Jeremy Newson Movies
- 1998
Filmed in N.Y., L.A., London, and Chicago, this six-hour, BBC-produced documentary examines the current state of show business. Interview subjects include Leonardo DiCaprio, Drew Barrymore, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Winona Ryder, John Travolta, Mel Gibson, Catherine Deneuve, Johnny Depp, Faye Dunaway, Will Smith, Claire Danes, George Clooney, Nora Ephron, Richard Dreyfuss, and Matt Dillon. The series kicks off with "Celebrity," detailing fame as seen by stars, journalists, talent agents, paparazzi, and directors (Renny Harlin, Alan Parker). The second episode, "Late Night Talk," looks at David Letterman and Jay Leno, showing writers' sessions and rehearsals, with comments by talk-show guests (Robin Williams, Kate Capshaw, Sigourney Weaver, Wesley Snipes, David Duchovny), plus a journey with Janeane Garofalo from limo to dressing room as she prepares for a Conan O'Brien guest appearance. The third segment, "Daytime Talk," goes backstage with Jerry Springer and Ricki Lake. The fourth hour, "Premieres & Junkets," looks at techniques for promotion and publicity as viewed by Meg Ryan, Jim Carrey, Bette Midler, Keanu Reeves, Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Tilly, Denis Leary, Dustin Hoffman, Courteney Cox, Andie MacDowell, Cameron Diaz, and Kurt Russell. "Oscar Day/Oscar Night" features Kevin Spacey, James Woods, Geena Davis, Quentin Tarantino, and Goldie Hawn. The concluding hour, "One Night Stand-Up," covers comedians Jackie Mason, Robin Williams, and Greg Proops. This series first aired in Europe and premiered in the United States October 4, 1998 on Bravo. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
The sequel to the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, this film follows the further adventures of Brad (Cliff De Young) and Janet (Jessica Harper), as the now-married couple travels to a small town to appear on a game show. However, once on-stage, they discover that they are trapped on the television show with a bunch of unusual characters. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cliff De Young, Richard O'Brien, (more)
John Schlesinger directs the war romance Yanks, based on the story by Colin Welland. Set in England at the end of WWII, the story concerns three American GIs and their affairs with British women of varying social status. The central romance concerns Sgt. Matt Dyson (Richard Gere) and Jean Moreton (Lisa Eichhorn making her film debut), who is the daughter of shopkeepers (Rachel Roberts and Tony Melody). He falls in love with her but she is still infatuated with her boyfriend Ken (Derek Thompson). Higher up on the class scale, the officer John (William Devane) has a brief extramarital affair with socialite Helen (Vanessa Redgrave). The third pairing involves Sgt. Danny Ruffelo (Chick Vennera) in a fling with Mollie (Wendy Morgan). Eventually, the Americans and the Britains find themselves surrounded by racism at a New Year's Eve dance. Annie Ross from the vocal jazz group Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross appears briefly as a Red Cross nurse. Yanks won two BAFTA awards in 1980: to Shirley Russell for Best Costume Design and to Rachel Roberts for Best Supporting Actress. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Gere, Lisa Eichhorn, (more)
- 1975
- R
This low-budget freak show/cult classic/cultural institution concerns the misadventures of Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) inside a strange mansion that they come across on a rainy night. After the wholesome pair profess their love through an opening song, their car breaks down in the woods, and they seek refuge in a towering castle nearby. Greeting them at the door is a ghoulish butler named Riff Raff (Richard O'Brien), who introduces them to a bacchanalian collection of partygoers dressed in outfits from some sort of interplanetary thrift shop. The host of this gathering is a transvestite clad in lingerie, Dr. Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry), a mad scientist who claims to be from another planet. With assistants Columbia (Nell Campbell) and Magenta (Patricia Quinn) looking on, Frank unveils his latest creation -- a figure wrapped in gauze and submerged in a tank full of liquid. With the addition of colored dyes and some assistance from the weather, Frank brings to life a blonde young beefcake wearing nothing but skimpy shorts, who launches into song in his first minute of life. Just when Brad and Janet think things couldn't get any stranger, a biker (Meat Loaf) bursts onto the scene to reclaim Columbia, his ex-girlfriend. When Frank kills the biker, it's clear that Brad and Janet will be guests for the night, and that they may be next on Frank's list -- whether for murder or carnal delights is uncertain. And just what is that mystery meat they're eating for dinner, anyway? In addition to playing Riff Raff, O'Brien wrote the catchy songs, with John Barry and Richard Hartley composing the score. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, (more)
Memorably described by Pauline Kael as "a beautiful pipe dream of a movie," Robert Altman's McCabe & Mrs. Miller reimagines the American West as a muddy frontier filled with hustlers, opportunists, and corporate sharks -- a turn-of-the-century model for a 1971 America mired in violence and lies. John McCabe (Warren Beatty) wanders into the turn-of-the-century wilderness village known as Presbyterian Church, with vague plans of parlaying his gambling winnings into establishing a fancy casino-brothel-bathhouse. McCabe's business partner is prostitute Mrs. Miller (Julie Christie), who despite her apparent distaste for McCabe helps him achieve his goal. Once McCabe and Mrs. Miller become successful, the town grows and prospers, incurring the jealousy of a local mining company that wants to buy McCabe out. Filmed on location in Canada, McCabe & Mrs. Miller makes use of such Altman "stock company" performers as Shelley Duvall, René Auberjonois, John Schuck, and Keith Carradine. The seemingly improvised screenplay was based on a novel by Edmund Naughton and the movie features a soundtrack of songs by Leonard Cohen. McCabe & Mrs. Miller joined such other Altman efforts as M*A*S*H, The Long Goodbye, and Thieves Like Us in radically revising familiar movie genres for the disillusioned Vietnam era. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, (more)
