Grindhouse is one of the most influential box office failures of the 21st century. Despite grossing a paltry $25.4 million at the box office on a budget of around $60 million, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s 2007 love letter to exploitation cinema has managed to spawn four spin-off movies — Machete, Machete Kills, Hobo with a Shotgun, and now Thanksgiving— in addition to reintroducing a vintage aesthetic that has been mimicked by countless other throwback movies.
Rodriguez’s Planet Terror and Tarantino’s Death Proof each have their merits — the former plays like a satirical pastiche of nonstop action, while the latter is more indicative of genuine exploitation fare — but Grindhouse is more than just a double feature. It’s an experience, complete with faux aging to recreate the look of beat-up film prints along with vintage interstitials and retro-inspired trailers for nonexistent movies.
Planet Terror is the first part of the double bill,...
Rodriguez’s Planet Terror and Tarantino’s Death Proof each have their merits — the former plays like a satirical pastiche of nonstop action, while the latter is more indicative of genuine exploitation fare — but Grindhouse is more than just a double feature. It’s an experience, complete with faux aging to recreate the look of beat-up film prints along with vintage interstitials and retro-inspired trailers for nonexistent movies.
Planet Terror is the first part of the double bill,...
- 11/15/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
It’s been 13 years since the Galactica reached Earth. We watched in the 2009 finale “Daybreak” as Admiral Adama, President Roslin, Apollo, Starbuck, Gaius Baltar, and Caprica Six walked towards a bright and unwritten future in their new home. It was a cathartic (but predictably divisive) ending to a six-year TV journey that remains one of the best and most influential in science fiction history. There’s no question that Battlestar Galactica paved the way for other serious, gritty political sci-fi dramas like The Expanse and the recently released Foundation adaptation.
But Battlestar Galactica‘s legacy is one thing. What about its future? That’s a question NBCUniversal has struggled to answer in the years since our heroes first touched down on our planet. There were multiple attempts at spin-offs directly after the flagship series finale on the Syfy channel, including two prequels — Caprica, which told the story of Bill Adama...
But Battlestar Galactica‘s legacy is one thing. What about its future? That’s a question NBCUniversal has struggled to answer in the years since our heroes first touched down on our planet. There were multiple attempts at spin-offs directly after the flagship series finale on the Syfy channel, including two prequels — Caprica, which told the story of Bill Adama...
- 7/6/2022
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
There’s no doubt that Danny Pudi’s character Abed was a favorite of Community fans everywhere. Despite a lack of social skills explained through an unspoken understanding that the character was on the autism spectrum, Abed’s charm sprung from his ability to relate reality to pop culture narratives that were easier for him to comprehend. However, there was a specific moment in season one that made it clear that his penchant for meta-referencing his fictional existence made him the de facto Pov of the show, not just the sidekick to Joel McHale’s character Jeff.
It’s worth noting that Community creator Dan Harmon realized this shift was happening in the writers room. He told Kevin Pollak in his “Chat Show” series that when the network ordered an additional three episodes to go with the 22 that were already in the can for season one, he noticed that his...
It’s worth noting that Community creator Dan Harmon realized this shift was happening in the writers room. He told Kevin Pollak in his “Chat Show” series that when the network ordered an additional three episodes to go with the 22 that were already in the can for season one, he noticed that his...
- 6/2/2021
- by Michael Ahr
- Den of Geek
Need to catch up on Supernatural? Check out our recap of last week’s episode here.
Oh no, Dean’s keeping a secret from Sam. This can’t be good.
More from TVLineSupernatural Video: Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki Tease Dean and Sam's Ending, Talk 'Bizarre' Last Day on SetSupernatural Video: Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki Reflect on the 'Weighty,' Teary Final Day of FilmingLegends Casts Tvd Alum as Sadistic Genius -- Is He Season 6's Big Bad?
On this Thursday’s Supernatural, the Winchesters get a call from Caitlin, the sister of an old friend, Travis, who recently...
Oh no, Dean’s keeping a secret from Sam. This can’t be good.
More from TVLineSupernatural Video: Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki Tease Dean and Sam's Ending, Talk 'Bizarre' Last Day on SetSupernatural Video: Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki Reflect on the 'Weighty,' Teary Final Day of FilmingLegends Casts Tvd Alum as Sadistic Genius -- Is He Season 6's Big Bad?
On this Thursday’s Supernatural, the Winchesters get a call from Caitlin, the sister of an old friend, Travis, who recently...
- 10/23/2020
- by Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
Brian Volk-Weiss Jul 17, 2019
The Toys The Made Us creator Brian Volk-Weiss shares his quest to land a coveted and expensive Star Wars figure.
This story appears in the Den of Geek Sdcc 2019 special edition magazine. Guest column by Brian Volk-Weiss, creator of Netflix's The Toys That Made Us.
Let’s start with the elephant in the room: no, I don’t have one. Yet.
Vlix Oncard is the rarest action figure ever commercially released. That’s the sort of thing one learns when doing a deep dive into the research required when starting production on my series, The Toys That Made Us. I know—I can hear some of you out there yelling, “No, rocket-firing Boba Fett is the rarest action figure ever produced!” Well, the major caveat here is the words “commercially released.” Poor spring-loaded Boba never made it to the store shelves, but Vlix actually did. How did he manage that?...
The Toys The Made Us creator Brian Volk-Weiss shares his quest to land a coveted and expensive Star Wars figure.
This story appears in the Den of Geek Sdcc 2019 special edition magazine. Guest column by Brian Volk-Weiss, creator of Netflix's The Toys That Made Us.
Let’s start with the elephant in the room: no, I don’t have one. Yet.
Vlix Oncard is the rarest action figure ever commercially released. That’s the sort of thing one learns when doing a deep dive into the research required when starting production on my series, The Toys That Made Us. I know—I can hear some of you out there yelling, “No, rocket-firing Boba Fett is the rarest action figure ever produced!” Well, the major caveat here is the words “commercially released.” Poor spring-loaded Boba never made it to the store shelves, but Vlix actually did. How did he manage that?...
- 7/16/2019
- Den of Geek
Kip Niven, a veteran character actor whose career ranged from early-’70s TV and the first two Sensurround films to regional theater and starring in 2014’s Jayhawkers, has died. He was 73. Local media outlets in his native Kansas City, Mo, said Niven died Monday of a heart attack.
Born on May 27, 1945, he got his start with guest roles in such 1970s TV dramas as Night Gallery, Escape and Emergency! before landing a key role in the first Dirty Harry sequel. In 1973’s Magnum Force, Niven played “Red” Astrachan, one of the vigilante rookie cops who terrorize San Francisco’s underworld — and eventually Clint Eastwood, who eventually gets his revenge. Astrachan’s comrades were played by future stars Robert Urich, Tim Matheson and David Soul.
After that, Niven would appear in dozens of TV shows and more than a dozen features including Earthquake (1974) and Midway (1976), the first two movies released in...
Born on May 27, 1945, he got his start with guest roles in such 1970s TV dramas as Night Gallery, Escape and Emergency! before landing a key role in the first Dirty Harry sequel. In 1973’s Magnum Force, Niven played “Red” Astrachan, one of the vigilante rookie cops who terrorize San Francisco’s underworld — and eventually Clint Eastwood, who eventually gets his revenge. Astrachan’s comrades were played by future stars Robert Urich, Tim Matheson and David Soul.
After that, Niven would appear in dozens of TV shows and more than a dozen features including Earthquake (1974) and Midway (1976), the first two movies released in...
- 5/9/2019
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The Casting Society of America has set the honorees and special award recipients for its 34th annual Artios Awards. Laura Dern, Tiny Fey and Jeff Richmond will be feted along with Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson and Carol Kritzer of Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer Casting on January 31 in dual ceremonies at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles and Stage 48 in New York City.
Csa also has set a first-time special tribute to the founders of Casting Society of America: casting directors Mike Fenton, Joe Reich and Al Onorato.
Emmy winner and two-time Oscar nominee Dern will receive the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement. Tony-nominated Mean Girls producers Fey and Richmond are set for the Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award, which recognition individuals who have made a...
Csa also has set a first-time special tribute to the founders of Casting Society of America: casting directors Mike Fenton, Joe Reich and Al Onorato.
Emmy winner and two-time Oscar nominee Dern will receive the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement. Tony-nominated Mean Girls producers Fey and Richmond are set for the Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award, which recognition individuals who have made a...
- 12/3/2018
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
1975: Ryan's Hope's Jack visited Sister Mary Joel.
1984: Santa Barbara's Jade ran into David Hasselhoff.
1986: Another World's Reginald had a fire started to stop a story.
2003: The Young and the Restless' John punched Victor."The best prophet of the future is the past."
― Lord Byron
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1941: On radio soap opera Life Can Be Beautiful, "Chichi" Conrad (Alice Reinheart) coped with heartbreaking news.
1967: CBS aired the first color broadcast of The Secret Storm.
1972: The Edge of Night began airing at 2:30 p.m. Et, moving from its usual 3:30 p.m. timeslot where it had been performing well in the ratings.
1984: Santa Barbara's Jade ran into David Hasselhoff.
1986: Another World's Reginald had a fire started to stop a story.
2003: The Young and the Restless' John punched Victor."The best prophet of the future is the past."
― Lord Byron
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1941: On radio soap opera Life Can Be Beautiful, "Chichi" Conrad (Alice Reinheart) coped with heartbreaking news.
1967: CBS aired the first color broadcast of The Secret Storm.
1972: The Edge of Night began airing at 2:30 p.m. Et, moving from its usual 3:30 p.m. timeslot where it had been performing well in the ratings.
- 9/11/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
You can now learn how studioADI's practical effects in Harbinger Down (starring Lance Henriksen) were lovingly created in Christopher Cooksey's new book about the making of the 2015 horror film. Also in today's Horror Highlights: Blu-ray and DVD release details for Down a Dark Hall, co-starring Uma Thurman, and the impressive lineup of guests at this year's New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival.
New Book About the Making of Harbinger Down: "Take a pictorial journey through the production of Harbinger Down, the film that set out to prove that audiences still prefer practical effects creatures over CGI. After finding their animatronic creations left on the cutting room floor one too many times in favor of digitally animated monsters and spurred on by the outcry of movie fans everywhere to keep it real, studioADI co-founders Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr. decided to take matters into their own hands. The...
New Book About the Making of Harbinger Down: "Take a pictorial journey through the production of Harbinger Down, the film that set out to prove that audiences still prefer practical effects creatures over CGI. After finding their animatronic creations left on the cutting room floor one too many times in favor of digitally animated monsters and spurred on by the outcry of movie fans everywhere to keep it real, studioADI co-founders Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr. decided to take matters into their own hands. The...
- 8/21/2018
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
It’s tough to make a TV show about a car. Oh, sure there have been some really cool cars featured in TV shows like Batman (the Batmobile), Green Hornet (the Black Beauty), Starsky & Hutch (their ‘75 Ford Gran Torino), or My Mother the Car, but they were never front and center. That all changed with Knight Rider, the David Hasselhoff series that originally ran on NBC from 1982-1986. In the show, undercover Lapd officer Michael Arthur Long is shot in the face during an assignment and left for dead. Instead, he’s saved by self-made billionaire Wilton Knight (Richard Basehart). Following plastic surgery, Michael is given the last name Knight and made the lead field agent in Flag (Foundation for Law and Government), a public justice organization and, armed with Kitt (Knight Industries Two Thousand), a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am equipped with artificial intelligence among other high-tech features, he fights for justice.
- 6/26/2018
- by Ed Gross
- Closer Weekly
Character actor Tim O’Connor, best known for his role as Elliot Carson in 1960s prime time soap Peyton Place, has died. He passed in his sleep on April 5 in his longtime home of Nevada City, California at age 90.
O’Connor had a long career on stage and particularly television, where he had appearances in such iconic shows as All in the Family, M*A*S*H, Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, General Hospital, Dynasty, and Star Trek.
Born in Chicago, his career spanned Broadway, television and films. He worked with such actors as Sir Laurence Olivier, George C. Scott, Edward G. Robinson, Jessica Tandy, Maximilian Schell, Vincent Price, and Boris Karloff, among others.
Arriving in Hollywood in 1965, O’Connor moved to Santa Monica, California, and gained national recognition as one of the stars of Peyton Place. He starred as Elliot Carson, father of Mia Farrow’s Allison, in more than...
O’Connor had a long career on stage and particularly television, where he had appearances in such iconic shows as All in the Family, M*A*S*H, Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, General Hospital, Dynasty, and Star Trek.
Born in Chicago, his career spanned Broadway, television and films. He worked with such actors as Sir Laurence Olivier, George C. Scott, Edward G. Robinson, Jessica Tandy, Maximilian Schell, Vincent Price, and Boris Karloff, among others.
Arriving in Hollywood in 1965, O’Connor moved to Santa Monica, California, and gained national recognition as one of the stars of Peyton Place. He starred as Elliot Carson, father of Mia Farrow’s Allison, in more than...
- 4/13/2018
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Dan Cooper Feb 2, 2018
As the London Classic Car Show gets set to kick off later this month, we count down our choice of the finest Batmobiles...
Robin: “I want a car. Chicks dig the car.”
Batman: “This is why Superman works alone.”
Man, how we marvelled at the Dark Knight as he responded to Robin’s whinging about wanting wheels of his own in 1997’s Batman & Robin. Yes it was the opening scene of the movie and true, we’d already experienced a higher latex-clad buttocks to screen time ratio than in your average imported specialist German exotica but still, that line… it hinted at the beginnings of a shared universe where Batman and Superman might one day occupy the same screen, sending us into geeky raptures of possibility-flavoured wonderment.
Looking back at the garish daftness that followed, that first minute of the film was probably the best bit.
As the London Classic Car Show gets set to kick off later this month, we count down our choice of the finest Batmobiles...
Robin: “I want a car. Chicks dig the car.”
Batman: “This is why Superman works alone.”
Man, how we marvelled at the Dark Knight as he responded to Robin’s whinging about wanting wheels of his own in 1997’s Batman & Robin. Yes it was the opening scene of the movie and true, we’d already experienced a higher latex-clad buttocks to screen time ratio than in your average imported specialist German exotica but still, that line… it hinted at the beginnings of a shared universe where Batman and Superman might one day occupy the same screen, sending us into geeky raptures of possibility-flavoured wonderment.
Looking back at the garish daftness that followed, that first minute of the film was probably the best bit.
- 2/7/2017
- Den of Geek
With action heroes and sci-fi themes populating the fall schedule, studios are planning to once again increase the presence of their television properties at Comic-Con International.
The July 24-27 fandom mecca in San Diego will feature more than two dozen sessions promoting upcoming TV series. The events including panels for such freshman tentpole shows as Fox's "Fringe" and "Dollhouse," NBC's "My Own Worst Enemy" and ABC's "Life on Mars."
A few years ago, 20th TV didn't have an organized presence at the event. This year, the studio will have a booth on the show floor for the first time as well as panels for at least eight series.
"We've come to realize there's tremendous value in genre programming, and Comic-Con has become an incredible opportunity to reach out to its core fans," 20th chairman Gary Newman said.
The continued momentum follows an overall industry trend of studios taking a more active role promoting their TV properties instead of relying on networks to spread the word. Making a splash at Comic-Con has become a mandatory stop for programs of a certain psychographic -- especially with genre shows marked by high DVD sales, licensing of related products and passionate fans.
"They're an unbelievable viral audience," said ABC Studios president Mark Pedowitz, whose ABC hit "Lost" is typically the broadcast headliner of Comic-Con. "They have a deep-seated need to spread the word. They are a marketer's dream."
Added Peter Roth, president of Warner Bros. TV, "Comic-Con has been a launching pad for many of our shows, including 'Smallville' and 'Supernatural,' and the dedicated fans who attend each year serve as ardent advocates for series they love and embrace."
Last summer, NBC's "Chuck" and ABC's "Pushing Daisies" received some of their most significant initial buzz from Comic-Con screenings, where the audience is generally so appreciative that it's rare for a show to outright flop. The excitement also provides an increasingly stark contrast to that other July promotional event, the Television Critics Assn. press tour. With newspaper cutbacks inhibiting reporters' Tca attendance and with the Comic-Con influence growing, critics last year reacted angrily when ABC tried to hold back a bit of "Lost" news for the fans.
Studio heads said that promoting a show at Tca (which is paid for by the networks) still provides a crucial service. "Comic-Con is going to a much more specific audience, while Tca is about getting articles about your whole schedule and your shows throughout the course of the year," Pedowitz said.
List of shows to be represented at Comic-Con:
24
American Dad
The Big Bang Theory
Battlestar Galactica
Bones
Chuck
Dollhouse
Eureka
Family Guy
Futurama
Ghost Hunters
Ghost Whisperer
Heroes
Kings
Knight Rider
Kyle Xy
Life On Mars
Lost
The Middlemen
My Own Worst Enemy
The Office
Pushing Daisies
Samurai Girl
Sarah Connor
The Simpsons
Smallville
Supernatural
Stargate Atlantis
True Blood
Virtuality
Wizards First Rule...
The July 24-27 fandom mecca in San Diego will feature more than two dozen sessions promoting upcoming TV series. The events including panels for such freshman tentpole shows as Fox's "Fringe" and "Dollhouse," NBC's "My Own Worst Enemy" and ABC's "Life on Mars."
A few years ago, 20th TV didn't have an organized presence at the event. This year, the studio will have a booth on the show floor for the first time as well as panels for at least eight series.
"We've come to realize there's tremendous value in genre programming, and Comic-Con has become an incredible opportunity to reach out to its core fans," 20th chairman Gary Newman said.
The continued momentum follows an overall industry trend of studios taking a more active role promoting their TV properties instead of relying on networks to spread the word. Making a splash at Comic-Con has become a mandatory stop for programs of a certain psychographic -- especially with genre shows marked by high DVD sales, licensing of related products and passionate fans.
"They're an unbelievable viral audience," said ABC Studios president Mark Pedowitz, whose ABC hit "Lost" is typically the broadcast headliner of Comic-Con. "They have a deep-seated need to spread the word. They are a marketer's dream."
Added Peter Roth, president of Warner Bros. TV, "Comic-Con has been a launching pad for many of our shows, including 'Smallville' and 'Supernatural,' and the dedicated fans who attend each year serve as ardent advocates for series they love and embrace."
Last summer, NBC's "Chuck" and ABC's "Pushing Daisies" received some of their most significant initial buzz from Comic-Con screenings, where the audience is generally so appreciative that it's rare for a show to outright flop. The excitement also provides an increasingly stark contrast to that other July promotional event, the Television Critics Assn. press tour. With newspaper cutbacks inhibiting reporters' Tca attendance and with the Comic-Con influence growing, critics last year reacted angrily when ABC tried to hold back a bit of "Lost" news for the fans.
Studio heads said that promoting a show at Tca (which is paid for by the networks) still provides a crucial service. "Comic-Con is going to a much more specific audience, while Tca is about getting articles about your whole schedule and your shows throughout the course of the year," Pedowitz said.
List of shows to be represented at Comic-Con:
24
American Dad
The Big Bang Theory
Battlestar Galactica
Bones
Chuck
Dollhouse
Eureka
Family Guy
Futurama
Ghost Hunters
Ghost Whisperer
Heroes
Kings
Knight Rider
Kyle Xy
Life On Mars
Lost
The Middlemen
My Own Worst Enemy
The Office
Pushing Daisies
Samurai Girl
Sarah Connor
The Simpsons
Smallville
Supernatural
Stargate Atlantis
True Blood
Virtuality
Wizards First Rule...
- 7/1/2008
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As science-fiction, fantasy and horror go more and more mainstream, the list of genre television shows covered by both SyFy Portal and its sister site Rabid Doll has grown to yet a new record number. New shows that will be covered by SyFy Portal for the 2008-09 season include "Dollhouse," "Fringe," "Knight Rider," "Life on Mars" and "Sanctuary." They will join a slate of returning shows that include "Battlestar Galactica," "Doctor Who," "Eureka," "Heroes," "Lost," "Pushing Daisies," "Smallville," "Stargate: Atlantis," and "Torchwood." On top of that, Rabid Doll will cover "Reaper," "Supernatural" and "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," which will then be picked up by SyFy Portal. Rabid Doll is in the process of repositioning itself with more of an independent ...
- 6/23/2008
- GeekNation.com
British actress Kate Beckinsale perfected her American accent as a child, with a TV diet of The A-team and Knight Rider.
The Pearl Harbor beauty believes British actors find it easier to pick up an American twang, because they grow up watching popular U.S. shows.
And she admits she was no exception.
The 34-year-old tells Aol Movies, "There are some American actors that do (it well). I thought Anne Hathaway did a fantastic British accent in Becoming Jane. But on the whole, I think we have to do it more, and we hear it more growing up.
"I know that I came to America and I could perfectly understand everything everybody was saying, because we grew up on Knight Rider and The A-Team."...
The Pearl Harbor beauty believes British actors find it easier to pick up an American twang, because they grow up watching popular U.S. shows.
And she admits she was no exception.
The 34-year-old tells Aol Movies, "There are some American actors that do (it well). I thought Anne Hathaway did a fantastic British accent in Becoming Jane. But on the whole, I think we have to do it more, and we hear it more growing up.
"I know that I came to America and I could perfectly understand everything everybody was saying, because we grew up on Knight Rider and The A-Team."...
- 3/28/2008
- WENN
David Hasselhoff's classic '80s TV show Knight Rider is set to return to the small screen. The series, about an agent and his talking super-powered car, is being reworked and produced by The Bourne Identity filmmaker Doug Liman for NBC. Liman is considering directing the new show's two-hour pilot, which could hit screens in autumn 2008, reports Daily Variety. If successful, a full series will follow. According to the trade paper, the new Knight Rider project is inspired by summer blockbuster Transformers.
- 9/28/2007
- WENN
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.