Robert Towne, the renowned screenwriter and filmmaker responsible for the scripts of movies like "Chinatown," "Shampoo," and "Mission: Impossible," has died. The Hollywood Reporter shared the news (confirmed by publicist Carri McClure) that the 89-year-old storyteller passed away on Monday in his home.
A singularly influential and talented craftsman, Towne was as revered for the scripts that didn't end up with his name on them as for the ones that did. In 1973, when Francis Ford Coppola won the Oscar for Best Screenplay for "The Godfather," he acknowledged Towne's contributions in his acceptance speech, saying, "Giving credit where it's due, I'd like to thank Bob Towne, who wrote the very beautiful scene between Marlon [Brando] and Al Pacino in the garden — that was Bob Towne's scene."
According to THR, other scripts he worked on without credit include Oliver Stone's "8 Million Ways To Die," Paul Schrader's "The Yakuza," Jack Nicholson's "Drive,...
A singularly influential and talented craftsman, Towne was as revered for the scripts that didn't end up with his name on them as for the ones that did. In 1973, when Francis Ford Coppola won the Oscar for Best Screenplay for "The Godfather," he acknowledged Towne's contributions in his acceptance speech, saying, "Giving credit where it's due, I'd like to thank Bob Towne, who wrote the very beautiful scene between Marlon [Brando] and Al Pacino in the garden — that was Bob Towne's scene."
According to THR, other scripts he worked on without credit include Oliver Stone's "8 Million Ways To Die," Paul Schrader's "The Yakuza," Jack Nicholson's "Drive,...
- 7/3/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
A great ending can be the hardest thing for a writer. For Robert Towne — who died Monday, having written and reshaped some of the most important films of the 1970s — finding the best way to wrap up a film was a career-long challenge. In the script that earned him an Oscar, the downbeat “Forget it, Jake — it’s Chinatown” finale was famously Roman Polanski’s idea.
And yet, there’s undeniable poetry in Towne’s passing: The Oscar winner died 50 years (and two weeks) after “Chinatown” opened, basking in the fresh round of appreciation that the half-century anniversary brought. Towne was a natural raconteur whose stories were every bit as rich as his screenplays — as evidenced by an in-depth Variety interview that ran last month — and whose best writing often went uncredited.
For those who weren’t around to have witnessed Towne’s transformative impact on American cinema in the 1970s,...
And yet, there’s undeniable poetry in Towne’s passing: The Oscar winner died 50 years (and two weeks) after “Chinatown” opened, basking in the fresh round of appreciation that the half-century anniversary brought. Towne was a natural raconteur whose stories were every bit as rich as his screenplays — as evidenced by an in-depth Variety interview that ran last month — and whose best writing often went uncredited.
For those who weren’t around to have witnessed Towne’s transformative impact on American cinema in the 1970s,...
- 7/3/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Robert Towne, the screenwriter who wrote the Academy Award-winning original script for Roman Polanski’s Chinatown, has died at the age of 89. His publicist, Carri Mclure, announced that Towne died at his home in Los Angeles on Monday.
He originally set out to work as an actor and writer and quickly found employment with Roger Corman. He scripted Corman’s Last Woman on Earth and also co-starred in the film under the pseudonym Edward Wain. He also wrote The Tomb of Ligeia for Corman. Towne then earned a reputation as a top script doctor after Warren Beatty asked him to help out on Bonnie and Clyde. He went on to make uncredited contributions to movies such as The Godfather, The Parallax View, Marathon Man, The Missouri Breaks, Heaven Can Wait, Crimson Tide, and more.
Related Robert Towne says all Chinatown prequel episodes are written… So where is it?
Towne first...
He originally set out to work as an actor and writer and quickly found employment with Roger Corman. He scripted Corman’s Last Woman on Earth and also co-starred in the film under the pseudonym Edward Wain. He also wrote The Tomb of Ligeia for Corman. Towne then earned a reputation as a top script doctor after Warren Beatty asked him to help out on Bonnie and Clyde. He went on to make uncredited contributions to movies such as The Godfather, The Parallax View, Marathon Man, The Missouri Breaks, Heaven Can Wait, Crimson Tide, and more.
Related Robert Towne says all Chinatown prequel episodes are written… So where is it?
Towne first...
- 7/2/2024
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Robert Towne, the screenwriter as superstar whose Oscar-winning work on the 1974 classic Chinatown is widely recognized as the gold standard for movie scripts, has died. He was 89.
Towne died Monday at his home in Los Angeles, publicist Carri McClure announced.
He also received Academy Award nominations for The Last Detail (1973) and Shampoo (1975) in the years surrounding his most famous work.
His takes on Los Angeles were etched with melancholy and painted the city as one of beauty and sadness. In Chinatown and Shampoo, gumshoe J.J. Gittes (Jack Nicholson) and Beverly Hills hairdresser George Roundy (Warren Beatty) end up alone. (Towne collaborated often with those actors.)
This squinty vantage on Southern California, as a temptress who dashes hopes, also was evident in his script for Tequila Sunrise (1988), which starred Mel Gibson as a retired drug dealer, Kurt Russell as a cop and Michelle Pfeiffer as the femme fatale.
Towne also...
Towne died Monday at his home in Los Angeles, publicist Carri McClure announced.
He also received Academy Award nominations for The Last Detail (1973) and Shampoo (1975) in the years surrounding his most famous work.
His takes on Los Angeles were etched with melancholy and painted the city as one of beauty and sadness. In Chinatown and Shampoo, gumshoe J.J. Gittes (Jack Nicholson) and Beverly Hills hairdresser George Roundy (Warren Beatty) end up alone. (Towne collaborated often with those actors.)
This squinty vantage on Southern California, as a temptress who dashes hopes, also was evident in his script for Tequila Sunrise (1988), which starred Mel Gibson as a retired drug dealer, Kurt Russell as a cop and Michelle Pfeiffer as the femme fatale.
Towne also...
- 7/2/2024
- by Duane Byrge and Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For a while there, we thought they really did forget it, Jake. But now Chinatown screenwriter Robert Towne has provided an update on the prequel series he has developed alongside David Fincher, confirming that the blinds haven’t been closed on the endeavor after all.
Towne — who won an Oscar for his original screenplay — recently told Variety that all episodes of the planned Chinatown prequel have been written. “All I’m likely to say is yes, all the episodes have been written for Netflix.” On collaborating with Fincher, he added, “Working with a force of nature like David Fincher, tho’ occasionally humbling, is never less than enlightening.”
Expanding the seedy world of noir classic Chinatown has been done before, with Towne and Jack Nicholson reuniting for 1990’s The Two Jakes, which we’ll just say is no Chinatown…But a prequel to the 1974 film exploring the origins of Jake Gittes...
Towne — who won an Oscar for his original screenplay — recently told Variety that all episodes of the planned Chinatown prequel have been written. “All I’m likely to say is yes, all the episodes have been written for Netflix.” On collaborating with Fincher, he added, “Working with a force of nature like David Fincher, tho’ occasionally humbling, is never less than enlightening.”
Expanding the seedy world of noir classic Chinatown has been done before, with Towne and Jack Nicholson reuniting for 1990’s The Two Jakes, which we’ll just say is no Chinatown…But a prequel to the 1974 film exploring the origins of Jake Gittes...
- 6/23/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
In einem Interview mit Variety verriet der 90-jährige Drehbuchautor Robert Towne, dass sein Drehbuch für eine Prequel-Serie des Klassikers „Chinatown“ fertig sei und David Fincher unverändert für Netflix an dem Stoff über den jungen Jake Gittes arbeite.
Roman Polanskis „Chinatown“ mit Jack Nicholson als Privatdetektiv Jake Gittes (Credit: Imago / United Archives)
Während die 4K-Blu-ray-Veröffentlichung zum 50. Jubiläum des Klassikers „Chinatown“, der gemeinhin als beste Arbeit von Roman Polanski gilt und dessen Drehbuch von Robert Towne einen Oscar gewinnen konnte, hohe Wellen schlägt bei der amerikanischen Filmpresse, weil der Name des Regisseurs auf dem Umschlag des Releases komplett getilgt wurde, gibt es interessante Neuigkeiten zu der geplanten Prequel-Serie von Regisseur David Fincher, von der erstmals 2019 gesprochen wurde und die seither eher unter dem Radar geblieben war.
In einem Interview mit Variety erklärte der mittlerweile 90-jährige Towne, der seit 16 Jahren kein verfilmtes Drehbuch mehr geschrieben hat, dass er die Arbeiten an dem Drehbuch über den jungen Jake Gittes,...
Roman Polanskis „Chinatown“ mit Jack Nicholson als Privatdetektiv Jake Gittes (Credit: Imago / United Archives)
Während die 4K-Blu-ray-Veröffentlichung zum 50. Jubiläum des Klassikers „Chinatown“, der gemeinhin als beste Arbeit von Roman Polanski gilt und dessen Drehbuch von Robert Towne einen Oscar gewinnen konnte, hohe Wellen schlägt bei der amerikanischen Filmpresse, weil der Name des Regisseurs auf dem Umschlag des Releases komplett getilgt wurde, gibt es interessante Neuigkeiten zu der geplanten Prequel-Serie von Regisseur David Fincher, von der erstmals 2019 gesprochen wurde und die seither eher unter dem Radar geblieben war.
In einem Interview mit Variety erklärte der mittlerweile 90-jährige Towne, der seit 16 Jahren kein verfilmtes Drehbuch mehr geschrieben hat, dass er die Arbeiten an dem Drehbuch über den jungen Jake Gittes,...
- 6/23/2024
- by Thomas Schultze
- Spot - Media & Film
There are the classics — and then there’s “Chinatown.” First released on June 20, 1974, the seminal noir feature was a resounding success at its time: a big hit for producer and Paramount heavy Robert Evans, a renowned return to Hollywood for director Roman Polanski and an Academy Award winner for screenwriter Robert Towne, plus Oscar nominations for stars Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway.
But the film has only become more enshrined in the canon in the decades since, in particular for Towne’s script: a grim portrait of uninhibited greed shaping Los Angeles in the 30’s, celebrated as one of the best — and often cited as the best — screenplay in history. Key to its legacy is its terrifying ending, which sees Nicholson’s detective J.J. Gittes return to his old stamping ground of Chinatown. There he witnesses another deadly miscarriage of justice that he’s helpless to stop.
That Towne...
But the film has only become more enshrined in the canon in the decades since, in particular for Towne’s script: a grim portrait of uninhibited greed shaping Los Angeles in the 30’s, celebrated as one of the best — and often cited as the best — screenplay in history. Key to its legacy is its terrifying ending, which sees Nicholson’s detective J.J. Gittes return to his old stamping ground of Chinatown. There he witnesses another deadly miscarriage of justice that he’s helpless to stop.
That Towne...
- 6/22/2024
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Quentin Tarantino has been a voice of authority in the film industry for decades. His opinions may not always be popular, but they always command respect.
It's almost impossible to remember a time before his innovative style of filmmaking, with its witty dialogue, stylized violence and non-linear narratives. But back in the early 90s, he was an unknown trying to make his way in the film world.
It all started at a barbecue?
In 1992, Quentin Tarantino burst onto the movie scene with a heist movie that was the result of a chance meeting with producer Lawrence Bender at a barbecue. He completed the first draft in less than a month and, after impressing Bender, was able to secure financing to move the project forward.
And so, Reservoir Dogs was born.
A critically acclaimed movie that has stood the test of time
Tarantino's debut film premiered at the Sundance Festival...
It's almost impossible to remember a time before his innovative style of filmmaking, with its witty dialogue, stylized violence and non-linear narratives. But back in the early 90s, he was an unknown trying to make his way in the film world.
It all started at a barbecue?
In 1992, Quentin Tarantino burst onto the movie scene with a heist movie that was the result of a chance meeting with producer Lawrence Bender at a barbecue. He completed the first draft in less than a month and, after impressing Bender, was able to secure financing to move the project forward.
And so, Reservoir Dogs was born.
A critically acclaimed movie that has stood the test of time
Tarantino's debut film premiered at the Sundance Festival...
- 4/20/2024
- by [email protected] (Lee Jevon)
- STartefacts.com
The classic mystery Chinatown is heading to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in the UK this June: here’s more information on the release.
How about this for a flat-out classic? 1974’s Chinatown remains one of the very, very, very best films of Jack Nicholson’s career. A neo-noir detective mystery penned by Robert Towne. Nicholson plays Jake Gittes in the film, and in the 50 years since its release has garnered a reputation as being one of the best films of all time.
Directed by rapist Roman Polanski, it co-stars Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Diane Ladd and Perry Lopez. There’s an extensive cast to enjoy, and a tight mystery at the heart of it too. Genuinely, if you’ve never had the pleasure, it’s a film that deserves its reputation.
(Its belated sequel, The Two Jakes, was directed by Jack Nicholson and is worth a look too, although inevitably...
How about this for a flat-out classic? 1974’s Chinatown remains one of the very, very, very best films of Jack Nicholson’s career. A neo-noir detective mystery penned by Robert Towne. Nicholson plays Jake Gittes in the film, and in the 50 years since its release has garnered a reputation as being one of the best films of all time.
Directed by rapist Roman Polanski, it co-stars Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Diane Ladd and Perry Lopez. There’s an extensive cast to enjoy, and a tight mystery at the heart of it too. Genuinely, if you’ve never had the pleasure, it’s a film that deserves its reputation.
(Its belated sequel, The Two Jakes, was directed by Jack Nicholson and is worth a look too, although inevitably...
- 4/3/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
Reader, you have been lied to! Film history is littered with unfairly maligned classics, whether critics were too eager to review the making of rather than the finished product, or they suffered from underwhelming ad campaigns or general disinterest. Let’s revise our takes on some of these films from the wrongheaded to the correct opinion.
The list of sequels to masterpieces that can be considered masterpieces themselves isn’t a very long one; “The Godfather Part II” is an obvious candidate, and arguments can be made for James Cameron‘s “Aliens” and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” “Blade Runner 2049,” “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and “The Color of Money” all have their partisans, and Ingmar Bergman scored a late-career triumph with his “Scenes From a Marriage” sequel “Saraband.” One movie that almost never gets mentioned in this company is “The Two Jakes,” the 1990 sequel to “Chinatown” directed by its star,...
The list of sequels to masterpieces that can be considered masterpieces themselves isn’t a very long one; “The Godfather Part II” is an obvious candidate, and arguments can be made for James Cameron‘s “Aliens” and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” “Blade Runner 2049,” “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and “The Color of Money” all have their partisans, and Ingmar Bergman scored a late-career triumph with his “Scenes From a Marriage” sequel “Saraband.” One movie that almost never gets mentioned in this company is “The Two Jakes,” the 1990 sequel to “Chinatown” directed by its star,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
"Chinatown" is one of the great masterpieces of American cinema. As a period piece, it cries out with nostalgia for a bygone past while commenting on the aimlessness of this very pursuit. Like the other accomplished neo-noirs of the New Hollywood movement (namely Robert Altman's "The Long Goodbye"), its detective story is disjointed and dreamlike. It is not a neat and satisfying narrative like a classic noir. Instead, it meanders fearlessly and aimlessly into the uneasy unknown.
Although it earned its only Oscar for its screenplay, it's hard to imagine "Chinatown" being half as good as it was without the unforgettable performances of its main cast. Sadly, as the 1974 film ages into legendary status, so too do the actors that made it so legendary.
Not every actor who made the 1974 mystery movie so great has lived to see it reach its 50-year anniversary in 2024. However, some of the greatest...
Although it earned its only Oscar for its screenplay, it's hard to imagine "Chinatown" being half as good as it was without the unforgettable performances of its main cast. Sadly, as the 1974 film ages into legendary status, so too do the actors that made it so legendary.
Not every actor who made the 1974 mystery movie so great has lived to see it reach its 50-year anniversary in 2024. However, some of the greatest...
- 1/21/2024
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
Larry Charles’ résumé is all over the place. As a writer, he penned some of Seinfeld’s most memorable episodes (see: “The Library”). As a TV director, he skewered his industry with Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage. As a filmmaker, he embraced mockumentary with Borat and Brüno. But his latest entry, by his own admission, might be his most unhinged to date. He just released Dicks: The Musical, a hard-r spoof of The Parent Trap featuring telepathic sewer creatures, a disembodied CGI vagina and Megan Thee Stallion walking men on leashes like dogs. “I don’t have a legacy or body of work or anything like that, so I don’t think about stuff like that,” the Dicks director explained on the eve of its Oct. 6 theatrical launch. “I never know what I’m doing next.”
Charles is about as unassuming as a comedy icon can be, having spent four...
Charles is about as unassuming as a comedy icon can be, having spent four...
- 10/13/2023
- by Mikey O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 1974 movie Chinatown is considered to be one of Hollywood’s all-time classics; its 1990 sequel, The Two Jakes, not so much. While there wasn’t quite the quality gap between the original and the sequel as, say, Caddyshack and Caddyshack 2, audiences weren’t impressed, and The Two Jakes was considered to be a box office bomb, only earning back about 40% of its shooting budget. Jack Nicholson, of course, starred in both; Oscar-winner Robert Towne wrote both screenplays. But while Roman Polanski directed the original, Nicholson himself directed the sequel. Of course, we’ve spoken to Nicholson several times over the years, and he always believed The Two Jakes was unfairly overlooked, even though critics gave it generally good reviews. (Click on the media bar below to hear Jack Nicholson) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Jack_The_Two_Jakes_.mp3
Chinatown and The Two Jakes are currently streaming on Paramount+ and available on DVD,...
Chinatown and The Two Jakes are currently streaming on Paramount+ and available on DVD,...
- 8/3/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
I've never been a fan of asking "what happens next" at the end of a movie or television show. If the director and the writers have done their job, the story worth telling is over. Everything I need to know about these characters and ponder about the narrative's themes has been relayed. All that's left to do is interpret what's been presented. That should be more than enough to chew on.
Alas, we live in an era of fan fiction where people would rather speculate than wrestle with what is hopefully a rich, challenging text. This is nothing new. For over 50 years, people have been wondering what happens to Benjamin and Elaine after they ride off in the bus at the end of "The Graduate." I've always liked screenwriter Buck Henry's answer. And when we do get sequels to great movies and series, the answers aren't always comforting or...
Alas, we live in an era of fan fiction where people would rather speculate than wrestle with what is hopefully a rich, challenging text. This is nothing new. For over 50 years, people have been wondering what happens to Benjamin and Elaine after they ride off in the bus at the end of "The Graduate." I've always liked screenwriter Buck Henry's answer. And when we do get sequels to great movies and series, the answers aren't always comforting or...
- 8/3/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
With its list of new releases for July 2023, Prime Video is going to help you stay safe from the oppressive July sun.
Highlighting the Amazon Originals on the TV side this month are two heavy hitters. The first is The Horror of Dolores Roach on July 7. Based on a podcast of the same name, this series could best be described as a modern day Sweeney Todd? Why, you ask? Well you know why. Think about it. Then season 2 of Neil Gaiman adaptation Good Omens premieres on July 28. This season will follow angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tenant) as they seek to keep the Archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm) away from both heaven and hell.
There aren’t any Amazon Original movies of note this month and that’s alright as the influx of library titles is more than enough. July 1 sees the arrival of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, No Country for Old Men,...
Highlighting the Amazon Originals on the TV side this month are two heavy hitters. The first is The Horror of Dolores Roach on July 7. Based on a podcast of the same name, this series could best be described as a modern day Sweeney Todd? Why, you ask? Well you know why. Think about it. Then season 2 of Neil Gaiman adaptation Good Omens premieres on July 28. This season will follow angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tenant) as they seek to keep the Archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm) away from both heaven and hell.
There aren’t any Amazon Original movies of note this month and that’s alright as the influx of library titles is more than enough. July 1 sees the arrival of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, No Country for Old Men,...
- 7/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
While summer starts in June, things truly heat up in July, and that includes all the hot new drops on streamers. Amazon’s Prime Video has refreshed its slate of content with over 60 new movies, like Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born” and the 1973 animated adaption of the children’s book “Charlotte’s Web.”
Prime Video kicks off the start of the month with Doug McHenry’s “Jason’s Lyric,” “Father of the Bride,” and “Little Nicky.”
Plus, if you’re a Reese Witherspoon fan, Prime Video sets you up with her very first film and her breakout role as Dani in “Man in the Moon.” And the entire “Legally Blonde” trilogy is also available, for those who bend and snap.
Prime Video is also giving watchers some ultimate film classics like “Free Willy,” ”Gladiator,” and “Dances With Wolves.”
Last but absolutely not least, Season 2 of “Good Omens” will land on...
Prime Video kicks off the start of the month with Doug McHenry’s “Jason’s Lyric,” “Father of the Bride,” and “Little Nicky.”
Plus, if you’re a Reese Witherspoon fan, Prime Video sets you up with her very first film and her breakout role as Dani in “Man in the Moon.” And the entire “Legally Blonde” trilogy is also available, for those who bend and snap.
Prime Video is also giving watchers some ultimate film classics like “Free Willy,” ”Gladiator,” and “Dances With Wolves.”
Last but absolutely not least, Season 2 of “Good Omens” will land on...
- 6/30/2023
- by Raquel "Rocky" Harris
- The Wrap
Amazon originals like season two of The Summer I Turned Pretty and Good Omens, as well as The Horror of Dolores Roach, are just some of the titles hitting Prime Video this July.
Blockbusters like Fast X, 80 for Brady, Till, Knock at the Cabin, Legally Blonde and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, Men in Black 1-3, Saving Private Ryan, Scarface and more will also be coming to the streamer this month.
The fourth and final season of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan sees the titular character, played by John Krasinski, on his most dangerous mission yet, against a foreign and domestic enemy. Two new episodes of the thriller drop on the streamer every Friday until July 14.
Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty returns with its second season on July 14 and picks up where season one left off at Cousins Beach. When an unexpected visitor threatens the future...
Blockbusters like Fast X, 80 for Brady, Till, Knock at the Cabin, Legally Blonde and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, Men in Black 1-3, Saving Private Ryan, Scarface and more will also be coming to the streamer this month.
The fourth and final season of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan sees the titular character, played by John Krasinski, on his most dangerous mission yet, against a foreign and domestic enemy. Two new episodes of the thriller drop on the streamer every Friday until July 14.
Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty returns with its second season on July 14 and picks up where season one left off at Cousins Beach. When an unexpected visitor threatens the future...
- 6/30/2023
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Prime Video has adapted the one-woman podcast “Empanada Loca” into a new series. “The Horror of Dolores Roach” will begin streaming on the service on July 7. Buckle up, because this one is gruesome. Roach (Justina Machado) returns to a gentrified Washington Heights after a long prison sentence and works as a masseuse in the basement of a friend’s empanada shop. But when her security is threatened, Roach is driven to extremes to survive.
Watch “The Horror of Dolores Roach” trailer:
Season 2 of “Good Omens” also will premiere on Prime Video in July. Arriving July 28, the series focuses on the friendship between Aziraphale (Michael Sheen), a fussy angel and rare-book dealer, and the snarky demon Crowley (David Tennant). While the Apocalypse has been averted, the pair are back living their lives in London, until the archangel Gabriel shows up. The series is based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
Watch “The Horror of Dolores Roach” trailer:
Season 2 of “Good Omens” also will premiere on Prime Video in July. Arriving July 28, the series focuses on the friendship between Aziraphale (Michael Sheen), a fussy angel and rare-book dealer, and the snarky demon Crowley (David Tennant). While the Apocalypse has been averted, the pair are back living their lives in London, until the archangel Gabriel shows up. The series is based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
- 6/26/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
Frederic Forrest, who earned critical acclaim opposite Bette Midler in The Rose and collaborated with Francis Ford Coppola, has died. He was 86.
Other than earning both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for playing Huston Dwyer — the opposite end of a doomed relationship — in 1979’s The Rose, Frederic Forrest is perhaps best known for playing Jay “Chef” Hicks, who loses his head both mentally and literally, in Apocalypse Now the same year. For both performances Forrest was recognized by the National Society of Film Critics as that year’s Best Supporting Actor.
Bette Midler took to Twitter to pay tribute to her co-star, saying Frederic Forrest was a “remarkable actor” and “brilliant human being.”
The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died. Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months. He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and...
Other than earning both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for playing Huston Dwyer — the opposite end of a doomed relationship — in 1979’s The Rose, Frederic Forrest is perhaps best known for playing Jay “Chef” Hicks, who loses his head both mentally and literally, in Apocalypse Now the same year. For both performances Forrest was recognized by the National Society of Film Critics as that year’s Best Supporting Actor.
Bette Midler took to Twitter to pay tribute to her co-star, saying Frederic Forrest was a “remarkable actor” and “brilliant human being.”
The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died. Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months. He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and...
- 6/24/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Frederic Forrest, a character actor who had a memorable role in 1979’s “Apocalypse Now” and earned an Oscar nomination for “The Rose” in the same year, died Friday in Santa Monica. He was 86.
Forrest’s death was first reported by his “Rose” co-star Bette Midler, who paid tribute to the actor on Twitter.
“The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died,” Midler wrote. “Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months. He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”
Frederic Forrest in “Apocalypse Now”
As Jay “Chef” Hicks in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now,” Forrestt played the tightly-wound former New Orleans chef on the river patrol boat who raves “I didn’t come here for this, I don’t fucking need this, all I...
Forrest’s death was first reported by his “Rose” co-star Bette Midler, who paid tribute to the actor on Twitter.
“The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died,” Midler wrote. “Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months. He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”
Frederic Forrest in “Apocalypse Now”
As Jay “Chef” Hicks in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now,” Forrestt played the tightly-wound former New Orleans chef on the river patrol boat who raves “I didn’t come here for this, I don’t fucking need this, all I...
- 6/24/2023
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Actor Frederic Forrest, known for his roles in “Apocalypse Now” and “The Rose”, has died at age 86.
The news of Forrest’s passing was announced by Bette Midler, his co-star in “The Rose”, who took to Twitter to pay tribute.
“He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life,” she wrote. “He was at peace.”
The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died. Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months. He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) June 24, 2023
Actor Barry Primus, a longtime friend, told The Hollywood Reporter that Forrest died Friday at his Santa Monica home after a lengthy illness.
Forrest played the love interest of Midler’s character in the 1979 musical drama,...
The news of Forrest’s passing was announced by Bette Midler, his co-star in “The Rose”, who took to Twitter to pay tribute.
“He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life,” she wrote. “He was at peace.”
The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died. Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months. He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) June 24, 2023
Actor Barry Primus, a longtime friend, told The Hollywood Reporter that Forrest died Friday at his Santa Monica home after a lengthy illness.
Forrest played the love interest of Midler’s character in the 1979 musical drama,...
- 6/24/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Frederic Forrest, the resilient character actor best remembered for his performance as the high-strung Chef Hicks in Apocalypse Now and for his Academy Award-nominated turn as Huston Dyer, the Awol army sergeant who captured Bette Midler’s heart in The Rose, has died. He was 86.
Forrest died Friday at his home in Santa Monica after a long illness, his friend, actor Barry Primus, told The Hollywood Reporter.
On Twitter, Midler called Forrest “a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”
The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died. Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months. He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) June 24, 2023
The first of two...
Forrest died Friday at his home in Santa Monica after a long illness, his friend, actor Barry Primus, told The Hollywood Reporter.
On Twitter, Midler called Forrest “a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”
The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died. Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months. He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) June 24, 2023
The first of two...
- 6/24/2023
- by Chris Koseluk
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The title of Belgian writer-director Claude Schmitz’s new film noir, The Other Laurens (L’Autre Laurens), seems like an obvious homage to The Two Jakes, the somewhat forgotten Jack Nicholson sequel to Roman Polanski’s classic of the genre, Chinatown.
Both the latter movie and such existential 1970s neo-noirs as Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye and Arthur Penn’s Night Moves loom large over Schmitz’s third feature, which follows a down-and-out private eye investigating the death of his twin brother. Starring the scrappily engaging Olivier Rabourdin (also in Catherine Breillat’s Cannes competition title, Last Summer), The Other Laurens weaves an intriguing little family mystery filled with bits of dark comedy and weirdness — this is a Belgian movie after all — and just enough of a plot to sustain the viewer over a rather stretched two hours.
Schmitz’s first feature, the tiny 2018 heist flick Carwash, applied a similar mix of crime and comedy,...
Both the latter movie and such existential 1970s neo-noirs as Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye and Arthur Penn’s Night Moves loom large over Schmitz’s third feature, which follows a down-and-out private eye investigating the death of his twin brother. Starring the scrappily engaging Olivier Rabourdin (also in Catherine Breillat’s Cannes competition title, Last Summer), The Other Laurens weaves an intriguing little family mystery filled with bits of dark comedy and weirdness — this is a Belgian movie after all — and just enough of a plot to sustain the viewer over a rather stretched two hours.
Schmitz’s first feature, the tiny 2018 heist flick Carwash, applied a similar mix of crime and comedy,...
- 5/25/2023
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"I don't want you to tell us what you do, I want you to tell us who you are..." The great Jack Nicholson just turned 86 this year. In celebration of most recent birthday, Little White Lies debuted this terrific video retrospective looking back at his illustrious career in cinema. A five-minute-long journey through his many iconic characters. The Transformation of Jack Nicholson is the latest video made by Portuguese editor Luís Azevedo (who we've featured many times before). It contains footage from many of Jack Nicholson's best roles throughout his five decades in movies. In 1970, he starred in Five Easy Pieces in what became his persona-defining role. Aside from The Shining, clips in this are from his best films including The Departed, A Few Good Men, Hoffa, Chinatown, Anger Management, Mars Attacks, The Two Jakes, About Schmidt, Easy Rider, and of course One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. As always,...
- 4/24/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Exclusive: Revenge actress Madeleine Stowe and Daredevil‘s Stephen Rider have joined Andy and Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs’ Max Original series, Welcome to Derry (working title), which is a prequel to New Line’s hit Stephen King film franchise, It.
Stowe will have a recurring guest role while Rider is a series regular. Their parts are being kept under wraps in the series which expands on King’s It universe, particularly that laid out in Andy Muschietti’s It movies. He’ll direct several episodes in the series including the first.
The duo join previously announced cast members Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, and James Remar.
Related: 2023 HBO Max Series & Pilot Orders
Rider’s credits also include the series Instinct, Marvel’s Luke Cage (in which he reprised his Daredevil role of Blake Tower), as well as the movies The Great Debaters and The Butler. He’s repped...
Stowe will have a recurring guest role while Rider is a series regular. Their parts are being kept under wraps in the series which expands on King’s It universe, particularly that laid out in Andy Muschietti’s It movies. He’ll direct several episodes in the series including the first.
The duo join previously announced cast members Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, and James Remar.
Related: 2023 HBO Max Series & Pilot Orders
Rider’s credits also include the series Instinct, Marvel’s Luke Cage (in which he reprised his Daredevil role of Blake Tower), as well as the movies The Great Debaters and The Butler. He’s repped...
- 4/14/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Roman Polanski’s Chinatown is considered by many to be one of the greatest detective stories of all time. It’s widely viewed as one of the greatest films of the seventies, with it sporting one of star Jack Nicholson’s most iconic performances, with him playing hard-boiled private eye Jake Gittes. The film was nominated for eleven Oscars, and while it only won one for Robert Towne’s screenplay, its legend looms large. In fact, just recently, a book called The Big Goodbye by Sam Wasson was written about it and is considered a modern classic as far as books about Hollywood go. While director Roman Polanski is a controversial figure – to put it mildly – no one can deny the film’s power.
In this episode of Wtf Happened to this Movie, we look into the making of this neo-noir classic. The making of the film was fraught with drama,...
In this episode of Wtf Happened to this Movie, we look into the making of this neo-noir classic. The making of the film was fraught with drama,...
- 3/15/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
We all know smoking is bad, but now the very idea of even looking at a cancer stick is something HBO Max is apparently trying to put a stop to.
It was recently discovered that HBO Max has altogether removed the implication of smoking–that is, cigarettes and cigars–from the accompanying artwork on certain movies. The two standout examples right now are for Robert Altman’s McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) and John Milius’ The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, as seen in the below tweet:
No Smoking!
Twitter users report HBO Max removed Warren Beatty’s and Paul Newman's cigars from movie poster art used on its home page:
McCabe & Mrs. Miller.
The Life and Times of Roy Bean. pic.twitter.com/QLPz0olJz1
— Pete Salisbury (@Tuckerpete) September 13, 2022
Of course, it’s going to take a hell of a lot more from HBO Max than...
It was recently discovered that HBO Max has altogether removed the implication of smoking–that is, cigarettes and cigars–from the accompanying artwork on certain movies. The two standout examples right now are for Robert Altman’s McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) and John Milius’ The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, as seen in the below tweet:
No Smoking!
Twitter users report HBO Max removed Warren Beatty’s and Paul Newman's cigars from movie poster art used on its home page:
McCabe & Mrs. Miller.
The Life and Times of Roy Bean. pic.twitter.com/QLPz0olJz1
— Pete Salisbury (@Tuckerpete) September 13, 2022
Of course, it’s going to take a hell of a lot more from HBO Max than...
- 9/17/2022
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
There isn't a chance "Chinatown," written by Robert Towne and directed by Roman Polanski, would get made as a feature film today. Its detail-dense narrative about water rights in Southern California, intertwined with the vile dealings of incestuous industrialist Noah Cross (John Huston), would likely be expanded into a series or not made at all. It's a terrific neo-noir, and it works spectacularly for viewers with attention spans, but Towne's slow-burn narrative feels like the kind of material that gets meted out over twelve too-long episodes nowadays.
Interestingly, Towne and star Jack Nicholson did have a long-term plan for nosy private detective Jake Gittes. Unfortunately, it blew apart spectacularly when Jack Nicholson muscled through the production of the "Chinatown" sequel, "The Two Jakes." After numerous delays, Nicholson directed and rewrote portions of Towne's script, infuriating his former collaborator to the point where they did not speak for many years. None...
Interestingly, Towne and star Jack Nicholson did have a long-term plan for nosy private detective Jake Gittes. Unfortunately, it blew apart spectacularly when Jack Nicholson muscled through the production of the "Chinatown" sequel, "The Two Jakes." After numerous delays, Nicholson directed and rewrote portions of Towne's script, infuriating his former collaborator to the point where they did not speak for many years. None...
- 8/20/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between. And sometimes, we get to talk to movie stars about some of their own B-Sides!
Conor and I were honored to speak with screen legend Harvey Keitel, star of Lansky, written and directed by Eytan Rockaway. In the crime drama, which is now available digitally, Keitel plays the real-life gangster Meyer Lansky, recounting his complicated life to a down-on-his-luck writer (Sam Worthington).
We chat with Keitel about some B-Sides from the early ‘90s: The Two Jakes, Point of No Return, and Dangerous Game. There’s also a bit about The Border from 1982, a Tony Richardson crime thriller well worth your time.
For more from The B-Side, you can find every actor/director and the films discussed in one place here.
Conor and I were honored to speak with screen legend Harvey Keitel, star of Lansky, written and directed by Eytan Rockaway. In the crime drama, which is now available digitally, Keitel plays the real-life gangster Meyer Lansky, recounting his complicated life to a down-on-his-luck writer (Sam Worthington).
We chat with Keitel about some B-Sides from the early ‘90s: The Two Jakes, Point of No Return, and Dangerous Game. There’s also a bit about The Border from 1982, a Tony Richardson crime thriller well worth your time.
For more from The B-Side, you can find every actor/director and the films discussed in one place here.
- 11/4/2021
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
Jack Nicholson has had a long career playing brooding rebels, crazed villains and sneering charmers on screen. Soon he’ll star opposite Kristen Wiig in a remake of “Toni Erdmann.” He’s a fixture of American cinema and the Lakers courtside seating. For his 80th birthday, we aimed to rank all of Jack’s major, already iconic roles, from worst to best.
“Man Trouble” (1992)
“Man Trouble” is a ridiculous screwball crime comedy in which Nicholson and Ellen Barkin get upstaged by horny dogs. It seems impossible the same guy who did “Five Easy Pieces” made this.
“A Safe Place” (1971)
This bizarre, formless ’70s relic based on a play stars Tuesday Weld and Orson Welles opposite Nicholson about a girl living a fantasy in which she never grows up.
“The Terror” (1963)
Nicholson gives a stiff performance in this Roger Corman picture opposite Boris Karloff, but he gets to kiss a woman who transforms into a corpse.
“Man Trouble” (1992)
“Man Trouble” is a ridiculous screwball crime comedy in which Nicholson and Ellen Barkin get upstaged by horny dogs. It seems impossible the same guy who did “Five Easy Pieces” made this.
“A Safe Place” (1971)
This bizarre, formless ’70s relic based on a play stars Tuesday Weld and Orson Welles opposite Nicholson about a girl living a fantasy in which she never grows up.
“The Terror” (1963)
Nicholson gives a stiff performance in this Roger Corman picture opposite Boris Karloff, but he gets to kiss a woman who transforms into a corpse.
- 4/3/2021
- by Tim Molloy and Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Ben Affleck is traveling back to the ’70s for his next directorial feature, specifically looking at the making of a Hollywood classic. He’s set to adapt The Big Goodbye, based on the recent book by Sam Wasson, which details the behind-the-scenes account of the creation of the 1974 drama Chinatown.
According to Deadline, Affleck has optioned the book and is set to direct and write the film with Saturday Night Live’s Lorne Michaels producing. Directed by Roman Polanski, Chinatown follows Jack Nicholson’s J.J. Gittes, a grizzled private detective who gets drawn into Los Angeles’ 1930s underbelly when handling a case for the mysterious, tragic Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway). Chinatown was not only one of the greatest films of its era, but also signaled perhaps the end of an era; an auteur-driven cinema where storytelling reigned supreme, a time before Hollywood was taken over by tentpole franchises and endless sequels.
According to Deadline, Affleck has optioned the book and is set to direct and write the film with Saturday Night Live’s Lorne Michaels producing. Directed by Roman Polanski, Chinatown follows Jack Nicholson’s J.J. Gittes, a grizzled private detective who gets drawn into Los Angeles’ 1930s underbelly when handling a case for the mysterious, tragic Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway). Chinatown was not only one of the greatest films of its era, but also signaled perhaps the end of an era; an auteur-driven cinema where storytelling reigned supreme, a time before Hollywood was taken over by tentpole franchises and endless sequels.
- 8/10/2020
- by Stephen Hladik
- The Film Stage
The end of the year and the start of the next often brings about a flood of books about cinema–many of them timed to tie in with the Oscars. This column features a few of those, a bit of Star Wars, some classic Hollywood talk, weighty biographies, and more. Let’s start with Marty and company.
The Irishman: The Making of the Movie by Tom Shone (Assouline)
Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman may not have had the awards season impact many predicted, but it was still something of a cultural sensation. It was also one of the director’s late-period greats. If you enjoyed the film—and don’t mind spending $175—The Irishman: The Making of the Movie is well worth picking up. Full of insightful interviews and stories, author Tom Shone’s text also serves to highlight the film’s wondrous costumes and production design. It’s a...
The Irishman: The Making of the Movie by Tom Shone (Assouline)
Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman may not have had the awards season impact many predicted, but it was still something of a cultural sensation. It was also one of the director’s late-period greats. If you enjoyed the film—and don’t mind spending $175—The Irishman: The Making of the Movie is well worth picking up. Full of insightful interviews and stories, author Tom Shone’s text also serves to highlight the film’s wondrous costumes and production design. It’s a...
- 2/12/2020
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
Whether it’s because of endless delays, fan demands, a director’s passion project or a cash grab reboot that seemingly no one ever actually wanted, Hollywood has produced an enormous amount of sequels to beloved films full decades after they originally hit theaters. Some of them have been wildly successful with critics and audiences, and others we’re just pretending never existed. Here are some of the sequels that took forever to hit the screen.
“Bad Boys For Life” (2020)
There had been talk for years about getting the boys back together, and the reunion finally happened this year, with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence teaming up for one last ride. This time however Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are taking over directing duties from Michael Bay.
George Miller took nearly 30 years to follow up “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” with the Tom Hardy-Charlize Theron thriller “Mad Max: Fury Road.
“Bad Boys For Life” (2020)
There had been talk for years about getting the boys back together, and the reunion finally happened this year, with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence teaming up for one last ride. This time however Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are taking over directing duties from Michael Bay.
George Miller took nearly 30 years to follow up “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” with the Tom Hardy-Charlize Theron thriller “Mad Max: Fury Road.
- 1/15/2020
- by Brian Welk, Beatrice Verhoeven and Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars and not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.
Today we tackle legend Jack Nicholson, a movie star who has got enough B-Sides to warrant a handful of episodes. We bring back one of our favorite guests to do the job: Katherine Clark Gray, playwright & screenwriter for Uncompromised Creative as well as podcast writer for “Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman”.
The films we cover today include: The Two Jakes, Man Trouble, The Evening Star, The Pledge and How Do You Know. We discuss Jack Nicholson and Robert Towne’s failed hopes for a third Chinatown movie, the insane amount of money Jack was paid for How Do You Know and why his performance in The Pledge is one of the best he’s ever given.
Today we tackle legend Jack Nicholson, a movie star who has got enough B-Sides to warrant a handful of episodes. We bring back one of our favorite guests to do the job: Katherine Clark Gray, playwright & screenwriter for Uncompromised Creative as well as podcast writer for “Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman”.
The films we cover today include: The Two Jakes, Man Trouble, The Evening Star, The Pledge and How Do You Know. We discuss Jack Nicholson and Robert Towne’s failed hopes for a third Chinatown movie, the insane amount of money Jack was paid for How Do You Know and why his performance in The Pledge is one of the best he’s ever given.
- 1/9/2020
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
A TV prequel to the 1970s-era film “Chinatown” is in development at Netflix, with David Fincher and Robert Towne, who wrote the original film, on board to write the pilot, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
The potential series will see Jake Gittes during his time as private investigator before the events of the film. Gittes was played by Jack Nicholson in the original movie.
Netflix declined to comment.
Also Read: 'The Irishman:' Robert De Niro Isn't Ready to Talk in Final Trailer for Martin Scorsese's Epic (Video)
The 1974 film was directed by Roman Polanski, and also starred Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez and John Hillerman. Towne won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. A sequel, “The Two Jakes,” was released in 1990 with Nicholson and Towne returning.
Fincher has extensive experience with Netflix. He directed the first two episodes of “House of Cards” and was an executive producer.
The potential series will see Jake Gittes during his time as private investigator before the events of the film. Gittes was played by Jack Nicholson in the original movie.
Netflix declined to comment.
Also Read: 'The Irishman:' Robert De Niro Isn't Ready to Talk in Final Trailer for Martin Scorsese's Epic (Video)
The 1974 film was directed by Roman Polanski, and also starred Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez and John Hillerman. Towne won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. A sequel, “The Two Jakes,” was released in 1990 with Nicholson and Towne returning.
Fincher has extensive experience with Netflix. He directed the first two episodes of “House of Cards” and was an executive producer.
- 11/19/2019
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Tony Sokol Nov 18, 2019
Robert Towne and David Fincher team to uncover Jake Gittes past in Chinatown prequel series.
At the end of Roman Polanski's 1974 detective noir classic Chinatown, Jake Gittes played by Jack Nicholson, is told to "forget it." There is an unspoken understanding based on experience and history. Netflix is getting ready to fill us in on the story. Original Chinatown writer Robert Towne and director David Fincher are collaborating on a pilot script for a prequel, according to Variety.
The prequel series will be executive produced by Josh Donen, along with Towne and Fincher, who put Netflix original programming on the map with House of Cards, and continues with Mindhunter, which concluded season 2. He is next set to direct Mank, a film feature about the battles Orson Welles and screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz fought over Citizen Kane. Mank will star Gary Oldman as Mankiewicz and Tom Burke as Welles.
Robert Towne and David Fincher team to uncover Jake Gittes past in Chinatown prequel series.
At the end of Roman Polanski's 1974 detective noir classic Chinatown, Jake Gittes played by Jack Nicholson, is told to "forget it." There is an unspoken understanding based on experience and history. Netflix is getting ready to fill us in on the story. Original Chinatown writer Robert Towne and director David Fincher are collaborating on a pilot script for a prequel, according to Variety.
The prequel series will be executive produced by Josh Donen, along with Towne and Fincher, who put Netflix original programming on the map with House of Cards, and continues with Mindhunter, which concluded season 2. He is next set to direct Mank, a film feature about the battles Orson Welles and screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz fought over Citizen Kane. Mank will star Gary Oldman as Mankiewicz and Tom Burke as Welles.
- 11/19/2019
- Den of Geek
It was only a matter of time before the prequel machine eventually roped in “Chinatown,” but in a surprise move, the 1974 film will inspire a new Netflix series — not another movie. David Fincher and original “Chinatown” writer Robert Towne are set to produce.
Deadline first reported that, 45 years after the film became one of the hallmarks of American cinema, this pilot script aims to tell the story of a younger Jake Gittes as he adjusts to life as a private investigator in an expanding Los Angeles community. Fincher isn’t confirmed to direct the pilot, but the possibility remains. Fincher and Towne are executive producers on the project, along with Josh Donen, who previously worked on other Fincher-led Netflix projects like “House of Cards” and “Mindhunter.”
Fincher’s next major Netflix collaboration is “Mank,” the upcoming biopic of another legendary Hollywood writer: “Citizen Kane” scribe Herman Mankiewicz. The film, starring Gary Oldman,...
Deadline first reported that, 45 years after the film became one of the hallmarks of American cinema, this pilot script aims to tell the story of a younger Jake Gittes as he adjusts to life as a private investigator in an expanding Los Angeles community. Fincher isn’t confirmed to direct the pilot, but the possibility remains. Fincher and Towne are executive producers on the project, along with Josh Donen, who previously worked on other Fincher-led Netflix projects like “House of Cards” and “Mindhunter.”
Fincher’s next major Netflix collaboration is “Mank,” the upcoming biopic of another legendary Hollywood writer: “Citizen Kane” scribe Herman Mankiewicz. The film, starring Gary Oldman,...
- 11/19/2019
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
It’s been half-a-decade since David Fincher last worked with a major Hollywood studio and the trend looks to continue. Finding a home at Netflix–working on House of Cards, Mindhunter, and his next feature Mank–another enticing project has now been announced involving the director, one that will find him entering the world of a 1974 Hollywood classic.
Deadline has announced that a Chinatown prequel series is in development at Netflix with Fincher penning the script alongside the legendary Robert Towne (who won an Oscar for the original screenplay), and both will executive produce. Set to follow a young Jake Gittes (played in Roman Polanski’s film by Jack Nicholson) in his early days of private eye investigating. As of now, Fincher’s deal doesn’t include directing the pilot, but Netflix hopes he may do so. (As anyone in their right mind would.)
It’s not the first time we returned to this story,...
Deadline has announced that a Chinatown prequel series is in development at Netflix with Fincher penning the script alongside the legendary Robert Towne (who won an Oscar for the original screenplay), and both will executive produce. Set to follow a young Jake Gittes (played in Roman Polanski’s film by Jack Nicholson) in his early days of private eye investigating. As of now, Fincher’s deal doesn’t include directing the pilot, but Netflix hopes he may do so. (As anyone in their right mind would.)
It’s not the first time we returned to this story,...
- 11/19/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Forget it, Jake: It’s Netflix.
The streaming giant is developing a pilot script for a prequel to the classic private eye drama Chinatown, with original screenwriter Robert Towne teaming up with famed director David Fincher, according to our sister site Deadline.
More from TVLineThe Witcher Scores Early Season 2 Renewal at NetflixSelena: See Christian Serratos as the Iconic Singer in Netflix Bio-SeriesFuller House Series Finale Photos: The Cast Says Goodbye as Shooting Wraps
The series would center on a young Jake Gittes, the private eye originally played by Jack Nicholson in the 1974 film, as he establishes his P.I. business...
The streaming giant is developing a pilot script for a prequel to the classic private eye drama Chinatown, with original screenwriter Robert Towne teaming up with famed director David Fincher, according to our sister site Deadline.
More from TVLineThe Witcher Scores Early Season 2 Renewal at NetflixSelena: See Christian Serratos as the Iconic Singer in Netflix Bio-SeriesFuller House Series Finale Photos: The Cast Says Goodbye as Shooting Wraps
The series would center on a young Jake Gittes, the private eye originally played by Jack Nicholson in the 1974 film, as he establishes his P.I. business...
- 11/19/2019
- TVLine.com
A prequel series to the classic film “Chinatown” is in early development at Netflix, Variety has confirmed with sources.
David Fincher and Robert Towne, the film’s writer, are attached to pen the script. It will reportedly focus on the exploits of a young Jake “J.J.” Gittes during his early days as a private investigator.
Netflix declined to comment.
The film was released in 1974 and starred Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. Nicholson played Gittes, who is originally hired to expose an adulterer but becomes embroiled in a much larger plot. Roman Polanski directed with Robert Evans producing. The film became a box office and critical hit upon its release, racking up eleven Academy Award nominations. Towne ultimately took home the film’s lone Oscar statuette for best original screenplay. A sequel titled “The Two Jakes” was released in 1990 with Nicholson and Towne returning.
In addition to his Oscar win for “Chinatown,...
David Fincher and Robert Towne, the film’s writer, are attached to pen the script. It will reportedly focus on the exploits of a young Jake “J.J.” Gittes during his early days as a private investigator.
Netflix declined to comment.
The film was released in 1974 and starred Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. Nicholson played Gittes, who is originally hired to expose an adulterer but becomes embroiled in a much larger plot. Roman Polanski directed with Robert Evans producing. The film became a box office and critical hit upon its release, racking up eleven Academy Award nominations. Towne ultimately took home the film’s lone Oscar statuette for best original screenplay. A sequel titled “The Two Jakes” was released in 1990 with Nicholson and Towne returning.
In addition to his Oscar win for “Chinatown,...
- 11/19/2019
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
No comment from streaming platform at time of writing.
David Fincher and original Chinatown screenwriter Robert Towne are plotting a prequel series at Netflix, according to reports.
The series will centre on the life of the younger J.J. Gittes – the private investigator portrayed by Jack Nicholson in Roman Polanski’s 1974 classic who stumbles upon a huge web of corruption.
The late Robert Evans produced Chinatown, which also starred Faye Dunaway. The film was nominated for 11 Oscars and won a single one for Towne’s original screenplay.
Towne reunited with Nicholson on 1990 sequel The Two Jakes, which the latter directed.
David Fincher and original Chinatown screenwriter Robert Towne are plotting a prequel series at Netflix, according to reports.
The series will centre on the life of the younger J.J. Gittes – the private investigator portrayed by Jack Nicholson in Roman Polanski’s 1974 classic who stumbles upon a huge web of corruption.
The late Robert Evans produced Chinatown, which also starred Faye Dunaway. The film was nominated for 11 Oscars and won a single one for Towne’s original screenplay.
Towne reunited with Nicholson on 1990 sequel The Two Jakes, which the latter directed.
- 11/18/2019
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
Fall is upon us, and so is Hulu’s list of every title coming and going from the streaming service in November.
Among the list of arriving titles is a new episode of Hulu’s original monthly anthology series, “Into the Dark.” November’s episode is called “Pilgrim,” and claims to be inspired by true events — in which a woman invites a bunch of Pilgrim re-enactors over for Thanksgiving dinner. But things get spooky when the “actors” refuse to break character.
Other new arrivals include Season 5 of “You’re the Worst,” described as a modern look at love, the complete first seasons of “Dollface,” about a young woman re-entering the world of women, “The Accident,” which begins with a deadly explosion at a construction site, and “Love Island: Australia,” an answer to the U.K. and U.S. versions of the beloved reality dating show.
Also Read: Here's Everything New...
Among the list of arriving titles is a new episode of Hulu’s original monthly anthology series, “Into the Dark.” November’s episode is called “Pilgrim,” and claims to be inspired by true events — in which a woman invites a bunch of Pilgrim re-enactors over for Thanksgiving dinner. But things get spooky when the “actors” refuse to break character.
Other new arrivals include Season 5 of “You’re the Worst,” described as a modern look at love, the complete first seasons of “Dollface,” about a young woman re-entering the world of women, “The Accident,” which begins with a deadly explosion at a construction site, and “Love Island: Australia,” an answer to the U.K. and U.S. versions of the beloved reality dating show.
Also Read: Here's Everything New...
- 11/1/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
On the face of it, making a sequel to “The Shining” does not sound like a promising idea. Stephen King’s original novel, which was published in 1977, remains one of his greatest (it’s not a tale that needs to be messed with). And in the 40 years since Stanley Kubrick’s spooky cerebral film version came out, the movie has come to define the look and mystique of this story in our culture. Nearly every aspect of Kubrick’s visualization of the Overlook Hotel and its live-in demons — the corridors with their ’70s-suburban-acid-trip orange-and-brown hexagon carpeting, the Diane Arbus twins in their teal party dresses, the Hawaiian Punch blood splashing out of the Navajo Deco elevators, the lobby with its adobe walls and high-ceilinged wagon-wheel chandeliers, the somnambulant British caretaker talking in the bathroom in hypnotic dream time, the rotting-old-lady specter emerging from behind the shower curtain of Room 237 — is...
- 10/30/2019
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Tony Sokol Oct 28, 2019
The kid who stayed in pictures dies after a long life worthy of a movie of its own. Robert Evans brought film into a new era.
Robert Evans, actor-turned-producer-turned-Paramount Pictures president, who made films like Chinatown, Marathon Man, Love Story, Rosemary's Baby, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II possible, died Saturday, October 26, according to Variety. He was 89. No cause of death was announced.
Evans' movies were not intended to be blockbusters. He didn't even care if they were commercial. He wanted his films to be original. The Godfather got made because Evans thought Hollywood presented a false depiction of the mob. He had a friend get the rights to Mario Puzo's as-yet-incomplete novel and persuaded Francis Ford Coppola to direct the film. His life was as original as any of the films he was responsible for. Evans' third wife Ali MacGraw was stolen from...
The kid who stayed in pictures dies after a long life worthy of a movie of its own. Robert Evans brought film into a new era.
Robert Evans, actor-turned-producer-turned-Paramount Pictures president, who made films like Chinatown, Marathon Man, Love Story, Rosemary's Baby, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II possible, died Saturday, October 26, according to Variety. He was 89. No cause of death was announced.
Evans' movies were not intended to be blockbusters. He didn't even care if they were commercial. He wanted his films to be original. The Godfather got made because Evans thought Hollywood presented a false depiction of the mob. He had a friend get the rights to Mario Puzo's as-yet-incomplete novel and persuaded Francis Ford Coppola to direct the film. His life was as original as any of the films he was responsible for. Evans' third wife Ali MacGraw was stolen from...
- 10/29/2019
- Den of Geek
Robert Evans, the legendary Hollywood producer of “Chinatown” and many more and the head of Paramount Pictures between 1967 and 1974, has died. He was 89.
An individual from Evans’ camp confirmed the news to TheWrap. He died on Saturday.
While at Paramount, Evans led a string of box office hits and critically acclaimed smashes that helped turn a struggling studio around, putting out classics such as the first two “The Godfather” films, “Harold and Maude,” “Serpico,” “Chinatown,” “Rosemary’s Baby,” “The Great Gatsby,” “True Grit,” “The Conversation” among many more.
Also Read: Paul Barrere, Little Feat Singer and Guitarist, Dies at 71
In 1974, Evans stepped down from the head of the studio to serve as an independent producer, including a hot streak that included “Marathon Man,” “Black Sunday,” “Players” and “Urban Cowboy.” He later produced the “Chinatown” sequel, “The Two Jakes,” “Silver” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.”
Born in New York City,...
An individual from Evans’ camp confirmed the news to TheWrap. He died on Saturday.
While at Paramount, Evans led a string of box office hits and critically acclaimed smashes that helped turn a struggling studio around, putting out classics such as the first two “The Godfather” films, “Harold and Maude,” “Serpico,” “Chinatown,” “Rosemary’s Baby,” “The Great Gatsby,” “True Grit,” “The Conversation” among many more.
Also Read: Paul Barrere, Little Feat Singer and Guitarist, Dies at 71
In 1974, Evans stepped down from the head of the studio to serve as an independent producer, including a hot streak that included “Marathon Man,” “Black Sunday,” “Players” and “Urban Cowboy.” He later produced the “Chinatown” sequel, “The Two Jakes,” “Silver” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.”
Born in New York City,...
- 10/28/2019
- by Brian Welk and Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
There may not be any more eggnog to drink or mistletoe to stand under, but don’t despair — Hulu is coming in clutch with over 200 new titles arriving to the streaming service next month.
Ease into the new year by rewatching classics like “Beetlejuice,” “Heathers” and “Rain Man,” or snuggle up with a bowl of popcorn for family movies like “Shrek,” “Surf’s Up,” and “The Twilight Saga.” If reality TV is more your style, then you’re in luck, as a slew of favorites are set to make their Hulu debut this month including Season 7 of “Dance Moms,” Season 2 of “90 Day Fiancé,” and Season 10 of “American Pickers.” Starting out this year’s slate of Hulu originals, Season 2 of “Future Man” drops Jan. 11.
Find the complete list of this month’s new arrivals below and stream now on Hulu.com. Right now, the streaming service is knocking its monthly price...
Ease into the new year by rewatching classics like “Beetlejuice,” “Heathers” and “Rain Man,” or snuggle up with a bowl of popcorn for family movies like “Shrek,” “Surf’s Up,” and “The Twilight Saga.” If reality TV is more your style, then you’re in luck, as a slew of favorites are set to make their Hulu debut this month including Season 7 of “Dance Moms,” Season 2 of “90 Day Fiancé,” and Season 10 of “American Pickers.” Starting out this year’s slate of Hulu originals, Season 2 of “Future Man” drops Jan. 11.
Find the complete list of this month’s new arrivals below and stream now on Hulu.com. Right now, the streaming service is knocking its monthly price...
- 12/31/2018
- by Margeaux Sippell
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu’s slate of new titles arriving on the platform in January is here.
The second season of Hulu original “Future Man” will arrive on the service Jan. 11, while the Natalie Portman-Tessa Thompson science fiction film “Annihilation” will be available to stream on Jan. 4. The film is Alex Garland’s follow-up to “Ex Machina” and starred Portman, Thompson and Jennifer Jason Leigh as a group of scientists investigating a strange environmental phenomenon known as “the shimmer.”
Here’s the full list of what’s coming and going in January.
Also Read: Here's What You Can Stream With Your Amazon Prime Membership in January
Available Jan. 1
Atlanta: Complete Season 2 (FX)
The Detectorists: Complete Season 3 (Drg)
Dot.: Complete Season 2B (Universal Kids)
Saints & Sinners: Complete Seasons 1-3 (Bounce TV)
X Company: Complete Seasons 2&3 (Sony)
54 (1998)
10 Years (2011)
2 Days in the Valley (1996)
9 to 5 (1980)
A Charlie Brown Valentine (2002)
A Simple Plan (1998)
A...
The second season of Hulu original “Future Man” will arrive on the service Jan. 11, while the Natalie Portman-Tessa Thompson science fiction film “Annihilation” will be available to stream on Jan. 4. The film is Alex Garland’s follow-up to “Ex Machina” and starred Portman, Thompson and Jennifer Jason Leigh as a group of scientists investigating a strange environmental phenomenon known as “the shimmer.”
Here’s the full list of what’s coming and going in January.
Also Read: Here's What You Can Stream With Your Amazon Prime Membership in January
Available Jan. 1
Atlanta: Complete Season 2 (FX)
The Detectorists: Complete Season 3 (Drg)
Dot.: Complete Season 2B (Universal Kids)
Saints & Sinners: Complete Seasons 1-3 (Bounce TV)
X Company: Complete Seasons 2&3 (Sony)
54 (1998)
10 Years (2011)
2 Days in the Valley (1996)
9 to 5 (1980)
A Charlie Brown Valentine (2002)
A Simple Plan (1998)
A...
- 12/16/2018
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
For nearly as long as Hollywood has been making movies they’ve been making sequels, and for most of that time journalists and critics have grumbled about the studios’ lack of originality; yet there’s an honorable tradition of filmmakers using the perceived economic insurance of sequels to create some of the riskiest and most personal films ever to come out of Hollywood. Francis Coppola’s The Godfather Part II, John Boorman’s The Exorcist II: The Heretic, Peter Bogdanovich’s Texasville, Joe Dante’s Gremlins 2 and Jack Nicholson’s commercially disastrous but artistically triumphant Chinatown sequel The Two Jakes are all films that either greatly […]...
- 6/15/2018
- by Jim Hemphill
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
For nearly as long as Hollywood has been making movies they’ve been making sequels, and for most of that time journalists and critics have grumbled about the studios’ lack of originality; yet there’s an honorable tradition of filmmakers using the perceived economic insurance of sequels to create some of the riskiest and most personal films ever to come out of Hollywood. Francis Coppola’s The Godfather Part II, John Boorman’s The Exorcist II: The Heretic, Peter Bogdanovich’s Texasville, Joe Dante’s Gremlins 2 and Jack Nicholson’s commercially disastrous but artistically triumphant Chinatown sequel The Two Jakes are all films that either greatly […]...
- 6/15/2018
- by Jim Hemphill
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Educational distributor Kanopy has struck a deal with Paramount Pictures, adding 100 classic films from the studio’s library to the on-demand streaming service. Twenty-five of those titles – including “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” “Harold and Maude,” “Sunset Boulevard,” and “Saturday Night Fever” — are available to stream now. The other 75 titles will be added in the coming weeks and months. (The full list is at the bottom of this article.)
Kanopy has been a pioneer in the educational market, first in its move away from physical media and toward a streaming app that is available on Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, and iOS and Android devices. Last year, they also expanded beyond universities and institutions and started to aggressively strike deals with public libraries making Kanopy available to a far wider percentage of the population. Now those with a public library card can access the free streaming service in a number of major cities,...
Kanopy has been a pioneer in the educational market, first in its move away from physical media and toward a streaming app that is available on Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, and iOS and Android devices. Last year, they also expanded beyond universities and institutions and started to aggressively strike deals with public libraries making Kanopy available to a far wider percentage of the population. Now those with a public library card can access the free streaming service in a number of major cities,...
- 6/6/2018
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
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