News

“What happens to the dog?”

That is a line that pops up throughout the new dramedy The Friend, which asks that question in different ways and plays with our own experiences in watching movies centered on man’s best friend where whether the dog lives — or dies — is front of mind. And indeed (partly) the title star of this movie is a majestic and huge Great Dane named Apollo (Bing), but “The Friend” is also a woman named Iris (Naomi Watts), a New York City professor and writer who was the best friend to Walter (Bill Murray), a celebrated author and womanizer, married three times among other relationships, but devoted to the 5-year-old Apollo and vice versa. That is until the unthinkable happens and Walter unexpectedly dies, a suicide that sends his circle into a tailspin and Apollo into unending grief and lack of understanding of what happened to his master.

Robert Weatherwax, a second-generation Hollywood animal trainer and the son of Lassie co-creator Rudd Weatherwax, has died. He was 83.

The late trainer’s son Robert Jr., who has also continued in the family business, announced his father’s death on Friday with a throwback photo of the two of them and one of the rough collie descendants of the original Lassie dog actor Pal.

“It is with great sorry that I announce the passing of my legendary dog training father,” wrote Robert Jr. in the post. “He was born exactly one year after my grandfather’s MGM Lassie – ‘Pal’. I’m proud to be the last representative of the greatest dog training family in history.”

Rudd created Lassie for CBS in 1954 with producer Robert Maxwell. Robert Weatherwax Sr. joined his father on the show in the early ’60s, continuing to carry on the Lassie legacy after Rudd died at 77 in...

Bob Weatherwax, who trained dogs who played Lassie as a member of the famous family that also taught Hollywood hounds a thing or two in The Thin Man (Asta), The Wizard of Oz (Toto) and Old Yeller (Spike), has died. He was 83.

Weatherwax died Thursday at a Veterans Administration facility in Olyphant, Pennsylvania, his son, Robert Weatherwax, a former animal trainer for films and television shows, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Bob Weatherwax was the son of Rudd Weatherwax, the original owner and trainer of Pal, the collie introduced to moviegoers in the MGM classic Lassie Come Home (1943), starring Elizabeth Taylor and Roddy McDowall.

His grandfather, W.S. Weatherwax, was an actor and animal trainer in the silent era, and his cousin, Ken Weatherwax, played Pugsley Addams on The Addams Family.

Bob Weatherwax served as an animal trainer under his dad on the CBS/syndicated Lassie series that aired from 1954-74 and...

Dog. Man’s best friend, and also his greatest muse.

Since the beginning of film history, humans have found a way to put a puppies and canines on screen. One of the very first British movies was the 1905 silent short “Rescued by Rover,” about a Collie leading her master to their kidnapped baby. That film launched the career of Blair, the first canine onscreen actor, and defined how dogs would be depicted in cinema for centuries: loyal, smart, resourceful, and lovable.

From there, canine actors began appearing at a steady clip throughout film history. They appeared in comedies like Charlie Chaplin’s “A Dog’s Life” and teary dramas like “Old Yeller.” And kid-friendly companies like Disney churned out film after film centering dogs, like “Homeward Bound” and the “Air Bud” franchise. The dog movie is maybe not the most well-respected genre in the history of film, but it’s hard...

From Lassie and Rin Tin Tin to 101 Dalmatians, Old Yeller, My Dog Skip, Homeward Bound, A Dog’s Purpose and on and on, the canine genre has been a staple of Hollywood movies for decades. I suppose it was only a matter of time before someone got the idea to make a balls-out, foul-mouthed, R-rated subversion of it all, and finally its time has come with the irresistible Strays, a film definitely not designed as a family movie or for kids — though I would bet, despite the language and nonstop dick jokes, they would love it anyway.

Credit Universal Pictures for not only seeing the potential in a Cocaine Bear this year, but now also with the four-pack of lovable down and dirty dogs who hump everything in sight and use four-letter words in just about every conversation. Strays is as raunchy as Ted or anything Seth Rogen ever thought of,...

Long ago, the 1950s ended and Disney never really got over it.

With the right kind of eyes, a casual viewer can look at the early days of Walt Disney Studios as their heyday. Walt himself was still alive and using his aggressive business acumen to produce visually innovative and award-winning animated shorts that were helping put the studio on the map. Without the Silly Symphonies, animation would not be the same. Warner Bros. outstripped Disney's fare with their cheekier, funnier shorts in the 1940s and 1950s, but the folks at Warner's Termite Terrace were very open about the fact that Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes were ripping off Disney's Silly Symphonies name. Disney Animation broke onto the scene in 1937 with the release of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," still celebrated as one of the best of all animated films to this day.

The reason early Disney was...

From The Video Archives Podcast, writer/director Roger Avary and writer/producer Gala Avary discuss a few of their favorite movies with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Taxi Driver (1976)

Star Wars (1977)

Matinee (1993)

Dune (1984)

Terror On A Train a.k.a. Time Bomb (1953)

Licorice Pizza (2021)

Batman (1989)

Yentl (1983)

Nuts (1987)

Spaceballs (1987)

Die Hard (1988)

Top Gun (1986)

Cocksucker Blues (1972)

Mijn nachten met Susan, Olga, Albert, Julie, Piet & Sandra (1975)

Straw Dogs (1971)

The Godfather (1972)

A History Of Violence (2005)

Day Of The Dolphin (1973)

Babylon (2022)

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (2022)

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979)

Carrie (1976)

Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1995)

Blow Out (1981)

The Matrix (1999)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Killing Zoe (1993)

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

The Tenant (1976)

Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Bugsy Malone (1976)

Phantom Of The Paradise (1974)

The Muppet Movie (1979)

The Rules Of Attraction (2002)

The Sound Of Music (1965)

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

Giant (1956)

The Andromeda Strain (1971)

Babe (1995)

Time Bandits...

For a company as renowned for its family friendly product as Disney, it has a history of scenes or sequences that are horrifying (if not outright depressing) – Mufasa getting trampled by the wildebeests, Bambi’s mother disappearing into the forest and pretty much everything that happens in “Pinocchio.” (Not to mention live-action atrocities like the end of “Old Yeller” and the beginning of “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.”) But nothing can prepare you for how sobering and deeply unsettling Disneynature’s “Polar Bear” is.

“Polar Bear” is very much like other Disneynature entries that came before it (things like “Dolphin Reef” or “Penguins”) – it’s beautifully shot, featuring moments you never thought you’d seen (like when a beached whale becomes an unlikely polar bear pool party) and has top notch narration (this time courtesy of Catherine Keener). But in other ways it’s more somber and introspective; the narration is first-person,...

Tommy Kirk, the actor known for playing Travis Coates in “Old Yeller” and several other Disney films, was found dead in his Las Vegas home Tuesday. He was 79.

Kirk’s longtime friend Paul Petersen II posted the news on Facebook, writing, “Please know that Tommy Kirk loved you, his fans.”

Kirk was born in Louisville, Ky. in 1941 and grew up in Los Angeles County. He began acting as a teenager, and appeared in a play at the Pasadena Playhouse, where he was discovered by an agent who helped him to make his screen debut in “The Last of the Old Time Shooting Sheriffs,” a 1955 episode of “TV Reader’s Digest.” From there, he appeared in episodes of several TV series including “The Loretta Young Show” and “Gunsmoke.” His profile rose when he began to play the role of Joe Hardy in the “Hardy Boys” series “The Mystery of the Applegate...

Tommy Kirk, one of Disney’s major young stars of the 1950s and early ’60s with performances in generational touchstone films such as Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog and Son of Flubber, died Tuesday at his home in Las Vegas. He was 79.

His death was announced on Facebook by friend and fellow child star Paul Petersen.

Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery

“My friend of many decades, Tommy Kirk, was found dead last night,” wrote Petersen, who has long been an advocate for child actors through his organization A Minor Consideration. “Tommy was intensely private. He lived alone in Las Vegas, close to his friend … and Ol Yeller co-star, Bev Washburn … and it was she who called me this morning. Tommy was gay and estranged from what remains of his blood-family. We in A Minor Consideration are Tommy’s family. Without apology. We will take care of this.

Tommy Kirk, whose career as a young leading man in Disney films like Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog and Son of Flubber came to an end, he said, after the studio discovered he was gay, has died. He was 79.

Kirk lived alone in Las Vegas and was found dead Tuesday, actor Paul Petersen announced on Facebook. TMZ reported that he died at home, and no foul play is suspected.

Kirk first made his mark starring as sleuth Joe Hardy in a pair of Hardy Boys TV serials, “The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure” and “The Mystery of the Ghost Farm,” offshoots of ...

Tommy Kirk, whose career as a young leading man in Disney films like Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog and Son of Flubber came to an end, he said, after the studio discovered he was gay, has died. He was 79.

Kirk lived alone in Las Vegas and was found dead Tuesday, actor Paul Petersen announced on Facebook. TMZ reported that he died at home, and no foul play is suspected.

Kirk first made his mark starring as sleuth Joe Hardy in a pair of Hardy Boys TV serials, “The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure” and “The Mystery of the Ghost Farm,” offshoots of ...

“Old Yeller.” “Home Alone.” “The Wizard of Oz.” Odds are, even you’ve never seen these films, certain images pop into your head when you hear the titles: a young boy with his faithful dog, a little scamp’s stunned reaction to slapping his cheeks with aftershave, a young girl in a gingham dress tapping her ruby slippers together. These are just a few of the child performers who have captured our hearts, bringing smiles to our lips or tears to our eyes, since the earliest days of cinema. Our new photo gallery features the 30 best child stars from decades of movies.

SEE20 young Oscar nominees aged 18 and under, including Jodie Foster, Anna Paquin, Hailee Steinfeld [Photos]

In the 1920s and 1930s, film shorts were commonly packaged with feature films, and kids were a big draw, most especially the “Our Gang” series that is still popular almost 100 years later. Jackie Cooper...

“Old Yeller.” “Home Alone.” “The Wizard of Oz.” Odds are, even you’ve never seen these films, certain images pop into your head when you hear the titles: a young boy with his faithful dog, a little scamp’s stunned reaction to slapping his cheeks with aftershave, a young girl in a gingham dress tapping her ruby slippers together. These are just a few of the child performers who have captured our hearts, bringing smiles to our lips or tears to our eyes, since the earliest days of cinema. Our new photo gallery features the 30 best child stars from decades of movies.

In the 1920s and 1930s, film shorts were commonly packaged with feature films, and kids were a big draw, most especially the “Our Gang” series that is still popular almost 100 years later. Jackie Cooper was one of those “little rascals,” and was also the first juvenile to have...

Based on the events of the last few days you’d think that Netflix were intent on taking as many of their less cost-effective shows as possible around the back of their headquarters and sending them the way of Old Yeller, but you’ve read that headline correctly, and the streaming service have indeed renewed one of their most recent hits for a second season.

I Am Not Okay With This, The Society and Altered Carbon may have all bitten the bullet and sent fans into a furious meltdown as a result, but Warrior Nun was recently rewarded with a sophomore run, and now German sci-fi series Biohackers has officially been given the go-ahead to gear up for new episodes as well.

Netflix’s decision still seems to be a financially-motivated one though, with the Europe-based filming for Warrior Nun and Biohackers no doubt working out a lot cheaper than...

by Nathaniel R

The next Smackdown will be posted on Sunday July 7th. But first let's have a little context on the year that was: Dwight Eisenhower began his second term as President, an influenza epidemic that killed 1 million people worldwide began, Elvis Presley made his final appearance on the Ed Sullivan show (shot waist up only), and the Frisbee was introduced. here's more context for that year in a pop culture sense.

Great Big Box Office Hits: Bridge on the River Kwai, Sayonara, and Peyton Place were the top grossers (and competed for the Oscars). Other hits included Old Yeller, Raintree County, and Gunfight at the Ok Corral...

This article contains Hollywood spoilers. You can find our easter egg guide for the previous episode here.

A lighter episode for inside baseball winks and nudges, the fourth hour of Hollywood still crucially introduces us to the concept of Avis being friends with Eleanor Roosevelt, as well as the prospect of turning “Peg” into “Meg.” So like Ace’s blood pressure, let’s get cracking.

Hollywood Episode 4

-As far as I’m aware, there is no Gene Tierney movie in which she plays a fake nun who seduces William Holden, nor is there a movie where Humphrey Bogart plays Indian-slaughterer William Henry Harrison, but I totally buy they’d make those movies in 1947! Apparently they did at Ace Pictures. Also Ace just came up with the plot of Old Yeller (1957) when he pitched making a movie about a boy and his dog where the boy has to kill the dog at the end.

With Buck, the famed St. Bernard/Farm Collie, serving as the protagonist in Fox’s latest adaptation of Jack London’s wilderness adventure, “The Call of the Wild,” there was never any question that he had to be CG, especially if he was going to hold his own on screen with Harrison Ford.

“Here’s the thing: No one is fooled by a CG animal,” said Chris Sanders, who made the transition from animation to a live-action/hybrid after directing “The Croods” and co-directing “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Lilo and Stitch.” “So the question that I confronted early on was: Do we try and make this look like a 100% real dog? Meaning, do we actually have him behaving as though he’s a trained dog on set, but doesn’t hit his marks quite right, and have some takes look as though it was good enough? Or do...

Dogs, in their rambunctious domesticated way, can lead us overly civilized humans a step or two closer to the natural world. So it’s only fitting that the best dog movies have saluted that unruly canine spirit without a lot of artificial flavoring. Hollywood’s classic dog tales, like “Old Yeller” (1957) or “Lassie Come Home” (1943), are lyrical marvels of plainspoken storytelling — primal fables of love, loss, heart, and home — and so, in its way, was the last great dog movie, “Marley & Me” (2008), which treated the title pooch of John Grogan’s memoir as a scruffy agent of canine chaos who was also, in his way, a figure of faith. That said, I’ve never had much patience for synthetic anthropomorphic dog comedies like “Beethoven” or “Benji” or “Turner & Hooch.” If I want to see a dog turned into a cartoon, I’d rather watch a cartoon.

“The Call of the Wild,...

By Joe Elliott

The list of 25 films added to the prestigious National Film Registry in 2019 includes the 1957 Disney classic Old Yeller, starring Tommy Kirk, Fess Parker, Dorothy McGuire, and Anthony Corcoran. The story, based on the novel by Fred Gibson, is about a young boy on the Texas frontier named Travis Coates (Kirk), who is left in charge of looking after his mother and younger brother when his father (Parker) goes away on a business trip. Travis reluctantly accepts a large yellow dog into the family circle after the stray follows his little brother (Corcoran) home one day. Despite his initial doubts, the boy comes to see the dog's value when Old Yeller, as they name him, proves himself resourceful, loyal and brave. In the course of the story, he stoutly defends Travis and the family against a series of life-threating marauders, including a bear, a ferocious pig and, most significantly,...

Purple Rain, The Last Waltz, Platoon, She’s Gotta Have It and Clerks were among the 25 films added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry, the organization announced Wednesday.

2019’s list of motion pictures — selected for their “cultural, historic and aesthetic importance to the nation’s film heritage” — include an “unprecedented” seven films by female directors, including Kimberly Peirce’s Boys Don’t Cry, Elaine May’s A New Leaf and Patricia Cardoso’s Real Women Have Curves.

In addition to Prince’s 1984 classic and Martin Scorsese’s documentary about the Band’s all-star farewell gig,...

Since 1989, the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress has been accomplishing the important task of preserving films that “represent important cultural, artistic and historic achievements in filmmaking.” From films way back in 1897 all the way up to 2005, they’ve now reached 775 films that celebrate our heritage and encapsulate our film history.

Today they’ve unveiled their 2019 list, which includes Elaine May’s A New Leaf, Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It, Martin Scorsese’s The Last Waltz, the Prince feature Purple Rain, Oliver Stone’s Platoon, Claudia Weill’s Girlfriends, Miloš Forman’s Amadeus, George Cukor’s Gaslight, and more.

“The National Film Registry is an essential American enterprise that officially recognizes the rich depth and variety, the eloquence and the real greatness of American cinema and the filmmakers who have created it, film by film,” said Scorsese.

Check out the full list below and you can...

The Library of Congress has unveiled its annual selection of 25 films added to the National Film Registry, with an unprecedented seven titles directed by women, the most in a single year since the inaugural registry in 1989. (Scroll down for the full list.)

Among those making the cut for 2019 are Kimberly Peirce’s 1999 Oscar winner Boys Don’t Cry; Greta Schiller’s 1984 documentary Before Stonewall; Claudia Weill’s 1978 Girlfriends; Gunvor Nelson’s 1969 avant-garde pic My Name Is Oona; Elaine May’s A New Leaf, which in 1971 made her the first woman to write, direct and star in a major American studio feature; the 2002 indie Real Women Have Curves, directed by Patricia Cardoso; and Madeline Anderson’s 1970 I Am Somebody, which is considered the first documentary on civil rights directed by a woman of color.

Also notably added to the Film Registry are such classics as George Cukor’s 1944 Gaslight, which won...

“Purple Rain,” “Clerks,” “She’s Gotta Have It,” “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “Amadeus,” “Sleeping Beauty,””Boys Don’t Cry” and “The Last Waltz” are among this year’s additions to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

The list also includes 1944’s “Gaslight,” starring Ingrid Bergman in an Oscar-winning performance; the 1955 film noir “The Phenix City Story,” based on a real-life murder in Alabama; Disney’s 1959 canine tearjerker “Old Yeller”; Oliver Stone’s 1986 Best Picture winner “Platoon,” based on his own experiences in Vietnam; and Luis Valdez’s “Zoot Suit,” which tells the story of the 1943 Sleepy Lagoon Murder and the racially charged riots that followed.

A place on the list — always made up of 25 films — guarantees the film will be preserved under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act. The criteria for selection is that the movies are “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant.

“The National Film Registry has become...

Disney has shared a new trailer for their upcoming Disney+ streaming service and it’s over 3-hours long! I don’t know if you want to spend over three hours seeing what Disney+ has to offer when it launches, but you have the option!

Disney+ also posted all of the films and TV shows coming to the streaming service on a super long Twitter thread, which I included below the trailer. As you’ll see there’s a ton of stuff that will be available that will make Disney fans happy. Gargoyles and several other classic 90s animated series are among them along with a lot of old weird films that have been pulled out of the Disney vault.

If you don’t want to watch the trailer or scroll through the Twitter feed, I shared the full list of titles for you. Check everything out below and let us...

One of the undeniable stars of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is named neither DiCaprio nor Pitt, but rather Brandy. She’s the pitbull terrier who kicks ass when it matters, and is otherwise patient and obedient. Most important, she adds a sweetly human counterpoint to her owner’s occasionally temperamental ways. Quentin Tarantino’s movie is retro, so the concept of a helpful and heroic dog is fitting.

Let’s face it: Brandy’s obedience to a male has a lot of company on screens past… and present. “The Art of Racing in the Rain” opens Friday, featuring “This Is Us” star Milo Ventimiglia as a racecar driver whose ups and downs are narrated by his canine companion (voiced by Kevin Costner). The film’s ads read, “From the studio that brought you ‘Marley and Me.'” Yep, there is another one primarily about a guy and his pooch.

Can the perennial loser make some unconventional moves to get ahead? This question is part and parcel of the Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) story told in “Better Call Saul.” And this year it also applies to his series’ prospects at the Primetime Emmy Awards. Can Slippin’ Jimmy pull off the ultimate Emmy hustle? Here are the four reasons “Better Call Saul” could slip into a Best Drama Series victory at the 2019 Emmys for AMC.

SEEBob Odenkirk (‘Better Call Saul’) on Jimmy McGill creeping towards alter ego Saul [Complete Interview Transcript]

1. Old Yeller

“Better Call Saul” is the overdue veteran of the race. It has been nominated for each of its previous three seasons and is the longest running and most nominated show to have not won Best Drama Series. And, while it has never snagged an Emmy, it has received 23 nominations. The series also showed modest momentum with their third season scoring acting,...

Tommy Kirk shot to stardom as a teen for his classic Disney roles like Ernst in the "Swiss Family Robinson," Travis Coates in "Old Yeller" and Joe Hardy in 'The Hardy Boys.' Guess what he looks like now!

Ron W. Miller, Walt Disney’s son-in-law and the husband of Diane Disney, passed away February 9, 2019, in Napa, California. He was 85.

Miller was 21 and a member of the USC Trojans football team when he was introduced to then-20-year-old Diane Disney on a blind date. They were married in Santa Barbara on May 9, 1954. Ron served in the Army and played football for the Los Angeles Rams before his father-in-law recruited him to work at The Walt Disney Studios in 1957. Miller’s first job was serving as second assistant on Old Yeller (1957). Eventually, as CEO, Miller pushed the Company to expand and explore, creating Walt Disney Home Video, Touchstone Pictures, and The Disney Channel.

“Everyone at The Walt Disney Company is deeply saddened by the passing of Ron Miller,” said Bob Iger, chairman and chief executive officer, The Walt Disney Company. “His life and legacy are inextricably linked with our Company...

Ron Miller, the USC football star who met his future wife Walt Disney’s daughter Diane on a blind date and later became CEO and president of what is now the The Walt Disney Company, has died at age 85. The Walt Disney Co. confirmed Sunday that he passed away Napa Valley, CA.

After stints in the Army and with the Los Angeles Rams, Walt Disney hired his son-in-law to work at The Walt Disney Studios. He became Disney’s sixth employee at the original Disneyland, serving as second assistant on Old Yeller in 1957.

Miller rose up the ranks in film and TV production — his credits include producing The Rescuers, The Shaggy D.A., The Magical World of Disney (which won an Emmy), Herbie Goes Bananas and Tron — and eventually became president and CEO of Walt Disney Productions. He held the post from 1978-1984 until he was famously ousted in a leadership...

Ron Miller, former Disney CEO and son-in-law of Walt Disney, died Saturday in Napa, Calif. at the age of 85.

Miller served as president and later CEO of Disney from 1978 to 1984, during a rocky period for the company. He was president of the board of directors of the Walt Disney Family Museum and owner of Napa’s Silverado Vineyards.

“Everyone at The Walt Disney Company is deeply saddened by the passing of Ron Miller. His life and legacy are inextricably linked with our Company and the Disney family because he was such a vital part of both, as our CEO and Walt’s son-in-law,” said Disney chairman-ceo Bob Iger in a statement. “Few people had Ron’s understanding of our history, or a deeper appreciation and respect for our company, and he shared it generously with anyone who wanted to know more. I was fortunate to have known him, and even...

Though long embraced by parents as family-friendly safe zones, Disney’s live action films were just as often called out for their squeaky clean posturing and regressive world views.

Fair enough – but as Noah Cross growled, “Politicians, ugly buildings and whores all get respectable if they last long enough” – and a good number of those mild-mannered entertainments, while not exactly ready for the arthouse, are at least worthy of a second look.

Disney Movie Club has released some of those Baby Boomer perennials in sterling Blu ray transfers – unfortunately available to club members only. Here’s part one in a rundown of the more tantalizing items.

Treasure Island, Davy Crockett,

Old Yeller, Pollyanna

Blu ray

Disney Movie Club

1950, ‘55, ‘56, ‘57, ‘60 / 1. 33:1, 1.85:1 / 96, 93, 81, 83, 134 Min.

Starring Robert Newton, Dorothy McGuire, Hayley Mills, Fess Parker

Cinematography by Freddie Young, Charles P. Boyle, Russell Harlan

Directed by Byron Haskin, Robert Stevenson, David Swift

Treasure Island – 1950

Thanks...

Andrew Haigh’s partner gave him a copy of Willy Vlautin’s Lean on Pete shortly after he finished making Weekend, and after falling in love with the way in which the author portrayed a sensitive, resilient teenage boy, he decided to turn it into a film. It would take Haigh roughly another six years or so to turn the novel into a film, in the meantime working on HBO’s Looking, and directing 45 Years which earned him critical acclaim. Perhaps the wait was for the best, since the years in between where the same during which actor Charlie Plummer broke out into the business, and given his work as Charley in Pete, it’s hard to believe any other actor could’ve been better. Haigh’s conversations with Plummer, which focused on Charley’s sensitivity and why this boy who steals a horse to rescue him from the slaughterhouse,...

MoreHorror.com

Production has completed for the upcoming horror film Tales of Frankenstein. Read the official details below.

From The Press Release

Production has just wrapped in Los Angeles on the horror film "Tales of Frankenstein," starring Bruce Lee's "Game of Death's" Mel Novak and "Wolverine" creator Len Wein in his final film.

"I was lucky enough to know Len well enough to call him a friend. He was a great guy, a fantastic writer and actor and can never be replaced," said Novak.

This film has an Indiegogo campaign for post-production costs with lots of great perks. Please help the campaign by clicking here.

2018 marks the 200th Anniversary of Mary Shelley’s classic novel “Frankenstein,” so the goal of the film is to be released at that time to coincide with this momentous anniversary. This much-anticipated project is based upon four of writer-director Donald F.

Glut's (#1 Best...

Production has just wrapped in Los Angeles on the horror film Tales of Frankenstein, starring Game of Death’s Mel Novak and Wolverine creator Len Wein in his final film. The movie is based upon four of writer-director Donald F. Glut’s (The Empire Strikes Back novel) short stories published in his book of the same name:

“My Creation, My Beloved,” (a deformed descendant of Victor Frankenstein creates the perfect man and woman), “Crawler from the Grave,” (another Frankenstein descendant’s disembodied, plague-infected arm returns from the grave for revenge), “Madhouse of Death” (a private detective winds up in an old dark house filled with loonies…and a gorilla) and “Dr. Karnstein’s Creation,” (a mad doctor creates a monster in vampire-haunted Transylvania – with gruesomely unexpected results).

Tales of Frankenstein also stars Jerry Lacy (TV’s Dark Shadows), Ann Robinson (War of the Worlds), Beverly Washburn (Old Yeller), John Blyth Barrymore,...

You can hardly expect you won’t have a good time with anything connected to Winnie the Pooh, but Goodbye Christopher Robin is a multi-faceted adventure that details the creation of the beloved stories, and the family and times that are behind that creative endeavor. The film has released a trailer, and the narration paints a picture of hope and happiness in a world gone made, but it apparently isn’t as simple as even that.

First off, the title is depressing. I mean, what kind of story starts with “Goodbye?”

More to the point, the official synopsis gives us – “Christopher Robin and his family are swept up in the international success of the books; the enchanting tales bringing hope and comfort to England after the First World War. But with the eyes of the world on Christopher Robin, what will the cost be to the family?”

What will the cost be to the family?...

Ever since returning from the Cannes Film Festival I have been dutifully trying to catch up to screenings and openings of June releases I missed along the way. In this one particular case I want to single out a Friday opening, Megan Leavey, which I finally caught up with Saturday. As I say in my video review above, I am a sucker for boy, girl, or anybody and their dog movies. From Old Yeller to My Dog Skip to Marley And Me to anything starring Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, Benji…...

Never mind the holidays; dealing with family can be stressful any time of year. Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, or just a mandatory visit to a forgotten aunt you haven’t seen in 15 years can all hold their share of tension and misery. But at least be thankful you’re not part of the Merrye clan, the family at the center of Jack Hill’s Spider Baby (1967), a quirky yet clever examination of the prototypical horror tribe that influenced the likes of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977).

Filmed in 1964 but not given a limited release by American General Pictures until late ’67, it languished in general obscurity until a video restoration in the mid ‘90s shone a light on its peculiar charms. Filmed in 12 days on a budget of $55,000, Spider Baby, or The Maddest Story Ever Told (full title) is like watching The Addams Family shake the family tree and having incest,...

Watching a Jack Russell terrier struggle to hop up on a bed at the end of “My Dog Skip” or seeing the look in a golden retriever’s eye after being told he’s not wanted anymore in “Air Bud” or recognizing the moment that a rabid Old Yeller isn’t the same family pet anymore — those are heart-shattering dog moments. But even though there are canines at the center of those stories, they say more about what it means to be human; to invest so much of yourself in a creature that will never speak your name.

That same spirit is the driving force behind “Downward Dog,” the latest ABC comedy that brings a surprising level of poignancy to a simple premise. Nan (Allison Tolman), newly broken up and drifting about at an unfulfilling marketing job, finds solace in the companionship of her dog, Martin. As the show documents...

Movies are undoubtedly our most powerful art form: they can make us laugh, cringe, scream and sing. But, they also make us cry. Film, if executed properly (and that varies by genre), reenacts life, and depending on the subject, it can hit close to home for any number of people. For example, if your dog just died a few days ago, watching Old Yeller probably is not the way to go.

However, though these scenes may be upsetting, they are what make the film shine; it’s what we remember; it draws our attention towards and gives us a reason to care about what’s going on. These strong, emotional responses are what filmmakers are always looking to achieve, and when they have their audience reaching for the tissue boxes, that’s how they know they’ve done their job.

It’s true in all aspects of storytelling that time...

These four puppies were going to get shot — yes, shot — until National Mill Dog Rescue and Dr. Jeff Young stepped in. The do-gooders team up to save the doggies on tomorrow night’s episode of Animal Planet’s “Dr Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet” — but TheWrap has got your exclusive first look at the canine rescue mission. Upon examination, these particular puppy mill pooches were in surprisingly-good shape. Once spayed and/or neutered, they should be adopted pretty quickly. And that’s a fate far-better than being Old Yeller’d out back. Also Read: Cats and Dogs: Puppy Bowl Rolls...

I wonder if there’s a pop culture franchise I wouldn’t be excited to see turned in to a Lego production at this point. The Lego Batman Movie could have so easily been an uninspired cash-in to take advantage of how profitable Batman is as a character and the good will we all still feel from The Lego Movie but instead we have a movie chock full of funny jokes, intriguing themes, and most importantly a monumental amount of effort. This is such a strong children’s movie that I saw it in a packed house on a Saturday night with basically no children, and it was the most boisterous crowd I’ve been a part of in recent memory. Lego Batman is a triumph, a shining beacon, that every other DC movie should be trying to reach the same level of competence or at least figuring out how...

One would think having played Captain Hook in Peter Pan, Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies and voicing DC villains like Sinestro and Ra's Al Ghul in animated films--as well as a couple more authoritarian figures in Star Wars: Rebels--would have gotten any desire to be evil out of actor Jason Isaacs’ system.

And yet, he’s playing a more enigmatic character in director Gore Verbinski’s twisted new thriller A Cure for Wellness, which follows Dane DeHaan as a financial broker named Lockhard to Switzerland to retrieve the CEO of his company who is thought to have lost his marble in search of a cure at a spa located at an old castle in the Alps. Once there, Lockhard breaks his leg in a car accident, and he’s put under the care of Isaacs’ Dr. Vollmar, creator of the cure based around the area’s underground waters and their healing properties.

A homeless junkie bonds with a cute cat in a heartwarming if slight buddy film

A stray cat moves in with a homeless junkie; eats his food; watches dispassionately as he squirms and sweats his way through cold turkey. Admittedly, the story doesn’t have quite the dramatic peaks and troughs of, say, Lassie saving a trapped child or Old Yeller chasing off a bear intent on snacking on a little boy. But then we have different expectations of cats and of dogs. Dogs are plucky, loyal, lifelong companions. With cats, it’s sometimes just enough to make it through the night without getting our faces clawed off. That said, Bob, who appears as himself in this film (alongside six other ginger feline lookalikes), is a particularly gorgeous specimen. And Bob’s weapons-grade cuteness is almost enough to power this slight but warm-hearted film by Roger Spottiswoode (a veteran of...

Top 10 dogs on filmTop 10 dogs on filmAmanda Wood8/26/2016 10:00:00 Am

We humans have been sharing the silver screen with all manner of beasts for as long as movies have existed. But no animal quite manages to capture our hearts and our cameras as much as the good old-fashioned pet dog. Dogs have played major and minor characters in practically every genre, their loyalty and selflessness making them ideal sidekicks and heroes.

Today is National Dog Day, so here at Cineplex we're in full celebration mode. As you might have guessed, we're big on dogs here, so this is undoubtedly one of the most exciting days of the year for us. There are no shortage of amazing, adorable, and impressive dogs in movies, so we obviously had to mention some of our favourites to commemorate the day.

There are far too many movie dogs to include in this list, so...

Burger Fiction has released a video supercut featuring emotional scenes in movies that have made audiences cry. A video like this would make a great promo for Kleenex or any kind of tissue brand. This is a great list of film scenes and I’m sure many of you have shed some tears while watching some of them. Now relive those emotions all over again while watching this video. I've included a list of all the movies featured in the video under the embed:

Film List (in order of appearance):

The Iron Giant (1999)

Toy Story 3 (2010)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Armageddon (1998)

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Up (2009)

Titanic (1997)

Cast Away (2000)

Marley and Me (2008)

Old Yeller (1957)

The Neverending Story (1984)

The Fox and The Hound (1981)

Bambi (1942)

The Lion King (1994)

The Champ (1979)

The Green Mile (1999)

My Girl (1991)

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

The Wrestler (2008)

Good Will Hunting (1997)

Schindler's List (1993)

About Schmidt (2002)

Interstellar (2014)

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Forrest Gump (1994)

Field of Dreams (1989)

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)...

Prince, iconic singer-songwriter and seven-time Grammy winner, has died at the age of 57. In 1986, to celebrate the release of his movie Under the Cherry Moon, Prince agreed to go on a blind date with a radio contest winner. People caught up with the lucky fan to discuss her night out with the music icon. Read the cover story below:First you win a contest, and then you win friends. That's how it happened for Lisa Barber, 20, a Sheridan, Wyo. motel chambermaid who last month dialed an MTV contest number and, by being the 10,000th caller, won a date with Prince and...

In "Marooned," the long bubbling conflict between Mick and the rest of the team finally boiled over. Mick, the most adrift of all the outcasts of the team, finally picked a side and it wasn't among the heroes. Mick showed his true colors and sided against the Legends. In reaction the team, more specifically Captain Cold, was forced to make a decision. Cold took Mick out into the woods Old Yeller style and decided to kill him... or at least that what Legends of Tomorrow wants us to think. The episode cut away before the final moments of the scene, suggesting that Mick survived the encounter but it would be mistake to do such a twist.

Clarissa Explains It All premiered in March 1991, meaning that this month it celebrates its 25th anniversary. Yep, if Clarissa Darling were around today (and had been aging in real-world time since the show first debuted), she'd be 38 years old, maybe even with a 13-year-old Clarissa of her own.

It's not just that the Melissa Joan Hart sitcom was a popular show for pre-teen girls or even pre-teens in general; it's that it helped established a network identity for the channel it was on, a still-young Nickelodeon, and helped shape a lot of similarly focused shows that aired throughout the rest of the '90s.

Clarissa Explains It All premiered in March 1991, meaning that this month it celebrates its 25th anniversary. Yep, if Clarissa Darling were around today (and had been aging in real-world time since the show first debuted), she'd be 38 years old, maybe even with a 13-year-old Clarissa of her own. It's not just that the Melissa Joan Hart sitcom was a popular show for pre-teen girls or even pre-teens in general; it's that it helped established a network identity for the channel it was on, a still-young Nickelodeon, and helped shape a lot of similarly focused shows that aired throughout the rest of the '90s.