This week in history: 27th January – 2nd February

Philip Seymour Hoffman, a middle aged blonde man stands in a suit
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, a middle aged blonde man stands in a suit

Image via parade.condenast.com

This post has been edited since publication in light of recent news.

This Sunday, February 2nd 2014 Philip Seymour Hoffman passed away. The 46 year-old actor was found dead in his bathroom on Sunday evening. Reports suggest that his death may be linked to taking drugs. Hoffman has talked about his drug abuse in the past, and has previously sought treatment.

Let us remember him as a brilliant actor. With more than 60 film credits to his name, including Mission Impossible III, The Master, and Capote. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and won the Best Actor Academy Award for Capote.

Personally I loved Hoffman as ‘The Count’ in The Boat that Rocked a period comedy about a pirate radio station. More recently I’ve enjoyed his performance in The Hunger Games, I look forward to seeing him in the final two Hunger Games films.

Adam Burt has written a feature celebrating Philip Seymour Hoffman’s life.

On January 31st 1975, Walt Disney Productions sued the producers of The Life and Times of a Happy Hooker. The film follows the life of Dutch secretary then Call Girl, Madam and Memoirist, Xaviera Hollander. In one scene, while a group sex act is being performed, the Mickey Mouse March plays in the background. Walter Stratton, Disney attorney, alleged that the use of the march constitutes “substantial and irreparable, injury, loss and damage to ownership rights”. The producers lost the case.

100 years ago on February 2nd Charlie Chaplain’s first film Making a Living was released. The short stars Chaplain as a swindler who courts a wealthy young lady with a ring he conned from her admirer. Chaplain then steals his camera after he takes shots of a car crash.

This was Chaplains first film role, the start of a huge film career which made him a household name. In 1914 he appeared in a total of 36 short films, he was in just 50 further films in his acting career which spun to 1967.

This week in history: 2nd – 8th December

Walt Disney looking sketching characters
Olaf the snowman looking at a flower growing out of the snow

Image via: ksl.com

On the 5th of December, 1901, Walt Disney was born in Hermosa, Chicago. As we all know, he would grow up to be one of the most successful animated film figures of all time, with a multi-billion dollar media corporation carrying his name.

The Walt Disney Company now owns five holiday resorts, eleven theme parks, thirty nine hotels, two water parks, eight motion picture studios, six record labels, eleven cable television networks and one terrestrial television network. In 2007, the company had an annual revenue of over U.S. $35 billion. Talk about a legacy. This year, the Disney Film Frozen won an Oscar for Best Animated Film. The legacy of Walt Disney clearly lives on.

Skip forward to 1957. On the 5th of December a film named Sayonara was released. This film dealt with issues of racism and prejudice towards Asian-American women, a large problem at the time.

It received widespread critical acclaim at the time, particularly for its writing and cinematography, in addition to the acting ability of its cast. It won four Academy Awards; Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Red Buttons), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Miyoshi Umeki), Best Art Direction/Set Direction (Ted Haworth and Robert Priestley) and Best Sound (George Groves).

Events, offers and releases 18/11/13

Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson as their characters, Walt Disney and P. L. Travers
Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson as their characters, Walt Disney and P. L. Travers

Image via www.filmthrasher.com

In our weekly instalment of offers we bring you the best discounts and savings for films across the UK.

First up this week we have a brilliant offer for students. Student Money Saver are offering 4,000 free tickets to see Saving Mr Banks tomorrow at 6.30pm. The film follows the untold story of how Mary Poppins was bought to the big screen. Starring Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks and Collin Farrell.

Tickets are available for screenings at the following cinemas, Bath, Bridgend, Brighton, Bromobrough, Cardiff, Dundee, Huddersfield, Kilmarnock, Kingston, Lincoln, Liverpool One, Maidenhead, Preston, Rochdale, Sheffield, Silverlinks, South End, Southampton, Stoke on Trent and Worcester. Just visit Student Film First and enter your details for two free tickets.

If you’re an O2 customer you can get 45% off adult or teen tickets at Odeon cinemas with the free Priority Moments app. Just download the app (or text MOMENTS to 2020 for free) and search Odeon to find your code. Limited to one ticket per person, valid this Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Terms and Conditions apply.