New York, NY – October 26, 2012 – Academy Award-winning® director Robert Zemeckis has been at the helm of some of the most entertaining, inventive, and critically acclaimed movies of the past three decades, including Romancing the Stone, the Back to the Future trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Forrest Gump, and Cast Away.
On the occasion of his latest film, Paramount Pictures’s Flight, which Peter Travers of Rolling Stone has said “Flight is Zemeckis at his most emotionally open and thematically provocative,” the prolific filmmaker will be joined by the film’s screenwriter John Gatins, and stars Denzel Washington and John Goodman for a special Q&A on Monday, October 29 as part of the Museum of the Moving Image’s four-film retrospective of Zemeckis’s work, taking place October 28 through November 4, 2012.
“As dazzling as his films can be, they are also marked by a mastery of cinematic language, and surprising emotional depth,” said Chief Curator David Schwartz. “His latest film, Flight, is both an action thriller and an intense and deeply moving character study with a bracing, audacious performance by Denzel Washington.”
The special screening of Flight, will take place at The Ziegfeld and is by invitation only. Museum members may reserve tickets by calling 718 777 6800. To learn about Museum membership and to join, go online to http://movingimage.us/support/membership or call 718 777 6877.
The other films in the retrospective—Forrest Gump, Back to the Future, and Cast Away—will screen at the Museum. Tickets for these screenings are included with Museum admission, which is free for Museum members.
Press Contact: Tomoko Kawamoto, tkawamoto@movingimage.us / 718 777 6830
SCHEDULE FOR ‘ROBERT ZEMECKIS,’ OCTOBER 28–NOVEMBER 4, 2012
Unless otherwise noted, film screenings take place in the Main Theater and in the Celeste and Armand Bartos Screening Room at Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35 Avenue (at 37 Street), Astoria, and are included with Museum admission.
All films directed by Robert Zemeckis.
Forrest Gump
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1:00 P.M.
1994, 142 mins. With Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field. The slow-witted Forrest Gump floats through his life—and a tumultuous period in American history—somehow showing up as a bit player in one iconic moment after another. One of the most acclaimed and successful films of the past 20 years, and the focus of intense critical debate, Forrest Gump is both a technical marvel and a compelling blend of comedy and drama. Screenplay by Eric Roth. Based on the Novel by Winston Groom.
SPECIAL PREVIEW SCREENING FOR MUSEUM MEMBERS:
Flight
With a Q&A with Robert Zemeckis, Denzel Washington, John Goodman, and John Gatins At the Ziegfeld, 141 West 54 Street, Manhattan
MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 6:30 P.M.
2012, 135 mins. With Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Kelly Reilly, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood, Brian Geraghty, Tamara Tunie, Nadine Velazquez, Peter Gerety, Garcelle Beauvais, Melissa Leo. In Zemeckis’s action-packed and powerful mystery thriller, Academy Award®-winner Denzel Washington stars as Whip Whitaker, a seasoned airline pilot who miraculously crash-lands his plane after a mid-air catastrophe, saving nearly everyone on board. After the crash, Whip is hailed as a hero, but as more is learned, questions arise as to who or what was at fault and what really happened on that plane. A Q&A with Zemeckis, Washington, John Goodman, and screenwriter John Gatins follows the screening.
Back to the Future
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 6:30 P.M.
1985, 116 mins. With Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson. In this rollicking time-travel story about a 1980s teenager who travels back to the 1950s, where he must arrange his parents’ meeting, director Robert Zemeckis perfectly balances science fiction, spectacle, comedy, action, and emotional depth.
Cast Away
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 4:00 P.M.
2000, 143 mins. With Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt. An executive for Federal Express survives a plane crash and winds up on a remote Pacific island, where he must learn how to survive. Hanks’s tour de force performance captures the grueling physical journey as well as the complex emotional transformation. As with Zemeckis’s best films, this is a cinematic triumph that is as deeply moving as it is entertaining. Written by William Broyles, Jr.
Museum of the Moving Image (movingimage.us) advances the understanding, enjoyment, and appreciation of the art, history, technique, and technology of film, television, and digital media. In January 2011, the Museum reopened after a major expansion and renovation that nearly doubled its size. Accessible, innovative, and forward-looking, the Museum presents exhibitions, education programs, significant moving-image works, and interpretive programs, and maintains a collection of moving-image related artifacts.
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday, 10:30 to 8:00 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Closed Monday except for holiday openings
Film Screenings: Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays, and as scheduled. Unless otherwise noted, screenings are included with Museum admission.
Museum Admission: $12.00 for adults (18+); $9.00 for senior citizens and for students (13+) with ID; $6.00 for children ages 3-12. Children under 3 and Museum members are admitted free. Admission to the galleries is free on Fridays, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tickets for special screenings and events may be purchased in advance by phone at 718 777 6800 or online.
Location: 36-01 35 Avenue (at 37 Street) in Astoria.
Subway: M (weekdays only) or R to Steinway Street. Q (weekdays only) or N to 36 Avenue.
Program Information: Telephone: 718 777 6888; Website: movingimage.us
Membership: 718 777 6877, members@movingimage.us
The Museum is housed in a building owned by the City of New York and its operations are made possible in part by public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the New York State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Natural Heritage Trust (administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation). The Museum also receives generous support from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals. For more information, please visit movingimage.us.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Wesley Snipes' "Gallowwalkers" Finally Arrives
Movie star Wesley Snipes will be released into the wild, wild west to fight the undead and blast his way into Film4’s FrightFest 2012 Saturday, October 27th with the World Premiere of his latest film.
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Movie star Wesley Snipes is making headlines with his long-awaited and highly-anticipated return to the big screen with the World Premiere of the cowboy wild west- zombie mash-up: Gallowwalkers. Snipes stars as the mysterious gunslinger Aman, who carries a curse. The curse: all those who die by his hand shall return to hunt him. Snipes is forced to blast his way through the old west, while the scores of undead ferociously track him to the bitter end. The film’s slogan is “Live by the gun. Die by the gun. Come back for more.”
The fans of the star and fans of the wild west and horror genres have been long-awaiting the film’s release. Shrouds of mystery and rumor surrounded the film following Wesley’s legal complications and headlines of the last several years. However, with Wesley’s release imminent (scheduled for the summer of 2013), the film remained “never having been seen” and its release strategy is still a tightly keep secret.
The films’ Producers said in a statement Friday: “We support Wesley fully in his film career and look forward to his return next summer. We are beyond thrilled to announce Wesley’s return in the World Premiere of Gallowwalkers. We couldn’t be more excited for the road ahead.” Gallowwalkers is set to World Premiere at the Vue West End in London’s Leicester Square, Saturdaym October 27th 2012 at 9pm.
Shot in the dusty sands of the Namibian desert, Gallowwalkers was produced and executive produced by Jack Bowyer (under his production shingle Jack Bowyer Productions), Executive Produced by Roger Grad, Ken Ross and Directed by Andrew Goth.
ABOUT JACK BOWYER PRODUCTIONS
Jack Bowyer Productions is a UK-based production company. Principal Jack Bowyer founded the company in 2007. JB is a prolific producer of independent film; they recently received a Nomination for “Best International Film” at Raindance for their latest film DARK HEARTS starring X-men topper Lucas Till.
ABOUT BOUNDLESS PICTURES
Founded in 2008 by Courtney Lauren Penn and Brandon Burrows, Boundless Pictures is a New York City, Los Angeles and Greenwich, Connecticut-based production company that develops, co-finances and produces independent film. They have produced alongside Jack Bowyer on Gallowwalkers and Dark Hearts.
http://www.BoundlessPictures.com
ABOUT FILM4 FRIGHTFEST
FILM4 FrightFest is the UK’s premiere international fantasy and horror film festival. The festival, in its 13th year, attracts thousands of genre fans to the heart of London’s West End. The festival has previously screened Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, Paul W. S. Anderson’s Resident Evil, Scary Movie 2, Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia, George A Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, among countless others.
"The Mummy" Always Worth Unwrapping
The Mummy (1999)
Running time: 125 minutes (2 hours, 5 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for pervasive adventure violence and some partial nudity
DIRECTOR: Stephen Sommers
WRITERS: Stephen Sommers, from a screenstory by Lloyd Fonvielle, Kevin Jarre, and Stephen Somers
PRODUCERS: Sean Daniel and James Jacks
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Adrian Biddle (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Bob Ducsay
COMPOSER: Jerry Goldsmith
Academy Award nominee
ACTION/ADVENTURE/FANTASY/HORROR
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Kevin J O’Connor, Oded Fehr, Jonathan Hyde, Erick Avari, Bernard Fox, Stephen Dunham, Corey Johnson, Tuc Watkins, Aharon Ipalé, and Patricia Velasquez
The subject of this movie review is The Mummy, a 1999 fantasy/adventure film from director Stephen Sommers. The film is a loose remake of the 1932 film, The Mummy, starring the great Boris Karloff, and is also the first of a three-film set.
In 1923, Richard “Rick” O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) a French Foreign Legion soldier, leads a librarian, Evelyn “Evie” Carnahan (Rachel Weisz), and her wayward brother, Jonathan (John Hannah,) to the legendary ancient Egyptian City of the Dead, Hamunaptra, on a treasure hunt/archeological dig. Pursued by a group of American adventurers and assorted ruffians, our heroes become part of bungling gang that resurrects Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), a cursed Egyptian priest out to wreak havoc on the world. When Imhotep sees Evie for the first time, he decides to use her as the human sacrifice to free his love mummified lover, Anck–Su–Namum (Patricia Velazquez), from the Underworld.
Part of Universal Pictures plan to remake its classic “Universal Monster” movies as high tech updates, The Mummy, the new version of the 1932 classic, shocked Universal with its 40 million dollar opening weekend (tests and previews screenings had suggest about 25 million). With its combinations of eye-popping effects, occasional chills, and good action sequences, The Mummy (which received an Oscar nomination for “Best Sound”) is an excellent example of a movie as great entertainment – cinematic fast food that delivers on audience expectations.
Director Stephen Sommers had directed two Disney films, Tom and Huck and the live action version of The Jungle Book and the funky 1998 sci-fi/horror B-movie, Deep Rising. They may have been indications of his skill to weave effective entertainment, but the Mummy is the big payoff.
The hyped up action scenes deliver every time; not one of them is awkward or off of pace. From the opening battle scene at the ruins of Hamunaptra to the fight aboard the boat, from the giant wall of sand with the imprint of Imhotep’s face to the final fight scene, it’s the perfect movie with which to sit back and enjoy.
There is a fine cast of supporting characters. Oded Fehr as Ardeth Bay, leader of the Medjai, a group that watches over Imhotep’s tomb, is handsome, dashing, and mysterious. Kevin J O’Connor’s Beni Gabor is the perfect comic relief (a nice bookend to John Hannah’s Jonathan), but he also makes a nasty villain. It’s quite entertaining to watch the three Americans: Mr. Henderson (Stephen Dunham), Mr. Daniels (Corey Johnson), and Mr. Burns (Tuc Watkins) in their cat and mouse game with Imhotep as the Mummy absorbs their “organs and fluids” to regenerate his own body.
The Mummy is also a fun and spooky horror show with enough scary scenes to match the action. What reminds of Raiders of the Lost Ark is the quite moments of character and intimacy between Rick and Evie. Sommers can’t make Fraser and Ms. Weisz as convincing as Steven Spielberg made Harrison Ford and Karen Allen, but it’s good enough. No one here seems to pretend to greatness, but they seemed determined to please the studio and their potential audience with a hit film and they did.
Here, the issues are commerce and craft rather than art, and the craftsmanship is so good that we may very well return to this gem time and again. As goofy and throw away as it might all seem to be, The Mummy is fun stuff, pure cinematic magic.
7 of 10
B+
NOTES:
2000 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Sound” (Leslie Shatz, Chris Carpenter, Rick Kline, and Chris Munro)
2000 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects” (John Andrew Berton Jr., Daniel Jeannette, Ben Snow, and Chris Corbould)
Friday, October 26, 2012
"The Mummy Returns" with the Same Old Fun
The Mummy Returns (2001)
Running time: 130 minutes (2 hours, 10 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for adventure action and violence
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Stephen Sommers
PRODUCERS: Sean Daniel and James Jacks
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Adrian Biddle
EDITOR: Ray Bushey III, Bob Ducsay, and Kelly Matsumoto
COMPOSER: Alan Silvestri
ACTION/ADVENTURE/FANTASY/HORROR
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, The Rock, Freddie Boath, Patricia Velasquez, and Shaun Parkes
The subject of this movie reviews is The Mummy Returns, a 2001 adventure and fantasy film from director Stephen Sommers. It is a direct sequel to the 1999 film, The Mummy.
It is 1933, ten years after the events of the 1999 film, The Mummy. The British Museum Curator (Alun Armstrong) has shipped the mummified body of the first film’s villain, Lord Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), to England. He and his partner, Meela Nais, a girl who is the reincarnated body of Imhotep’s ancient love, Anck-su-namun (Patricia Velazquez) have plans to resurrect the Mummy to conquer the world. They’ve set their sights on the army of Anubis; combined with Imhotep’s power and Anubis’s forces, they can rule the world. However, the army belongs to the Scorpion King (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), who Imhotep must defeat to control Anubis monstrous legions.
Standing in the way of the Mummy, his conspirators, and the Scorpion King, is the gang from the first movie. American adventurer Richard “Rick” O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) is married to Evelyn “Evie” Carnahan-O’Connell (Rachel Weisz). The have a 9 year old son Alexander “Alex” O’Connell (Freddie Boath), and Evie’s brother John Carnahan (John Hannah) is still around and up to no good. When the villains attack the O’Connell’s palatial London estate and Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr) arrives in time for the home invasion, the gang is all set to return to the sands of Egypt to save the world from the forces of darkness. And there is some weird reincarnation and avatar plot elements to boot added to the mixture.
Directed by Stephen Sommers, the director and co-writer of the first film, The Mummy Returns is more of a fantasy/adventure with elements of horror than its predecessor, which was equal parts horror, fantasy, and adventure. The first winked and nodded at Raiders of the Lost Ark, but Returns is Raiders-lite, much more sugar coated than Raiders or The Mummy.
The effects are not so much dazzling as they are neat. In the first film, Imhotep raised a gigantic wall of sand with his visage on the face of the sand wall; in this film, he does the same trick with a wall of water. Both are impressive, but the second one seems more paint by number, simply because it’s done to repeat the sand trick of the first film. It’s one of many SFX shots meant to up the ante of the first movie. In the jaded world of popcorn cinema, the audience has seen so much that the makers of bam-socko movies have to always top what’s come before.
The acting is over the top, but quite functional; they know what they’re supposed to do and no actor lets his artistic ego get in the way of making thoughtless fun. And this movie is indeed fun, if not a little too long. The Mummy Returns careens madly across the screen like a ball in a pinball machine. Whereas the first was more coherent and a little scarier, this one is a thrill ride designed to have the feel of video game or a cat and mouse chase.
Sommers does his job quite well; like his cast, he doesn’t intrude artistically on the need for mindless entertainment. His gift is his ability to steer this bucking bronco of a movie. I don’t know if he can use the camera with any panache or creative skill, but he can make an above average, sit-back-and-be-entertained film that is neither too dumb nor too smart, to leave a bad aftertaste in the mouth, or any after taste for that matter – a good home video rental.
5 of 10
B-
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Third Time Not Quite the Charm with "The Mummy: Dragon Emperor"
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
Running time: 112 minutes (1 hour, 52 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for adventure action and violence
DIRECTOR: Rob Cohen
WRITERS: Alfred Gough and Miles Millar
PRODUCERS: Sean Daniel, Bob Ducsay, James Jacks, and Stephen Sommers
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Simon Duggan
EDITOR: Kelly Matsumoto and Joel Negron
COMPOSER: Randy Edelman
ACTION/ADVENTURE/FANTASY/HORROR
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, John Hannah, Michelle Yeoh, Luke Ford, Isabella Leong, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Russell Wong, Liam Cunningham, Jessey Meng, and David Calder
The subject of this movie review is The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, a 2008 fantasy adventure film from director Rob Cohen. It is a sequel to The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001) and is based upon John L. Balderston’s 1932 screenplay and Stephen Sommers’ 2001 screenplay. Tomb of the Dragon Emperor moves from the Egyptian setting of the first two films to China, and is set some 13 years after the events depicted in The Mummy Returns.
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor opens in ancient China and tells the story of Han (Jet Li), a brutal and tyrannical warlord. He unites the various kingdoms of China to form a single empire, and he also orders the construction of the Great Wall of China. Han becomes the Dragon Emperor, a master of the five elements (fire, water, earth, metal, and wood). His quest for immortality leads to the downfall of him and his empire.
In 1946, Alexander Rupert “Alex” O’Connell (Luke Ford) discovers The Dragon Emperor’s tomb in the Ningxia Province of China. His parents, Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) and Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell (Maria Bello), aren’t exactly pleased to find their son engaged in the kind of archeology that got them into so much trouble in Egypt. The family doesn’t have much time to fight, though. The rogue General Yang (Anthony Wong Chau-Sang) has hatched a conspiracy to resurrect the Dragon Emperor.
Now, Rick, Evey, and Alex, with Evey’s brother, Jonathan Carnahan (John Hannah), reluctantly following, must stop the Dragon Emperor from gaining immortality. Their allies include the mysterious mother-daughter tandem of Zi Yuan (Michelle Yeoh) and Lin (Isabella Leong) and also the drunken pilot, Mad Dog Maguire (Liam Cunningham). Can this group stop the Dragon Emperor and his Terracotta Army?
I am a big fan of Stephen Sommers’ The Mummy films, but I had only a passing interest in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor when it was first released back in 2008. I wanted the franchise to stick with its Egyptian themes, not move to China. I have watched bit and pieces of Tomb of the Dragon Emperor on television, but was not really interested in seeing the entire movie. I finally rented a copy so that I could watch it in its entirety in order to review it, and I only want to review it so that I can post it as a set with the first two films.
That said, I enjoyed The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. It’s ridiculous and frivolous and played entirely for fun, which is a bit different from the first film. The Mummy, for all its Raiders of the Lost Ark leanings, was something of a horror movie. Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is more like The Mummy Returns – a family affair. This is a fantasy adventure about a cast of characters that are family in one form or another, and this is for family viewing even with the profanity, mild sexual innuendo, and gunplay.
Yes, I did have problems with Maria Bello playing Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell. After all, my “Evey” is still Rachel Weisz. I eventually stopped thinking about the change, watched the movie, and accepted Bello, who is a good actress. I have watched The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, in parts or whole, countless times, and the first film is one of my all-time favorite movies. I won’t take The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor to heart in that manner. It is harmless entertainment, and because it is a way to see favorite characters again, it’s worth seeing… now and again.
5 of 10
C+
Sunday, October 21, 2012
"Burning Love" Returns to Yahoo! Screen
PARAMOUNT’S INSURGE PICTURES AND YAHOO! ANNOUNCE HIT COMEDY SERIES ‘BURNING LOVE’ WILL RETURN TO YAHOO! SCREEN FOR TWO MORE SEASONS
Breakout Series is Produced by Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Digital, Abominable Pictures, Ken Marino and Erica Oyama
Los Angeles, CA (October 25, 2012) Paramount’s Insurge Pictures and Yahoo! today announced that Burning Love, the popular comedy series that spoofs reality dating shows, will return for two more hilarious seasons on Yahoo! Screen (http://screen.yahoo.com) in 2013.
“At Yahoo!, we program based on insights about what our users want to watch,” said Erin McPherson, VP and Head of Video at Yahoo!. “We knew we found a hit with Burning Love given the caliber of the talent and the subject matter—and it was proven shortly after the launch with all the binge viewing that took place. We’re excited to offer two more seasons of it to our audience.”
“The success of Burning Love is a testament to the unparalleled creative team that delivered a truly hilarious series and set a new bar for original digital entertainment,” said Amy Powell, President of Insurge Pictures and EVP of Interactive Theatrical Marketing for Paramount Pictures. “Yahoo! did a tremendous job of getting the series in front of their audience, and we are thrilled to be working with them to bring the next two seasons to fans.”
The first season of Burning Love (www.BurningLove.com) launched June 4th domestically on Yahoo! Screen to critical acclaim. The series media called ‘ridiculously awesome’ (Buzz Sugar), and ‘a hilarious parody series’ (Entertainment Weekly), followed fireman Mark Orlando (Ken Marino) in his search for the perfect woman to marry or at least be engaged. Burning Love featured an impressive line up of comedic actors from film and television including Marino, Ben Stiller, Malin Akerman, Kristen Bell, Michael Ian Black, Ken Jeong, Adam Scott, Abigail Spencer, Natasha Leggero, June Diane Raphael, Noureen DeWulf, Janet Varney, Kerri Kenney Silver, Paul Scheer, Beth Dover, and many more.
"We are very excited to keep Burning Love on the fire -- get ready for it to get hotter and hotter till it scalds your comedy taste buds off," commented Stiller.
The next two installments of Burning Love will also be written by Erica Oyama (Childrens’ Hospital) and directed by Ken Marino and feature some returning cast including Ken Marino, June Diane Raphael and Natasha Leggero as well as new characters in their quest to find true love.
Season 2 follows Julie (June Diane Raphael), who failed to capture Mark Orlando’s heart in Season 1 of Burning Love, as she searches for love in a group of guys who are hopefully all there for the right reasons.
Season 3 Burning Down The House reunites our favorite rejected guys and girls as they return to the Burning Love mansion to compete for a hefty prize and for each other's affection.
Burning Love is executive produced by Red Hour’s Ben Stiller, Stuart Cornfeld and Mike Rosenstein, Abominable Pictures’ Jonathan Stern, Ken Marino and Erica Oyama’s Dancing Workfriend with Paramount’s Insurge Pictures distributing the project.
Ben Stiller and Red Hour Films have an extensive history creating top tier comedy in film and television as well as for digital platforms, including Tropic Thunder, Zoolander, Dodgeball, Stiller and Meara for Yahoo!, and now Burning Love. Jon Stern’s Abominable Pictures has an impressive track record for creating successful comedy television and digital series including Childrens’ Hospital and NTSF: SD: SUV.
For more information on Burning Love visit www.BurningLove.com or follow Mark Orlando on Twitter at @BurningLoveMark or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BurningLoveShow.
Yahoo! sets the bar for best-in-class original video programming. With its recently launched video destination, Yahoo! Screen (http://screen.yahoo.com), the development of women’s, men’s and comedy slates, and collaborations with world-class storytellers, creative partners and original voices, Yahoo! continues to build on its leadership position in video and to provide consumers and advertisers with the best premium content online.
About Paramount
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, ParamountVantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Famous Productions, ParamountHome Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
About Yahoo!
Yahoo! is focused on creating deeply personal digital experiences that keep more than half a billion people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the globe. Yahoo!'s unique combination of Science + Art + Scale connects advertisers to the consumers who build their businesses. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.net) or the company's blog, Yodel Anecdotal (yodel.yahoo.com).
Breakout Series is Produced by Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Digital, Abominable Pictures, Ken Marino and Erica Oyama
Los Angeles, CA (October 25, 2012) Paramount’s Insurge Pictures and Yahoo! today announced that Burning Love, the popular comedy series that spoofs reality dating shows, will return for two more hilarious seasons on Yahoo! Screen (http://screen.yahoo.com) in 2013.
“At Yahoo!, we program based on insights about what our users want to watch,” said Erin McPherson, VP and Head of Video at Yahoo!. “We knew we found a hit with Burning Love given the caliber of the talent and the subject matter—and it was proven shortly after the launch with all the binge viewing that took place. We’re excited to offer two more seasons of it to our audience.”
“The success of Burning Love is a testament to the unparalleled creative team that delivered a truly hilarious series and set a new bar for original digital entertainment,” said Amy Powell, President of Insurge Pictures and EVP of Interactive Theatrical Marketing for Paramount Pictures. “Yahoo! did a tremendous job of getting the series in front of their audience, and we are thrilled to be working with them to bring the next two seasons to fans.”
The first season of Burning Love (www.BurningLove.com) launched June 4th domestically on Yahoo! Screen to critical acclaim. The series media called ‘ridiculously awesome’ (Buzz Sugar), and ‘a hilarious parody series’ (Entertainment Weekly), followed fireman Mark Orlando (Ken Marino) in his search for the perfect woman to marry or at least be engaged. Burning Love featured an impressive line up of comedic actors from film and television including Marino, Ben Stiller, Malin Akerman, Kristen Bell, Michael Ian Black, Ken Jeong, Adam Scott, Abigail Spencer, Natasha Leggero, June Diane Raphael, Noureen DeWulf, Janet Varney, Kerri Kenney Silver, Paul Scheer, Beth Dover, and many more.
"We are very excited to keep Burning Love on the fire -- get ready for it to get hotter and hotter till it scalds your comedy taste buds off," commented Stiller.
The next two installments of Burning Love will also be written by Erica Oyama (Childrens’ Hospital) and directed by Ken Marino and feature some returning cast including Ken Marino, June Diane Raphael and Natasha Leggero as well as new characters in their quest to find true love.
Season 2 follows Julie (June Diane Raphael), who failed to capture Mark Orlando’s heart in Season 1 of Burning Love, as she searches for love in a group of guys who are hopefully all there for the right reasons.
Season 3 Burning Down The House reunites our favorite rejected guys and girls as they return to the Burning Love mansion to compete for a hefty prize and for each other's affection.
Burning Love is executive produced by Red Hour’s Ben Stiller, Stuart Cornfeld and Mike Rosenstein, Abominable Pictures’ Jonathan Stern, Ken Marino and Erica Oyama’s Dancing Workfriend with Paramount’s Insurge Pictures distributing the project.
Ben Stiller and Red Hour Films have an extensive history creating top tier comedy in film and television as well as for digital platforms, including Tropic Thunder, Zoolander, Dodgeball, Stiller and Meara for Yahoo!, and now Burning Love. Jon Stern’s Abominable Pictures has an impressive track record for creating successful comedy television and digital series including Childrens’ Hospital and NTSF: SD: SUV.
For more information on Burning Love visit www.BurningLove.com or follow Mark Orlando on Twitter at @BurningLoveMark or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BurningLoveShow.
Yahoo! sets the bar for best-in-class original video programming. With its recently launched video destination, Yahoo! Screen (http://screen.yahoo.com), the development of women’s, men’s and comedy slates, and collaborations with world-class storytellers, creative partners and original voices, Yahoo! continues to build on its leadership position in video and to provide consumers and advertisers with the best premium content online.
About Paramount
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, ParamountVantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Famous Productions, ParamountHome Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
About Yahoo!
Yahoo! is focused on creating deeply personal digital experiences that keep more than half a billion people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the globe. Yahoo!'s unique combination of Science + Art + Scale connects advertisers to the consumers who build their businesses. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.net) or the company's blog, Yodel Anecdotal (yodel.yahoo.com).
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Andy Serkis Has Film Rights to Orwell's "Animal Farm"
The Imaginarium Studios Announces Inaugural Slate of Films
Performance Capture Studio Founded by Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish Secures Rights to “The Bone Season” and “Animal Farm”
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--London-based performance capture studio The Imaginarium has secured the film rights to the highly anticipated book series, The Bone Season, by Samantha Shannon as well as the film rights to adapt George Orwell’s seminal novel Animal Farm, it was announced today by Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish, founders of The Imaginarium.
“The dystopian world created by Samantha in The Bone Season series offers a fantastic setting for a truly extraordinary and thrilling narrative,” said Serkis. “We are honoured that she chose to collaborate with us in the adaptation of her work.”
“Samantha has created a compelling and unique world and a gripping story crafted to span a series of novels. The Bone Season offers the opportunity to create a dynamic franchise with global appeal,” adds Cavendish.
Scheduled for publication on August 20, 2013, by Bloomsbury, The Bone Season was acquired during the London Book Fair in a pre-emptive bid by the publisher.
“Samantha Shannon is an extraordinarily talented writer. The Bone Season is a startling combination of a unique literary voice, a fully conceived, terrifying parallel world and a narrative pace that grips like a vice,” said Alexandra Pringle, Bloomsbury editor-in-chief.
“I am thrilled to be working with The Imaginarium,” said Shannon. “Their name had me from the start: a place devoted to imagination. There is a strong, visual sensibility to my writing process and I am very excited by the creative possibilities for how The Bone Season could translate from page to screen. I am confident that all the members of the Imaginarium team are as passionate about the book as I am, and I look forward to working with them to make this project a reality.”
In addition to The Bone Season, The Imaginarium has negotiated the rights for a feature film adaptation of George Orwell’s classic tale, Animal Farm.
“Both The Bone Season and Animal Farm are perfectly suited to The Imaginarium,” said Cavendish. “With Animal Farm, we will reinvent this iconic story for a new generation, using the unique storytelling techniques offered by performance capture. The acquisition of these two projects marks an exciting time for all us at The Imaginarium.”
Serkis and Cavendish will serve as producers on The Bone Season; Serkis will direct and act in Animal Farm and produce along with Cavendish.
The Imaginarium is represented by CAA and Larry Taube, Principle LA Entertainment; publishing and films rights for The Bone Season and Ms. Shannon were handled by David Godwin Associates, UK (DGA, Ltd.).
“We are delighted to officially announce our involvement in bringing this classic yet controversial fable to life, hopefully allowing it to resonate for our times with a combination of a fresh perspective, real emotional heart, a great deal of humor and satire,” said Serkis. “By utilizing performance capture, a deeply talented and committed cast of actors will be able to explore and fully inhabit Orwell's fairy tale world where ‘some animals are more equal than others.’”
ABOUT THE IMAGINARIUM STUDIOS
Established in 2011 by actor/director Andy Serkis and producer Jonathan Cavendish, The Imaginarium harnesses the power of performance capture to fuel a new generation of storytelling in film, television and videogames. The Imaginarium’s central London studio base acts as magnet to the international film community as well as providing a development and production base for writers, filmmakers and creative visionaries from all over the world. www.theimaginariumstudios.com
ABOUT THE BONE SEASON
The Bone Season begins in 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of London. Paige is a clairvoyant, and in this future world, clairvoyance is forbidden and Paige is committing high treason. Attacked, kidnapped, and transported to Oxford, a city that has been kept secret for two hundred years, she meets Warden, a Rephaite with dark honey skin and heavy-lidded yellow eyes. He is the single most beautiful and frightening thing she has ever laid eyes on — and he will become her keeper.
ABOUT SAMANTHA SHANNON
Born in 1991, Samantha Shannon was raised in West London, where she started her first novel at the age of fifteen. She is currently studying for a degree in English Language and Literature at St Anne’s College, Oxford. The Bone Season is the first in a projected series of seven novels.
ABOUT ANIMAL FARM
First published in 1945, George Orwell’s allegorical tale Animal Farm has been hailed by TIME magazine as one of the best 100 English-language novels (1923-2005), is currently listed at number 31 on the Modern Library List of the 20th Century’s best novels and was awarded a retrospective Hugo Award in 1996.
Performance Capture Studio Founded by Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish Secures Rights to “The Bone Season” and “Animal Farm”
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--London-based performance capture studio The Imaginarium has secured the film rights to the highly anticipated book series, The Bone Season, by Samantha Shannon as well as the film rights to adapt George Orwell’s seminal novel Animal Farm, it was announced today by Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish, founders of The Imaginarium.
“The dystopian world created by Samantha in The Bone Season series offers a fantastic setting for a truly extraordinary and thrilling narrative,” said Serkis. “We are honoured that she chose to collaborate with us in the adaptation of her work.”
“Samantha has created a compelling and unique world and a gripping story crafted to span a series of novels. The Bone Season offers the opportunity to create a dynamic franchise with global appeal,” adds Cavendish.
Scheduled for publication on August 20, 2013, by Bloomsbury, The Bone Season was acquired during the London Book Fair in a pre-emptive bid by the publisher.
“Samantha Shannon is an extraordinarily talented writer. The Bone Season is a startling combination of a unique literary voice, a fully conceived, terrifying parallel world and a narrative pace that grips like a vice,” said Alexandra Pringle, Bloomsbury editor-in-chief.
“I am thrilled to be working with The Imaginarium,” said Shannon. “Their name had me from the start: a place devoted to imagination. There is a strong, visual sensibility to my writing process and I am very excited by the creative possibilities for how The Bone Season could translate from page to screen. I am confident that all the members of the Imaginarium team are as passionate about the book as I am, and I look forward to working with them to make this project a reality.”
In addition to The Bone Season, The Imaginarium has negotiated the rights for a feature film adaptation of George Orwell’s classic tale, Animal Farm.
“Both The Bone Season and Animal Farm are perfectly suited to The Imaginarium,” said Cavendish. “With Animal Farm, we will reinvent this iconic story for a new generation, using the unique storytelling techniques offered by performance capture. The acquisition of these two projects marks an exciting time for all us at The Imaginarium.”
Serkis and Cavendish will serve as producers on The Bone Season; Serkis will direct and act in Animal Farm and produce along with Cavendish.
The Imaginarium is represented by CAA and Larry Taube, Principle LA Entertainment; publishing and films rights for The Bone Season and Ms. Shannon were handled by David Godwin Associates, UK (DGA, Ltd.).
“We are delighted to officially announce our involvement in bringing this classic yet controversial fable to life, hopefully allowing it to resonate for our times with a combination of a fresh perspective, real emotional heart, a great deal of humor and satire,” said Serkis. “By utilizing performance capture, a deeply talented and committed cast of actors will be able to explore and fully inhabit Orwell's fairy tale world where ‘some animals are more equal than others.’”
ABOUT THE IMAGINARIUM STUDIOS
Established in 2011 by actor/director Andy Serkis and producer Jonathan Cavendish, The Imaginarium harnesses the power of performance capture to fuel a new generation of storytelling in film, television and videogames. The Imaginarium’s central London studio base acts as magnet to the international film community as well as providing a development and production base for writers, filmmakers and creative visionaries from all over the world. www.theimaginariumstudios.com
ABOUT THE BONE SEASON
The Bone Season begins in 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of London. Paige is a clairvoyant, and in this future world, clairvoyance is forbidden and Paige is committing high treason. Attacked, kidnapped, and transported to Oxford, a city that has been kept secret for two hundred years, she meets Warden, a Rephaite with dark honey skin and heavy-lidded yellow eyes. He is the single most beautiful and frightening thing she has ever laid eyes on — and he will become her keeper.
ABOUT SAMANTHA SHANNON
Born in 1991, Samantha Shannon was raised in West London, where she started her first novel at the age of fifteen. She is currently studying for a degree in English Language and Literature at St Anne’s College, Oxford. The Bone Season is the first in a projected series of seven novels.
ABOUT ANIMAL FARM
First published in 1945, George Orwell’s allegorical tale Animal Farm has been hailed by TIME magazine as one of the best 100 English-language novels (1923-2005), is currently listed at number 31 on the Modern Library List of the 20th Century’s best novels and was awarded a retrospective Hugo Award in 1996.
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