Thompson on Hollywood

Oscar Scandal: Career Boost for Hurt Locker's Chartier?

The Hurt Locker producer Nicolas Chartier insists that he is enjoying his 15 minutes of fame. Late Wednesday night, drink in hand, pool side at Andaz above Sunset at a pre-Oscar party for The Cove, Chartier wasn't acting like a Hollywood pariah.

By Anne Thompson
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March 4, 2010 6:23 AM
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Retailer Wal-Mart Buys Digital Distributor Vudu

Wal-Mart is getting into the online movie business by acquiring download provider Vudu. Before now the mighty brick-and-mortar discount retailer hasn't had much luck with its attempts to crack the digital code--the studios dive-bombed Wal-Mart's last effort, a web store. And Vudu abandoned set-top boxes in favor of adding software that has been added to slightly more costly DVD players to enable them to stream movies off the internet. MovieBeam marked another botched attempt to get web movies into the home via expensive boxes.

By Anne Thompson
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February 23, 2010 12:10 AM
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Eastwood, Freeman Attend LACMA Promo for 35 Films 35 Years DVD Set

"CGI effects are great in pictures like Avatar and District 9, but I still love telling a story," said Clint Eastwood at Wednesday night's LACMA event to promote the release of the largest box set ever, Clint Eastwood: 35 Films 35 Years, from 1968's Where Eagles Dare and 1971's Dirty Harry and its sequels to his biggest hit Every Which Way But Loose and Pale Rider, Bird, Tight Rope, Unforgiven, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima and Invictus.

By Anne Thompson
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February 18, 2010 7:50 AM
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SpeedCine 2.0 Expands Global Reach

On Monday, SpeedCine founder and CEO Reid Rosefelt goes international with a new language filter, design and features. Stand-up comedy and concert films are now visible on the site, along with a button for new releases.

By Anne Thompson
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January 11, 2010 2:51 AM
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Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Expands

After a successful platform launch in four theaters, Sony Pictures Classics will expand The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus to about 400 theaters on January 8. Not sure how many moviegoers will be wooed by this TV spot. Most likely the film, Heath Ledger's last, will sell well when it is released on DVD, when the movie's devoted fan site will be included in the extras.

By Anne Thompson
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January 5, 2010 5:04 AM
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Weekend Read: 2012 Clips, FIND Conference, FTC Blog Rules, Polanski Culture Clash

Filmmaker Magazine reports from this weekend's FIND conference. So does Screen.

By Anne Thompson
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October 12, 2009 5:13 AM
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Indie Future: Mechanic Offers Answers

Always one of the smarter players in Hollywood, ex-Fox studio chairman Bill Mechanic (now owner of the production company Pandemonium LLC) gave a keynote speech Tuesday morning on the future of the indies at the Independent Film & Television Alliance Production Conference. Is he looking for a job (there's a big opening at Disney, where he used to run home video)? Maybe.

By Anne Thompson
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September 29, 2009 10:21 AM
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Potter's Rage Debuts on Mobile Phones

True confession. I love Sally Potter, from the great Tilda Swinton-starrer Orlando to the sexy verse-poem Yes. But her films just don't do a lot of stateside business.

By Anne Thompson
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September 22, 2009 10:44 AM
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Classic Cinema, Redbox Update, Batman Reality, Floating Heads

Hollywood News:Drew Barrymore's roller derby movie Whip It has a new poster and a new release date: October 2.

By Anne Thompson
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August 27, 2009 1:42 AM
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Redbox Analysis: Kiosks vs. Studios

In the second of an ongoing series of guest columns, ex-LA Times and Variety writer Diane Garrett (now at Consumed by Media) analyzes the ongoing Redbox $1 kiosk wars with insight from years of home video industry-watching. Just how did the mighty studios find themselves in court with this upstart DVD rental outfit? Garrett explains.