Tag Archives: This Week in History

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This week in history: 13th – 19th January

Image is a still from the movie Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Jim Carrey is shown wearing a jazzy shirt with his hands out wide.
Image is a still from the movie Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Jim Carrey is shown wearing a jazzy shirt with his hands out wide.

Image via: www.toutlecine.com.

The 17th of January 1962 saw the birth of the most manic and immature Hollywood comedian of all time, Jim Carrey. With notable roles in such films as Bruce Almighty, The Mask and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Jim Carrey is often seen having a great time on screen, pulling faces and making jokes.

Georges Melies, one of the first magicians to bring magic to the theatre died on January 19th 1932. Georges made over 500 short films and movies with A Trip to the Moon being the most notable. He died forgotten and in poverty.

 

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This week in history: 6th – 12th January

Will Hunting and Dr Sean Maguire
Will Hunting writing equations on a blackboard

Image via drafthouse.com

On the 9th of January, 1997 two friends from Cambridge, Massachusetts, became stars overnight with Good Will Hunting. This was Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s breakthrough in acting and screenwriting and the movie that lifted them from character actor parts in films like Mystic Pizza and Glory Days to A-list roles. Not to mention winning both of them a Best Screenplay Academy Award.

Originally written as a thriller, Good Will Hunting developed into a character piece about a mathematical genius who works as a janitor at MIT and his relationship with his therapist (played by the fantastic Robin Williams). The modestly budgeted film that started on only $10 million went on to gross over $200 million worldwide. The student and mentor relationship story at the heart of the film had certainly been seen before, but Director Gus Van Sant brought a freshness to the storytelling, and locals Affleck and Damon felt like they had lived in the roles their whole lives.

On a less-than-light note, on the 9th of the same month back in 1943 a film named Hitler’s Children was released. This black and white film is known for its portrayal of the brutalities carried out by the Hitler Youth, in particular focusing on two young participants. A huge hit in America at the time, Hitler’s Children turned a $205, 000 budget into a $1.21 million profit.

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This week in history: 23rd – 29th December

A projector called the cinematographe is being shown.

image via sechtl-vosecek.ucw.cz/

The 28th December marks the anniversary of the very first screening of a commercial movie. The film, was created by French brothers Louis and Auguste Lumiere, who had earlier developed a camera projector called the “Cinematographe”, premièred at the Grand Cafe, Paris in 1985. The event featured ten short films, including their first film, “Sortie des Usines Lumière à Lyon” (Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory).

This week in also saw the premiere of one of the scariest films of all time, The Exorcist, opened its doors to audiences for the first time in (Dec 23) 1973.

The Exorcist also shares its release date with the 1993 film Philadelphia. The film, which has been reviewed some critics as ground breaking due to its focus on AIDs which had not yet been seen by audiences, starred Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. Philadelphia highlights and questions misconceptions about homosexuality and the disease.

If you have any more fun, interesting or just plain silly facts from this week in history, please tweet us at @inside_film

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Events, offers and releases 23/12/13

Ben Stiller in a still from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

 

Ben Stiller in a still from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Source: The Guardian

Merry Christmas!

Yes we know, it’s almost Christmas and amid the last-minute present shopping and getting ready for the big day, going to the cinema is probably a distant dream far away in the future.

But for that lazy period between Christmas and New Year, on the days when you simply have no idea what to do, don’t worry, there is a solution.

While unlike the United States, which will see big blockbusters opening in cinema on the 25th (yes crazy, we know!) here in the UK, multiplexes across the country will all take the day off and reopen their doors on the 26th.

Two films, 47 Ronin and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty open across the country on Boxing Day, which could give you a much needed night out at the cinema, so sit back relax and enjoy the movies.

So if you’re looking for some real adventure, a time to escape into another universe, check out Walter Mitty which is directed by, co-produced and starring Ben Stiller.

It follows the life of Walter, a day-dreamer who one day is forced to take on the most incredible adventure that he could never even imagine.

If you fancy something a bit more violent and action-packed, 47 Ronin might be more up your street.

Starring Christian Bale, the movie sees 47 leaderless samurai vowing to seek vengeance and restore honor to their people after a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind.

To book tickets and find your closest cinema check out the Odeon Website.

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This week in history: 16th – 22nd December

Image featured is a still from the movie Saturday Night Fever. Pictured is John Trovolta combing and blow drying his hair in the mirror.
Image featured is a still from the movie Saturday Night Fever. Pictured is John Trovolta combing and blow drying his hair in the mirror.

Image via: classic–movies.blogspot.co.uk

America caught Saturday Night Fever on 16th December 1977, with the release of John Travolta’s first step into stardom. Travolta played a young man who danced away all his troubles of the time, whilst wearing his glamorous white suit. A global disco phenomenon soon followed.

December 17th 1946 saw the birth of Eugene Levy, better known as Jim’s dad from the American Pie movies. Being gifted with the uncanny ability to portray an embarrassing and out of touch father, Eugene Levy has starred in very similar roles in other films such as Splash and Taking Woodstock.

On the same year as the release of Saturday Night Fever, Jacques Tourneur passed away on the 19th of December.Known as one of the greatest directors of the golden age of Hollywood, Jacques directed such classic B-movie horror films as I walked with a Zombie and Cat People.