Today, we lost Run Run Shaw, one of the most prolific film producers of all time and perhaps one the most influential figures in Asian cinema. Shaw’s studio, Shaw Brothers Studio, produced nearly 1,000 films in his lifetime, particularly popular low-budget genre flicks. Among other achievements, Shaw is credited with inventing the kung fu film […]
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Peter O’Toole dies at 81
Image credit: IWDRM One of the all-time saddest Oscar narratives is the continued empty-handedness of legendary stage and screen actor Peter O’Toole. O’Toole died yesterday at age 81, and although he never won one of the eight competitive Academy Awards for which he was nominated, he will surely go down as one of the acting […]
Continue readingKiller cars? Flying fish? Notable directors with unusual starts
The most recent batch of Academy Award contenders to come out – 12 Years a Slave, The Contender, Gravity, etc. – all come from renowned or at least established directors. Except for perhaps Neil Blomkamp and Benh Zeitlin, few directors can claim that their first films received Oscar nods. Where, then, did these acclaimed directors […]
Continue readingMilitary fiction writer Tom Clancy dies at 66
Tom Clancy, famed espionage author, died unexpectedly this morning. Clancy’s brand of Cold War-inspired military dramas redefined the thriller genre; his influence is felt everywhere from bookstores to the popular video game franchises that bear his name. Clancy is perhaps best known for the film adaptations of his Jack Ryan series, including The Hunt for […]
Continue readingAargh crickets!
Aaaarrrggh! A family of crickets has taken up residence outside the emergency door in Media Services, and you can hear them everywhere. Normally we would’ve tried to clear them out, but because the pathway outside the library is currently under construction, we can’t get to them. We, for one, welcome our new insect overlords! Lest […]
Continue readingMiyazaki retires! Celebrate the legendary director’s work
A luminary of the film industry is throwing in the towel. With the release of The Wind Rises, his eleventh feature film, Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki has announced his retirement from filmmaking. The sudden announcement was perhaps inevitable given Miyazaki’s age, but his absence from the world of animation will be felt immediately. Miyazaki’s production […]
Continue readingRecognizing Elmore Leonard’s contributions to film
Last week, acclaimed novelist and screenplay writer Elmore Leonard died at age 87. Though perhaps not a household name, Leonard’s significant contributions to the film world should not be ignored. Leonard’s stories formed the backbone for a number of big movies and television shows, most notably the crime-comedy series Get Shorty and Be Cool. You […]
Continue readingWhat else did Mrs. Peacock from Clue do?
Longtime actress Eileen Brennan died yesterday at age 80. Though perhaps best known to modern audiences as Mrs. Peacock from the 1985 movie Clue, Brennan had a rich career on stage and screen. She got her biggest early break in Peter Bogdanovich’s The Last Picture Show, followed closely by a supporting role in the Best […]
Continue readingMedia Services at the Movies: 2 Guns
The summer blockbuster season is here! “Media Services at the Movies” will look at what big movie is coming out this week, then offer a few movies like it from our collection. As we drift towards the traditional end of summer movie season, the deluge of notable new releases has slowed down. This week, we’re […]
Continue readingMedia Services at the Movies: Blue Jasmine
The summer blockbuster season is here! “Media Services at the Movies” will look at what big movie is coming out this week, then offer a few movies like it from our collection. Truth be told, we don’t know much about Blue Jasmine. All the plot descriptions available are vague at best, only explaining that the […]
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