Elvis Aaron Presley was a controversial and transformative figure in American music, and one of the most recognizable 20th century icons. He was also the star of a shocking number of financially successful but, mostly, not very good movies.
“The King,” as he has been called, made an initial attempt at serious acting in the 1950s, but his cinematic career was quickly derailed by a stint in the Army, and upon his return found he could sell the most tickets — and the most soundtrack records — by headlining generic, family-friendly musical fluff. There are hidden treasures in Presley’s filmography, but they are extremely well hidden, and before you find them, you might have to endure some of the biggest stinkers of the era. (Even Elvis himself wasn’t a fan of a lot of them.)
So let us be your guide, as we escort you through the treacherous waters of every single Elvis Presley movie,...
“The King,” as he has been called, made an initial attempt at serious acting in the 1950s, but his cinematic career was quickly derailed by a stint in the Army, and upon his return found he could sell the most tickets — and the most soundtrack records — by headlining generic, family-friendly musical fluff. There are hidden treasures in Presley’s filmography, but they are extremely well hidden, and before you find them, you might have to endure some of the biggest stinkers of the era. (Even Elvis himself wasn’t a fan of a lot of them.)
So let us be your guide, as we escort you through the treacherous waters of every single Elvis Presley movie,...
- 6/24/2022
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
Walter Mirisch’s slam-bang, eardrum-pounding Sensurround stock footage orgy for the Centennial Year gathers an impressive lineup of big stars to celebrate the U.S. Navy’s biggest aircraft carrier battle: Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn, Glenn Ford, Hal Holbrook, Toshiro Mifune. Director Jack Smight manages the talky, exposition-laden account of a sprawling, complicated battle rather well, at least in terms of clarity. What is unwatchable pan-scanned on TV isn’t half bad for fans of big-scale war movies. Pi gives us an approximation of Sensurround (I think), and also John Ford’s short subject The Battle of Midway from 1942.
Midway
Region B Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1976 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 132 min. / Street Date October 25, 2021 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99
Starring: Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda.
Guest Stars (in alphabetical order): James Coburn, Glenn Ford, Hal Holbrook, Toshiro Mifune, Robert Mitchum, Cliff Robertson, Robert Wagner. Also starring: Edward Albert, Robert Webber, Ed Nelson,...
Midway
Region B Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1976 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 132 min. / Street Date October 25, 2021 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99
Starring: Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda.
Guest Stars (in alphabetical order): James Coburn, Glenn Ford, Hal Holbrook, Toshiro Mifune, Robert Mitchum, Cliff Robertson, Robert Wagner. Also starring: Edward Albert, Robert Webber, Ed Nelson,...
- 11/9/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Concord Launches Originals Division to Develop Movies, TV and Podcasts From Its IP Vault (Exclusive)
Concord is diving deeper into its IP vault of music and theatrical performance rights to develop movies, TV shows and podcasts through the newly established Concord Originals division.
Sophia Dilley has been promoted to senior vice president to lead the push at Concord Originals from Los Angeles. Dilley told Variety the company plans to be nimble in its dealmaking and aims to work with a range of production and distribution partners, depending on the needs of each project.
Among the properties that Concord is actively developing is a new take on “Flower Drum Song” with Daniel Dae Kim’s 3Ad production banner and Janet Yang Prods. The 1958 Rodgers & Hammerstein musical was adapted as a 1961 movie starring Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta and Miyoshi Umeki. Concord represents the voluminous Rodgers & Hammerstein for theatrical licensing.
“The Bluesman” is conceived as an “elevated genre film” revolving around the life and music of legendary 1930s Mississippi Delta musician Robert Johnson,...
Sophia Dilley has been promoted to senior vice president to lead the push at Concord Originals from Los Angeles. Dilley told Variety the company plans to be nimble in its dealmaking and aims to work with a range of production and distribution partners, depending on the needs of each project.
Among the properties that Concord is actively developing is a new take on “Flower Drum Song” with Daniel Dae Kim’s 3Ad production banner and Janet Yang Prods. The 1958 Rodgers & Hammerstein musical was adapted as a 1961 movie starring Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta and Miyoshi Umeki. Concord represents the voluminous Rodgers & Hammerstein for theatrical licensing.
“The Bluesman” is conceived as an “elevated genre film” revolving around the life and music of legendary 1930s Mississippi Delta musician Robert Johnson,...
- 8/5/2021
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
The original “Kung Fu” is a relic of its time. The series, which ran from 1972 to 1975, starred actor David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk who traveled through the American West helping others and outrunning a bounty on his head — all with the power of the martial arts on his side. Of course, Carradine was not Asian in any way and with our current ability to cast authentically, it make sense to reboot the series in a way that promotes a more positive depiction.
“Kung Fu,” which premiered on The CW on April 7, tells the story of Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang), a young Asian-American woman who spends three years in a shaolin monastery only to return to her native San Francisco when her mentor is murdered. Neither Liang nor showrunner Christina Kim had a deep familiarity with the original series prior to embarking on this iteration.
“Looking back,...
“Kung Fu,” which premiered on The CW on April 7, tells the story of Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang), a young Asian-American woman who spends three years in a shaolin monastery only to return to her native San Francisco when her mentor is murdered. Neither Liang nor showrunner Christina Kim had a deep familiarity with the original series prior to embarking on this iteration.
“Looking back,...
- 4/8/2021
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
A thrilling film noir and a pungent commentary on race relations circa 1959, The Crimson Kimono is one of Sam Fuller’s most striking films. James Shigeta and Glenn Corbett play two cops investigating a stripper’s murder in Los Angeles’s Little Tokyo. Ramping up the tension is Victoria Shaw as a key witness who both gumshoes fall for. Sam Leavitt (The Defiant Ones) was responsible for the memorably moody cinematography.
The post The Crimson Kimono appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post The Crimson Kimono appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 8/24/2020
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Daniel Dae Kim is probably best known for his role in the iconic sci-fi series Lost as well as his role in Hawaii Five-0. He has since become a gamechanger and disrupter when it comes to advocacy for Asians, Asian Americans and other underrepresented voices in Hollywood.
In 2017, he and Grace Park, who is also Asian, exited the CBS reboot of the classic ahead of the eighth season due to contractual agreements surrounding salary. This shined a light on salary parity in film and TV and how it impacts people of color and other marginalized voices — something that the industry has been grappling with for decades.
He forged his own path with his production banner 3Ad, which produced The Good Doctor and has many irons in the fire via his first-look deal with Amazon. He is producing a comedy with deaf actor and model Nyle Dimarco as well as the...
In 2017, he and Grace Park, who is also Asian, exited the CBS reboot of the classic ahead of the eighth season due to contractual agreements surrounding salary. This shined a light on salary parity in film and TV and how it impacts people of color and other marginalized voices — something that the industry has been grappling with for decades.
He forged his own path with his production banner 3Ad, which produced The Good Doctor and has many irons in the fire via his first-look deal with Amazon. He is producing a comedy with deaf actor and model Nyle Dimarco as well as the...
- 8/20/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Mill Creek and Kit Parker have raided the Columbia vault once again in search of Noir Gold from the ‘fifties. Their selection this time around has a couple of prime gems, several straight crime thrillers and domestic jeopardy tales, and also a couple of interesting Brit imports. They aren’t really ‘Noir’ either, but they’re still unexpected and different. The top title is Don Siegel’s incomparable The Lineup, but also on board is a snappy anti-commie epic by André De Toth. Get set for a lineup of impressive leading ladies: Diana Dors, Arlene Dahl, Anita Ekberg — and the great Colleen Dewhurst as a card-carrying Red!
Noir Archive 9-Film Collection Volume 3
The Shadow on the Window, The Long Haul, Pickup Alley, The Tijuana Story, She Played with Fire, The Case Against Brooklyn, The Lineup, The Crimson Kimono, Man on a String
Blu-ray
Mill Creek / Kit Parker
1957 -1960 / B&w...
Noir Archive 9-Film Collection Volume 3
The Shadow on the Window, The Long Haul, Pickup Alley, The Tijuana Story, She Played with Fire, The Case Against Brooklyn, The Lineup, The Crimson Kimono, Man on a String
Blu-ray
Mill Creek / Kit Parker
1957 -1960 / B&w...
- 9/10/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Barry Coe, who starred in the 1957 film Peyton Place, was considered as a possible series regular on Bonanza and became familiar to a new generation of TV viewers as the Mr. Goodwrench character in commercials that ran in the 1970s and ’80s, died July 16 in Palm Desert, CA. He was 84.
Coe’s death from the bone marrow disease myelodysplastic syndrome was announced by his family.
A resident of Sun Valley, ID, in later life, Coe began his Hollywood career with small, uncredited roles in such mid-1950s fare as How to Be Very, Very Popular, D-Day The Sixth of June and TV’s Cheyenne, moving on to credited roles in the 1956 Elvis Presley hit Love Me Tender and TV’s The 20th Century-Fox Hour.
His breakthrough came in 1957’s Peyton Place, in the role of Rodney Harrington. Although the character would be played by Ryan O’Neal in the subsequent TV adaptation,...
Coe’s death from the bone marrow disease myelodysplastic syndrome was announced by his family.
A resident of Sun Valley, ID, in later life, Coe began his Hollywood career with small, uncredited roles in such mid-1950s fare as How to Be Very, Very Popular, D-Day The Sixth of June and TV’s Cheyenne, moving on to credited roles in the 1956 Elvis Presley hit Love Me Tender and TV’s The 20th Century-Fox Hour.
His breakthrough came in 1957’s Peyton Place, in the role of Rodney Harrington. Although the character would be played by Ryan O’Neal in the subsequent TV adaptation,...
- 8/6/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Barry Coe, who starred in the Peyton Place movie and on the short-lived Hawaii-set ABC adventure series Follow the Sun, has died. He was 84.
A longtime resident of Sun Valley, Idaho, Coe died July 16 in Palm Desert after a battle with the bone marrow disease myelodysplastic syndrome, his family announced.
A Golden Globe recipient in 1960 for most promising male newcomer — shared with James Shigeta, Troy Donahue and George Hamilton — Coe also appeared with Elvis Presley in Love Me Tender (1956); with Sal Mineo, Terry Moore, Gary Crosby and Barbara Eden in A Private's Affair (1959); and ...
A longtime resident of Sun Valley, Idaho, Coe died July 16 in Palm Desert after a battle with the bone marrow disease myelodysplastic syndrome, his family announced.
A Golden Globe recipient in 1960 for most promising male newcomer — shared with James Shigeta, Troy Donahue and George Hamilton — Coe also appeared with Elvis Presley in Love Me Tender (1956); with Sal Mineo, Terry Moore, Gary Crosby and Barbara Eden in A Private's Affair (1959); and ...
Barry Coe, who starred in the Peyton Place movie and on the short-lived Hawaii-set ABC adventure series Follow the Sun, has died. He was 84.
A longtime resident of Sun Valley, Idaho, Coe died July 16 in Palm Desert after a battle with the bone marrow disease myelodysplastic syndrome, his family announced.
A Golden Globe recipient in 1960 for most promising male newcomer — shared with James Shigeta, Troy Donahue and George Hamilton — Coe also appeared with Elvis Presley in Love Me Tender (1956); with Sal Mineo, Terry Moore, Gary Crosby and Barbara Eden in A Private's Affair (1959); and ...
A longtime resident of Sun Valley, Idaho, Coe died July 16 in Palm Desert after a battle with the bone marrow disease myelodysplastic syndrome, his family announced.
A Golden Globe recipient in 1960 for most promising male newcomer — shared with James Shigeta, Troy Donahue and George Hamilton — Coe also appeared with Elvis Presley in Love Me Tender (1956); with Sal Mineo, Terry Moore, Gary Crosby and Barbara Eden in A Private's Affair (1959); and ...
“Crazy Rich Asians” premieres Wednesday, and the film has been oft-lauded for being the first major studio film to feature a mainly Asian-American cast in 25 years, the last one being “The Joy Luck Club.” However, the history of Asian-Americans in film has spanned over a century, before even the inception of color film. Here is a chronological look at films starring Asian-Americans from the past — and the future.
“The Cheat” (1915) Asian men are rarely painted as sex symbols even in contemporary media, but Japanese-American actor Sessue Hayakawa became a veritable heartthrob, especially after starring in Cecil B. DeMille’s silent thriller, “The Cheat.” Though monumental, his role was that of a predatory antagonist, a typecast that stuck with him during the anti-Japanese sentiments of World War II.
“Daughter of Shanghai” (1937) Anna May Wong starred alongside Korean-American actor Philip Ahn, who played a government agent trying to bust an alien smuggling ring in San Francisco.
“The Cheat” (1915) Asian men are rarely painted as sex symbols even in contemporary media, but Japanese-American actor Sessue Hayakawa became a veritable heartthrob, especially after starring in Cecil B. DeMille’s silent thriller, “The Cheat.” Though monumental, his role was that of a predatory antagonist, a typecast that stuck with him during the anti-Japanese sentiments of World War II.
“Daughter of Shanghai” (1937) Anna May Wong starred alongside Korean-American actor Philip Ahn, who played a government agent trying to bust an alien smuggling ring in San Francisco.
- 8/13/2018
- by Linda Xu
- The Wrap
Another great Samuel Fuller film on Blu-ray — this one is a crime tale set in downtown Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo, that forms an interracial romantic triangle. It’s risky for its year because of the sexual dynamics — a Japanese-American man falls in love with a Caucasian woman. Fuller’s approach is years ahead of its time, even if Columbia’s sales job was a little weird.
The Crimson Kimono
Blu-ray
Twilight Time
1959 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 81 min. / Street Date July 18, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store 29.95
Starring: Victoria Shaw, Glenn Corbett, James Shigeta, Anna Lee, Paul Dubov, Jaclynne Greene, Neyle Morrow, Gloria Pall, , Barbara Hayden, George Yoshinaga.
Cinematography: Sam Leavitt
Film Editor: Jerome Thoms
Original Music: Harry Sukman
Written, Produced and Directed by Samuel Fuller
“What was his strange appeal for American girls?”
Believe it or not, there was once a time when Samuel Fuller was a fringe figure,...
The Crimson Kimono
Blu-ray
Twilight Time
1959 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 81 min. / Street Date July 18, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store 29.95
Starring: Victoria Shaw, Glenn Corbett, James Shigeta, Anna Lee, Paul Dubov, Jaclynne Greene, Neyle Morrow, Gloria Pall, , Barbara Hayden, George Yoshinaga.
Cinematography: Sam Leavitt
Film Editor: Jerome Thoms
Original Music: Harry Sukman
Written, Produced and Directed by Samuel Fuller
“What was his strange appeal for American girls?”
Believe it or not, there was once a time when Samuel Fuller was a fringe figure,...
- 8/12/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The Yakuza
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1975 / Color / 2:40 widescreen / 112 & 123 min. / Street Date February 14, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring Robert Mitchum, Takakura Ken, Brian Keith, Eiji Okada, Richard Jordan, Keiko Kishi, James Shigeta, Herb Edelman.
Cinematography: Kozo Okazaki, Duke Callaghan
Production Design: Stephen Grimes
Art Direction: Yoshiyuki Ishida
Film Editor: Don Guidice, Thomas Stanford
Original Music: Dave Grusin
Written by: Leonard Schrader, Paul Schrader, Robert Towne
Produced by: Michael Hamilburg, Sydney Pollack, Koji Shundo
Directed by Sydney Pollack
The Warner Archive Collection is on a roll with a 2017 schedule that has so far released one much-desired library Blu-ray per week. Coming shortly are Vincente Minnelli’s Bells are Ringing, Billy Wilder’s Love in the Afternoon Ken Russell’s The Boy Friend and Val Guest’s When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, and that only takes us through February. First up is a piercing action drama from 1975.
There are favorite movies around Savant central,...
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1975 / Color / 2:40 widescreen / 112 & 123 min. / Street Date February 14, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring Robert Mitchum, Takakura Ken, Brian Keith, Eiji Okada, Richard Jordan, Keiko Kishi, James Shigeta, Herb Edelman.
Cinematography: Kozo Okazaki, Duke Callaghan
Production Design: Stephen Grimes
Art Direction: Yoshiyuki Ishida
Film Editor: Don Guidice, Thomas Stanford
Original Music: Dave Grusin
Written by: Leonard Schrader, Paul Schrader, Robert Towne
Produced by: Michael Hamilburg, Sydney Pollack, Koji Shundo
Directed by Sydney Pollack
The Warner Archive Collection is on a roll with a 2017 schedule that has so far released one much-desired library Blu-ray per week. Coming shortly are Vincente Minnelli’s Bells are Ringing, Billy Wilder’s Love in the Afternoon Ken Russell’s The Boy Friend and Val Guest’s When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, and that only takes us through February. First up is a piercing action drama from 1975.
There are favorite movies around Savant central,...
- 1/24/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Ron Moody as Fagin in 'Oliver!' based on Charles Dickens' 'Oliver Twist.' Ron Moody as Fagin in Dickens musical 'Oliver!': Box office and critical hit (See previous post: "Ron Moody: 'Oliver!' Actor, Academy Award Nominee Dead at 91.") Although British made, Oliver! turned out to be an elephantine release along the lines of – exclamation point or no – Gypsy, Star!, Hello Dolly!, and other Hollywood mega-musicals from the mid'-50s to the early '70s.[1] But however bloated and conventional the final result, and a cast whose best-known name was that of director Carol Reed's nephew, Oliver Reed, Oliver! found countless fans.[2] The mostly British production became a huge financial and critical success in the U.S. at a time when star-studded mega-musicals had become perilous – at times downright disastrous – ventures.[3] Upon the American release of Oliver! in Dec. 1968, frequently acerbic The...
- 6/19/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
All the winners from Sunday’s 87th Academy Awards.
Show host Harris signs off with a chirpy, “Buenos noches!”
Sean Penn walks on. It’s time for the big one. Best film. Will it be Birdman or Boyhood? It’s Birdman! The movie ends the night tied with The Grand Budapest Hotel on four Oscars. Inarritu, referring to his pal Alfonso Cuaron who enjoyed success with Gravity at last year’s show, says, “Two Mexicans in a row. That’s suspicious, I guess.” Slightly more seriously, Agi also calls on his fellow Mexicans to help build a strong future for his beloved country. Wow, a good night for Birdman and a surprisingly barren one for Boyhood. Pirates indeed, Ethan Hawke, but glorious pirates.
And now Matthew McConaughey saunters on stage to announce best actress. Julianne Moore, five times a nominee at the Oscars is the favourite. Will she get it this time for Still Alice? Yes she’s got...
Show host Harris signs off with a chirpy, “Buenos noches!”
Sean Penn walks on. It’s time for the big one. Best film. Will it be Birdman or Boyhood? It’s Birdman! The movie ends the night tied with The Grand Budapest Hotel on four Oscars. Inarritu, referring to his pal Alfonso Cuaron who enjoyed success with Gravity at last year’s show, says, “Two Mexicans in a row. That’s suspicious, I guess.” Slightly more seriously, Agi also calls on his fellow Mexicans to help build a strong future for his beloved country. Wow, a good night for Birdman and a surprisingly barren one for Boyhood. Pirates indeed, Ethan Hawke, but glorious pirates.
And now Matthew McConaughey saunters on stage to announce best actress. Julianne Moore, five times a nominee at the Oscars is the favourite. Will she get it this time for Still Alice? Yes she’s got...
- 2/22/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Actor who was one of the first Asian Americans to play big parts in Hollywood films
James Shigeta, who has died aged 85, was one of the very few Asian-American actors to have played big parts in Hollywood films. Born in Hawaii of Japanese ancestry, Shigeta broke through the barrier to screen stardom, bringing dignity and stature to his roles. Handsome and charismatic, with a rich singing and speaking baritone voice, Shigeta was cast in several films in which he was the equal of his co-stars, sometimes being permitted to have inter-racial screen romances, despite what amounted to a tacit prohibition in Hollywood.
Shigeta's breakthrough gradually helped to prevent the practice of actors such as Marlon Brando, Alec Guinness and Mickey Rooney playing Japanese characters with embarrassingly crude results. However, as was the Hollywood custom, Shigeta, often elevating poor material, was called upon to play Japanese, Chinese, Filipino and Polynesian characters,...
James Shigeta, who has died aged 85, was one of the very few Asian-American actors to have played big parts in Hollywood films. Born in Hawaii of Japanese ancestry, Shigeta broke through the barrier to screen stardom, bringing dignity and stature to his roles. Handsome and charismatic, with a rich singing and speaking baritone voice, Shigeta was cast in several films in which he was the equal of his co-stars, sometimes being permitted to have inter-racial screen romances, despite what amounted to a tacit prohibition in Hollywood.
Shigeta's breakthrough gradually helped to prevent the practice of actors such as Marlon Brando, Alec Guinness and Mickey Rooney playing Japanese characters with embarrassingly crude results. However, as was the Hollywood custom, Shigeta, often elevating poor material, was called upon to play Japanese, Chinese, Filipino and Polynesian characters,...
- 7/31/2014
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
Actor James Shigeta has died at age 81. Born in Honolulu, Shigeta became a singing star in Japan- despite not knowing how to speak the language. In the 1950s and 1960s, he- along with actress Nancy Kwan- broke racial barriers in Hollywood. It was traditional for caucasian actors to play Asian leading characters. However, the handsome Shigeta landed a lead role in the film version of the Broadway hit musical Flower Drum Song, starring alongside Kwan. The film was significant in that all the leading roles were played by Asian actors. Shigeta, riding high from good reviews, carved a successful career in television and theatrical feature films. Among his credits were the Elvis Presley film Paradise, Hawaiian Style, Bridge to the Sun, Midway, the ill-fated 1973 musical remake of Lost Horizon and the blockbuster 1988 action film Die Hard. For more click here .
(Nancy Kwan discusses her friendship with James Shigeta and...
(Nancy Kwan discusses her friendship with James Shigeta and...
- 7/29/2014
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The truth about Beyoncé and Jay-z‘s decision to skip Kim and Kanye’s wedding finally emerges, Andi Dorfman makes girls all over the country sad, Freddie Prinze, Jr. has some fighting words under that million dollar smile, and more of what you missed while you were catching z’s.
Did Beyoncé and Jay-z skip out on the Kimye wedding to protect their social status? [Hollywood Life] The Twittersphere exploded when Bachelorette star Andi Dorfman accepted a marriage proposal from Josh Murray on last night’s finale. ’90s hottie Freddie Prinze, Jr. said he wanted to quit acting after working with Kiefer Sutherland. [Us Weekly] Naomi Watts channels her inner stripper in the Vincent trailer. [Just Jared] Die Hard star James Shigeta passed away at 81. [Variety] The New York Post argues that the Real Housewives franchise is officially dead. Do you agree? [NY Post] Martha Stewart gives her two cents on Blake Lively‘s lifestyle blog. [Naughty But Nice Rob] Audrina Patridge and...
Did Beyoncé and Jay-z skip out on the Kimye wedding to protect their social status? [Hollywood Life] The Twittersphere exploded when Bachelorette star Andi Dorfman accepted a marriage proposal from Josh Murray on last night’s finale. ’90s hottie Freddie Prinze, Jr. said he wanted to quit acting after working with Kiefer Sutherland. [Us Weekly] Naomi Watts channels her inner stripper in the Vincent trailer. [Just Jared] Die Hard star James Shigeta passed away at 81. [Variety] The New York Post argues that the Real Housewives franchise is officially dead. Do you agree? [NY Post] Martha Stewart gives her two cents on Blake Lively‘s lifestyle blog. [Naughty But Nice Rob] Audrina Patridge and...
- 7/29/2014
- by Taylor Ferber
- TheFabLife - Movies
The truth about Beyoncé and Jay-z‘s decision to skip Kim and Kanye’s wedding finally emerges, Andi Dorfman makes girls all over the country sad, Freddie Prinze, Jr. has some fighting words under that million dollar smile, and more of what you missed while you were catching z’s.
Did Beyoncé and Jay-z skip out on the Kimye wedding to protect their social status? [Hollywood Life] The Twittersphere exploded when Bachelorette star Andi Dorfman accepted a marriage proposal from Josh Murray on last night’s finale. ’90s hottie Freddie Prinze, Jr. said he wanted to quit acting after working with Kiefer Sutherland. [Us Weekly] Naomi Watts channels her inner stripper in the Vincent trailer. [Just Jared] Die Hard star James Shigeta passed away at 81. [Variety] The New York Post argues that the Real Housewives franchise is officially dead. Do you agree? [NY Post] Martha Stewart gives her two cents on Blake Lively‘s lifestyle blog. [Naughty But Nice Rob] Audrina Patridge and...
Did Beyoncé and Jay-z skip out on the Kimye wedding to protect their social status? [Hollywood Life] The Twittersphere exploded when Bachelorette star Andi Dorfman accepted a marriage proposal from Josh Murray on last night’s finale. ’90s hottie Freddie Prinze, Jr. said he wanted to quit acting after working with Kiefer Sutherland. [Us Weekly] Naomi Watts channels her inner stripper in the Vincent trailer. [Just Jared] Die Hard star James Shigeta passed away at 81. [Variety] The New York Post argues that the Real Housewives franchise is officially dead. Do you agree? [NY Post] Martha Stewart gives her two cents on Blake Lively‘s lifestyle blog. [Naughty But Nice Rob] Audrina Patridge and...
- 7/29/2014
- by Taylor Ferber
- VH1.com
In today's roundup of news and views, Grady Hendrix writes up a terrific appreciation of Kinji Fukasaku; Film Comment's pulled up from its archives remembrances of Luis Buñuel by Michel Piccoli, Jeanne Moreau, Catherine Deneuve, Bulle Ogier and Franco Nero; Chris Marker is remembered on his birthday; in 1962, Studs Terkel interviewed Jacques Tati; Thom Andersen writes about Francesco Vezzoli; Nina Menkes reports on this year's Jerusalem Film Festival; Matt Zoller Seitz remembers James Shigeta; and more. » - David Hudson...
- 7/29/2014
- Fandor: Keyframe
In today's roundup of news and views, Grady Hendrix writes up a terrific appreciation of Kinji Fukasaku; Film Comment's pulled up from its archives remembrances of Luis Buñuel by Michel Piccoli, Jeanne Moreau, Catherine Deneuve, Bulle Ogier and Franco Nero; Chris Marker is remembered on his birthday; in 1962, Studs Terkel interviewed Jacques Tati; Thom Andersen writes about Francesco Vezzoli; Nina Menkes reports on this year's Jerusalem Film Festival; Matt Zoller Seitz remembers James Shigeta; and more. » - David Hudson...
- 7/29/2014
- Keyframe
Top Asian-American actor James Shigeta, who rose to fame in the '60s after starring in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song, died Monday, July 28, in L.A., his publicist announced. He was 81. The Hawaiian native's nearly 50-year film and TV career spanned from the late 1950s into the new millennium. Shigeta received a Golden Globe Award for Best Male Newcomer in 1960, after starring as a young detective in the 1959 movie, The Crimson Kimono. He co-starred with Donald O'Connor and Glenn Ford in the 1961 movie, [...]...
- 7/29/2014
- Us Weekly
We pay tribute to the actor James Shigeta, famous for his roles in Flower Drum Song, Die Hard, and a legion other turns on stage and TV.
For a generation of moviegoers, James Shigeta will be immediately recognisable as Joseph Takagi, the Nakatomi Corporation boss who's ruthlessly despatched by Alan Rickman's sneering villain in the 1988 hit, Die Hard. But there was so much more to Shigeta than John McTiernan's action classic - that appearance was, in fact, but one of many in a long and fruitful career on stage, television and the silver screen.
Born in Hawaii in 1933, Shigeta embarked on a singing career after winning first place in a TV show called Original Amateur Hour. His subsequent success was such that a lengthy run of appearances in Tokyo musicals left him with the nickname, The Frank Sinatra of Japan.
Returning to America in the late 1950s, Shigeta...
For a generation of moviegoers, James Shigeta will be immediately recognisable as Joseph Takagi, the Nakatomi Corporation boss who's ruthlessly despatched by Alan Rickman's sneering villain in the 1988 hit, Die Hard. But there was so much more to Shigeta than John McTiernan's action classic - that appearance was, in fact, but one of many in a long and fruitful career on stage, television and the silver screen.
Born in Hawaii in 1933, Shigeta embarked on a singing career after winning first place in a TV show called Original Amateur Hour. His subsequent success was such that a lengthy run of appearances in Tokyo musicals left him with the nickname, The Frank Sinatra of Japan.
Returning to America in the late 1950s, Shigeta...
- 7/29/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Legendary Asian-American actor James Shigeta died at the age of 81 on Monday, July 28.
James Shigeta Died July 28
Shigeta’s agent announced the news on Monday with a statement:
“It is with great sadness that I report the loss of my long time friend and client James Shigeta…James passed peacefully in his sleep, July 28, 2014, at 2 p.m. The world has lost a great actor. Sadly, I lost a dear friend.”
Shigeta, who began his onscreen career in 1959, is largely considered the first breakthrough Asian-American star. Born in Hawaii, Shigeta studied acting at Nyu and served as a Marine in the Korean War. He also had a successful singing career in Japan prior to his American success.
Shigeta made his feature film debut in Crimson Kimono (1959), earning his breakout role two years later in the Rogers and Hammerstein’s Flower Drum Song.
Most of his career was comprised of TV guest...
James Shigeta Died July 28
Shigeta’s agent announced the news on Monday with a statement:
“It is with great sadness that I report the loss of my long time friend and client James Shigeta…James passed peacefully in his sleep, July 28, 2014, at 2 p.m. The world has lost a great actor. Sadly, I lost a dear friend.”
Shigeta, who began his onscreen career in 1959, is largely considered the first breakthrough Asian-American star. Born in Hawaii, Shigeta studied acting at Nyu and served as a Marine in the Korean War. He also had a successful singing career in Japan prior to his American success.
Shigeta made his feature film debut in Crimson Kimono (1959), earning his breakout role two years later in the Rogers and Hammerstein’s Flower Drum Song.
Most of his career was comprised of TV guest...
- 7/29/2014
- Uinterview
Asian-American actor James Shigeta has died, aged 81.
Shigeta made several television and movie appearances throughout his career, notably in the first Die Hard film.
The actor played executive Joseph Takagi in the 1988 movie, who is shot by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) after refusing to surrender the security code to the skyscraper's bank vault.
Prior to Die Hard, Shigeta also starred in the 1961 film adaptation of Broadway musical Flower Drum Song as Wang Ta.
The Honolulu-born actor also appeared in Paradise, Hawaiian Style, Midway and Lost Horizon.
His television credits include Hawaii 5-0, Perry Mason, Mission: Impossible, Ironside, and Beverly Hills 90210.
Shigeta made several television and movie appearances throughout his career, notably in the first Die Hard film.
The actor played executive Joseph Takagi in the 1988 movie, who is shot by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) after refusing to surrender the security code to the skyscraper's bank vault.
Prior to Die Hard, Shigeta also starred in the 1961 film adaptation of Broadway musical Flower Drum Song as Wang Ta.
The Honolulu-born actor also appeared in Paradise, Hawaiian Style, Midway and Lost Horizon.
His television credits include Hawaii 5-0, Perry Mason, Mission: Impossible, Ironside, and Beverly Hills 90210.
- 7/29/2014
- Digital Spy
The actor whose 50-year career included a star turn in Flower Drum Song and a memorable roles in Die Hard and Midway, died today in Los Angeles. James Shigeta was 81. The Hawaii native had scores of film and TV credits from the late 1950s into the 2000s. In 1960, he shared a Best Male Newcomer Golden Globe Award with George Hamilton, Troy Donahue and Barry Coe after making his screen debut as a detective in The Crimson Kimono. Notable film roles followed in such early 1960s films as Walk Like A Dragon with Jack Lord, with whom he’d reteam […]...
- 7/29/2014
- Deadline
James Shigeta, a top Asian-American actor of the early 1960s who starred in the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical Flower Drum Song, died Monday in Los Angeles, publicist Jeffrey Leavitt announced. He was 81. The handsome Hawaiian, who later appeared as the ill-fated chief executive of the Nakatomi corporation in the Bruce Willis action film Die Hard (1988), had a great two-year run in Hollywood starting in the late 1950s. Shigeta made his feature debut in Sam Fuller’s Los Angeles-set noir The Crimson Kimono (1959), playing a young detective, and followed that by portraying a young Chinese
read more...
read more...
- 7/29/2014
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
James Shigeta started off by conquering the American Idol of his day. The singer and character actor won first place on the 1950s staple The Original Amateur Hour, and that proved to be a launching pad for a career on stage and screen. Shigeta, whose long career allowed for memorable appearances in the likes of the 1961 musical Flower Drum Song and then 1988's Die Hard, has died. He was 81. "It is with great sadness that I report the loss of my long time friend and client James Shigeta," his agent said in a statement to E! News Monday. "James was the biggest East Asian U.S. star the country had known. He filled both A-movie starring...
- 7/29/2014
- E! Online
It's been 25 years since we were first held hostage with an ass-kicking Bruce Willis on Christmas Eve in "Die Hard," a film that's as fresh and awesome as it was when it first hit theaters (in limited release on July 15, 1988, and nationwide on July 22). Five films and 71 kills later, John McClane is still one of our favorite cop heros.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the action classic, we're letting you in on 25 trivia facts about the film. From the unexpected origin of "Yippee-ki-yay, motherf*cker!" to Reginald VelJohnson's Twinkie attacks, "Die Hard" is full of fun facts that you probably never knew, even after a hundred viewings (don't deny it).
1. "Die Hard" was Alan Rickman's feature film debut. That's right, Professor Snape, who's set to play Ronald Reagan in the upcoming film "The Butler," was first introduced to the big screen as the infamous Hans Gruber.
2. Rickman...
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the action classic, we're letting you in on 25 trivia facts about the film. From the unexpected origin of "Yippee-ki-yay, motherf*cker!" to Reginald VelJohnson's Twinkie attacks, "Die Hard" is full of fun facts that you probably never knew, even after a hundred viewings (don't deny it).
1. "Die Hard" was Alan Rickman's feature film debut. That's right, Professor Snape, who's set to play Ronald Reagan in the upcoming film "The Butler," was first introduced to the big screen as the infamous Hans Gruber.
2. Rickman...
- 7/15/2013
- by Erin Whitney
- Moviefone
Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) has checked his list once, has checked it twice and is now gonna decide who's naughty or nice. Poor Mr. Takagi (James Shigeta) has unfortunately been deemed naughty for not assisting in this holiday heist and has been handled accordingly. Just like Father Christmas, Hans labors relentlessly to prepare for one glorious night in which he can bring an awfully large present to his loyal elves country-less mercenaries. Hans and his cronies all arrive by a train of unmarked vehicles in place of a bell-toting sleigh and come up from the underground parking lot instead of down the chimney. Read on! Once inside, he creates tiny Christmas miracles: fooling the fire department into turning around and having the FBI cut the power to release the vault's final safeguard. Hans laughs despite his lack of a bowl full of jelly for he knew these "miracles" would happen.
- 12/24/2012
- by Tyler Wantuch
- firstshowing.net
Carol for Another Christmas, an updating of Dickens by screenwriter Rod Serling and director Joseph H. Mankiewicz, missing in action for 47 years, makes a welcome and timely return by way of TCM this Christmas. It's a fascinating piece, possibly major Serling, though its placement in Mankiewicz's career is a little trickier. As befits the marriage of Dickens and Serling, it's a preachy allegory that relies on sentiment and humanism rather than urging any specific political course. Mankiewicz was rarely an advocate for anything in his movies, but he orchestrates this affair with typical elegance.
Take the phrase "Peace On Earth" as its watchword, the scenario makes Scrooge a wealthy recluse advocating the stockpiling of nuclear weapons and a foreign policy that combines isolationism with "get our retaliation in first" belligerence. The casting of Sterling Hayden in this role, very satisfactory in itself, has the additional effect of evoking memories of Dr. Strangelove,...
Take the phrase "Peace On Earth" as its watchword, the scenario makes Scrooge a wealthy recluse advocating the stockpiling of nuclear weapons and a foreign policy that combines isolationism with "get our retaliation in first" belligerence. The casting of Sterling Hayden in this role, very satisfactory in itself, has the additional effect of evoking memories of Dr. Strangelove,...
- 12/20/2012
- by David Cairns
- MUBI
Welcome to Holiday Favorites, a series in which Slackerwood contributors and our friends talk about the movies we watch during the holiday season, holiday-related or otherwise.
"Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except ... the four assholes coming in the rear in standard two-by-two cover formation."
-- Theo, Die Hard
There are plenty of classic and modern holiday-themed movies to enjoy, but the film that immediately comes to mind when I think of Christmas Eve is 1988's Die Hard. Why is the most definitive action film of the Eighties at the top of my holiday favorites list?
The story opens on Christmas Eve, as John McClane (Bruce Willis) makes his way to Nakatomi Plaza to meet his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) at her office Christmas party. Debauchery prevails along with the festivities, including sex in a boardroom among coworkers and illicit drug...
"Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except ... the four assholes coming in the rear in standard two-by-two cover formation."
-- Theo, Die Hard
There are plenty of classic and modern holiday-themed movies to enjoy, but the film that immediately comes to mind when I think of Christmas Eve is 1988's Die Hard. Why is the most definitive action film of the Eighties at the top of my holiday favorites list?
The story opens on Christmas Eve, as John McClane (Bruce Willis) makes his way to Nakatomi Plaza to meet his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) at her office Christmas party. Debauchery prevails along with the festivities, including sex in a boardroom among coworkers and illicit drug...
- 11/26/2012
- by Debbie Cerda
- Slackerwood
Director Quentin Lee's raunchy romantic comedy "The People I've Slept With" will screen along with "Children of Invention" at the Wellesley Asian Alliance Film Festival, Wednesday Oct. 13, 2010 at 6:30 Pm to 9:00 Pm.The film stars Archie Kao and Karin Anna Cheung along with Randall Park, Lynn Chen, Wilson Cruz and James Shigeta. It was written by Koji Steven Sakai.Future Screening dates:10/17/2010 Image Out:The Rochester Lesbian & Gay Film & Video Festival10/22/2010 Hamburg International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (European Premiere) 10/22/2010 Seattle...
- 10/11/2010
- by Ed Moy, LA Asian American Movie Examiner
- Examiner Movies Channel
Arnold Schwarzenegger has earned a spot in the halls of Washington, but not because of his political career.
Instead, the former actor's turn as a robot from the future was enshrined in the Library of Congress as the National Film Registry announced Tuesday that "The Terminator" is among the 25 films that have been selected for preservation in the Registry in 2008.
Under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act, each year the Librarian of Congress names 25 films to the Registry that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant. The choices aren't necessarily considered the best American films; they are chosen by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington on the advice of the Film Preservation Board and the library's motion picture staff because the selections possess "enduring significance to American culture."
James Cameron's 1984 "Terminator," in which the future governor of California's cyborg utters the classic line, "I'll be back," was cited for "blending an ingenious,...
Instead, the former actor's turn as a robot from the future was enshrined in the Library of Congress as the National Film Registry announced Tuesday that "The Terminator" is among the 25 films that have been selected for preservation in the Registry in 2008.
Under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act, each year the Librarian of Congress names 25 films to the Registry that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant. The choices aren't necessarily considered the best American films; they are chosen by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington on the advice of the Film Preservation Board and the library's motion picture staff because the selections possess "enduring significance to American culture."
James Cameron's 1984 "Terminator," in which the future governor of California's cyborg utters the classic line, "I'll be back," was cited for "blending an ingenious,...
- 12/30/2008
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.