Events, offers and releases 28/04/14

Image shows lead character, Belle in the upcoming movie of the same name. The character is wearing an upper class corset in a mansion.
Image shows lead character, Belle in the upcoming movie of the same name. The character is wearing an upper class corset in a mansion.

Image via; YouTube.com

This week sees the release of horror, comedy and action films so there’ll more than likely be something to whet your appetite.

Directed by Amma Asante, Belle involves the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed race daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral. Whilst privileged, the colour of her skin holds her back in high society. Belle falls and her lover fight for change to end slavery in England. This film is set to enlighten you when it releases in the theaters May 2nd.

Horror movie Mr. Jones however, looks set to make you rather frightened on May 2nd. A cabin in the woods type story, Mr. Jones involves Scott (Jon Foster) and Penny (Sarah Jones) moving to a remote cabin to escape the pressures of the world, yet their mysterious neighbour, Mr. Jones may not grant them peace. This may not be fair the feint of heart.

Showcase Insider card holders this week get a free size upgrade for any Tango Ice Blast flavour, the perfect companion for a scary film.

 

Giving birth to a Predator

Like many other 1980’s classics, Predator is loaded with fun trivia that we at Inside Film can’t get enough of.

For instance, did you know that for the first two weeks of shooting, a completely different costume design was used for the monster, with none other than martial arts god Jean-Claude Van Damme inside the suit? The design later had to be changed for health and safety reasons, as its “fly like” head would wobble around uncontrollably, causing mayhem wherever it went. Van Damme was then relieved of his role for unconfirmed reasons, although the fighting guru was renowned for diva-like antics.

Funny, right? It gets better. An on set bodyguard had to be employed to protect the cast from fellow actor Sonny Landham. Landham’s on-screen character (Billy) exhibited strong physical features, a deep, booming voice and a rather badass, Native American appearance. Probably not the kind of guy you would want to upset. Unfortunately, Landham displayed very similar traits off-screen, leading to the insurance company behind the production to demand protection for the rest of the cast due to his “volatile nature”.

image via creafive.wordpress.com

image via creafive.wordpress.com

Yet, perhaps the most intriguing piece of trivia regarding Predator is how the original screenplay ever came into existence.

To understand what I mean, we must first go back to November 1985, a few days after the release Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky IV, the most successful entry in the Rocky franchise. At that time, the intense Stallone/Schwarzenegger rivalry was in full swing. Prior to cash cow that was the Planet Hollywood era, many were fully convinced that there was a real bitterness between Arnie and Sly.

After the box-office success of Rocky IV, many joked that due to the superhuman abilities of Stallone’s most recent opponent, Ivan Drago, the only real challenger left to Rocky would have to be of extra-terrestrial decent, or Rambo, but that would just be illogical.

Not everybody saw the funny side, however. In fact, screenwriters Jim and John Thomas took it very seriously, provoking them to produce a full script using the joke as inspiration. And thus, Predator was born, or Hunter, as it was originally called. After collaborating on Commando, Schwarzenegger and producer Joel Silver were called in to transform the science-fiction pulp storyline into the big budget, action classic we know today.

Jim Thomas later explained that ““The original conceit was ‘What would it be like if human beings were hunted by dilettante hunters the way humans hunt big game in Africa?’ ”

Sometimes these questions need to be answered. Without doing so, the action/sci-fi epic that is Predator would never have existed, whilst Rocky V would still have been released, and that is a world nobody deserves to live in.

Events, offers and releases 21/04/14

Johnny Depp holding a microphone in a still from the film, 'Transcendence'.

Releases

This weeks new film releases are a bit thin on the ground, but there are two films that might give you a fun night out after a long week at work.

Leslie Mann, Nicki Minaj, Cameron Diaz and Kate Upton in a still from the file 'The Other Woman'

Image via filmblerg.com

The Other Woman – This rom-com stars Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, and Kate Upton a group of woman who realise that they are all being played by the same guy. They then decide to team up to get revenge on the three-timing husband/lover, Phil, played by Taylor Kinney.

Expect a light-hearted, female empowerment comedy with plenty of laughs. Perfect for night out with the girls.

Johnny Depp holding a microphone in a still from the film, 'Transcendence'.

Image via movpins.com

Transcendence – Imagine if you could relocate your consciousness into a computer so that you could live forever as a machine, creepy right? Well that’s what you’ll see Johnny Depp go through in this science-fiction drama starring Rebecca Hall and Morgan Freeman. Produced by Christopher Nolan, this film is sure to have all the cinematic spectacle you love from the Dark Knight Trilogy.

Offers

We all know going to the cinema can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be, if you know where to go and when to go, you can have a great night out for only £10.

OdeonOrange Wednesdays, if you’re on the EE network, simply text FILM to 241 for your buy one get one free voucher code each and every Wednesday.

CineworldTake 2 offer, if you have missed out on some of the years biggest releases at the cinema, Cineworld, every month, re-release film at a discounted rate of £10 for two tickets plus popcorn.

The National Film Registry: The Fantastic Five

image via loc.gov/film/tour.html

image via loc.gov/film/tour.html

The National Film Registry is a collection of films selected for preservation in the Library of Congress by the United States National Film Preservation Board. Established in 1988, the board is given the responsibility of selecting up 25 films that are either “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant films” annually, in a bid to “showcase the range and diversity of American film heritage to increase awareness for its preservation”.

All films must be at least 10 years old before they are available for selection. A film is eligible regardless of length, style and purpose and an official theatrical release is not compulsory criteria to be selected. The Registry contains documentary films, shorts, experimental films, news reels, silent films, films out of copyright, music videos and many, many more.

As of 2013, the National Film Registry contains 625 films, all considered to be deserving of recognition, preservation and access by future generations. Some of the most creative, innovative and awe-inspiring works are contained within the protecting arms of the Registry. However, of the several hundred films selected, 5 are considered more prestigious than all the rest.

As mentioned earlier, a film must be at least 10 years old before it can be considered for selection. The earliest listing is Newark Athlete (1891) and the latest Decasia (2002). Only 5 films have ever been selected in its first year of eligibility, a feat which is now regarded as a major honour amongst American film makers.

The following films were all selected for preservation by the National Film Registry in their first year of eligibility:

1: Raging Bull (1980) Selected for Cultural Significance

2: Do the Right Thing (1989) Selected for Aesthetical Significance

3: Goodfellas (1990) Selected for Cultural Significance (A second first year selection for Robert De Niro (Raging Bull 1980)

4: Toy Story (1995) Selected for Cultural and Aesthetical Significance

5: Fargo (1996) Selected for Cultural and Aesthetical Significance

Nation Film Registry – www.loc.gov/film/registry_titles.php

This week in history: 19th April – 26th April

The 19th of April marks the anniversary of the release of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Release 19th April 2002, the film is one of the highest budget-to-profit grossing films of all time, earning over $240 million to date. After a limited release, buzz surrounding My Big Fat Greek Wedding spread mostly by word of mouth, leading to the $5 million budget film to receive generally positive reviews.

image via search.peopleschoice.com

image via search.peopleschoice.com

On the 26th of April 1926, American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) partnered with Warner Brothers Film Studios to officially introduce the Vitaphone. The technology, which give film makers the ability to add sound to their pieces, debuted with 1926 film Don Juan which featured an orchestral score by the New York Philharmonic.

The Panopticon, the first movie projector developed in the United States was demonstrated by Woodville Latham and his sons Otway and Gray on April 21st 1985. Motion pictures had been shown in the United States for several years prior using the Kinetoscope, invented by Thomas Edison. However, the films could only be viewed one at a time in a peep-show box, not projected to a large audience.

April 21st also marks another very special occasion. The 21st April 1993 is the day Inside Film writer, and professional legendary human being Andrew Crooks was born. Yes, that’s me.