About a year and a half ago, it was announced that Shawnee Smith of the Saw franchise (not to mention two of my favorites, Summer School and The Blob ’88) had signed on to star in a horror movie called The Skulleton. That film is now ready to make its way out into the world under the title Bloodline Killer, and it’s set to receive a VOD and limited theatrical release on April 26th. With that date exactly one month away, a trailer has arrived online (our friends at Bloody Disgusting got the first look at it), and you can check it out in the embed above.
Smith is joined in the cast of Bloodline Killer by Tyrese Gibson (Morbius), Bruce Dern(The Hateful Eight),Taryn Manning (Orange Is the New Black), Damian Maffei (The Strangers: Prey at Night), Drew Moerlein (South of Hell), Alexander James Rodriguez (Bee and Puppycat), Jaime Zevallos (Cloak and Dagger), James Gaudioso (Mid-Century), and Anthony Gaudioso (What Josiah Saw).
Ante Novakovic (Sanctioning Evil) directed the film from a screenplay by Anthony and James Gaudioso (Mid-Century). The story centers on Smith’s character, Moira Cole, who attempts to move on with her shattered life after the brutal murder of her friends and family at the hands of her deranged and obsessed cousin, Lee Morris. Living a quiet suburban life with her deeply affected two adult sons, Moira is constantly reminded of her past, which is strewn across the screen every October, having been optioned into a popular movie franchise.
The Gaudiosos are producing Bloodline Killer with Rob Simmons of Jars Media Group and DJ Doddof Future Proof Films. Drew Morlein, Peter D’Amato, and Twelve 83 Entertainment’s Laura Barbato are serving as executive producers.
What did you think of the Bloodline Killer trailer? Will you be watching this movie next month? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
I was interested in this one as soon as it was announced, even though I didn’t like the title The Skulleton very much. I’m not blown away by Bloodline Killer, either, but I guess it’s a step up. Whatever the movie is called, I’ll be watching it.
PLOT: Steve Martin is one of the most beloved and enigmatic figures in entertainment. “STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces” dives into his extraordinary story from two distinct points of view, with companion documentaries that feature never-before-seen footage and raw insights into Steve’s personal and professional trials and triumphs. “Then” chronicles Steve Martin’s early struggles and meteoric rise to revolutionize standup before walking away at 35. “Now” focuses on the present day, with Steve Martin in the golden years of his career, retracing the transformation that led to happiness in his art and personal life.
REVIEW: It pains me to think that a generation is growing up that does not hold Steve Martin in the same regard as generations past. At 78 years old, Martin was the biggest comedian of all time for some, a movie star for others, and one of the old guys from Only Murders in the Building for the rest. As a musician, writer, and performer, the depth of Steve Martin’s talents is impressive when taken collectively, especially in retrospect. While he has not creatively slowed down, Steve Martin has transitioned his talents from stage to screen to page and beyond. Partnering with filmmaker Morgan Neville (Roadrunner), STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces is a three-hour chronicle of the comedian’s life told through two distinct halves. Each piece, clocking in at ninety-five minutes, takes us through Martin’s early days as a stand-up comedian through his film career and up to the recent phase of his life involving writing books, releasing musical albums, and filming his hit Hulu series. A fascinating watch for lifelong fans of his, STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces may be too much for all but the most ardent admirers.
The two sections of STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces each serve as a standalone documentary and use different filmmaking techniques and structural elements. The first part, titled “then,” is told with no on-screen interviews. Steve Martin’s voice is heard throughout the first film in archival footage and newly recorded interview narration. Diving deep into his archives, STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces uses journal entries, set lists and notes, photographs, and amateur film footage to show how the comedian’s skills developed from a young age as a magician and then an entertainer. There are interviews with Martin’s close friends and romantic partners as he honed his skills in small venues before breaking out on The Smothers Brothers Show and then as a touring comedian. The incredulous path that Steve Martin’s life took astounded even him as he recounts how his sense of humor masked anxiety and an adversarial relationship with his father. It is a fascinating and beautifully rendered documentary that skillfully weaves artistic use of footage and stills to keep the momentum moving through Martin’s transition from stage performer to Saturday Night Live stalwart and then his breakthrough film debut, The Jerk.
As the first part closes, the “now” half of STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces ventures into more familiar documentary terrain. Using footage filmed in 2022 as Steve Martin and Martin Short mount their stage show and Martin developing the illustrated memoir Number One Is Walking with artist Harry Bliss, filmmaker Morgan Neville takes a less comprehensive biographical approach. Instead, “Now” looks at Steve Martin’s film career through the lens of his seventy-eight years. Martin has trouble listening to his early comedy act and breaks down in tears remembering working with John Candy on Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. While the second section does chronicle much of Martin’s film career from Pennies from Heaven through L.A. Story, Roxanne, and more, this half is much more focused on how Steve’s love of banjo music, collecting art, and becoming a father late in life has transformed him from the wild and crazy icon of the 1980s to the Mark Twain Prize-winning legendary performer he is today.
“Then” relied heavily on showcasing Steve Martin’s loud and vibrant stage persona, while “Now” is more content in showing how he has evolved late in life. Much of the on-screen time showcases Martin working with Martin Short, a sit-down interview with Jerry Seinfeld, and individual interviews between the filmmaker and a select group of Martin’s close friends, including Tina Fey, Eric Idle, and his wife Anne Stringfield. It is interesting to see Steve Martin himself critically look back at the creative failures of his career, including films like Leap of Faith and Mixed Nuts, while also analyzing his career as a playwright and his extensive private collection of fine artwork. Not much time is devoted to the creative process of making his films, with Little Shop of Horrors, Three Amigos, Father of the Bride, and Parenthood being referenced, but not much else. Martin himself refers to his film career as more anecdotal than his stage career, which may disappoint fans wanting to know more about his movies.
Director Morgan Neville can be heard asking questions from off-camera during the second part of STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces but mostly lets Steve Martin himself do the bulk of the talking. While the first part sheds great insight into Martin’s creative process and his rise to stardom, part two looks and feels more like a traditional documentary without following the expected formula. Steve Martin’s private persona is far different from what many of us have seen on stage and screen, and while still incredibly funny and with minimal effort, STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces presents him as a man who has changed as an artist and a human being over the eight decades of his life. There is a lyrical element to this documentary that is so different between the two sections that I was tempted to review this as two individual films. Morgan Neville embraces Steve Martin’s personality changes over the years, allowing each of these pieces to echo the man they are documenting.
STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces is a beautiful ode to a legendary performer. I absolutely loved “then” as it showed the performer’s evolution to the peak of his fame. “Now” did not quite reach the same effect for me but still showcased how Steve Martin interprets his life’s obstacles, challenges, and loves. Full of humor and touching reminiscence, STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces epitomizes every facet of Steve Martin, the celebrity, by giving us a look at Steve Martin the man. I enjoyed this film very much and would recommend audiences watch it as two separate films rather than two parts of a whole. Either way, this is not a comprehensive biopic, but it still gives you an in-depth look at one of the preeminent comedic talents of all time.
Back in 1967, The Beatles told us, “All You Need Is Love.” Back in 2004, writer Hiroshi Sakurazaka brought the world a novel called All You Need Is Kill, which served as the basis for the 2014 Tom Cruise sci-fi adventure Edge of Tomorrow… and I could understand why the title was changed for the movie, as All You Need Is Kill never sounded quite right to me. A better version would be All You Need Is Death – and that’s the title the makers of an upcoming folk horror movie have decided to use for their film, which is set to receive a VOD and limited theatrical release on April 11th. With that release date just a couple weeks away, a trailer for All You Need Is Death has arrived online, and you can check it out in the embed above.
The narrative feature debut from Dublin-based writer/director Paul Duane, the film has the following synopsis: A young couple who are a part of a mysterious, secret organization travel at night with the desire to discover forbidden knowledge. They believe that living, modern alchemy is contained in old, forgotten songs. When they find an elderly, mysterious woman who sings songs that have never been heard before, they open the door to ancient evil and madness.
Duane has previously directed multiple documentaries, and also received writing credits on such shows as Amber and Secret Diary of a Call Girl.
All You Need Is Death stars Charlie Maher (Blue Lights), Simone Collins (The Last Duel), Gary Whelan (The Contract), and Olwen Fouéré, who has become a genre regular these days, having also appeared in Mandy, Sea Fever, She Will, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Cult Killer, Halo, and Sunrise, among other things. Later this year, she’ll be seen in the Ishana Night Shyamalan thriller The Watchers and the Sony / Screen Gems horror film Tarot.
The film is getting its VOD and theatrical release courtesy of XYZ Films.
What did you think of the All You Need Is Death trailer? Will you be watching this movie when it’s released next month? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Most know Karen Gillan as Nebula in the MCU or from the newer Jumanji films. Or if you’re a weirdo like me you remember her from her great work in the third season of NTSF:SD:SUV. As her time as Nebula draws to a close, she’s been popping up in some really interesting Indie work. While her role was brief, she had quite the screen presence in last year’s Next Exit. And I’m not sure if you’re aware but Russell Crowe has been absolutely killing it lately. So I was very excited to see Gillan and Crowe team up for a new crime thriller.
Sleeping Dogs takes the viewer on a very interesting journey of discovery. Gillan’s Laura Baines is quite layered and allows a little more grey area.
Sleeping Dogs synopsis:
In this gripping crime thriller, Russell Crowe stars as Roy Freeman, an ex-homicide detective withafracturedmemory,forcedtorevisitacasehecan’tremember.Asaman’slife hangs in the balance on death row, Freeman must piece together the brutal evidence from a decade-old murder investigation, uncovering a sinister web of buried secrets and betrayals linking to his past. With only instincts to trust, he faces a chilling truth -sometimes, it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie.
When Godzilla vs. Kong premiered in 2021, it was long removed from the more suspense-filled, grounded, gritty Godzilla of 2014. After Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the series has fully leaned into the sci-fi cheese and carnage that we dreamt of as kids, complete with spaceships that travel to the center of the Earth. Now that Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire has premiered, the important question is: is it entertaining? While not high art (though the recent Japanese Godzilla films have become more prestigious), audiences sitting down to watch a movie where Kong rides Godzilla while wielding an axe still want it to measure up to a good ol’ time. So, how is it fairing in the early reactions?
Advanced word is saying that the latest monster mash is quite the smash (I’m so, so sorry). Our own JimmyO raves, “Godzilla x Kong is a whole lot of Titan fun! With emphasis on the monsters, Wingard explores Kong and company, rightly giving them the spotlight. The new creatures add much to this ever expanding world. And when it comes to humans, Dan Stevens and Brian Tyree Henry are both scene stealers while Rebecca Hall and Kaylee Hottle are both terrific. The monsterverse is in good hands with Wingard.”
Our man @JimmytotheO saw #GodzillaxKongTheNewEmpire mad had a blast! “Godzilla x Kong is a whole lot of Titan fun! With emphasis on the monsters, Wingard explores Kong and company, rightly giving them the spotlight. The new creatures add much to this ever expanding world. And…
According to DigitalSpy, Film Speak’s Griffin Schiller described the movie as “A fantastically weird, psychedelic trip through the Shōwa Era w/all the vibrance of an 80s album cover. This thing is an absurdist romp – crimson apes, frost dragons, a delightfully absurd Dan Stevens. Another FUN entry in the MonsterVerse!” He then states it’s “a fantastically weird, psychedelic trip through the Shōwa Era w/all the vibrance of an 80s album cover. This thing is an absurdist romp – crimson apes, frost dragons, a delightfully absurd Dan Stevens. Another FUN entry in the MonsterVerse!”
And Variety‘s Aaron Neuwirth would rave, “Godzilla X Kong hits plenty of sweet spots for me! Tons of wild kaiju action, a brutal villain for Kong, a powered-up Godzilla, Dan Stevens having a blast, some legit surprises, and so many colors. Bring me more MonsterVerse!”
Meanwhile, those who think that even a fun romp like this movie lacks any kind of story development, the action makes up for the shortcomings. Geeks of Doom’s Michael Lee posted, “Godzilla X Kong is a noisy titan brawl with hardly any human heart to engage us on an emotional level. But audiences coming for the fights alone are getting a supremely awesome tag team match between Godzilla and Kong vs Skar King and Shimo.”
Eric Goldman posted, “#GodzillaXKong is a really great King Kong movie. The human stuff is notably clunky (poor Rebecca Hall saddled with so much dry exposition) but Kong has so many scenes centered on him and I just loved the big guy. And the final fight sequences are pure monster mayhem delight.”
#GodzillaXKong is a really great King Kong movie. The human stuff is notably clunky (poor Rebecca Hall saddled with so much dry exposition) but Kong has so many scenes centered on him and I just loved the big guy. And the final fight sequences are pure monster mayhem delight. pic.twitter.com/un2iVtHz8f
George A. Romero’s 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead is in the public domain, so a lot of people have made their own sequels and remakes to the film over the decades, put out their own releases of it, colorized it, animated it, etc. It’s a property that has never been dormant… but these days it seems like its undead ghouls are livelier than ever. The George A. Romero Foundation and the Cinedigm-backed Bloody Disgusting are making a podcast sequel called The Dead. Nikyatu Jusu is directing a film sequel that will be released by MGM. Greg Nicotero is planning to make a movie about the making ofNight of the Living Dead. About a year ago, it was announced that twin directors Jen and Sylvia Soska are taking the helm of their own Night of the Living Dead follow-up called Festival of the Dead, and now the Soskas have confirmed that the movie is set to be released through the Tubi streaming service on April 5th.
We should be seeing a trailer for Festival of the Dead any time now, but while we wait for that some promotional art has dropped online:
Scripted by Helen Marsh and Miriam Lyapin, Festival of the Dead has the following synopsis: It has been over 50 years since Night of the Living Dead’s original zombie attack and the horrific event has become the subject of morbid nostalgia. Looking for fun, Ash and her friends attend the Festival of the Living Dead, but it is disrupted when a blast of radioactive space dust hits the festival and they must defend themselves or be devoured by the living dead. So it sounds like this movie will be fully buying into the idea that the original zombie outbreak was caused by the crashing of a Venus probe, something that was mentioned as a potential cause in Night of the Living Dead but never confirmed and never given any credence in Romero’s own follow-ups.
The cast includes Ashley Moore (I Know What You Did Last Summer), Camren Bicondova (Gotham), Andre Anthony (The Night Agent), Christian Rose (Holiday Baggage), Shiloh O’Reilly (The Haunted Museum), Gage Marsh (You Me Her), Keana Lyn Bastidas (The Hardy Boys), and Maia Jae Bastidas (Rabbit Hole).
According to Deadline, Moore is playing Ash, who has been accepted to college and is getting ready to reluctantly leave her old life behind as she is torn between her boyfriend and his friends, and her old friends. When her boyfriend gets her tickets to the Festival, she jumps at the opportunity to see her favorite band. Bicondova’s character is Iris, who has been Ash’s closest friend for years, though they are starting to drift apart — especially because Iris knows Ash is leaving to go to college. She agrees to watch Ash’s brother, Luke, so Ash can go to the festival.
The Soskas have revealed that Ash is meant to be the granddaughter of the Ben character from Romero’s Night of the Living Dead.
Coming our way from Enlighten Content, Festival of the Living Dead is being produced by Jacob Nasser.
Are you interested in Festival of the Living Dead? Will you be watching this movie when it reaches Tubi next month? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
The Soska Sisters have previously directed Dead Hooker in a Trunk, American Mary, See No Evil 2, Vendetta, Rabid, On the Edge, and a segment of the anthology ABCs of Death 2.
“Now get the hell down in the cellar. You can be the boss down there, but I’m boss up here!”
To make a sequel to Romero’s Night of the Living Dead is no easy task. A lot of the work comes from getting the perfect cast – playing Ben’s granddaughter, Ash, is the insanely talented… pic.twitter.com/k9JBwpnEgh
John Malkovich is currently out promoting his new Apple TV series, The New Look (read our review), in which he plays Lucien Lelong, a famous French couturier, opposite Ben Mendelsohn as Christian Dior and Juliette Binoche as Coco Chanel. To mark the occasion, he sat with GQ to reminisce about some of his most prominent roles, including his famous turn as Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom in Con Air, opposite Nicolas Cage.
At the time, Malkovich was working with an English author on a script they wanted to make when the script for Con Air came in. “I get this script; I see that it’s called Con Air. I look at the cast of characters and notice they’re all named after romantic poets. I take the script and fling it about fifteen meters across the kitchen.” He remembers his English novelist colleague looking at him quizzically and telling him that, as a novelist, he’d never actually read a screenplay and wanted to give it a look. “The next morning, he came downstairs and gave this big speech saying, I’m so glad I’m working with someone like you who would have so much integrity that he would never imagine doing a film like this. And I said, whoa, I’m doing the film. And he goes, ‘You didn’t read it,’ and I said, ‘I didn’t have to read it; I get exactly what it is. You better believe I’m doing it!’
He goes on to fondly remember the shoot, with Jerry Bruckheimer’s entourage of tough guys making a significant impression on Malkovich. “All I really remember about it is Jerry Bruckheimer, who I liked very much; he always had this pack, and they were like extras in a way. But, who were fantastically entertaining. Danny Trejo had a role, but there were other ones like Marty McSorley (the pilot), who was a hockey enforcer, and Conrad Goode (Viking), who was an NFL football player—super entertaining, very male energy. When we break into the cockpit to take over, this guy Marty McSorley he’s supposed to put up resistance because he’s one of the pilots. He just grabbed me by the throat and put me like that (mimes holding someone up in the air with one hand) with one arm.”
He also mentioned that using so many pyrotechnics in the desert made for a challenging shoot. “I’d known Steve Buscemi, who was a fireman, and we were having trouble having too little or too much smoke. I was just reminded of this the other day because I was just in LA doing press, and I saw David (Dave) Chapelle, who was in Con Air. We had such trouble regulating the smoke. So, finally grabbed the machine and gave it to Buscemi, who was in the shot.” Remembering that Buscemi was once a fireman, he thought he could do the best job regulating the smoke. He remembers saying, “You were a fireman; just shut up and do the thing – which he did quite well, of course.”
He also fondly remembered some of the dialogue, particularly “Cy-anara” and when he tells Buscemi’s serial killer character, “I love your work.” Interestingly, he reveals Nicolas Cage came up with the “One move and the bunny gets it line.”
Indeed, he said for years, people remembered him best for that role. “For years, Cyrus The Virus was the calling card.” He also nostalgically looks back at the big “walking away from an explosion” scene. “There’s a big explosion in Con Air. In later years, Andy Samberg did a song, “Cool Guys Don’t Look at Explosions.” I remember when we did that, we had a big safety meeting, and I think the guy that ran that was called Ken… they explain this whole thing….at 30 yards this… 70 yards that. Kenny asked who wants to count it out?” He said the cast of tough guys playing the cons looked at him, assuming he would be the best in counting. “Everyone’s still alive, so I guess I could count.”
Sony hopes to wash the taste of Madame Web out of people’s mouths with a new official Spider-Man that has the strength of the MCU behind it. The next entry of the Marvel Studios Spider-Man franchise has been carefully planning its next steps as No Way Home celebrated the web crawler’s film legacy, then ultimately took Peter Parker back to his smaller roots in the end as a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. However, the previous trilogy director, Jon Watts, will not be returning to the new entry, so it’s now up in the air for who can take the reins.
World of Reel reveals that Sony and Marvel Studios are wanting to start production this fall, around September or October. However, they have not yet signed on a new director. It was reported last year that the front runner for the job in the wake of Watts stepping down was Drew Goddard of The Cabin in the Woods and Bad Times at the El Royale. Goddard is still on the list of hopefuls, but Justin Lin is now also a name being considered. Lin will no doubt be judged by fans from his association with the Fast & Furious franchise, but Lin also notably made his directorial debut with an angst-fueled high school crime drama titled Better Luck Tomorrow, which is somewhat of an experience he can draw upon as the heart of Peter Parker’s story deals with the stresses of a young adult.
Interestingly, according to TheInSnieder, the recent news of Euphoria‘s delay at HBO might be blamed on Zendaya’s commitment to the superhero franchise. It was recently revealed that HBO postponed the filming of the show’s third season indefinitely, citing that the show is undergoing major changes that may take the stories into a newer setting. HBO even addressed further that while the production is on hiatus, they are allowing their stars to take on any projects in the interim.
Tom Holland himself wants to make sure the next movie is worth suiting up for again, “All I can say is that we have been actively engaging in conversations about what it could potentially look like for a fourth rendition of my character. Whether or not we can find a way to do justice to the character is another thing. I feel very protective over Spider-Man. I feel very, very lucky that we were able to work on a franchise that got better with each movie, that got more successful with each movie, which I think is really rare, and I want to protect his legacy. So, I won’t make another one for the sake of making another one. It will have to be worth the while of the character.”
Settle in, Mother Scratchers! We’re going back to the salad days of Joel and Ethan Coen‘s fabled partnership for the duo’s unconventional comedy about an unlikely courtship, unwanted house guests, a cigar-chomping pale rider, the best deals on furniture in the Southwestern portion of the United States, and baby stealing! Slap your ass, and don’t forget the Huggies because we’re revisiting the Coen Brothers’ 1987 crime comedy Raising Arizona.
The dynamic duo of Joel and Ethan Coen made the Hollywood scene in 1984 with the neo-noir crime drama Blood Simple. Featuring John Getz, Francis McDormand, and Dan Hedaya, Blood Simple helped define the brothers as a creative team to watch, with critics taking a shine to the thriller’s harsh Texas setting, twisting plot, and hypnotic characters. Not all filmmakers come out of the gate swinging, but the Coens delivered a haymaker for film buffs craving something dark, mysterious, and deadly.
Those who enjoyed Blood Simple could not wait to see what the brothers would do next. Still, rather than paint themselves as one-trick ponies, the Coens decided to go in a different direction for their sophomore film. This choice confounded some critics but intrigued audiences who craved something unorthodox and unexpected. The Coens wanted to surprise people by abandoning their investigation into the dealings of dark and disturbing individuals by introducing upbeat characters, slapstick, and playful dialogue through a madcap comedy. Thus, plans to put Raising Arizona into production began, leading the Coens down a rocky road of personality clashes and ire from angry Arizonans.
Okay, then. Let’s catch you up with what Raising Arizona is all about. The film focuses on the questionable courtship of Nicolas Cage as H.I. “Hi” McDunnough, an ex-convict labeled a repeat offender by the state of Arizona, and Holly Hunter as Edwina “Ed” McDunnough, a police officer who takes a shine to Hi’s Southern charm. Hi and Edwina tie the knot after years of revolving-door incarceration, mugshot photography flirtation, and well-intentioned advances. Their honeymoon period is short-lived once Edwina’s biological clock starts ticking, and the couple decides to have a baby.
Sadly, Edwina’s womb is a place where Hi’s seed can find no purchase, and adoption agencies aren’t keen on helping because of Hi’s checkered past. Desperate to expand their family unit, the McDunnoughs learn about a quintuplet of infants dubbed the “Arizona Quints,” born to the regionally famous furniture magnate Nathan Arizona, played by Trey Wilson, and his doting wife, Florence, played by Lynne Kitei.
Figuring the Arizona couple has more than they can handle with five mouths to feed, Hi and Edwina steal a child they believe is Nathan Jr. Devastated by the home invasion and loss of their child, the Arizonas launch an investigation into the theft. However, when local law enforcement proves themselves useless, Nathan Arizona hires Leonard Smalls, a grizzled bounty hunter with a mysterious aura bordering on the verge of supernatural.
At the McDunnough homestead, Hi and Edwina attempt to pose as a nuclear family by passing Nathan Jr. off as their offspring. Unfortunately, Hi’s buddies from the Maricopa County Maximum Security Correctional Facility For Men, Gale and Evelle Snoats, played by John Goodman and William Forsythe, respectively, have busted out of prison and come knocking on the couple’s door. As the Snoat brothers eat the McDunnoughs out of house and home, Leonard Smalls is closing in, and people are growing suspicious of the couple’s new addition.
Once the Snoat brothers vacate the McDunnough domicile, Hi’s supervisor, Glen, played by Sam McMurray, and his wife, Dot, portrayed by Francis McDormand, visit for lunch and inadvertently paint a grim picture of parenthood for the tightly wound McDunnoughs. When Glen makes one bigoted joke too many and proposes a swingers union with Hi and Edwina, Hi drops Glen like a bag of dirt. The scuffle sets a chain reaction into motion, bringing unwanted attention to the McDunnoughs, and the fight to keep the secret of Nathan Jr.’s origin becomes insurmountable.
Because the concept of Raising Arizona included new territory for the Coens, the scripting process presented unique challenges. Throughout three and a half months, Joel and Ethan Coen submerged themselves in the Arizonan vernacular, combining the state’s deep-fried dialect with supermarket magazine barks and passages from the Bible. Unlike the characters in Blood Simple, the Coens wanted audiences to connect with the McDunnoughs and feel sympathy for their child-procuring woes. Crafting lovable criminals is an art form, and the Coens have always excelled at bringing viewers close to the hearts and minds of their well-intentioned sinners.
The Coens took inspiration from the works of the American playwright, screenwriter, and director Preston Sturges, whose directorial efforts include films like The Lady Eve, Sullivan’s Travels, The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek, Unfaithfully Yours, and more. Dabbling primarily in romantic comedies, musicals, and drama, the Coens adore Sturges’s versatility and ability to convey allure at a prudish time in Hollywood’s history. The Coens also cite the American writers of novels, short stories, and essays, William Faulkner and Flannery O’Connor, as fuel for their creative fire. Both writers excelled at bringing a unique Southern charm to their stories, with O’Connor displaying a particular talent for questioning Catholicism-defined morality and ethics. This theme would follow the Coens in other films, such as The Big Lebowski and O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Filming for Raising Arizona lasted ten weeks, with The Addams Family, Get Shorty, and Men in Black director Barry Sonnenfeld as the project’s cinematographer. Rustling up actors to bring the film’s colorful cast was easy enough, though the Coens encountered snags while working alongside two of the film’s stars, Nicolas Cage and Leonard Smalls. Excited about collaborating with the Coens, Cage routinely offered suggestions about the script and tried to improvise when he felt inspired. The Coens waved Cage’s improvisations off like so many flies circling Nathan Arizona in the head office of his furniture store. While Cage lamented his loss of extemporizing, he respected the Coen’s vision and learned a thing or two about challenging filmmakers.
Randall “Tex” Cobb also managed to fuffle a few feathers. The Coens once described Cobb as “a force of nature,” saying they would hesitate to hire him again. Speaking with Business Insider, composer Carter Burwell offered insight into one of the low points of Cobb’s time on the Raising Arizona set.
“Cobb wasn’t an actor,” Burwell explained. “He’d shot his stuff, but there was still one or two scenes that they needed him for. His manager was a professional fighting manager. He said to the Coens, “If you really need him back, we should get twice as much money because you really can’t substitute anyone for him now, can you?” He didn’t represent any other actors, so he didn’t care about his reputation. They had to pay the money.”
Who would have guessed extortion would be a part of Raising Arizona‘s history? Add the fact that Cobb didn’t know how to ride a motorcycle – which is integral to his character – and his inability to memorize his lines, and friend, you’ve got yourself a “pain in the ass” on set.
Interestingly, Kevin Costner and Richard Jenkins auditioned for the part of Hi, but failed to land the role, with Costner making three attempts to become a part of the project. Meanwhile, Kate Capshaw was offered the role of Edwina, but turned it down, a decision she would later regret.
As for Burwell, he composed the music for Raising Arizona by combining Southern sensibilities with Looney Tunes-inspired themes. A prime example of Burwell’s madcap approach to the soundtrack is the central theme, “Way Out There.” The song begins with a doom-tinged dirge before breaking into a jaunty banjo diddy. As the track intensifies with whistles and yodels, you can practically feel the rays of a rising Arizona sun coming over the horizon.
Raising Arizona banked $29.1 million worldwide on a reported budget of $5.5 million. A moderate success, mixed reviews followed the film like a paranoid parent chasing after a newly-waddling toddler. Considering fan affinity for Raising Arizona today, you’d assume everyone enjoyed the Coen’s wiley jaunt into the Copper State. However, the film inspired public outrage in the people it represents, Arizonans. Citizens of the Grand Canyon State felt insulted by the Coen brothers’ film, saying it portrayed them as dim-witted and boorish. Even the Mayor of Scottsdale, Arizona, Herb Drinkwater, criticized the film, saying it had “no redeeming social value.”
While Raising Arizona has its share of haters, I do not count myself among them. I had a blast revisiting the film for this script, and I still regard it as one of my Top 5 Coen Brothers films. Cage and Hunter’s comedic chemistry is off-the-charts, with Goodman and Forsythe elevating the film with their brotherly hijinks. If you listen closely, you’ll hear dialogue from Raising Arizona woven into my everyday vocabulary, including the line “The government do take a bite, don’t she,” whenever I see the powers that be going vampire on our housing costs and paychecks.
Raising Arizona is an early example of the Coen’s talent for crafting darling delinquents and clever yet cartoonish comedy. It is challenging to imagine the Coen Brothers’ filmography without this experimental gem and consider its influence on filmmakers for years to come. While films like Fargo, No Country for Old Men, and True Grit shine like diamonds in the Coens’ ornate crown of classics, it’s important to remember the duo’s salad days and how taking a risk resulted in one of their most beloved films.
Imaginary, the latest team-up between Blumhouse and director Jeff Wadlow – who had previously collaborated on the 2018 film Truth or Dare and the 2020 horror version of Fantasy Island – reached theatres on March 8th, and it hasn’t set the box office on fire during its tow and a half week theatrical run, pulling in just under $29 million at the global box office. Now Lionsgate has given the film a PVOD (that’s Premium Video on Demand) and PEST (that’s Premium Electronic Sell-Through) release, so maybe more genre fans will check it out now that it’s available to watch in the comfort of our own homes.
The Amazon version it available to watch HERE. The Vudu version comes with an exclusive featurette: Forged by Fire: A Tale of Unbreakable Family Bonds.
The film sees DeWanda Wise of Jurassic World: Dominion taking on the role of Jessica, who moves back into her childhood home with her family, and her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more concerning, Jessica intervenes, only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believes him to be.
Wadlow wrote the screenplay for Imaginary with Greg Erb and Jason Oremland. An earlier synopsis we saw made it sound like a horror take on the 1991 comedy Drop Dead Fred: A young woman returns to her childhood home only to discover that the imaginary friend she left behind is very real and very unhappy she left.
The director had this to say about working with Wise: “DeWanda has been more than a star on this movie — she has been a full creative partner. So much of horror grows out of our most basic fears from childhood, and DeWanda taps into all of that. You know that old saying that the audience’s imagination is scarier than any movie? We’re going to put that to the test.“
Lionsgate and Blumhouse co-financed Imaginary. Lionsgate and Blumhouse previously worked together on the 2012 release Sinister. Wadlow is producing the film alongside Blumhouse founder Jason Blum.
In addition to Truth or Dare and Fantasy Island, Jeff Wadlow has also directed Cry_Wolf, Never Back Down, Kick-Ass 2,True Memoirs of an International Assassin, and The Curse of Bridge Hollow, as well as episodes of TV shows like Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television and Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Will you be watching Imaginary now that it has gotten a PVOD and PEST release? Let us know by leaving a comment below – and if you have already seen the movie, tell us what you thought of it! (You can read our review at THIS LINK.)
