Thompson on Hollywood

EL James Does 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Promo Tour (Video)

Video

Curious about EL James, author of erotic fantasy fiction "Fifty Shades of Grey"? The Twihard, who started out writing "Twilight" fan fiction before penning her own trilogy (which has been bought for the movies, under her control, by Universal and Focus Features), has been on a promo tour as her three Vintage books have sold 3 million digital and print copies in less than a month and top the New York Times bestseller list. They are also bestsellers in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. Translated books are about to hit other countries too.

By Anne Thompson
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May 12, 2012 2:36 PM
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Johnny Carson Honored as 'King of Late Night' in American Masters PBS Documentary

Video

In the mood to look backwards to the early days of late night TV? To mark the the 50th anniversary of Johnny Carson taking over the 'Tonight Show' from Jack Paar, as well as the 20th anniversary of Carson's retirement from television, this coming Monday, PBS will honor Johnny Carson as the "King of Late Night" in an American Masters documentary.

By Maggie Lange
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May 2, 2012 2:13 PM
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Amazon Studios Adds TV Series to Development Slate for Instant Video Release

News

Phase Two of Amazon Studios' radical move to reinvent entertainment industry production models--turning to movie fans for direction and feedback on the process--is television.

By Anne Thompson
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May 2, 2012 11:59 AM
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BBC's 'I Claudius' The Accidental Emperor on DVD

Television

Rome and its emperors are with us still. What are the "Hunger Games" but a modern version of the gladiator fights-to-the-death with which the emperors pacified unruly citizens? There is a lot of killing in the brilliant 1976 BBC miniseries “I Claudius,” newly remastered with a sharper look, and released on DVD by Acorn Media.

By Aljean Harmetz
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May 1, 2012 12:25 PM
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HBO Renews for Second Seasons Two Half-Hour Comedies Targeted at Women: Lena Dunham's 'Girls' and Armando Iannucci's 'Veep'

Television

Great news. HBO Entertainment has renewed two half-hour comedies targeted at women for second seasons. The commitment for Lena Dunham's 'Girls' is for ten episodes. The show has a gross audience to date of 3.8 million viewers.

By Anne Thompson
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April 30, 2012 3:49 PM
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Trailer Watch: 'Boardwalk Empire' Teases Third Season

Television

The third season of HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" won't bow until this fall, but two teasers are now available to whet your appetite.

By Sophia Savage
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April 23, 2012 4:03 PM
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Robert Redford Presents on the Sundance Channel; Curated Indie Series to Begin with 'The Crucible'

Television

The Sundance Channel will feature a series of indie films curated and introduced by creative director Robert Redford.

By Sophia Savage
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April 23, 2012 11:49 AM
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'The Walking Dead' Team Talk Zombie Horror at NAB: "I Do Want to Find Out What the Limit Is"

Reviews

How far can they go with gore and violence? “It’s really awesome that AMC is bold enough to put just about anything up there,” said Kirkman, “But I do want to find out what the limit is.”

By Valentina Valentini
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April 18, 2012 11:40 AM
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'Mad Men' Episode 5 Review and Recap: In 'Signal 30,' Pete and Lane Throw Feeble Punches at Despair

Television

In Sunday's all-new "Mad Men" episode, death and despair continue to seep into the big picture. But in the midst of sniper shootings, highway crashes and men who "have nothing," is there a faint signal of hope?

By Beth Hanna
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April 16, 2012 5:22 AM
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'Justified,' and 'Southland' Finales: Meet Hardboiled Director Don Siegel

Reviews

Watching the final few episodes of "Justified" (which ended its season this week) as well as "Southland" and the more pretentious "The Killing," I found myself thinking about Don Siegel, the mid-century hardboiled director whose films epitomized an unpretentious, corrosive vein of American cinema.