Film366.com features a daily movie recommendation selected specifically for every day this leap year. Every post features a video - sometimes the official trailer, sometimes an original video review, and sometimes something else. Keep checking in to see the movie of the day!
Today in History !!!! On this sad day on April 14, 1912 the most famous ship tragedy in history happened in the North Atlantic when the R.M.S. Titanic slammed into an iceberg. It was supposed to be unsinkable, but two and a half hours later in the early hours of April 15th she sank. Wikipedia.org Article for the R.M.S. Titanic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Titanic So, they made this little movie about it and it did quite well from what I heard. Titanic (1997)
Run Time: 194 mins Genre: Historical, Biopic, Drama, Thriller, Romance Format: Widescreen Format, Color Director: James Cameron Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Victor Garber, David Warner, Gloria Stuart and Bill Paxton
Of course, I am joking. This movie is so epic, so breathtaking - it just had to win a boatload of Oscars and crush the box office. And the Celine Dion song will go on in your head forever - whether you like it or not. I had the pleasure of producing some cable network video stories about the real Artifacts of the Titanic as displayed in the Las Vegas Luxor Hotel and Casino attraction forever commemorating that amazing experience, I purchased Luxor die (pictured below) for my souvenir dice collection. ~ Chris
Titanic Footage & Survivors Interviews on YouTube:
This Day in History !!!!! On April 13, 1970, Apollo 13 suffered an explosion onboard that would set into motion a historic series of events. For the official NASA version of the story, click here. Wikipedia.org Article for Apollo 13: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_13
So, of course our recomendation for today is the Ron Howard thriller .................. ..... Apollo 13 (1995) Run Time: 140 mins Genre: Historical, Biopic, Drama, Thriller Format: Widescreen Format, Color Director: Ron Howard Starring: Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris and Kathleen Quinlan IMDB.com Entry for the Film: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112384/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Apollo 13: Part 1: Evening News Reports on YouTube (the other parts are on YouTube too. These are the actual news reports from CBS, NBC and ABC at the time it happened):
To commemorate the first Space Shuttle Columbia launch, here is...well, just see for yourself ...
Airplane II: The Sequel (1982) Run Time: 85 mins Genre: Comedy, Futuristic Format: Widescreen Format, Color Director: Ken Finkleman Starring: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Lloyd Bridges, Chad Everett, Peter Graves, Rip Torn, Chuck Connors, Richard Jaeckel, Stephen Stucker, Kent McCord, James A. Watson, Sonny Bono, Raymond Burr and William Shatner It's always easy to pick the first film, but what about the sequel, especially if its also good. Under Oveur, Oveur Dunn - Airplane 2: The Sequel on YouTube: IMDB.com Entry for the Film: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083530/?ref_=nv_sr_1
This Day in Film History !!!! This film was the Best Picture Winner at the 60th Oscars on this day back in 1988. Wikipedia.org Article for the 60th Academy Awards: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60th_Academy_Awards You simply could not escape hearing about how great this movie was back in the late 80s.
The Last Emperor (1987)
This is a film about Henry Pu Yi, the Last Emperor of China. What is great about most historical films is they always tackle certain "lost" parts about history. The bridge in a remote part of Burma in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), the tiny sailboat used by the American Army in the film The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1960) and this one too. Not many of us think that even a huge Empire like China would have a last emperor. Even the idea seems interesting. - Phil Run Time: 163 mins Genre: Historical, Biopic, War, Drama Format: Widescreen Format, Color Director: Bernardo Bertolucci Starring: John Lone, Joan Chen, Ruocheng Ying, Victor Wong, Vivian Wu and Peter O'Toole Wikipedia.org Article for the real Henry Pu Yi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puyi The Last Emperor in Color through pictures on YouTube: IMDB.com Entry for the Film: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093389/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Or check out TVGuide.com to see if this film is playing on TV/Cable in your area: http://www.tvguide.com/movies/the-last-emperor/126247/ Check back in tomorrow ...................... For our next Film of the Day .....................
This Day in Film History !!! On this day in 1968 this film won Best Picture at the 40th annual Academy Awards. Wikipedia.org Article for the 40th Annual Academy Awards: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/40th_Academy_Awards
This is a must see film and already the film that proved to me that Rod Steiger could really kick-ass with the acting. Sidney Poitier is brilliant. He was a busy guy in 1967 (see our Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) Post in the Link below), and he plays a Philadelphia Police Officer in this film ...... - Phil In the Heat of the Night (1967)
Run Time: 109 mins Genre: Drama, Crime Format: Widescreen Format, Color Director: Norman Jewison Starring: Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Lee Grant and Larry Gates IMDB.com Entry for the Film: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061811/?ref_=nv_sr_1
This Day in Film History !!! On this day in 1964, the Best Picture Winner at the 34th Annual Academy Awards was... Wikipedia.org Article for the 34th Annual Academy Awards: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/34th_Academy_Awards
....... West Side Story (1961)
Run Time: 152 mins Genre: Musical, Drama, Romance, Crime Format: Widescreen Format, Color Director: Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise Starring: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn and Rita Moreno IMDB.com Entry for the Film: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055614/?ref_=nv_sr_2
I did like the sets, lighting and colors. I am a fan of Russ Tamblyn, of course, I liked it when he became a B-movie star in movies like, the Toho Studios War of the Gargantuans (1967) and the Independent International film Dracula VS Frankenstein (1971). I was particularly impressed with his acrobatic dancing-style in this film. The film had interesting studies on racism and taboos from a 1960s perspective. It had that cutting edge stuff that made the 60s movies great, such as the line, “My parents won’t give me a puff of maj”, or the fact that teenagers passed along “social diseases” and other things that kept the story going. - Phil About 10 years ago myself and a bunch of friends had a movie club and we did the year 1961 and West Side Story was on the list. Here are some of those responses to the film:
Ross Brakman: I'll start out defensively: the minus is there because of the hype. I'm sorry, but I just don't think this film worthy of ten Oscars, including Best Picture and, this with me, having no idea what else it was up against at the time. It's a good film with an engaging, uniquely original story that in no way was ripped off of Shakespeare (although his descendants might be calling these guys soon...). Having said that, some of the music is absolutely insane, and some of the dance numbers are beyond parody. But this came out forty-seven years ago. Maybe it was all hip and cool back then, daddy-o. But Natalie Wood is definitely better eye candy as a Puerto Rican than as a 1920s era Kansan. And Richard Beymer gives Warren Beatty a run for his money, although Warren didn't go prancing through New York in his 1961 entry in the 1,001 movies to die for 1961 edition. So put your testosterone in a box, hide it in a closet somewhere and enjoy this laugh riot of love and fighting that has a happily ever after ending like nothing before and nothing after (until Titanic, that is). - Grade: A- Russ Tamblyn on "West Side Story" on YouTube:
Brad Green: Some of the scenes make me cringe: would you be intimidated by a bunch of dancing teens snapping their fingers and doing pirouettes on a basketball court? A Puerto Rican gang made up of white guys with glowing orange tans and bad accents? But it’s about the music, right? I like this film a lot… my parents had the soundtrack and we’d watch it every year on network TV. The gangs were much more intimidating when I was eight Not a very original plot- hell, Shakespeare wrote it- but a fun, emotional ride. Ain’t that right, Daddy-O? – Grade: A-
Jennifer Congleton:
I'm a big musical fan, so the fact that this film contains brilliant music and choreography has always been able to hold my interest. However, a lot of people do not enjoy musicals, so I wonder if the classic Romeo and Juliet theme is enough to keep their attention. Either way, movie fans should be able to appreciate the beautiful photography, colors, and the authentic NYC filming locations. - Grade: B+ "West Side Story" winning Best Picture on YouTube: Click the link below at GoWatchIt.com to see where you can stream or watch West Side Story (1961) online or on TV right now: http://gowatchit.com/movies/west-side-story-30185
Or check out TVGuide.com to see if this film is playing on TV/Cable in your area: http://www.tvguide.com/movies/west-side-story/122611/ Check back in tomorrow ...................... For our next Film of the Day .....................
This Day in Film History !!! We have another Best Picture Winner !!!!! And, boy howdy, it's a good one. On this day back in 1963 this film won the Best Picture Award at the 35th annual Oscars !!! Wikipedia.org Article for the 35th Academy Awards: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/35th_Academy_Awards
Film366.com presents to you the great .......... ............ Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
I LOVE David Lean's work and Lawrence of Arabia is one of my favorites for many reasons including this Digging Star Wars audio episode I recorded with Film366 music composer Peter Fey. - Chris
Here's a hint of just one of things Peter and I chat about in the above DSW episode:
Not enough to convince you? Let Martin Scorsese convince you...
Lawrence of Arabia interviews with Director David Lean, Peter O'Toole & Editor Anne V. Coates:
