Powerful Sports Documentary THE ALL-AMERICANS Chronicles Two East LA Teams Competing in Biggest High School Football Rivalry in the Country
Gathr Films Sets August 29th, 2020 for Virtual Event Cinema Premiere
Executive Producer & Multi-Platinum Recording Artist Becky G Joins Director Billy McMillin For Live Q&A Following Premiere to Discuss Players Who Put Everything on The Line In One Heated Game To Make Dreams Come True
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Forget “Friday Night Lights.” The biggest and most consequential high school football rivalry hits the gridiron each November when two teams put everything on the line in the “East LA Classic.” Now that rivalry and the off-the-field real life dramas that come to a head in the annual game are chronicled in a new sports documentary, THE ALL-AMERICANS. Directed by Billy McMillin (award-winning West of Memphis) and executive produced by multi-platinum recording artist Becky G, the documentary will have its virtual World Cinema Event Premiere on Saturday, August 29, 2020 at 9:00 pm EDT/1:00 am UTC via Gathr At Home™, Gathr’s virtual event cinema platform.
View the trailer for "The All-Americans" here.
Home to the nation’s largest Latino immigrant population, East Los Angeles sits squarely in the crossfire of debate about American identity. Yet every November, this community comes together for a distinctly American event, drawing 25,000 proud locals to one of the country’s fiercest high school football rivalry games: “The East LA Classic.” The All-Americans follows four students seeking glory on the field, while grappling with personal obstacles and striving to make sense of their community’s place in today’s America.
The film’s director Billy McMillin says “The All-Americans is not about one ragtag team prevailing over a villain team; it’s about East L.A. and how this unique community fits into the America of today. Not in a static way, but like all immigrant communities before them, in a way that is complex, evolving, growing, and changing the country.”
The All-Americans is produced by Delirio Films (Ask. Dr Ruth, Honey Boy) and Abramorama (Cracked Up). Gathr Films has the worldwide virtual event rights. Director: Billy McMillin. Executive Producer: Becky G. Producers: Christopher Leggett, Rafael Marmor, Billy McMillin, Timm Oberwelland. Running time: 98 minutes
The virtual event cinema release of The All-Americans benefits Operation Street Kidz, a community based organization dedicated to engineering success among kids, especially throughout the inner cities of the US.
About Billy McMillin: Director:
Billy McMillin has spent over a decade as a writer and editor crafting a diverse mix of stories—from war-torn life in Academy Award Nominee Iraq in Fragments, to an epic search for justice in West of Memphis, to a quest for greatness amongst the world's best 7-year-old golfers in The Short Game. He edited Hulu’s original documentaries Becoming Bond and Too Funny To Fail, and led a team of editors on History & Viceland’s docuseries Hunting ISIS and SundanceTV’s true crime series No One Saw a Thing. Most recently, he edited the all-archival feature documentary Mike Wallace Is Here, which premiered in competition at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and was released theatrically by Magnolia Pictures. The All-Americans is his feature directorial debut.
About Becky G: Executive Producer:
Becky G has toured alongside Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, J Balvin, Fifth Harmony and Jason Derulo and has recorded collabs with Pitbull, Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny, Yandel, and CNCO, among others. The Mexican-American RCA/Sony Music Latin recording artist is working on two upcoming albums, one in Spanish and the other in English. Becky was recently honored by her home city of Inglewood, California for her contributions to the Hispanic community. Recognized as one of Rolling Stone’s, “18 Teens Shaking Up Pop Culture” and one of Billboard’s “21 Under 21,” Becky’s unrivaled work ethic paired with her singing, acting, writing, and production talents make her a major force to be reckoned with hits on the Billboard Latin Airplay Charts (“Mayores” & "Sin Pijama”), starring roles in "Power Rangers" and "A.X.L.", and guest-starring in Fox TV’s Emmy-winning “Empire" series.
About Delirio Films:
Run by partners Rafael Marmor and Christopher Leggett, Delirio Films is an independent production company encompassing film, television, and commercials, with a particular emphasis on documentaries. For over 10 years, it has built a library of films which embodies a unique combination of artistic integrity and commercial viability. Delirio Films recently premiered three features at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival: Magnolia Film’s “Mike Wallace is Here”, Hulu Original “Ask Dr. Ruth”, and “Honey Boy” starring Shia LeBeouf, which was acquired by Amazon. Past films include SXSW Audience Award Winner “Becoming Bond” and "Too Funny to Fail”, which marked Hulu’s launch into original documentaries; Alma Har’el’s “LoveTrue” and her Tribeca winner “Bombay Beach”; Magnolia Films’ “No Place on Earth”; Netflix’s first original film and SXSW Audience Award winner, “The Short Game”; and Sundance Audience Award winner “The Green Prince”.
In September 2020, Delirio Films, in partnership with LeBron James’ SpringHill company, will be premiering the Netflix docu-series “The Playbook: A Coach’s Rules for Life”, which profiles championship-winning coaches as they share the rules they live by to achieve success in sports and in life. Past docu-series include “Hunting Isis” for The History Channel and Avi Belkin’s true crime docu-series “No One Saw a Thing” for The Sundance Channel and are currently in production on a Magic Johnson documentary.
About Gathr Films:
Gathr Films (Gathr®) was founded in 2011 by filmmaker Scott Glosserman to innovate within the motion picture theatrical distribution space. Gathr created Theatrical On Demand®, an event management and ticketing platform that distributes feature films and documentaries using technology to accommodate audience demand by leveraging unused cinema capacity. Gathr screens in over 4,000 cinemas in North America, having sold 750,000+ tickets to 11,000+ events. With Gathr At Home® the company once again introduces a first-of-its-kind: Virtual Event Cinema.
Films booked via Theatrical On Demand® include 2019's Academy Awards® winner, FREE SOLO, 2016 Academy Awards® nominee, WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE, 2014 Academy Awards® nominee, THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA, and 2013 Academy Awards® nominee, THE SQUARE. Other noteworthy titles include: AFTER, FAHRENHEIT 9/11, THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE, HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE, MARLEY, THE BREADWINNER, THE OVERNIGHTERS, GIRL RISING, WALK WITH ME, AWAKE: THE LIFE OF YOGANANDA. Gathr has set the Virtual Event Cinema Premiere of MEETING THE BEATLES IN INDIA for September 9, 2020. www.Gathr.com
-------------------------
Monday, August 24, 2020
Yen Press Announces "The Garden of Words" Novelization
Garden of Words Novel By Famed Japanese Director Debuts From Yen Press
Yen Press is set to release the novelization of famed anime director, Makoto Shinkai’s award-winning 2013 film, The Garden of Words, an emotional drama about two lonely souls who meet in the garden of Shinjuku during rainy season and help each other "learn to walk again" in life.
The Garden of Words novel will be published in print and digitally on August 25th.
Yen Press detailed the release in a Tweet: https://twitter.com/yenpress/status/1290322513940094976
The Garden of Words is a touching and emotional anime film that was released in 2013 and is also currently available on Netflix.
Makoto Shinkai has become internationally renowned for his poignant coming of age anime stories depicted in films such as your name. and Weathering With You.
About The Garden of Words:
On rainy mornings, Takao can never bring him-self to go to school-instead, he spends that time at the beautiful Shinjuku Gyoen gardens and finds a brief reprieve from everything else in his life among the trees and flowers. And on one of those mornings, he discovers a mysterious woman named Yukino in his haven, skipping work, and an unlikely friendship blooms between them. But though these two are the center of this story, they are far from the only ones trying to find their way in life. From director Makoto Shinkai comes a deeper look at his award winning 2013 film, The Garden of Words, full of additional scenes and perspectives to show a whole newside of the many characters who brought the film to life.
-----------------------------
Yen Press is set to release the novelization of famed anime director, Makoto Shinkai’s award-winning 2013 film, The Garden of Words, an emotional drama about two lonely souls who meet in the garden of Shinjuku during rainy season and help each other "learn to walk again" in life.
The Garden of Words novel will be published in print and digitally on August 25th.
Yen Press detailed the release in a Tweet: https://twitter.com/yenpress/status/1290322513940094976
The Garden of Words is a touching and emotional anime film that was released in 2013 and is also currently available on Netflix.
Makoto Shinkai has become internationally renowned for his poignant coming of age anime stories depicted in films such as your name. and Weathering With You.
About The Garden of Words:
On rainy mornings, Takao can never bring him-self to go to school-instead, he spends that time at the beautiful Shinjuku Gyoen gardens and finds a brief reprieve from everything else in his life among the trees and flowers. And on one of those mornings, he discovers a mysterious woman named Yukino in his haven, skipping work, and an unlikely friendship blooms between them. But though these two are the center of this story, they are far from the only ones trying to find their way in life. From director Makoto Shinkai comes a deeper look at his award winning 2013 film, The Garden of Words, full of additional scenes and perspectives to show a whole newside of the many characters who brought the film to life.
-----------------------------
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 16th to 22nd, 2020 - Update #25
by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
Support Leroy on Patreon:
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION:
From CNN: Full video of Vice-President Joe Biden's acceptance speech at the 2020 DNC.
From CNN: Full video of Sen. Kamala Harris acceptance speech at the 2020 DNC
ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURAL NEWS:
EVENT - From DCFanDome: "DC FanDome" is live.
SCANDAL - From Variety: Actress Lori Loughlin ("Full House") was sentenced to two months in federal prison for her part in paying bribes in order to get her daughters admitted into the University of Southern California (USC). She was also ordered to pay $150,000 in fines and perform 100 hours of community service. Her husband, Mossimo Gainnulli was earlier sentenced to five months in federal prison.
SCIENCE - From IndependentUK: 750 million geneticially engineered mosquitoes to be released in Florida...
FOOD - From YahooLife: Are the so-call "Go Mobile" Taco Bell restaurants the future of fast food?
SPORTS-CRIME - From YahooSports: Could the prostitution case against NFL owner, Robert Kraft (New England Patriots), also help protect citizens from unchecked police surveillance.
STAR TREK - From YahooEntertainment: Their is an intense legal battle for what is basically control over iconic "Star Trek" actress, Nichelle Nichols ("Uhura"), who is 83-years-old and suffers from dementia, involving her son, Kyle Johnson, and her manager, Gilbert Bell.
SCANDAL - From Variety: Nick Cannon may be able to reconcile with ViacomCBS after he has met with Jewish leaders. Cannon made some crazy ass anti-Semitic statements on his podcast June 30th.
MOVIES/TRAILERS - From Variety: "Death on the Nile," the sequel to 2017's "Murder on the Orient Express," has a star-studded first trailer.
MOVIES - From Deadline: "Saturday Night Live‘s" Pete Davidson and "Straight Outta Compton‘s" O’Shea Jackson Jr. are set to co-star in "American Sole," a high-stakes, high-top dramatic comedy set in the world of after-market sneakers. The film will be written and directed by How To Make It In America creator Ian Edelman and produced by Kevin Hart and NBA All-Star Chris Paul.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Will Smith and Kevin Hart will star in and produce a remake of John Hughes' beloved 1987 road trip movie, "Planes, Trains & Automobiles."
SCANDAL - From YahooEntertainment: Rose McGowan accuses director and Oscar-winning screenwriter, Alexander Payne ("Sideways") of sexual misconduct, which is not the first time he has been accused.
CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment: Ryan Reynold's "Aviation Gin" sells for 300 million dollars.
MOVIES - From BleedingCool: Laurence Fishburne has confirmed that he will not return for "The Matrix 4." He played the wise warrior monk-type, Morpheus, in the original "Matrix" trilogy.
MOVIES - From Deadline: The latest round California tax incentives have been announced. Among the recipients include a Jordan Peele film and one starring Chris Evans.
BOX OFFICE - From Deadline: The winner of the 8/14 to 8/16/2020 weekend box office is the new release, "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run," with an estimated take of $900,000.
From THR: After an unprecedented 5-month shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, movie theaters reopen in North America. In Canada, movie theaters welcomed the first new Hollywood releases to open wide since the shutdown. They are "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run" and "Unhinged," a Russell Crowe road-rage thriller.
-----------------------
BLACK ACTRESS - From BuzzFeed: The article article got a call-back: "18 reasons why Angela Bassett is the most amazing actress of all time." [She is certainly underrated and under-appreciated. - Leroy]
CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment: Bo Derek reflects on her career... and on those cornrows in "10."
OBITS:
From Loudwire: American rock musician and recording artist, Frankie Banali, has died at the age of 68, Thursday, August 20, 2020, of pancreatic cancer. Banali was best known as the drummer for the 1980s heavy metal band, Quiet Riot. He also was the drummer for W.A.S.P. for a period of time.
From Deadline: English stage, film and television actor, Ben Cross, has died at the age of 72, Tuesday, August 18, 2020. Cross was best known for starring in the "Best Picture" Academy Award-winner, "Chariots of Fire" (1981) and for playing Spock's father, Sarek, in the 2009 reboot film, "Star Trek."
From Deadline: Actor, writer, producer, and prolific filmmaker, Ash Christian, has died at the age of 35, Thursday, August 13, 2020. His best known films include "1985," "Social Animals," and "Coyote Lake." He won a Daytime Emmy in 2014 for the short, "mI Promise."
From Deadline: Television music composer, Duane L. Tatro, has died at the age of 93, Sunday, August 9, 2020. He composed music for TV series, including several for ABC, including "Dynasty," "The Love Boat," and "The Invaders," which was his first TV job. The only television series for which he composed the theme music was "The Manhunter" (CBS, 1974-75).
CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS:
From CDC: The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."
From YahooNews: Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?
From YahooNews: Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.
From Deadline: The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.
From TheNewYorker: The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.
From YahooNews: Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?
From YahooLife: What is "happy hypoxia?" And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?
From JuanCole: Remeber when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19. Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.
From TheIntercept: The federal government has ramped up security and police-related spending in response to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including issuing contracts for riot gear, disclosures show. The purchase orders include requests for disposable cuffs, gas masks, ballistic helmets, and riot gloves...
From TheAtlantic: The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying. The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.
From ProPublica: Hospital's Secret COVID-19 Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns
From TheGuardian: More than 20 million Americans could have contracted COVID-19, experts say.
From RSN/WashPost: The COVID-19 mutation that has taken over the world.
7/13 - From YahooSports: Maybe a pandemic means that there will not be college football this fall.
7/13- From YahooNews: The CDC adds four new symptoms (including nausea and purple or blue lesions on feet and toes) to the list of COVID-19 symptoms.
7/19 - From YahooFinance: Harvard Public Health professor Dr. Howard Koh says the U.S. "needs to regroup" to find COVID-19.
7/22 - From YahooNews: A public health employee predicted Florida's coronavirus catastrophe — then she was fired.
7/22 - From YahooLifestyle: Florida mom loses son, 20, to coronavirus, and then days later, her daughter.
7/23 - From TheWrap: The site has a list of movie and TV stars, entertainment and sports figures who have tested positive for COVID-19
From YahooEntertainment: Oscar-winning filmmaker Mel Gibson reveals that he was hospitalized with COVID-19 for a week in April.
From Bloomberg: Will the COVID-19 pandemic turn Millennials into socialists?
7/27 - From CNN: Chief of critical care at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center, Dr. Joseph Costa, passes away due to Covid-19 complications... after treating the hospital's sickest COVID-19 patients. He was 56 and leaves behind family, including a husband of 28 years.
7/29 - From YahooPolitico: Rep. Louie Gohmert, the defiant Texas Republican U.S. congressman who refused to wear a mask, has tested positive for COVID-19.
7/30 - From Deadline: Emmy-winning actor Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") reveals that he had a bout with COVID-19.
7/31 - From YahooEntertainment: Writer and actress, Lena Dunham, creator of HBO's "Girls, reveals that she contracted COVID-19 and the symptoms she experiences and still experience.
7/30 - From YahooGMA: In their bid to crackdown on illegal gatherings amid COVID-19, New York authorities break up an alleged sex party.
7/31 - From Slate: COVID-19 is airborne - for reals!
8/2 - From TheDailyBeast: In Mississippi, COVID-19 has coroners terrified.
8/6 - From CNN: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (Republican) has tested positive for COVID19.
8/6 - From YahooNews: Testing everyone constantly could stop the spread of COVID-19... according to this article.
8/8 - From YahooNYT: The coronavirus is new, but your immune system might recognize it.
8/8 - From YahooNBC: They thought COVID-19 was a hoax, and they almost died from it or are watching family and loved ones suffer with it or die from it.
8/9 - From YahooNews: The rest of the world is incredulous at the pitiful U.S. response to COVID-19.
8/9 - From YahooAFP: According to the real-time tally kept by John Hopkins University, the United States has hit 5 million cases of COVID-19.
8/15 - From NBA: Bosnian NBA player Jusuf Nurkic of the Portland Trail Blazers says that his grandmother, 67-year-old Hana, has died of COVID-19.
8/16 - From Truthout: COVID Deaths Continue to Surge in Countries Led by Far Right Authoritarians
8/16 - From YahooEntertainment: Sharon Stone reports that her sister, Kelly, is in the hospital with COVID-19. She blames "non-mask wearers" for his sister's condition.
BLACK LIVES MATTER:
From RSN: Judge's Blistering Opinion Says Courts Have Placed Police Beyond Accountability
From Billboard: In an interview will the venerable music publication, legendary country music singer-songwriter and actress, Dolly Parton, expresses support for the "Black Lives Matter" movement.
From RSN: Reader Supported News' "Sunday Song" for Aug. 8th, 2020 is "Chain Gang" by Sam Cooke.
Support Leroy on Patreon:
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION:
From CNN: Full video of Vice-President Joe Biden's acceptance speech at the 2020 DNC.
From CNN: Full video of Sen. Kamala Harris acceptance speech at the 2020 DNC
ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURAL NEWS:
EVENT - From DCFanDome: "DC FanDome" is live.
SCANDAL - From Variety: Actress Lori Loughlin ("Full House") was sentenced to two months in federal prison for her part in paying bribes in order to get her daughters admitted into the University of Southern California (USC). She was also ordered to pay $150,000 in fines and perform 100 hours of community service. Her husband, Mossimo Gainnulli was earlier sentenced to five months in federal prison.
SCIENCE - From IndependentUK: 750 million geneticially engineered mosquitoes to be released in Florida...
FOOD - From YahooLife: Are the so-call "Go Mobile" Taco Bell restaurants the future of fast food?
SPORTS-CRIME - From YahooSports: Could the prostitution case against NFL owner, Robert Kraft (New England Patriots), also help protect citizens from unchecked police surveillance.
STAR TREK - From YahooEntertainment: Their is an intense legal battle for what is basically control over iconic "Star Trek" actress, Nichelle Nichols ("Uhura"), who is 83-years-old and suffers from dementia, involving her son, Kyle Johnson, and her manager, Gilbert Bell.
SCANDAL - From Variety: Nick Cannon may be able to reconcile with ViacomCBS after he has met with Jewish leaders. Cannon made some crazy ass anti-Semitic statements on his podcast June 30th.
MOVIES/TRAILERS - From Variety: "Death on the Nile," the sequel to 2017's "Murder on the Orient Express," has a star-studded first trailer.
MOVIES - From Deadline: "Saturday Night Live‘s" Pete Davidson and "Straight Outta Compton‘s" O’Shea Jackson Jr. are set to co-star in "American Sole," a high-stakes, high-top dramatic comedy set in the world of after-market sneakers. The film will be written and directed by How To Make It In America creator Ian Edelman and produced by Kevin Hart and NBA All-Star Chris Paul.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Will Smith and Kevin Hart will star in and produce a remake of John Hughes' beloved 1987 road trip movie, "Planes, Trains & Automobiles."
SCANDAL - From YahooEntertainment: Rose McGowan accuses director and Oscar-winning screenwriter, Alexander Payne ("Sideways") of sexual misconduct, which is not the first time he has been accused.
CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment: Ryan Reynold's "Aviation Gin" sells for 300 million dollars.
MOVIES - From BleedingCool: Laurence Fishburne has confirmed that he will not return for "The Matrix 4." He played the wise warrior monk-type, Morpheus, in the original "Matrix" trilogy.
MOVIES - From Deadline: The latest round California tax incentives have been announced. Among the recipients include a Jordan Peele film and one starring Chris Evans.
BOX OFFICE - From Deadline: The winner of the 8/14 to 8/16/2020 weekend box office is the new release, "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run," with an estimated take of $900,000.
From THR: After an unprecedented 5-month shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, movie theaters reopen in North America. In Canada, movie theaters welcomed the first new Hollywood releases to open wide since the shutdown. They are "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run" and "Unhinged," a Russell Crowe road-rage thriller.
-----------------------
BLACK ACTRESS - From BuzzFeed: The article article got a call-back: "18 reasons why Angela Bassett is the most amazing actress of all time." [She is certainly underrated and under-appreciated. - Leroy]
CELEBRITY - From YahooEntertainment: Bo Derek reflects on her career... and on those cornrows in "10."
OBITS:
From Loudwire: American rock musician and recording artist, Frankie Banali, has died at the age of 68, Thursday, August 20, 2020, of pancreatic cancer. Banali was best known as the drummer for the 1980s heavy metal band, Quiet Riot. He also was the drummer for W.A.S.P. for a period of time.
From Deadline: English stage, film and television actor, Ben Cross, has died at the age of 72, Tuesday, August 18, 2020. Cross was best known for starring in the "Best Picture" Academy Award-winner, "Chariots of Fire" (1981) and for playing Spock's father, Sarek, in the 2009 reboot film, "Star Trek."
From Deadline: Actor, writer, producer, and prolific filmmaker, Ash Christian, has died at the age of 35, Thursday, August 13, 2020. His best known films include "1985," "Social Animals," and "Coyote Lake." He won a Daytime Emmy in 2014 for the short, "mI Promise."
From Deadline: Television music composer, Duane L. Tatro, has died at the age of 93, Sunday, August 9, 2020. He composed music for TV series, including several for ABC, including "Dynasty," "The Love Boat," and "The Invaders," which was his first TV job. The only television series for which he composed the theme music was "The Manhunter" (CBS, 1974-75).
CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS:
From CDC: The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."
From YahooNews: Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?
From YahooNews: Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.
From Deadline: The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.
From TheNewYorker: The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.
From YahooNews: Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?
From YahooLife: What is "happy hypoxia?" And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?
From JuanCole: Remeber when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19. Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.
From TheIntercept: The federal government has ramped up security and police-related spending in response to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including issuing contracts for riot gear, disclosures show. The purchase orders include requests for disposable cuffs, gas masks, ballistic helmets, and riot gloves...
From TheAtlantic: The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying. The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.
From ProPublica: Hospital's Secret COVID-19 Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns
From TheGuardian: More than 20 million Americans could have contracted COVID-19, experts say.
From RSN/WashPost: The COVID-19 mutation that has taken over the world.
7/13 - From YahooSports: Maybe a pandemic means that there will not be college football this fall.
7/13- From YahooNews: The CDC adds four new symptoms (including nausea and purple or blue lesions on feet and toes) to the list of COVID-19 symptoms.
7/19 - From YahooFinance: Harvard Public Health professor Dr. Howard Koh says the U.S. "needs to regroup" to find COVID-19.
7/22 - From YahooNews: A public health employee predicted Florida's coronavirus catastrophe — then she was fired.
7/22 - From YahooLifestyle: Florida mom loses son, 20, to coronavirus, and then days later, her daughter.
7/23 - From TheWrap: The site has a list of movie and TV stars, entertainment and sports figures who have tested positive for COVID-19
From YahooEntertainment: Oscar-winning filmmaker Mel Gibson reveals that he was hospitalized with COVID-19 for a week in April.
From Bloomberg: Will the COVID-19 pandemic turn Millennials into socialists?
7/27 - From CNN: Chief of critical care at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center, Dr. Joseph Costa, passes away due to Covid-19 complications... after treating the hospital's sickest COVID-19 patients. He was 56 and leaves behind family, including a husband of 28 years.
7/29 - From YahooPolitico: Rep. Louie Gohmert, the defiant Texas Republican U.S. congressman who refused to wear a mask, has tested positive for COVID-19.
7/30 - From Deadline: Emmy-winning actor Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") reveals that he had a bout with COVID-19.
7/31 - From YahooEntertainment: Writer and actress, Lena Dunham, creator of HBO's "Girls, reveals that she contracted COVID-19 and the symptoms she experiences and still experience.
7/30 - From YahooGMA: In their bid to crackdown on illegal gatherings amid COVID-19, New York authorities break up an alleged sex party.
7/31 - From Slate: COVID-19 is airborne - for reals!
8/2 - From TheDailyBeast: In Mississippi, COVID-19 has coroners terrified.
8/6 - From CNN: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (Republican) has tested positive for COVID19.
8/6 - From YahooNews: Testing everyone constantly could stop the spread of COVID-19... according to this article.
8/8 - From YahooNYT: The coronavirus is new, but your immune system might recognize it.
8/8 - From YahooNBC: They thought COVID-19 was a hoax, and they almost died from it or are watching family and loved ones suffer with it or die from it.
8/9 - From YahooNews: The rest of the world is incredulous at the pitiful U.S. response to COVID-19.
8/9 - From YahooAFP: According to the real-time tally kept by John Hopkins University, the United States has hit 5 million cases of COVID-19.
8/15 - From NBA: Bosnian NBA player Jusuf Nurkic of the Portland Trail Blazers says that his grandmother, 67-year-old Hana, has died of COVID-19.
8/16 - From Truthout: COVID Deaths Continue to Surge in Countries Led by Far Right Authoritarians
8/16 - From YahooEntertainment: Sharon Stone reports that her sister, Kelly, is in the hospital with COVID-19. She blames "non-mask wearers" for his sister's condition.
BLACK LIVES MATTER:
From RSN: Judge's Blistering Opinion Says Courts Have Placed Police Beyond Accountability
From Billboard: In an interview will the venerable music publication, legendary country music singer-songwriter and actress, Dolly Parton, expresses support for the "Black Lives Matter" movement.
From RSN: Reader Supported News' "Sunday Song" for Aug. 8th, 2020 is "Chain Gang" by Sam Cooke.
Friday, August 21, 2020
Sony Signs Deal with Leonardo DiCaprio's Production Company
Appian Way Productions Closes Multi-Picture First Look Film Deal With Sony Pictures Entertainment
Culver City, CA -- Appian Way Productions – the film and television production company founded by Leonardo DiCaprio and co-run by Jennifer Davisson – has closed a multi-picture, multi-year first look deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment to produce scripted feature films. The companies are already in development on two projects.
“For over three decades in the business, Tom has never adhered to the traditional Hollywood norms,” noted DiCaprio. “Never once taking the safe route, he truly values filmmakers and their vision and is extremely supportive of the theatre-going experience. I could not be more excited to enter into a new phase of partnerships with Sony.”
“I first met the supernova talented Leonardo DiCaprio over 24 years ago on Romeo and Juliet. We then shipped out together on the Titanic and my admiration for him as a fully-rounded filmmaking genius has only increased over the many years since,” said Tom Rothman, Chairman, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group. “His producing and acting instincts -- superbly supported by Jennifer -- are both driven by service to the best material in the world. At Sony, we feel like we just landed a rare GOAT deal -- as Michael Jordan and Tom Brady are to basketball and football, so is Leo to film.”
Sony Pictures and DiCaprio recently collaborated on Quentin Tarantino’s love letter to Hollywood, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, resulting in his 7th Best Actor Oscar nomination. Appian Way Productions has produced several films starring DiCaprio including three-time Academy Award®-winner The Revenant, Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-nominated The Wolf of Wall Street, Academy Award®-nominated and Golden Globe-winning The Aviator, and Shutter Island.
About Appian Way Productions:
Since its launch, Appian Way has released a diverse slate of content, including “The Right Stuff,” “Grant,” Alejandro Iñárritu’s three-time Academy Award® and Golden Globe winner “The Revenant,” Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award®- and Golden Globe- nominated “The Wolf of Wall Street” and Academy Award®-nominated and Golden Globe-winning “The Aviator,” along with “Shutter Island,” Scott Cooper’s “Out of the Furnace” and George Clooney’s Golden Globe-nominated “The Ides of March.” The company has also put forth strong efforts to gain headway in the documentary world, especially as it pertains to shedding light on progressive environmental change producing movies “Virunga,” “Cowspiracy,” “Sea of Shadows,” “Ice on Fire,” and “And We Go Green.”
About Sony Pictures Entertainment:
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. Sony Pictures Television operates dozens of wholly-owned or joint-venture production companies around the world. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html
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Culver City, CA -- Appian Way Productions – the film and television production company founded by Leonardo DiCaprio and co-run by Jennifer Davisson – has closed a multi-picture, multi-year first look deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment to produce scripted feature films. The companies are already in development on two projects.
“For over three decades in the business, Tom has never adhered to the traditional Hollywood norms,” noted DiCaprio. “Never once taking the safe route, he truly values filmmakers and their vision and is extremely supportive of the theatre-going experience. I could not be more excited to enter into a new phase of partnerships with Sony.”
“I first met the supernova talented Leonardo DiCaprio over 24 years ago on Romeo and Juliet. We then shipped out together on the Titanic and my admiration for him as a fully-rounded filmmaking genius has only increased over the many years since,” said Tom Rothman, Chairman, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group. “His producing and acting instincts -- superbly supported by Jennifer -- are both driven by service to the best material in the world. At Sony, we feel like we just landed a rare GOAT deal -- as Michael Jordan and Tom Brady are to basketball and football, so is Leo to film.”
Sony Pictures and DiCaprio recently collaborated on Quentin Tarantino’s love letter to Hollywood, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, resulting in his 7th Best Actor Oscar nomination. Appian Way Productions has produced several films starring DiCaprio including three-time Academy Award®-winner The Revenant, Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-nominated The Wolf of Wall Street, Academy Award®-nominated and Golden Globe-winning The Aviator, and Shutter Island.
About Appian Way Productions:
Since its launch, Appian Way has released a diverse slate of content, including “The Right Stuff,” “Grant,” Alejandro Iñárritu’s three-time Academy Award® and Golden Globe winner “The Revenant,” Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award®- and Golden Globe- nominated “The Wolf of Wall Street” and Academy Award®-nominated and Golden Globe-winning “The Aviator,” along with “Shutter Island,” Scott Cooper’s “Out of the Furnace” and George Clooney’s Golden Globe-nominated “The Ides of March.” The company has also put forth strong efforts to gain headway in the documentary world, especially as it pertains to shedding light on progressive environmental change producing movies “Virunga,” “Cowspiracy,” “Sea of Shadows,” “Ice on Fire,” and “And We Go Green.”
About Sony Pictures Entertainment:
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. Sony Pictures Television operates dozens of wholly-owned or joint-venture production companies around the world. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html
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Thursday, August 20, 2020
BET Her Presents Breonna Taylor Special by the NBA's Kyrie Irving
BET Her, the Network Dedicated to Black Women, Partners With PlayersTV to Air Kyrie Irving’s Breonna Taylor Special, “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor”
The One-hour Special Premieres Saturday, August 22, 2020 at 9 PM ET/PT Only on BET Her and Saturday, August 29 at 11 PM ET/PT on BET
In addition to driving action around Breonna Taylor’s case, the special will feature panel conversations with Kyrie Irving, Common, Jemele Hill, Dr. Brittney Cooper, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, among other leading voices on the frontlines of the movement
#JusticeForBreonnaTaylor
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Her announced the airing of “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” produced by six-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving. On March 13, 2020, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was fatally shot in her home by Louisville police enforcement, executing a no-knock search warrant. The warrant was not issued for Breonna Taylor. More than three months later, the officers responsible for her death still walk the streets as free men.
The one-hour special explores the importance of movements like #SayHerName and examines how Breonna’s murder highlights the lack of awareness around Black women victims of police brutality. Premiering Saturday, August 22, 2020 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET Her, “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” will feature panel conversations with leading voices on the frontlines of the movement, including six-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving, award-winning artist Common, acclaimed journalist Jemele Hill, author Dr. Brittney Cooper, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham, and Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza. Additionally, the special will provide viewers with several actionable steps to drive change and demand #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor. An encore presentation of “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” will air Saturday, August 29, 2020 at 11 PM ET/PT on BET.
“Too often, there is silence when Black Women are killed by law enforcement. While millions of protestors have taken to the streets demanding change, we must continue calling for justice for Breonna Taylor whose case remains largely disconnected from the broader narrative”
“It is critical to magnify how Black women are, tragically, also subject to lethal police brutality, and we must demand that Breonna Taylor’s killers are brought to justice. We are committed to utilizing our platforms to drive awareness and sustainable impact. We stand in solidarity with Breonna’s family and all of the voices on the frontlines fighting for justice to be served.” said Scott Mills, President, BET.
“Too often, there is silence when Black Women are killed by law enforcement. While millions of protestors have taken to the streets demanding change, we must continue calling for justice for Breonna Taylor whose case remains largely disconnected from the broader narrative,” said Tavia Pitts, VP of Ad Sales, "BET Her is dedicated to bringing awareness to important issues directly affecting the Black community, specifically Black women. We are proud to partner with Kyrie, PlayersTV, and the many leading voices in the frontlines fighting for bold reforms that address racially biased policing and misuse of force. Together, we will not be ignored.”
Throughout the broadcast, specific calls to action will be made available to the public, including:
The program is also supported by Color Of Change, Vote.org, Until Freedom, Black Future's Lab, The Gathering For Justice, MoveOn, Vera Institute For Justice, Harness, ACLU, Campaign Zero, Imagine Justice and PlayersTV.
“#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” joins BET’s roster of programs produced from its media-focused initiative “Content For Change.” The initiative helps address systemic racism, and inequities in America including racial justice, economic empowerment, education, health, and civic participation.
For more details on “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” please visit www.bet.com and follow @BETHerTV & @BETNews across social platforms to join the conversation using the hashtag #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor.
About BET:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.
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The One-hour Special Premieres Saturday, August 22, 2020 at 9 PM ET/PT Only on BET Her and Saturday, August 29 at 11 PM ET/PT on BET
In addition to driving action around Breonna Taylor’s case, the special will feature panel conversations with Kyrie Irving, Common, Jemele Hill, Dr. Brittney Cooper, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, among other leading voices on the frontlines of the movement
#JusticeForBreonnaTaylor
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Her announced the airing of “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” produced by six-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving. On March 13, 2020, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was fatally shot in her home by Louisville police enforcement, executing a no-knock search warrant. The warrant was not issued for Breonna Taylor. More than three months later, the officers responsible for her death still walk the streets as free men.
The one-hour special explores the importance of movements like #SayHerName and examines how Breonna’s murder highlights the lack of awareness around Black women victims of police brutality. Premiering Saturday, August 22, 2020 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET Her, “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” will feature panel conversations with leading voices on the frontlines of the movement, including six-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving, award-winning artist Common, acclaimed journalist Jemele Hill, author Dr. Brittney Cooper, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham, and Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza. Additionally, the special will provide viewers with several actionable steps to drive change and demand #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor. An encore presentation of “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” will air Saturday, August 29, 2020 at 11 PM ET/PT on BET.
“Too often, there is silence when Black Women are killed by law enforcement. While millions of protestors have taken to the streets demanding change, we must continue calling for justice for Breonna Taylor whose case remains largely disconnected from the broader narrative”
“It is critical to magnify how Black women are, tragically, also subject to lethal police brutality, and we must demand that Breonna Taylor’s killers are brought to justice. We are committed to utilizing our platforms to drive awareness and sustainable impact. We stand in solidarity with Breonna’s family and all of the voices on the frontlines fighting for justice to be served.” said Scott Mills, President, BET.
“Too often, there is silence when Black Women are killed by law enforcement. While millions of protestors have taken to the streets demanding change, we must continue calling for justice for Breonna Taylor whose case remains largely disconnected from the broader narrative,” said Tavia Pitts, VP of Ad Sales, "BET Her is dedicated to bringing awareness to important issues directly affecting the Black community, specifically Black women. We are proud to partner with Kyrie, PlayersTV, and the many leading voices in the frontlines fighting for bold reforms that address racially biased policing and misuse of force. Together, we will not be ignored.”
Throughout the broadcast, specific calls to action will be made available to the public, including:
- Dial 844-298-2731 to demand Louisville City Leadership get #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor via Color of Change.
- Check your voter registration status and register to vote at Vote.Org.
- Sign the Justice For Breonna Taylor petition today on Change.Org.
- CALL Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron at 502-696-5300 and demand he charge the officers who murdered Breonna Taylor via Until Freedom.
- Post on social media using #SayHerName and #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor to raise awareness about Breonna's case.
The program is also supported by Color Of Change, Vote.org, Until Freedom, Black Future's Lab, The Gathering For Justice, MoveOn, Vera Institute For Justice, Harness, ACLU, Campaign Zero, Imagine Justice and PlayersTV.
“#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” joins BET’s roster of programs produced from its media-focused initiative “Content For Change.” The initiative helps address systemic racism, and inequities in America including racial justice, economic empowerment, education, health, and civic participation.
For more details on “#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,” please visit www.bet.com and follow @BETHerTV & @BETNews across social platforms to join the conversation using the hashtag #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor.
About BET:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.
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"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" Crosses One Billion in Global Box Office
The Magic Continues as “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” Crosses the Billion-dollar Mark at the Worldwide Box Office
The film’s hugely successful release in China pushes its global box office take past the billion-dollar milestone
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nearly two decades after first enchanting movie audiences, the first of the Harry Potter blockbusters, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” has crossed $1 billion at the global box office. The announcement was made by Andrew Cripps, President, International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
“We are thrilled to see ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ delight a new generation of audiences. The popularity of the film with moviegoers in China, who are discovering it for the first time, proves that the appeal of these stories is truly timeless and universal.”
The 4K 3D restoration of the beloved Wizarding World film opened in China on August 14, 2020 and has taken in an estimated $1,001,260,000 worldwide to date and still climbing. It is now the second film in the film series to reach the billion-dollar milestone following “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2,” which was released in 2011 and has grossed $1.34 billion globally. It is another benchmark for the enduringly popular film franchise, which has now earned $7.74 billion.
Andrew Cripps stated, “We are thrilled to see ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ delight a new generation of audiences. The popularity of the film with moviegoers in China, who are discovering it for the first time, proves that the appeal of these stories is truly timeless and universal.”
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” tells the story of a boy who, on his 11th birthday, learns that he is the orphaned son of two powerful wizards and possesses unique magical powers of his own. Invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. At Hogwarts, he finds the home and the family he has never had.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Heyday Films/1492 Pictures/Duncan Henderson Production of a Chris Columbus film, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Griffiths, Richard Harris, Ian Hart, John Hurt, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith and Julie Walters.
The film was directed by Chris Columbus from a screenplay by Steve Kloves, based on the beloved novel Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. David Heyman produced the film, with Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan and Duncan Henderson serving as executive producers.
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The film’s hugely successful release in China pushes its global box office take past the billion-dollar milestone
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nearly two decades after first enchanting movie audiences, the first of the Harry Potter blockbusters, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” has crossed $1 billion at the global box office. The announcement was made by Andrew Cripps, President, International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
“We are thrilled to see ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ delight a new generation of audiences. The popularity of the film with moviegoers in China, who are discovering it for the first time, proves that the appeal of these stories is truly timeless and universal.”
The 4K 3D restoration of the beloved Wizarding World film opened in China on August 14, 2020 and has taken in an estimated $1,001,260,000 worldwide to date and still climbing. It is now the second film in the film series to reach the billion-dollar milestone following “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2,” which was released in 2011 and has grossed $1.34 billion globally. It is another benchmark for the enduringly popular film franchise, which has now earned $7.74 billion.
Andrew Cripps stated, “We are thrilled to see ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ delight a new generation of audiences. The popularity of the film with moviegoers in China, who are discovering it for the first time, proves that the appeal of these stories is truly timeless and universal.”
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” tells the story of a boy who, on his 11th birthday, learns that he is the orphaned son of two powerful wizards and possesses unique magical powers of his own. Invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. At Hogwarts, he finds the home and the family he has never had.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Heyday Films/1492 Pictures/Duncan Henderson Production of a Chris Columbus film, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Griffiths, Richard Harris, Ian Hart, John Hurt, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith and Julie Walters.
The film was directed by Chris Columbus from a screenplay by Steve Kloves, based on the beloved novel Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. David Heyman produced the film, with Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan and Duncan Henderson serving as executive producers.
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Tuesday, August 18, 2020
THE CONTENDER: The Story of Marlon Brando (Negromancer Book Review)
HARPERCOLLINS – @HarperCollins @HarperBooks
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
AUTHOR: William J. Mann – @WilliamJMann
ISBN: 978-0-06-242764-9; hardcover (October 15, 2019)
736pp, B&W, $35.00 U.S.
Who is Marlon Brando? Some would, will, and will always tell you that he was and is the greatest American film actor of all time. Marlon Brando won two Academy Awards, for his performance as Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront (1954) and again for his performance as Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather (1972). His performance as Terry Malloy is considered the performance that changed film-acting in American motion pictures.
Marlon Brando the Hollywood legend was born Marlon Brando Jr. on April 3, 1924 to Dorothy Julia “Dodie” (Pennebaker) and Marlon Brando Sr. in Omaha, Nebraska. He grew up in Libertyville, Illinois (where he met Wally Cox, an actor who would be a lifelong friend), and even attended a military school. But who was Marlon Brando?
The award-winning film biographer, William J. Mann (Kate: The Woman Who Was Hepburn), presents a deeply-textured, ambitious, and definitive portrait of Marlon Brando. The greatest movie actor of the twentieth century was also elusive, and Mann brings his extraordinarily complex life into view as never before in the biography, The Contender: The Story of Marlon Brando.
The most influential movie actor of his era, Marlon Brando changed the way other actors perceived their craft. His natural, honest, and deeply personal approach to acting resulted in performances, especially in A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront, that are considered to be without parallel. Americans hailed Brando as the “American Hamlet.” He was the Yank who surpassed Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, and Ralph Richardson, the holy trinity and the royalty of British stage and screen, as the standard of greatness in mid-twentieth century acting.
Brando’s impact on American culture, however, went beyond acting. He was was also one of the first American movie stars to use his fame as a platform to address social, political, and moral issues, and he courageously and boldly called out the United States' deeply rooted, persistent racism.
The Contender illuminates this cultural icon for a new age, and Mann, its author, argues that Brando was not only a great actor, but also a cultural soothsayer. Mann reveals that Brando was a Cassandra warning America about the challenges to come. Brando’s admonitions against making financial gain the primary purpose of nearly every aspect of the nation's culture, and his criticisms that the news media's obsession with celebrity and other shallow and ultimately unimportant subjects were prescient. Many public figures, from fellow Hollywood actors to politicians and media figures, criticized Brando's public protests against racial segregation and discrimination at the height of the Civil Rights movement. Yet less than half a century later, Brando's actions as an activist and an advocate have become the model many actors follow today.
In The Contender, William J. Mann shows the sides of Marlon Brando that many moviegoers never imagined him to have. From his childhood traumas to the evolution of his professional life and the growing mess of his personal life, Marlon Brando is revealed anew.
THE LOWDOWN: William J. Mann's biography of Marlon Brando is a story that runs over 600 pages. That is not counting the section entitled “Marlon Brando Stage and Television Credits;” a two-page “Sources” section; and a 60-page “Notes” section. Mann's The Contender is not only “psychologically astute” as the book's press materials state; it is also painstakingly and masterfully researched. Mann's research is based on new material, previously revealed material, and interviews with the people who knew Marlon Brando, some of whom died during the time Mann worked on this book.
Mann's book is not a Hollywood tell-all, nor is it a celebratory festival of Brando's work. The Contender explores the man that Brando was, and being a ground-breaking, celebrated, and revered actor was only part of the man. To that end, The Contender and its author told me things that I did not know about Brando. I did not know that he was “sexually fluid,” having sexual relationships with both men and women. I did not know that he was a hopeless philanderer and womanizer; Brando cheated on every woman he dated or was married to – often with multiple women.
I did not know that Brando did not consider acting to be something important. He certainly had a fidelity to his vocation, as seen in his numerous performances on film, but he did not take the profession seriously. He did not tolerate people whom he believed took acting too seriously.
I had no idea that Brando supported human rights causes for African-Americans and supported the Civil Rights movement, both financially and in person, up to the time of his death. He participated in numerous marches, including some in the American south. Brando was also a participant in the 1963 “March on Washington.” Brando was also a vocal and tireless advocate for Native Americans, which including him declining his best actor Oscar for The Godfather at the 45th Academy Awards on March 27, 1973 in protest of the way the U.S. had treated American Indians.
It is not so much that Mann tells Brando's story in vivid detail, which he does. It is also that Mann uses his prose to transport readers back to the times and places of many key moments in Brando's life. Mann puts us there, right next to his subject, and the result is the story that makes you think and feel the man, his life, and his times. This is a big book for a monumental figure in American culture. The Contender is a dazzling biography, the kind befitting our nation's greatest actor.
It took me forever to read this biography – seven months. By the time, I finished, however, I wished there were more. The Contender: The Story of Marlon Brando is for all time the biography for Marlon Brando fans and admirers, present and future.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans and students of Hollywood films and of Marlon Brando will want to read The Contender: The Story of Marlon Brando.
[The Contender: The Story of Marlon Brando includes sixteen pages of photographs.]
8 out of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
https://williamjmann.com/
https://twitter.com/WilliamJMann
Facebook: @Harper1817
Instagram: @HarperBooks
The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.
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