Davy Jones, once named by Yahoo as the number 1 teen idol of all time, passed away at the age of 66 after suffering a heart attack. As a member of the Beatles-inspired musical group The Monkees, created for their eponymous television show in 1966, Jones rose to fame alongside bandmates Peter Tork, Mickey Dolenz, and Michael Nesmith and subsequently embarked on a successful solo musical career of his own; let’s remember Jones with a look back at The Monkees, Jones’ acting career, and the group’s 1968 psychedelic cult film, Head . The Monkees’ “Daydream Believer”: Jones’ singing “Girl” during his cameo on The Brady Bunch : Jones sings “Daddy’s Song” in Head , a film that stymied then and now but remains a highlight of the Monkees legacy: Swoon away with your own Jones remembrances below. [via TMZ ]
It may not feel like it sometimes, but believe me: This is a great time to be a moviegoer. Harvey Weinstein is at the height of his powers , Titanic is finally coming out in murky 3-D , head-exploding propaganda is No. 1 at the box-office , and we’ve got a superhero flick to look forward to virtually every week from May to August. What more could you want from the film industry? What’s that? Strippers vs. werewolves, you say? Sure — that can be arranged. To wit, today’s extraordinary news from THR : Well Go, the indie distributor that brought you such trenchant fare as Mutant Girls Squad and The Greatest American Snuff Film , has struck a deal for North American rights to an actual movie called Strippers vs. Werewolves . It is what it sounds like and will no doubt present a fine counterpoint this summer to Steven Soderbergh’s male-stripper opus Magic Mike . Earth needs a balance, folks. Fine — strippers and werewolves and $300 budgets aren’t your thing. You’re more of a dinosaurs vs. aliens kind of person. Great! Guess what ? Move over cowboys, its dinosaurs that are going to battle aliens now. Following its launch announcement last May, Liquid Comics will release graphic novel Dinosaurs Vs. Aliens this summer based on an original story by Men In Black director Barry Sonnenfeld who worked closely on the project with comic book creator Grant Morrison ( Batman, 18 Days, The Invisibles ). Morrison is writing both the graphic novel and the film screenplay for Sonnenfeld to direct while artwork for Dinosaurs Vs. Aliens is being done by Liquid Comics artist Mukesh Singh, who previously worked with Morrison on the 18 Days hardcover book. The story for Dinosaurs Vs. Aliens is based on a secret world war battle that was never recorded in history books. When an alien invasion attacks Earth in the age of the dinosaurs, our planet’s only saviors are the savage prehistoric beasts which are much more intelligent than humanity has ever imagined. Of course they are . But OK, OK, I hear you — forget the strippers and werewolves and dinosaurs and aliens, and let’s see about a new kind of hero comprising three facets of a Bourne -style agent on a quest for revenge. Did I mention he’s mentally ill? What could go wrong? Take it away, Mike Fleming : Universal Pictures has acquired the action film Cowboy Ninja Viking and has Marc Forster ready to make the graphic novel adaptation his next film. The graphic novel and a Disney-developed script by Zombieland writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese were acquired by Universal after the script came in and was deemed too edgy for Disney’s family film mandate. The title character comes from a secret government program to turn schizophrenics into assassins. The protagonist comes through the program with the skill sets of a cowboy, ninja and a viking. While most of the patients involved in the program are sent back to insane asylum after the program went awry in Iraq, he escapes and uses his skills to track down the billionaire who masterminded the program. What a world! This all bodes very well for my recently completed script Blogger vs. Half a Bottle of Ambien . Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
I had vowed to get on with my life and leave the Academy Awards alone today. That all changed when a friend alerted me to an eye-popping moment on the Oscars red carpet that haunted my dreams and now demands reckoning. Dear readers, does anybody knows what the hell is going on here? Seriously, I need to know . Also: Top that, Sacha Baron Cohen . [Thanks to Justin for the heads-up.] Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
We were just talking about Scenes From a Marriage , too: The Swedish actor-writer-director Erland Josephson has died following a protracted battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was 88. Josephson came to prominence as a friend, theater colleague and eventual ensemble player for the great Ingmar Bergman, finally breaking into the leading-man ranks in the filmmaker’s seminal relationship epic Scenes before eventually diversifying with roles in films by Peter Greenaway ( Prospero’s Books ), Philip Kaufman ( The Unbearable Light of Being ) and, most indelibly, Andrei Tarkovsky, who cast Josephson in his 1986 masterpiece The Sacrifice . Very sad. R.I.P. [ NYT ]
Why the contest between the year’s two biggest awards shows wasn’t really much of a contest at all, in Bigger Than the Sound. By James Montgomery Angelina Jolie presents at the 84th annual Academy Awards Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images There was a wardrobe malfunction , some racy fashion , a bit of onstage inebriation , a little pre-show punking and even a Justin Bieber sighting … and none of it was enough to spare Sunday’s 84th Academy Awards from being called “as bland as oatmeal” and a “badly paced bore-fest.” Those criticisms may or may not have been deserved; after all, the three-hour-and-something telecast certainly lagged in spots, most of Billy Crystal’s shtick seemed to have been vacuum-sealed during the latter days of the Carter administration and the most memorable moments centered on supposed nipple sips and Angelina Jolie’s right leg. And, shoot, it’s not like there was a whole lot of suspense involved with the show itself; everyone knew “The Artist” was a lock to win Best Picture , and, lo and behold, it did just that. Still, there were highlights— Emma Stone’s charming (and well-written) presentation bit opposite Ben Stiller, Octavia Spencer’s gob-smacked Best Supporting Actor acceptance speech (and frequent near spills beforehand), Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis’ cymbal-smashing stunt — but overall, consensus seems to hold that this year’s Oscar telecast was too bloated, too straight-laced and too self-reverent. In other words, it was just like every other Oscar telecast, only with accidental nudity and some Cirque du Soleil thrown in at the last minute. Which is why, after sifting through the aftermath of the show itself, I can’t help but notice the similarities between the Oscars and the 54th Grammy Awards , which unspooled earlier this month and were greeted with the same basic criticisms immediately afterward: feckless host, lifeless pacing, predictable results. And while comparing Billy Crystal to LL Cool J is basically a futile endeavor (Crystal was funnier, but LL bested him when it came to prayer-leading and headwear), it’s not exactly a stretch to call both telecasts long-winded, or make the connection between “The Artist” and Adele. Of course, some (like, uh, me ) have already floated the notion that the Oscars and the Grammys are basically the same show anyway — both are slightly silly, thoroughly incomprehensible exercises in self congratulation — though, for what it’s worth, I actually enjoyed Sunday’s Oscars way more than this year’s Grammys. I thought the former was a better show, more creatively staged, and certainly more adept playing the hand it was dealt. To wit: Producers went into Sunday’s Oscarcast having already weathered the Brett Ratner/Eddie Murphy bad-press fiesta, and knowing that a) this year’s crop of nominated-films weren’t exactly compelling, b) a (largely) silent, black-and-white film was the odds-on favorite, c) their host was born in 1948, and d) they were opposite the NBA All-Star Game. Forget about “cool” … about the best thing the Oscars could hope for was “classy,” and in that regard, they definitely delivered. On the other hand, heading into the Grammys, the presumptive favorite had also sold nearly 7 million albums (about as close as a consensus as you can get these days), one of the most-popular hip-hop artists on the planet was the night’s most-nominated act (that would be Kanye West ), and three of the world’s biggest pop stars ( Katy Perry , Lady Gaga and Rihanna ) were all in attendance. Oh, and then, on the night before the show itself, Whitney Houston — one of the greatest singers of all time, and a talent whose entire career was basically interwoven with the history of the award — unexpectedly died. If anything, the show was set up to be one for the ages. And yet, it largely wasn’t. Sure, Adele soared and scored, but everyone else in the previous paragraph was basically an afterthought. And the tribute to Houston, featuring a very game Jennifer Hudson, was buried in the telecast and largely forgotten by the following morning. Combine all that with an odd Nicki Minaj performance, that whole “EDM” tribute and a thorough bungling of the annual “In Memoriam” piece, and the Grammys were a debacle in just about every conceivable way (except for Dave Grohl , of course, who was awesome as always). So if these two awards shows really are so similar, well, for one year at least, they weren’t. The Oscars definitely out-gunned, out-shone, and even managed to out-Grammy the Grammys themselves. There was a slight spirit of irreverence (Angelina’s leg show, Sacha Baron Cohen’s ash-spilling stunt, the boozy “Bridesmaids” salute to Marty Scorsese) that permeated throughout the buttoned-up proceedings. They even got Justin Bieber involved, and the last time I checked, he was a musician (or at least that’s what people tell me). Both certainly warranted criticisms, though perhaps that’s just the case with all awards shows these days: They are largely antithetical to the way we operate, after all: throwback, three-hour telecasts where brevity is encouraged but never really enforced. They are practically constructed to be de constructed by bloggers the following morning, painfully un-hip, unapologetically huge and forced to appeal to the broadest of demographics. And yet (or probably because of all that), they routinely deliver viewership — this year’s Grammys were watched by 39 million folks, the largest audience since 1984 — which means they’re not going anywhere anytime soon … if ever. So if we’re stuck with them, we might as well come to appreciate them. Neither the Oscars nor the Grammys are ever going to be perfect … and this year, neither were. But when comparison is necessary (and given the scope of both, basically unavoidable), the Oscars came out on top, by a large margin. They did more with less, and did so with style to spare. And less Nicki Minaj. Then again, perhaps all of this just begs a larger question: Wouldn’t it be nice if there were some alternatives out there? I wouldn’t hold my breath for an answer, so in the mean time, I’m left to compare one bloviated, bloated awards show to another, even if they don’t even merit comparison. What awards show did you enjoy more this year: the Grammys or the Oscars? Leave your comment below! The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Keep it locked at MTV.com for updates on the night’s big winners and the best red-carpet fashion . Related Videos 2012 Grammy Awards Show Highlights Oscars 2012: Show Highlights Bigger Than The Sound: Stories Behind The Bands Related Photos Oscars 2012: The Main Show 2012 Grammy Awards: Main Show
Ratings for Sunday night’s telecast up 4 percent over 2011’s show. By Gil Kaufman Meryl Streep and Jean Dujardin backstage at the Academy Awards on Sunday Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images Sometimes “meh” is all you need — especially when you’re following up one of the most reviled Oscar hosting teams in recent memory. That might explain why, despite a night devoid of any major surprises or blockbuster winners, ratings for the 2012 Oscars telecast were up slightly over last year. According to ABC’s preliminary ratings, the Billy Crystal-hosted awards show had a 25.5 rating and 37 share, a 4 percent increase over the 2011 show, which famously bombed thanks to the lack of chemistry between hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway . Crystal’s safe-as-milk ninth go-round as host earned the veteran comedian mostly tepid to negative reviews, but it was enough to boost the big night to one of its best ratings nights since 2007, when the show put up a 27.7 rating and 42 share. The highest-ever Oscar ratings came in 1998, when the global blockbuster “Titanic” helped draw in more than 55 million viewers. Ratings might have been even higher if any of the most-nominated movies had posted solid box-office figures as well. But between them, the leading winners, “The Artist” and “Hugo,” which both reveled in a nostalgic look back at the dawn of the modern movie era, have grossed just over $100 million combined to date. To put that in perspective, popcorn flick “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” which was blanked in three technical categories, brought in nearly that much in its opening weekend. More complete ratings numbers are expected later in the day on Monday (February 27). The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Keep it locked at MTV.com for updates on the night’s big winners and the best red-carpet fashion . Related Videos Oscars 2012: Show Highlights Oscars 2012: Red Carpet Highlights Related Photos Oscars 2012: Winners
Late night host Jimmy Kimmel’s tradition of filming a post- Oscar movie-related spoof continued Sunday night with a “trailer” for Movie: The Movie , the ultimate star-studded epic to end all epics. In addition to featuring a host of stars, from Taylor Lautner to Helen Mirren to Tyler Perry (er, “Daniel Day-Lewis as Tyler Perry as George Washington”), the Kimmel-produced gag covered just about every genre and trope known to the movies. I give it a few years before some suit turns this into a reality. Among the stars in Kimmel’s ensemble: Ryan Phillippe, Jessica Biel, Ed Norton, Josh Brolin, Antonio Banderas, Tom Hanks, Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren, Tyler Perry, Meryl Streep, Jason Bateman, Matt Damon, and Colin Farrell. Okay, who am I kidding: I’d totally watch a K-9 buddy cop action sports movie starring Farrell as a SWAT officer partnered with a bomb-kicking Air Bud. Go ahead and make that happen, Hollywood. [via Jimmy Kimmel Live ]
Sunday night’s show saw the oldest winner of an acting award and three-ish feet of Angelina Jolie’s right leg. By John Mitchell Christopher Plummer wins at the 84th Annual Academy Awards Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images The 84th Academy Awards , were a numbers game. We were treated to the oldest acting winner in Oscar history (82-year-old Best Supporting Actor winner Christopher Plummer); the most-nominated actor ever, Meryl Streep (17 nods!), took home her third award; and in just minutes, Angelina Jolie’s leg tallied way more Twitter followers than you’ll ever have. Taking a look back, plenty of fantastic statistics stick out. From the long trek to Hollywood for Parisian Best Actor winner Jean Dujardin to the many languages spoken by winners at the ceremony, check out our helpful, by-the-numbers guide to Sunday night’s Oscars.
‘Harry Potter,’ meanwhile, was shut out of its two nominations — but couldn’t the YA franchises’ stars get involved? By Kara Warner Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate There’s still a lot to discuss and digest from the 2012 Oscars , from the glitz and glamour, to the surprises, snubs and glaring omissions. Speaking to the snubs and omissions category, MTV News couldn’t help but notice that, for an awards show designed to appeal to all movie fans, three of the most buzz-worthy film franchises of the last decade were mostly left out of the festivities: “Harry Potter,” “Twilight” and “The Hunger Games.” This is not a story about the lack of nominations for the films; we’ve already complained about the “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” shutout and “The Hunger Games” hasn’t even been released yet. But why not involve a few of these noteworthy films’ castmembers in the telecast? We consulted a few experts on the subject. “I think this year is more glaring than most, for sure,” said Entertainment Weekly senior writer Sara Vilkomerson. “Personally, I’m surprised there was not a lot of ‘Potter’ stuff; that was a very lucrative franchise for a lot of people and really critically acclaimed, the last movie. I feel like there was a definite lack of youth. I know in my house, when the ‘Hunger Games’ ad came on, it felt a little more exciting than certain parts of the telecast.” “The Academy obviously went out of their way to acknowledge the lack of youth appeal — but a handful of jokes in Billy Crystal’s video montage and a little token Bieber isn’t enough to fix it,” added Brooke Tarnoff, senior editor for NextMovie.com . “It’s a hard line to walk, enticing younger viewers but still voting with integrity. Maybe the answer is expanding Academy membership to more young actors who will be able to choose ‘young people movies’ with a clear conscience.” “I’m a house divided on the Oscars and the youth audience,” said Shylah Addante, who runs “Hunger Games” fan site Down With the Capitol . “On one hand, as a card-carrying fangirl, I absolutely understand the outrage about last night’s ‘Potter’ snub. For a franchise that has touched the hearts and minds, not to mention the wallets, of so many people around the world for a decade, the absence of Oscar gold left me feeling like the Academy was full of Dementors. On the other hand, the fiercely proud side of me wants a film to win an Oscar because it deserves it — not because it’s a tentpole franchise or because it made one bajillion dollars worldwide. If ‘Hugo’ was any lesson to young Oscar viewers, it is that, in the right hands, a children’s/young adult book can become a film worthy of major awards.” “It’s a very, very hard line to teeter on. I have full sympathy for the people who are trying to organize it,” Vilkomerson said. “It just shows how challenging it is to put on a really good Oscar telecast that makes everyone happy, that hits everything that everybody wants. It’s a hard, hard show to put on. Maybe next year, ‘The Hunger Games’ will be nominated and that will be the easiest way to interlace these two worlds.” Addante agreed with next year’s potential for “The Hunger Games.” ” ‘Potter’ and ‘Twilight’ may not have wooed the Academy, but ‘Hunger Games,’ with its decorated cast and crew, contemporary social and political messages and dramatic plot, may just have what it takes to finally give some critical legitimacy to young adult series and their fans.” The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Keep it locked at MTV.com for updates on the night’s big winners and the best red-carpet fashion . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Hunger Games’
Because it’s never too early to start the wild speculation. By Kevin P. Sullivan Martin Freeman in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” Photo: James Fisher/ New Line Productions Well, everyone, that’s it for our 2012 Oscars coverage. It’s been a great awards season. Can’t wait to see you next year. … … … Hello, everyone, and welcome to MTV News’ 2013 Oscars coverage. It seems like just yesterday that “The Artist” won big and took home Best Picture, but who cares about that movie anymore? That’s old news. This year is sure to be a huge year at the movies, and the nominees for next year’s Oscars are already lining up. MTV News has your first look at the likely nominees for the Academy Awards based on everything we know about the Oscars. Best Supporting Actor A rare, wide-open race this late in the game, Best Supporting Actor nominations could go to any number of great actors who were not great enough to be considered for the lead. The one lock at this point has to be Christoph Waltz for his work in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained.” Waltz won an Academy Award for playing essentially the same character in “Inglourious Basterds,” but this time he’s a good guy. What could be bad about that? Best Actress Here’s a category already locked in a dead heat, with a wide variety of potential nominees vying for one of the five spots. The real shock here could be young Quvenzhan
