Beverly Hills, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present a 30th anniversary digital screening of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” with a special onstage discussion featuring key members of the film’s crew, on Friday, June 17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
Hosted by film historian and author Eric Lichtenfeld, the program will include Visual Effects Oscar® winner Bruce Nicholson; Sound Oscar winners Gregg Landaker and Steve Maslow; Richard L. Anderson and Ben Burtt, recipients of a Special Achievement Award for Sound Effects Editing; and the film’s Oscar-nominated producer, Frank Marshall. The pre-screening discussion will explore the role motion picture science and technology played in shaping the movie.
Shooting around the globe, director Steven Spielberg and his crew braved 130-degree temperatures and 6,000 live reptiles to create this adventure that celebrates – and transcends – the classic serials of the 1940s. Harrison Ford stars as archaeologist Indiana Jones, who must race against Nazi forces and a shadowy rival in a life-or-death quest to recover the lost Ark of the Covenant.
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” earned Academy Award® nominations for Cinematography, Directing, Original Score and Best Picture, and won for Art Direction, Film Editing, Sound and Visual Effects. It also received a Special Achievement for Sound Effects Editing (an Oscar statuette).
This screening of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” will premiere a new digital restoration and feature a Digital Cinema presentation courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
The event will be presented by the Academy’s Science and Technology Council as part of its “Prime Tech” screening series, which showcases Oscar-nominated and winning films that have been recognized in at least one technical category. The series features panel discussions that illuminate the art of filmmaking from a science and technology perspective, examining how technical elements can augment a film’s narrative capabilities and enrich the overall viewing experience.
Tickets to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” will be available for purchase beginning Wednesday, June 1. Tickets are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased online at www.oscars.org, at the Academy box office (8949 Wilshire Boulevard, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or by mail. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at the 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.
For more information call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org
According to the just-released Italian issue of Vanity Fairmagazine, the eighth season of “Grey’s Anatomy” will be the end of the line for Patrick Dempsey and his character, Dr. Derek Shepherd (a.k.a. “McDreamy”).
Dempsey told the magazine that next season is “gonna be my last.”
Dempsey had been a struggling actor for several years before landing on “Grey’s Anatomy,” which made him a star. A few years ago, Dempsey told us how lucky he was to get the “Grey’s” role. (Click on the audio player to hear Patrick Dempsey)
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Hit series such as “ER,” “Cheers,” and “Law & Order” have all survived and thrived despite losing some of their original stars, but will you be interested in what’s happening at Seattle Grace Mercy West if there’s no McDreamy? Give us your thoughts!
For a time, Richard Donner was one of Hollywood’s most high-profile directors, having helmed hits like the “Lethal Weapon” films, “The Goonies,” the 1976 version of “The Omen,” and “Superman.”
“The Omen,” of course, was remade a few years ago, a “Superman” reboot is now in pre-production, and there are rumors that a “Lethal Weapon” reboot could be in the works as well. But while the thought of revisiting those classics might excite some film buffs (and profit-eyeing studio execs), Donner is less pleased to see those reboots in the pipeline. When we spoke to Donner today, he told us the original movies should be left alone — especially “Lethal Weapon.” To find out the reason — and to hear him explain why he thinks TV is now producing better quality than movies — listen to the interview. (Click on the audio player to hear Richard Donner)
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“Superman” — along with Donner’s alternate cut of “Superman II” (which we highly recommend, by the way) — are included in the new “Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology (1978-2006)” Blu-Ray package, which hits stores on June 7.
Justin Bartha returns with the rest of The Hangover wolf pack in The Hangover Part 2, which broke box office records over the holiday weekend earning $137.4 million since its opening on Thursday.
Bartha told us that after the success of The Hangover, the cast and director Todd Phillips felt the pressure to make the film as funny as the first, and hopes it lives up to the fans’ expectations. (Click on the audio player to hear Justin Bartha)
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Scott Bakula is one of the most talented and nicest actors on television He currently stars on the TNT series, Men of a Certain Age, which makes its season premiere this Wednesday night.
Bakula has a loyal fan following going back to when he starred on the sci-fi classic series, Quantum Leap, which ran from 1989-1993 on NBC. To this day, the series is playing all over the world in television reruns. We spoke to Bakula, who told us why the series still resonates with people, and how happy he is that new audiences are finding and falling in love with the series. (Click on the audio player to hear Scott Bakula)
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For you Quantum Leap fans, there are rumors that show creator Donald P. Bellisario (who created such great television shows such as Magnum P.I., JAG, and the current hit series NCIS), is writing a script for a Quantum Leap feature film.
Unless you were hiding under a rock you know that Country Music received a special spotlight on American Idol this past week. In a music world that’s filled with names like Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Black Eyed Peas, and Beyonce, it was interesting to see so much of America rally behind Scotty and Lauren and fully embrace Country Music. We caught up with the genre’s sweetheart Carrie Underwood and asked her what she thought it was about Country music that seemed to be capturing America’s heart, and what makes Country fans so special. Take a look:
With a nation that’s been wrecked with floods and tornadoes on top of a battered economy, one could argue how the need for some healing and hope played into America’s willingness to open their arms to the Country music genre on Idol. We caught up with Country Music star/actor Tim McGraw this past week and asked him what it was about Country Music that’s speaking to America. Check it out:
So what do you think? Was it the music or the personalities of Scotty and Lauren that motivated you to tune in? Did this year’s Idol leave you feeling good? Let us know.
Tom Hanks hasn’t directed a feature film since the 1996 movie, That Thing You Do! Fifteen years later, Hanks is back directing and starring in the dramedy, Larry Crowne, opening in theatres July 1st. The film also stars Academy Award winner Julia Roberts, and Emmy Award winner Bryan Cranston, and is about a Navy Veteran who loses his job working in a store and decides to enroll himself in college. He then falls in love with a professor (Roberts).
While the film has big star power, is releasing the film during the Summer a wise thing to do? Or do you think that a Winter release during awards season is the smarter choice? Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think!
Jack Black & Casey Abrams knocked it out of the ballpark when they sang Queen’s, ”Fat Bottomed Girls.” What a hilarious performance! These two are definitely brothers from another mother. We covered the red carpet as the stars poured into the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on Wednesday night. Everyone from Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, Adam Lambert, Gordon Ramsay and Mary Murphy stopped by to say hello. Although, our favorite part of the red carpet experience was when we were in the middle of interviewing Jack Black when all of a sudden, Casey Abrams decides to surprise him.
Academy Award winner Sean Penn has been working in films and television for 37 years. It was in 1982 that he landed his breakout role as the stoner-surfer Jeff Spicoli, in the iconic comedy classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Some actors don’t like to reflect on their earlier roles that made them stars, but Penn isn’t one of them. Penn has fond memories of Fast Times, which is considered one of the most beloved comedies of the 1980’s (Click on the audio player below to hear Sean Penn)
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Sean Penn can currently be seen in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life, which is in limited release.
