Thompson on Hollywood

Sundance Doc Knuckle Gets North American Release

Ian Palmer's documentary Knuckle, which premiered at Sundance, has gone to ARC Entertainment and XLrator Media for North American distribution. ContentFilm previously acquired international rights to the film, while Revolver Entertainment has UK (August 5) and Ireland, and BBC has UK TV rights. Focusing on two brothers, the film chronicles the violent feud between two rival families in the traditional nomadic Irish Traveller community. Palmer immersed himself in the community for twelve years to gain insight.

By Sophia Savage
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July 12, 2011 5:55 AM
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Academy to Archive Alamo Drafthouse/Mondo's Original Movie Posters

Austin exhibitor Alamo Drafthouse/Mondo is teaming with the Academy's Margaret Herrick Library to archive their collection of original film posters created by graphic artists, which they've been producing since 2003.

By Sophia Savage
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July 11, 2011 6:01 AM
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Dardennes' Cannes Grand Prix Winner The Kid with a Bike Nabs More Awards

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's The Kid with a Bike (from Belgium) has won several awards in Italy. The filmmakers will be presented with the Fiesole Award to Film Masters (Premio Fiesole ai Maestri del Cinema) on July 8, the Flaiano International film Prize (Premio internazionale Flaiano del cinéma) on July 10 in Pescara, and in September the Robert Bresson Award in Venice. The film is currently playing in Belgium, France, Italy and Switzerland. There is currently no US release date, though it was picked up by Sundance Selects out of Cannes, where the Dardennes won yet another prize, the Grand Prix.

By Sophia Savage
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July 5, 2011 4:33 AM
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Winklevoss Twins Can't Stop

As THR film editor Gregg Kilday tweets: "Somebody should give them a copy of Bleak House." The Winklevoss twins, who earlier this week appeared to have given up their Quixotic quest to wrest justice from The Social Network subject Mark Zuckerberg, have not yet cut their losses. As they have failed to improve on their 2008 Facebook cash and stock settlement, now worth more than $100 million, they're just abandoning one approach to pursue another.

By Anne Thompson
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June 24, 2011 5:02 AM
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Ebert's Tweet Was Right: Crashed Jackass Star's Blood Level More Than Twice Legal Limit

Given that Jackass Ryan Dunn tweeted a picture of himself and pals drinking hours before he crashed to his fiery death early Monday, killing his passenger, it was not a huge stretch for Roger Ebert to tweet that afternoon: "Friends don't let jackasses drink and drive." It seems uncontroversial to me. The pushback was immediate, and a hot topic was born.

By Anne Thompson
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June 22, 2011 9:23 AM
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Debbie Reynolds Auction Breaks Up Historic Hollywood Collection

Wasn't the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences thinking about creating a Hollywood museum? The Academy sent no bidder to Debbie Reynolds' historic costume and prop collection assembled over 50 years, which crowds checked out over the past few weeks at the Paley Media Center until its auction Saturday. It was strange to conjure images of Yul Brynner sitting on the throne from The King and I, Charlton Heston or Ingrid Bergman putting on their armor for Ben Hur or Joan of Arc (pictured below), Gary Cooper putting on his World War I uniform as Sergeant York (below), Julie Andrews strumming her guitar from The Sound of Music, or anyone small enough to slip into Claudette Colbert's Cleopatra gown or Cecil Beaton's My Fair Lady Ascot Race dress for Audrey Hepburn. They made their actresses smaller then.

By Cari Beauchamp
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June 19, 2011 5:30 AM
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Elvis Mitchell is New Film Independent/LACMA Film Curator

Elvis Mitchell lands on his feet yet again. One thing about having been a film critic at the New York Times, visiting professor at Harvard, documentary filmmaker, and KCRW host of The Treatment: you get plenty of cred.

By Anne Thompson
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June 16, 2011 4:32 AM
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Duke & Duchess of Cambridge Hit Hollywood for BAFTA's First Brits to Watch Event; Names Announced

UPDATE 7/1: The forty-two Brits have been named and are listed below.

By Sophia Savage
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June 15, 2011 5:39 AM
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Madonna's W.E. Goes to Weinsteins for 2011 Release

W.E., Madonna's sophomore directorial outing, will be released by The Weinstein Co. this year. Madonna also co-wrote the romantic comedy with Alek Keshishian, who co-directed Miramax's Truth or Dare, which Harvey Weinstein memorably debuted at Cannes in 1991. Madonna co-produced W.E. with Scott Franklin (Black Swan). Abbie Cornish, Oscar Isaac, James D'Arcy, Andrea Riseborough, Natalie Dormer, Richard Coyle, James Fox and Laurence star. IM Global handled foreign sales.

By Sophia Savage
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June 13, 2011 7:24 AM
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Academy Receives Record Number of Entries for Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences received a record number of entries for the 2011 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. From the 6,730 entries, up to five winners will be selected to receive $30,000 this November.