MORE CRYBABYING FROM GEORGE LUCAS: CLAIMS HAN NEVER SHOT FIRST

Who you gunna believe? George Lucas or your lying eyes?

Well, it’s not a religious event. I hate to tell people that. It’s a movie, just a movie. The controversy over who shot first, Greedo or Han Solo, in Episode IV, what I did was try to clean up the confusion, but obviously it upset people because they wanted Solo [who seemed to be the one who shot first in the original] to be a cold-blooded killer, but he actually isn’t. It had been done in all close-ups and it was confusing about who did what to whom. I put a little wider shot in there that made it clear that Greedo is the one who shot first, but everyone wanted to think that Han shot first, because they wanted to think that he actually just gunned him down.

Granted, Lucas has every right to change his films, every right to make them worse. That is his property. But this absurd stance of dismissing criticism after he alters (dramatically, in some cases) something that was so universally beloved, is truly remarkable. If it’s “just a movie” why the non-stop tweaking?

And the real problem isn’t the tweaks. Lucas is right that films get tweaked all the time. No question. The problem is that he practically forces us to purchase his inferior recuts, and only after we’ve all been stupid enough to do that, does he release the untouched originals.  This is exactly what he did with the DVD release.

If, in this latest Blu-ray release, Lucas would’ve had the decency to include the original cuts of the films, I doubt very much the backlash would be as big as it is.

There’s nothing wrong with being a profiteer. Just don’t pretend you’re something else.

HITCHCOCK’S ‘REBECCA’ IS GETTING THE REMAKE TREATMENT

Oh, the irony. The overwhelming specter of “Rebecca” is going to hang over a second movie made about a second wife living with the overwhelming specter of a woman named Rebecca.

MORE CABLE SUBSCRIBERS CUTTING CORDS

Here comes the future:

Following numerous reports that “cord cutting” did not represent a serious threat to cable television operators, Nielsen said on Wednesday that the number of households that have dropped their satellite TV subscriptions and relied exclusively on broadband Internet access to watch TV had grown 22.8 percent over the last year. While such households now represent fewer than 5 percent of all TV households, the growing number was described by Nielsen as “a development to watch.”

Love it.

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LAST NIGHT’S SCREENING

The Super Cops (1974) — Available only through Warner Archives. Review coming soon.

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SCOTTDS’ EPIC LINKTACULAR

TRAILER AND POSTER FOR STEVE CARELL’S “SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD”

NEW BATTLE SPOT FOR ‘JOHN CARTER‘

NAOMI WATTS TO PLAY PRINCESS DIANA

KOOL & THE GANG OPENING FOR VAN HALEN? BLAME DAVID LEE ROTH

FIRST PROMO POSTER FOR ‘MACHETE KILLS’

WB IS DEVELOPING A LIVE-ACTION “JETSONS” MOVIE

MACAULEY CULKIN IS SKINNY

JON FAVREAU TO DIRECT J.J. ABRAMS ACTION DRAMA PILOT “REVOLUTION”

TOP TEN PERFECTLY CAST FILMS

A TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES INTERVIEW WITH DIAHANN CARROLL

POTENTIAL POST ‘DARK KNIGHT RISES’ PLOTS?

THE PHYSICS BEHIND YOUR FAVORITE SCI-FI THEME SONGS

‘AMERICAN CHOPPER: SENIOR VS. JUNIOR’ SEASON 3: IS THE WAR OVER?

WHY WE WATCH PROCEDURALS

MY THREE FAVORITE MOMENTS IN HITCHCOCK’S ‘SPELLBOUND’

THE 10 MOST UNNECESSARY GIANT MONSTER MOVIES OF ALL TIME

HOW STANLEY KUBRICK SHOT HIS OWN NEWSWEEK COVER

THE INNER WORKINGS OF 12 TITLE SEQUENCES

19 ENTERTAINERS WHO STARTED AS EXTRAS

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CLASSIC PICK FOR SATURDAY,  FEBRUARY 11

TCM:

12:15 AM  Three Days of the Condor (1975)  –  A CIA researcher uncovers top secret information and finds himself marked for death. Dir: Sydney Pollack Cast:  Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson.  C-117 mins, TV-MA, CC, Letterbox Format.

One of those liberal films that’s not really as liberal as some remember. Robertson’s closing speech complicates all that came before and director Pollack deserves enormous credit for doing something liberals films are afraid to do today: Present the alternate point-of-view in an intelligent fashion.

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Please send comments, suggestions and tips to jnolte@breitbart.com or Twitter @NolteNC.

The film tells the story  of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first all African-American flight unit in the United States military. The men and women–yes, there were female “Tuskegee Airmen”–who served in this unit were incredible individuals who overcame racism and the brutal intensity of war to become heroes during World War II.  Their story and the obstacles they overcame to become legendary figures in history, however, isn’t captured well in this patriotic but ultimately unremarkable film.

Directed by Anthony Hemingway, the story focuses on the group of young warriors eager for their chance to fight. Ambitious pilots like Marty “Easy” Julian (Nate Parker), Joe “Lightning” Litte (David Oyelowo) and Ray “Junior” Gannon (Tristan Wilds) compose this energetic and idealistic unit. These soldiers don’t focus on the racism that has held them back. They spend their time training and dreaming about getting their chance to shine. They want an opportunity to serve their country in epic battles but are repeatedly passed over for major assignments.

Their supervisors aren’t satisfied with their missions, either. Played by Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr., Colonel A.J. Bullard and Major Emanuelle Stance want their unit to have a chance to prove itself. While Stance is their overseas commanding officer, Bullard is their D.C. liaison and must continually battle against the racist sensibilities of the scowling and perpetually displeased Colonel William Mortamus (“Breaking Bad’s” Bryan Cranston).

In one well-done scene, the two argue about the unit, and Bullard tells the Colonel that he respects Mortamus’ uniform and rank but nothing more. That speaks volumes about the racism that these airmen encountered. They were asked to serve military leaders who often looked down on them and disrespected them. But the airmen served them knowing that they were serving their country above everything else.

Both Howard and Gooding Jr. bring gravitas to their roles and when they speak to their young underlings, it’s like watching them teaching the young actors about the craft. These actors have been here before—they both portrayed Tuskegee Airmen in earlier films—and they show that they have something to teach the young ones, both onscreen and off with their strong grasp of their roles.

What’s most unfortunate about this movie are the missions themselves, which are anti-climactic and underwhelming. Considering the fact that George Lucas—the visionary behind “Star Wars”—served as an executive producer on this project, one would expect exciting scenes of air combat. We get glimpses of that here but nothing remarkable. The battles are often too short and too easily won. The Tuskegee Airmen fought and prevailed through difficult battles, but “Red Tails” never offers the true urgency of such aerial assaults.

I only wish that the movie would have captured their heroism more eloquently. “Red Tails” is undoubtedly patriotic in its appreciation for the military–something that audiences don’t often see at the cineplex–but the film never captures the imagination of viewers in the same way that other war movies have done with well-executed battle sequences and strong visual effects.

Movies like this should be thrilling for the audience, but “Tails” settles for something less. It tells a inspiring true story but never captures the magnitude of what these brave pilots accomplished.

That’s an impressive figure for a period film with no bankable stars opening against a popular franchise entry (“Underworld Awakening”) as well as Oscar bait material from Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock (“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”).

So what gives?

“Red Tails” producer George Lucas hawked the film as a patriotic ode to our World War II heroes, specifically black pilots who pushed past racism to fight for their country. But patriotism doesn’t sell, right? If it did, Hollywood would be inundating movie theaters with pro-troop films and other tales of American soldiers in heroic action.

“Red Tails” also slices into another depressing Hollywood meme. The film industry doesn’t put out many films with predominantly black casts. Lucas himself talked about this during his publicity tour for the film, even if his chatter may have been more about film promotion than stark realities. Lucas’ harangue did spark a retort from filmmaker Tyler Perry, who warned films with black casts may soon become “extinct.”

The truth is black-led films sometimes struggle to make money overseas, one reason why Hollywood is uneasy about such projects. But will the success of “Red Tails,” combined with the recent smash “The Help” start to open up the industry to the black experience?

An even better patriotism test comes next month when “Act of Valor,” a film which boldly toasts American soldiers as heroes, hits theaters. A “Valor” take down of the film competition may open the floodgates for more pro-troop features, assuming the appropriate bean counters are taking notes.

Or, will Hollywood executives ignore the numbers and retreat to projects depicting U.S. soldiers in unflattering light? Is there a better chance we’ll see a new installment of “In the Valley of Elah” or “Redacted,” films showing the darker side of the modern soldier, than a “Red Tails” sequel?

The patriotic film tells the story of the heroic airmen and how that first unit of African-American pilots fought valiantly for the United States during World War II.

Gooding Jr. was one of the many people who participated in interviews in Washington D.C. to promote the film. Alongside several actors from the film, director Anthony Hemingway and Dr. Roscoe Brown– a member of the actual Tuskegee Airmen– were there to talk about the production.

The actors said “Red Tails” executive producer George Lucas—who personally gave $100 million dollars to get this film made—came to the story with one overall mission. He wanted to make a movie about heroes– not victims– and he informed the cast that before the production began. During the process of making this feature, the creator of “Star Wars” was confronted with obstacles that stood in his way, including the reluctance of studios to finance a film with an all-black cast.

Such difficulties, however, didn’t include a reluctant cast.

Gooding, for one, noted how excited he was to participate in this project that honors some of the heroes of World War II.

“This is my love letter to the Armed Forces, no matter what branch you’re in. No matter what gender or race or creed,” the Oscar-winner says.

Gooding added that he enjoys playing veterans on the big screen and he has portrayed them in films like “Pearl Harbor,” “Men of Honor” and the HBO movie, “The Tuskegee Airmen.”

The opportunity in this case was bringing a story forward that many young people are not familiar with today. And instead of relying on news accounts of the airmen, the production enlisted the support of several actual members of the Tuskegee Airmen, including Brown himself.

Brown had been trying to make a film about the Tuskegee Airmen for more than 30 years, and Lucas helped bring his vision into life. These airmen were involved in the process throughout the filming.

“There were four [actual Tuskegee Airman] on the site every day and they were telling their story to us,” Gooding says.

Brown sought to make sure the film was historically accurate and the finished product has now earned the support and admiration of several prominent public officials. In addition to Obama’s screening of the film, former President George H. W. Bush saw the film with his wife, Barbara. Their reaction was complimentary, to say the least. As director Hemingway noted, “We were in Houston and George Sr. and Barbara Bush was there. She walked out balling…She was so moved by the film.” He added that they have requested a copy of the film to show their son, former President George W. Bush.

The story of the Tuskegee Airmen is one that should be told time and time again. It is a story about heroes fighting for our nation despite the racism they encountered during World War II. As actor Terrence Howard noted, this film should have been called “American Red Tails” because this is an American story. Of patriotism. Of honor. And of respect for the military who serve this nation so boldly through times of war.

GEORGE LUCAS INSISTS IT’S POSSIBLE TO ‘NUKE THE FRIDGE’

Dear George,

Please see: Holes, first rule of.

Signed,
America

People wouldn’t have cared anything about the fridge thing had the rest of the movie not been so awful… and stupid. I doubt very much an inflatable life raft works like a parachute when it’s filled with people and thrown out of a plane. But we suspended disbelief for that because the third act of “Doom” made us wet our pants.

THR REVIEWS ‘RED TAILS’

The experience of black American aviators in World War II gets a whitewash in Red Tails. The story of the 996 pilots (and some 15,000 ground personnel) who distinguished themselves in the air in the face of institutional racism is a great one and, at least, will come to the attention of more people due to this long-gestating project from Lucasfilm. But every character here is so squeaky clean, and the prejudice as depicted is so toothless and easily overcome, that the film feels like a gingerly fantasy version of what, in real life, was an exceptional example of resilient trail-blazing. The tale’s considerable built-in inspirational value will move and impress black audiences of all ages and would do the same to a wider public if sufficiently promoted, but the determinedly simplistic approach will curtail interest among any viewers hungry for some real history. The anticipated low interest level for this material overseas is cited as a major reason the project took so long to get off the ground.

Related: George Lucas Heading For a Big Disappointment with ‘Red Tails’

I feel for George Lucas. I like him a lot personally. But I’ve just read the long piece in yesterday’s New York Times about “Red Tails.” Also, I followed his interview on “The Daily Show.” He really feels that his movie won’t get a fair shake because it’s only got black actors. He also thinks if it fails, black directors will have a lot of trouble getting their movies made. Here’s the problem: “Red Tails” is a bad movie. White actors wouldn’t have changed that. Plenty of all-black or mostly black acted films do business and get accolades. “The Help” is a hit. Last week, the Critics Choice Awards gave Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress to two black actors–Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. Has there been racism in Hollywood? Yes, indeed. But that’s not what this is about.

CONGRATULATIONS TO SCOTT HYMAN WHO JUST LAUNCHED ZEST PRODUCTIONS

Scott is one of my closest friends, an experienced feature producer, and someone who I only have good memories of working with in the deep, dark trenches of the indie world. He just went out on his own with a fascinating project:

The first project from the former Sneak Preview Entertainment exec is a screen adaptation of a 1974 young adult sci-fi novel, “House of Stairs,” by the late William Sleator.

TORONTO – Former Sneak Preview Entertainment exec Scott G. Hyman (500 Days of Summer) has launched a Vancouver-based production shingle, Zest Productions, to make movies in Canada.

The first project is a screen adaptation of a 1974 young adult sci-fi novel, House of Stairs, by the late American writer William Sleator, whose rights Hyman optioned.

Montreal-based genre writer Doug Taylor has been hired to adapt the story about five orphaned teens in a dystopian near future suffering psychological exploitation in a seemingly endless Escher-like space of stairs.

Taylor co-wrote the $25 million sci-fi thriller Splice, which starred Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley, with director Vincenzo Natali.

The VFX-heavy House of Stairs project is to be shot in Montreal to take advantage of local tax breaks for live action/CGI hybrids, with packaging to take place in the second half of 2012.

More here.

KATHERINE HEIGL WANTS TO RETURN TO ‘GREY’S ANATOMY’

Humbled, no doubt. She had a real shot at being America’s new sweetheart and worked as hard to blow it as anyone ever has.

ULTRAVIOLET COPIES ATTRACT MORE THAN 750,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN FIRST 3 MONTHS

But will this sell more Blu-rays?

Following the launch of an initial 19 UltraViolet-enabled titles, more than 750,000 households have registered with UltraViolet to create and start using personal digital libraries.

The audience of registered users is expected to grow exponentially in the year ahead, as Hollywood studios offering UltraViolet films and TV shows, through UltraViolet-enabled DVDs and Blu-rays as well as electronic sell through (EST), plan to dramatically expand the scope and scale of UltraViolet.

750,000 people signing up for UV is news, that’s for sure. You do have to pro-actively create that account. But will enough people see the value in the technology to buy titles they might not have otherwise?

I doubt it.

However, will the customers find enough value in titles they already own to buy them again just to enjoy that technology?

We shall see.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN ALBUM ‘WRECKING BALL’ SET FOR MARCH 6 RELEASE

My indifference is stoked and ready to go.

‘RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION 3D’ TRAILER PREMIERE

Counting. The. Days.

In theaters September 14 from director Paul W.S. Anderson, “The Umbrella Corporation’s deadly T-virus continues to ravage the Earth, transforming the global population into legions of the flesh eating Undead. The human race’s last and only hope, Alice (Milla Jovovich), awakens in the heart of Umbrella’s most clandestine operations facility and unveils more of her mysterious past as she delves further into the complex. Without a safe haven, Alice continues to hunt those responsible for the outbreak; a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington, D.C. and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything that she once thought to be true. Aided by newfound allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. The countdown has begun.”

Mock Paul W. S. Anderson all you want, fanboys, but at least he uses a goddamn tripod.

COMING SOON ON HOME VIDEO: ‘WINGS,’ SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS

WINGS: Paramount Home Entertainment kicks off the studio’s centennial celebration in 2012 by releasing the inaugural Best Picture Academy Award® winner WINGS for the first time ever on Blu-ray™ and DVD

January 24, 2012.  Meticulously restored to give fans the chance to view the visually stunning epic in pristine condition, the 1927 World War I drama explores the devastating effects of war through the story of two men who go off to battle and the woman they both leave behind.  Featuring groundbreaking aerial dogfights and epic battle sequences, WINGS is both a cinematic spectacle and a compelling story of love and sacrifice that effectively dramatizes the bitter wages of war.  The historic piece of cinema stars Clara Bow, Charles “Buddy” Rogers and Richard Arlen, and also features Gary Cooper in one of his first feature film roles.

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My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: The Friendship Express will arrive on DVD on February 28, 2012, from Shout! Factory in collaboration with Hasbro Studios. Featuring 5 pony-riffic episodes, Friendship is Magic: The Friendship Express will also offer bonus features such as  Meet the Ponies, sing-a-longs and coloring sheets. It will also include “Yipper Caper,” the very first episode of the new Pound Puppies series.

WIN A FABULOUS TRIP TO A DESTINATION INSPIRED BY ONE OF PARAMOUNT’S CLASSIC MOVIES

HOLLYWOOD CA – Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) announced today that it will launch a monthly sweepstakes beginning in January 2012 in honor of the studio’s centennial celebration.  Sponsored by Delta Vacations, the sweepstakes will give consumers the chance to win roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations for three nights in any of the 48 contiguous United States*.

Destinations may include cities inspired by some of Paramount’s classic films such as New York City where Francis Ford Coppola’s epic masterpiece The Godfather and the beloved classic Breakfast At Tiffany’s were filmed; Chicago, IL where Ferris Bueller had the best day off ever; San Antonio, TX, where the breathtaking drama Wings was filmed with a cast of thousands; or Hollywood, CA, setting and subject of Sunset Boulevard and home to countless film productions.  Visitors to Paramount’s Facebook page—facebook.com/paramount—can enter every month throughout the year.

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LAST NIGHT’S SCREENING

Shakespeare In Love (1998) on Blu-ray. Review coming.

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SCOTTDS’ EPIC LINKTACULAR

FOX ORDERS SPY DRAMA FROM ‘SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES’ SHOWRUNNER JOSH FRIEDMAN

END OF AN ERA? KODAK FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION

AUTHOR CORMAC MCCARTHY SELLS SPEC SCRIPT ‘THE COUNSELOR‘

‘JUSTIFIED’ SEASON 3 PREMIERE RATINGS DOWN VS. SEASON 2 PREMIERE

COMCAST IS ROLLING OUT ANYPLAY LIVE TV FEATURE FOR IPAD USERS

PETER BERG AND WILL SMITH STILL PLANNING A ‘HANCOCK’ SEQUEL

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER AND ITV TO SEARCH FOR ‘JESUS IN SUPERSTAR’ REALITY SHOW

DAVID KAJGANICH WRITING BEN AFFLECK’S ‘THE STAND’

INFOGRAPHIC: WHY THE MOVIE INDUSTRY IS WRONG ABOUT SOPA

BOBCAT GOLDTHWAIT’S ‘GOD BLESS AMERICA’ HITS VOD IN APRIL; POSTER DEBUTS TODAY

WHY NO FILM SHOULD BE CONSIDERED UNREMARKABLE

FRANK DARABONT DISCUSSES ‘THE WALKING DEAD’ EXIT & NEW SERIES ‘L.A. NOIR’

11 BEST FOREIGN FILMS OF 2011

WHEN ROMANTIC COMEDIES ROAMED THE OSCARS

THE FIRST SCI-FI MOVIE FILMED IN SPACE TO REMAIN UNDERGROUND

A LOOK BACK AT ‘LAST ACTION HERO‘

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CLASSIC PICK FOR FRIDAY,  JANUARY 20

TCM:

1:15 PM  EST: Hasty Heart, The (1950) –  Doctors try to get a flinty Scots soldier to open up to his comrades before telling him he’s dying. Dir: Vincent Sherman Cast:  Ronald Reagan, Patricia Neal, Richard Todd. BW-102 mins, TV-PG, CC.

Very touching, underrated film with an unforgettable performance from Richard Todd and nice support from Ronald Reagan and Patricia Neal. Big themes here.

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Please send comments, suggestions and tips to jnolte@breitbart.com or Twitter @NolteNC.

‘ACT OF VALOR’ TV SPOT & FEATURETTE TAKE YOU IN THE LINE OF FIRE

Today, we have a new TV spot for Act of Valor, as well as a five-minute long featurette that offers a better look at the overall filmmaking style of the project, along with the hazardous locations, up-to-date Navy technology/vehicles, and physically-exhausting combat maneuvers on display in the movie.

Act of Valor was scripted by Kurt Johnstad (300) and is reportedly based on several real-life incidents involving Navy SEALs. Those stories were thereafter reconstructed and tied together to form the film’s central narrative, which follows the Bandito Platoon as it works in collaboration with the C.I.A. and sets out to stop a global terrorist plot that threatens to result in the coordinated killing of thousands of U.S. civilians.

GEORGE LUCAS: OTHER THAN A FIFTH ‘INDIANA JONES’, I’M DONE WITH BLOCKBUSTERS

King George is butthurt and taking his ball home with him:

Lucas seized control of his movies from the studios only to discover that the fanboys could still give him script notes. “Why would I make any more,” Lucas says of the “Star Wars” movies, “when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?”

In the interview Lucas acts all astonished that after he tinkered with three of the most beloved films ever made, fans got upset. And he apparently holds the opinion that we shouldn’t be upset because he has the “right” to tinker with his films.

Lucas can’t possibly be this stupid.

No one I know of has ever claimed Lucas doesn’t have the right to ruin his films, and even I wouldn’t complain about him doing so  if he wasn’t so mercenary when it comes to releasing the original cuts on home video. If you remember, the original cuts of the first trilogy only came out on DVD after we had all purchased the revised cuts because Lucas said he would never release the originals. And we all know he’s going to gouge us again by doing the same with respect to Blu-ray — where, once again, he only released the revised cuts.

This isn’t about artistic integrity; it’s about manipulating us, and I resent being manipulated.

I can forgive the weak prequels and even the unmitigated disaster that was “Indy 4.” Storytellers lose their mojo over time. It happens. But Lucas deserves every bit of the scorn he’s receiving, and to now compare his fans to studio executives is a whole new low.

Has anyone ever squandered as much goodwill as George Lucas?

KRISTEN WIIG SAYS NO TO ‘BRIDESMAIDS’ SEQUEL

Wiig was part of a legitimately good movie that was a massive hit and is smart enough to leave well enough alone and not mar the original by going all “American Pie” with it.

If her career dips, we’ll probably hear the old, “Well, we figured out a way to make it better than the first.” But hopefully it won’t come to that. Wiig is not only a legitimate talent, but she has a real screen presence and charisma. If she continues to make good decisions — like the one to do “Bridesmaids” in the first place and to not do the sequel — there’s no reason she can’t have a long career.

If Wiig goes wobbly, someone she loves should force her to watch “Miss Congeniality 2.”

BIG HOLLYWOOD’S OWN ELLEN KARIS HAS A NEW COMEDY DVD

Ellen Karis is “The Greek Goddess of Comedy” and a huge hit in the Greek American community. She has entertained audiences throughout the U.S. and Canada as one of the very few Greek female stand-up comedians performing today. Her rants about being raised in New York City as a traditional Greek American woman in a modern world spark non-stop laughter. From your Papou to your Koumbara, Ellen delivers comedy that everyone can relate to. Ellen’s DVD “Greek Chicks Rule” is a must see for every person of Greek heritage and the Xeni that marry them!

So don’t delay and purchase today, go to: http:www/ellenkaris.com and click on the merchandise page.

GERVAIS WON’T BE PERSUADED TO DO GLOBES AGAIN

Well, if all that hype around his return brought in lower ratings, why would he?

BLU-RAY REVIEW: BELLE DE JOUR (CRITERION COLLECTION)

Perhaps this film could be viewed as a sit down with a psychiatrist as Severine is relaying her story, mixing reality with fantasy and vague recollections of the truth combined with what her heart (and loins) truly desires. At the end of such a sitting the patient could be left with an answers to their concerns that leave them satisfied or sad, but most likely they will be left with a gray area, at once satisfied, sad and content, never knowing which exactly.

AMY ADAMS & MATTHEW LILLARD JOIN CLINT EASTWOOD IN ‘TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE’

Gran Torino was supposed to have been Clint Eastwood’s swansong, as an actor. However, in the latter months of 2011, news got out that the 81-year-old Hollywood icon would work in front of the camera one more time on Trouble with the Curve, the directorial debut of his frequent assistant director/producer, Robert Lorenz. …

Trouble with the Curve tells the tale of a nearly-blind baseball scout (Eastwood) who sets out with his adult daughter (Adams) for one final recruiting mission to check out a promising up-and-coming player in Atlanta (Massingill?). Lillard, should he sign on, would portray a rival scout.

‘THE DEVIL INSIDE’ DIRECTOR DEFENDS THE MOVIE’S ENDING

I won’t spoil this for those of you who haven’t seen Hollywood’s latest found-footage exorcism flick, but the criticism the ending is receiving is a little overblown. The overall story has much bigger issues that, I think, hurt the final scene. Had the climax been backfilled a little with a better story, it could’ve worked.

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LAST NIGHT’S SCREENING

Frailty (2001) – One thing I love about Bill Paxton’s feature directing debut is how it plays upon the audience’s knowledge of Hollywood’s bigotry as a way to deliver a twist ending that really does surprise. Because we all know how much Tinseltown hates people from the South and their deeply held religious beliefs, not for a moment do you expect things to end up the way they do. And it’s not a cheap twist, either. It’s a twist that slowly creeps up on you over the last 15 minutes or so as you pick up on the hints being dropped and start to rewind the film in your head.

Paxton’s direction is first-rate. The pacing is perfect, the reveals are handled beautifully, and the performances are flawless. The most impressive piece of the puzzle, though, is Brent Hanley’s tight, logical screenplay. His only credits since have been an episode of television and a short film. DVD talk interviewed him. Sounds like he has something going on.

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SCOTTDS’ EPIC LINKTACULAR

SCOTTDS ATTEMPTS TO DEFEND ‘STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIER‘

‘JUSTIFIED’: TIMOTHY OLYPHANT TALKS SEASON 3′S BIG BAD, WHY THE SHOW’S WRITING IS THAT GOOD

BAZ LUHRMANN AND WB REALLY STRETCHING THE 3-D EVANGELISM WITH ‘THE GREAT GATSBY‘

20 BEST JOB-QUITTING SCENES OF ALL TIME (WITH VIDEO)

WERNER HERZOG’S ‘INTO THE ABYSS’ TO CONTINUE AS LIMITED TV SERIES ‘ON DEATH ROW‘

SEE A SERIES OF MOVIE POSTERS THAT ADVERTISE FAMOUSLY SHORT CAMEOS

FIRST PHOTO OF ADAM SANDLER IN ‘DONNY’S BOY‘

‘HUNGER GAMES’ SEQUEL IN DEVELOPMENT WITH SCREENWRITER SIMON BEAUFOY

A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT ‘ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER‘

10 GREAT SILENT SEQUENCES IN SOUND MOVIES

11 REASONS WHY LIAM NEESON IS A BADASS

A LOOK BACK AT JAWS: THE RIDE…

…AND 20 FACTS ABOUT ‘JAWS’ (THE MOVIE)

COOL VIDEO: LIBRARIES ON TV AND IN THE MOVIES

A LOOK BACK AT ‘REALITY BITES’… AN INDIE SELLOUT?

11 CHEESY MOVIE WORKOUT MONTAGES

A LOOK AT 2 NEW TITLES FROM THE WARNER ARCHIVE

FOR YOU SCREENWRITERS: USING A WIKI TO OUTLINE YOUR SCRIPT

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CLASSIC PICK FOR THURSDAY,  JANUARY 18

TCM:

5:30 PM  Train, The (1965) –  French resistance fighters try to stop the Nazis from taking a trainload of art treasures to Germany. Dir: John Frankenheimer Cast:  Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield, Jeanne Moreau. BW-133 mins, TV-PG, Letterbox Format.

I consider this the first “Die Hard” film.

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Please send comments, suggestions and tips to jnolte@breitbart.com or Twitter @NolteNC.

Heck, they made an entire film on the subject – “The People vs. George Lucas.”

Fans critical of Lucas’ incessant tinkering on his six “Star Wars” films should be comforted by the fact that Lucas has heard you. He’s just not taking your comments seriously.

Lucas, on the promotional circuit to draw attention to his latest project, the World War II film “Red Tails,” says “Star Wars” fans can only blame themselves for ending the franchise.

On the Internet, all those same guys that are complaining I made a change are completely changing the movie,” Lucas tells the New York Times in a new profile, referring to YouTube fans who have re-cut his films in retaliation for the small changes he has made. “I’m saying: ‘Fine. But my movie, with my name on it, that says I did it, needs to be the way I want it.’”

Combine that experience with the cool reception the three “Star Wars” prequel films received in the late 90s and early 2000s, and Lucas says he’s done making new films in the canon.

“Why would I make any more,” Lucas says, “when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?

Of course, that isn’t stopping Lucas from continuing the “Clone Wars” animated series or starting a live-action “Star Wars” television show. Who knows? We might even get another “Star Wars” holiday special some day.

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Lucas describes “Red Tails” as “very patriotic,” “very jingoistic,” “old-fashioned” and “corny.”

NewsBusters:

“I showed it to all [the studios] and they said, ‘No. We don’t know how to market a movie like this.”

When Stewart asked why, Lucas first responded, “Because it’s not green enough. They only release green movies.”

The filmmaker clarified, “It’s because it’s an all black movie. There’s no major white roles in it at all. It’s one of the first all black action pictures ever made.” ….

Sadder still was how Hollywood balked given the message Lucas was trying to convey.

“I wanted to make it inspirational for teenaged boys. I wanted to show that they have heroes, they’re real American heroes, they’re patriots that helped to make the country what it is today. And it’s not glory where you have a lot of white officers running these guys into cannon fodder. It’s like a real, they were real heroes.”

And Hollywood said, “No.”

After pretty much ruining “Revenge of the Sith” with all that obvious Bush-bashing, anti-War On Terror messaging (while we were at war), Lucas sounds a little like a pander bear to me.

“Red Tails” also looks like a story that’s been told both literally and thematically many times before.  It is a great story and a great American story, but George Lucas is a creative force behind it and with the Ewoks went his mojo.

After a longer explanation from Dad, I switched my focus to making movies. I wasted a ton of money processing Super-8 film and spent my weekends at the the local mall theater and the library. I would pour over books about filmmaking and filmmakers. While most pre-teen boys were asking their parents about the birds and the bees, I would quiz mine on how dual system audio worked.

I owe my life-long obsession with film to George Lucas. It was only fitting that he presided over my graduation from USC Film School. That’s right, Lucas and some guy named Steven Spielberg actually handed me my diploma. So, I hope that you can appreciate the inner turmoil, the momentous struggle that I have endured in deciding to write this.  However, duty compels me, and this must be said.

Lucas must be stopped.

The above interview that came out yesterday featuring producer Rick McCallum, who has been Lucas’ right-hand man for several years. He presided over the prequels and the recent return to the adventures of Indiana Jones. Prepare for the most terrifying six minutes of your life.

Wow.  Just wow.  Let’s break this down shall we?

Since this is a conservative site that points out the bias and subversive nature of the media, I would be remiss not to state emphatically how a “Star Wars” television series that is based on the criminals or the “one percent, like Wall Street” sounds just plain awful. And since McCallum drones on about the finances of the show for the next five minutes, I think I should point out to him that alienating more than half of your audience is probably not a good way to encourage viewership. Making a show for the less than 20 percent of Americans who fully subscribe to his ideology is a poor business plan for insuring “recoupment.”

And let’s talk about the economics for a second. Movie and sci-fi bloggers have misinterpreted what he said here. It’s not that the show needs $5 million an episode (a $250 million price tag for all 50 scripts that supposedly exist), it’s that McCallum says that $5 million is the most they can hope to make per episode. Given the grand spectacle he hopes to produce, $5 million simply isn’t going to cut it using today’s existing technology. But let’s be honest. Given the box office track record of the franchise, the rabid nature of the fans and the seemingly endless stream of merchandise potential, does one really think that $250 million is a pie in the sky? At $15 million an episode this thing could probably turn a handsome profit.

Who is this guy trying to kid?

On top of that, there are plenty of excellent, dare I say genius, works of science fiction currently on television.  These shows don’t cost $5 million an episode. I shudder to think of what goodies Lucas and Co. have cooked up that would demand that kind of price tag. Wall to wall CGI, methinks. Lots of CGI characters like the enduring Jar Jar Binks lurk inside the pages of those 50 scripts collecting dust on a shelf at the Skywalker Ranch.

Politics and money aside, the telling part of this interview is that McCallum and Lucas don’t understand the appeal of the “Star Wars” universe. Nor do they understand basic storytelling and compelling drama. What would make a “Star Wars” show great is not that it has more CGI characters, space battles or virtual sets than any other show in history; it is the characters and interactions.

Good writing and talented actors, while often difficult to secure, are not as expensive as massive space battles.  What hooks audiences is the story.  Trust me. Let’s say the first season follows a roguish, selfish, bad boy smuggler. Every episode, he makes morally gray decisions and despite the fact that he flirts with villainy, the audience can’t get enough of him. In the series finale, he finally does the right thing, he unleashes his power for good, and it turns out that he is in fact a Jedi Knight in hiding. Boom! That final scene where he pulls a lightsaber, the first lightsaber of the show, would be magic.

The value of “Star Wars” is in the rich mythology, the iconic sounds and props, and ultimately the characters inhabiting this world. That’s what makes dorks like me stand outside in a line overnight, wearing a hooded brown bathrobe and clinging a plastic laser sword, to see a movie. I could really care less about CGI. If I thought CGI was the most important thing, then “Prince of Persia” with Jake Gyllenhaal would be my favorite movie of all time. Here’s a secret – it isn’t.

McCallum dances around the subject of the show’s fate because he doesn’t want to admit the truth about the series. While Lucasfilm could easily front the money for the show, no network is willing to come on board and back their play. They would have to go it alone and in today’s marketplace, it’s a scary proposition to make that kind of financial commitment. Lucas and McCallum are businessmen, but their personal politics and inherent hypocrisy prevent them from telling the truth. They are the one percent, and good for them.

And we should be thankful that it is the free market at work here, protecting us from future installments of “Star Wars.” McCallum and Lucas have already subjected us to the soul crushing spectacle of the prequels and doubled down by trashing the Indiana Jones franchise.

Enough is enough.

There’s an episode of the new “Dr. Who” series (cost per episode between $1 and $2 million), in which the evil aliens of the universe gang up and create a prison to hold The Doctor called the Pandorica. That’s what we need. A giant, inter-dimensional space trap, impervious to time travel and sonic screwdrivers to hold Lucas, McCallum and all 50 of their TV show scripts.

I think all of us die hard “Star Wars” fans are content with the occasional video game trailer, Japanese TV commercial, fan film or appearance by Chewbacca on random awards show. Let “Star Wars” live in our imaginations and in our hearts. We have all grown tired of this creative filicide.  I look forward to seeing what McCallum and Lucas have done with “Red Tails,” mostly because there is not a Wookie or Ewok as far as the eye can see. Do other stuff, new stuff, and be content with counting your piles of “Star Wars” money you magnificent, capitalist bastards.

Oh, and may the Force be with you.

Lucas, the visionary behind the ‘Star Wars’ franchise, insists on tweaking the original trilogy every time it hits a new media platform. And with each change, longtime ‘Star Wars’ fans rise up in near unanimous fury.

Alexandre O. Philippe, the director of the new DVD ‘The People vs. George Lucas,’ is starting to believe Lucas relishes the negative attention.

“Some of the things Lucas does to this day make me wonder … I feel like he’s enjoying triggering reactions from his fans. I see no other good reason for him to do what he does,” Philippe says. “The changes [to the franchise] are ridiculous. I don’t know of a single fan who says, ‘Yeah, that makes sense.’”

‘The People vs. George Lucas’ investigates the love/hate relationship between Lucas and a galaxy of ‘Star Wars’ faithful. They adore Lucas’ space opera and the colorful characters inhabiting it, but they despise how he won’t let the films exist in their original form. And don’t get fans started on Jar Jar Binks, the comic relief introduced in 1999’s ‘Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.’

‘George Lucas’ showcases the nuttier side of the modern fanboy, but it also tackles meatier themes like a director’s responsibility to the public and if a beloved movie belongs to the filmmaker or the culture at large.

Philippe says the ‘Star Wars’ films had a “profound” impact on him as a child, and while he floated away from the franchise as a young adult it always remained in the back of his mind. So when Lucas re-released the original ‘Star Wars’ movies in Special Editions – complete with enhanced special effects and small but significant story edits – fans like Philippe blew a galactic gasket.

The latest insult? The just-released Blu-ray edition of ‘Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi’ adds an awkward “noooo!” to Darth Vader’s dialogue during the climactic battle between Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and the Emperor (Ian McDiarmid). It’s one of several tiny tweaks found in the Blu-ray editions that have fans hopping mad.

It’s the reason why Philippe created ‘The People vs. George Lucas’ in the first place.

“I’ve always kept track of what was going on in the world of ‘Star Wars’ and George Lucas. And it soon became crystal clear the dysfunctional relationship that established itself between George and the fans.”

The documentary filmmaker in Philippe realized he had a topic worthy of a full-length picture. But he had no idea how much work lay ahead of him when he put out an open call for fans to send their thoughts on Lucas and the franchise. What they got was an avalanche of content testifying to the love people still share for all things ‘Star Wars.’

“The richness of the footage we received was amazing – Lego, Claymation, puppets, Grindhouse films,” says Philippe, who also spent months scouring YouTube for other ‘Star Wars’ fan footage.

The Blu-ray editions of the six ‘Star Wars’ films hit the market after ‘George Lucas” theatrical release, but Philippe says the ‘Return of the Jedi’ tweak epitomizes where Lucas has lost his artistic way.

“It really ruins a perfectly fine scene in terms of tone. That’s what George Lucas does over and over again,” says Philippe, who refused to buy the Blu-ray edition but saw the changes online. “If Lucas isn’t actually joking here, and he’s serious about those changes, he’s a filmmaker who has completely lost touch in the fundamental notion of tone … and his relationship with the audience. When you’re creating a dramatic moment and people laugh, you know your tone is off.”

Philippe fears the creative fires in Lucas’s belly have long been extinguished, but he still has hope that the ol’ Lucas might some day return.

“Maybe he just doesn’t get it, but then the guy is so brilliant, so capable of hitting that perfect emotional note,” he says.

‘Star Wars’ fans may never be satisfied with the ever-evolving franchise, one set to get a 3D makeover in the months to come, but Philippe says Lucas’ work speaks for itself.

“I don’t think George Lucas owes us anything. If all he ever did was [the original] ‘Star Wars’ that would be an accomplishment of a career,” he says.