‘The Man With the Iron Fists’ creator tells MTV News his mentor is ‘an encyclopedia and such a genius of film.’ By Ryan J. Downey RZA in “The Man with the Iron Fists” Photo: Chan Kam Chuen / Universal Pictures
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RZA Recalls Learning From ‘The Master’ Quentin Tarantino
Tony Scott did not leave a reason for his suicide. The news came Friday from the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, which said that notes left behind by the Top Gun filmmaker did not give a motive for his self-inflicted death south of Los Angeles last Sunday. The coroner’s office also said Friday that the notes written by Scott did not mention any health issues, according to A.P. Soon after his death, ABC News quoted an insider who said the director had been diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer, which was later refuted by family members. Tony Scott, 68, jumped from the Vincent Thomas Bridge, which spans the busy L.A. Harbor south of downtown. The coroner’s office performed an autopsy Monday, but the results will take a month or longer before official details are released about the cause of death, though it is being treated as a probable suicide. Coroner’s office spokesperson Ed Winter said that the notes left behind had a list of emergency contact numbers and a separate message to friends and family. [ Source: A.P. ]
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Tony Scott’s Notes Did Not Reveal Motive For Death
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After reading the statement that Martin Scorsese ‘s representatives released in response to the lawsuit that’s been filed against him by Cecchi Gori Pictures over a project called Silence , I think I can save both sides a bundle in lawyer’s fees and, ultimately, production costs. Both sides of this legal battle should ask themselves a pertinent question: Do you actually think that this movie, if it’s ever made, will actually put asses in seats? Hear me out. Scorsese is one of my favorite filmmakers, and given his obsession with religion, I’m confident he’d make a compelling adaptation of Silence , an acclaimed 1966 Shusaku Endo novel about a Jesuit investigating whether his mentor committed apostasy — renounced his beliefs — at a time when Christians were faced with the prospect of being hung upside down over a pit and slowly bled to death if they refused. The Christians are essentially coerced into renouncing their faith by stepping on fumie ,crudely carved wooden images of Jesus Christ. Heard enough? Look, movies about the strength of one’s beliefs and God’s relationship with humanity can be powerful. One of the aspects of Prometheus that I particularly loved was how Ridley Scott and Damon Lindelof explored those very deep concepts in their sci-fi blockbuster earlier this summer. Silence doesn’t sound powerful to me, though. It sounds like a ponderous slog that covers territory Scorsese already traversed in The Last Temptation of Christ . More importantly, Silence , just by virtue of its subject matter, has the markings of a small, boutique film. That’s not the kind of film Scorsese, one of our greatest living directors, should making in his golden years. I want him doing David Lean-size big-picture stuff like The Wolf of Wall Street , and, I suspect, so do his handlers. According to Deadline , Cecchi Gori Pictures claims in its lawsuit that it invested more than $750,000 to develop Silence into a feature film based on contracts and assurances that it would be Scorsese’s next project. Scorsese initally agreed in 1990 to co-produce and direct Silence after he completed Kundun (1997). But the lawsuit alleges Scorsese and Sikelia arranged to postpone starting on Silence so the director could make The Departed (2006), Shutter Island (2010) and Hugo (2011). When Cecchi Gori learned that Scorsese was going to shoot The Wolf of Wall Street instead of Silence, the company claimed breach of contract. Scorsese’s responded to the suit today with the following statement: “It is shocking to us that the lawyers for Cecchi Gori Pictures would file a suit pursuing such absurd claims considering the amicable working relationship existing between Martin Scorsese and the principals of Cecchi Gori Pictures.The claims asserted are completely contradicted by, inconsistent with, and contrary to the express terms of an agreement entered into by the parties last year.” The statement added: “The lawsuit filing on the eve of Mr. Scorsese starting another picture has all the earmarks of a media stunt.” Given that the amount of Cecchi Gori’s investment isn’t even $1 million — a paltry sum in moviemaking terms — there should be a compromise here that enables Cecchi Gori’s principals to walk away without feeling like they got burned and for Scorsese to make the movies he wants to make, when he wants to make them. I just hope that Silence isn’t one of them. Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
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Memo to Marty Scorsese: Why In God’s Name Are You Still Interested In Making Silence?
‘I love working with him,’ Luda tells MTV News of Justin’s ‘All Around the World.’ By Christina Garibaldi Justin Bieber Photo: Justin Bieber is determined to make believers out of everyone with his third studio album, Believe. In honor of the LP’s release on Tuesday, Justin took over MTV’s Times Square studios and invited 100 of his biggest fans to join him for our 30-minute special, “Bieber Live.” But that was just the start: Bieber is going to stop celebrating anytime soon as critics are praising his latest effort, which shows the 18-year-old pop star taking musical risks. Working with producers like Diplo, Rodney Jerkins, Hit-Boy and, of course, his mentor Usher , Bieber samples many different genres on Believe. He also showed his hip-hop love by reaching out to Big Sean, Drake, Nicki Minaj and Ludacris . As most fans know, Luda and Bieber first teamed up for the 2010 hit “Baby.” And when MTV News caught up with Ludacris recently at Bonnaroo earlier this month, he predicted that their new collabo, “All Around the World,” will repeat of the success of “Baby.” “That’s gonna be another smash, trust me,” Ludacris said, adding that they have plans to shoot a video. “He’s grown up, he’s an extremely focused artist. I love working with him, and when you see an artist from where he’s started to where he’s at now and where he wants to go, you just really see his vision and his dream. As soon as they brought me the record, I instantly fell in love with it. During Tuesday’s “Bieber Live,” Justin expressed his excitement about working again with Ludacris on what he called a “melodic” and “perfect” track. “To reunite with him was awesome,” the singer said. “All my fans now love Luda because of ‘Baby,’ so … having him back on this song was great. I’m taller than him now,” he added with a smile. Share your reviews of Justin’s new album in the comments below! Related Videos ‘Bieber Live’ Related Artists Justin Bieber Ludacris
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New Justin Bieber Collabo ‘Another Smash, ‘Ludacris Says
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Scooter Braun opens up about the star’s maturing process with Billboard. By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber in his “Boyfriend” music video Photo: Justin Bieber is definitely making a more mature musical statement on his June 19 release, Believe . However, his manager notes that just because the 18-year-old sounds older, doesn’t mean that the baby bird is ready to leave the nest just yet. “Adult artist? Just because he’s legal now doesn’t mean he’s an adult,” his manager, Scooter Braun, told Billboard about the growing pop star. “He still needs guidance; he’s still finding his way. He’s no longer a boy, but he’s definitely not yet a man.” During the interview, Braun also notes that Bieber has more pressure on him than pop stars before as he has come up in the digital age. He added that he’s essentially a one-man boy band who can’t rely on the support of other group members. “No one in the history of the world has ever grown up with the pressure that he has, being a solo artist that young, that famous, in a world with technology that exposes us 24/7,” Braun adds. “He was literally going through puberty in front of the entire world, with everyone expecting something from him and a lot people waiting for him to screw up. He’s a fighter. I’m proud of him — how’s he’s stayed true to himself and taken control of the entire situation.” The singer himself recently opened up about his public image and how he always feels guarded in interviews. “I mean, I keep my guard up a lot, because you know, you can’t trust anyone in this business,” Bieber told the June issue of GQ. “That’s what’s sad. You can’t trust anybody. I learned the hard way.” And given his busy promotional schedule, Bieber will have a lot more interviews to give in the coming weeks. He is traveling the globe promoting the release. He’s already made stops in Oslo, Norway , Paris and Mexico City , among others, and this week touches down in New York City where he will appear on the “Today” show. Related Videos MTV First: Justin Bieber Related Artists Justin Bieber
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‘It’s important for me to let my fans know I really don’t care. I’m confident,’ Drake tells MTV News of how he deals with constant criticism. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Drake Photo: MTV News Drake understands that no artist is above criticism. So it’s not that Drizzy doesn’t hear his detractors, he just chooses to ignore them. At least that’s what he told MTV News’ Sway Calloway during a May 17 Club Paradise tour stop in Houston, Texas. “There will be days when I walk in an arena and people will cheer and then there might be days when I walk in an arena and people might boo, but it all sounds the same to me because it’s all just noise that lets me know that I’m relevant,” Drake said, sharing some words of wisdom that was given to him by boxing champ Floyd Mayweather. “I don’t get booed,” Drizzy continued. “I don’t face that. I mean he faces that challenge but my challenge is more with social media and open opinions and people just feeling like they need to talk.” Drake’s music, and just about his every move, is dissected through the media as well as on Twitter and blogs. The fact that he sings as well as raps has made him a target for those looking to take away his hip-hop cred. Still, the “Headlines” MC remains one of rap’s most successful draws today. Common called him out the OVO general on “Sweet,” a single from his 2011 album The Dreamer/The Believer . Many also believe that G.O.O.D Music’s Pusha T has also been throwing subliminal jabs at Drake, first on last year’s “Don’t F–k With Me” freestyle, then on his “Sweet” freestyle. Pusha has gone on record saying that he wasn’t dissing Drake and he actually likes the Toronto MC’s music, but after Push dropped his new single “Exodus 23:1,” speculation began to swirl that he was again taking aim and Drake and his mentor Lil Wayne . Weezy responded with a poignant tweet: “F— pusha t and anybody that love em.” It is important to note that when he sat with Sway, Drake did not address Pusha T or any other rappers directly, but he did speak about his detractors in a very general sense. “It’s important for me to let my fans know I really don’t care. I’m confident,” he said sternly. “I love the music I make and the videos I make and the people I associate with and every decision I’ve ever made.” For Drake, taking the stage on each stop of his Club Paradise Tour is all the assurance that he needs. “Just to let [fans] know that I don’t care about anything else outside of this right here,” he said from backstage at Houston’s Toyota Center, referencing the army of fans waiting for him to perform. “That other stuff, hiding behind computers and yip-yapping all day on radio stations, it’s like that’s cool, man, for points and popularity, but at the end of the day, there is still 15,000 people here.” Have you seen Drake’s Club Paradise show yet? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Drake
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Drake’s Says His Critics ‘Let Me Know That I’m Relevant’
‘My grandmother MJ read the first one and said she couldn’t put it down,” Khloe Kardashian tells MTV News. By Kara Warner Kim Kardashian & Khloe Kardashian Photo: MTV News With book-to-film adaptations being all the rage these days, people just can’t seem to stop talking about the latest hot-button page-turner and best-seller “Fifty Shades of Grey.” And with the big-screen version of the saucy, S&M-heavy tale on the way, we’re doing our best here at MTV News to keep abreast of the latest developments in casting , along with attempts to round up a list of celebrity fans. When we caught up with in-the-know reality TV superstars Kim and Khloe Kardashian recently, ahead of the premiere of the new season of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” we asked the sisters for their thoughts on the book and its rise to popularity within the pop-culture zeitgeist. Both ladies apparently have a lot of reading to do. “[I haven’t read it] but everyone talks about it,” Khloe said. “My grandmother MJ read the first one and said she couldn’t put it down. Now she’s on the second one. My grandmother!” Khloe added. “Sexy!” Kim also has yet to read the entire story, but admitted to letting her curiosity get the best of her during a recent plane ride that involved reading over a stranger’s shoulder. “There was someone reading it on their Kindle on the plane [in the seat] in front of me and they were a little older so the font was huge,” Kim recalled. “I was bored so I was like leaning forward and reading a full chapter.” “I heard it’s a great book,” Khloe chimed in. “It’s racy,” Kim said. “Grandmothers gotta live too,” Khloe said with a smile.
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‘My grandmother MJ read the first one and said she couldn’t put it down,” Khloe Kardashian tells MTV News. By Kara Warner Kim Kardashian & Khloe Kardashian Photo: MTV News With book-to-film adaptations being all the rage these days, people just can’t seem to stop talking about the latest hot-button page-turner and best-seller “Fifty Shades of Grey.” And with the big-screen version of the saucy, S&M-heavy tale on the way, we’re doing our best here at MTV News to keep abreast of the latest developments in casting , along with attempts to round up a list of celebrity fans. When we caught up with in-the-know reality TV superstars Kim and Khloe Kardashian recently, ahead of the premiere of the new season of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” we asked the sisters for their thoughts on the book and its rise to popularity within the pop-culture zeitgeist. Both ladies apparently have a lot of reading to do. “[I haven’t read it] but everyone talks about it,” Khloe said. “My grandmother MJ read the first one and said she couldn’t put it down. Now she’s on the second one. My grandmother!” Khloe added. “Sexy!” Kim also has yet to read the entire story, but admitted to letting her curiosity get the best of her during a recent plane ride that involved reading over a stranger’s shoulder. “There was someone reading it on their Kindle on the plane [in the seat] in front of me and they were a little older so the font was huge,” Kim recalled. “I was bored so I was like leaning forward and reading a full chapter.” “I heard it’s a great book,” Khloe chimed in. “It’s racy,” Kim said. “Grandmothers gotta live too,” Khloe said with a smile.
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‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’: Kim Kardashian Sneaks A Peek
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Bieber’s mentor and dance-off foe will debut his new track ‘Twisted’ on ‘MTV First: Usher,’ airing tonight at 7:54 p.m. on MTV. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway Justin Bieber Photo: Valery Hache/ AFP/ Getty Images Justin Bieber and his mentor, Usher , believe it or not, have engaged in a dance-off or two. While Bieber is certainly known for his ability to cut a rug, he noted that his pal has the smoother of the dance moves. “Dance-offs? We had one the other night. He did this little show in New York,” Bieber explained to MTV News earlier this month about facing off against Usher during his stint in the off-Broadway “Fuerza Bruta” in April . “Mid-show, he comes in the middle of the dance floor and does a dance battle with me. And I’m like ‘I’m too tired for this.’ He pulls out moves and I can’t not dance battle Usher. “So I go in there, do my whole thing,” he recalled. “I’m pretty sure I lost, but it’s all good.” When they aren’t battling it out on the dance floor, it seems Usher is offering up some sage advice to the 18-year-old singer. “He’s just given me the advice of ‘Always keep the people that were there in the beginning, keep them with you because those are the people that really care. They want to see you succeed,’ ” he said. “I think that’s probably pretty much the main thing he’s always told me.” Usher has even more to share about working with his superstar mentee. He will open up during “MTV First: Usher,” set to take place tonight at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV. He will introduce exclusive footage from “Fuerza Bruta” and his new single, the Pharrell-produced “Twisted,” and will stick around for an interview with MTV News’ Sway Calloway to discuss it all, including his new June release, Looking 4 Myself , on MTV.com afterward. Fans can submit questions via MTV.com or Twitter @MTVNews with the hashtag #MTVFirst or #AskUsher. Don’t miss “MTV First: Usher” tonight at 7:54 p.m. ET on MTV, followed by an interview with the singer on MTV.com! Related Videos Get Ready For ‘MTV First: Usher’! MTV First: Justin Bieber Related Artists Usher Justin Bieber
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Justin Bieber: ‘I Can’t Not Dance Battle Usher’
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