Models Turned Actors (Jeune et Jolie Feature)

With model-good looks being a near-universal prerequisite to ‘making it’ in Hollywood, it might seem like moving from the modelling industry into acting would be a logical, seamless transition. However, with a number of successful models proving to be acting disasters, we are naturally wary of those that make the switch, suspecting that talent may have taken a backseat to beauty. In François Ozon’s brilliant new film Jeune et Jolie, Marine Vacth proves that these prejudices far from apply to her. In a performance that has received rave reviews, Vacth stars as a curious young girl on a journey of sexual discovery. To celebrate the release of Jeune et Jolie on 29th November we take a look at some others who have proven that models can have serious acting chops too.

Marine Vacth

Starting out as a model at the tender age of 15, the beautiful Marine stunned her way to a number of high profile campaigns, replacing Kate Moss as the face of Yves Saint Laurent perfume. However, Marine left behind what surely would have been an impressive career in modelling to pursue her true passion in film. Jeune et Jolie marks her breakthrough role, gaining international recognition for her performance - delivered with the assurance and subtlety of an actor years her senior.

Famke Janssen

Dutch beauty Famke Janssen moved from Holland to the US to pursue a career in modelling, experiencing great success evident through her work in the late 80s with Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and Victoria’s Secret. She burst onto the scene with her brilliantly camp portrayal of Xenia Onatopp in Pierce Brosnan’s best Bond film – Goldeneye – and cemented her ‘respectable actor’ status as Jean Grey in Bryan Singer’s X-Men trilogy.
Film highlights – Goldeneye, Taken, X-Men

Halle Berry

Halle Berry has had a truly remarkable, record-breaking career. Winning Miss Teen All American and Miss Ohio as a teen, she later went on to become the first African American Miss World entrant in 1986. Making her film debut in Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever, Halle went from role to role until, in 2001, she became the first – and only – African American to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards for Monster’s Ball. Like Janssen, Berry also starred in the X-Men Trilogy as Storm, and appeared as a Bond girl in the –albeit terrible – Die Another Day. Oh well, you can’t win ‘em all, Halle!
Film Highlights – Monster’s Ball, X-Men, Cloud Atlas

Lily Cole

Before being scouted whilst walking the streets of London aged 14, Lily Cole had never considered modelling. Yet this chance encounter proved to be the most important in her life. Appearing on the cover of Vogue aged 16, the only was up for Cole as she went on to work with fashion giants such as Prada, Alexander McQueen, Chanel and Louis Vuitton. While still an influential model, Cole tried her hand at acting, taking on a few small roles before starring in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus alongside Heath Ledger in his final film.
Film highlights – The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, St. Trinians

Mark Wahlberg

While not the most prolific of models, Mark Wahlberg can easily boast the most colourful past on this list. Coming into the public eye as the younger brother of Donnie Wahlberg of New Kids on the Block fame, Mark was angry and violent through his adolescent years, suffering from cocaine addiction at 13 and getting convicted for attempted murder at 16. Turning over a new leaf, Wahlberg reinvented himself as rapper Marky Mark, later modelling for Calvin Klein underwear. Wahlberg then made the transition to acting, gaining plaudits for his portrayal of Micky Ward in 2010’s The Fighter.


Jeune et Jolie is in UK cinemas from today 29th November courtesy of Lionsgate Films UK.

Master Of Expressionism - F.W Murnau

F.W Murnau along with Fritz Lang were THE German Expressionist filmmakers of the 1920s. Murnau made such films as Nosferatu, Faust and later in the United States Sunrise. His films often at considered some of the finest ever made.

Murnau was born Friedrich Wilhelm Plumpe in 1888. Not surprisingly he started in theatre but he was also a devout student of art history and literature. Murnau joined the airforce and survived 8 crashes. He was interned in Switzerland but he actually won an award for a play he staged in interment camp. It’s commonly believed Murnau was gay and his first true love was killed during World War 1 and this had a serious psychological impact on the young Murnau.

After the war finishes he quickly starts a film company with Conrad Veidt (Cesare in Cabinet of Dr. Caligari). They made quite a few films together but sadly not uncommon with silent films almost all of those are lost and most sadly their version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It was an unauthorized adaptation but no legal action was taken unlike the case of Nosferatu.

During the first half of the 1920s he could average about 3 films a year. The earliest surviving film of Murnau’s is Journey into the Night and the surviving prints were only found this year. The first film of his which is widely available in Schloß Vogelöd that is rather spooky chamber drama with mystery elements. Murnau followed it with Marizza (only a fragment remains) and The Burning Spoil, which Eric Rohmer assisted in its restoration, but there is no home video release sadly.

Nosferatu is unarguably his most well known film and possibly his masterpiece, even though the case has been made for the later Sunrise. The production of Nosferatu is almost as interesting as the film itself; so much so a largely fictionalised take on it was made as Shadow of the Vampire. It’s the only and one film made by Prana film that was created by Enrico Dieckmann and occultist Albin Grau who was also a member of Fraternitas Saturni, a magical order in German.

Prana film was meant to specialize in occult theme films but due to the lawsuit that Bram Stoker’s wife filed due to the unauthorized adaption of Dracula it went bankrupt. Nosferatu in many ways is not a Murnau film because it was very much Albin Grau’s baby. The idea of doing a vampire film came out of his war experience of hearing a Serbian farmer telling him how his father was a vampire.

Nosferatu came out to relatively lukewarm reviews. The French surrealists really loved the film so much so that in one of André Breton’s books he recites a dream he had of a neck tie that became the likeness of Nosferatu and the intertitle “We he crossed the bridge, the phantom came to greet him” inspired him greatly. Nosferatu has probably inspired more people than any other silent film from everyone from Werner Herzog with his wonderful re-imagining to Abel Ferrara’s vampire film The Addiction.

The film was basically pulled from circulation due to Bram Stoker’s widow suing the filmmakers for the unauthorized adapted of his husband’s novel and won. The filmmakers were forced burn all the negatives but luckily one got all the way to the United States. The many prints over the years were made from this single negative even though they vary in many lengths. The film could have easily been lost like many of Murnau’s other films and has since become one of the most consistently screened silent films.

Phantom was Murnau’s follow up to Nosferatu, which is a very dreamy film that is about a young man who becomes obsessed with this girl and will do anything to find her again. It was considered lost for many years but it was found and restored and eventually came out on dvd by Eureka. Muranu’s next key film is The Last Laugh that is one of his chamber dramas and interestingly enough has barely any intertitles and no intertitles that are dialogue. It was a big success and he was able to Tartuffe and Faust both were made with a much larger budget.

Faust is obviously the old German tale of Faust who sells his soul to the devil. Faust is a special effects spectacular in the vein of Metropolis due to its scale at times. Universum Film AG put Faust into production and until Metropolis the year after was it’s biggest budget film. It’s by far his 2nd most widely seen German silent after Nosferatu. It’s remains one of the finest adaptations of Faust to date and is still a truly stunning film to watch today.

Murnau was already shooting his next film Sunrise in the United States for 20th Century Fox when Faust premiered in Germany. Many critics consider Sunrise his crowning achievement it’s a German expressionist film by a Hollywood Studio and is a beautiful love story. It would later win the “Unique and Artistic Production” at the first Academy Awards which was kind of like the equivalent to best film today. He continued making more films in America till he died tragically of complications because of a car crash. It was a week before his final film Tabu.

Murnau to this day remains one of the most innovative directors in the history of film. Nosferatu and Sunrise will be what he is remembered for but there are plenty of other great German expressionist films he made in the 20s. We can all hope some of his lost films get found some day. Eureka under their masters of Cinema imprint has released the majority of his available German and American films including a beautifully restored blu-ray of his Gothic masterpiece Nosferatu.

Ian Schultz

Nosferatu is now available in a new fully restored version available Monday 25th November on [Blu-ray]and [DVD]. Read our recent cinema release review.

Top American History Dramas (Parkland Feature)

PARKLAND is a historical drama recounting the chaotic events that occurred in the Parkland hospital and elsewhere in Dallas following John F. Kennedy’s assassination. In anticipation of the release of the new movie, we are taking a look at the top American historical drama films in cinema.

LINCOLN (2013)

Directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln is a historical drama that follows the final four months of Lincoln’s life, primarily focusing on his efforts to have the thirteenth amendment to the United States Constitution passed by the House of Representatives. The film was nominated for 12 Academy Awards winning Best Achieving in Production Design and Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.

Argo (2012)

This nail biting thriller follows a CIA agent as he instigates an undercover mission to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1980. The film is based on the CIA operative Tony Mendez’s book The Master of Disguise and The Great Escape by Joshuah Bearman. Argo received widespread acclaim and seven Academy Award nominations and won three, for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Picture. The film also won five Golden Globe Award nominations, winning Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director.

The Patriot (2000)

The Patriot is an American historical war film depicting the story of an American, widowed, father of seven as he is swept into the American Revolutionary War when his family threatened by the British. The protagonist, Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson), is a composite character based on four real American Revolutionary War heroes. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards and became a classic American film.

Apollo 13 (1995)

The incredibly journey of Americas’ third Moon landing aboard Apollo 13 is portrayed through this docudrama film directed by Ron Howard, starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton. Surviving an on-board explosion which deprives the spacecraft of most of its oxygen supply and electric power, forcing an abort mission and struggling to get home, the film is packed with non-stop suspense. Apollo 13 received critical acclaim and was nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning two. The film grossed over $335 million worldwide during its theatrical release and is an American classic.

PARKLAND (2013)

One of the most shocking moments in TV history, and a major event in the history of the United States and the wider world, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy set in motion events that would change lives, and the world, forever. The new film Parkland retraces the actions of some of the lesser-known players on that fateful day in 1963 – the staff of the Parkland Hospital, some of the bystanders, and members of the FBI and Secret Service. A must-see, delving into the details of the people behind the scenes, Parkland is the latest film to show an important drama in US history.

PARKLAND is released in the UK on November 22nd.

Journalists on the Big Screen

On 1st November the story of Philomena will be released. Philomena tells the true dramatic story of a teenager falling pregnant in Ireland. Labelled as a fallen woman, she was sent to a convent where her baby was taken and adopted against her will. Filled with guilt, Philomena cannot keep her 50 year long secret anymore. With the immense help of journalist Martian Sixsmith, she starts a journey to uncover the truth about her son. With the release of this highly anticipated movie, we are taking a look back at some of the greatest real-life journalists portrayed on the screen.

All The President’s Men (1976)

This Academy Award-winning political thriller tells the non-fiction story about the two journalists (played very famously by the legends Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman) investigating the Watergate scandal for The Washington Post. The film received numerous good mentions including two Academy Awards.

Welcome To Sarajevo (1997)

UK journalist Michael Henderson (Stephen Dillane) and US journalist Jimmy Fynn (woody Harrelson) meet at the beginning of the Bosnian war in Sarajevo. As their time in Sarajevo continues, the suffering of the community becomes apparent. Using his power as a journalist, Henderson makes a report on a local orphanage which lies on the front lines of the war where the suffering of the children is overwhelming. Henderson makes the suffering in the orphanage his lead story to draw attention to the war and becomes heavily involved in the evacuation.

Good Night, And Good Luck (2005)

Set in the early days of broadcast journalism, Good Night and Good Luck tells the story of journalist Edward R. Murrow and his loyal team as they refuse to obey the corporate and sponsorship pressure to discredit the tactics used by Joseph McCarthy during his frequent communist allegations. Nominated for six Academy Awards, six BAFTAs, and four Golden Globes, the movie was highly successful.

The Boys Are Back (2009)

This emotional drama follows the story of Joe Warr (Clive Owen) a British sports writer as his life unravels. Warr’s wife is diagnosed with cancer and dies, leaving him as a single parent with the responsibility of balancing writing and parenting.

Philomena (2013)

Steve Coogan plays Martin Sixsmith, a recently sacked political spin doctor and former journalist who has hit rock bottom. Following the extraordinary story of a mother (Judi Dench) and the quest to find her long lost son, Philomena gives Coogan the chance to show off his considerable acting skills in a heartfelt straight role – that he won the best screenplay award at the Venice Film Festival for co-writing the film must be a welcome bonus!



Follow Martin and Philomena as they seek out the truth in PHILOMENA – released in the UK on November 1st.

Maurice Pialat's Van Gogh To Master Stroke Its Way Into A Masters Of Cinema Release

UK Release Date:
23rd September 2013
Distributor:
Eureka Entertainment
Buy/Pre-Order:
2-Disc DVD or Blu-ray
Eureka Entertainment have announced that they will be releasing VAN GOGH, considered by some to be the greatest film by Maurice Pialat, the legendary French filmmaker, seven of whose previous films have been given Masters of Cinema editions (including L'Enfance-nue and A nos amours). Van Gogh, the epic and powerful bio-pic of the final weeks in the life of Vincent van Gogh, will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on 23 September 2013.

One of the greatest films by one of the finest directors of the second half of the 20th century, Maurice Pialat's Van Gogh represents an ambitious and crowning achievement in its portrayal of the master painter's final weeks of life, almost exactly one-hundred years earlier.

Van Gogh, depicted by the remarkable actor/songwriter-singer Jacques Dutronc (Godard's Sauve qui peut (la vie)), has arrived at Auvers-sur-Oise to come under the care of Dr. Gachet (Gérard Séty) for his nervous agitation. Soon after the arrival of Vincent's brother Théo (Bernard Le Coq) and his wife, plein air portraiture and conviviality give way to the more crepuscular moods of brothels and cabarets, and the painter's anguished existence, tossing between money worries and an impassioned relationship with the doctor's teenage daughter, finally meets its terminal scene.

With its loosely factual and wholly inspired treatment of the last period of Van Gogh's life, Pialat's film applies an impressionist touch to the biographical picture — indeed, the filmmaker was himself an accomplished painter, and the personal resonance of the subject matter results in an epic, major late work. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Maurice Pialat's Van Gogh on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK, and also in a special two-disc DVD edition.

Check out The Van Gogh trailer...


SPECIAL BLU-RAY AND ‘TWO-DISC DVD’ EDITIONS:

• Gorgeous new restoration of the film, appearing in 1080p on the Blu-ray
• New and improved optional English subtitles
• Van Gogh (1965) — a short, early documentary about the painter, by Maurice Pialat
• A 10-minute video interview with Pialat from 1991
• A 50-minute video interview with Pialat from 1992
• Video interviews with actors Jacques Dutronc and Bernard Le Coq; director of photography Emmanuel Machuel; and editor Yann Dedet
• Deleted scenes
• Original theatrical trailer
• 56-PAGE BOOKLET containing a new and exclusive essay by critic Sabrina Marques; Jean-Luc Godard's letter to Pialat after seeing the film, followed by Godard's tribute to Pialat upon the director's passing in 2003; copious newly translated interviews with Maurice Pialat; images of Pialat's canvasses; rare imagery; and more!

Here's some quotes about Van Gogh...

"Pialat is one of the finest living French filmmakers, and Van Gogh, his tenth feature, is arguably one of his best." –Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader in 1993

"An extraordinary film....We flatter ourselves that if we were around in 1890, we would have recognized Van Gogh's genius and changed his fate. But we probably wouldn't have – just as we probably don't recognize the Van Goghs among us now. In this sad, brilliant film, Pialat gives us a terrible inkling of why." –Michael Wilmington, Los Angeles Times

We will be hoping to review this closer to the release, so stay tuned. Van Gogh will be released in UK&Ireland on 23rd September on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Watch UK Trailer For Ain't Them Bodies Saints

David Lowery‘s Ain’t Them Bodies Saints festival award winning film we told you about during Cannes next month is to get to get UK cinema release  and thanks to The Works we now have the film's UK trailer.

Ain't The Bodies Saints Bob Muldoon (Casey Affleck) & Ruth Guthrie (Rooney Mara) a young impoverished couple  who find themselves involved in a shootout with the local police.When Ruth a police man is shot by Ruth the pair give up and  Bob taking the blame and is sent to jail. Sveral years later Bob escapes prison in search of Ruth whom he learns he has a daughter however  she has gotten closer to a  local man Patrick Wheeler (Ben Foster), but as Bob the  unexpected reunion gets closer it looks like a reunion that will be doomed.

 Ain't Them Bodies Saints is been ear marked for director David Lowery  looks his break out film, scoring impressive reviews during the festival season (100% at Rotten Tomatoes) and this is probably why the film is getting released here in blighty. The trailer is a lot shorter from the trailer we showed you during Cannes but delivering a slow brooding character drama, fantastic cinematography and its great to see something with substance and quality.



Ain’t them Bodies Saints  also stars Keith Carradine, Rami Malek and Nate Parker, with the film arriving in UK&Ireland on 6th September (16th August USA)

source:The Peoples Movies

Watch New Second Trailer for The Coen Brothers Inside Llewyn Davis

It's not an easy world been a Folk Singer especially in a world created by The Coen Brothers as their previous filmography proves things are hard for their protagonists. In Inside Llewyn Davis we transport back to 1960's Greenwich Village New York, folk music following one man's struggle to find his place in that scene, watch new trailer.

Inside Llewyn Davies is based on actual folk legend Dave Von Ronk and his memoirs The Mayor Of McDougal Street starring Oscar Isaac as the titular character. With no money, a ex-girlfriend who is pregnant (Carey Mulligan) who hates him with only a tabby cat for company, Llewyn attempts to make his mark on the Greenwich folk scene a career that would go onto to inspire the likes of Bob Dylan.

I'm not scared to admit I'm a latecomer to appreciate the talents of Joel and Ethan Coen Fargo was my introduction though I will say a slight disappointment in True Grit, probably because I've never been a fan of Westerns. Inside Llewyn Davies been the first Coen Brothers film since True Grit 2 years previously it's no surprise it's now one of the most anticipated films and this trailer encapsulates the tone of the era. Very melancholic, bleak but we also get to meet some of the films other characters (Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman) giving us a little more sense of the plot and if your attracted to the music, the Mumford & Sons song may bring a smile to your face. The film left Cannes Film Festival with glowing reports and many are calling this film one of their finest films in a long time and that's good for us.

Inside Llewyn Davies now has a UK&Irish release date of 14th January 2014 (USA 6th December) and stars Garret Hedlund, Adam Driver and F. Murray Abraham.


.
Source:Thepeoplesmovies

Another Slick Trailer For Only God Forgives Slides Online

Despite the mixed vibes from Cannes Film Festival Nicholas Winding Refn's Only God Forgives is still high on many cinephile's most anticipated films to see this year and tonight your appetite will be re-nourished with another slick trailer.

Here in UK we might be just over 2 months to go before this Neon drenched slow burning revenge thriller invades our visual palettes but over on the other side of the Atlantic it arrives next month hence the new trailer. Only God Forgives set in Thailand, Ryan Gosling plays Julian a Thai Boxing club owner in Bangkok a club that's serves a front for his families drug running. Even is Hunky dory until a ruthless bent cop murders his brother forcing Julian's acid tongued mother to appear and demand her son seek revenge for his dead brother.

Some of the footage has already been seen in previous trailers & clips but this has enough new brutal footage to make it worth your  2 minutes of your time. The dialogue is minimal the silence ferocious feels just as Savage and domineering of hat comes out of Kristen Scott Thomas lips and once again this shows she will be the film's resident scene stealer. The word from the street Only God Forgives is one of those unique experience you have to witness first hand to appreciate the visceral richness that will play in front of us. It's not perfect but it has the makings to be a cut classic in years to come.



Only God Forgives arrive in UK&Ireland on 2nd August 2013 (USA 19th July), the film also stars Yayaying Rhatha Phongam, Vithaya Pansringarm, Tom Burke and Byron Gibson.

source: Yahoo! (via The Peoples Movies)