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Showing posts with label Lawrence Kasdan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lawrence Kasdan. Show all posts
Christopher Miller and Phil Lord to Helm Han Solo Anthology Film
The duo behind The LEGO Movie will direct an early tale of the smuggler-turned-hero, with a screenplay by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan.
The next adventure in the Anthology series of Star Wars films will be directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, whose credits include the critically acclaimed The LEGO Movie and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, as well as 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street. Among the most sought-after filmmakers working today, the two have proven a formidable duo on the multiple films they’ve collaborated on and are looking forward to applying their unique creative chemistry to the Star Wars universe.
“This is the first film we’ve worked on that seems like a good idea to begin with. We promise to take risks, to give the audience a fresh experience, and we pledge ourselves to be faithful stewards of these characters who mean so much to us. This is a dream come true for us. And not the kind of dream where you’re late for work and all your clothes are made of pudding, but the kind of dream where you get to make a film with some of the greatest characters ever, in a film franchise you’ve loved since before you can remember having dreams at all.”
The screenplay is written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan. The story focuses on how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley.
Lawrence Kasdan, the writer and director known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Big Chill, and Grand Canyon, is familiar to Star Wars fans for having co-written the screenplays for The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and The Force Awakens. His son Jon Kasdan wrote and directed The First Time, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and In the Land of Women, as well as writing for the television series Freaks and Geeks and Dawson’s Creek.
“We’re so excited to be working with Chris and Phil, who will bring a fresh new dimension to the Star Wars universe,” said the Kasdans. “They’re two of the smartest, funniest and most original filmmakers around, and the ideal choice to tell the story of Han Solo, one of the coolest characters in the galaxy.”
Kathleen Kennedy, who will be producing, says she can’t wait to discover what’s in store from these two extraordinary teams of directors and writers.
“It’s not just any filmmaker who can tell the story of such a beloved icon like Han Solo, and I’m excited to say we’ve found the perfect team to handle the task. Larry and Jon know all there is to know about the character, and Chris and Phil will bring their wit, style, energy and heart to tell Han’s story.”
Slated for a May 25, 2018 release, the film will be executive produced by Lawrence Kasdan and Jason McGatlin and co-produced by Will Allegra.
PHOTO CREDITS: April 29th, Pinewood Studios, UK - Writer/Director/Producer J.J Abrams (top center right) at the cast read-through of Star Wars Episode VII at Pinewood Studios with (clockwise from right) Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Producer Bryan Burk, Lucasfilm President and Producer Kathleen Kennedy, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Andy Serkis, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Adam Driver and Writer Lawrence Kasdan. Copyright and Photo Credit: David James.
Of course, dear readers, you are already aware that Lucasfilm has announced (Tuesday, April 29, 2014) the main cast for the next Star Wars film, the as-yet-untitled Episode VII. Click on link below to see a bigger version of the above photo.
Star Wars: Episode VII Cast Announced
April 29, 2014
The Star Wars team is thrilled to announce the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII.
Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.
Director J.J. Abrams says, "We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."
Star Wars: Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer. The movie opens worldwide on December 18, 2015.
This press release from Walt Disney Studios announcing J.J. Abrams as the director of Star Wars: Episode VII is a week old. I waited to post it this month so that it would be on the post list for at least one entire month. Since this release, I have read that Abrams is not sure if he will adhere to the announced 2015 release date for Episode VII - Leroy.
J.J. Abrams to Direct Star Wars: Episode VII
J.J. Abrams will direct Star Wars: Episode VII, the first of a new series of Star Wars films to come from Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams will be directing and Academy Award-winning writer Michael Arndt will write the screenplay.
"It's very exciting to have J.J. aboard leading the charge as we set off to make a new Star Wars movie," said Kennedy. "J.J. is the perfect director to helm this. Beyond having such great instincts as a filmmaker, he has an intuitive understanding of this franchise. He understands the essence of the Star Wars experience, and will bring that talent to create an unforgettable motion picture."
George Lucas went on to say "I've consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller. He's an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn't be in better hands."
"To be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor," J.J. Abrams said. "I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid."
J.J., his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, and Bad Robot are on board to produce along with Kathleen Kennedy under the Disney Lucasfilm banner.
Also consulting on the project are Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg. Kasdan has a long history with Lucasfilm, as screenwriter on The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of the Jedi. Kinberg was writer on Sherlock Holmes and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Abrams and his production company Bad Robot have a proven track record of blockbuster movies that feature complex action, heartfelt drama, iconic heroes and fantastic production values with such credits as Star Trek, Super 8, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, and this year's Star Trek Into Darkness. Abrams has worked with Lucasfilm's preeminent postproduction facilities, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, on all of the feature films he has directed, beginning with Mission: Impossible III. He also created or co-created such acclaimed television series as Felicity, Alias, Lost and Fringe.
The Bodyguard Returns to Cinemas In Celebration of 20th Anniversary
NCM Fathom Events and Warner Bros. Present Beloved Romantic Thriller Starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston in Select Movie Theaters Nationwide, Wednesday, March 28
CENTENNIAL, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One of the biggest box office hits of the 1990s returns to movie theaters this month celebrating The 20th Anniversary of The Bodyguard, a special one-night in-theater event on Wednesday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m. local time. Starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard became one of the most popular hits of 1992, marking Houston's acting debut. Additionally, The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album went on to become the No. 1 best-selling soundtrack of all time with nearly 12 million copies sold in the U.S., and the sixth best-selling album overall in the Nielsen SoundScan era. Featuring the hugely successful cover of "I Will Always Love You," the album also launched four other hit singles for Houston: “I'm Every Woman,” “Queen of the Night,” and two Oscar® nominated songs, “I Have Nothing” and "Run to You.”
Tickets for The 20th Anniversary of The Bodyguard event are available at participating theater box offices and online at http://www.fathomevents.com/. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).
Presented by NCM Fathom Events and Warner Bros., The 20th Anniversary of The Bodyguard event will be broadcast to more than 400 select movie theaters across the country through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.
“When originally released, the story and unforgettable songs of The Bodyguard, captured the hearts of audiences everywhere,” said Shelly Maxwell, executive vice president of NCM Fathom Events. “Through this special anniversary presentation, fans will be able to come together for one night and see it once more on the big screen.”
Directed by Mick Jackson, Costner stars as a former Secret Service Agent-turned-bodyguard who is hired to protect Houston's character, a music star, from an unknown stalker. The bodyguard ruffles the singer's feathers and most of her entourage by tightening security more than they feel is necessary. Eventually the bodyguard and the singer start an affair, and she begins to believe his precautions are necessary when the stalker strikes close to home.
Warner Bros. will release The Bodyguard 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray™ on March 27. Special features include Houston’s well-known “I Will Always Love You” music video and “Memories of The Bodyguard,” a making-of documentary. Featuring director Mick Jackson, writer/producer Lawrence Kasdan, actors Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner and others, the cast and crew will discuss the story’s 17-year path to the screen, reworks of the script, how Jackson and Houston joined the production and more.
About National CineMedia (NCM)
NCM operates NCM Media Networks, a leading integrated media company reaching U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology. The NCM Cinema Network and NCM Fathom present cinema advertising and events across the nation’s largest digital in-theater network, comprised of theaters owned by AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK), Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) and other leading regional theater circuits. NCM’s theater advertising network covers 177 Designated Market Areas® (49 of the top 50) and includes over 18,600 screens (approximately 17,700 digital). During 2011, nearly 671 million patrons (on an annualized basis) attended movies shown in theaters in which NCM currently has exclusive, cinema advertising agreements in place. The NCM Fathom Events live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is comprised of over 700 locations in 167 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). The NCM Interactive Network offers 360-degree integrated marketing opportunities in combination with cinema, encompassing 42 entertainment-related websites, online widgets and mobile applications. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 48.7% interest in and is the managing member of National CineMedia LLC. For more information, visit http://www.ncm.com/ or http://www.fathomevents.com/.
About Warner Home Video
With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc., commands the largest home entertainment distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Cinema.
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 139 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux
Return of the Jedi (1983) Running time: 134 minutes (2 hours, 14 minutes) MPAA – PG DIRECTOR: Richard Marquand WRITERS: Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas; from a story by George Lucas PRODUCER: Howard Kazanjian CINEMATOGRAPHER: Alan Hume (D.o.P.) EDITORS: Sean Barton, Duwayne Dunham, and Marcia Lucas COMPOSER: John Williams
Academy Award winner
SCI-FI/FANTASY/ACTION/ADVENTURE
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Sebastian Shaw, Ian McDiarmid, (voice) Frank Oz, (voice) James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Alec Guinness, Kenny Baker, and Denis Lawson
Return of the Jedi is a 1983 epic science fiction film and is the second sequel to the film, Star Wars (1977). It is also the concluding film in the original Star Wars trilogy. Personally, Return of the Jedi is the one for which I am most nostalgic.
The original Star Wars saga concluded with Return of the Jedi (also known as Star Wars Episode VI – Return of the Jedi). As the film begins, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) lead a charge to rescue Han Solo (Harrison Ford) from the gangster Jabba the Hutt, a giant, nasty, slug-like creature.
However, the fight against the Empire also continues. The Rebel Alliance has received sensitive data about the Empire’s new Death Star satellite, so our favorite rebels head for the Forest Moon of Endor on a mission to cripple the Death Star’s defense systems. But Luke must once again confront his father, Darth Vader, (David Prowse and voiced by James Earl Jones), the evil face of the empire, and Darth Vader’s master, The Emperor (Ian McDiarmid). Are the heroes walking into a carefully orchestrated trap, and will they win the day?
As with the other two original films, Return of the Jedi is a thrilling ride in the tradition of matinee serials, or serialized adventures in general. The film moves at a fast, brisk pace, and the script tightly and concisely moves through the plot. The film has two glaring weaknesses. First, some of the acting is terrible, and in a few scenes the actors deliver the dialogue with a total lack of inspiration. Secondly, the inclusion of the new characters, the Ewoks (basically a tribal group of human dwarf-size teddy bears), is a painfully obvious attempt to sell toys, because that’s what the Ewoks are – toys and merchandising.
Otherwise, Return of the Jedi is a very entertaining film; it is the least in terms of quality of the original trio, but it’s still great and fun entertainment. It gets better with age, especially when one considers that as the closing shot gives way to the credits, this signals the end of an era – the original cinematic run of the original Star Wars films.
8 of 10 A
NOTES: 1984 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Special Achievement Award” (Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston, and Phil Tippett for visual effects); 4 nominations: “Best Art Direction-Set Decoration” (Norman Reynolds, Fred Hole, James L. Schoppe, Michael Ford), “Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing” (Ben Burtt), “Best Music, Original Score” (John Williams), and “Best Sound” (Ben Burtt, Gary Summers, Randy Thom, and Tony Dawe)
1984 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Special Visual Effects” (Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston, and Kit West); 3 nominations: “Best Make Up Artist” (Phil Tippett and Stuart Freeborn), “Best Production Design/Art Direction” (Norman Reynolds), and “Best Sound” (Ben Burtt, Tony Dawe, and Gary Summers)
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TRASH IN MY EYE No. 81 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux
The Empire Strikes Back (1980) Running time: 124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes) MPAA – PG DIRECTOR: Irvin Kershner WRITERS: Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan (from a story by George Lucas) PRODUCER: Gary Kurtz CINEMATOGRAPHER: Peter Suschitzky (D.o.P.) EDITOR: Paul Hirsch COMPOSER: John Williams
Academy Award winner
SCI-FI/FANTASY/ACTION/ADVENTURE/DRAMA /THRILLER with elements of romance
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Alec Guinness, Jeremy Bulloch, Clive Revell, Denis Lawson, Jason Wingreen (voice) and James Earl Jones (voice)
The Empire Strikes Back is a 1981 epic science fiction film and sequel to Star Wars (1977). The film continues the Star Wars saga and the adventures of Luke Skywalker, as the hero who destroyed the Death Star moves closer to his destiny.
After imperial forces destroy the rebel base on the ice planet Hoth, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) leaves his associates to begin his Jedi training with the wizened and tiny Jedi master Yoda (Frank Oz). Meanwhile, Darth Vader (David Prowse with James Earl Jones voice) pursues Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), et al across space to capture them and use them as his bait for trap Skywalker, with whom he’s become obsessed.
Seeking safe refuge, Solo takes his friends to the Cloud City of Bespin, a mining operation run by a rival and “old friend,” Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). But Cloud City becomes the place where friends unite and face tragedy and where young Skywalker learns a secret too horrible to believe and almost too terrible to false.
Of the three original Star Wars film, The Empire Strikes Back is the best film in terms of quality of filmmaking. The writing, acting, and directing are much better, and director Irvin Kershner (who is otherwise known for his work directing TV series and movies) emphasizes the drama, whereas Star Wars creator George Lucas focused on making the original film more of a fun and rollicking movie in the tradition of the old movie serials. While Kershner’s film did not have the element of surprise that Lucas’ had, his movie (although he obviously had much guidance from Lucas) is better than Lucas’ in some aspects. It’s a darker film, but is still enthralling with its razor’s edge of tension. The thrills are still there, but The Empire Strikes Back also has an atmosphere of dread hanging over it, as if bad things simply must happen to the protagonists.
It’s simply a good film, and virtually anyone who likes, or at least, doesn’t mind watching sci-fi, fantasy, or space opera films will like this. But everything aside, while the film’s subject matter may seem frivolous, the filmmakers present it in such a fashion that this is truly one of the best-made films and most fun to watch movies of the late 20th Century. I’d recommend it and sing its praises even through the roar of a thousand of dissenting voices.
10 of 10
NOTES: 1981 Academy Awards: 2 wins: “Best Sound” (Bill Varney, Steve Maslow, Gregg Landaker, and Peter Sutton) and “Special Achievement Award” (Brian Johnson, Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, and Bruce Nicholson for visual effects); 2 nominations: “Best Art Direction-Set Decoration” (Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley, Harry Lange, Alan Tomkins, and Michael Ford) and “Best Music, Original Score” (John Williams)
1981 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (John Williams); 2 nominations: “Best Production Design/Art Direction” (Norman Reynolds) and “Best Sound” (Peter Sutton, Ben Burtt, and Bill Varney)
1981 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (John Williams)
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TRASH IN MY EYE No. 52 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Running time: 115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes) MPAA – PG DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg WRITERS: Lawrence Kasdan; from a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman PRODUCER: Frank Marshall CINEMATOGRAPHER: Douglas Slocombe (D.o.P.) EDITOR: Michael Kahn COMPOSER: John Williams
Academy Award winner
ADVENTURE/ACTION
Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliot, Wolf Kahler, Alfred Molina, Fred Sorenson, and George Harris
This month marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Raiders of the Lost Ark to movie theatres (specifically June 12, 1981). The 1981 American adventure film went on to become the top-grossing film of 1981 and spawned four sequels and a short-lived television series. The film introduced the still wildly-popular character, Indiana Jones, portrayed by Harrison Ford (with a few exceptions), to audiences. The creation of director Steven Spielberg and executive producer, George Lucas, Raiders of the Lost Ark showed that a family film didn’t have to be G-rated fare, but could be a movie with nonstop action and quite a bit of violence.
Raiders of the Lost Ark follows archeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), who braves ancient temples to retrieve archeological relics. After his latest adventure, Army intelligence officers seek Jones help in finding his old mentor, Abner Ravenwood. The officers also inform Jones that the Nazis, in a quest for occult power, are looking for the Ark of the Covenant, the chest the ancient Israelites built to hold the fragments of the original Ten Commandments tablets. Ravenwood is supposedly in possession of the headpiece of the Staff of Ra, an artifact essential in finding the Ark. Ravenwood is also an expert on the ancient Egyptian city of Tanis, where the Ark is believed to be hidden.
I’m old enough to have seen Raiders of the Lost Ark in a movie theatre, and I also remember how much I loved the movie. I was flat out crazy about Raiders, and, as far as I was concerned, Indiana Jones was the man. I must have watched Raiders more than 20 times within a five year period after it was first released. I watched it a few times in the late 1980s and early 1990s because of the release of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Since then, I’ve watched bits and pieces, but I just recently sat down and watched the entire film. Do I still feel about Raiders of the Lost Ark the way I did after I first saw it and after I watched it countless times over the next decade? Yes.
It’s just a great movie, a magical summer movie. Raiders of the Lost Ark is fun and ingenious, in terms of story and also film technology, in the way only American-made adventure movies are. It has a sense of humor and the droll wit of the characters simply makes Raiders something special – something more than just another action movie with fistfights, gun battles, and chase scenes. The actors’ wit and style make it seem as if they are really into this movie and are determined to make us believe the outlandish, logic defying leaps the action and story often take.
Raiders of the Lost Ark may be an ode to the old movie serials of the 1930s and 40s (especially the ones produced by Republic Pictures), but it is a triumph that has stood the test of time better than the stories that influenced it. Every time I see Raiders of the Lost Ark, I am reminded of how much I love movies, and that makes up for the bad movies.
9 of 10 A+
NOTES: 1982 Academy Awards: 4 wins: “Best Art Direction-Set Decoration” (Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley, and Michael Ford), “Best Effects, Visual Effects” (Richard Edlund, Kit West, Bruce Nicholson, and Joe Johnston) “Best Film Editing” (Michael Kahn), “Best Sound” (Bill Varney, Steve Maslow, Gregg Landaker, and Roy Charman) and “Special Achievement Award” (Ben Burtt and Richard L. Anderson for sound effects editing); 4 nominations: “Best Picture” (Frank Marshall), “Best Director” (Steven Spielberg), “Best Cinematography” (Douglas Slocombe), and “Best Music, Original Score” (John Williams)
1982 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Production Design/Art Direction” (Norman Reynolds); 6 nominations: “Best Film,” “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (John Williams), “Best Cinematography” (Douglas Slocombe), “Best Editing” (Michael Kahn), “Best Sound” (Roy Charman, Ben Burtt, and Bill Varney), and “Best Supporting Artist” (Denholm Elliott)
1982 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Steven Spielberg)
Thursday, June 23, 2011
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You can purchase the "INDIANA JONES 4-Movie Collection" Blu-ray or DVD here at AMAZON.
The Complete Saga Debuts on High-Definition Blu-ray This September
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bring home the adventure and share Star Wars™ with your whole family – when STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment! To be released beginning on September 12 internationally and on September 16 in North America, the nine-disc collection brings the wonder of the entire Saga direct to your living room, where you can revisit all of your favorite Star Wars moments – in gorgeous high definition and with pristine, 6.1 DTS Surround Sound. Dive deeper into the universe with an unprecedented 40+ hours of special features, highlighted by never-before-seen content sourced from the Lucasfilm archives.
Episodes I-III and IV-VI will also be available as distinct Blu-ray Trilogy collections.
Special Features:
STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA ON BLU-RAY is presented in widescreen with 6.1 DTS Surround Sound. Special features include:
DISC ONE – STAR WARS: EPISODE I THE PHANTOM MENACE
Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, John Knoll, Dennis Muren and Scott Squires
Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew
DISC TWO – STAR WARS: EPISODE II ATTACK OF THE CLONES
Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, Pablo Helman, John Knoll and Ben Snow
Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew
DISC THREE – STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH
Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Rob Coleman, John Knoll and Roger Guyett
Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew
DISC FOUR – STAR WARS: EPISODE IV A NEW HOPE
Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren
Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew
DISC FIVE – STAR WARS: EPISODE V THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren
Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew
DISC SIX – STAR WARS: EPISODE VI RETURN OF THE JEDI
Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren
Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew
DISC SEVEN – NEW! STAR WARS ARCHIVES: EPISODES I-III
Including: deleted, extended and alternate scenes; prop, maquette and costume turnarounds; matte paintings and concept art; supplementary interviews with cast and crew; a flythrough of the Lucasfilm Archives and more
DISC EIGHT – NEW! STAR WARS ARCHIVES: EPISODES IV-VI
Including: deleted, extended and alternate scenes; prop, maquette and costume turnarounds; matte paintings and concept art; supplementary interviews with cast and crew; and more
DISC NINE – THE STAR WARS DOCUMENTARIES
NEW! Star Warriors (2007, Color, Apx. 84 Minutes) – Some Star Wars fans want to collect action figures...these fans want to be action figures! A tribute to the 501st Legion, a global organization of Star Wars costume enthusiasts, this insightful documentary shows how the super-fan club promotes interest in the films through charity and volunteer work at fundraisers and high-profile special events around the world.
NEW! A Conversation with the Masters: The Empire Strikes Back 30 Years Later (2010, Color, Apx. 25 Minutes) – George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Lawrence Kasdan and John Williams look back on the making of The Empire Strikes Back in this in-depth retrospective from Lucasfilm created to help commemorate the 30th anniversary of the movie. The masters discuss and reminisce about one of the most beloved films of all time.
NEW! Star Wars Spoofs (2011, Color, Apx. 91 Minutes) – The farce is strong with this one! Enjoy a hilarious collection of Star Wars spoofs and parodies that have been created over the years, including outrageous clips from Family Guy, The Simpsons, How I Met Your Mother and more — and don’t miss “Weird Al” Yankovic’s one-of-a-kind music video tribute to The Phantom Menace!
The Making of Star Wars (1977, Color, Apx. 49 Minutes) – Learn the incredible behind-the-scenes story of how the original Star Wars movie was brought to the big screen in this fascinating documentary hosted by C-3PO and R2-D2. Includes interviews with George Lucas and appearances by Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher.
The Empire Strikes Back: SPFX (1980, Color, Apx. 48 Minutes) – Learn the secrets of making movies in a galaxy far, far away. Hosted by Mark Hamill, this revealing documentary offers behind-the-scenes glimpses into the amazing special effects that transformed George Lucas’ vision for Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back into reality!
Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi (1983, Color, Apx. 48 Minutes) – Go behind the scenes — and into the costumes — as production footage from Return of the Jedi is interspersed with vintage monster movie clips in this in-depth exploration of the painstaking techniques utilized by George Lucas to create the classic creatures and characters seen in the film. Hosted and narrated by Carrie Fisher and Billie Dee Williams.
Anatomy of a Dewback (1997, Color, Apx. 26 Minutes) – See how some of the special effects in Star Wars became even more special two decades later! George Lucas explains and demonstrates how his team transformed the original dewback creatures from immovable rubber puppets (in the original 1977 release) to seemingly living, breathing creatures for the Star Wars 1997 Special Edition update.
Star Wars Tech (2007, Color, Apx. 46 Minutes) – Exploring the technical aspects of Star Wars vehicles, weapons and gadgetry, Star Wars Tech consults leading scientists in the fields of physics, prosthetics, lasers, engineering and astronomy to examine the plausibility of Star Wars technology based on science as we know it today.
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 40 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux
Dreamcatcher (2003) Running time: 136 minutes (2 hours, 16 minutes) MPAA - R for violence, gore and language DIRECTOR: Lawrence Kasdan WRITERS: William Goldman and Lawrence Kasdan (based upon the novel by Stephen King) PRODUCERS: Lawrence Kasdan and Charles Okun CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Seale (D.o.P.) EDITORS: Raul Davalos and Carol Littleton COMPOSER: James Newton Howard
HORRO/SCI-FI with elements of a thriller
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Thomas Jane, Jason Lee, Damian Lewis, Timothy Olyphant, Tom Sizemore, Donnie Wahlberg, Mikey Holekamp, Reece Thompson, Giacomo Baessato, Joel Palmer, and Andrew Robb
I understand that in adapting novels to screen, elements including plot, events and character, might have to be removed for various reasons including being able to adapt the novel into a two hour movie. I also understand that sometimes filmmakers make changes for the sake of making changes; some even believe they can even improve the novel’s story by making changes.
That said, I continue to fail to understand why Stephen King allows his novels to be turned into films. The heart of a King novel are the characters, especially the relationship between characters. The supernatural element, usually something horrific, is part of the characters’ environment, but how the characters deal with the supernatural allows us to see into them and usually depth of characterization is more interesting than the supernatural horror. As frightening as the horror was in a novel like Pet Sematery, the really scary crap, the true intensity in that story, was the interpersonal and familial relationships. Getting to see what was behind the closed doors and inside people’s head was a heck of a lot more frightening than the angry dead. The film adaptation of that novel, which was enough of a minor hit to call for a sequel, completely missed that point.
So while watching Lawrence Kasdan’s Dreamcatcher, I pretty much figured that while Kasdan and co-adaptor screenwriter William Goldman may have got the point of King’s Dreamcatcher, they did what most everyone who has adapted King to film have done: drop some characters and character points and favor the boogey men. I haven’t yet read Dreamcatcher, but I assume that the relationship between the four lead characters in the book is something spectacular. The movie only hints at the depth of their relationship; indeed, the viewer has to assume that these men are close.
Dr. Henry Devlin (Thomas Jane), Joe “Beaver” Clarendon (Jason Lee), Gary “Jonesy” Jones (Damian Lewis), and Pete Moore (Tom Olyphant) are four troubled friends who reunite for a camping trip. They’re all still affected by their relationship with Douglas Clavell (Donnie Wahlberg), a strange, seemingly handicapped child they saved 20 years earlier. That boy, whom they named Duddits, weighs heavily on their minds during their trip. Strange things begin to happen when the friends, in separate pairs, encounter lost hunters in the snow bound Maine woods. As a vicious snow storm sets in, a strange and unknown menace stalks the forest. Meanwhile, a military force led by a dangerous commander (Morgan Freeman) has closed off the area because of an alleged contagion, and the friend’s only hope may be an independent thinking soldier (Tom Sizemore).
Dreamcatcher summons up the ghosts of others “King” films and television movies, including Stand by Me and It. Most of all, Dreamcatcher the movie is a re-imagining and de facto remake of John Carpenter’s superb (and almost lost) film The Thing, but Dreamcatcher lacks Carpenter’s film’s intensity and eye popping gore. The first half hour of set up does intrigue, creating anticipation and whetting the appetite for hot supernatural action. It is somewhat stunted and clumsy in that you can pretty much figure out that the film is trying to tell us a lot, but doesn’t have the time to tell us in detail, so all we’re left with is vagueness.
When the crap does hit the fan – the scary stuff starts to happen, Dreamcatcher delivers the chills and thrills quite well. I was literally on the edge of my seat, and I was certain I could feel my heart racing and stopping with each new bump and chill. The film gives a good scare for quite a while, but as the film heads towards the homestretch, the sci-fi element unravels just enough to hamstring the film.
Because the acting is good and some of my favorite actors are in the film made watching Dreamcatcher fairly pleasant. Thomas (Deep Blue Sea and The Sweetest Thing) is a star in the making. I don’t think that he has the action movie chops of say Bruce Willis. I think his forte will probably be to play the leading man in comedies and dramas, but whenever he’s on the screen, I think the viewer naturally gravitates towards his character. Tom Sizemore continues to be the solid supporting guy, and Freeman, one of the best American actors of the last fifteen years, can play a really cool nasty guy. And when you see Donnie Wahlberg’s name in the credits, you still won’t believe it’s him.
Dreamcatcher is by no means a great thriller. However, sometimes it’s very good, and for a long time, it delivers some fairly effective chills, and that is good enough. The characters are engaging, and the creatures, except for a few moments of looking ridiculous, are pretty scary and threatening. Yeah, I think Carpenter’s aforementioned The Thing is a better and more satisfying version of this story, but Dreamcatcher, imperfect as it is, has enough good moments to make it a fairly decent thriller, worth watching if you like the scary stuff.
