🎥Playing at The Beverly starting March 15th, Tickets Here 

Hirayama is content with his life as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. Outside of his structured routine he cherishes music on cassette tapes, books, and taking photos of trees. Through unexpected encounters, he reflects on finding beauty in the world.

🍀 Vegas’ newest tradition 🍀 Leprechaun 3 screening St. Patrick’s Day weekend at The Bev.

0% on Rotten Tomatoes. 100% in our Vegas hearts.

He's back! The Leprechaun is on the loose again, this time trying his luck in Las Vegas. The terror begins when a young college student (Scott) gives a beautiful magician's assistant a lift into town. Once in Vegas, Scott can't resist taking a turn at the roulette wheel. He has a run of bad luck and loses all his money. To win it back he decides to pawn his Rolex watch but while at the pawnshop he finds one of the Leprechaun's gold shillings. A single piece of the Leprechaun's gold, he discovers, will grant the fondest wish of the one who holds it. WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

Playing at the Beverly Theater starting March 8th, for ticket information visit thebeverlytheater.com

NOMINATED FOR FIVE ACADEMY AWARDS

Based on the true story, the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp. Nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Motion Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay and Sound.

...plus 4 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• A Streetcar Named Desire
• The People's Joker
• Riddle of Fire
• Le Samouraï
• Wildcat
• Alice
• Hundreds of Beavers
• La Chimera
• Trainspotting
• Mamma Mia!

...plus 3 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Secret Sunshine

  Anthony

• Two-Lane Blacktop

  Jack

• Field of Dreams

  Gage

• Baby Driver

  Jenna

• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

  Makenzie

• Girl, Interrupted

  Yordy

• Whiplash

  Chase

• The Dreamers

  Andrea

• Twilight

  Teagan

• The Iron Claw

  Skylar “Best movie I’ve seen in years by far. Would not change a single thing about it”

• Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Vanquishing of the Witch Baba Yaga
• Ornette: Made in America
• Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
• Hundreds of Beavers
• Pandora's Box
• About Dry Grasses
• Mad Max
• Mad Max 2
• La Bamba

...plus 13 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Ornette: Made in America
• Moulin Rouge!
• La Bamba
• Artie Shaw: Time Is All You've Got
• 8 Mile
• La La Land
• Dreamgirls
• Saturday Night Fever
• Almost Famous

• Rewind & Play
• Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World
• Neptune Frost
• Little Richard: I Am Everything
• Sirens
• White Riot
• 32 Sounds
• Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
• Mr. Jimmy
• 20,000 Days on Earth

...plus 4 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Thelma & Louise
• Josie and the Pussycats
• ¡Three Amigos!
• Jaws
• Idiocracy
• Do the Right Thing
• Dazed and Confused
• Fast Times at Ridgemont High
• Predator
• Love & Basketball

...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Happy Together
• Chungking Express
• Days of Being Wild
• Fallen Angels

• Throne of Blood
• Umberto Eco: A Library of the World
• Under the Skin
• The Juniper Tree
• Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman
• James Baldwin Abroad
• Loving Highsmith
• The American Friend
• The Third Man
• The Virgin Suicides

...plus 7 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• The Cow Who Sang a Song into the Future
• You Hurt My Feelings
• Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV
• Chile '76
• Past Lives
• Persian Lessons
• Afire
• Earth Mama
• Mami Wata
• Fallen Leaves

...plus 21 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

A unique, no-charge retrospective of living Vegas legend and cinema icon Nicolas Cage ahead of his newest film, Sympathy for the Devil. Tell Nic we saved him a seat.

1. Pig
2. Vampire's Kiss
3. Leaving Las Vegas
4. Moonstruck
5. Con Air

...plus 13 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

...plus 4 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

...plus 69 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

...plus 27 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Trading Places
• Coming to America
• Beverly Hills Cop
• 48 Hrs.

• They Live

  Showtimes: www.thebeverlytheater.com/shows-details?id=372677
  BEVERLY AFTER DARK

  Equally as relevant 35 years after it was released, They Live is a smart satire of class structure and media control, wrapped up in Carpenter's signature style of B-movie action and laughs.

• Sherlock, Jr.

  Showtimes: www.thebeverlytheater.com/shows-details?id=375055

  Plus the short film One Week (1920, 24 min, Directed by Buster Keaton and Eddie Cline)

  100th ANNIVERSARY

• Saw

  Showtimes: www.thebeverlytheater.com/shows-details?id=375062

  20th ANNIVERSARY
  How much terror is too much?

• The Zone of Interest

  Showtimes: www.thebeverlytheater.com/shows-details?id=375326

  NOMINATED FOR FIVE ACADEMY AWARDS

  Based on the true story, the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp. Nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Motion Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay and Sound.

• Jodorowsky's Dune

  Showtimes: www.thebeverlytheater.com/shows-details?id=375336

  Alejandro Jodorowsky's daring and psychedelic films of the early 1970's — EL TOPO and THE HOLY MOUNTAIN — cemented his status as the 'Godfather of the Midnight Movie'. Producers were ready to make any movie he wanted next. Jodorowsky said DUNE. For two years, Jodo and his team of 'Spiritual Warriors' worked night and day on the massive task of creating the fabulous world of DUNE. In order to secure the necessary Hollywood funding, they created over 3,000 storyboards, numerous paintings, incredible costumes, and an outrageous, moving, and powerful screenplay. But no studio would take the risk.

• A Fistful of Dollars

  Showtimes: www.thebeverlytheater.com/shows-details?id=375340

  4K RESTORATION

  San Miguel is a one horse town that’s being pulled apart by two rival families. Enter the Man with No Name: a laconic gunslinger for hire who drifts into town and, after learning of of the Baxter-Rojo feud, spots an opportunity. He plays the warring clans off against one another and turns their vendetta to his advantage - but the stranger's duplicity riles both families, and the vengeful Rojos decide to take drastic action.

• Medicine for Melancholy
• Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance
• Personal Velocity
• Angela

...plus 15 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

April 16 “Rewind & Play”
April 17 “Summer of Soul”
April 18 “White Riot”
April 19 “20,000 Days on Earth”
April 19 “Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World”
April 19 “What The Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears”
April 20 “Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.”
April 21 “Bad Reputation”
April 22 “This is Spinal Tap”

Single day and 7-day passes available

• Rewind & Play
• Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
• White Riot
• 20,000 Days on Earth
• What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears?
• Matangi / Maya / M.I.A.
• Bad Reputation
• This Is Spinal Tap
• Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World

• Blood Simple
• Fallen Leaves
• May December
• Space Is the Place
• Past Lives
• 2001: A Space Odyssey
• Fight Club
• Maestro
• Anatomy of a Fall
• Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made

...plus 18 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Anatomy of a Fall
• Orlando, My Political Biography
• Past Lives
• Priscilla
• Household Saints
• Groundhog Day
• I Heard It Through the Grapevine
• Donnie Darko
• Reservoir Dogs
• Love Jones

...plus 7 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

• Koyaanisqatsi
• Mystery Train
• The Tale
• Eraserhead
• Monty Python and the Holy Grail
• 48 Hrs.
• Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
• Farewell My Concubine
• The Birds
• Planes, Trains and Automobiles

...plus 25 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Saturday, March 2:⁣
3:00 pm Angela ⁣
5:00 pm Personal Velocity ⁣
7:00 pm She Came To Me ⁣
8:45 pm Rebecca Miller in Conversation moderated by Amanda Fortini⁣

• Personal Velocity
• Angela
• She Came to Me
• Maggie's Plan
• The Ballad of Jack and Rose

• I Heard It Through the Grapevine
• Boyz n the Hood
• Daughters of the Dust
• An Oversimplification of Her Beauty
• Buck and the Preacher
• Love Jones

Directed and co-written by four-time Academy Award® nominee Ethan Hawke, WILDCAT invites the audience to weave in and out of celebrated Southern Gothic writer Flannery O’Connor's mind as she ponders the great questions of her writing: Can scandalous art still serve God? Does suffering precede all greatness? Can illness be a blessing? In 1950, Flannery (Maya Hawke) visits her mother Regina (Laura Linney) in Georgia when she is diagnosed with lupus at twenty-four years old. Struggling with the same disease that took her father’s life when she was a child and desperate to make her mark as a great writer, this crisis pitches her imagination into a feverish exploration of belief. As she dives deeper into her craft, the lines between reality, imagination, and faith begin to blur, allowing Flannery to ultimately come to peace with her situation and heal a strained relationship with her mother.

A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
“The inspiration for WILDCAT came many years ago, when my daughter, Maya, was trying to find an audition piece for Juilliard. She wanted something unique and instead of turning to Shakespeare or Chekov, she assembled a monologue from entries in O’Connor’s Prayer Journal, a personal diary Flannery had written in her youth. When Maya stood in the kitchen and performed it for our family, it blew us away. She was accepted to Juilliard and ever after it seemed Flannery served as a personal touchstone.
After the success of Stranger Things, Maya met with Joe Goodman, the rights holder to Flannery’s life & works, and wanted to hire my producing partner and wife Ryan and I to help her make a movie about Flannery O’Connor. My heart soared.

It presented us with a challenge: Is there a cinematic way to tell the story of Flannery O’Connor? Instead of trying to make a traditional cradle-to-grave biopic, I set out, with my writing partner Shelby Gaines, to use the work of Flannery O’Connor to explore the creative process as an act of “faith.” Once that came into focus, the form of the film came naturally. We would tell the story of Flannery’s lupus diagnosis—a period right before she generated her most notable works—and intercut it with vignettes of her short stories. The vignettes would be placed strategically, not as diversions from her life story, but as active explorations of the questions Flannery were asking herself.

The device of double-casting our actors allowed us to build that idea visually, blurring the lines between imagination and reality, while exploring different aspects of the central mother/daughter relationship.
In my experience, films about faith are large statements of belief—martyrdom, conversion, prophesy. There’s a lot less work about the smaller, quieter channels we can use to get in touch with the divine. Flannery O’Connor believed that devoting oneself to making art that is egoless and honest can be an act of piety. On this, I happen to agree with her emphatically.” -Ethan Hawke

In the misty forests of North America, a family of Sasquatches—possibly the last of their enigmatic kind— embark on an absurdist, epic, hilarious, and ultimately poignant journey over the course of one year. These shaggy and noble giants fight for survival as they find themselves on a collision course with the ever-changing world around them. Starring Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg, acclaimed directors David and Nathan Zellner (Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter) bring you the greatest Bigfoot story ever told.
Co-directors and brothers David and Nathan Zellner’s fascination with the Sasquatch long predates this one-of-a-kind feature film. It began in childhood and was fostered by their love of the TV series InSearchof…(1977 to 1982). Hosted by Leonard Nimoy, the show was all about strange phenomena, from UFOs to the Loch Ness monster. “Bigfoot was the one that I remember being the most obsessed with, because of that footage, the Patterson–Gimlin film,” says David.
Key to the success of Sasquatch Sunset was the design and construction of the perfect Sasquatch costume. Knudsen had worked with visual effects artist Steve Newburn (Beau Is Afraid) on multiple projects and thought he’d be perfect for this film.
Says Nathan, “We had to have a conversation before approaching Newburn because this is not a big budget movie. We’d have to figure out a way to do this with good quality but also inexpensively. Luckily for us he really wanted to do a Bigfoot.”

“One of my all-time favorite movies is Harry and the Hendersons. But every Sasquatch I've ever seen has been a letdown to me,” says Newburn. Sasquatch Sunset was the perfect opportunity to create something memorable and distinct.
Campellone says, “Primates are the holy grail for FX makeup suit work in design, and Bigfoot in particular has a certain allure to it.”
Newburn’s team would be several departments—FX makeup, hair, and costume—all rolled into one. He understood the challenge inherent in the film: “Working with this cast on a film with no human roles and dialogue, I thought, oh this is really interesting. No one's ever quite done a Sasquatch like this before. The high bar, to me, was always Harry and the Hendersons—but that was a full mechanical head, and we were trying to do this with makeup, without the mechanics.” That meant no puppeteers or radio-controlled servos to create the Sasquatches’ facial expressions. “Everything becomes about the acting performance and emoting through the prosthetics.”
Using the actors’ headshots for reference, Newburn’s team created Photoshop renderings of each character. He says, “We designed over the people's faces to get the spacing between their eyes and distances between nose and mouth and chin and everything to get the proper proportions of the actors.”
Each character design was tailored to fit the role. Nathan’s character was crafted to look every bit the angry, buffoonish brute, for example, whereas Keough’s character “has always got that resigned, thousand-yard stare,” he says.
To make the prosthetic appliances, the cast flew to Toronto to have life casts made. The molds are made from having toothpaste-like silicone smeared over their entire head and shoulders which is then wrapped in a layer of plaster bandages until it hardens. Molds were made of the hands and feet as well. The prosthetics created using the life casts as models and are limited to 3/16” thick. “Anything thicker than that and the actor’s facial movement can’t read through,” Newburn says.
The actors’ tolerance for the face-and-body-casting process varied. “The face mold was very frightening,” says Keough. “I almost had a panic attack. You can't move at all and it's very heavy and it's very frightening.”
Eisenberg says, “It's a terrifying experience if you're a little claustrophobic because there's a point at which you think you're going to die. You lose sound and you realize that people could have all just left the room and you would just be stuck here forever.”

Newburn’s team also creates a plaster full-body casts which are used as molds to make mannequins of the actors, for designing and constructing each actor’s prosthetics and costuming. The technology used to make the body suits, Newburn says, is still the tried-and-true foam latex that has been used since The Wizard of Oz. “It’s the most forgiving material and has the most leeway. It's the go-to for 99 out of 100 bodysuits,” he says.
“These suits were very custom fit,” says Nathan. “So, when you move there's a level of realism, especially on the face and the hands.”
“The design of the costumes is probably the most important step in the timeline,” says Campellone. “The creature design team worked under such an incredibly shortened window of time that we really didn't know how the Sasquatch suits were going to look until two days before we started shooting. That was very nerve-wracking, but also exciting.”
Newburn, “It's been one of my favorite projects I've ever done because it's so unusual.”

Everyone has their own Chimera, something they try to achieve but never manage to find. For the band of tombaroli, thieves of ancient grave goods and archaeological wonders, the Chimera means redemption from work and the dream of easy wealth. For Arthur, the Chimera looks like the woman he lost, Beniamina. To find her, Arthur challenges the invisible, searches everywhere, goes inside the earth – in search of the door to the afterlife of which myths speak. In an adventurous journey between the living and the dead, between forests and cities, between celebrations and solitudes, the intertwined destinies of these characters unfold, all in search of the Chimera.

An Underground World
“Where I grew up it was common to hear stories of secret finds, clandestine digs and mysterious adventures. You only had to stay at the bar until late at night or stop at a country inn to hear about so-and-so who’d uncovered a Villanovan tomb with his tractor, or someone else who, digging by the necropolis one night, had discovered a gold necklace so long it could go all the way round a house. Or someone else still who’d got rich in Switzerland with the sale of an Etruscan vase he’d found in his garden.

Stories of Skeletons and Ghosts, of Getaways and Darkness.
Life around me was made up of different parts: one solar and contemporary and busy, another nocturnal and mysterious and secret. There were many layers and we all experienced them: you only had to dig up a few centimeters of soil and the fragment of an artefact made by someone else’s hands would appear among the pebbles. What era was it looking at me from? You only had to go into the barns and wine cellars round about to realize that they had once been something else: Etruscan tombs, maybe, or shelters from bygone ages, or holy sites. The proximity of sacred and profane, of death and life, that characterized the years in which I was growing up has always fascinated me and given a measure to my way of seeing. This is why I decided at last to make a film that tells this layered story, this relationship between two worlds, the last part in a triptych about a local area whose attention is focused on one central question: what should it do with its past? As some grave-robbers say, down our way it’s the dead that give life.”

Poor Grave-robbers
“The Chimera is the story of the ups and downs of a gang of tombaroli, or grave-robbers, violators of Etruscan tombs and peddlers of antiques to local fences. It is set in the 1980s when anyone who decided to become a tombarolo – crossing the tacit dividing line between the sacred and the violable – did so to turn the past around, to become new, something else. The tombaroli were, unquestionably, strong, youthful – and damned.
They didn’t belong to the past and they weren’t the sons of their fathers, men who had grown up beside those ancient tombs without ever violating them. They were the sons of themselves. The world belonged to them: they could enter what were regarded as taboo places, smash vases and steal votive offerings, and sell them on. They considered them as nothing but museum pieces, old junk. No longer sacred objects.
The naivety of the people who had buried the stuff made them laugh.
Indeed, they wondered how it was actually possible for a people to leave all that wealth underground for souls… But never mind souls – they wanted to enjoy the gold themselves, and how!
The Etruscans dedicated their art, their craftsmanship and their resources to the invisible.
For the grave-robbers, the invisible simply didn’t exist.”
‍
Alice Rohrwacher was born in Fiesole and studied in Turin and Lisbon.She wrote and played music for the theatre before being drawn to cinema, where she began working as a documentary film editor. In 2011 she directed her first full-length film, Corpo Celeste (Heavenly Body) which was premiered at Cannes in the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, or Directors’ Fortnight, and screened at the Sundance, New York, London, Rio and Tokyo festivals. Her second film, Le Meraviglie (The Wonders) won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2014, while her third Lazzaro Felice (Happy As Lazarus, 2018), received the Best Screenplay award in Cannes, as well as great international acclaim. In 2015 she directed De Djess, a short in the Miu Miu Women’s Tale series. In 2016 she directed La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi at the Teatro Valli in Reggio Emilia. In 2020 she directed the third and fourth episodes in the acclaimed Rai-HBO TV series My Brilliant Friend – The Story of a New Name, adapted from the novels by Elena Ferrante. In 2021 she presented the documentary Futura, co-directed with Pietro Marcello and Francesco Munzi, at Cannes (Quinzaine). In 2023 she was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Live Action Shorts category for Le Pupille (The Pupils) co-produced by Alfonso Cuarón for Disney.
‍
To read more; https://lineup.the-match-factory.digital/cannes-23/la-chimera

In a career-defining performance, Alain Delon plays Jef Costello, a contract killer with samurai instincts. After carrying out a flawlessly planned hit, Jef finds himself caught between a persistent police investigator and a ruthless employer, and not even his armor of fedora and trench coat can protect him. An elegantly stylized masterpiece of cool by maverick director Jean-Pierre Melville, Le samouraï is a razor-sharp cocktail of 1940s American gangster cinema and 1960s French pop culture—with a liberal dose of Japanese lone-warrior mythology.

<h5>Production Prelude: Melville's Pursuit of Perfection</h5>
After shooting Le doulos (The Informant) in 1962, Jean-Pierre Melville set his sights on adapting another Pierre Lesou novel, Main pleine. For the lead character, he envisioned Alain Delon, who, over the past several years, had become one of France’s most talented young actors. But, with his career on the rise, Delon turned down Melville’s offer in anticipation of prestigious projects in the United States. Then, in 1966, following the success of Melville’s Le deuxième souffle (Second Wind), Delon contacted the director to see if they could finally work together. Melville pitched Lesou’s book once again, even though Michel Deville had adapted it two years before as Lucky Jo. Upon discovering that he couldn’t re-obtain the rights to the story, Melville mentioned an original script he had cowritten in 1963 with Delon in mind. (Scholar Ginette Vincendeau notes that while Melville’s script has been described as a remake of the 1942 American noir This Gun for Hire, and as an adaptation of Joan MacLeod’s novel The Ronin, the former only served as inspiration, while the latter looks to have never existed. That an apocryphal book would be credited as the basis for Melville’s film isn’t so unusual: the director was not averse to inventing fictitious sources for his work, such as a quote allegedly from the Bushido featured in the opening credits of Le samouraï.)

<h5>An Epiphany in Silence: Melville and Delon's Fateful Connection</h5>
In a book-length interview with scholar Rui Nogueira, the director describes the epiphanic moment when he read the screenplay aloud in Delon’s apartment: “With his elbows on his knees and his face buried in his hands, Alain listened without moving until suddenly, looking up to glance at his watch, he stopped me: ‘You’ve been reading the script for seven and a half minutes now and there hasn’t been a word of dialogue. That’s good enough for me. I’ll do the film. What’s the title?’ ‘Le samouraï,’ I told him. Without a word, he signed to me to follow him. He led me to his bedroom: all it contained was a leather couch and a samurai’s lance, sword, and dagger.” The pair’s immediate connection would fuel two more films—Le cercle rouge (The Red Circle, 1970) and Un flic (A Cop, 1972)—as well as a father-son relationship that would endure until Meville’s untimely death in 1973.

<h5>Iconic Roles and Cinematic Allegories: The Legacy of Jef Costello</h5>
Jef Costello, the protagonist of Le samouraï, would become one of the defining roles in Delon’s storied filmography. The preternaturally cool, Zen actor (Melville once stated that “there was something Japanese about” Delon, according to Vincendeau) epitomizes the enigmatic solitude and laconic impassivity of a hired killer whose exacting methods verge on the ritualistic and whose warrior’s code sets him apart from the modern world. But the character also serves as a metaphorical stand-in for Melville himself, a rigorous iconoclast within the French film industry who confessed to Nogueira that “artistic creation, especially in the cinema, demands an exemplary life to compensate for the craziness and disorder it entails . . . Undue disorder in one’s daily life excludes all possibility of creativity.”

<h5>From Ashes to Art: Melville's Tragic Triumph</h5>
At the beginning of his career, Melville became an independent filmmaker after his application for an assistant director’s certificate was rejected; later, to exert control over all aspects of his work, Melville built Studio Jenner in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. Sadly as well as symbolically, the studio burned to the ground on June 29, 1967, during the shooting of Le samouraï. The conflagration not only destroyed Melville’s archives but also took the life of the film’s female bullfinch, Jef’s sole friend and an emblem of the assassin’s simultaneous individualism and entrapment. Standing in the ashes of the miniature empire he had forged with his own blood, sweat, and tears, Melville was forced to complete the project at Studios de Saint-Maurice.

<h5>Heartbreak and Farewells: The Tragic Realities of Film</h5>
Such tragic events dogged the production of Le samouraï. Melville cast Delon’s wife, Nathalie, in her debut screen role, as Jef’s girlfriend Jane Lagrange, because the director thought they looked “like brother and sister.” In their final scene together, Costello kisses Jane’s hair as he closes his eyes, a gesture intended to express the killer’s wordless farewell to his lover, but Melville later said the actors seemed to be “saying goodbye for real.” Indeed, that same evening, husband and wife agreed to separate. Another authentic au revoir was given by André Garet, who appears as Roger the safecracker in Melville’s Bob le flambeur (Bob the Gambler, 1956) and in this film as the garage mechanic who helps Costello to swap the license plates on his stolen cars. “Although he was very ill,” Melville told Nogueira, Garet “agreed to do this small part in Le samouraï to please me. After the shooting was finished, he just had time to dub himself before going into hospital to die. When he says, ‘I warn you, Jef, it’s the last time,’ he knew he was dying. Delon learned of his death the day he came to record his reply to this line, and his ‘All right’ is spoken like a farewell.”

<h5>The Shades of Fate: Melville's Cinematic Palette</h5>
Le samouraï’s reflection of real-life loss and mortality is fitting, considering the melancholic fatalism that suffuses Melville’s work, which frequently revolves around men who become resigned to death. In this sense, Le samouraï is “Melville’s purest film,” to quote Nogueira, since fatalism oozes from every frame. Nowhere is this more effective than in the film’s bleakly monochromatic palette. “I wanted very cold colors for Le samouraï,” Melville explained. “With this in mind, I carried out a series of conclusive experiments . . . My dream is to make a color film in black and white, in which there is only one tiny detail to remind us that we really are watching a film in color.” For the stunning, three-minute opening shot—which shows Costello in bed, smoking listlessly within his tomblike apartment—Melville and his longtime cinematographer Henri Decaë refuse even that “one tiny detail” of color that might otherwise offer respite from the steel-gray world’s pervasive isolation and entropy. In fact, Melville went so far in desaturating his film’s table-setting scene that he photocopied paper currency into black-and-white facsimiles for Delon to handle while his character prepares for a job.

<h5>Innovations in Disorder: Melville's Cinematic Techniques</h5>
Also crucial to the opening shot’s efficacy is Melville’s use of the dolly zoom, first realized by filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock and cameraman Irmin Roberts on the set of Vertigo (1958). Melville put his own spin on this trick, in which the camera moves backward while a zoom lens magnifies the depth of field: “Instead of simply resorting to the now almost classical technique of a track back compensated by a zoom lens magnifies the depth of field: “Instead of simply resorting to the now almost classical technique of a track back compensated by a zoom forward, I used the same movement but with stops. By stopping the track but continuing the zoom, then starting the track again, and so on, I created an elastic rather than classical sense of dilation—so as to express . . . disorder more precisely. Everything moves, but at the same time, everything stays where it is.”

<h5>The Dichotomy of Endings: Deciphering Jef Costello's Fate</h5>
Legendary for his perfectionism, Melville nevertheless filmed two different endings for Le samouraï and did not decide which one to use until the editing process. In the first, which was part of the original script, Costello dies with a smile on his face after having committed “suicide by cop” in order to prevent himself from killing Valérie (Cathy Rosier), the beautiful pianist who becomes a target when she witnesses Jef leaving the scene of another murder. The smile suggests that Jef’s act of self-sacrifice—undertaken because he has fallen in love with her—allows the hit man to become truly human for the first time, though only at the moment of his death. The second version depicts Jef dying with the same expressionless countenance he has worn throughout the narrative—despite performing a noble deed, Jef remains an inscrutable samurai to the bitter end. Melville opted for the latter, though a production still in which Jef smiles appears frequently, as in Nogueira’s book. The scholar suggests that Melville made his choice because, in another recent film, Delon’s character had died with a grin on his face.

<h5>Critics and Controversy: The Reception of 'Le samouraï'</h5>
Le samouraï performed extremely well (with 1.9 million tickets sold) upon its release in France on October 25, 1967, cementing Melville’s box-office appeal. But, as Vincendeau points out, the film divided the French press: mainstream reviewers praised Melville’s latest, masterly take on the crime genre, while increasingly political critics (e.g., those writing for Positif and Cahiers du cinéma) denounced it as empty escapism, which seemed to distance the director’s work from the concerns of the average moviegoer. Melville had always admitted that his films were stylized, near-surreal renderings of American noir and gangster pictures, and these inspirations were bizarrely flipped back onto Le samouraï when it debuted in the United States as The Godson (1972), the title changed (and its dialogue English-dubbed) so that it could ride the coattails of The Godfather. Ironically, Le samouraï’s atmospheric abstraction of noir and gangster-movie iconography has proved as influential as anything from Francis Ford Coppola’s juggernaut. In fact, its detachment from the realities of 1967 France—its function as a crime-drama archetype, rather than as a naturalistic narrative with specific sociological insights—has granted Le samouraï a cross-cultural resonance among an impressive roster of top-tier international filmmakers, who have adapted it to varying degrees: Walter Hill (The Driver, 1978), John Woo (The Killer, 1989), Luc Besson (Léon: The Professional, 1994), Jim Jarmusch (Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, 1999), and David Fincher (The Killer, 2023).

<h5>Eternal Legends: The Enduring Impact of 'Le Samouraï'</h5>
Almost six decades on, Melville’s meticulous direction and Delon’s eerily poignant performance have not only sustained Le samouraï’s cinematic legacy but also its universality, transcending cinema and touching the realm of myth.

Explore more about the making of "Le samouraï" in the original 
press notes

About Dry Grasses, nestled away in wintry East Anatolia, public-school art teacher Samet (Deniz Celiloğlu) yearns to leave the sleepy village for cosmopolitan Istanbul. Further disenchanted when he and Kenan (Musab Ekici), a colleague, come under public scrutiny, Samet fears circumstances will keep him in Anatolia and his dreams of a new life permanently out of reach. A silver lining is a budding relationship with Nuray (Merve Dizdar), a fellow teacher and firebrand who develops connections with both Samet and Kenan, forcing Samet to confront what he can't readily accept. Renowned for his nuanced, visually ravishing imagery, award-winning director Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Winter Sleep) capstones the film with one of his greatest sequences, a dazzling meta cinematic climax featuring an entrancing performance from Dizdar, who took home Best Actress at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

“What has driven me to form a narrative through the experiences of an art teacher in the midst of his compulsory service in Turkey’s Eastern Anatolian region was mainly the idea that such a subject could present a rich motley of situations and events that could provide room for discussions on basic concepts that, in our country, continuously confront us as the principal dichotomies, like good versus evil, and individualism versus collectivism.

Through this art teacher, who is under the impression that he is nearing the end of his compulsory service in a remote district in Eastern Anatolia and has been consoling himself for years with dreams of being transferred to Istanbul, we have tried not only to take a look at the differences between the roles of the host and the guest, the inner effects of feelings of alienation, of removal from the center and of existence on the fringes, but also to brush upon and interpret the struggles of the region’s residents and the dynamics of the geographic, ethnic or social fabric around them.

Although the possibility to love one another is ever-present, prejudices, putting up walls, past political traumas, and the urge to make those closest to pay for one’s mistakes push wilted souls ever further into isolation. In geographies where there is a despondency in every face, a weariness in every gait, and a bitter note in every voice echoing in the cold, the imprints of ‘fate’ become prominent.

We wanted to impart the gradual decline of the personal volitions of civil servants and teachers sent at an early age to the East, where they often start their assignments with an idealist vitality, the discrepancies between harangues and reality, how ideals can in time turn into disappointments, the burden of occupying a point in time, as well as the feeling of nothingness impossible to shake, despite the innate dynamism of drifting.

As one senses the anguish seated within a land and the nature, one feels the need to re-evaluate the concepts of right, wrong, failure and innocence from scratch. In the setting of a remote region rendered mute by historical imperatives, we have tried to convey the dry and bland flavor of the affairs developed in the course of compulsory services, the immutable insistence of the fate of the teaching profession on only barely getting by, and the relationship between high and pure ideals and the brutal ruthlessness of harsh reality.” -Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Nuri Bilge Ceylan was born in Istanbul on January 26, 1959. In 1976, he started studying chemical engineering at the Istanbul Technical University, in a context of strong student, social, and political unrest. In 1978, he continued with a degree in electrical engineering at the University of the Bosphorus. There he developed a strong interest in photography and joined the university’s photography club. It is also there that he nourishes his taste for visual arts and classical music, thanks to the vast library resources of the faculty. He began taking film classes and attending film club screenings, which reinforced his love of cinema, born years earlier in the darkened halls of the Istanbul Cinematheque.
After graduating in 1985, he travels to London and Kathmandu, and takes the opportunity to reflect on his future. He returned to Turkey to do his military service for 18 months. It is at this time that he decides to dedicate his life to cinema.
 
After his service, he studied cinema at Mimar Sinan University, while becoming a professional photographer to earn a living. After 2 years, he abandons his university studies to go into practice. He started acting in a short film directed by his friend Mehmet Eryilmaz, while participating in the technical process of making it.
 
At the end of 1993, he started shooting his first short film, KOZA. The film was screened in Cannes in May 1995 and became the first Turkish short film selected for the Cannes Film Festival.
 

On his first three feature films, KASABA (1997), CLOUDS OF MAY (1999), and UZAK (2003), Ceylan takes care of several technical jobs himself: image, sound design, editing, writing, directing, producing...

 
UZAK won the Grand Prix and the Best Actor Award for the two leads at Cannes in 2003, making Ceylan an internationally recognized director. Continuing his festival tour after Cannes, UZAK won no less than 47 awards, including 23 international ones, and thus became the most awarded film in the history of Turkish cinema.
 
His next films all won awards at Cannes. In 2006, CLIMATES won the FIPRESCI International Critics’ Award, in 2008 THREE MONKEYS won the Best Director Award and in 2011 ONCE UPON A TIME IN ANATOLIA won the Grand Prix again.
 
In 2014, his seventh feature film WINTER SLEEP won the Palme d’Or and the FIPRESCI International Press Award.
 
With THE WILD PEAR TREE, in 2018, he returned to the Official Selection in Competition at the Cannes Film Festival.

Bring 2023 to a climactic ending with a special screening of “When Harry Met Sally” at The Beverly. Each $35 ticket includes a concessions package and post-show charcuterie paired with city views, live jazz, and a champagne toast at Segue to ring in the new year.
Widely considered the perfect New Year's Eve movie for its time-spanning narrative, themes of friendship and romance, reflection and resolutions, and iconic New Year’s Eve scenes, “When Harry Met Sally” is a timeless classic.
The screening starts at 9.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, followed by light bites and charcuterie, live jazz, and a champagne toast at midnight upstairs at the Segue terrace.

“This is our inaugural NYE in Vegas but unlike most happenings, we wanted to break away from overpriced opulence and create a value-packed experience for our fans,” said Kip Kelly. “The solution is an iconic New Year's film paired with live entertainment, concessions, charcuterie, and champagne. Can you see the fireworks from The Beverly Theater? Who knows, but we’ll find out together.”

Bella Abzug, the real deal, fought for women's rights, opposed the Vietnam War and even made Congress her playground. Don't miss "Bella!" – the documentary capturing her unfiltered legacy. It's not your average political drama; it's Bella's no-nonsense journey. For a quick tour of her extraordinary life, check out the facts about Bella Abzug below.

At age 50, Bella Abzug Mounted Her Successful First Run for Congress

“This woman’s place is in the House ... the House of Representatives.” That slogan propelled Abzug to victory in a Manhattan congressional district in 1970. She served three terms and co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus with Gloria Steinem and Shirley Chisholm. Abzug also fought for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which remains unratified today. 

Lobbied to Get the U.S. Out of the Vietnam War

On her first day in Congress in 1971, Abzug proposed a resolution to pull U.S. troops out of Vietnam. Later that year, the longtime peace activist pressured Richard Nixon’s administration to release the entire classified Pentagon Papers about the Vietnam War. Before the war ended in 1975, she visited the region with colleagues and argued against continued U.S. military aid. 

On Richard Nixon’s “Enemies List”

When Abzug first met Nixon at a White House reception, she slammed his Vietnam policy, saying, “Your predecessors didn’t do very well, but you’re doing worse.” Chuck Colson, Nixon’s special counsel, put her on an “enemies list” with nearly 600 names. After Watergate, the Republican president was impeached and resigned in 1974.

Chaired the First National Women’s Conference

Jimmy Carter appointed Abzug to run the landmark conference in Houston, Texas. Vigorously opposed by Phyllis Schlafly, it attracted more than 20,000 delegates from across America, including Maya Angelou, Billie Jean King, and three First Ladies. Sessions focused on the ERA, domestic violence, and education reform, among other issues. 

Advocated for Women’s Rights Worldwide

In the 1980s and 1990s, Abzug agitated for reproductive rights and environmental conservation at United Nations conferences from Nairobi to Rio. The co-founder of the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) spoke at the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing, where Hillary Clinton stated, “Women’s rights are human rights.” 
From the stage to the screen, Bella Abzug's legacy lives on through the 2023 documentary "Bella!" now screening at The Beverly. Catch showtimes and prepare to be inspired.

To inspire more:
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/626307/bella-abzug-politician-facts

https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/bella-abzug 
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In the dimly lit corridors of cinematic history, we find a recurring lightning bolt of creativity. From Mary Shelley's classic "Frankenstein" to its iconic film adaptations, the story has endured. It gave life to Boris Karloff's monster in 1931's "Frankenstein," breathed electric life into Elsa Lanchester's Bride in 1935's "Bride of Frankenstein," and sparked laughter in Mel Brooks' 1974 parody, "Young Frankenstein." These films are not just entertainment; they're sparks of inspiration and moral reflection, reminding us of the consequences of playing God on the silver screen.

FRANKENSTEIN (1931)

The author—who was just 18 when she wrote ‘Frankenstein’—wove together a terrifying dream and real-life science to create what is now considered the first science fiction novel.

Frankenstein was written by a Teenager

Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin’s teenage years were eventful, to say the least. The future Mary Shelley ran away at age 16 with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and over the next two years, she gave birth to two children. In 1816, the couple traveled to Switzerland and visited Lord Byron at Villa Diodati. While there, 18-year-old Mary started Frankenstein. It was published in 1818, when she was 20 years old.
With Frankenstein, Shelley was writing the first major science fiction novel, as well as inventing the concept of the “mad scientist” and helping establish what would become horror fiction. The influence of the book in popular culture is so huge that the term Frankenstein has entered common speech to mean something unnatural and horrendous.
‍

Dracula’s Lugosi was going to be the Monster‍

Bela Lugosi was offered the role of the monster, but refused on the grounds that his character would not speak (though he eventually played the role in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man.) Lugosi also insisted on creating his own makeup for the Monster, but his design was rejected. According to film historian Richard J. Anobile, Lugosi was originally offered the role of Dr. Frankenstein by the original director Robert Florey, but Carl Laemmle insisted that Lugosi play the monster. Test footage of Lugosi in Monster make-up was filmed by Florey on the set of Dracula. Soon after, Florey was replaced by James Whale as director, and Lugosi was replaced by Karloff.

Thomas Edison adapted Frankenstein for Film

In 1910, Thomas Edison’s studio made a one-reel, 15-minute film of Frankenstein, one of the first horror movies ever made. It was thought lost until it was rediscovered in the 1980s. Today, it has made its way to YouTube; you can watch it below. 
Watch now‍
A version of this story ran in 2015; it has been updated for 2023.
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BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)

‍Arguably one of the most popular horror sequels ever made, The Bride of Frankenstein has been cited as James Whale’s masterpiece, Boris Karloff’s finest hour, and the crown jewel of Universal’s monster series. Here’s what every movie buff should know about the 1935 classic. 
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At First, James Whale didn't want to do the Bride of Frankenstein

‍In 1931, Universal released what’s often viewed as the definitive film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff in a breakout performance, the movie was a colossal success. Critics at The New York Times praised it as one of the year’s greatest films. At the box office, Frankenstein exceeded all expectations—grossing an astounding $12 million against a $262,000 budget.
Naturally, Universal wasted no time in planning a sequel. Before 1931 came to a close, Robert Florey—who’d later write a short story that would become Universal's The Wolf Man—submitted a seven-page story outline for a follow-up movie called The New Adventures of Frankenstein: The Monster Lives. Although Florey’s ideas were flatly dismissed, Universal was determined to churn out a second film.
For his part, Whale believed that he was done with the franchise. “I squeezed the idea dry with the original picture and never want to work on it again,” he told a friend. Eventually, though, the auteur agreed to direct The Bride of Frankenstein on the condition that he be given a greater degree of creative control this time around. The studio agreed.

‍The Bride's Famous Hairdo was supported by a Wire Cage

Elsa Lanchester was double cast in this movie. During the prologue, she portrays a young Mary Shelley. Then, toward the climax, she makes an electrifying entrance as the intended bride of Frankenstein’s monster. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the creature is her wild, streaky coiffure. The look—which was inspired by the Egyptian queen Nefertiti—has become every bit as iconic as the widow’s peak that Bela Lugosi so confidently rocked as Count Dracula. Over the years, it has been duplicated in several horror-comedies, from The Rocky Horror Picture Show to Hotel Transylvania.
Lanchester’s unusual ‘do wasn’t a wig, by the way—her actual hair was used to create the look. “I had it lifted up from my face, all the way around; then they placed a cage on my head and combed my own hair over that cage. Then they put the gray-streak hairpieces in afterwards,” she explained in an interview.

‍Bride of Frankenstein was banned in Multiple Countries

With its high body count, religious imagery, and sexual undertones, The Bride of Frankenstein did not endear itself to certain viewers—or to certain governments, for that matter. The film was banned outright in Trinidad, Hungary, and Palestine. In China, censors insisted that four key scenes be cut from the movie before it could be legally shown within the country’s borders. Not to be outdone, the Swedish censorship board implemented a staggering 25 cuts, dramatically reducing Bride’s runtime.

It is Neil Gaiman's Favorite Horror Movie

This was the only entry in Universal's Frankenstein series to receive an Oscar nod. The Bride of Frankenstein received an Academy Award nomination for Best Sound Recording,
“It’s a lot of people’s favorite horror film," said bestselling author Neil Gaiman of The Bride of Frankenstein. "Dammit, it’s my favorite horror film.” In the above clip, Gaiman recalls staying up late as a boy to catch both Frankenstein and its 1935 sequel in a televised double-feature. What did he think? “Frankenstein was a huge disappointment to me,” Gaiman admitted, but he fell in love with the atmospheric Bride and remains a fan to this day. He is especially fond of the climax, which he cites as his favorite “two to three minutes of film, ever.” Another celebrity admirer is Guillermo del Toro, who, in a 2008 conversation with Rotten Tomatoes, ranked The Bride of Frankenstein as one of his top five films.‍ 

‍‍YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974)

Although Young Frankenstein incorporates elements of existing Frankenstein movies, screenwriters Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder cooked up an original Frankenstein story to parody the Mary Shelley classic.

Brooks' First Payment for Young Frankenstein was $57

Mel Brooks is typically the creative force behind all his movies, but Young Frankenstein was actually an idea born of Gene Wilder. While Wilder said he wanted Brooks to direct Young Frankenstein from the start, Brooks has told the story on multiple occasions, including in the official Young Frankenstein: The Story of the Making of the Film book, as noted by Newsweek, on how he first became involved and his first payment for his work.
Brooks and Wilder were working on the irreverent western Blazing Saddles when one day when they were not filming Brooks noticed Wilder writing on a legal pad and saw the title Young Frankenstein. Brooks asked his star what he was working on and Wilder gave him the pitch, saying that it would be his dream for Brooks to write the movie with him and then direct it. Brooks asked if Wilder had any money on him. When the star said he had $57, Brooks said, "It's a start,” and that he'd take it. The rest, as they say, is cinematic history.

Young Frankenstein Crew Tracked Down the Original Frankenstein Lab Equipment

As much as Young Frankenstein is a parody of its classic horror film namesake, Brooks and Wilder had great affection for the 1931 film and wanted to do right by it. This was why they pushed to make it in black and white, as well as having their production designer use Charles D. Hall’s original designs for Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein for the set.
As luck would have it, they would not need to recreate a few pieces of the iconic Frankenstein set. In a Los Angeles Times feature, it was revealed that Brooks and his crew were able to track down Kenneth Strickfaden, who created the original electrical equipment used in Frankenstein’s laboratory and still had them in a garage in Santa Monica.
Amazingly, after more than 40 years, when Strickfaden threw the switch, the equipment still worked as it had in the original movie.
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Brooks Perfectly Recreated the Filmmaking Techniques of the 1930s

Mel Brooks perfectly replicated the filmmaking techniques of the 1930s in homaging the era’s horror classics. The director shot the movie entirely in black-and-white and utilized ‘30s-style credits sequences and scene transitions like wipes, irises, and mid-movie fades to black. Long-time Brooks collaborator John Morris also composed an authentically old-time musical score for the movie.
Brooks’ recreation of the look of Universal Monsters movies is a more accurate homage to a bygone era of filmmaking than David Fincher’s Mank, which was designed to evoke Citizen Kane, but shot with a super-wide aspect ratio and lit like a modern color movie, not an old black-and-white movie.
These films, beyond their entertainment value, have been celebrated for their intellectual depth, challenging viewers to consider the ethical, philosophical, and moral implications of scientific innovation and human ambition. They have continued to be celebrated and analyzed by scholars and cinephiles for their contributions to the horror and science fiction genres, making them not only iconic but also intellectually stimulating cinematic works.

To explore more:
https://screenrant.com/young-frankenstein-best-universal-monster-movie-parody/#marty-feldman-s-iconic-portrayal-of-the-character-igor
https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2573686/young-frankenstein-behind-the-scenes-facts-about-the-mel-brooks-movie
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/85685/14-reanimated-facts-about-bride-frankenstein
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/60650/15-things-you-might-not-know-about-young-frankenstein
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/69171/10-monstrous-facts-about-frankenstein
https://www.classicmoviehub.com/facts-and-trivia/film/frankenstein-1931/page/1/

Explore the Dark Origins of "Head Cheese" just kidding -Explore the Dark Origins of 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre': A Twisted Hansel and Gretel Tale, Leatherface's Terrifying Truth, Title Evolution, and Debunking Myths.

It was Inspired by a Christmas Shopping Crowd

The inspirations for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre are surprisingly diverse, ranging from director and co-writer Tobe Hooper’s attempt to make a modern retelling of Hansel and Gretel to real-life Wisconsin murderer and corpse defiler Ed Gein. According to Hooper, though, the light bulb moment that really ignited the film came at a department store during the Christmas 1972 shopping rush.
"There were these big Christmas crowds, I was frustrated, and I found myself near a display rack of chainsaws. I just kind of zoned in on it,” Hooper told Texas Monthly. “I did a rack focus to the saws, and I thought, ‘I know a way I could get through this crowd really quickly.’ I went home, sat down, all the channels just tuned in, the zeitgeist blew through, and the whole damn story came to me in what seemed like about 30 seconds. The hitchhiker, the older brother at the gas station, the girl escaping twice, the dinner sequence, people out in the country out of gas.”
“I got this call from Tobe,” says Chainsaw’s co-writer Kim Henkel, “and he said he wanted to get together. I started going over to his house every evening and figuring out the story structure. Mainly we were working out a feel.” They kept the original idea of an updated Hansel and Gretel story, “only instead of being lured to a gingerbread cottage with gumdrops, it was a little more sinister.” To create the modern version of a witch who likes to cook and eat children, they studied the then-scant literature on real-life cannibals and serial killers.

‍The Terrifying Truth Behind a Horror Legend

Leatherface, the chainsaw-wielding maniac who would go down in history as one of horror cinema’s greatest villains, shows obvious Ed Gein influence thanks to his mask crafted from human skin, but Gein was not the character’s only precursor. The idea of a mask made of human skin actually came to Hooper far more directly, and creepily.
“Before I came up with the chainsaw,” Hooper said, “the story had trolls under a bridge. We changed that to the character who eventually became Leatherface. The idea actually came from a doctor I knew. I remembered that he’d once told me this story about how, when he was a pre-med student, the class was studying cadavers. And he went into the morgue and skinned a cadaver and made a mask for Halloween. We decided Leatherface would have a different human-skin mask to fit each of his moods.”

‍From 'Head Cheese' to 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre”

After inspiration struck, Hooper and co-writer Kim Henkel hammered out a script over several weeks and gave it the eerie title Head Cheese (named for the scene in which the hitchhiker details the process of how that particular pork product is made). Then it was changed to the menacing working title of Leatherface. It wasn’t until a week before shooting was set to begin that the eventual title arrived, suggested to Hooper and Henkel by Warren Skaaren, then head of the Texas Film Commission, who’d helped the project get financing.

Myth vs. Reality: The True Story

Though the real crimes of Ed Gein did influence Hooper and Henkel in their writing, the idea that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is itself based on a true story is something that grew out of the marketing of the film. The opening narration, which promised that “The film which you are about to see is an account of the tragedy which befell a group of five youths,” certainly helped that along, as did the original poster and its promise that “what happened is true!” Despite this clever aura, the tale of Leatherface and his deranged family is still a work of fiction, despite continued protestations from fans even decades later.
“I’ve had people say, ‘I knew the original Leatherface,’” Gunnar Hansen, who played the killer character, recalled.
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To read more about Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,
https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/they-came-they-sawed/

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/501843/20-terrifying-facts-about-texas-chainsaw-massacre

Zooming into "Midsommar," a modern horror masterpiece by Ari Aster, where the director's childhood fears, genuine phobias, and intricately woven storytelling combine to give us a truly chilling and humanly relatable cinematic experience.

Aster's Famous Head Trauma Close-Ups Come From Childhood Fear

Fans of movie director Ari Aster may have noticed a trend of seeing gruesome head trauma close-ups. In Hereditary, one of the most disturbing and shocking scenes depicted Charlie getting her head lopped off by a telephone pole when she stuck it out the window. In Midsommar, viewers see the aftermath of the ritual suicide scene and several grisly closeups of a smashed head. These Midsommar Easter eggs are actually rooted in Aster's own childhood fears. According to an article from Esquire, Aster likes to use images that terrorized him as a child. He also stated that he will never stop using gory head trauma shots in his movies.

Mark's Tick Phobia Is Aster's Real-Life Fear

More interesting Midsommar Easter eggs have further roots in Aster's real-life fears. In the film, Mark (Will Poulter) freaks out about ticks. Several of the other characters tease him about this, but it is based on Ari Aster's real-life fear of ticks. As previously mentioned, Aster loves to base elements of his stories on his own life. Some people cope with trauma and their fears by using them in their art, and Aster is definitely that type of person. He would also wear at least two pairs of socks while walking in places known for ticks to try and keep them from latching on to him.

Simon's Death Is Based On A Real Viking Ritual

Each character gets a shocking death in Midsommar, but Simon (Archie Madekwe) has by far the most brutal looking. Not many people may have understood what was going on during Simon's death scene. His body was shown flayed alive, his lungs extended like wings in an extremely visceral and gory way. The film only gives viewers a brief look. Adding to the list of Midsommar hidden details is that Simon's method of death was based on a real Norse execution ritual known as the Blood Eagle. It's made even more terrifying because Simon was alive while it happened and was still alive when Christian found him.

The Opening Tapestry Foreshadows Midsommar's Story

Midsommar opens with a decidedly creepy tapestry marking the changes between winter and summer. At first, it appears that the tapestry is depicting the passing of the seasons, with some viewers suggesting that Midsommar's deaths represent the four elements, featuring two scary faces marking the middle of winter and summer. However, upon closer inspection, characters from the film appear in each stage of the tapestry, acting out what they will do at various points. Before the plot has even begun, audiences are given Midsommar Easter eggs and a sense that everything has been pre-planned.

Midsommar's Lack Of Subtitles Was Deliberate

Although it's set in Sweden, most of Midsommar is in the English language. Some of the characters, however, do speak Swedish, but, interestingly, their lines are not subtitled. This is one of the deliberate Midsommar Easter eggs that serves to further isolate the Americans from their European hosts, but it also has an interesting effect on the audience. Viewers are made to feel as isolated as the main characters, and any hope audiences may have of gaining some knowledge about the hosts' suspicion grows is taken away by the lack of subtitles. Viewers are trapped, forced to watch the events unfold as they happen without any means of protecting themselves.

To read more about Ari Aster’s Midsommar 
click here

Screening of Nuclear Fallout Film Coming to Downtown; Titus to Speak
Rep. Dina Titus will attend a screening of the documentary “Downwind,” a film about nuclear fallout from nuclear detonations in Nevada, at the Beverly Theater next month.
Titus, who has supported legislation against nuclear weapons testing and compensation for downwinders, will make remarks on the film before the screening, co-director Mark Shapiro said.

The film explores the history of nuclear detonations at the Nevada Test Site (now Nevada National Security Site) 65 miles north of Las Vegas, and downwinders — people exposed to radiation from the blasts.

Late Review-Journal reporter Keith Rogers, who spent his career covering the test site, is featured in the film and helped the film’s directors connect with former test site workers for the project before his death in October 2022.

The screening, slated for Nov. 20, will include a panel discussion after the film with Shapiro, co-director Douglas Brian Miller and Ian Zabarte, principal man for the Western Bands of the Shoshone Nation, who is featured in the film.

For more information about the film, visit backlotdocs.com.

The Beverly Theater Presents The Wake: An Open Casket Viewing of Haunted Cinema Throughout October More than 40 Classic Halloween Titles

The spooky season is upon us. In a ghostly homage to the horror genre, The Beverly Theater presents, The Wake: An Open Casket Viewing of Haunted Cinema, throughout the month of October. Showcasing a handpicked selection of more than 40 classic horror movies that will send shivers down your spine and have you on the edge of your seat, The Beverly Theater has curated a collection of hair-raising titles with Las Vegas in mind. From the creaking floorboards of haunted mansions to the eerie silence of abandoned asylums to the failed ignition get-a-ways of hapless teens, The Beverly Theater will transport audiences to the thrilling and terrifying worlds of horror cinema's golden era. To sweeten the spooky cinematic journey, a rotating variety of food and drink specials will also be available.

Perfectly created for magical and scary movie moments, relish these masterfully curated horror gems on the big screen at The Beverly Theater with cutting-edge projection and sound systems that intensify every scream and gasp.

October 1-15

Ringu (1998)
Get Out (2017)
Stop Making Sense (1984)
Videodrome (1983)
A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014)
House (Hausu) (1977)
The Ring (2002)
Raw (2016)
Jennifer's Body (2009)
Scream (1996)
Viva Las Vegas (1964)
Ocean's 11 (2019)
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Nightmare on Elm Street 2 (1985)
Candyman (1992)
Tribulation 99 (1992)
The Shape of Water (2017)
Hereditary (2018)
Midsommar (2019)
Friday the 13th (1980)
Dracula (1931)
Dracula (Spanish version) (1931)
The Lure (2015)
Santo in the Wax Museum (1963)

October 15-31

The Lodge (2019)
Ganja and Hess (1973)
Ghosts of Goldfield (2007) – Fundraiser for local non-profit Unshakeable
The Hunger (1983)
Beetlejuice (1988)
Stunt Rock (1978)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Evil Dead 2 (1987)
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)
Frankenstein (1931)
The Shining (1980)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Suspiria (1977)
Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Harold and Maude (1971)
Phantasm with Director Q&A (1979)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

This thrilling cinematic journey promises to be a treat for cinephiles, horror enthusiasts, and all those seeking the perfect Halloween season experience.

Paying tribute to the city’s most heralded silver screen hero, The Beverly Theater presents Cage Free Weekend, a unique, no-charge retrospective of living Vegas legend and cinema icon Nicolas Cage ahead of his newest film, Sympathy for the Devil, filmed in Las Vegas and opening at The Beverly Theater.
Five of Cage's best works will be presented for free from Aug 10th - 12th, 2023 including the unforgettable classics: "Pig," "Vampire’s Kiss," "Leaving Las Vegas," "Moonstruck," and "Con Air."

"Honestly, he’s not returning our calls, so we had to think of another way to get his attention," said Kip Kelly, the visionary Founding Creative Director and CXO of The Beverly Theater. "We love all things Nicolas Cage and we’re pretty sure he’d love us too. We are a house built for Vegas and we know showcasing the brilliance of Las Vegas’ very own cinematic legend to help promote his new homegrown film is the right thing to do, regardless if Nic shows up - but tell him we saved him a seat!"

Las Vegas’ only indie film house, storytelling arena, and live music scene presents Monster Mondays Punch Card Promotion, Cinema Classics, New Releases, Summer Favorites, and More in July
It’s time to indulge in the ultimate summer movie experience at The Beverly Theater. July is a cinephile's paradise, offering an enticing mix of monster movies, summer blockbusters, new releases, nostalgic favorites, and timeless classics. With a curated lineup of unforgettable cinematic adventures, don’t miss out on the movie magic.

Monster Mondays in July – See All Four Get Movie Tickets Free
Become a ghoul in good standing with Monster Mondays in July at The Beverly Theater. Beginning Monday, July 10 with “Invasion of Astro Monster,” pick up your punch card and get it punched weekly while enjoying a ghoulish good time. See all four and get free movie tickets every Monday in August.

Monday, July 10 “Invasion of Astro Monster” (1965)
Monday, July 17 “Alien” (1979)
Monday, July 24 “The Babadook” (2014)
Monday, July 31 “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006)

Cinema Classics – “Midnight Cowboy”
Convinced of his irresistible appeal to women, Texas dishwasher Joe Buck (Jon Voight) quits his job and heads for New York City, thinking he'll latch on to some rich dowager. New York, however, is not as hospitable as he imagined, and Joe soon finds himself living in an abandoned building with a Dickensian layabout named Enrico "Ratso" Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman). The two form a rough alliance, and together they kick-start Joe's hustling career just as Ratso's health begins to deteriorate. Incredibly controversial upon its release, it was rated X and the filmmakers refused to make edits to change its rating - it went on to win Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Writing (by Waldo Salt). Not as shocking today but still as poetic and powerful. 
Also see the new documentary about the film and its times, playing at The Beverly: Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy.

July 6 – 11 “Midnight Cowboy”
July 6 – 13 “Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy”

Summer Cinema – Sizzling on Screen
Although the sunny summer weather may last only a few months, summer cinema lasts forever. Whether looking for an old favorite comedy, drama, or one of the top summer movies of all time, The Beverly Theater makes summer movies sizzle.

July 12  “Do The Right Thing”
July 13 – 14 “Jaws” (Just in time for Shark Week – See the movie that started it all.)
July 13 “Dazed and Confused”
July 19 “Three Amigos”
July 20 “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”

New Titles Make a Run at The Beverly Theater
The movie that started it all when it was screened during the grand opening of The Beverly Theater, “Past Lives” is a Korean romance film created by writer-director Celine Song, starring Greta Lee and Teo Yoo. Widely lauded as one of the best films of the year, the indie film is produced by Killer Films and A24 Films and centers on Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, who are wrested apart after Nora’s family emigrated from South Korea. Two decades later, they are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life.

July 14-20 “Past Lives”
Directed by Vadim Perelman, “Persian Lessons” is set in occupied France, 1942. Gilles (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart) is arrested by SS soldiers alongside other Jews and sent to a camp in Germany. En route to the camp, he narrowly avoids sudden execution by swearing to the guards that he is not Jewish, but Persian. This lie temporarily saves him, as one of the soldiers’ superior officers is “looking for a Persian,” and has promised additional rations to the soldier who delivers.

Jerzy Skolimowski 2022

With his first film in seven years, legendary director Jerzy Skolimowski (Deep End, Moonlighting) directs one of his most free and visually inventive films yet, following the travels of a nomadic gray donkey named EO. After being removed from the traveling circus, which is the only life he’s ever known, EO begins a trek across the Polish and Italian countryside, experiencing cruelty and kindness in equal measure, all the while observing the follies and triumphs of humankind. During his travels, EO is both helped and hindered by a cast of characters including a young Italian priest (Lorenzo Zurzolo), a Countess (Isabelle Huppert), and a rowdy Polish soccer team. Loosely inspired by Robert Bresson’s Au hasard Balthazar, and featuring immersive, stunning cinematography by Michal Dymek coupled with Pawel Mykietyn’s resonant score, Skolimowski’s film puts the viewer in the perspective of its four-legged protagonist. EO’s journey speaks to the world around us, an equine hero boldly pointing out societal ills, and serving as warning to the dangers of neglect and inaction, all while on a quest for freedom.

As early as the 1930s, certain theaters screened low-budget films at midnight, mainly as roadshow attractions. In the 1950s some local American television channels stuck genre films into late night slots in a move to enhance distribution of exploitation cinema, and which gave rise to the term “midnight movie”.

‍The Pioneering Era (1970s)

Skipping the 1960s, the legendary era of midnight movies took flight in the 1970s. Urban American art house theaters, especially in New York, became the epicenter for screening oddball, unorthodox films at midnight. The Elgin theater premiered Jodorowsky’s El Topo, followed by the success of Peter Bogdanovich’s Targets.

Drive-ins and Midnight Movies: A Cultural Shift

While midnight movie screenings are essentially a rite of passage now for modern-day film lovers, that wasn’t always the case. Prior to the late ‘60s, if you wanted to see a flick that had all the trappings of a future cult classic, your best bet was to head to the local drive-in. 
“Drive-in movies started as mom-and-pop operations,” Joe Bob Briggs, legendary film critic and host of The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs, explains. “They didn’t have the clout of the major studios, so they couldn’t get those big-budget movies in the ‘50s.”
Instead, according to Briggs, drive-in operators relied on “naughty movies” like those made by Roger Corman and American International Pictures to fill their lots. Focused on controversial themes like juvenile delinquency, sex, and rock n’ roll, these “wild youth-type” drive-in flicks were culturally taboo and ignored by mainstream critics, but they filled a certain void, too. 

The Counterculture Influence

Midnight movies were somewhat different, both in terms of how they developed and who they often appealed to. According to Briggs, the midnight movie experience only really got popular in the late ‘60s as an outgrowth of the hippie revolution. “In the early days of the midnight movie, it was kind of part of the drug culture, or at least, part of the counterculture,” he explains, citing underground flicks like Reefer Madness (1936)—which was rediscovered in the ‘70s, and which Briggs credits as the “first really successful midnight movie”—and El Topo (1970) as early examples. “[Reefer Madness] was hysterical, and it was still hysterical if you watched it when you were high,” he says. 

Characteristics of Midnight Movies

But as the popularity of midnight movies grew throughout the 1970s thanks to films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and Eraserhead (1977), audience tastes grew and changed as well. “ In general, the midnight movie had to be extremely quirky. It had to be so weird that it was almost one-of-a-kind. And it had to be a movie that was better when watched with a crowd—the crowd participation was a big part of that experience,” Briggs says. 

Lynch's Cinematic Dreamscape

A permanent fixture on the midnight movie circuit in the 1970s and ‘80s, Eraserhead taught generations of adventurous viewers that movies were capable of so much more than what ordinary audiences were used to. In the film, Lynch creates a haunting, industrial netherworld in which his happy-haired protagonist (Jack Nance) moves, a permanent mixture of befuddlement and fear playing out on his face as he confronts responsibility, love, loss, and death. 

The midnight movie circuit was what saved or brought a lot of films to the public. You know, the word Eraserhead was on a marquee of many, many theaters for years. Whether people saw the film or not, they’d see the name, and it just went into their collective consciousness. It was the most beautiful thing for independent cinema and art-house cinema, this idea of running films at midnight. It was really important for Eraserhead. Ben Barenholtz, they call him “the grandfather of the midnight film” — if it wasn’t for Ben, I don’t think Eraserhead would have been discovered at all. 

-David Lynch, Vulture Interview, 2014

Eraserhead (1977)

David Lynch's first feature is a dreamy, absurdist horror story staring JACK NANCE as Henry, a man whose simple life is turned on its head when his girlfriend announces she is pregnant. A series of dark events and encounters (including flapping bonsai roast chickens and a girl who lives in a radiator) help drive our hero into distress and darkness, evoking many images and moods that would be echoed in all of the directors' subsequent work, including all the quirky, comic undertones that he is known and loved for.
Grainy black and white film captures an inspired use of light and shade- making the best of the production's meager budget, and a droning, industrial soundtrack- that must be experienced at the cinema to be fully appreciated- all helped to render this film a highly influential cult classic. Do not miss this opportunity to catch this midnight movie as it was meant to be seen!

To learn more;

https://cubecinema.com/id/1196/

https://strasbourgfestival.com/midnight-movies-en/#:~:text=As%20early%20as%20the%201930s,the%20term%20%E2%80%9Cmidnight%20movie%E2%80%9D.
https://www.vulture.com/2014/09/david-lynch-interview-eraserhead-midnight-movies.html
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/joe-bob-briggs-midnight-movie-history
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John Waters’ gloriously grotesque, unavailable-for-decades second feature comes to theaters at long last, replete with all manner of depravity, from robbery to murder to one of cinema’s most memorably blasphemous moments. Made on a shoestring budget in Baltimore, with Waters taking on nearly every technical task, this gleeful mockery of the peace-and-love ethos of its era features the Cavalcade of Perversion, a traveling show put on by a troupe of misfits whose shocking proclivities are topped only by those of their leader: the glammer-than-glam, larger-than life Divine, who’s out for blood after discovering her lover’s affair.
Starring Waters’ beloved regular cast, the Dreamlanders (including David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, Mink Stole, Edith Massey, and Cookie Mueller), Multiple Maniacs is an anarchist masterwork from anartist who has doggedly tested the limits of taste for decades.

The following is excerpted from Shock Value: A Tasteful Book About Bad Taste by John Waters. © 1985 Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.
During the late sixties, I felt like a fish out of water. As the rest of my generation babbled about peace and love, I stood back, puzzled, and fantasized about the beginning of the Hate Generation. Woodstock was the last straw. Sitting in the mud with a bunch of naked hippies and their illegitimate children and listening to Joan Baez was hardly my idea of a good time. Violence was this generation’s sacrilege, so I wanted to make a film that would glorify carnage and mayhem for laughs.

I’ve always referred to Multiple Maniacs as my “celluloid atrocity.” Even though it’s technically primitive and the actors sometimes forget their lines, it’s still my favorite of all my films. I like its meanness and harsh documentary look, and for the first time the actors could spew forth the endless pages of dialogue I had written—lip-synched, at least.

I had made a whole new group of friends who played an important part in the making of Multiple Maniacs. Vincent Peranio, an art school dropout, had taken over a huge slum and turned it into the Hollywood Bakery, an insanely decorated commune filled with renegade artists. Vince was a decorating wizard and could turn any hovel into a well-designed the theatrical vision. We hooked up immediately, and he went to work on building Lobstora. He also introduced me to some great star material—Susan Lowe and Edith Massey.

Susan Lowe was an incredible sleazy artist’s model who could out drink any sailor and loved to embarrass her fellow models at art school by loudly farting while posing. When the cops raided Susan’s apartment in a marijuana bust, they were so horrified to see her pet iguana eating cockroaches in the corner that they called the papers, and she got some great coverage. I couldn’t help but be impressed by her whorish style and knew she’d make a great addition to any film. I was, and still am, shocked by Susan Lowe. She hung out at Pete’s Hotel, a local waterfront bar that catered to the flotsam of the wino bum set. During the making of the film, Pete’s Hotel became our hangout too. Drinks were twenty-five cents, and it seemed any sort of behavior was acceptable. The barmaid was an incredibly friendly chatterbox named Edith Massey, and she mothered all the freaks and seemed happy that our disruptive drinking was driving out the usual bum customers, who never tipped. Edith agreed to play herself in the film and went on to become one of my most popular stars.

Since the cast was still nervous about getting busted, we filmed all of Multiple Maniacs on private property. Once again, the Dreamland lot (my parents’ front lawn) was utilized, and we set up the tents for the Cavalcade of Perversion. My parents’ neighbors strained through binoculars to see us film the different “acts”—a girl sniffing and licking a bicycle seat, a pornographer snapping the crotch of a drunken model, two actual “queers” kissing each other like lovers on the lips, and my favorite, the puke eater—a bushy haired young gentleman who spit creamed corn into a bucket and then gobbled it back up.
The murder and lobster-rape scenes were all done in my apartment, or Dreamland Studios. Divine really proved herself a trouper in the scene where she stabs her boyfriend, rips open his chest, and starts to eat his heart. She never even balked as she chewed the old cow’s heart that had gone rotten from being left out on set all day.

The biggest location problem was finding a church that would allow us to film the rosary job. A friend told me of a priest who might let us, since he had allowed various so-called subversive political groups to use the church’s facilities for meetings. I called him and asked if I could film, and he said yes without inquiring as to the content of the scene. Once we arrived at the church and set up the equipment, a radical friend kept him out of the way by engaging him in political discussion, and I got the simulated shot of Mink inserting a rosary into one of Divine’s “most private parts.” Just for added sacrilegious shock value, I added a shot of an actor shooting up on the altar and later spliced in shots of the cast doing mock stations of the cross, complete with a gory crucifixion.

Multiple Maniacs really helped me to flush Catholicism out of my system, but I don’t think you can ever really lose it completely. I even tried going to Communion with the cast, stoned out of my mind, in a real church on Easter Sunday. Mink wore her religious whore outfit from the film and clutched rosaries and beat her chest in loud prayer, as kids elbowed their parents and whispered, “Look! Mommy! Look at that lady!” As our motley group filed up to the Communion rail in our Easter worst, the entire congregation could see one actor’s ass, since he had a large hole ripped in the back of his pants. The priest’s face turned scarlet, but he had no choice but to pop the Communion wafer into our mouths as our turns came. Being Catholic always makes you more theatrical.

When Eddie Murphy became famous, it happened with the sureness and speed of one of his lightning standup routines. He was only 19 when he rang Saturday Night Live talent coordinator Neil Levy to plead for a slot on the TV show that has created more comedy superstars than any other. That was September 1980. A mere 20 months (about 1 and a half years) later, he would be shooting his first film, 48 Hrs., and sharing the lead with Nick Nolte.

48 Hrs. (1982) pairs the smooth-talking comedian alongside grumpy ole Nolte, resulting in a surprisingly dark and gritty buddy dramedy. Director Walter Hill pulls out all the stops and leans into the grime and grit of 1980s San Francisco with relish. At the same time, his two leads demonstrate a natural chemistry that raises their relationship beyond the usual odd couple tropes. 
But perhaps one shouldn’t be surprised that Murphy’s prodigious talent would send him to the heights of global cinematic stardom. After all, the supremely confident SNL cast member had been telling school classmates he would be famous, before deciding he would be a comedian, aged 15, after hearing a Richard Pryor live album. 
Murphy has made a few brilliant films since the peak of his popularity – Bowfinger (1999) and Shrek (2001) in particular – but the hugely influential Brooklyn-born comic made the 80s his own.

With a winning formula quickly established, it was clear that Trading Places (1983) would become a sophomore hit for Murphy when it landed at the US box office in June 1983. Murphy again co-leads alongside a self-regarding white male (Dan Aykroyd, brilliantly smug) who becomes his friend, and once again there’s winning chemistry and much amusement to be had with the friction between the pair. If the film’s blacking up, gratuitous female nudity, and occasionally homophobic dialogue date proceedings somewhat, there doesn’t appear to be malice in John Landis’s hilarious reworking of The Prince and the Pauper – even if it does look sketchy by modern standards. Sharing the screen with a host of greats, including Denholm Elliott and Jamie Lee Curtis, Murphy’s performance, which includes a fine prison cell karate scene and perhaps the best look-to-camera in 80s cinema, was Golden Globe-nominated. 

Streetwise Detroit cop Axel Foley was his first lead role and remains his most famous character; Beverly Hills Cop (1984) may even be his best film. It’s a fine fish-out-of-water romp full of ace wisecracks, incompetent and uptight Cali cops (John Ashton and Judge Reinhold), and a sleek, none-more-80s synth score from Harold Faltermeyer. Steven Berkoff is in fine form as a nefarious art gallery owner, and Gilbert R. Hill’s Inspector Todd may just be the best angry cop on the big screen. His incandescent locker room exchange with Foley and the more circumspect scene where he orders the latter to attend the hospital make the film worth watching by themselves. 
Released in December, Beverly Hills Cop would become the highest-grossing film of 1984. From its magnificent opening action sequence to Bronson Pinchot’s inspired Serge and Harold Faltermeyer’s terrific synth-heavy score, everything about Beverly Hills Cop works.

Another Murphy standup film, delighting critics and doing brisk business at the box office. It’s still the biggest-grossing standup film to have been released on the big screen. 
Coming to America (1988) saw Murphy use his production company to hire Trading Places director John Landis, after the latter had a string of flops (the pair reputedly fell out on set but would reunite on Beverly Hills Cop III in 1994). This time, aside from having the power to choose his director, Murphy had full story credit, and played the lead and three other roles. Although the film is a bit too schmaltzy for its own good, there are still many belly laughs to be had in the hilarious antics of a fictional African prince who journeys to Queens, New York, to find a bride. 
The largely black support is also packed to the gills with top actors and about-to-be superstars, with James Earl Jones, Madge Sinclair, Arsenio Hall, Eriq La Salle, and Samuel L. Jackson all providing memorable support. Beyond that, there are moments of invention as good as anything in Murphy’s career: the Soul Glo commercial (sung by Murphy, obvs) and Randy Watson’s performance with his band Sexual Chocolate in particular.

<h4>This is the 19Eddie's, a salute to Eddie Murphy, his decade of dominance, and one of the most underrated blockbuster runs of all time.</h4>

To learn more; 
https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/features/1260392-best-eddie-murphy-80s-movies-ranked-from-48-hrs-to-trading-places
https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/eddie-murphy-1980s  

Purple Rain, the semi-autobiographical and prophetic story of a musician’s rise to superstardom, opened on July 27, 1984. One month later, Prince Roger Nelson became the first artist to ever have the top movie, album, and single at the same time. Dig if you will these purified facts about the musical 1980s cult classic.

1. Its Original Title Was Dreams

William Blinn, executive producer of the TV series Fame, wrote the first draft of the script. He finished on May 23, 1983 in order to get back to the set in time for Fame's third season.

2. The Director Told Prince He Thought The First Script Sucked

Albert Magnoli met Prince, one of his two managers, and his bodyguard for an early morning dinner—then shocked Prince by telling him what he really thought of Blinn’s script. After Magnoli told him his vision for the movie, and just the two of them went for a late-night drive where Magnoli felt his life was possibly in danger, Prince agreed to let the USC film school grad write and direct his first full-length picture.

3. Prince's Girlfriend Vanity Was Set to Play His Love Interest

But she dropped out a month before filming to play Mary Magdalene in Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ. Scorsese’s biblical flick got delayed because of financing, and Vanity's part in the production was eventually scrapped.

4. Jennifer Beals Turned Down Playing Apollonia

The Flashdance actress opted to go to Yale instead (she graduated in 1987). Gina Gershon auditioned, but the role went to young actress Apollonia Kotero.

5. The Cast Was Enrolled in Dance and Acting Classes

The Minnesota Dance Theatre welcomed the cast, mostly made up of the band members of The Revolution and Morris Day and the Time. They were enrolled by Prince mostly to get them in shape. After some people complained about exercising to Jane Fonda videos and making jazz hands, Prince eventually stopped making attendance mandatory.

6. First Avenue & 7th St Entry Was Paid $100,000 to Stay Closed for 25 Days

The movie's producers paid $100,000 to close down the legendary Minneapolis music club from November 26 through December 20, 1983, in order to shoot the film's many musical performances. They ended up wrapping the location in just one week.

7. Prince Gave Magnoli 100 Songs to Choose From for the Film

The director's decision to include “When Doves Cry” was questioned by Prince’s manager, Rob Cavallo, who didn’t think it would be a hit because it didn’t have a bass line. “Purple Rain” wasn’t even one of the 100 songs; Magnoli heard it live at First Avenue and loved it immediately.

8. Prince Insisted That Apollonia Break Up with David Lee Roth

He didn’t want his co-star to be known for dating someone famous, and made her promise to not date anyone publicly while promoting Purple Rain. She also had to eat only what he ate.

9. Apollonia Suffered From Hypothermia After She Went Into The Lake

The scene where The Kid tells Apollonia to purify herself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka (omitting the part that the body of water in front of them was not Lake Minnetonka) was shot at the north shore of Minneapolis’ Cedar Lake, on the second day of November. She managed to dive in four times before feeling “delirious” and needing medical attention. They finished shooting that scene weeks later in sunny California.

10. Part of The Movie Came From Prince's Childhood

The Kid’s father telling his son to never get married came from an actual conversation Prince had with his own dad.

11. The Sex Scene Was Shot Three Different Ways

When The Kid and Apollonia have sex in his bedroom, the cast and crew shot it with three different MPAA ratings in mind. The R-rated version was kept in.

12. Prince Rewrote Some of The Script Himself

At times during filming, Prince would claim that the dialogue wasn’t “popping” enough then sit on the floor and rewrite it.

13. Prince's Bandmates Were a Couple During Filming

Revolution guitarist Wendy Melvoin and keyboardist Lisa Coleman kept their relationship private, and stayed together for 20 years.

14. Prince and Morris Day Got Into a Fight On Set

The high school friends went at it, according to the Time drummer Jellybean Johnson.

15. Warner Bros. Originally Thought They Had a Dud

After studio executives first screened the movie, they thought it was a mess and not commercial enough to be shown in more than 200 theaters. A desperate Rob Cavallo tipped off three movie critics to a secret San Diego screening. When those critics from Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles Times, and Newsweek all wrote glowing reviews of Purple Rain, Warner Bros. decided to put it on 900 screens nationwide. It made $68.4 million at the box office—$61 million more than its meager $7 million budget.

To learn more:

www.mentalfloss.com/article/66648/16-fascinating-facts-about-purple-rain

www.thefader.com/2017/04/21/morris-day-prince-interview

Alfred Hitchcock, the maestro of cinema, left an indelible mark on the art of filmmaking with his unparalleled ability to craft suspenseful narratives. Despite being nominated five times for the prestigious Academy Award for Best Director, the genius behind some of the greatest films ever made never received the coveted statuette.
Hitchcock's unparalleled ability to build suspense is encapsulated in his famous quote:

“Four people are sitting around a table talking about baseball or whatever you like. Five minutes of it. Very dull. Suddenly, a bomb goes off. Blows the people to smithereens. What does the audience have? Ten seconds of shock. Now take the same scene and tell the audience there is a bomb under that table that will go off in five minutes. The whole emotion of the audience is different because you’ve given them that information. In five minutes, that bomb will go off. Now the conversation about baseball becomes very vital. Because they’re saying to you, “Don’t be ridiculous. Stop talking about baseball. There’s a bomb under there.” You’ve got the audience working.”

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He understood the psychology of filmmaking, manipulating audience emotions with precision. Whether it's the ticking bomb in "Psycho" or the mysterious events in "Rear Window," Hitchcock knew how to create tension and anticipation. His mastery lies not just in what is shown but in what is concealed, making his films a thrilling experience for viewers.
In December 2023, we celebrate Hitchcock's cinematic legacy by revisiting a selection of his timeless classics.

The Birds (1963)

One of the master’s greatest accomplishments has been tainted somewhat by recent revelations over his treatment of star Tippi Hedren. However, Hitchcock’s adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s novella remains a terrifying, brilliantly conceived and executed horror film with several fantastic set pieces that live long in the memory. There is no reason given for the bird attacks: Hitchcock invited the viewer to theorize whilst rejecting any unimaginative suggestions of a virus or disease. In another masterstroke, the director famed for his use of thrilling and evocative music didn’t use any at all on The Birds’ soundtrack, relying on the clamour from the creatures themselves to heighten the tension and horror quotient. 

Rear Window (1954)

James Stewart is the photographer confined to his apartment with a broken leg who spends his time spying on his neighbors. He becomes convinced that one of his neighbors has murdered his wife and it falls to his impossibly regal girlfriend Grace Kelly to investigate. She is soon placed in peril as the photographer’s suspicions are proved correct, but he is as powerless to intervene as the audience themselves. The camera never leaves Stewart’s apartment in another of the director’s single-setting masterclasses that racks up the suspense notch by notch. Hitchcock’s study of voyeurism is a masterpiece in audience manipulation, turning all of us into a bunch of peeping toms. 

Vertigo (1958)

A critical and public failure on its release, no Hitchcock film has enjoyed such a complete critical turnaround as Vertigo, which in 2012 took pole position in Sight and Sound’s greatest movie list and remains the foremost example of the master’s dark genius. Hitchcock’s most enigmatic and haunting film is a sleeper about obsession and deception that demands multiple viewings to appreciate its many nuances. It’s also the film that is said to reveal more about Hitchcock’s own complex personality than any other. The soft-focus photography and Bernard Herrmann’s deathless score invest the whole film with a dream-like quality, and the hypnotic Saul Bass title sequence is, in Martin Scorsese’s words, “a mini-film within a film.”

Psycho (1960)

Hitchcock shrouded the production of 1960s “Psycho” in mystery, hoping to keep the film’s twists a surprise. He bought the rights to Robert Bloch’s novel through intermediaries and may have even instructed his secretary to buy up as many copies of the book as she could to help keep its content under wraps. He later forced his cast and crew to take an oath swearing they wouldn’t divulge the plot, and intentionally held the film out of press screenings to prevent critics from spoiling it. The film’s newspaper ads pleaded with the audience to play along, saying, “Please do not give away the ending. It’s the only one we have!”
Legendary, notorious, reviled, revered, much imitated and infinitely influential, Hitchcock himself described his first horror film as a shocker and, even after all these years, the master’s supreme achievement still has the power to shock and awe in equal measure. Psycho cost just $800,000 to make, has now grossed $32m in its lifetime, and is still compulsively watchable today even after umpteen viewings. Hitchcock shamelessly manipulates his audience with Psycho’s flawless first act, purposely disarming them before blindsiding them by shockingly killing off his leading lady less than halfway through the movie. Helped immeasurably by Bernard Herrmann’s score, Hitchcock teases his audience throughout Psycho, confident that when the blood-chilling moments came, they would indeed scare the pants off everyone watching.
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To Learn More;
https://film4fan.wordpress.com/2018/09/05/movie-history-alfred-hitchcock/
https://www.history.com/news/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-alfred-hitchcock
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/hitchcock-best-films-rebecca-birds-vertigo-b2153849.html
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Most filmmakers take time to discover their artistic identity. But there are a few — like Jean-Luc Godard, Wong Kar Wai and Wes Anderson — who seem to have popped from the womb knowing exactly the kind of films they were born to make. Their vision is so distinctive that, from the very beginning, every frame of their work bears their signature.

One of this handful is Aki Kaurismäki, the 66-year-old Finnish director who may be the world's great master of cinematic terseness — he believes that no movie should ever be over an hour and a half. Ever since he emerged four decades ago with a terrific adaptation of Crime and Punishment — it ran a whopping 93 minutes — Kaurismäki has been creating taut, funny, quietly poetic movies that usually start off doleful and wind-up heartening.

Understated Brilliance

The Finnish film "Fallen Leaves" has captivated audiences with its understated and gently hilarious portrayal of love. Ansa and Holappa, portrayed by Alma Poysti and Jussi Vatanen, navigate the complexities of relationships in this charming cinematic piece.

Cannes Recognition and Oscar Entry

"Fallen Leaves" received acclaim by winning a Jury Prize at Cannes and being selected as Finland's entry for the best international feature film at the Oscars. The film's recognition on the global stage speaks to its universal appeal and artistic merit.

Aki Kaurismaki's Poetic Script

Alma Poysti describes the script as a "pearl" - crystal clear, hilarious, and deeply touching. Aki Kaurismaki, not just a brilliant director but an excellent writer, crafts a script that is both humorous and emotionally resonant, offering a unique gift to the actors.

Kaurismaki's Influence

Jussi Vatanen emphasizes Aki Kaurismaki's legendary status in Finland, spanning over 40 years of filmmaking. Growing up under Kaurismaki's influence, both actors express admiration for his ability to create humble and honest love stories that resonate with authenticity.

War as a Witness

The film subtly incorporates the ongoing war in Ukraine as a backdrop through the constant presence of radio news. Alma Poysti reflects on the sadness of the situation, emphasizing that the war serves as a time capsule and a witness to the film's narrative.

Aki Kaurismaki's Humor Across Cultures

Responding to the perception that Finnish and comedy don't usually go together, Alma Poysti points out that Aki Kaurismaki's humor transcends cultural boundaries. The film's global appeal attests to the universal nature of Kaurismaki's comedic sensibilities.

Taking Chances in Love

Jussi Vatanen delves into his character Holappa's internal struggle and the theme of taking chances in life. The film explores the idea that, despite past hardships, there may still be untapped beauty in life, encouraging characters to bet on each other.

Oscar Nomination Aspirations

With "Fallen Leaves" being shortlisted for the international feature film category at the Oscars, Alma Poysti and Jussi Vatanen express their hopes and excitement about the possibility of attending the Academy Awards, highlighting the film's potential for global recognition.

To learn more:
https://www.ideastream.org/2023-11-18/the-stars-of-fallen-leaves-talk-comedy-and-romance-in-the-new-finnish-film

https://www.npr.org/2023/11/27/1215360101/fallen-leaves-review-aki-kaurismaki

Less a love story than a meditation on what-ifs, the film has propelled its debut director to a rarefied strata of acclaim – and away from her own past life.

Past Lives opens with a conundrum. A trio perches at a bar: a woman and two men. They’re loosened by wine and conversation, and yet a faint melancholy floats through the air. They trade furtive glances and longing stares; it’s difficult to tell who’s looking at who. Soon we’ll find out who they are: playwright Nora (Greta Lee), her American husband Arthur (John Magaro) and Hae Sung, her childhood sweetheart from South Korea (Teo Yoo). For now, though, all we hear is a background conversation between a pair of perplexed onlookers trading guesses into their relationship. Are they co-workers? Tourists? Lovers? Which guy is she with? 

This might be the most explicitly autobiographical moment in Past Lives, a film which follows Nora as she reconnects with Hae Sung multiple times across multiple decades and continents. Less a love story than a meditation on what-ifs, it has propelled its debut director Celine Song to a rarefied strata of acclaim, accruing both rave reviews and early, frantic Oscars buzz since its Sundance premiere earlier this year. The idea for the film came to Song when she too was sitting in an East Village cocktail joint, sandwiched between an old flame from Seoul, who spoke only Korean, and her husband, the screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes, who spoke only English. 

“I was translating between these two people,” she recalls. “And at one point, I realized that I wasn’t just translating between their languages and cultures, but also translating between these two parts of myself as well.” The experience, she says, “settled in me as a very special thing”. Song had previously spent a decade as a playwright. Now she knew she wanted to trade theatre for film.

Nora’s story mirrors Song’s own in many ways: both are playwrights who have lived in the same places, both met their husbands at artist retreats. Both understand the precarities of balancing between multiple cultures, multiple selves. But Song prefers to call it an “adaptation” of her life. The film-making process necessarily entailed “a bit of objectification”, she says. “And in doing that, it stops being about recreating something autobiographical. It becomes its own story.”

This is not the first time Song has crafted a character from herself. In her 2019 play Endlings, a narrative ostensibly about three elderly Korean haenyeo (freediving fisherwomen) is interrupted by the appearance of a Korean Canadian playwright living in Manhattan who puzzles over how to tell this tale without succumbing to a white audience’s expectations. She shares her dilemma with her partner, who wears a comically outsized Brechtian sign slung over his shoulders, reading: “WHITE HUSBAND (also a playwright)”.
Endlings was the culmination of a theatre career where Song had long chafed against the racial politics of the industry. “[I’d] been thinking about leaving for a long time,” she says. “It’s like a long breakup – like anything that you have a really deep, intimate relationship with. I don’t think I realised that until I made a movie.”

That idea of leaving – of the long, hard goodbye – also permeates Past Lives. Song, in promoting the film, has described the couple’s 12-year reunions as a “confirmation of death”, offering an unlikely analogy to a certain crime drama trope: the scene where a victim’s loved ones must identify the cadaver resting on a table. Nora and Hae Sung, in the same way, assay the possibility of their relationship again and again as they mature: is it dead? Was it ever alive?

“I wish it was very simple who they are to each other, but it’s really not!” Song says. “Nora and Hae Sung are not really exes, right? Because they only held hands as children – does it count? They’re not really friends, because I think friends are less estranged … But they’re not strangers. You couldn’t really say they’re acquaintances, because what they feel for each other is a lot deeper.”

For Song, it’s these ambiguities of life – “a very, very nebulous thing” – that make Past Lives compelling. The film’s central duo dwell in the mysteries of a not-quite romance just as Nora herself shoulders the uncertainties of immigration.

“You lose an entire culture and language which was your only language and culture, but you’ve started a new life,” Song says. “The thing you leave behind is so clear, but you do it in the hopes that you’re going to gain something. [You’re] straddling the space in between, where both those things are true … which is actually very connected to eastern philosophy, right? [It’s] about two oppositional things coexisting.”

Immigration might involve its own specific balancing act. But it’s not so different, says Song, from that most universal of processes: ageing. Both, to her, are forms of displacement – of exiting one chapter to launch headfirst into the unknown. Only hindsight can sharpen what we’ve sacrificed in the process.

“In our modern life, we don’t really get to hold a funeral for the 12-year-old that maybe you left behind in another country. But I think the movie really ends in that kind of ritual: of saying goodbye properly.”

To read more:
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/aug/28/celine-song-past-lives-movie-australia
  

The Ghost in the Shell franchise began as a Japanese manga series in the late 1980s, but it was the 1995 movie that built its international reputation. By positing a world in which people merge with machines, Ghost in the Shell examines what makes us fundamentally human.

Humanity's Integration with Machines through Oshii’s Eyes

Director Mamoru Oshii wanted a movie that portrayed the “influence and power of computers” by looking at how that influence and power might evolve over time, and the film posits a near future in which humans have begun to merge with machines. Limbs are upgraded with weaponry and other special functions; eyes are replaced with powerful computer-enhanced sensors; minds and memories are expanded via external storage technology.

The inevitable question that arises from all this, of course, is how much artificial enhancement and replacement can a person undergo and still remain fundamentally human?

That’s where the concept of the “ghost” comes in. A ghost is a person’s deep self, his or her essence, which remains intact even as one’s physical body becomes more and more integrated with computers and machines. The name is a reference to philosopher Arthur Koestler’s 1967 book The Ghost in the Machine, a treatise on the nature of consciousness whose title was borrowed from another philosopher, Gilbert Ryle, who coined the phrase to describe the notion of consciousness as somehow apart and separate from biological processes.

The Beginning: Sex & Procreation

Major Kusanagi leads a unit called Section 9 (akin to secret police) that specializes in cyber-based crime. She and her colleagues are tasked with tracking down a terrorist going after world leaders and hacking into their and other human brains. When we meet Kusanagi in the opening sequence, we learn right away that she loves naked combat.
Why naked? Don’t know. Other people do the optical camouflage thing with clothes on, but not Kusanagi. She’s totally and unabashedly nude, right down to her lack of a vagina. (Sure, she makes a comment in the opening scene, blaming the noise in her head on her period, but that’s just a quippy joke, because she doesn’t have any reproductive organs. Her body’s almost all cyborg, after all.)

Notably, her nudity isn’t sexualized (as we’ve come to expect with an awful lot of anime). There are no leery looks or suggestive comments related to her decision to perform her duties naked (or with her skintight suit). She doesn’t flout her nakedness, but she also doesn’t cover it up, because she’s not ashamed of her Barbie doll anatomy. It just… is.
The union of Kusanagi and the Puppet Master is not sexual or romantic, but rather religious and transcendent. They “slip our bonds and shift to the higher structure.” This is the beginning of a radical and irreversible phase change brought about by the deaths of the living being who became a bit of code inside a brain shell and the bit of code who became a living being. Their deaths and rebirth as a new and separate lifeform (now in the creepy body of a “little girl”) mark the inevitable end of humanity as we know it.

The End: Attaining Death

Kusanagi is, in essence, yet another model of herself living on after the previous version of herself died. She and most of Section 9 are cybernetic beings who must trust that the operators who designed their new bodies kept their ghosts intact. It’s this fact that has Kusanagi wondering who she really is—and whether her ghost is entirely fabricated, or if it’s a distant copy of a copy of the person she once was.

In her discussions with Togusa and Batô, she speculates on meaning and the idea of the self: if all your parts are replaced, do you at some point cease to exist? Are you still you?
The answer, Ghost in the Shell tells us—at least to that latter question—is no. You might be another version of the original you, if that original ever existed, but that’s debatable. Still, the question remains whether that version of you would feel and experience life the same way as the original you did, if ever there was one. And, if you had access to all of those original memories, wouldn’t you at least feel that you were the true version of yourself? As if all those past selves were in the process of becoming you?
But then, what if those original memories are locked away, somewhere deep inside, and you only have the uncertain memories of what once was?

The Middle: I Think. Therefore, Nothing.

Ghost in the Shell explores existential questions of selfhood, the slow vanishing of humanity, and the idea that we will, eventually, become unfeeling machines—desensitized, unempathetic vehicles of progress and self-preservation. Our characters—particularly the emotionless Kusanagi—are often callous, nonchalant, and uncaring.

Atsuko Tanaka’s voicing of Kusanagi, like Iemasa Kayumi as the Puppet Master and much of Akio Ôtsuka’s performance as Batô, is purposefully flat because these characters are unfazed by chaos, violence, sexuality, humor, and tragedy. Kusanagi and other members of Section 9 show no hesitation whatsoever to fire their weapons at large crowds of people. After watching the interrogation with the garbage man who lost his nonexistent family and the self, he thought he was, Kusanagi and Batô are intellectually curious but emotionally unmoved. Their conversations sound at times like two machines comparing notes on topics of existential and epistemological philosophy—that is, questions of existence and of how we know what we know.

To read more;
https://www.vox.com/2017/4/4/15138682/ghost-in-the-shell-anime-philosophy
https://www.theotherfolk.blog/dissections/ghost-in-the-shell

Novelist and Filmmaker Rebecca Miller and Academy Award-winning Actress Marisa Tomei Mark the First Anniversary of The Beverly Theater

Las Vegas’ only indie film house, storytelling headquarters, and intentional live music venue, The Beverly Theater, marked its first anniversary with special guest novelist and filmmaker Rebecca Miller for an introspective on the renowned novelist and filmmaker as well as with a slate of Triple Anniversary Features, March 1 – 3, 2024.
On Friday, March 1, Miller conducted a book signing and reading presented by The Writers Block at The Beverly Theater before the screenings of Miller’s films “Maggie’s Plan” and “Ballad of Jack and Rose.”

The cinematic journey continued on Saturday, March 2, with screenings of "Angela" and "Personal Velocity," leading up to the main event - the screening of "She Came To Me." The evening culminated in an enlightening conversation with Miller and a surprise appearance by the star of the film, Marisa Tomei. The duo shared insights on the creation of the celebrated indie romantic comedy, engaging with the audience through a Q&A session.
The anniversary weekend concluded on Sunday, March 3 with a triple anniversary feature lineup including Sherlock Jr. (100th anniversary), Blazing Saddles (50th anniversary), and Saw (25th anniversary).

In its inaugural year, this not-for-profit cultural gem has garnered widespread acclaim, earning accolades such as ENR Best Projects-Cultural, Mayor's Urban Design Award, ULI Placemaking Award-Community Place, AIA Nevada Merit Award, NAIOP Southern Nevada Honor Award, Las Vegas Weekly-Best Movie Theater, Desert Companion-Best Movie Destination, and a USA Today-Best New Attraction nominee. The New York Times also featured The Beverly Theater in its '24-hours in Vegas Musts,' and Thrillist listed it among 'All-time Things to Do in Vegas.'

By the numbers, The Beverly Theater has presented an impressive 1411 showtimes, featuring 301 different films and hosting 121 live performances – all within the confines of a single theater, establishing itself as a cultural cornerstone in the heart of Las Vegas.

It’s been 45 years since "Dawn of the Dead" first graced the silver screen, and the film remains a wickedly fun piece of horror satire full of exploding heads, mischievous bikers, and one very dangerous helicopter. In celebration of the 45th anniversary of terror at the mall, here are some facts about the making of Dawn of the Dead.

1. We can thank the mall (and Dario Argento) for Dawn of the Dead.

When Night of the Living Dead became a massive hit after its release in 1968, Romero began fielding various offers to potentially revisit the world of ghouls that he had created. Romero, who’d made a living making TV commercials in Pittsburgh before Night of the Living Dead was made, was "paranoid" about the idea of returning for a second film and left it alone for years until an idea unexpectedly came to him.
As Romero explained on Anchor Bay’s Dawn of the Dead commentary track, the idea for the film initially came to him when he touring Pennsylvania's Monroeville Mall, which was owned by some friends of his. During the tour, he was shown some crawlspace within the mall where various supplies were stored, and started thinking about what might happen if people holed up in the mall to try and ride out a zombie apocalypse.
The second big ingredient that led to Dawn of the Dead was Dario Argento, the acclaimed Italian director best known for Suspiria and Deep Red. Argento offered to help Romero get financing for a Night of the Dead sequel, and even invited him to Rome to work on the script.

2. George A. Romero came up with the most famous line while drinking.

The most famous line in Dawn of the Dead—a line so famous it became the movie's tagline and was later reused in Zack Snyder’s 2004 remake—belongs to the character of Peter: “When there’s no more room in hell, the dead will walk the Earth.” As catchy and unforgettable as it is, Romero doesn’t recall any grand moment of inspiration. He was just drunk one night, trying to get the script finished.
“I just made that up. Truly. On a drunken night when I was really crashing to finish the script and I thought that was kind of nice. It was from something Dario Argento told me,” Romero told Rolling Stone in 1978. “My family is Cuban and Dario said, ‘Well you have a Caribbean background and that’s why you’re into the zombie thing; zombies originated in Haiti.’ I said, well, all right, and I just figured that’s something a voodoo priest might say. Whee! I’m just having fun, man.”

3. Multiple versions of Dawn of the Dead exist.

Argento helped Romero find financing for Dawn of the Dead and served as a “script consultant” on the film. In exchange, Argento retained the right to recut the film for various foreign markets, while Romero retained final cut for North and South America. As a result, the Italian version of the film was shorter than Romero’s U.S. version, as Argento trimmed certain jokes he felt Italian audiences wouldn’t get. This increased the darkness of the film, which led to certain content cuts in other foreign markets. This is why several different cuts of the film wound up existing around the world, including an R-rated re-release that was re-cut for drive-in theaters in 1982.

4. Dawn of the Dead was released unrated in America.

Dawn of the Dead was released first in international markets, arriving in Italian theaters in the fall of 1978, months before it would land in the United States. In just a few weeks, the film was a commercial success overseas without ever playing to American audiences. So, when Romero and company ran into MPAA demands that they cut the film down or get an X rating, they doubled down and released the film unrated without any cuts to the gore.

5. The zombies didn’t get a lot of direction.

Though he’s renowned among horror fans as the man responsible for building zombies into one of the most effective movie monsters, Romero didn’t spend too much time guiding his undead ghouls. The director felt that if he tried to offer detailed direction in terms of zombie behavior, the zombies would all start acting one way instead of like a group of individuals. So, direction was kept to a minimum.
“You just have to say, ‘Be dead,’” he later recalled.

6. Yes, it was filmed in a working mall.

Due to the film being shot at the Monroeville Mall in Pennsylvania, the cast and crew were forced to shoot at night, beginning at 10PM and striking at 6AM to prepare for shoppers. Romero and his crew were handed a huge degree of trust by the owners, who essentially gave them free run of the place.
The filming would have commenced past 6AM, if not for the fact that prerecorded music would begin to play at that time, and nobody had a clue how to shut it off.

<h5>The iconic zombie classic will be celebrating its 45th anniversary by coming to theaters, drive-ins, and even malls across the U.S. and Canada starting on April 12, 2024, including iconic spots like the Monroeville Mall in Pennsylvania where the movie was filmed!</h5>
<h5>Celebrate the terror and nostalgia at The Beverly in Las Vegas!</h5>

To explore more facts, read 
"10 Gruesome Facts About Dawn of the Dead" by Matthew Jackson
 on Mental Floss.

Riddle of Fire is a neo-fairytale adventure comedy from the point of view of four picaresque bandit children: A 16mm witches’ brew of Grimm’s fairytales, Criterion Saturday matinees, Romantic poetry, British folklore, neo-westerns, gasoline, and paintball guns set in the American West. Through this lens, Riddle of Fire explores how children manage living in fractured households by creating their own worlds, morals, and mythical friendships. Also intended to be a spiritual refuge in a film, Riddle of Fire isa world of pure adventure, summer in the mountains, magic and love–a fairytale for today. -Weston Razooli

Riddle Of Fire Is a Beautiful Film but Difficult to Categorize, What Film Genre Would You Associate It With?
I came up with the term “neo-fairytale” after I finished writing the script. I thought, well, this story is a witches’ brew of an adventure film, a fairytale, a kids vs. adults comedy, a neo-western, a heist film, a folk-horror film, a food movie, a hangout movie, a party movie, and a beat-the-clock thriller. Fairy tales usually contain several genres within themselves anyways, so the best fit was to invent a new genre in the vein of “neo-western” and “neo-noir”.

What Part of Your Own Childhood Did You Try to Imbue in Riddle of Fire?
So many! But one of my favorite parts is the sneaking around / spying element of being a kid. Generally, kids love to spy and investigate. I’ve never seen a film that’s really captured this well, so I made one. Also, the general picnic-blanket for everything to be laid out upon was my desire to make the ultimate kid adventure movie: a movie with a world in which any kid would want to live in and be part of.
 
Skyler Peters, Phoebe Ferro, Charlie Stover, And Lorelei Mote, The Four Leads Who Play Jodie, Alice, Hazel, And Petal Have an Incredible Chemistry. How Did You Find Your Actors and Manage to Make Their Relationship So Authentic?
Honestly this was a complete gamble because I gave each of the kids their part before they had met each other or had a chemistry read. (Actually, we never did a chemistry read.) However, in each of the four kids’ audition tapes, I saw a similarity: Each one seemed like a timeless child-actor who would have been right at home in anything from a 1920s Little Rascals episode to a 1990s kid vs. adults caper film. So, this common element gave me confidence and foresight to their chemistry.

You Shot in Utah, Was That a Necessity for You?
Pretty much. I grew up in Utah with the Uinta mountains as my backyard (The Wasatch National Forest) where we shot most of the film. These mountain forests sculpted my daydreams and writings as a child. Setting a story there was the ultimate genesis of the script. The “A’Dale House”-the beautiful woodland A-frame house that Hazel, Jodie, and Julie live in, was a house I had always seen from afar as a kid. I used to look out at it from a mile away and dream of living there one day. When I was location scouting, I decided to finally drive out to that house. Being able to shoot there was a surreal dream come true. It’s my favorite house in the world. Also, the supermarket we shot at was my childhood grocery-store.

Why Did You Choose to Set the Film During Childhood?
Well, I wanted to write a story about goblins—a story that stars goblins as the anti-heroes, so the closest way to do this on a micro budget is to star mischievous bandit-children who are masters of their abilities, freedoms, vehicles, items, and tech—and use them to their chaotic-neutral desires. But almost all of my scripts star characters who are either children or teenagers. I guess, to me, childhood / adolescence is the best canvas to create characters who operate with controversial morals yet can still retain some kind of innocence.

Was Working with Children as Lead Actors A Challenge to Overcome or A Motivation To Make The Film?
A motivation 100%. When you cast the right child actors, they are truly passionate about the world of the film. They want to give it their all and really inhabit the characters and live the story. Also, they take my directing notes very well. As a director, giving a child-actor a note is much more straightforward-I can basically be completely transparent with them. Unlike adult actors, in which I typically need to build a more nuanced, labyrinth of a note. Of course, though, there are drawbacks such as short attention-spans. So, during production, I developed a point system where whoever reset the fastest after a take would get a point. They would also win points for good listening. At the end of each day, we would tally the points and whoever had the most would win a prize (a prop from that day of shooting). They loved it. Also, when directing children, I embellish my “director persona” to keep attention, meaning, I behave more like a ringmaster at a circus who hypes up the audience, or like Willy Wonka showing the kids the chocolate factory (the set).

The Music of The Movie Is a Key Element to Get into the Film, How Did You Choose It?
I’ve never worked with a composer to create original music for a film of mine. To be honest, I find it terrifying to collaborate with someone where whatever they create has to be the end-all be-all for the vibe of my film. Instead, I work like a quilt-maker and patch in existing instrumental music to my rough cuts. When I was writing the script, I discovered the sub-genre of music called dungeon synth-instrumental music that sounds like soundtracks for fictional fantasy films or RPGs. I spent months listening to every dungeon synth album I could find. I chose my favorite tracks and when I had the rough cut, I patched them in. This way of working is creatively freeing, but completely vast and maddening. Not gonna do it again, it’s time for me to just work with a composer!

The Whole Film Is Shot in Kodak Film, How Do You Justify This Choice?
Film, especially 16mm, is the medium in which I feel confident to pull off the highly stylized world I desire to create. Shooting digitally would kill the magic and the suspension of disbelief. It’s a subjective taste of course, but that’s just how I see it and feel it. Being an illustrator, I like to think that film is oil paint, while digital is acrylic paint: both have their own advantages, but oil is my medium. While fundraising, I of course had many investors/producers challenge the idea of shooting on film. I had to tell them the truth: that I would rather release this story as a novel than shoot it digitally. :P

Once Production Was Finished, How Did You Approach the Editing?
Editing this film was hard. None of the takes were clean, every take had countless errors: forgotten lines, continuity errors, lens spikes (Jodie! hehe), technical problems, etc. So editing every scene was a game of Tetris of how I could cut around all these problems and fit a scene together. For several months, many scenes were impassable to edit. During production, I had to start offering Jodie a reward each day if he didn’t spike the lens.

If You Could Sum Up Riddle of Fire in One Word, What Would It Be?
“Lovely!”

Riddle Of Fire Is a Film Infused with References, Mostly of Magic, and Video Games. What Is Your Personal Reference?
Countless personal references, but one of the biggest ones is Hazel’s mountain-top brother chat monologue regarding his and Alice’s “marriage”. This was something that happened to me when I was very young, word for word.

The Film Is Structured Around Images Related to Vivid Colours and Nature. What Was the Starting Point for Writing the Film? What Images First Came Tomind?
There’s a vintage board game I grew up playing called “Enchanted Forest”. It’s a simple game but beautifully painted / designed. The gameboard is a charming painting of a sea of pine trees, A-frame cottages, a castle, and is decorated with plastic pine-trees that hide treasure. It’s beautiful but it has a sort of Jumanji vibe to it-like once you start playing, you have to finish the game or else you will be cursed. I wanted to make a movie that feltlike this board game. Lio Tipton also grew up with it—we’ve played it together many times and added our own rules to it.

Were Pagan Philosophies and Occultism at The Forefront of Your Research?
I’ve always been interested in these since I was a kid, so I’m constantly researching different folklore in general. I guess my favorite part of pagan philosophies and occultism is the idea of trying to create some standard of beliefs for your own self and your friends and whoever shares your ideas—and then creating this sort of world where you have really cool, creative imagery and costumes and symbols and you throw crazy parties with dances and creative rituals that honor something bigger than our physical world. It’s just like making a movie.

A collision of music and film, we're thrilled to mark our second annual Showchella. Inspired by the wildly-popular, cultural phenomenon and desert music festival, Showchella features a month-long line up of movies that rock from April 4-29 and includes a live concert by Coachella indie rockers Late Night Drive Home. Plus, $6 Showchella film tickets for B+ members.

Days ahead of their scheduled performances at Coachella, acclaimed indie rock band, Late Night Drive Home is bringing their roots of growing up in a small town outside of El Paso to The Beverly Theater in Las Vegas for one night only on April 10.

Ornette: Made in America (1985)

Ornette: Made In America captures Ornette’s evolution over three decades. Returning home to Fort Worth, Texas in 1983 as a famed performer and composer, documentary footage, dramatic scenes, and some of the first music video-style segments ever made, chronicle his boyhood in segregated Texas and his subsequent emergence as an American cultural pioneer and world-class icon.
An essential film for anyone hoping to understand the history of jazz and the fertile creative exchange that highlighted the 60’s and 70’s in America. It is a portrayal of the inner life of an artist-innovator. 
Get your tickets for Ornette: Made in America (1985)

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Fresh off his hits Strictly Ballroom (1992) and Romeo + Juliet (1996), Baz Luhrmann created an instant cult classic in Moulin Rouge! The jukebox musical film follows young English poet/writer Christian (Ewan McGregor), who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and courtesan Satine (Nicole Kidman). As they help Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (John Leguizamo) put on a new play, their love must stand the test against a Duke and a dancer's jealousy.
At the 74th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Nicole Kidman, winning two: for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. It was the first musical nominated for Best Picture in 10 years. With an impressive ensemble cast, Luhrmann's luscious style and use of modern popular songs in a historic setting, Moulin Rouge! is a timeless classic that breathed new life into the musical genre. Get your tickets for Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Artie Shaw: Time is All You've Got (1985)

Unseen since the 1980s, Artie Shaw: Time is All You've Got catches up with the iconic Shaw at age 72 to look back at his five-decade career as a bandleader and "King of the Clarinet,” one of the most popular stars of the 1930s and '40s Swing era.
“Beware of what you wish for… you may be so unfortunate as to get it.” Raw with an intense personality, Shaw is honest here, with an uncompromising vision of what a composer and musician should strive for. While he reached huge success with his swing band, he was also uncomfortable with the expectations of being a celebrity and society's implied rules on music. Rather than play the same pop hits endlessly he pushed musical expectations, combining classical and jazz forms. Shaw also helped to break the color barrier by hiring legendary African American musicians like Billie Holiday, Hot Lips Page and Roy Eldridge for his bands. A compelling look at a giant in music history that might illuminate our understanding of that industry today. Get your tickets for Artie Shaw: Time is All You've Got (1985)

La Bamba (1987)

The life of rock & roll legend Ritchie Valens bursts across the screen in this celebrated, music-filled movie with star-making performances by Lou Diamond Phillips as Ritchie and Esai Morales as his half-brother, Bob.
La Bamba depicts the 17-year-old Mexican-American's rocket rise to fame, from field laborer to rock star with a string of hit singles and a date with destiny. Fueled by Valens' hit songs performed by the Grammy®-winning Los Lobos as well as classic '50s tunes, La Bamba recreates the thrilling early days of rock and pays homage to the enduring legacy of a remarkable talent whose music crossed all borders. Get your tickets for La Bamba (1987)

8 Mile (2002)

Detroit, 1995. The city is divided by 8 Mile, a road that splits the town in half along racial lines. It is also a psychological dividing line that separates Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith Jr. (Eminem) from where and who he wants to be. A young white rapper, Jimmy summons strength within himself to cross over these arbitrary boundaries to fulfill his dream of success in hip hop. With his pal Future and the three one third in place, all he must do is not choke. Get your tickets for 8 Mile (2002)

La La Land (2016)

Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a jazz musician, scrapes by playing cocktail party gigs in dingy bars, but as success mounts, they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.
Damien Chazelle's follow-up to his breakthrough Whiplash is another stunning trip through the world of performance, but this time it’s a romantic love affair to musicals that became a surprise smash hit, getting 14 Academy Award nominations, winning six including Best Director and Best Actress. Get your tickets for La La Land (2016)

Dreamgirls (2006)

The time is the 1960s, and singers Effie (Jennifer Hudson), Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose), and Deena (Beyoncé Knowles) are about to find out just what it's like to have their wildest dreams come true. Discovered at a local talent show by ambitious manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx), the trio known as "the Dreamettes" is soon offered the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of opening for popular singer James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy). Subsequently molded into an unstoppable hit machine by Taylor and propelled into the spotlight as “the Dreams,” the girls quickly find their bid for the big time taking priority over personal friendship - the small-town girls with the big-city dreams slowly begin to realize that the true cost of fame may be higher than any of them ever anticipated. Get your tickets for Dreamgirls (2006)

Almost Famous (2000)

Set in 1973, Almost Famous tells the funny and often poignant coming of age of 15-year-old William, an unabashed music fan who is inspired by the seminal bands of the time. When his love of music lands him an assignment from Rolling Stone magazine to interview the up-and-coming band Stillwater -- fronted by lead guitar Russell Hammond and lead singer Jeff Bebe, William embarks on an eye-opening journey with the band's tour, despite the objections of his protective mother. Get your tickets for Almost Famous (2000)

Saturday Night Fever (1977)

John Travolta gives a sensual and intelligent performance as the troubled Tony Manero - Brooklyn paint store clerk by day and undisputed king of the dance floor by night. Every Saturday, Tony puts on his wide collared shirt, flared trousers and platform shoes and heads out to the only place where he's seen as a god rather than just some young punk. But in the darkness, away from the strobe lights and glitter ball, is a tragic story of disillusionment, violence, and heartbreak.
Without a doubt, Travolta's performance made him a Hollywood legend, but Saturday Night Fever is more than just a movie that defined the music and fashion of a generation. It's a powerful and provocative urban tragedy that carries as much significance today as it did in 1977. Get your tickets for Saturday Night Fever (1977)

A look behind the scenes of the third Max Max film, Beyond Thunderdome, featuring George Miller, Mel Gibson, Tina Turner.

When you think about when you first heard the name “Quentin Tarantino” you probably think of “Pulp Fiction.” The 1994 film was a huge success and immensely influential. It’s not where it all started for Tarantino, though. Before “Pulp Fiction,” Tarantino made another film steeped in genre with “Reservoir Dogs.” Without “Reservoir Dogs,” we don’t get “Pulp Fiction,” which means we don’t get “Kill Bill,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” or whatever Quentin has left before his purported self-imposed retirement. Here are some facts about the movie that put the young, upstart director on the map before he was put “on the map.”

“Reservoir Dogs” is Only Sort of Tarantino’s Debut Film

Ostensibly “Reservoir Dogs” marked Tarantino’s debut as a feature filmmaker. That’s technically true, but it almost wasn’t. When he was still working at a video store in California he co-wrote, co-produced, and director a 1987 amateur film called “My Best Friend’s Birthday.” It was originally 70 minutes, which would have made it a feature-length film. However, a fire caused a bunch of the film to be lost, and what was left is a spliced-together short film that’s 36 minutes long.

This Was Almost Another Amateur Movie

The original plan for “Reservoir Dogs” was for it to be another of Tarantino’s films made on a whim. His plan was to make it a 16mm black-and-white movie with less ambition, and a budget of only $30,000 dollars. It was just going to be made with his friends, including Lawrence Bender, who ended up producing “Reservoir Dogs.”

Harvey Keitel Was Vital to the Film

You never know what chain of events will occur in a film’s production. Bender gave a copy of Tarantino’s script to his acting teacher. That teacher gave it to their wife, and their wife gave it to Harvey Keitel. Keitel, an established actor, signed on as a co-producer, resulting in a budget somewhere between $1.2 and $3 million.

Shockingly, Tarantino Had Some Movie Influences

Tarantino is known for his love of film, and for using a lot of influences, homages, and what have you in his moviemaking. He had a few influences for “Reservoir Dogs,” the primary of which was “Kansas City Confidential.”

The Naming Convention of the Film is Also a Reference

The crew that puts together the robbery in the film doesn’t use their actual names. Instead, they are referenced by colors, such as Mr. Pink, Mr. Blonde, and Mr. Green. This is directly lifted from the original “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three,” where the criminals do the same thing.

One Member of the Cast Knew the Lay of the Land

Eddie Bunker plays “Mr. Blue” in the movie. He had a few notable movies under his belt and wrote on the films “Straight Time” and “Runaway Train.” That was a bit of a second career for Bunker. In his youth, he was repeatedly jailed for crimes, including robbery.

And Yet Bunker Was Not the Problem on Set

Lawrence Tierney had a lengthy career in Hollywood. Read any stories on him and you begin to wonder why. Tierney was often drunk and violent, and he was arrested dozens of times in his life. He was also immensely difficult on set, and Tarantino said that he and Tierney got into a physical altercation. Also, while filming “Reservoir Dogs” the actor was arrested again. Why? Because he got drunk and shot at his nephew.

We Don’t Know What the Title Means

“Reservoir Dogs” is certainly an evocative title, but what does it mean? Well, we can’t tell you, mostly because Quentin won’t tell us. People have their theories online, but Tarantino has never given an explicit answer, and it was not an existing phrase.

One of the Most Famous Names in the Movie is Just a Voice

Tarantino makes use of diegetic sound in the film, which is to say the music comes from sources within the film. This includes radios tuned into K-Billy’s “Sounds of the Seventies.” We hear the DJ do their patter here and there, and you might know the voice. The DJ is none other than standup Steven Wright.

Mr. Blonde is Related to Another Tarantino Character

Mr. Blonde’s psychopathic tendency to violence causes a lot of problems during the movie, but he’s also one of the members of the crew whose name we know. Blonde is Vic Vega, and that last name may be familiar. Vic is the brother of Vincent Vegas, John Travolta’s character from “Pulp Fiction.”

There are Multiple Reasons We Don’t See the Heist

Notably, “Reservoir Dogs” is a crime film where we don’t see the crime at the center of the story. The heist happens off-screen, and we only see the lead-up and the aftermath. Tarantino has said that he thought of stories like “Glengarry Glen Ross” which also features a robbery we don’t see. He wanted it to be clear the film was about other things. Also, Quentin has also admitted that not showing the heist made the movie cheaper to do and kept it on budget.

“Reservoir Dogs” Had a Successful Sundance

You’ll hear about a movie screening at the Sundance Film Festival and being so well-received that it gets picks up on a big deal. “Reservoir Dogs” was one of the first notable success stories. It became the talk of the town and got picked up by Miramax which got the movie a wide release. The movie made $2.8 million at the North American box office but did even better in the United Kingdom.

The Film Got a Lot of Walkouts

The violence of “Reservoir Dogs” can be pretty grim, even if one of the most upsetting things happens just off-screen. This led to walkouts, including a purported 15 at a screening at the Sitges Film Festival. Two of the people who walked out allegedly were Wes Craven and Rick Baker, known for their work in horror movies. That could be Tarantino embellishing for the sake of telling a story, but we do believe there were definitely plenty of walkouts.

A Lot of the Costuming Came From the Crew

There was not exactly a real costume budget on “Reservoir Dogs.” A lot of the clothing worn by the characters was from the personal wardrobe of the actors. This includes the tracksuit that Chris Penn’s Nice Guy Eddie wears.

The Warehouse Was an Old Mortuary

Much of the film takes place in a big, empty warehouse, in part because they couldn’t afford much in the way of set rental. In fact, Mr. Orange’s apartment was staged upstairs in the warehouse. That warehouse had previously been a mortuary, fitting for a set that featured a few deaths.

Tarantino Seeded a Future Film in the Movie

On the radio, you might hear an ad for Jack Rabbit Slim’s. You later see Jack Rabbit Slim’s in “Pulp Fiction.” It’s the ‘50s-themed restaurant Vincent and Mia go to for expensive milkshakes (that are worth it) and Steve Buscemi as a waiter dressed like Buddy Holly.

A Lot of Money Went into Securing One Song

Tarantino spent the entirety of his soundtrack budget on one song: “Stuck in the Middle with You” by Stealers Wheel. It’s vital to the scene it is featured in, so we can see that. The director got his song, and Stealers Wheel forever became associated with ear violence.

Madonna Disagrees with the Movie’s Take on “Like a Virgin”

In classic Tarantino fashion, the movie begins with the crew having breakfast while Mr. Brown, aka Tarantino himself, expounds graphically on what he believes Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” is about. While Madonna liked the film, she disagreed with the ribald assessment of her hit. She reportedly sent Tarantino an autographed copy of her album which included a line that points out her song is about love; not what Mr. Brown thinks it is.

All That Blood Caused Problems for Tim Roth

Poor Mr. Orange spends the bulk of the movie in a pool of his own blood after being shot during the heist. Tim Roth’s character is quite bloody, and in fact, a paramedic onset was used to make sure the amount of blood he was losing was consistent and accurate. And yet, there were still complications. The fake blood repeatedly dried out during films, leaving Roth to be peeled off the ground, which was a difficult process.

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