Randy Newman Movies
Though he perhaps was most famous during the 1960s and 1970s for writing quirky, darkly funny, or sharply satirical songs that often painted vivid portraits detailing the foibles and lives of lifelike characters, there is much more to Randy Newman's music than humor or novelty. Stylistically, his music runs the gamut from classically influenced film scores to R&B-type pop to haunting ballads and, most of all, to his upbeat, subtly orchestrated shuffling amalgam of New Orleans jazz and ragtime. Though his output of recorded music is somewhat sporadic, owing largely to his innate perfectionism, Newman has had a great effect on pop music and those influenced by him include Lyle Lovett, Paul Simon, and Mark Knopfler. Newman's contributions to film scoring have also been large and, in 1995, he received Oscar nominations for Best Song and Best Original Musical or Comedy Score for his work in Toy Story (1995).Newman was born in Los Angeles, during WWII. At the time, his father was overseas serving as an army captain in Italy and Newman's childhood was punctuated by numerous moves throughout the South, where his mother's family and closest friends lived. He was most influenced by the time he spent with his mother's family in New Orleans. Musically, one of his greatest influences was the compositions of his uncle Alfred Newman, one of cinema's finest and most highly regarded film scorists. His two other uncles, Lionel and Emil, were also noted composers. As a boy, Newman frequently visited the soundstages where his uncle worked.
Newman began writing songs for Metric, the publishing house for Liberty Records, at age 16, thanks to the influence of his close friend Lenny Waronker, son of company founder Simon Waronker. Songwriting has never been easy for Newman and it took him a long time to find his unique voice. In 1962, he wrote his first music for television, for the episode "Northern Comfort" on the sitcom Dobie Gillis. At the time, he was moonlighting part time at 20th Century Fox, working on an old copy machine, and fetching music for composers. He also found time to compose additional music for such shows as Lost in Space and, most notably, for Peyton Place. He composed his first film score for Cold Turkey (1971), the funny story of an entire town that tries to quit smoking. He did not score another film until Ragtime (1981). The lovely waltzes he composed for this film earned Newman his first Oscar nomination. Over the next few years, he would receive numerous other Academy Award nominations, including one for the song "Make Up Your Mind" that was heard in Ron Howard's The Paper. Finally, after years of writing memorable songs for some of Hollywood's best-loved films, Newman took home a Best Song Oscar for "If I Didn't Have You" from the computer animated film Monsters, Inc. Newman also tried his hand at screenwriting when he collaborated on the script for John Landis' Western spoof The Three Amigos (1986). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 2010
Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo co-director Lee Unkrich strikes out on his own with this installment into the popular computer-animated series detailing the adventures of wide-eyed cowboy doll Woody and space-ranger action figure Buzz Lightyear. Oscar-nominated scribe Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine) handles screenwriting duties. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Season Four of Monk offers 16 new episodes (and a bonus) delineating the adventures of obsessive-compulsive detective Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub). Functioning as Monk's erstwhile caregiver and assistant this season is Traylor Howard as Valerie Teeger, who had taken over from our hero's previous nurse Sharona Fleming in the middle of Season Three, due to the defection of supporting actress Bitty Schram. In the season opener, Monk meets his match--or so it seems--in the form of know-it-all detective Marty Eels (played by ex-Seinfeld costar Jason Alexander). Next up, John Turturo returns as Monk's agoraphobic brother Ambrose in a Halloween story that also involves the siblings' long-lost father. Then, Natalie takes over for a bedridden Monk to tackle the case of a murdered pizza deliveryman. To solve a subsequent homicide, Monk goes undercover at a business office--and finds he enjoys the work so much he almost loses sight of why he's there. Later on, Monk goes off on an unexpected bender in wine country, sobering up long enough to crack the case of a murder with a "nonexistent" victim. A dash of poignancy is added to the mixture when Monk finds out that his late wife Trudy may still be alive--and that she might have committed murder. And the episode "Mr. Monk and the Big Reward" introduces three brand-new, markedly eccentric detective characters, suggesting that the episode may have been intended as the pilot for a spinoff series. Other cases this season include the attempted murder of Monk's police buddy Lt. Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) at the wedding of Natalie's brother, and a less-than-sentimental journey to the past when Monk comes to the rescue of his childhood crush. Also: the death of a model whisks Monk off to the world of high-fashion (and bulimia!); an amnesiac Monk is led to believe that he is the husband of a small-town woman named Cora (Roseanne's Laurie Metcalf); Monk's police colleague Captain Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) can't keep his mind on his work when he suspects that his "hippie" wife Karen (Glenne Headly) is having an affair; Monk sets out to prove an astronaut committed a murder that took place when the suspect was orbiting the earth; and a visit to the dentist's office leaves Monk at the mercy of a robber-murderer who seems to be a big fan of Marathon Man. In the season finale, Monk is summoned to jury duty for a minor robbery trial--and ends up solving yet another murder, not to mention foiling a scheme to spring a big-time criminal. In addition to the above-mentioned episodes, Season Four of Monk yields a special Christmas edition, "Monk and the Secret Santa", wherein murder rears its ugly head at the height of the SFPD's annual Holiday party--with Captain Stottlemeyer as the apparent target! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Shalhoub, Traylor Howard, (more)
When independent filmmaker Greg Spotts heard that a staggering three million manufacturing jobs in the U.S. had simply disappeared between 2000 and 2003, he grabbed his camera and hit the road in hopes of documenting the effect this widespread cutback had on everyday workers firsthand. For the next six months, Spotts used his own funding to visit 19 cities and towns across the country and talk with the people most affected by these massive cutbacks. What followed was not only a remarkably personal look into the heart of the American workforce, but a profound statement on the undeniable impact of "global sourcing" on both blue- and white-collar families struggling to simply make ends meet in an increasingly competitive marketplace. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2003
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For years singer/songwriter Lyle Lovett has been championed as one of modern country & western music's most reliable and sincere stalwarts; now fans who have yet to experience Lovett live and in person can see the next best thing as he brings his memorable act to the Soundstage. Backed by a 26-piece orchestra and a 16-piece band, Lovett is also joined by popular singer/songwriter Randy Newman for a series of tunes including some from his latest effort Smile. As the performance draws to a raucous close, Lovett is also joined by trumpet man Mark Isham as he expands his set to include a series of gospel classics! ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lyle Lovett
- 2001
This PBS video is part of a series that sees the world through streets. The famous thoroughfares of America and Europe come to life through the eyes of the various celebrities who lead the way. In this program, native son Randy Newman takes viewers on a tour of the most famous road in Los Angeles: Sunset Boulevard. The "strip" of over 20 miles contains fabulous architecture, historic sites, and some eye-popping scenes. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Sarah (Jennifer Love Hewitt) decides that she wants nothing more to do with Bailey (Scott Wolf), who is squandering all his money on liquor--even as his sister Julia (Neve Campbell) remains in denial that his drinking problem exists. But when Bailey steals money from her boyfriend Sam, Julia is forced to face the awful truth. Meanwhile, Charlie (Matthew Fox) is on the outs with his siblings because of his relationship with Grace (Tamara Taylor), whose avowed "compassion" for humanity evidently does not extend to the younger Salinger kids. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
In January 1996, Politically Incorrect moved to Los Angeles and began booking local talent on the program. In this video Bill Maher hosts two 1996 installments of his provocative and irreverent round-table talk show. Jay Leno headlines both episodes. In the first, Maher, the prodding moderator, stirs things up between Leno, star George Clooney, former Beverly Hills 90210 cast member Gabrielle Carteris, and former L.A. police chief Daryl Gates. The second bout features Leno, Ed McMahon, Randy Newman, and the first woman speaker of the California Assembly, Doris Allen. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
- 1990
An informative presentation that includes a guide to recycling. Includes an information booklet and stars a large group of celebrities. Bugs Bunny, B.B. King, Kenny Loggins, Bette Midler and many others are here to spread the word. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1990
How to Get a Record Deal is a video made for musicians looking to break into the recording industry. Acknowledging the huge challenge unknown musicians face, the program arms viewers with insider information on the industry and advice on what it takes to succeed. Artists Michael Bolton, Phil Collins, Mark Knopfler, Kenny Loggins, Randy Newman, Phil Ramone, Jody Watley, and others offer tips and candid advice. ~ Betsy Boyd, All Movie Guide
- 1988
This 1988 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by John Larroquette and features musical guests Randy Newman and Mark Knopfler. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Larroquette, Randy Newman, (more)
April Fool's Day just happens to be the birthday of rich college student Buffy (Deborah Foreman), so she invites a group of friends from Vassar over to her family's island getaway to spend the weekend partying. Though some practical-joke shenanigans on the ferry over from the mainland lead to unexpected bloodshed and put a damper on the festivities, Buffy unleashes a flood of more benign pranks on her guests, setting a tone of giddy abandon. With plenty of randy guys and gals on hand and no parental supervision, it isn't long before drunken escapades ensue. As the weekend progresses, however, guests begin to disappear mysteriously, and before long Buffy and friends find themselves huddling in terror in their remote getaway. The next ferry isn't due until Monday, and the partygoers aren't sure whether any of them will make it that long. The mostly Canadian cast of April Fool's Day includes Leah King Pinsent, daughter of actor/director Gordon Pinsent, and Amy Steel, a veteran of the second and fourth Friday the 13th installments. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jay Baker, Pat Barlow, (more)
- 1986
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No relation to the similarly titled John Ford film, My Darlin' Clementine originated as a 47-minute TV special. Shelley Duvall (who also produced) plays the title character, the daughter of a miner (forty-niner) whose shoes are number nine. Ed Asner costars as Clementine's dad, while David Dukes is the moonstruck young man who loses Clementine to the briny deep. The tragic elements of the ballad (which of course was meant to be a spoof even back in the 19th century) are tempered by in-the-know comedy vignettes. My Darlin' Clementine was first telecast on the Showtime Cable service as part of the American Tall Tales and Legends anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shelley Duvall, David Dukes, (more)
- 1986
This 1986 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, and Martin Short and features musical guest Randy Newman. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, (more)
- 1985
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Award-winning singer/songwriter Randy Newman is joined by Ry Cooder and Linda Ronstadt in this 1983 concert presentation. Randy Newman: At the Odeon Rock features Newman on the songs "I Love L.A.," "Burn on, Big River," "Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear," "Marie," "Christmas in Capetown," "Short People," "Texas Girl at the Funeral of Her Father," "Linda," "Real Emotional Girl," "Rednecks," "Guilty," "Sail Away," "Mama Told Me Not to Come," "Let's Burn Down the Cornfield," "Political Science," "God's Song," "My Life Is Good," "Rider in the Rain," "I Think It's Going to Rain Today," and "Lonely at the Top." Released by WEA and Rhino Home Video, the program runs 57 minutes. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- 1983
This 1983 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Jeff Bridges and Beau Bridges and features musical guest Randy Newman. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Bridges, Beau Bridges, (more)
- 1979
This 1979 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Howard Hesseman and features musical guest Randy Newman. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Howard Hesseman, Randy Newman, (more)
- 1976
The life and times of demagogic Louisiana governor Huey Long has been fictionalized by two Hollywood films, All The King's Men (1949) and A Lion is in the Streets (1953). Made for television, The Life and Assassination of the Kingfish endeavors to tell the true story, with few names changed. Played by Edward Asner, Long rises to the top of state politics on such placebo-like programs as "Every Man a King" and "Share the Wealth." He remains an enigma to friends and enemies both: He cheats and lies his way to power even while providing such important benefits to Louisiana as a strong school system and network of highways; he plays the buffoon in public while behaving like a fascist dictator on the floor of the legislature; and so on. In 1935, Long, on the verge of running for president, is shot down by an old enemy. Director Robert Collins begins his script at this point, with Long's career related in flashback as he hovers between life and death in a hospital bed. Life and Assassination of the Kingfish was first aired March 21, 1977; eighteen years later, another Huey Long biopic, Kingfish, was presented on the TNT cable service, with John Goodman as Long. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
The second episode of NBC's Saturday Night is dominated by music. Host Paul Simon is joined by musical guests Randy Newman, Phoebe Snow, and Art Garfunkel, who, together and separately, perform a total of 11 songs. Notable non-musical content includes a short film by Albert Brooks and a humorous segment featuring Simon playing basketball against Connie Hawkins. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Simon
- 1970
William Popper (Michael Sarrazin) is the son of a stockbroker and is thoroughly disenchanted with "the system." So much so that even though he can prove that he ran over a woman in his car entirely by accident, he accepts a sentence for manslaughter. His participation in some prison violence motivates him to attempt to escape, though he has only a week to go on his sentence. Having escaped, he and his old girlfriend (Barbara Hershey) make a run for Canada. The story is adapted from the novel The Pursuit of Happiness by Thomas Rogers. As William's starchy grandmother, Ruth White, notable for her work in To Kill a Mockingbird and Midnight Cowboy makes her last film appearance. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
Frank Sinatra brings a sneering Rat Pack ethos to his first hard-boiled detective role in Tony Rome. Tony is an ex-cop who lives on a houseboat off Miami, accepting fees for private-eye work. His former partner, Ralph Turpin (Robert J. Wilke), asks Tony for help in locating Diana Pines (Sue Lyon), the daughter of rich construction magnate Rudolph Kosterman (Simon Oakland). Tony finds her unconscious and drunk in a sleazy motel room and returns her to her home. Rudolph decides to hire Tony in order to find out why his daughter is behaving so erratically. In the meantime, Diana's stepmother, Rita (Gena Rowlands), also offers Tony money to inform her first about whatever Tony finds out. He discovers that Diana has lost an expensive diamond pin, but before he can act upon the information, he is beaten up by two goons and nearly killed by Diana's crazy step-uncle. Tony then finds out that Turpin has been murdered. With help from sultry and sexy divorcée Ann Archer (Jill St. John), Tony discovers that Diana has been funneling large sums of money to her alcoholic mother, Lorna (Jeanne Cooper), with Rita's priceless jewelry being replaced by fakes. A collection of disagreeable human sludge all take their turns trying to get Tony and the information that he holds -- including his old pal Lieutenant Santini (Richard Conte). After a murder attempt on Rudolph's life, Tony uncovers a series of vile connections involving blackmail, deceit, and betrayal. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Sinatra, Jill St. John, (more)
Director Ron Howard's drama follows a beleaguered reporter during a hectic 24 hours at a New York City tabloid. Michael Keaton stars as Henry Hackett, a metro editor for the struggling New York Sun. Hackett is being wooed by the Sentinel, a more upscale paper, but he's addicted to the adrenaline-stimulating, breakneck pace of the Sun's newsroom, much to the consternation of his pregnant wife Martha (Marisa Tomei. Hackett is currently pursuing a story of two minority youths who have been arrested for the murders of two men. He learns that the police think that the killings may be a mob hit. In the court of public opinion, however, the innocent suspects are being judged as guilty, and the police may bow to the pressure. As Hackett and his staff desperately work all the story's angles to find the truth, several other dramas unfold. Top editor Bernie (Robert Duvall) learns that he has prostate cancer, and tough publisher Alicia (Glenn Close) wonders if her lack of popularity is due to her cost-cutting, her personality, or the fact that she's a woman. In their only collaboration, screenwriter David Koepp co-wrote the script with his brother Stephen Koepp, a senior editor at Time magazine. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Keaton, Robert Duvall, (more)
Even in an era of cinematic experimentation, Performance stands out as a visually daring major-studio film that deals with questions of sanity and identity rarely touched on in mainstream filmmaking. The elements of Performance certainly looked attractive to studio executives at Warner Bros. -- a gangster on the lam hides out in the home of a reclusive rock star -- especially since that musician was being played by Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones. But co-directors Nicolas Roeg (who also photographed) and Donald Cammell (who wrote the screenplay) had much more in mind than a walk on the wild side of swinging London. Chas (James Fox) is a sadistic thug who gains our sympathies only because men even crueler than he are out to kill him. After Chas arrives at the mansion occupied by Turner (Jagger) and his female companions Pherber (Anita Pallenberg) and Lucy (Michele Breton), what looks like a decadent idyll fueled by drugs and group sex turns into a series of mind games in which Turner challenges Chas' sexual preference and core identity. Even the film's one musical number, "Memo From Turner," is a William Burroughs-like monologue in which Turner fantasizes taking over Chas' role as a mobster, spewing insults to his colleagues. The film's cult status has been fueled by subsequent films of its co-directors (for Roeg, Walkabout, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and Don't Look Now; for Cammell, White of the Eye), which explored similar themes employing the same kind of jagged editing and striking visuals. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Fox, Mick Jagger, (more)
Good Night, and Good Luck director George Clooney pulls double duty once again in this sports-oriented romantic comedy set against the formation of professional football in the 1920s. Dodge Connelly (Clooney) is a brash and handsome gridiron giant who is equally comfortable leading his team in a barroom brawl or charging for a touchdown in a packed stadium. But when Connelly's team loses their sponsor and the entire league appears set to collapse, the quick-thinking jock attempts a creative late-game comeback. If Connelly can convince former college football star and decorated war hero Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski) to join the team, there may be hope for the ill-fated team after all. Back in World War I, Rutherford single-handedly forced the surrender of multiple German soldiers -- a feat that firmly established the dashing young soldier as America's favorite son. Not only that, but Rutherford's unparalleled speed makes him a valuable asset to the team. To cub reporter Lexie Littleton (Renée Zellweger), Rutherford seems simply too good to be true, and she's determined to prove that her theory is correct. As Littleton digs deep into Rutherford's past, the two teammates enter into a fierce competition for her erratic affections. Now, as Connelly's plan begins to work better than he ever could have anticipated, the rowdy sport he always loved starts to take on a whole new look and feel. In the midst of holding his team together and simultaneously charming the girl of his dreams, Connelly discovers he may be able to use the same strategies he does to win on the field to win in love. Of course, there might be a few fouls as this game enters the fourth quarter, but like every good player, Connelly knows the value of always having a secret play to fall back on before the final score is called. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Clooney, Renée Zellweger, (more)
After suffering the humiliation of being given the third degree by his girlfriend's father, one man now faces the even more embarrassing task of introducing his own mother and father in this star-studded sequel to the box-office smash Meet the Parents. After getting off on the wrong foot (to put it mildly) with his prospective in-laws, Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) has finally won the grudging approval of Jack and Dina Byrnes (Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner) to marry their daughter Pam (Teri Polo). But after clearing the first hurdle, now Greg has to face an even bigger challenge -- introducing the straight-laced Byrnes family to his folks, free-spirited sex therapist Roz (Barbra Streisand) and eccentrically open-minded Bernie, who blend with Pam's parents not quite as well as oil and water. Meet the Fockers was directed by Jay Roach, who handled the same chores for Meet the Parents. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, (more)
