So here we are, smack dab in the middle of the dog days of summer (and if you don’t get that little saying, try lying out on the sidewalk in 100-degree heat for 15 minutes or so, like Fido does, and see if a light bulb doesn’t go off). The dogs are often howling in…
Here’s another installment featuring Joe Dante’s reviews from his stint as a critic for Film Bulletin circa 1969-1974. Our thanks to Video Watchdog and Tim Lucas for his editorial embellishments! Post-production tampering mitigates against this Western by Sam Peckinpah finding its deserved reception from better-class audiences. Shortened release version is vague, confusing, and is…
This week we get quizzical about the films of animation master Ray Harryhausen. Enjoy!
A long time ago, sometime around 1912, a director by the name of D.W. Griffith packed up his filmmaking wares and took his crew, including favored cinematographer Billy Bitzer and star Mae Marsh, across the water to a relatively mysterious island off the Southern California coast to shoot a short film. The project, Man’s Genesis,…
SPECTRE, the latest Bond film, doesn’t appear until Thanksgiving so we hope you’ll forgive us for jumping the gun (a Walther PPK, of course) with this Bond-themed quiz. Enjoy!
It’s definitely been a week for good-byes. My daughters and I spent the weekend in the beautiful, still somewhat quaint small town of Auburn, California, helping to lay to rest and celebrate the life of my dear aunt Mary Pascuzzi, my fraternal grandmother’s sister, who was the centered matriarch of her own family and a…
This week we’re dedicating the TFH Movie Challenge to some of our favorite movie detectives. Enjoy!
Early on in Irrational Man, Woody Allen’s latest half-narcotized attempt to dramatically grapple with a philosophically tinged moral crisis, a fellow academic tells Abe Lucas (Joaquin Phoenix), “I loved your essay on situational ethics.” Abe, being a newly appointed professor/radical free thinker to the philosophy department of a picturesque Rhode Island college and himself awash…
Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece VERTIGO, restored and presented in 70mm, will be shown at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland on July 17, 18, and 19. I’ll be there, because this film has a special place in my heart. In 1959 we lived in the small English village of Odiham in Hampshire. 3000 people, 7 pubs, one…
Greetings! We’re taking a nuts and bolts approach to this week’s quiz as we haul out the power tools to examine the ever-evolving history of Robot Movies. Enjoy!
Here’s another installment featuring Joe Dante’s reviews from his stint as a critic for Film Bulletin circa 1969-1974. Our thanks to Video Watchdog and Tim Lucas for his editorial embellishments! Dustin Hoffman defends his home against murderous thugs in strong, violent melodrama with appeal to both discriminating trades and the blood- and-guts fans. Rating:…
On Saturday, July 9th, Joe Dante will be joining the Warner Archive team at this year’s Comic-con to discuss not only the imminent Blu-ray release of his frenzied comedy/sci-fi classic Innerspace but Ray Harryhausen and Hammer Films as well (you can find Warner’s complete Comic-con schedule here). Like Trailers From Hell, the Warner Archive strives to keep…
The United States is “my country, right or wrong,” of course, and I consider myself a patriotic person, but I’ve never felt that patriotism meant blind fealty to the idea of America’s rightful dominance over global politics or culture, and certainly not to its alleged preferred status on God’s short list of favored nations, or…
To celebrate the 2015 edition of Don’t Knock the Rock at Cinefamily we’re dedicating this week’s quiz to, what else, rock n’ roll movies. Co-founded by TFH guru Allison Anders and co-curated by Tiffany Anders, the event is “a high-energy fest dedicated to the love, lust and mania of all pop, rock and roots film and…
Here’s another installment featuring Joe Dante’s reviews from his stint as a critic for Film Bulletin circa 1969-1974. Our thanks to Video Watchdog and Tim Lucas for his editorial embellishments! Rambling, disjointed Mexican revolutionary comedy by Sergio Leone is something of a disappointment. Coburn, Steiger names will help early going, but that terrible title…
In anticipation of his new film, Burying the Ex, hitting theaters and VOD, Joe Dante has been talking with reporters from all around the country. The chats are filled with wit and passion about the making of movies so we thought we’d compile them here for your dining and dancing pleasure. A podcast with Adam Green and…
Like the majority of movie fans, Christopher Lee meant a great deal to us here at Trailers From Hell. In fact, two of our very own Gurus, maestros John Landis and Joe Dante, recently spoke with Leonard Maltin over at IndieWire and offered their thoughts on the occasion of his passing. Said Our Fearless Leader about some…
Burying the Ex, director Joe Dante’s feature-length expansion of screenwriter Alan Trezza’s 2008 short, doesn’t have much use for the zombie apocalypse, and the modestly budgeted, all-around-modest comedy is better for it. The movie trades in the current zeitgeist for all things undead, but it exchanges the gore and zombie-sociology of your average George A….
Joe Dante’s new film, Burying the Ex, hits theaters and VOD on June 19th and the blackly comic “zom-com” had its advance premiere at the Egyptian theater in Hollywood on Thursday, June 11th. Joe began the evening dedicating the screening to his friend (and Gremlins 2 star), Sir Christopher Lee who passed away the previous…
In anticipation of the premiere of Joe Dante’s new film, Burying the Ex (opening in theaters and available on VOD on June 19th), we’re dedicating this week’s quiz to the Atomo-Powered oeuvre of Mr. Dante himself.
Here’s a rundown of the theaters first in line to present Joe Dante’s new film, Burying the Ex. Atlanta Plaza Atlanta Tampa Spring Hills Cinema New York AMC Empire Los Angeles AMC Citywalk Stadium 19 Phoenix Harkins Valley Art Kansas City Cinetopia Overland Park 18 Minneapolis Willow Creek 12 Theatre Denver AMC Highlands Ranch Miami AMC Aventura…
The 18th of June marks the 200th anniversary of the battle of Waterloo. The defeat of Napoleon by the Duke of Wellington reshaped nineteenth century Europe. The movie about Waterloo is a 1970 Russian-Italian co-production, directed by Sergei Bondarchuk and produced by the late, great Dino De Laurentiis. Dino persuaded the Russian government studio Mosfilm…
Ten years ago this summer five nerds and some members of their very patient families answered an ad listing on Drive-ins.com and gathered in the snack bar of the Mission Tiki Drive-in Theater in Montclair, California, for the first meeting of what would soon be known as the Southern California Drive-in Movie Society. There wasn’t much of…
Welcome to this week’s TFH Trivia Challenge! You know the drill… so get crackin’ and good luck! Th-th-th-that’s all folks! Let us know how you did in the comments!
The American Cinematheque pays to tribute to the singular (some may say Atomic-powered) vision of director Joe Dante with a four day retrospective of his most popular films. Joe will be on hand for the entire series to introduce the films. There will also be a special advance screening of Joe’s latest film, Burying…