Tag Archives: slavery

Julianne Hough Apologizes For Black Face Costume

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  As we predicted yesterday, actress/”Dancing With The Stars” alum Julianne Hough has issued an apology for her ill thought out concept of a costume. RELATED: White…

Julianne Hough Apologizes For Black Face Costume

SNL Spoofs Emancipation In “12 DAYS NOT A Slave” [VIDEO]

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Amidst continued criticism over the lack of Black representation in their casting–particularly African-American women–Saturday Night Live continues to chug along with their brand of race-based…

SNL Spoofs Emancipation In “12 DAYS NOT A Slave” [VIDEO]

ABC Looking At Miniseries Based On James Madison’s Slave

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According to Deadline, ABC seems to be jumping on the servant/slave narrative Hollywood seems to find so fascinating.  Based on the best-seller “A Slave In…

ABC Looking At Miniseries Based On James Madison’s Slave

Lessons We Can Learn From 2012’s Most-Pirated Films

Good news, everyone! 2012 has been a pretty great year for the film industry. Ticket sales were up worldwide by 5% over 2011, and a record box office haul of $10 billion means plenty of celebrating at studio holiday parties. Of course, Biggie wasn’t lying when he preached the harsh truth that with mo’ money comes mo’ problems, and so it is that while bootleg film watching didn’t quite rival ticket sales, with hundreds of millions of illegal downloads piracy is nothing to sneeze at. TorrentFreak has helpfully compiled a list of the year’s most frequently stolen films, and while it contains few surprises – is anyone shocked that the year’s biggest films would also be among the most pirated? – we can learn a lot from what it is people are actually pirating. Here are the films you were most likely to steal in 2012: 1. Project X 2. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol 3. The Dark Knight Rises 4. The Avengers 
5. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 
6. 21 Jump Street 7. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo 8. The Dictator 9. Ice Age: Continental Drift 10. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 So what can we learn from this? For starters, Robert Downey Jr. clearly needs to invest in an illegal file sharing operation. No, we definitely do not condone piracy, but the pirates have spoken, and they’re firmly on team RDL. He might as well cash in on their adoration. Also noteworthy is the fact that the single most pirated film was Project X, which also has the distinction of being the lowest-grossing film on the list. It’s probably rational to think the film’s R-rating led to a lot of underage downloads from people who might otherwise be its target audience. But while some might suggest this only means teen comedies should be tamed down for a PG-13 rating, we think there’s a more obvious solution: eliminate the ratings system entirely. We look forward to a G-rated Machete sequel with plenty of nudity. Finally, this list conclusively proves that pirates have zero interest in prestige films. Every single one of these movies was a giant hit aimed at a wide audience. Now some might argue that movies with broad appeal are going to be more sought-after targets than those that play for a few weeks in an arthouse theater in Pasadena, but it seems just as likely pirates simply don’t like film snobs. The obvious take away: all tentpole movies should debut at Sundance and TriBeCa. [Source: Screen Crush ]

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Lessons We Can Learn From 2012’s Most-Pirated Films

Listen To Anne Hathaway Sing ‘I Dreamed A Dream,’ Pinpoint Exactly When She Earns That ‘Les Mis’ Oscar

We can all agree that Anne Hathaway ‘s brief but gloriously tragic turn in Tom Hooper ‘s Les Miserables earned her the enviable position as Best Supporting Actress front runner. Now you can listen to her movie-topping number “I Dreamed A Dream” online and pinpoint the exact moment when that Oscar statuette officially writes “Anne Hathaway’s syphilitic whore” on its nameplate, because all you other Supporting Actress hopefuls can just give up and go home already*. I will preface this by saying that Hathaway’s one-take, sung-through rendition of Fantine’s rock bottom lament plays better in the film when you can see the Acting with a capital A she’s doing, because singing while weeping hysterically is harder than it sounds. (We’ve all been there, right? Right?! Guys ??) Microphone drop at 3:40, y’all. And if you’re not entirely impressed based on this listen alone, remember that one time when this happened and appreciate the magic that Hathaway is sprinkling all over us by comparison. *Of course there’s a chance that Hathaway will not win the Oscar, in which case I will eat Russell Crowe’s fancy hat. READ MORE ON LES MISERABLES : TALKBACK: Who Gave The Best (And Worst) Performances Of ‘Les Miserables?’ Tom Hooper Defends His ‘Les Misérables ‘ Close-Ups & Reveals Who’s The Bigger Musical Geek: Jackman or Hathaway ‘Les Misérables’ Hits High Notes, But Also Skitters Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .

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Listen To Anne Hathaway Sing ‘I Dreamed A Dream,’ Pinpoint Exactly When She Earns That ‘Les Mis’ Oscar

Spike Lee ‘Not Gonna See’ Tarantino’s ‘Django Unchained’

Django Unchained will not be making filmmaker Spike Lee ‘s year-end top 10 list nor any other list for that matter because he says he won’t see it. The outspoken Red Hook Summer director said the slavery-centered feature by Quentin Tarantino may deal with the topic in a manner that is less than respectful. In an interview with Vibe magazine, Lee said: “I can’t speak on it ’cause I’m not gonna see it. I’m not seeing it. All I’m going to say is that it’s disrespectful to my ancestors to see that film…” [ Related: Quentin Tarantino Wants You To Feel The Inhumanity Of Slavery In ‘Django Unchained’ ] Lee was quick to add that he is only speaking on his own behalf and stopped short at a full condemnation, but said America’s dark history in slavery was not akin to the story portrayed in a film like Django Unchained . “I can’t disrespect my ancestors,” he said. “I can’t do it. Now, that’s me, I’m not speaking on behalf of anybody but myself.” Lee had commented earlier via Twitter alluding to the film, according to Yahoo U.K.: “American Slavery Was Not A Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western. It Was A Holocaust. My Ancestors Are Slaves. Stolen From Africa. I Will Honor Them.” Lee took on Tarantino when Jackie Brown hit screens, criticizing the plentiful use of the n-word, which also is uttered throughout Django Unchained / “I’m not against the word. And some people speak that way,” he said. “But Quentin is infatuated with that word. What does he want to be made – an honorary black man? I want Quentin to know that all African Americans do not think that word is trendy or slick.” [ Sources: Vibe via Yahoo U.K. ]

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Spike Lee ‘Not Gonna See’ Tarantino’s ‘Django Unchained’

Berlin International Film Festival To Open With Wong Kar Wai’s ‘The Grandmaster’: Biz Break

Wong Kar Wai ‘s latest will open the 63rd edition of the Berlinale February 7th out of competition. Also in Wednesday’s round-up of news, Angelina Jolie is eyeing her second directorial project for Universal; Jon Voight is eyeing a KGB agent role in an upcoming Ronald Reagan pic; Universal sets a date for Riddick ; and the National Film Registry names titles to its list. Wong Kar Wai’s The Grandmaster to Open 63rd Berlinale The international premiere of the Chinese director’s latest film will open the Berlin International Film Festival February 7th. The film is described “an epic martial arts drama set against the tumultuous backdrop of 1930’s China and inspired by the life and times of the  legendary IP Man (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), mentor to Bruce Lee. The plot encompasses themes of war, family, revenge, desire, love, and memory.” The film will screen out of competition. Wong is serving as this year’s president of the jury at the Berlinale. Angelina Jolie to Direct Unbroken Jolie is in final negotiations to direct Unbroken , the unbelievable story of Olympian-turned WWII POW Louis Zamperini. The Universal and Walden Media project is is based on Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption , the book by Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand, Deadline reports . Jon Voight Eyes KGB Agent Role in Ronald Reagan Biopic Voight is in negotiations to play a critical part in Reagan , one of at least three upcoming films about President Reagan. His role is playing a Soviet KGB agent whose job it was to track Reagan, the 40th U.S. President. The movie is based on The Crusader and God & Ronald Reagan , two books by Paul Kengor, THR reports . Universal Sets Release Date for Riddick Sci-Fi pic Riddick will open in the U.S. including IMAX September 6, 2013. The feature is the third chapter of the saga that began with 2000′s Pitch Black and 2004′s The Chronicles Of Riddick . Vin Diesel returns as the anti-hero, Riddick, Deadline reports . National Film Registry Names 25 Titles Breakfast at Tiffany’s , A Christmas Story , Dirty Harry and The Matrix are among the “culturally significant” titles to be included in the National Film Registry in the Library of Congress. The NFR was established by Congress in 1989 to preserve U.S. film heritage, Variety reports .

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Berlin International Film Festival To Open With Wong Kar Wai’s ‘The Grandmaster’: Biz Break

Terrence Malick’s ‘To The Wonder’ Trailer Hints At Love Torn Asunder

Javier Bardem booms out, “You shall love (pause) whether you like it or not.” Bardem is seen dressed as a priest in ‘To The Wonder,’ the latest film by Terrence Malick , which debuted at the Venice Film Festival . The trailer opens with a couple walking across what looks like a bridge over the Seine in Paris who then head to what looks like the tidal island Mont Saint-Michel before heading back to more suburban locales and then pastoral expanses. Starring Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Olga Kurylenko and Bardem, the film was originally set to star Christian Bale who later dropped out. The feature by the reclusive Malick is a romantic drama centered on an American man who is torn between the woman who moved to the U.S. to be with him (Kurylenko) and the appearance of a local woman from his past (McAdams) as his marriage falls apart. The film managed to polarize audiences in Venice. Full text of Bardem’s voiceover in the trailer below. You shall love whether you like it or not. Emotions, they come and go like clouds. Love is not only a feeling; you shall love. To love is to run the risk of failure, the risk of betrayal. You fear your love has died; perhaps it is waiting to be transformed into something higher. Awaken the divine presence which sleeps in each man, each woman. Know each other in that love that never changes. [ Source: The trailer is exclusive to TheFilmStage.com via Huffington Post ]

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Terrence Malick’s ‘To The Wonder’ Trailer Hints At Love Torn Asunder

Quentin Tarantino Says Slavery Still Exists Via ‘Mass Incarcerations’ & The ‘War On Drugs’

Quentin Tarantino says slavery continues in the United States.  The outspoken filmmaker — whose spaghetti southern Django Unchained unflinchingly depicts the brutality of slavery — stoked the debate on race Tuesday night when he appeared on the Canadian television talk show  George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight   to suggest that the United States’ “war on drugs” and  its “mass incarcerations” of black men is “just slavery through and through.”  Tarantino didn’t cite these figures, but he could have: According to the   New York Times,  half of the 2.3 million Americans in prison or jail are black, an astonishing figure when compared to 2011 U.S. Census information that indicates blacks comprise only 13.1 percent of the country’s population. In other words, he’s got a point, and this is a conversation our country should stop avoiding. Tarantino was promoting Django Unchained , which opens Christmas Day, on Stroumboulopoulos’ CBC show when he made the controversial comments, and it will be interesting to see whether they get any traction in the U.S.— especially since the national debate is now focused on gun control in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. shootings. A spokesman for George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight provided Movieline with a video clip of Tarantino’s segment and a transcript of his comments. Check them out below and let me know whether you agree with Tarantino’s remarks in the comments section. George Stroumboulopoulos: So you know this film is gonna deal with the conversation about race in America today, people will talk about it. What do you feel about where it’s at? Quentin Tarantino: Uh… It’s… You know, there is… On a day-to-day, day-in, day-out basis for most people in America, it’s okay. Things have gotten a lot better. People are a little too sensitive to talk about stuff, and that’s a drag, but you know that’s, that’s how it is. But on a bigger level, it’s very depressing. This whole thing of the, this “war on drugs,” and the mass incarcerations that have happened pretty much for the last 40 years has just decimated the black male population. It’s slavery, it is just, it’s just slavery through and through, and it’s just the same fear of the black male that existed back in the 1800s. And uh, you know there’s a reason – I mean, especially having even directed a movie about slavery, and you know the scenes that we have in the slave town, the slave auction town, where they’re moving back and forth. Well that looks like standing in the top tier of a prison system and watching the things go down. And between the private prisons and the public prisons, the way prisoners are traded back and forth. And literally all the reasons that they have for keeping this going are all the same reasons they had for keeping slavery going after the whole world had pretty much decided that it was immoral. GS: Right. Business first. QT: Because it’s like, because it’s an industry. And one, what are we gonna do with all these people that are let loose, you know, these black people let loose, and two, what are we gonna do about all of the people that make money off of this industry? READ MORE on Django Unchained: Quentin Tarantino Defends Violence in ‘Django Unchained’ Samuel L. Jackson Says He Burned Off Jamie Foxx’s Nipples In Cut ‘Django Unchained’ Scene [ George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight , New York Times , U.S. Census Bureau ] Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

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Quentin Tarantino Says Slavery Still Exists Via ‘Mass Incarcerations’ & The ‘War On Drugs’

Mimes, Monkeys, And The Ghost Of ‘Fitzcarraldo’: Inside Brazil’s Amazonas Film Festival

There are no movie stars in Brazil. When a local comedy show asked people to list the most famous Brazilians, the top three were Gisele Bundchen, Pele, and Blanka — the green ogre from Street Fighter 2 who got his powers from the bite of an Amazonian electric eel. So far in 2012, not a single Brazilian-made movie has cracked the top ten in the country’s own box office—in fact, to find a domestic hit, you have to go all the way down to the romantic comedy E Ai…Comeu? , which to date has made about half of as many reals as Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked . But Brazil does have soap stars. And at the Amazonas Film Festival in Manaus, Brazil — the heart of the Amazon — soap stars, dozens and dozens of them, all handsome and cheerful and thrilled by their own fame, were the main event. That a film festival celebrates soap stars makes no sense, until it does. One of the major reasons for trekking these TV celebrities out to Manaus is to lure schoolchildren to attend the free festival where, between hooting hellos at their idols, they watch a movie, fall in love with film and kickstart the next generation of Brazilian cinema. The second reason for the soap star deluge is to make the rest of the country pay attention to Manaus. Until very recently, the 2.2 million capital city of the Amazon was only accessible by plane and boat; most of the celebrities in attendance from the southern metropolises of Rio and Sao Paulo had never been there at all. It takes longer to drive from Rio to Manaus than it does to drive from Los Angeles to New York, and the cultural distance between the two is so vast that the TV actors kept insisting to us gringo journalists that Manaus wasn’t even really Brazil, but more like how we think of Alaska. But if Manaus has a lot to prove, they’ve also got the money to do it. In case you haven’t heard: Brazil is rich. And Brazil sets aside .85% of the federal budget to support the arts, while the United States manages a meager .066% — and Mitt Romney still wanted to kill Big Bird. The 2012 Amazonas Film Festival was a lavish spare-no-expenses wonder: Every night one to two movies screened for attendees sitting in the velvet chairs of the Teatro Amazonas, an opera house built in 1896, and every day, the festival hosted trips to waterfalls and rainforests and palaces. One afternoon, everyone trekked to a nature reserve to celebrate as Elizabeth the sloth was rechristened a native name meaning “Beloved by Humans.” There was a fireworks salute, the clinking of goblets filled with Coca-Cola and Guarana soda, and then the DJ spun “Jungle Boogie.” Meanwhile, a concession stand employee fed stray marmoset monkeys like they were pigeons. And unlike Sundance in Park City, Utah, the film festival isn’t even the town’s high point of the year: Manaus hosts a big cultural festival every month for rock, opera, folklore, carnival, jazz, theater, dance, pop music, and even Christmas, which this year will be produced by Disney and aired on national TV. Americans have seen Manaus before, even if they don’t realize it. The Ice Cube and Jennifer Lopez masterpiece Anaconda claims to have been shot there, although none of the locals would admit it. (They should.) So few feature films have been shot in the region that when the fest played A Floresta De Jonathas (aka Jonathas’ Forest — “Jonathas” is not a typo), a trippy slow burn about a teenager lost in the jungle, it was heralded as the first flick filmed there in 10 years. Film nerds can name a third flick from Manaus: Werner Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo , which opens with Klaus Kinksi and Claudia Cardinale leaping from a canoe to dash up the stairs of the grand old Teatro Amazonas, desperate to see Enrico Caruso. But most Brazilians haven’t heard of that movie either, though if you believe a word Kinski wrote in his sex-mad autobiography All I Need is Love , he had to have left behind at least a half-dozen half-Brazilian children. The Teatro Amazonas (pictured at top), where the seven-day film festival was held, looks almost the same as it did when Herzog filmed there in 1982, except for the mime dressed like Charlie Chaplin who stalked the red carpet each night and eagerly leaped in front of every camera. At the opening of the Amazonas Film Festival, the old marble walls — imported from Italy back when the rubber barons of Manaus made it the richest city in the world — buzzed with energy. We American journalists were given headsets that translated the introductory speeches from Portuguese to English, not that they helped us make any sense of the moment when a soap star named Igor, a dead-ringer for Benicio del Toro, stormed the stage uninvited and shouted something loosely paraphrased as, “Thanks for letting me have sex with my girlfriend under a waterfall!” to the Minister of Culture. Then he pulled a pair of sheer black pantyhose over his head like he was about to rob a convenience store, and fled the stage to massive applause. Lost in translation, I suppose. The opening night film, Colegas ( Buddies ) has been sweeping up awards in Brazil. It’s comedy version of Natural Born Killers with a twist — the two gun-toting lovebirds on the run with their best friend all have Downs Syndrome. Plus, the trio, headed by de facto leader Stallone (whose parents named him after their favorite actor) were so bored at their institution for the mentally handicapped that they spent their days memorizing old Hollywood movies on VHS. It’s a Brazilian movie about American movies — even the credits riff off old posters for Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Godfather . When girlfriend Aniha waves a pistol in a fancy Buenos Aires restaurant, she hollers, “Everybody be cool — this is a robbery!” and when she and Stallone snuggle up, he whispers, “Are you trying to seduce me, Mrs. Robinson?” The inevitable Fox Searchlight remake will rake in millions, especially with the built-in controversy of a cast that’s half-disabled. But there was no frisson of exploitation here, though when lead ingenue Rita Pokk literally lowered to her knees onstage to thank the director for allowing her to act, he hastily joined her on the ground. Continued…

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Mimes, Monkeys, And The Ghost Of ‘Fitzcarraldo’: Inside Brazil’s Amazonas Film Festival