The amount of movies on filmmaking and filmmakers has sure snowballed over the last generation, and with that in mind, we’re calling for quiet on the set and surveying our favorite depictions of directors, from the real deals to the roman a clefs.
Read more →Articles by: Irv Slifkin
Leave ’em Wanting Moore: In Praise of Julianne Moore
For a generation now, this copper-tressed, compact, and compelling performer has been impressing filmgoers with her versatility and craft in a multitude of projects ranging from challenging indie fare to tent-pole crowdpleasers, and we’re looking back at Julianne Moore’s remarkable career.
Read more →The Gritty Cinema Of John Flynn
His name isn’t amongst the most readily identifiable, but director John Flynn turned out some flavorful, down-and-dirty action opuses over a three-decade-plus career in Hollywood. We’re celebrating Rolling Thunder, The Outfit, and more from his resume.
Read more →Who Plays You in the Movie of Your Life…and Why?
Picture this: You’ve just sold your life rights for a big-time movie. You’ve got final approval on who plays you on the silver screen. Who gets cast? Why? “Movie Irv” answers this question…and then it’s your turn!
Read more →Defying Convention: Musings on Medium Cool
Heralded cinematographer Haskell Wexler’s directing debut, set (and filmed) during the course of the violence-marred, polarizing ’68 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, overcame studio and public indifference at the time of its release to be recognized as a classic, as we note its recent release on DVD and Blu-ray.
Read more →Oh, What a Giveaway: Remembering Our ’80s Promotions
In another of our looks back at our 35 years in operation, we recall some of the in-store giveaways from back in the day that always left folks talking, from Road Warrior atlases to Terms of Endearment tissues to Mommie Dearest wire hangers.
Read more →Will Smith: Overrated or Underrated?
Will Smith may have played Muhammad Ali…but is he “The Greatest”? He passed on playing the title role in “Django Unchained,” but was he exactly right not to risk his massive appeal to fans of every race, color, and creed? Let’s see if Movie Irv thinks Philly’s prince is fresh as ever, or past his sell-by date.
Read more →Your Questions on Hear My Song, The Medusa Touch, and More
We’re fielding another crop of your questions on the home-video whereabouts on much-demanded movies, from the 1978 RIchard Burton psychic scarefest The Medusa Touch to the 1933 Loretta Young pre-Code potboiler Employees’ Entrance.
Read more →Animal Magnetism: Reflections on Robert Strauss
His screen reprisal of his comic stage triumph as the aptly-named Sgt. “Animal” Kuzawa in Stalag 17 landed him an Oscar nomination and launched a prolific, generation-long career in film and TV. We’re looking back at the life and performances of the ubiquitous and unforgettable Robert Strauss.
Read more →Special Kaye: Marking Danny Kaye’s Centenary
Comedian-mimic-singer-dancer-actor…there aren’t enough hyphens to cover the the talents of consummate entertainer Danny Kaye, and, in noting the 100th anniversary of his birth, we’ve got an appreciative overview of his long career in stage, film. TV, and recording.
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