News

Alice Hirson, who played a confidante of Barbara Bel Geddes’ Miss Ellie Ewing on Dallas and the mother of Ellen DeGeneres’ character on the comic’s groundbreaking ABC sitcom, has died. She was 95.

Hirson died Friday of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, her son David Hirson told The Hollywood Reporter. She had been there for about a year.

From 1969-93, Hirson appeared on such daytime soap operas as CBS’ The Edge of Night as Stephanie Martin; on NBC’s Another World and its spinoff, Somerset, as Marsha Davis; on ABC’s One Life to Live as Eileen Siegel; on ABC’s General Hospital as Mrs. Van Gelder; and on ABC’s Loving as Dr. Lisa Helman.

On the big screen, she played the wife of Colonel Thornbush (Robert Webber), head of the paratrooper unit known as the Thornbirds, in Private Benjamin...

General Hospital (Gh) star, Chris McKenna (Jack Brennan) recently hopped on social media to reveal some sad news. He posted about One Life to Live (Oltl) fellow alum, Alice Hirson, who passed away at the age of 95. More details on this are below.

Remembering Alice Hirson

McKenna shared a number of photos of Hirson on Instagram. In the caption he started with, “We lost a radiant soul and a daytime legend yesterday. Alice Hirson shone her light on this world for 95 glorious years.”

McKenna went on to say, “My family and I were so blessed to have her in our lives however briefly. Unforgettable woman. Her final words were ‘It’s nice to have an audience.’”

He ended the caption with, “Thank you, Alice. Good night. Legend. #Gh #Oltl #Dallas #Ellen”

Hirson’s Incredible Career

Hirson first began her soap opera career on the CBS daytime drama The Edge of Night...

General Hospital, The Edge of Night, Another World, and One Life to Live alum Alice Hirson has died according to Chris McKenna. The legendary actress was 95 years old.

Rest In Peace

Gh actor Chris McKenna (Jack Brennan) took to Instagram to remember Hirson. He shared several photos of Hirson. He captioned them, We lost a radiant soul and a daytime legend yesterday. Alice Hirson shone her light on this world for 95 glorious years. My family and I were so blessed to have her in our lives however briefly. Unforgettable woman. Her final words were ‘It’s nice to have an audience.’ Thank you, Alice. Good night. Legend. #Gh #Oltl #Dallas #Ellen”

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Hirson portrayed Stephanie Martin on The Edge of Night. She was Marsha Davis on Another World. On Oltl, Hirson was Eileen Riley Siegle. In 1993, she added Loving...

The gritty action movie that started a franchise featuring genre icon Charles Bronson has gotten a new streaming home. Though it featured Bronson in the lead, the movie also notably featured the on-screen debut of actor Jeff Goldblum.

Originally released in 1974, Death Wish is now streaming on Paramount+. Directed by Michael Winner and written by Wendell Mayes, the film starred Bronson as Paul Kersey, a mild-mannered middle-aged family man living in Manhattan. When his wife and daughter are brutally attacked by thugs, resulting in the death of the former, Paul becomes frustrated with the police department's lack of justice. He takes matters into his own hands by taking to the streets as a vigilante, shooting criminals to death in the name of vengeance.

Related Demi Moore Shares New Health Update on Bruce Willis After Heartwarming Holiday Photo

Bruce Willis and Demi Moore remained close after their divorce in 2000 and Moore...

Locked and loaded with a decent screenplay, Michael Winner and Charles Bronson acquit themselves well in this brutal 1974 hit that launched a decade’s worth of nasty vigilante movies. The lynch-mob formula presents crimes so awful that the audience demands violent retribution. The shock is that this incitement to ‘fight back’ is not direct right-wing propaganda — vigilantism is glamorized but not endorsed. A fine supporting cast includes Vincent Gardenia, Steven Keats and unexpected treats like Olympia Dukakis and Jeff Goldblum. “Fill your hand!”

Death Wish, 4K

4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1974 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 93 min. / Street Date January 24, 2023 / available through Kino Lorber / 39.95

Starring: Charles Bronson, Hope Lange, Vincent Gardenia, Steven Keats, William Redfield, Stuart Margolin, Stephen Elliott, Kathleen Tolan, Jack Wallace, Fred J. Scollay, Chris Gampel, Robert Kya-Hill, Ed Grover, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Logan, Gregory Rozakis, Christopher Guest, Paul Dooley, Olympia Dukakis, Al Lewis, Robert Miano.

Cinematography: Arthur J. Ornitz...

Ivan Passer’s superb coda to the ’60s counterculture generation now enjoys a formidable reputation; this new Fun City Editions release packs it with terrific extras. It may have the best performances by top stars John Heard, Jeff Bridges and Lisa Eichhorn. Disaffected 30-somethings in Santa Barbara investigate a murder and then try to blackmail a corporate CEO. Heard is the maimed, one-eyed veteran already judged unstable, Bridges the yacht bum who gets by on his good looks, and Eichhorn the most forlorn woman of the early ’80s, looking for a reason to give a damn about something. Jordan Cronenweth’s cinematography and Jack Nitzsche’s music track couldn’t be bettered; the movie deserves the place of honor granted to Easy Rider.

Cutter’s Way

Blu-ray

Fun City Editions

1981 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 109 min. / Street Date October 25, 2022 / Available from Vinegar Syndrome / 39.98

Starring Jeff Bridges, John Heard, Lisa Eichhorn, Ann Dusenberry,...

A federal judge in New York will soon have to decide whether to send Moira Donegan to trial for allegedly defaming Stephen Elliott in a spreadsheet called “Shitty Media Men,” which circulated in October 2017 and allowed women to anonymously contribute stories of being victims of sexual misconduct. On Wednesday, summary judgment papers were unsealed and preview a forthcoming ruling that is certain to be legally adventurous.

Elliott, a widely published author and director of About Cherry and Happy Baby, is looking to punish Donegan, creator of the spreadsheet, for an entry that accused him of rape, sexual harassment, and coercion....

A federal judge in New York will soon have to decide whether to send Moira Donegan to trial for allegedly defaming Stephen Elliott in a spreadsheet called “Shitty Media Men,” which circulated in October 2017 and allowed women to anonymously contribute stories of being victims of sexual misconduct. On Wednesday, summary judgment papers were unsealed and preview a forthcoming ruling that is certain to be legally adventurous.

Elliott, a widely published author and director of About Cherry and Happy Baby, is looking to punish Donegan, creator of the spreadsheet, for an entry that accused him of rape, sexual harassment and coercion....

The #MeToo movement finally has reached its trial phase. More than two years after dozens of women accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, a historic criminal proceeding is underway in New York with accusers hoping for a guilty verdict that will reverberate throughout Hollywood and the world. But Weinstein isn't the only entertainment figure accused of sexual misconduct about to face a jury. Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis sometime in the spring will defend himself in a civil trial over whether he raped a publicist. Johnny Depp, music producer Dr. Luke and writer Stephen Elliott will go on offense with ...

1984: Guiding Light's Nola gave birth.

1986: Dynasty's Alexis took over Blake's possessions and he was not happy.

1999: Another World's Alli faced a ticking time bomb.

1999: Susan Lucci finally won her for Daytime Emmy Award."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1964: On Another World, Jim (Leon Janney) convinced Russ (Joey Trent) to attend summer school.

1971: The first episode of Upstairs Downstairs was re-recorded in color after the original recording, which was in black and white, was lost.

1981: On Texas, Joe Foster...

1970: A World Apart and The Best of Everything premiered on ABC.

Another World spinoff Somerset premiered on NBC.

Dark Shadows' Maggie found a mysterious note."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1970: Daytime soap opera A World Apart premiered on ABC. The show was created by Katherine L. Phillips, Irna Phillips' daughter, and combined Irna's own life story with examples of the generation gap. Susan Sarandon and Matthew Cowles were siblings Patrice and Chris Kahlman, adopted children of soap opera writer Better Kahlman (played by...

1966: The final episode of A Time For Us aired on ABC.

1968: David Selby debut on Dark Shadows.

1983: Chase found information about Falcon Crest in his grandfather's will.

1996: Another World's Jake planned to steal the Lassiter Christmas tree."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Peter Dalton (Stephen Elliott) refused Mike Karr's (John Larkin) resignation then argued that his leaving would be a disservice to the public.

1966: ABC aired the final episode of daytime soap opera A Time For...

1968: Susan Seaforth debuted on Days of our Lives as Julie.

1979: Atwt's Lisa faced off with Hester at The Willows.

1995: Another World's Donna sang to a suspicious Matt.

1998: Brooke's Bedroom made its debut on B&B."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Peter Dalton (Stephen Elliott) won the election by a landslide.

1968: Susan Seaforth (Hayes) debuted as Julie Olson in Days of our Lives. She has been nominated for four Daytime Emmy Awards for her work on the soap.

1972: Emmerdale Farm premiered.

1985: Atwt's Holden introduced himself as the new stable boy.

1985: Theo died on Days of our Lives.

1992: Days of our Lives' Isabella died."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1939: Irna Phillips' The Right to Happiness, a spinoff of popular radio soap opera The Guiding Light, premiered on the NBC Blue Network. The show initially focused on the character Rose Kransky from Guiding Light but eventually Carolyn Allen (played first by Eloise Kummer and then Claudia Morgan) took center stage. Carolyn remained the central character of the program until the series...

Scribner is standing behind its reported six-figure book contract with Moira Donegan even as the freelance writer faces a defamation lawsuit for her role in creating the “S—ty Media Men” list last year.

In a statement to TheWrap, the publishing house, a division of CBS’ Simon & Schuster, said they were untroubled by the legal imbroglio.

“The lawsuit does not affect Scribner’s plans to publish Moira Donegan’s book,” said a spokesperson, who added that the book would not be about the list itself but instead would be a “primer on misogyny and sexual harassment.”

Also Read: Creator of 'S-ty Media Men' List Faces Defamation Law Suit

The list, which Donegan created, was actually a crowdsourced Google spreadsheet which invited women in media to anonymously name abusive men in the industry along with details of their alleged crimes. The document eventually grew to dozens of names with uncorroborated...

When writer Stephen Elliott filed a lawsuit on Wednesday over the "Shitty Media Men" spreadsheet, he didn't just pick a fight with Moira Donegan, the creator, and the 30 anonymous women who contributed stories of being victims of sexual misconduct. Elliott also triggered a coming legal war with tech giant Google.

A year ago, as the #MeToo movement flourished in the wake of Harvey Weinstein news, this list was privately circulated among women in the media industry. Those who got access to the Google Spreadsheet were able to contribute names and allegations. Later, amid rumors and widespread interest ...

Freelance writer Moira Donegan is facing a defamation lawsuit over her role in creating the “S–ty Media Men” list. The anonymous Google spreadsheet went around newsrooms last winter and accused dozens of media men of sometimes graphic incidents of sexual misconduct.

Writer Stephen Elliott — one of those named men on the list — filed a lawsuit against Donegan. In the suit, which was obtained by TheWrap, Elliott says that Donegan and up to 30 anonymous women identified as “Jane Does” caused severe damage to his name by perpetuating false information.

“The List contained false information and unsubstantiated allegations, including untrue statements alleging Plaintiff engaged in criminal sexual conduct, namely rape accusations, sexual harassment, coercion and unsolicited invitations to his apartment,” the suit reads. “The inflammatory false statements published in the List were abusive, vulgar, intentionally misleading as well as damning to the Plaintiff’s reputation and good name. The List was...

1984: Guiding Light's Nola gave birth. 1986: Dynasty's Alexis

took over Blake's possessions and he was not happy.

1999: Another World's Alli faced a ticking time bomb.

1999: Susan Lucci finally won her for Daytime Emmy Award."All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."

― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1964: On Another World, Jim (Leon Janney) convinced Russ (Joey Trent) to attend summer school.

1971: The first episode of Upstairs Downstairs was re-recorded in color after the original recording,...

1970: A World Apart and The Best of Everything premiered on ABC.

Another World spinoff Somerset premiered on NBC.

Dark Shadows' Maggie found a mysterious note."All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."

― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1970: Daytime soap opera A World Apart premiered on ABC. The show was created by Katherine L. Phillips, Irna Phillips' daughter, and combined Irna's own life story with examples of the generation gap. Susan Sarandon...

A story of murders in the ER becomes, courtesy of writer Paddy Chayefsky, either a preview of social breakdown or an impassioned examination of why we invest our lives and souls in imperfect institutions. George C. Scott is the doctor coming apart at the seams, who meets his match in a New Age hippie from a New Mexico commune. My instinct is that such a person would not look like Diana Rigg, but everybody needs a dream girl.

The Hospital

Blu-ray

Twilight Time

1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 103 min. / Street Date December 19, 2018 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store / 29.95

Starring: George C. Scott, Diana Rigg, Barnard Hughes, Richard A. Dysart, Stephen Elliott, Donald Harron, Andrew Duncan, Nancy Marchand, Jordan Charney, Roberts Blossom, Lenny Baker, Richard Hamilton, Katherine Helmond, David Hooks, Frances Sternhagen, Robert Walden, Jacqueline Brooks, Stockard Channing, Dennis Dugan, Julie Garfield, Christopher Guest, Janet Paul, Sab Shimono, Tracey Walter.

Cinematography: Victor J. Kemper...

1966: The final episode of A Time For Us aired on ABC.

1968: David Selby debut on Dark Shadows.

1983: Chase found information about Falcon Crest in his grandfather's will.

1996: Another World's Jake planned to steal the Lassiter Christmas tree."History is a vast early warning system."

― Norman Cousins

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Peter Dalton (Stephen Elliott) refused Mike Karr's (John Larkin) resignation then argued that his leaving would be a disservice to the public.

1966: ABC aired the final episode of daytime soap opera A Time For Us (formerly A Flame in the Wind), originally created by Raphael Hayes and Joseph Hardy.

1968: Susan Seaforth debuted on Days of our Lives as Julie.

1979: Atwt's Lisa faced off with Hester at The Willows.

1995: Another World's Donna sang to a suspicious Matt.

1998: Brooke's Bedroom made it's debut on B&B."History is a vast early warning system."

― Norman Cousins

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Peter Dalton (Stephen Elliott) won the election by a landslide.

1968: Susan Seaforth (Hayes) debuted as Julie Olson in Days of our Lives. She has been nominated for four Daytime Emmy Awards for her work on the soap. Check out our 2010 in-depth interview with Mrs. Hayes and her husband and Days co-star,...

Now well into its second decade, the Slamdance Film Festival is gearing up for its 2017 edition. Mostly taking place at the Treasure Mountain Inn at top of Park City, Utah’s busting Main Street, Slamdance is dedicated to presenting a festival and a community designed “for filmmakers by filmmakers.”

In previous years, projects from directors like Christopher Nolan, Marc Forster, Jared Hess, Oren Peli, Benh Zeitlin, Seth Gordon, Lynn Shelton and Lena Dunham have bowed at the festival, and it’s become a fertile — if offbeat — proving ground for fresh talents. This year looks to be yet another banner one for the fest, and as such, we’ve gone on a little trip through the Slamdance slate to dig up some prime possibilities for must-see films (shorts and features!).

Ahead, check out 13 titles we’re...

What to do when your film doesn’t get accepted to any film festivals? Why, start your own film festival! Of course, it’s helpful if you’re the founding editor of a successful web site such as The Rumpus. That’s the case with Stephen Elliott, who was frustrated when his latest film, After Adderall, didn’t get accepted to any film festivals. Elliott wrote an in-depth report investigating a “rigged” system of film festival programming which makes it nearly impossible for paid submissions to be programmed. Titled “The Great Film Festival Swindle”, the article, published recently on The Rumpus, analyzed the odds of getting into various film festivals […]...

"Sorry, I just slashed my wrists." "Well, tape 'em!"  This is the aftermath of the '60s protest movement. Ivan Passer's riveting murder mystery of flakes and losers in sun-drenched, guilty Santa Barbara expresses the rage of radicals faced with the growing class divide, and the arrogance of the wealthy. Cutter's Way Blu-ray Twilight Time Limited Edition 1981 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 109 min. / Ship Date , 2016 / available through Twilight Time Movies / 29.95 Starring Jeff Bridges, John Heard, Lisa Eichhorn, Ann Dusenberry, Stephen Elliott, Arthur Rosenberg, Nina Van Pallandt. Cinematography Jordan Cronenweth Production Designer Josan F. Russo Film Editor Caroline Biggerstaff Original Music Jack Nitzsche Writing credits Jeffrey Alan Fiskin, from the novel Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg. Produced by Paul R. Gurian Directed by Ivan Passer

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Sort of the bad-news post-graduate version of American Graffiti, Ivan Passer's Cutter's Way is a movie with a mindset and background that I partly lived through,...

“What’s the difference between a memoir and life?” “I’m an agent, not a philosopher.” That’s writer/director/actor Stephen Elliott quizzing his agent, played by James Urbaniak, in After Adderall, the director’s feature-length, rapid-response to the strange experience of having his memoir turned into a movie starring James Franco. Elliott has assembled a great cast, including Michael C. Hall and Lili Taylor alongside numerous authors playing themselves (Jerry Stahl, Susan Orlean, Michael Cunningham). The film is currently being submitted to film festivals.

Cinema’s Hidden Pearls – Part I

By Alex Simon

One of nature’s rarest items, a pearl is produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a clam, a pearl is composed of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. Truly flawless pearls are infrequently produced in nature, and as a result, the pearl has become a metaphor for something rare, fine, admirable and valuable. Hidden pearls exist in the world of movies, as well: films that, in spite of being brilliantly crafted and executed, never got the audience they deserved beyond a cult following.

Here are a few of our favorite hidden pearls in the world of film:

1. Night Moves (1975)

Director Arthur Penn hit three home runs in a row with the trifecta of Bonnie & Clyde, Alice’s Restaurant and Little Big Man,...

God comes to Broadway this month in the form of Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons, who will portray the Almighty in the new comedy An Act of God. But he’s not the first to portray the man upstairs. Here’s a history of Gods in movies, TV, and theater.Rex Ingram, The Green Pastures, 1936 Ingram starred as “De Lawd” in this adaptation of several Biblical stories, which featured an all-black cast. Charlton Heston (voice), The Ten Commandments, 1956 Heston wasn’t just Moses in Cecil B. DeMille’s classic. He also provided God’s booming voice. John Huston (voice), The Bible, 1966 Along with directing and playing Noah, Huston handled voice-over duties for the Almighty. Jeff Chandler, Elizabeth I, 1972This Broadway show told the story of Elizabethan performers trying to mount a play about their queen. Among other characters, Chandler played an actor playing God. Stephen Elliott, The Creation of...

Simon Brew May 17, 2019

The 2000s were a decade when medium and small-budgeted movies could do big business before being forgotten. We look back as to why.

By the end of the 2000s, getting number one at the American box office was a valuable marketing commodity. As such, studios pumped more and more money into making sure they at least had a great opening weekend for their product.

The consequence of this was that it was harder and harder for smaller, quirkier films to take a brief spot in the sun. Certainly toward the second half of the decade, it seems that the number one movie each week was pre-ordained in a marketing meeting somewhere.

Still, there were some films that have since fallen out of public view that clawed their way to number one. How many of these do you remember?

Eye of the Beholder

January 2000, One Week

Based on...

Kevin Spacey, Steven Seagal and, erm, Kangaroo Jack: they all nabbed the box office top spot last decade...

By the end of the 2000s, getting number one at the American box office was a valuable marketing commodity. As such, studios pumped more and more money into making sure they at least had a great opening weekend for their product.

The consequence of this was that it was harder and harder for smaller and quirkier films to take a brief spot in the sun. Certainly towards the second half of the decade, it seems that the number one movie each week was pre-ordinained in a marketing meeting somewhere.

Still, there were some films that have since fallen out of public view that clawed their way to number one. How many of these do you remember?

Eye Of The Beholder

January 2000, one week

Based on Marc Behm's book of the same name,...

The Tribeca Film Festival today announced the first half of its 2015 slate — 51 of the 97 films, including both its World Narrative and Documentary competitions. Nearly one quarter of this year’s festival directors are women, including quite a few directors with titles anticipated by Filmmaker readers. These include cinematographer Reed Morano’s directorial debut, Meadowland; Pamela Romanowsky’s adaptation of Stephen Elliot’s true-crime memoir, The Adderall Diaries; Rikki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s latest, In My Father’s House; Vanessa Hope’s look at China’s role on the world stage through the story of former Utah governor Jon Huntsman and his adopted daughter, […]...

The Tribeca Film Festival today announced the first half of its 2015 slate — 51 of the 97 films, including both its World Narrative and Documentary competitions. Nearly one quarter of this year’s festival directors are women, including quite a few directors with titles anticipated by Filmmaker readers. These include cinematographer Reed Morano’s directorial debut, Meadowland; Pamela Romanowsky’s adaptation of Stephen Elliot’s true-crime memoir, The Adderall Diaries; Rikki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s latest, In My Father’s House; Vanessa Hope’s look at China’s role on the world stage through the story of former Utah governor Jon Huntsman and his adopted daughter, […]...

• Denzel Washington, about to end a run on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun, is in talks to star in a remake of the 1960 western The Magnificent Seven for MGM. Washington would once again work with Antoine Fuqua, who directed his Oscar-winning performance in Training Day and the upcoming film The Equalizer. Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt had previously been eyed for the project with drafts of the script written by Nic Pizzolatto (True Detective) and most recently John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side). [The Hollywood Reporter]

• Judi Dench (Philomena) will play The Abbess of St. Ursula’s, a rescuer of orphan children,...

For a moment, there was a bit of excitement when Deadline accidentally reported Christian Bale was going to star in James Franco's developing adaptation of The Adderall Diaries. But a picture of Christian Slater was included in the report, and it was clear that they had just made a huge mistake. And so, we're a little less excited to report that it will not be The Dark Knight and The Fighter star joining Franco in the film, but rather the once-thriving 80s icon and Nymphomaniac star taking a role in the story of author Stephen Elliot, as he tries to overcome his writer's block by taking interest in a murder trial for inspiration. Franco plays the drug-addicted writer who has been struggling to come up with a new story for two years and becomes obsesses with the trial of Hans Reiser, a computer programmer charged with killing the wife...

Interview with the Vampire star Christian Slater, who was last seen in Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac, has signed on to join James Franco and Amber Heard in Pamela Romanowsky’s adaptation of The Adderall Diaries, a memoir by Stephen Elliot. Franco plays Elliot, a writer who becomes obsessed with a sensational murder case and decides to write a book about it.

Publishers Weekly described Elliot’s memoir as follows:

As a writer stymied by past success, writers block, substance abuse, relationship problems and a serious set of father issues, Elliott’s cracked-out chronicle of a bizarre murder trial amounts to less than the sum of its parts. Not long into the 2007 trial of programmer Hans Reiser, accused of murdering his wife, the defendant’s friend Sean Sturgeon obliquely confessed to several murders (though not the murder of Reiser’s wife). Elliott, caught up in the film-ready twist and his...

Another day, another eyebrow-raising Instagram, courtesy of James Franco. The 36-year-old actor posted yet another questionable pic on the photo-sharing site today, which he captioned, "Selfiemadness The adderall diaries." (For the record, Franco is expected to star in the upcoming flick, which is based on Stephen Elliot's memoir of the same name). In the shot, the Spring Breakers star appears shirtless while posing with his pants unbuttoned and his underwear exposed in a proactive manner as he appears to mimic the image posted next to his mirror. Franco is no stranger to posting racy Instagrams. Earlier this month, he shared a photo in which he pulls down his white boxer briefs, apparently on...

Yellow Birds

Benedict Cumberbatch is set to star in "Yellow Birds" at Cinelou Films and Shenghua Entertainment. Evan Hayes developed the script and will produce alongside Courtney Solomon and Mark Canton.

Story Mining & Supply Co is financing this adaptation of Kevin Powers' novel about two soldiers who head out to fight in Iraq. The older man promises to watch over the younger, teenage, soldier. [Source: Screen]

American Sniper

Joel Lambert ("Hot In Cleveland," "Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen") has secured a role in Clint Eastwood's "American Sniper".

Lambert plays a Delta sniper who is sent on a mission with his partner (Owain Yoeman) as they join legendary marksman Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper). [Source: Deadline]

Bonnie and Clyde

Emilia Clarke ("Game of Thrones") and Nicholas Hoult ("X-Men") are set to play bank-robbing duo Bonnie and Clyde in Michael Sucsy's "Go Down Together".

Sheldon Turner [enned the adaptation of Jeff Guinn's non-fiction book, a revisionist take on the legend of the Depression-era bank robbers. Sean Furst and Bryan Furst are producing. [Source: The Wrap]

The Adderall Diaries

Amber Heard and Ed Harris...

James Franco continues to work a mile-a-minute, and "The Adderall Diaries" is gearing up. Coming aboard the project are Amber Heard, Ed Harris, Christian Slater, Cynthia Nixon and Jim Parrack, in the movie based on Stephen Elliot's memoir about "a young man navigating the unstable terrain of truth and identity." Robert Redford is executive producing with Pamela Romanowsky behind the camera. [Variety] Kristen Wiig has joined Zach Galifianakis and Owen Wilson in the project formerly known as "Loomis Fargo." Jared Hess ("Napoleon Dynamite," "Nacho Libre") directs this one that's "based on the true story of four dim-witted Southerners who pulled off one of the biggest heists in American history, robbing almost $20 million from a Loomis Fargo armored truck. Wiig will play the workplace crush of Galifianakis, an unhappy armored car driver. Using her feminine wiles, she gets him to join her and her accomplices in their plan to rob a bank vault,...

A few weeks back you may have read me talking about the entertainment package that Now TV were now offering alongside movies and sport accessible through their box or online that was £4.99 a month and gave you access to shows from HBO showing in the UK through Sky Atlantic. Unless you have been in outer space for the last month, you may have also heard a little buzz about some small show from HBO called True Detective. Well good news if you heeded my recommendations and invested in a subscription because the first episode of True Detective is now available on Now TV.

I don’t normally review single episodes of anything but I have watched the first episode of True Detective and feel like it should be mentioned, it could well be the best thing to come from television since Game of Thrones. True Detective is an eight part...

Tiff’s Midnight Madness program turned 25 this year, and for two and half decades, the hardworking programers have gathered some of the strangest, most terrifying, wild, intriguing and downright entertaining films from around the world. From dark comedies to Japanese gore-fests and indie horror gems, the Midnight Madness program hasn’t lost its edge as one the leading showcases of genre cinema. In its 25-year history, Midnight Madness has introduced adventurous late-night moviegoers to such cult faves as Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused and Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. But what separates Midnight Madness from, say, Montreal’s three and half week long genre festival Fantasia, is that Tiff selects only ten films to make the cut. In other words, these programmers don’t mess around. Last week I decided that I would post reviews of my personal favourite films that screened in past years. And just like the Tiff programmers,...

★☆☆☆☆ The ignominious face of pornography has slowly become a multi-billion dollar commodity, constructing an image of collective tolerance that undermines the social perception of achieved gender equality. In Stephen Elliott's Cherry (2012), the seedy underbelly of porn is captured in soft hues, painting a pastel portrait of a business it fails to comprehend. Charting the migration of the industry from the sordid shadow of the San Fernando Valley to the vibrant streets of San Francisco, we observe 18-year-old Angelina (Ashley Hinshaw) as she goes from discontented alcoholic's daughter to liberated adult starlet.

A beautiful and innocent teen ready to blossom under the bright lights of the camera, Angelina represents the corruptibility of a generation challenged with the global economic downturn. Yet, through her vapid and exasperating demeanour, she instead comes to symbolise a vacuous nation of self-entitled consumerists, driven by money, fame and superficial beauty. Throughout Cherry, we're given no...

This Berlin flew by! A good overview is that of Screen Daily and if we're lucky, you can read it here without subscribing. My own activities flowed from two sources:

1) Education: I taught and led tours of the market for Berlinale's Talent Campus Meet the Experts, for Deutsche Welle Akademie Film Festival Workshop, and for Ina Sup, a TV, film and new media school based in France and linked to the French National Audiovisual Institute (Ina). This is the most rewarding work, seeing what talent is coming up in our world, seeing ideas take hold as the students learn about the market.

2) Our Consulting: Another pillar of our company, aside from blogging and professional education, is strategic planning with filmmakers. This Berlinale was very intense and very energizing for my partner Peter Belsito and me, with Beyond the Moonwalk having found a berth for international sales representation with Steve Arroyave's Arrow Entertainment and a U.S. distribution commitment, and more actively involving, with Donna Deitch's The Catcher, where a series of meetings with top German and Canadian producers and sales agents gave the project the momentum of a race horse bound for first place!

What follows are my impressions of various other Berlin events as they passed by -- ever so quickly -- but still with enough eye-catching power to capture my attention in the first place.

I was happy to see Jeff Lipsky and Adopt Films' co-managing executive Tim Grady cleaning up with 3 acquisitions; no time to waste anymore as the third Bingham Ray memorial pointed out to those who have the mind to realize the message. Sister (L'enfant d'en haut) by Ursula Maier (Isa: Memento, Swiss rights with FilmCoopi), I hear is A+, Paolo and Vittorio Taviani's Caesar Must Die (Cesare deve morire) (Isa: Rai Trade) won the Golden Bear, and Chris Petzold's Barbara, all in Competition.

American indie works-in-progress have been granted a second chance to screen for European indie distributors (EuropaDistribution) at the upcoming Paris Film Festival in June. I have been invited to be on the jury of "U.S. in Progress" and am thrilled at the prospect. I was honored to have been invited to be on the jury in Wroclaw at the American Film Festival in November as well, for the first edition of this chance for U.S. filmmakers to win post-production and cash prizes. This is where the film Now, Forager was picked up by fledgling international sales agent, the only international sales agent in Poland, New Europe Sales founded by Jan Naszewski [jnaszewski At gmail.com] and Anja Sosic [anja At NewEuropeFilmSales.com]. The film went on to screen at Rotterdam Film Festival. Even hotter news will be forthcoming from Moma and The New York Film Society's New Directors/ New Films about one of the films at the Aff's "U.S. in Progress". If you missed it in Poland you will be able to see it in New York this April!

I was lucky to see two films during the market and after the market closed, this last Saturday and Sunday, when I caught some more films I was unable to see earlier due to my "real" work. Of the films I saw here in Berlin, here are my unique :) comments for what they're worth.

Children of Srikandi (Panorama) is a very personal account by a female filmmaker collective in Indonesia on what it means to be a lesbian in their society. The sweet intimacy of the film overrides its non-professional veneer (the "filmmakers" were all non-professionals). In fact, this could serve as a template for other non-professionals who want to tell their stories. Schools come to mind as possible candidates for this sort of filmmaking, as does my own pet project, The Literacy Project. The Indonesian contingent here in Berlin was interesting and sociable as they met their audience and fans. They were hosted by Berlin based producers Laura Coppens who is a doctorate student in ethnological studies in Zurich and Angelika Levi, doc filmmaker (My Life, Part 2 about growing up Jewish in Berlin).

Bergman & Magnani: The War of the Volcanos. This invitation-only work in progress with Wide House uses a unique way to show the emotion filled and the biggest jet-set love scandal of all times, the story of Roberto Rossellini, Anna Magnani and Ingrid Bergman as Rosellini and the volcanic Anna Magnani ended their relationship after making Volcano (1950) and the married Ingrid Bergman and Rossellini began theirs with the filming of Stromboli (1950), the name of the second volcano on this Aeolian Island which has been in almost continuous eruption for 2,000 years. The visuals of their stories are illustrated entirely with the scenes from movies starring them as they enact the real life emotions and the commentary of the doc. I am most interested to see how well this technique succeeds.

Paolo and Vittorio Taviani's Caesar Must Die (Isa: Rai Trade) is a moving illustration of the transformative power of art as hardened criminals in an Italian prison rehearse and perform Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. The the 80 + year old Brothers Taviani deserve recognition for their artistic excellence. I can't argue with Mike Leigh and the jury's judgement except that on my emotional meter, Rebelle (War Witch) was the real winner.

Rebelle (War Witch) by Kim Nguyen (Isa: Films Distribution) should have won the Golden Bear. The Silver Bear for Best Actress was awarded to Rachel Mwanza, but this film is so deeply moving on the most primal levels, maintaining its African roots while touching our most sensitive emotions of parents, love, rape, pregnancy and infants as they are experienced by a female child soldier from ages 12 to 14. It should also win Best Foreign Language Film in next year's Academy Awards. Produced by the industry vets Marie-Claude Poulin and Pierre Even, it is yet another feather in the cap of the the Canadian film industry.

Dieter Kosslick observed that with 15 Competition titles confirmed at the time Screen International interviewed him, “both thematically and geographically, we have many films coming this year from Asia, and particularly China and Indonesia. There is also an interesting focus on France this year, beginning with the opening film Farewell My Queen (Les adieux a la reine) (Isa: Elle Driver) and going through all of the festival’s sections. Moreover, we have two French jury members [Francois Ozon and Charlotte Gainsbourg] in the International Jury.“ Eight titles selected to date have German majority or minority participation, so German filmmakers and (co-)producers will again enjoy a record presence in the Competition on a par with 2011’s tally of eight films involving German directors or German production partners." He also notes Competition films' trending toward "times of upheaval and new departures... with many films coming from Africa and Arab countries". My observation of the 23 Competition films finally selected is that the nostalgic look back at European aristocracy and top social tiers (A Royal Affair, Bel Ami, Farewell My Queen) and its mores stands in stark contrast to today's upheavals of families and children (Childish Games, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Postcards from the Zoo, Just the Wind, Mercy, Shadow Dancer, Sister, Rebelle, Home for the Weekend, Jayne Mansfield's Car, Coming Home). Seven other films continue the theme of social upheavals: Tey - which deal with childhood memories of Senegal experienced by an American, Captive about Phillipine hostages, Barbara an Eastern German looking to move to the West, Caesar Must Die about prisoners finding art in their sequestered lives, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate about upheavel during the Ming Dynasty, White Deer Plain about upheavel towards the end of Imperial China, The Flowers of War about the upheavel of China by the Japanese in World War II. The exceptions, Tabu and Meteora, deal with love, the Saving Grace.

Two major disappointments were Steven Soderberg's Haywire (Isa: Mandate) and Stephen Elliott's Cherry. Both about women, they left me puzzled with what the plot was about. Pretty, well done and negligible.

This Berlin Diary Part 2 will continue after I work on my new and soon-to-be launched website! I have spent an entire day on this blog and I still have much more to write!

The trailer for Cristina Voros' James Franco-produced documentary "Kink" has just been released. The film is a behind-the-scenes look at Bdsm porn mega-studio Kink.com, the studio in San Francisco's Armory where Franco shot Stephen Elliot's film "About Cherry," about a woman entering the porn industry. The trailer for "Kink" sets out on the road to normalize Bdsm (Bondage, Discipline, Dominance/submission, and Sadomasochism) through beautiful shots behind-the-scenes of Kink shoots and talking head interviews with the men and women who make the site's content. Read More: James Franco Teams With Gay Art-Porn Director Travis Mathews For a 'Cruising'-Inspired Film Franco has a thoroughly sex-themed year at Sundance 2013.  Not only is "Kink" in the fest's midnight section; his co-directing effort with Travis Mathews, "Interior. Leather Bar." is in the fest's New Frontiers section.

Last month we added Stephen Elliott’s Happy Baby to our curated Kickstarter page and ran here one of his daily Rumpus newsletters where he discussed the film and the goals for his campaign. Now, with hours left, he is tantalizingly within reach of his ambitious $85,000 goal. (You can put him over the top here and score an imaginative reward in the process.) As his campaign nears its close, I thought I’d run with permission today’s newsletter, in which he discusses what will hopefully be his successful “800 backers” strategy. — Sm We’re almost at our Kickstarter goal for the …...

This week I added Stephen Elliott’s Happy Baby to our curated Kickstarter page, and today Richard Parks, who is working with Elliott on the campaign, emailed to offer Filmmaker readers one of the Vimeo videos that are being sent to backers of the campaign. Here’s Elliott talking about a girl with pink hair and the change editor Dave Eggers made him make to the text.

Happy Baby is a great book. Check out the campaign and help Elliott turn it into a film.

Happy Baby Kickstarter Video Update #3: Muddy Waters from Stephen Elliott on Vimeo.

… Read the rest...

It gives me no great pleasure to write this review. About Cherry is the directorial debut of Stephen Elliot, author of the novel Happy Baby and the superb memoir, The Adderall Diaries. How I didn't realize this until after I had almost finished writing this review is beyond me. I was checking something against the press materials and there it was, staring me in the face. Stephen Elliot, the director of About Cherry... is also the author of seven books. Fuck. I'm a big fan of Stephen's, and this is a pretty negative review. I am also the editor of a literary website, which means we run in some of the same internet circles. Would I have toned things down had I realized sooner he...

About Cherry is funnily enough a movie about Cherry. A young woman (Ashley Hinsaw) who gets involved with porn, and moves to San Francisco where she makes quite a success of her assets, while at the same time getting involved with a cocaine addicted lawyer (James Franco). So, a movie about a girl who ends up in porn industry will feature plenty of nudity and sex? Right? Sort of…Those who still haven’t discovered what the net is really all about, may be sorely disappointed as About Cherry isn’t overloaded with money shots, boobs, bums and anything else naked. In fact, it’s quite tame and while the director, Stephen Elliot, intended it that way, it just seems a bit too tame for a movie of this ilk. Especially considering how empowering the whole notion of it is to Cherry, who picks and chooses who she “performs” with.

IFC Films has unveiled a restricted trailer for "About Cherry," starring Ashley Hinshaw, James Franco, Heather Graham, Dev Patel, and Lily Taylor. Check it out below. Plot: A drama centered on a troubled young woman (Hinshaw) who moves to San Francisco, where she gets involved in pornography and aligns herself with a cocaine-addicted lawyer (Franco). The new movie is directed by Stephen Elliot, and was already released On Demand. It's now set to get a limited theatrical run on September 21st. Restricted Trailer (Nsfw):...

Of course you do. We’ve talked quite a bit about Stephen Elliot’s About Cherry here on the site, and now all our lovely Gotham-based readers have the chance to actually go see the film for free tonight in the Big Apple (we know no one calls it that, but About Cherry is about being starry-eyed, and damn if we aren’t too). About Cherry will screen tonight, Tuesday, September 18th, at 7:30Pm at the IFC Center, thanks to IFC Midnight and Fleshbot, and you can go. Not only can you go, you don’t even need to try to impress us with your contest-entering skills, just email aboutcherryrsvp@gmail.com and let them know you want to come, using “Fsr” as your subject line. It truly could not be easier. This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents, and we’re going to have to ask that you’ll actually be in New...

Plot: A teenager from a broken family moves to San Francisco with her best friend and get mixed up in the pornography business. Review: Stephen Elliot's About Cherry is a pointless melodrama that's not half as deep and meaningful as it thinks it is. It is not surprising to learn that it was written by people who have worked in the porn industry, because only they could find profundity in the film's very standard tale of a young, mixed up girl who finds herself immersed in the adult...