Fan Fare
Entertainment behind the scenes
“At the Movies” goes dark
The latest movies from Sylvester Stallone, Julia Roberts and Michael Cera will forever be remembered by film buffs as the last to be reviewed on the weekly TV show “At the Movies,” which ended its influential 35-year run this past weekend. Syndicator Disney announced in March that it was canceling the show because it no longer made financial sense to produce.
The show, originated by rival Chicago newspapermen Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, brought film criticism to mainstream America. The two scribes passionately debated each other on the merits of Hollywood blockbusters and small art-house releases, making or breaking movies with their trademarked (literally) thumbs-up and thumbs-down recommendations.
The swan song episode replayed some of those moments: Siskel lavishing praise on the documentary “Hoop Dreams,” and the duo almost coming to blows over such long-forgotten films as the Burt Reynolds comedy “Cop and a Half.” In one notable sequence, Siskel changed his thumbs-up on “Broken Arrow” to a thumbs-down, after being swayed by Ebert’s distaste for the John Travolta thriller.
Siskel and Ebert jumped from local public television to national syndication in 1986. Siskel died in 1999 and was eventually replaced by columnist Richard Roeper. An ailing Ebert stepped down in 2006, and Roeper reviewed movies with a succession of guests for two years. Two of them, A.O. (Tony) Scott of the New York Times and Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune (at left in picture with Scott), rescued the show in 2009 after an ill-fated restructuring with a pair of lightweight critics sent ratings into a freefall.
Phillips recalled working in a factory in 1980 with people who saw their first subtitled films because of the show. “It mainstreamed film criticism and it brought up a different audience into all kinds of specialty and arthouse and foreign-language (movies) they would not have otherwise seen,” he said.
“It democratized it,” added Scott. “It opened it up, to the point that now you have the noise and argumentation of the Internet where you have a hundred flowers blooming in angry contention.”
Not that there’s anything wrong with that, Scott noted. “It’s about everybody getting together and having a focal point for an argument.”
Want to get running? Try “Eye of the Tiger”
Rocky Balboa might pack a punch with boxers but Sylvester Stallone’s character has also proved to be an inspiration for another sporting group - marathon runners. Ahead of last month’s London marathon, a group of marathon runners were asked by realbuzz.com which songs kept them motivated as they trained for the 26.2 mile event and songs from the soundtrack of the classic Rocky films came out tops.
“Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor again topped the poll which is now in its fourth year but this year also saw “Gonna Fly Now” by Bill Conti shooting into the top 10.
“Rocky films have obviously been watched by many as they have trained for this iconic race, and have motivated runners to go the distance … The tunes that runners have chosen all demonstrate strong beats and rhythm, which always helps maintain a good running pace,” said realbuzz.com Managing Director Chris Twamley in a statement.
“Chariots of Fire” remained in the top 10, as did “Proud” by Heather Small and Kings of Leon dropped a couple of places with “Sex on Fire.” New entries included Black Eyed Peas “I gotta feeling” and Ron Goodwin’s “The Trap.”
Here is a list of of the Top 10 motivational songs to run for by realbuzz.com 2010:
- Eye of the Tiger – Survivor - Keep on Running – Spencer Davis Group - Chariots of Fire – Vangelis - Don’t stop me now – Queen - Don’t stop Believing – Journey - Gonna Fly Now – Bill Conti - I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas - Sex on Fire – Kings of Leon - The Trap – Ron Goodwin - Proud – Heather Small
- Photos by Reuters
Stallone, Schwarzenegger in Bollywood? Not both.
Action star Sylvester Stallone will make a cameo appearance in a Bollywood movie, but movie fans hoping Sly would share the screen with action hero-turned-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will have to keep waiting. And maybe for a long time.
Aaron McLean, Schwarzenegger’s spokesman in the California governor’s office, dismissed recent media reports that the “Terminator” star will appear in the Bollywood movie “Incredible Love.”
“He is not involved in that picture,” McLean said.
But Stallone, star of the “Rocky” and “Rambo” films, will make an appearance in “Incredible Love,” which will be shot at Universal Studios in Los Angeles.
“I will confirm that Mr. Stallone is doing a cameo,” said his spokeswoman Michelle Bega.
“Incredible Love” is the story of an Indian stuntman in Hollywood, and it features Bollywood star Akshay Kumar. The New York Daily News reports the movie’s $21 million budget will be the most spent on any Bollywood picture.
Stallone, 61, and Schwarzenegger, 60, have never starred together on screen, but in 2002 they performed voice work for animated series “Liberty’s Kids: Est. 1776,” about the American revolution. Stallone played Paul Revere and Schwarzenegger had the role of Baron von Steuben.
Its incredilble that we’ll get to see sylvester stallone in a bollywood flick.frankly i wudnt mind watching him even in a persian movie.stallone is a legend!!!he’s got the best body and the best looks…the best action hero ever…just cant wait to see his movies!!!
