John Hughes' iconic Ferris Bueller's Day Off turns 30 Saturday. The film, which has become a beloved totem of teenage rebellion and a wonderful 1980s time capsule, is also an ode to Chicago - a teenage Hughes moved around the city's suburbs with his family. To celebrate, here are 21 things you (probably) never knew about the film. 1. Ferris' parents got married in real lifeLyman Ward, who played Ferris' father, was married to his onscreen wife Cindy Pickett, from 1986 to 1992. They met on the set of the film and eventually had two children. 2. Hughes pitched the film with one sentence… "I called Ned Tanen [then-head of Paramount films] and said,...
- 6/11/2016
- by Alex Heigl, @alex_heigl
- PEOPLE.com
John Hughes' iconic Ferris Bueller's Day Off turns 30 Saturday. The film, which has become a beloved totem of teenage rebellion and a wonderful 1980s time capsule, is also an ode to Chicago - a teenage Hughes moved around the city's suburbs with his family. To celebrate, here are 21 things you (probably) never knew about the film. 1. Ferris' parents got married in real lifeLyman Ward, who played Ferris' father, was married to his onscreen wife Cindy Pickett, from 1986 to 1992. They met on the set of the film and eventually had two children. 2. Hughes pitched the film with one sentence… "I called Ned Tanen [then-head of Paramount films] and said,...
- 6/11/2016
- by Alex Heigl, @alex_heigl
- PEOPLE.com
Eddie Griffin has signed a deal with Venice, Calif.-based Exodus Film Group to provide a voice in the company's upcoming "Paul Bunyan", a live-action/CGI feature directed by Michael Nickles. The project, budgeted at about $10 million, aims to go into production by year's end. "Bunyan", written by Nickles and Julia Wall, is based loosely on the folklore of the Paul Bunyan character and set in modern times. The story follows two children exiled to their grandparents' farm in Minnesota for the summer. The farm is located near the Dead Forest, where Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox (Griffin) disappeared decades earlier. One of the children stumbles upon a secret underworld where Bunyan has resided in solitude with his ox since their disappearance. The ox is the film's only CGI character. The producers are in talks with Heather Graham to take on a role. Steve Perry and Tarquin Gotch are producing "Bunyan", with John D. Eraklis executive producing. Exodus' in-house digital visual effects studio is overseeing the CGI elements.
- 5/20/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Steve Perry has signed on as producer on Exodus Film Group's upcoming feature Paul Bunyan. The CEO and president of Masque Entertainment, Perry's producing and executive producing credits include Lethal Weapon 4, Speed 2: Cruise Control, True Romance and Executive Decision. Perry's deal additionally calls for Exodus, through its Venice, Calif.-based in-house digital visual effects studio ElectroAge, to provide visual effects for Perry's upcoming feature "Jack & Marilyn," to be directed by Edward James Olmos. In addition, as part of a first-look agreement for providing visual effects services, Masque will bring its current slate of feature films in development to ElectroAge, including Dodge City, Per Chance and One Echo Zulu. Masque also has entered into a first-look deal with Exodus for a still-undetermined slate of films. Bunyan is a "live-action-meets-CGI-animation film" based on the folklore of the Paul Bunyan character. Tarquin Gotch (Home Alone) will executive produce the script from Michael Nickles and Julia Wall.
- 10/21/2002
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It should come as no surprise that "Still Crazy" thematically falls somewhere between "The Commitments" and "This Is Spinal Tap", given that screenwriters Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais penned the former and honed their satirical chops as writers on "The Tracey Ullman Show".
But while the material -- about a quintessentially '70s British rock band called Strange Fruit that reunites two decades later for one more kick at the old can -- may not exactly be the freshest concept in town, sharp characterizations and a crack comic cast nonetheless make it an amusing diversion.
Ticket sales won't set any records, but Columbia should enjoy some modest domestic business, with stronger results overseas.
Finding little artistic fulfillment in his condom-dispenser concession, former Fruits keyboard player Tony Costello (Stephen Rea) gets the reunion ball rolling by tracking down his worse-for-wear bandmates with the help of Karen Knowles (Juliet Aubrey), their old PA and now a divorcee with a teenage daughter (Rachael Stirling).
The quest proves no easy feat: Bassist Les Wickes (Jimmy Nail) has eased into domestic bliss with a family and a roofing business; drummer Beano Baggot (Timothy Spall) works at a gardening nursery while fearing the wrath of the tax collector; pompous lead singer Ray Simms (Bill Nighy) lives over his head in a country mansion with his take-no-prisoners Swedish wife Astrid (Helena Bergstrom); and ace roadie Hughie (Billy Connolly) earns what he can in a street market.
Ultimately, the lure of past glory prevails, though plans for a full reunion are hampered by the discovery that former lead guitarist and acknowledged star of the group Brian Lovell (Bruce Robinson) appears to be dead. No matter, much younger guitarist Luke (Hans Matheson) is brought in, adding a little wrinkle-free incentive for a new generation of potential Fruits fans.
Landing a bus left over from an old INXS tour, the band hits the road, bringing along all the requisite excess baggage -- old feuds, bruised egos, etc. They work their way back up again through scary Holland dives with an eye toward a triumphant reunion concert at the Wisbech rock festival some 20 years after a freak electrical storm at that very venue effectively splintered the mighty Fruits.
Blessed with terrific comic timing and some masterful, scene-stealing turns by Nighy's Ted Nugent-meets-Ted Baxter lead singer Simms and Bergstrom as his domineering better half, "Still Crazy"'s motley crew of a cast hits all the right notes. And director Gibson -- no stranger to choreographing musical performances having done "What's Love Got to Do With It" and "The Josephine Baker Story" -- keeps the tempo amiably upbeat, even as the Clement/La Frenais script follows a fairly generic path.
Musically, the picture is right on the money, with Foreigner's Mick Jones and the Electric Light Orchestra's Jeff Lynne contributing some pitch-perfect power ballads that are as earnestly overblown as all that '70s hair. Hats off also to costume designer Caroline Harris for the expert fur-and-sequins glam work.
STILL CRAZY
Sony Pictures Releasing
A Columbia Pictures presentation
with the participation of the Greenlight Fund
A Marmot Tandy production
A Brian Gibson film
Director: Brian Gibson
Screenwriters: Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais
Producer: Andrea Marmot
Executive producers: Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais
Director of photography: Ashley Rowe
Production designer: Max Gottlieb
Editor: Peter Boyle
Costume designer: Caroline Harris
Music: Clive Langer
Music supervisors: Tarquin Gotch and Steve Dagger
Casting: Gail Stevens
Color/stereo
Cast:
Tony Costello: Stephen Rea
Hughie: Billy Connolly
Les Wickes: Jimmy Nail
Beano Baggot: Timothy Spall
Ray Simms: Bill Nighy
Karen Knowles: Juliet Aubrey
Astrid Simms: Helena Bergstrom
Brian Lovell: Bruce Robinson
Luke Shand: Hans Matheson
Clare Knowles: Rachael Stirling
Running time -- 97 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
But while the material -- about a quintessentially '70s British rock band called Strange Fruit that reunites two decades later for one more kick at the old can -- may not exactly be the freshest concept in town, sharp characterizations and a crack comic cast nonetheless make it an amusing diversion.
Ticket sales won't set any records, but Columbia should enjoy some modest domestic business, with stronger results overseas.
Finding little artistic fulfillment in his condom-dispenser concession, former Fruits keyboard player Tony Costello (Stephen Rea) gets the reunion ball rolling by tracking down his worse-for-wear bandmates with the help of Karen Knowles (Juliet Aubrey), their old PA and now a divorcee with a teenage daughter (Rachael Stirling).
The quest proves no easy feat: Bassist Les Wickes (Jimmy Nail) has eased into domestic bliss with a family and a roofing business; drummer Beano Baggot (Timothy Spall) works at a gardening nursery while fearing the wrath of the tax collector; pompous lead singer Ray Simms (Bill Nighy) lives over his head in a country mansion with his take-no-prisoners Swedish wife Astrid (Helena Bergstrom); and ace roadie Hughie (Billy Connolly) earns what he can in a street market.
Ultimately, the lure of past glory prevails, though plans for a full reunion are hampered by the discovery that former lead guitarist and acknowledged star of the group Brian Lovell (Bruce Robinson) appears to be dead. No matter, much younger guitarist Luke (Hans Matheson) is brought in, adding a little wrinkle-free incentive for a new generation of potential Fruits fans.
Landing a bus left over from an old INXS tour, the band hits the road, bringing along all the requisite excess baggage -- old feuds, bruised egos, etc. They work their way back up again through scary Holland dives with an eye toward a triumphant reunion concert at the Wisbech rock festival some 20 years after a freak electrical storm at that very venue effectively splintered the mighty Fruits.
Blessed with terrific comic timing and some masterful, scene-stealing turns by Nighy's Ted Nugent-meets-Ted Baxter lead singer Simms and Bergstrom as his domineering better half, "Still Crazy"'s motley crew of a cast hits all the right notes. And director Gibson -- no stranger to choreographing musical performances having done "What's Love Got to Do With It" and "The Josephine Baker Story" -- keeps the tempo amiably upbeat, even as the Clement/La Frenais script follows a fairly generic path.
Musically, the picture is right on the money, with Foreigner's Mick Jones and the Electric Light Orchestra's Jeff Lynne contributing some pitch-perfect power ballads that are as earnestly overblown as all that '70s hair. Hats off also to costume designer Caroline Harris for the expert fur-and-sequins glam work.
STILL CRAZY
Sony Pictures Releasing
A Columbia Pictures presentation
with the participation of the Greenlight Fund
A Marmot Tandy production
A Brian Gibson film
Director: Brian Gibson
Screenwriters: Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais
Producer: Andrea Marmot
Executive producers: Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais
Director of photography: Ashley Rowe
Production designer: Max Gottlieb
Editor: Peter Boyle
Costume designer: Caroline Harris
Music: Clive Langer
Music supervisors: Tarquin Gotch and Steve Dagger
Casting: Gail Stevens
Color/stereo
Cast:
Tony Costello: Stephen Rea
Hughie: Billy Connolly
Les Wickes: Jimmy Nail
Beano Baggot: Timothy Spall
Ray Simms: Bill Nighy
Karen Knowles: Juliet Aubrey
Astrid Simms: Helena Bergstrom
Brian Lovell: Bruce Robinson
Luke Shand: Hans Matheson
Clare Knowles: Rachael Stirling
Running time -- 97 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 12/11/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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