Christopher Lee died last week at the age of 93. While many actors burn bright then quickly fade or become collateral damage after a string of box-office bombs, Lee never stopped working. He leaves us with an impressive body of work that spans almost 70 years and includes more than 200 film roles and countless television appearances.
IN TWEET: TODAY MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ICONIC “I HAVE A DREAM…” SPEECH. READ THE ENTIRE SPEECH HERE AND VISIT THE KING CENTER ONLINE.
IN TWEET: RAY HARRYHAUSEN, ICONIC VISUAL EFFECTS PIONEER, HAS DIED. HE WAS 92. JOIN OUR TRIBUTE TO A LEGEND WITH A LOOK AT VIDEO AND IMAGES OF HIS FINEST WORK.
There are many well-known people who make movies. Then there are the legends; pioneering geniuses who shaped and forever changed the modern cinema experience. RAY HARRYHAUSEN was in that class. The iconic visual effects wizard died in London today at the age of 92.
You would be hard pressed to find a filmmaker in the sci-fi, fantasy or horror genres who doesn’t credit Harryhausen as one of their influences. From his work on classics like MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1949) to lesser entries that were made infinitely more enjoyable because of his involvement (like the otherwise dreadful 1981 CLASH OF THE TITANS), Ray Harryhausen became a box office draw in his own right.
My father mentored me into the world of Harryhausen by taking me to matinee re-issues of JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (1963), THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1958) and THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1973). The special effects in these films are among the most celebrated examples of Ray Harryhausen’s visual wizardry and with good reason: stop motion animation is a painstaking art that few ever truly master. Harryhausen worked with his hands; not on a keyboard or drawing tablet but, instead, on articulated models. He moved each of them in tiny, incremental steps that were shot frame by frame.
The best way to pay tribute to Ray Harryhausen is to enjoy images and video of his finest work. These are my personal favorites: full stop-motion animation effects sequences from JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (the amazing skeleton fight), CLASH OF THE TITANS (the famous encounter with Medusa) and THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD (Kali dances, a scene that freaked me out as a kid).
JASON & THE ARGONAUTS (1963)
NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.
CLASH OF THE TITANS (1981)
NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.
THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1973)
NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.
Finally, check out this cool video compilation (in chronological order) that spans the entirety of the amazing career of Ray Harryhausen.
NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.
IN TWEET: DIVISIVE, DARING, LOVED AND HATED. MARGARET THATCHER, BRITAIN’S FIRST FEMALE PRIME MINISTER, WAS ALL THOSE THINGS AND MORE. SHE DIED YESTERDAY IN LONDON AT THE AGE OF 87.
Margaret Thatcher, who died yesterday in London from a stroke, was many things to many people. She was as loved as she was despised; a hard line Conservative who forever changed the course of history in the UK and beyond. No matter how you feel about Thatcher the politician, there is no denying that Thatcher the person was a trailblazer in every sense of the word.
Given her humble roots and the incredible roadblocks Thatcher faced in the early years of her political career, that she won any seat in Parliament is a minor miracle. Keeping in mind that the U.S. has yet to elect a female president, her rise to Prime Minister in 1979 was a truly monumental achievement. Tough as nails and no-nonsense, Thatcher made more than her share of enemies both outside and within her own party. It was her habit of ignoring popular opinion and a steadfast resistance to compromise that ultimately ended an 11+ year run as PM.
I watched the film THE IRON LADY recently and was taken aback by two things: Meryl Streep’s stunning performance in the title role (seen in photo above) and the amount of respect I gained for Thatcher. The movie was not a hatchet job nor was that its purpose. It was an honest, balanced and often heartbreaking look at a brilliant and proud woman facing her own demons and worsening dementia. It also humanized Thatcher by adding warmth, dimension and depth to her public persona.
Politically, Thatcher and I are on opposite side of the spectrum but no one can deny her amazing record of achievements. She was a remarkable, flawed and complex person. She was also a fighter her whole life but, in the end, Thatcher lost the battle to the one foe she couldn’t vanquish…her own mortality.
As a matter of policy, I don’t include product sales links in LEGACY posts but I do recommend you screen THE IRON LADY when you can. I’ve also compiled these links to some of the better articles I read yesterday on the life and legacy of Margaret Thatcher:
CLICK HERE for UK-based coverage of Margaret Thatcher’s life and passing from The Guardian.
CLICK HERE for her obituary from the New York Times.
CLICK HERE for a look at 10 defining moments in the career of Margaret Thatcher by writer Morris Micklewhaite.
CLICK HERE for a critical look at her politics and policies from Time Magazine.
IN TWEET: ANNETTE FUNICELLO, ONE OF THE ORIGINAL MOUSKETEERS AND STAR OF CAMP CLASSICS LIKE “BEACH BLANKET BINGO,” DIED TODAY AT AGE 70.
America watched Annette Funicello grow up on television as one of the original Mousketeers on the wildly popular MICKEY MOUSE CLUB. Unlike many of her peers, she made a successful transition from child actor to teen icon to box office star. Funicello defined the “beach party” genre that also defined a good chunk of the early to mid 1960’s.
She was the lead in campy classics like HOW TO STUFF A WILD BIKINI and, paired with Frankie Avalon, the duo created a sensation in seminal genre hits like BEACH BLANKET BINGO.
Funicello was a triple threat who could sing, dance and act. Perhaps because of the roles she played in films and on television, she never got the respect she deserved. Still, that’s not what her career was really all about and that’s not a bad thing. Annette Funicello symbolized youth, fun and the free spirit that lives in all of us. She was also a kind and decent person who did more than age gracefully. She made us laugh and smile and, even when battling her own MS, exuded an infectious air of warmth and dignity.
Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company, said it best today: “Annette was and always will be a cherished member of the Disney family, synonymous with the word Mousketeer, and a true Disney legend. She will forever hold a place in our hearts as one of Walt Disney’s brightest stars, delighting an entire generation of baby boomers with her jubilant personality and endless talent. Annette was well known for being as beautiful inside as she was on the outside, and she faced her physical challenges with dignity, bravery and grace. All of us at Disney join with family, friends, and fans around the world in celebrating her extraordinary life.”
CLICK HERE for a tribute to Annette Funicello from the Los Angeles Times.
Annette Funicello was a fan favorite her entire life, something very few celebrities experience or deserve. She certainly was more than worthy of our adoration. Perhaps the most fitting tribute to Funicello is a celebration of the fun that symbolized her career. So, put on your virtual bikini or board shorts and take a trip BACK TO THE BEACH with the title sequence from one of my favorite guilty pleasures: BEACH BLANKET BINGO.
NOTE: YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO FROM ANY DESKTOP OR LAPTOP BROWSER. SOME MOBILE BROWSERS, HOWEVER, DO NOT SUPPORT VIDEO PLUG-INS. IF THAT IS THE CASE, CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE VIDEO AND OPEN IN YOUR YOU TUBE APP.
IN TWEET: ROGER EBERT AND GENE SISKEL INVENTED THE “DUELING CRITICS” FORMAT. SISKEL PASSED AWAY IN 1999 AND, TODAY, ROGER EBERT JOINED HIM IN THAT GREAT BIG MOVIE PALACE IN THE SKY.
Roger Ebert, legendary film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times and one half of TV movie review duo Siskel and Ebert, died today after a long battle with cancer. Ebert had just posted online Tuesday about his relapse but, he was optimistic about bouncing back. He was 70 years old.
When I was a kid, as far as movie reviews went, there was Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. The rest of the critics were also-rans. Siskel and Ebert were the gold standard for movie lovers and trademarked their signature thumbs up/thumbs down style of final verdict. If one or, heaven forbid, both hated a movie, two thumbs down could spell death at the box office. They had that much power.
Not only did people trust them, the audience loved them. Their constant bickering and sometimes vocal disagreements were a big part of the attraction. They were Statler and Waldorf come to life. Though they were rivals in every sense of the word, Siskel and Ebert shared an unbridled passion for movies. It was infectious.
They first made their mark in 1975 on the weekly movie review series SNEAK PREVIEWS produced by PBS affiliate WTTW in Chicago. Ebert worked for the the Sun-Times and had just won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, the first film critic to receive the award. Siskel wrote for the rival paper, the Chicago Tribune. They left PBS in 1982 after a contract dispute.
Though WTTW replaced them, the lions share of the audience followed the duo to the syndicated AT THE MOVIES WITH GENE SISKEL AND ROGER EBERT and, in 1986, to SISKEL AND EBERT AND THE MOVIES, which was re-christened SISKEL & EBERT in 1987 and ran until Siskel passed away in 1999.
Of the two, Siskel was the more scholarly and urbane. Ebert was the populist, a man with impeccable taste who didn’t think there was anything wrong with also praising his guilty pleasures. Not that Siskel was a snob, he wasn’t, but Ebert was often the wild card. He’d give thumbs up to a cheesy teen romp and the next week take down a critical darling. He was the yin to Siskels' yang and the combination was electric.
When I worked at Universal Studios Florida back in the early 1990’s, I was an operations lead at ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE ART OF MAKEING MOVIES. I was tending to the outdoor queue one afternoon and noticed a tall, distinguished man walking through the line with the rest of the guests. It was Gene Siskel. When I approached and asked if he would like VIP access, he tried to refuse but the movie geek in me would hear none of it.
I escorted Siskel through the attraction, a combination of a tribute film with a surprise 3-D finale (birds! birds! birds!), a live stage re-enactment of the filming of the shower scene from PSYCHO and an interactive area dedicated to a behind-the-scenes look at Hitchcock’s technical brilliance.
Siskel was like a kid in a candy store (which made me doubly goofy). At the end, he took time to meet and chat with the rest of my team. When I asked what he thought of the attraction, he said it was impressive but “man, would Roger love this place.” I thought the sentiment was so touching at the time. Today, it’s especially bittersweet.
It’s impossible to eulogize Ebert without including Siskel. They were rivals who became close friends because of a common interest: a love of movies. Both will be missed but their writing, their spirit and their humor will be with us always. If your weren’t lucky enough to see them in their prime or want to enjoy some really wonderful memories, CLICK HERE for a fascinating article on the duo from Slate and then check out this brief video sampler of the pair going it at. The f-bomb filled McDonalds riff alone is priceless.
Thanks, Gene. Thanks, Roger. Two thumbs up! Fade to black.
IN TWEET: THE ICONIC BOSTON PHOENIX CEASES PUBLICATION. ANOTHER NAIL IN THE PRINT MEDIA COFFIN AND THE END OF AN ERA FOR THE ALTERNATIVE PRESS.
If you grew up in Boston, you know THE PHOENIX. If you spent any time in college or graduate school here, chances are it was your “what to do on the weekend” bible. What started as an alternative arts weekly, gradually grew into a local media powerhouse with print, radio and online platforms. THE PHOENIX gained clout as a tastemaker, political muckraker and local source of everything cool. Many writers got their start there, including Owen Gleiberman from ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, one of my long-time favorite film critics.
Before there were blogs, social networks, instant messages, smart phones an internet or, in my case, cable television, THE PHOENIX was a window to a world that would have been completely alien to a kid growing up in sub-suburban Boston (go, Boxers). It’s also the first place I saw personal ads with abbreviations like “M4M” and “F4F.” When you’re struggling with your sexuality in a pre-ELLEN America, publications like THE PHOENIX were as much of a lifeline as they were a source of movie reviews and band interviews. Though I never responded to a personal ad in THE PHOENIX, just the knowledge that I wasn’t alone was enough to keep me from doing anything self-destructive or stupid.
During my college years in Boston, THE PHOENIX became a welcome antidote to the conservative campus culture that permeated Boston College. I have THE PHOENIX (along with Kathy Adams and Derek Lam) to thank for shaping my taste in movies, music and the arts. There was hardly a weekend I wouldn’t take The Green Line into Boston (B train, Boston College to Copley station) to pick up THE PHOENIX, NUMBER ONE and SMASH HITS at Newbury Comics (the original one, on Newbury Street). They were my EW.COM, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in an era when none of these outlets were even a glimmer in anyone’s imagination.
As much as I love technology and fully embrace the power and potential of the internet, writing posts like this give me pause. They make me nostalgic for a slice of life that is now forever gone but, more important, eternally grateful for having been there to experience it for myself.
Hugo Chavez, the flamboyant and controversial leftist President of Venezuela, died Tuesday after a long battle with cancer. He was 58.
Hated outside the confines of the country he led with a passion almost equal to the devotion shown to him by legions of followers in Venezuela, Chavez remains as much of an enigma now as he was when he first assumed power in 1999. An outspoken champion of the poor and downtrodden, he also had a habit of being his own worst enemy. Chavez opted for inflammatory rhetoric far too often to curry favor with the United States. At the same time, he didn’t seem to give a rat’s patootie. This made him even more fascinating to anyone trying to figure out on which side of the good guy/bad guy fence Chavez belonged.
Ultimately, that mindset would prove hopelessly simplistic and ill-suited for gaining real insight into such a complex man. Perhaps, like so many leaders before him, Chavez would prove impossible to pigeonhole. In the end, as someone who has never set foot in Venezuela, it’s not my place to judge. Instead, I’d like to offer a different take on Hugo Chavez and one, I think, that makes a fitting epitaph.
Citizens Energy, founded by by former U.S. representative Joseph P. Kennedy II (D-MA), is a Massachusetts-based non-profit. Among it’s many pursuits is the Citizens Energy Oil Heat Program (CEOHP) which delivers discounted heating oil to the poor and elderly in 25 states and on Native American tribal lands in nine additional states. The program itself is a partnership with CITGO, a wholly owned subsidiary of the national oil company of Venezuela.
When Kennedy approached the petroleum industry regarding a collaboration that would eventually become the CEOHP, only CITGO offered to help (see PSA video below). While critics of Chavez derided the effort as a propaganda campaign against the Bush Administration, the program has been an unqualified success. Since starting work together in 20o5, Chavez and the people of Venezuela have donated more than 200 million gallons of home heating oil to the poorest of Americans through the CEOHP. Most of the recipients would have gone without heat during the coldest months of the year, dooming many to not surviving the winter.
Propaganda? Social activism? Humanitarian outreach? Where Chavez is concerned, his part in the CEOHP is probably a combination of all three. Though the number of critics has dwindled since 2005, some still look at the collaboration as a bad thing. I prefer to view it as a success and a blueprint for ways businesses, governments and non-profit organizations can work together across borders and political divides. Certainly other major oil companies had an opportunity to step up. None of them did and none of them have jumped on the bandwagon since. If Chavez did score propaganda points back home, so be it. The lives of poor and elderly Americans helped by the donations from CITGO through the CEOHP seem more than worth the price.
Bonnie Franklin, best known for her starring role in the sit-com ONE DAY AT A TIME, has died. Franklin had been battling pancreatic cancer. She was 69.
