mother, Violet is the senior member of the Crawley family. She reveals to her granddaughter Mary that her health is failing, and as such, aims to tie up all her loose ends.

Why she ranks here: Yes, Violet’s quarrel with Maud is a bit much, but it is comforting to see that she has remained her witty, combative self. After someone accuses her of being Machiavellian, for example, she responds, “Machiavelli is frequently underrated. He had many qualities.”

6. Mary Talbot, née Crawley, heir to Downton (Michelle Dockery)

Who she is: Mary is the eldest Crawley daughter and co-owns Downton with her father.

Why she ranks here: Though Mary can be quite prissy at times, it’s notable that Violet points to her, and not Robert, as the future of Downton. As might be uttered in HBO’s “Succession,” Mary is the No. 1 Boy.

5. Thomas Barrow, butler (Rob James-Collier)

Who he is: Barrow, a former footman, stepped in as butler at Downton after Mr. Carson retired.

Why he ranks here: Barrow was an irritating backstabber for much of the series, but we eventually got to know and appreciate him. When Robert and Mary inform him that Mr. Carson will be taking over for the duration of the royal visit, Barrow is appropriately snippy and storms off. The act of insubordination takes Robert by surprise and, instead of firing Barrow, he admires him.

4. Daisy Mason, assistant cook (Sophie McShera)

Who she is: Once a kitchen maid, Daisy worked her way up to being Mrs. Patmore’s assistant.

Why she ranks here: Daisy’s rebellious streak is more evident than ever before when the royal servants arrive. She has fully come out of her shell and amusingly defends Downton at one point by saying, “We’re not footballs, Mr. Bates, we don’t deserve a kicking!” They most certainly do not.

3. Edith Pelham, née Crawley, Marchioness of Hexham (Laura Carmichael)

Who she is: Edith is the second Crawley daughter, and Marigold’s mother. She is married to Bertie.

Why she ranks here: Though she was for a long time the self-pitying Crawley sister, Edith has finally learned to take a stand when called for. She is very direct with Bertie about his needing to turn down the king’s assignment and, after Bertie says that she should have told him earlier that she was pregnant, she informs him that he will not be making any of this her fault. Growth! We love to see it.

2. Anna Bates, née Smith, lady’s maid to Mary Talbot (Joanne Froggatt)

Who she is: Anna is Mary’s lady’s maid but has become more of a friend over time. (Remember, she helped deal with the whole Pamuk-dying-in-Mary’s-bed situation back in the first season.)

Why she ranks here: Anna spearheads the downstairs rebellion and also blackmails the royal seamstress, who has been stealing from Downton throughout the visit. How far our meek Anna has come.

1. Maud Bagshaw, Crawley relative and lady-in-waiting to Queen Mary (Imelda Staunton)

Who she is: Maud is a baronness who serves the queen. She is a cousin of Violet’s late husband and somehow inherited an estate from him. She and Violet aren’t the best of friends.

Why she ranks here: American viewers might recognize Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge from the “Harry Potter” films and, while Maud isn’t at all evil, she is just as stubborn. It’s difficult to win a fight against Violet — she’s the Dowager Countess, for heaven’s sake! — but Maud has what it takes, and seems to care endlessly for her daughter, Lucy. If they ever do make a movie sequel, we hope Maud makes a special appearance.

Sahred From Source link Entertainment

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[horrorfictionreviews-blog]

The Meg, Revisited

by Mark Lorenzana

This was a fanboy post that I published in Facebook when the first The Meg trailer was released, roughly three months before the movie hit cinemas:

OK, as a huge Steve Alten fan, someone who’s read all the books in his Meg series, all the books in his Loch series, and all the books in his Mayan Domain trilogy, finally seeing a trailer of the movie adaptation of his 1997 novel (after languishing in developmental hell for 21 years—21 years!) has got me stoked. So please indulge me and allow me to go into fanboy mode here. Warning: Minor spoilers ahead, as I nitpick on a couple of the differences between the novel and the upcoming film based on a two-minute trailer. LOL

1. In the book, the megalodon that deep-sea diver Dr. Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) discovers in the Marianas Trench is albino-white and blind, owing to an evolutionary adaptation of deep-sea creatures that live in pitch-black darkness. Of course, originally, megalodons weren’t albino and blind, and they didn’t live in deep-sea trenches either, but the megalodons in the book survived extinction over a period of 23 million years (thus even outliving the dinosaurs in the process) by gradually moving deeper and deeper, escaping the frigid surface waters of the ice age and finding a home in the abyssal waters heated by undersea thermal vents or black smokers that spew chemicals from the earth’s interior. We see in the trailer that the megalodon is an olive-green color, and that’s cool too (although we don’t really know the actual skin color of megs because all that paleontologists have found are their fossilized teeth and jaws—a shark’s skeleton is made up entirely of cartilage), but it would have been awesome to see the original glow-in-the-dark meg.

2. Finally seeing Dr. Jonas Taylor in the flesh still feels strange to me, especially since the actor cast to play the role is Jason Statham. I imagine Jonas Taylor, as he is described in the book, as more of an academic type—imagine Dr. Robert Langdon in Dan Brown’s novels (which is why I could see Tom Hanks–or Hugh Grant, or Edward Norton, or even Pierce Brosnan—definitely owning a Jonas Taylor portrayal). I guess the people behind the movie wanted someone more badass, though, and I’m willing to give Mr. Statham the benefit of the doubt.

Silly, mindless summer flick coming your way, folks. Let’s not take this seriously and just enjoy the ride, shall we? As the novel’s original blurb says: Jurassic Shark! :)

I finally saw the movie last month. My verdict? It did a pretty good job of porting over a horror novel full of blood and guts (what can you expect from a novel about a giant prehistoric shark that’s unleashed on the general public?) to the big screen as a PG-13 flick. The result was a mindlessly fun movie with, well, less blood and guts, which apparently disappointed Jason Statham but got the desired effect of raking in approximately 500 million in the box office.

It goes without saying here that I read Steve Alten’s original novel more than two decades ago, and I absolutely loved it. As a kid I was an animal freak, and I loved (still love, by the way) sharks especially, and it’s no surprise that all these years I still reread Alten’s Meg series as well as Peter Benchley’s novels Jaws and White Shark.

Currently I’m reading Alten’s newest book in the Meg series, Meg: Generations (the sixth in the series), and before I finish it I’d like to write a book review of each of the previous five novels that came before. But right now, inspired by that fanboy post I made on Facebook, please indulge me as I dedicate this post to discussing more of the differences between the novel and the movie (major spoilers below).

1. Jonas Taylor, both in the book and in the film, is  a Navy deep-sea diver who, for many years, has had to live with his guilt after accidentally killing two of his colleagues when he piloted a submersible to the Marianas Trench only to panic after seeing what he believed was a megalodon that was about to attack them. He is dismissed from the Navy as a result. In the book, Jonas, in an attempt to try to convince himself and the others around him that he is not crazy, devotes himself to the study of megalodons, even earning himself a PhD along the way. In the movie, he retreats to Thailand and drowns his sorrows in beer (thus never earning his PhD, what a waste).

2. In the novel the marine research team is headed by Masao Tanaka, of Japanese descent, and his research facility is situated off Monterey Bay, California. In the movie they decided to change Masao’s character into a Chinese guy and move the research facility from the United States to Asia, which was a good move actually because the movie raked in millions from the Chinese audience. Cha-ching.

3. In the novel Jonas’s best friend, James "Mac" Mackreides, is an alcoholic helicopter pilot with a taste for prostitutes, while in the movie he’s one of the smart guys, a crew at the research station. (I still love the whoring Mac in the novel, by the way.)

4. In the novel, DJ is the only son of Masao Tanaka. He is also an expert at doing deep-sea dives and piloting the submersibles; in the movie DJ is a black guy who’s a source of comedic entertainment. And no, movie-version DJ doesn’t die first.

5. In the novel, Jonas’s ex-wife is a slut that deserved to die, but in the movie Jonas’s ex-wife is pretty cool and doesn’t deserve to die.

6. The movie is funnier; it embraces its campy tone wholeheartedly, which is why even if a lot of  the stuff that’s happening is unbelievable, the film can actually get away with it. The novel takes itself more seriously, sometimes way too seriously, but as a whole the novel has more action, is more violent and intense, and has way more gore. With that said, I hope they show an uncut version of the movie (*crosses fingers*).

7. In the movie’s climax, Statham’s Jonas did a very badass Statham thing: he first split open the megalodon from snout to tail by using the submersible he was piloting, then he actually got out of the submersible with a spear gun in hand, grabbed on to one of the giant shark’s gill slits, and as the animal breached the surface of the water, Jonas pierced the meg’s eye and drove home the spear into the animal’s brain, killing it. This would be so fucking awesome if not for the fact that in the novel Jonas did a very badass Chuck Norris thing: he intentionally piloted his one-man submersible into the meg’s open mouth and parked it in the shark’s stomach and, while Jonas breathed through an oxygen mask, made his way to the animal’s giant heart and sawed it off using a fossilized meg tooth that he kept with him at all times as a souvenir (Movie Jonas: 0 Novel Jonas: 1). 

I’ll keep adding to this list as a I remember more details. Meanwhile, I’ll keep on reading through  Meg: Generations as my schedule allows, and will post a book review once done. Ciao for now.

[shg11]

Image caption Ghostwatch's creators wanted to break television boundaries - but they did not predict its impact on viewers

It was billed as a drama, but many of Ghostwatch's 11 million viewers were taken in by the BBC's fake investigation, which in one tragic case led to a teenager taking his own life. On its 25th anniversary, his parents and the creator of the show talk about its impact.

It's Halloween night in 1992, and families across the UK are excitedly huddled around the television.

Saturday night TV is at its peak - Gladiators has just premiered on ITV, Casualty is enjoying its seventh series and Noel's House Party is pulling in 15 million viewers a week.

But tonight's big draw is the BBC's heavily-promoted Ghostwatch, a supposedly "live" investigation into paranormal activity being recorded at a family home in Northolt, north-west London.

The programme was the brainchild of horror writer Stephen Volk, who had originally conceived it as a spooky six-part drama, but who was instead asked by producer Ruth Baumgarten to create a 90-minute ghost story for the broadcaster's Screen One series.

"I said to her, 'why don't we do it instead as an investigation, a mystery story - pretending it's a live transmission from a haunted house?'," Volk recalls.

"I remember that moment very clearly, when she was really excited by that."

Image copyright Denham family

Image caption Martin Denham, pictured on his 18th birthday, "became entranced with talk of ghosts"

Volk's idea was arguably visionary, years ahead of today's scripted reality TV shows, where the likes of The Only Way Is Essex routinely blur fact and fiction.

The script went through numerous rewrites as TV executives continued to be confused by the concept.

"There was a lot of head-scratching and puzzlement when Baumgarten had meetings with people trying to explain what we were trying to do," he remembers.

"They didn't get it when they read it, why it was written in this peculiar way. They didn't understand how it was going to work."

Image caption Michael Parkinson was among a host of familiar, trusted faces on the programme

The team wanted to push the boundaries of reality even further. They didn't want it fronted by conventional actors - they wanted familiar and friendly TV personalities to bring the story to life.

Michael Parkinson, one of the BBC's most trusted faces, was asked to present it. Alongside him was popular children's television presenter Sarah Greene, together with her husband, TV and radio host Mike Smith - a fact Volk calls a "happy accident".

"It was offered to Sarah [initially] and Mike - I think - happened to read it over her shoulder and said "can I be in it [too]?'

"I quickly thought, 'this is a real bonus'," says Volk.

It was groundbreaking television in many ways - from the infra-red, heat-seeking camera used to "spot" ghostly activity to the pixellation of an interviewee's face.

They also used videotape, instead of the typical 16mm film, to make it look more homemade.

Though the production team wanted it to look realistic, shortly before its transmission the programme featured on the cover of the Radio Times, inside which it was explained it was a drama.

But not everyone read the Radio Times. And when Ghostwatch aired at 21:25 GMT, there were consequences the corporation had not foreseen.

Image caption The show centred on the fictional Early family, of Northolt, Greater London

In Nottingham, April and Percy Denham were sitting down to watch the programme together with their sons, Martin 18, and Gavin, 14.

The pair recalled how their elder son became more and more agitated throughout the broadcast.

"He sort of curled up while watching it. We asked if he was alright, but he seemed hypnotised by it," says Mrs Denham.

Ghostwatch's viewers were invited into "the most haunted house in Britain", where Pamela Early and her two daughters were being spooked by a poltergeist.

The nation was told a team of researchers had spent the last 10 months investigating the mysterious movements of a ghost named Pipes - so-called because it kept banging on the water pipes.

In the studio, Parkinson urged viewers to phone in with their own ghost stories on 081 811 8181 - the standard number for BBC phone-ins at the time, used on shows including Crimewatch and Going Live!

As Greene followed the paranormal activity around the house, the tension mounted and the Early family were subjected to increasingly terrifying experiences as the spirit of a dead man apparently entered the children.

Image caption "Pipes" the ghost was filmed causing havoc in the suburban family home

By the end of the show the ghost had "seized control" of the TV cameras. At the Early's house, paramedics and police were seen arriving, and Greene, who was trying to locate one of the possessed girls, disappeared into the blackness.

Back in the studio, the floor was deserted apart from a dumbfounded Parkinson.

But behind the scenes, the Ghostwatch production team were enjoying celebratory drinks as the programme aired.

"Ruth [Baumgarten] arrived with a white face and said the switchboard had been jammed at the BBC," Volk says.

"I kind of laughed lightly and she said very seriously, 'no, they really are jammed with people very irate'.

"That was a bit of a 'gulp' moment."

Image caption Viewers were used to seeing Sarah Greene fronting children's television shows

More than 20,000 people had tried to get through to Parkinson at one point during the programme.

Many of the viewers were children, who had been left traumatised by what they thought they had witnessed.

"I think three women who were pregnant went into labour that evening," says Volk.

"A vicar phoned in to complain that even though he realised it wasn't real he thought the BBC had raised demonic forces.

"It was partly that it scared people, but the complaints were actually more that the BBC had made them feel like mugs.

"People felt the BBC was something they could trust, and the programme had destroyed that trust."

In its wake, a tide of anger rose against the BBC, which received thousands of complaints.

Image copyright Lesley Manning

Image caption The Ghostwatch team were together as the programme aired, unaware of the reaction building around the country

Meanwhile, in the days that followed the broadcast, the Denhams noticed a change in Martin.

The radiators in their house had a habit of being noisy when warming up and Martin suddenly asked to move bedrooms, though he never explained why.

"He seemed entranced with the talk of ghosts," Mrs Denham remembers.

"He seemed a bit upset because things were happening at that time in the house that had been happening [on Ghostwatch]. The pipes were banging," his stepfather adds.

Five days after the broadcast, Martin killed himself. A note in his pocket, addressed to his mother, read: "If there is ghosts I will now be one and I will always be with you as one".

The Denhams learned of his death when police came to their places of work.

"I went crackers," Mr Denham says. "I started swearing. When I heard about the [contents of] the note, I knew it was that programme."

Image caption Martin Denham had everything to live for, his parents say

A judicial review the Denhams fought for led to an investigation by the Broadcasting Standards Commission, which concluded the corporation had "a duty to do more than simply hint at the deception it was practising on the audience".

There had been a "deliberate attempt to cultivate a sense of menace", it added, and the BBC issued an apology.

The passage of time has seen the Denhams's anger cool a little, although they do not watch BBC channels, or anything that features Michael Parkinson.

"There's nothing you can do. I've just let it go now, but it's still there," Martin's stepfather adds.

"It's still just one big mystery and he isn't here so I'm not able to ask him," Mrs Denham says.

"Martin was happy. He had never had any problems - he had got a girlfriend and a job and had got everything to live for.

"Even though he was a slow learner he had done well for himself. He had everything going for him and then it changed just like that."

Image copyright Radio Times

Image caption Ghostwatch was heavily promoted in the run-up to its broadcast

Volk declined to comment on Martin's death out of respect for the family.

But he says he had expected a very different reaction from viewers.

"I think it was 11 million that saw it and you can't think of all those people as individuals," he says.

"I was, I guess, writing for myself - aged between 12 and 14 - and I thought of myself watching and thinking, 'well this is interesting, I don't believe it, but I get that this is a drama done in a certain way'.

"That's the basis on which I thought most people would [see] it.

"There was a vast span of different reactions to it, from people who didn't believe it for a second and people who believed it all the way through, and everything in between."

Image copyright Tom Parker

Image caption Stephen Volk was awarded a BAFTA for his work in horror

The aftermath meant the BBC distanced itself from Ghostwatch.

Volk says he would have liked to have explained his intentions as a writer with the broadcaster far sooner than the anniversary DVD a decade later allowed.

"I think if the BBC had maybe not shut it down so completely, there might have been an attempt to have a conversation about it," he says.

However, when 12-year-old viewers who saw it the first time revisited it 10 years later - in conjunction with the emergence of the internet - people openly started to discuss the programme.

"Suddenly we found a whole pile of people who did like it, they enjoyed it, thought it was challenging and all the things we wanted it to be," Volk says.

He remains proud of Ghostwatch, the first project he did for television.

Volk went on to write an episode of Ghosts for the BBC in 1995, created ITV series Afterlife starring Andrew Lincoln and Lesley Sharp, and was also behind the 2011 film The Awakening.

"The best result [was] people coming up and saying 'I had to sleep with the light on for three weeks but it got me into film-making' and some have said 'it got me into horror'," he says.

However, he tends to agree with acclaimed author Ramsay Campbell on pushing the genre's boundaries.

"I'm a great believer in what he said about horror, and that is that horror is sometimes the business that goes too far."

Additional reporting by Lisa Wright

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-41740176