FILM 1952: A STAR IS BORN

FILM 1952: A STAR IS BORN

TRIVIA:  Bradley Cooper said that Lady Gaga was the one who convinced him they should sing live. Gaga said she hated watching movies where the actors were not lip-syncing correctly to the songs, and to avoid this and get it right they needed to sing live for the film. This was what caused Cooper to get more extensive vocal training.

Some of the scenes were filmed at the Coachella Festival in 2017, where Lady Gaga was the first female headliner in ten years. Festival-goers paid ten dollars to see the scenes being filmed, although recording devices were locked away to prevent any footage being leaked.

Like his character Jack, Bradley Cooper dealt with both alcohol and drug addiction. He has spoken publicly about how sobriety saved both his life and career.

Bradley Cooper had to undergo a full body spray tan everyday and endure menthol around his eyes to look bloodshot and high. Meanwhile, Lady Gaga remained bare faced with only a lip balm and moisturiser on majority of the filming.

Bradley Cooper was so bowled over by Lady Gaga's rendition of the classic French song "La Vie en Rose" when he first heard her sing it for a cancer benefit at the home of philanthropist Sean Parker, he insisted on including her performance of the song on the film's soundtrack.

Lady Gaga and Judy Garland were the same age when they starred in their versions of the film.

Lady Gaga is now one of the only artists to have the #1 song, #1 album and #1 film at the same time in the UK and Australia.

Talks of a fourth A Star Is Born remake began in 2011 with Clint Eastwood attached to direct and Beyoncé set to star, however, the project was delayed due to Beyoncé's pregnancy. Talks with Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, and Will Smith to play the male lead failed to come to fruition.

Dave Chapelle's character name: Noodles was derived from his profession of being a drummer. However, his drumming scenes in the film were ultimately cut.

The only film of the year to be nominated for both the Best Lead Actor and Lead Actress Oscars. The 1937 and 1954 versions of the film were also nominated in both these categories.

Many of the film's songs were written by Gaga and Mark Ronson, a renowned producer who is credited with having discovered Amy Winehouse and collaborated with her troubled career for a long time. He can be seen dancing in Bruno Mars' Uptown Funk videoclip, which he also wrote.

The film's cinematographer Matthew Libatique was recommended to Bradley Cooper by Jennifer Lawrence whose film Mother! (2017) was filmed by Libatique.

FILM 1943: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

FILM 1943: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

TRIVIA: British choreographer and movement coach Polly Bennett worked painstakingly with Rami Malek to perfect every nuance of Freddie's mannerisms. Every eye glance, every body turn, every cocky strut on stage and every flick of the microphone had to be just right.

Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor performed the rock arrangement of the 20th Century Fox fanfare.

Rami Malek sent a video of himself singing to Queen. When he finally met them, they hadn't watched it because it hadn't been downloaded properly. Rami saw firsthand their reaction to his singing.

On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Mike Myers/Christiane Amanpour (2018), Mike Myers said that during the making of Wayne's World (1992), he insisted that the song he and his friends listen to while driving would be "Bohemian Rhapsody". The producers felt it wouldn't be appropriate. Myers stood his ground, eventually threatening to quit the movie. Myers got his way, the movie became a huge hit, and the song reentered the charts, peaking at at #2 in the United States. The movie was credited for introducing Queen to a new audience. Myers also said that when he was offered a chance to appear in this movie, he accepted immediately without bothering to read the script.

Canadian singer Marc Martel lends his voice to the biopic as Freddie. They use a mix of his voice and Freddie's together, on top of Rami Malek's. In an interview, Malek said his singing was seamlessly mixed with both Freddie's and Martel's.

Brian May and Roger Taylor make a joint cameo appearance during the Live Aid sequence. (Hint: Look in the rafters.)

While Freddie and Mary are lying together and Freddie reaches up over his head to play her the now-famous Bohemian Rhapsody piano intro for the second section of the song, Rami Malek is actually playing the correct notes in order, a feat quite difficult to do sight unseen, upside down and backward.

Queen's set at Live Aid is widely regarded as one of the best live performances in rock and roll history. In a 2005 Channel Four poll of over 60 artists, journalists and music industry executives, Queen's Live Aid show was named the world's greatest-ever live performance.

According to BBC, film production was rough. The film's producers and lead star, Rami Malek, had grown tired of director Bryan Singer's erratic behavior, which saw him routinely showing up late to set or disappearing altogether. In 2017, after Thanksgiving break, Singer disappeared from filming for three days straight, at which point cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel had to step in and direct during Singer's absence. Reports claimed that Singer left because of a family matter. A couple of days after this report, 20th Century Fox fired Singer from the film due to his erratic behavior on and off set and clashes with production personnel. Matters would get much worse for Singer as the next day, 20th Century Fox terminated his Bad Hat Harry production deal with the studio. Fox began canvassing for a new director to finish up production with two weeks of filming still remaining, all of post-production and with potential reshoots. The new director, Dexter Fletcher, commenced production after New Year's of 2017.

Wembley Stadium has been remodeled, demolished and rebuilt several times over the years, but there were no surviving blueprints or drawings of the structure as it existed in 1985. This meant the production design team had to work from video and photographic record to design and partially reconstruct an historically accurate stadium and Live Aid stage.

When Queen are about to perform on Top of the Pops (1964), they express their disapproval of being made to lip sync, rather than sing, their song. When Top of the Pops(1964) began in 1964, the producers of the programme decided that performers would lip sync rather than sing their songs. The British Broadcasting Corporation openly stated this when they promoted the programme. The reason for the producers' decision was lhat they considered it more ethical and honest for the performers to lip sync than to sing, as the programme promoted the records, and therefore the viewers and the audience members had the right to know exactly how the records sounded.

Before Rami Malek was cast, Ben Whishaw was linked in the media to playing Freddie Mercury.

Freddie's white "angel" costume was created by British designer Zandra Rhodes. Freddie wore it during Queen's first tour in Japan.

CAMEO: Adam Lambert: the truck driver waiting for a tryst in the bathroom when Freddie calls Mary Austin on a payphone. Lambert has been performing with Queen since 2012.

FILM 1934: SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER

FILM 1934: SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER

TRIVIA: The movie was originally called "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night", the title of the New York Magazine article that inspired it. The film's title was ultimately shortened to "Saturday Night", as a direct reference to the fact that Tony (John Travolta) and his friends inhabited 2001 Odyssey on Saturday nights. However, when The Bee Gees submitted the soundtrack, one of the songs, "Night Fever", was thought to embody the film's spirit better than the original. Director John Badham added the word "Saturday" and it replaced the original title.

John Travolta ran two miles a day and danced for three hours daily to get in shape for this film. In the end, he dropped 20 pounds.

When Tony's dad hit him in the back of the head the third time during dinner, his retort of "Just watch the hair!" and then his complaint about being hit on the hair after he had worked on it for so long was John Travolta's own reaction and not scripted, but since it was so in character for Tony Manero to say, it was left in.

John Travolta had worked hard on the "You Should Be Dancing" sequence and threatened to quit the film when the studio suggested it should be shot in close up instead of full-body.

The white polyester suit worn by John Travolta sold at auction for $145,000 and purchased by movie critic Gene Siskel. Siskel often said that this was his favorite film and that he had watched it 17 times.

According to the DVD commentary, John Travolta used two suits in the climax of the film, he had to switch suits between takes because one would become heavily soaked with sweat and had to be dried while he was wearing the other one for subsequent takes.

John Travolta's sister Ann Travolta appears as the pizza lady, and his mother Helen Travolta appears as the woman for whom he gets the paint.

This was the first mainstream Hollywood movie in which the term "blow job" was used. Interestingly, John Travolta had previously starred in Carrie (1976), which features a scene of him receiving one.

When they shot the first bridge scene, director John Badham kept secret from Donna Pescow the fact that when the guys "fell off" the bridge, they actually landed on a platform a few feet below. Badham and the other actors did not tell her about the platform because they wanted a genuine look of horror and anger on Annette's face when Tony, Double J. and Joey appeared to fall off. Therefore, Donna's reaction to them falling, and her facial expressions turning from horror and shock to outright anger, were real, and her next line, "You fuckers!", was not scripted.

The soundtrack album sold over 20 million copies, and it was the top selling album in history until it was topped by Michael Jackson's album "Thriller" six years later.

In Tony (John Travolta)'s bedroom, there's a poster for Rocky (1976), a film directed by John G. Avildsen. The sequel to this film, Staying Alive (1983), was written and directed by the star of Rocky, Sylvester Stallone. In fact, Avildsen was the original director of this film but was fired by producer Robert Stigwood shortly before principal photography began due to "creative differences". John Badham was approached to fill in at the last minute. Tony also has a poster for Serpico (1973) on his wall. Avildsen was originally considered to direct that film as well, but left the project due to "creative differences". 

Norman Wexler's screenplay was adapted from the "non-fiction" magazine article written by Nik Cohn. Years later, Cohn admitted that the story, supposedly a fact-based account detailing the lives of Brooklyn teenagers in the early days of the disco craze, was a complete fabrication.

In the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, "maneiro" is a widely-used word, meaning "cool", taken from the character name, Tony Manero.

The film had the best-selling film soundtrack until The Bodyguard (1992).

Filming was frequently halted on the streets of New York City because teenage girl fans of John Travolta would scream when they saw him due to his popularity from the ABC sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter (1975).

Actress Nina Hansen, who played the grandmother in the film,improvised all her lines in the dinner table scene. Originally not given any speaking parts,this didn't sit well with her and according to director John Badham,she decided to utter "Basta! Mangia! Mangia! ,which translates to English as "Enough! Eat!Eat!" He decided to leave it in the final cut.

John Travolta has said in interviews that he thought this was a retro/nostalgia type spoof of the disco craze. He said most of his friends assumed the disco craze was from 1974 until about 1976 when it ended. He assumed this movie was supposed to be a humorous look back at the craze after it was over. He said once the movie came out that kind of reignited the craze again. He said "the movie came out, and it was if it was all starting for the first time again, as if it all had never happened. "

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

FILM 1912: COCO

FILM 1912: COCO

TRIVIA: The orange flower seen throughout the film is the Aztec marigold (known also as the Mexican marigold or the Cempasúchil). The flower is used in the tradition of Dia de Muertos in México to guide the deceased to the living.

The film contains certain themes and content which would ordinarily be banned in China. Reportedly, the Chinese censor board members were so touched by the film that they made an exception and allowed it.

This film opened in Mexico three and a half weeks before it opened in the U.S., where it surpassed Avengers Assemble (2012) as the country's highest grossing film. 

In the movie the spirit of Frida Kahlo identifies Dante as a Xolo (Xoloitzcuintli dog), which is a nice tribute to the real Frida. During the mid-20th century the Xolo breed began to decline in popularity. Frida and her husband, Diego Rivera, helped to save the breed by including the Xolo dog as part of their art. Thanks to Frida and Diego, the breed became known again to the world.

Spent more days #1 at the box office than any other animated film in the 21st century.

The Land of the Dead is shown to use a lot of antiquated technology -- for example, an 80s MacIntosh computer and walkie-talkie radios. This is fitting, as that technology is obsolete and so in a sense dead.

John Ratzenberger, long considered Pixar's good-luck charm, continues his streak of appearing in every one of the studio's feature films. In Coco (2017), he plays a ghost called Juan Ortodoncia. He is the skeleton who is allowed to cross over to the land of the living because his dentist remembers him.

The orchestra conductor for Ernesto de la Cruz's musical show "Sunrise Spectacular" is a caricature of the film's composer Michael Giacchino.

STUDIO TRADEMARK: The Pizza Planet truck, which has appeared in every Pixar movie, can be seen driving past the Rivera Shoe Shop while Elena (Miguel's grandmother) explains the "No Music" rule to Miguel.

When originally released, the film featured the short film Olaf's Frozen Adventure (2017) before the film, which runs 22 minutes long. Many moviegoers thought they had wandered into the wrong film. Beginning December 7, 2017, Olaf's Frozen Adventure(2017) was withdrawn from theatrical release, and no short film was substituted in its place.

On December 5, 2017, it got enough votes to take the number 45 spot in IMDb's Top 250, surpassing WALL-E (2008) as the highest rated computer animated movie.

Ninth Pixar film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and third Pixar film to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

FILM 1890: JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS

FILM 1890: JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS

TRIVIA: To stay with the 'consumer economy' tone of the film, from beginning to end there are approximately 73 companies who have product placements shown; from logos to actual items ranging in entertainment, electronics, fashion, food, hygiene, and cars. No money was received from all the product placements in the film.

Rachael Leigh Cook's singing voice was dubbed by the lead singer of the band Letters to Cleo, Kay Hanley.

Rachael Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson, and Tara Reid had to go to a "Band Camp" for two weeks to learn how to play the instruments their characters used in order look correct on screen. However, they did not become proficient to the level that they could play effectively on the soundtrack. The actual music was supplied by studio musicians.

Tara Reid and Carson Daly started dating after meeting on set during his cameo in this film. They eventually became engaged before ending their relationship in June 2001.

Briefly during the airplane scene, Alexandra Cabot (Missi Pyle) breaks the fourth wall. Her brother, Alexander Cabot (Paulo Costanzo) wonders why she's even on the plane. She replies "Because I was in the comic book" and when he mis-hears her she corrects herself and says "Nothing."

Alan Cumming's character tells the girls how lucky they are to be able to go back to their 10 year high school reunion as huge successes. Three years earlier in the Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) his character was the greatest success at the 10 year reunion. Likely this line was an intentional reference.

In order to preserve the wholesome image of Josie and the Pussycats, Archie Comics demand there be a scene where Josie and the Pussycats were seen brushing their teeth.

Film debut for Justin Chatwin.

Breckin Meyer, Alexander Martin, Donald Faison and Seth Green (the members of Du Jour) had all previously appeared in the film 'Can't Hardly Wait' (1998) with Meyer and Faison portraying band members at each other's throats.

Donald Faison and Breckin Meyer previously collaborated on Clueless (1995).

FILM 1874: GREEN ROOM

FILM 1874: GREEN ROOM

TRIVIA: Patrick Stewart said in an interview that when he finished reading the script at his country home in England, it was so terrifying that he locked up his house, turned on the security system, and poured himself a Scotch. He then knew that he wanted to play the Darcy Banker role because a character that horrifying would be an incredible challenge, and make for a compelling film.

The paintball story Pat (Anton Yelchin) tells is a real experience director Jeremy Saulnierhad. Rick Spears is a real person, who did as said in the story.

While the tracks were recorded separately the staged performances, the actors actually performed their songs. Anton Yelchin and Alia Shawkat already knew how to play their instruments, but according to Jeremy Saulnier, Callum Turner had no experience with any sort of music. Joe Cole also learned to play drums, specifically for this film.

Jeremy Saulnier, the director, was partly inspired by the film Straw Dogs (1971).

Top Five: Pulp Fiction

1. PULP FICTION INSPIRED MOVIE POSTER - MOVIE POSTER, MOVIE PRINT, FILM POSTER, FILM POSTER

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/502577256/pulp-fiction-inspired-movie-poster-movie?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=PULP%20FICTION&ref=sr_gallery-1-11

2. TWO MUGS PULP FICTION QUENTIN TARANTINO LOVERS MOVIE MUGS 2GETHER 

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/266391798/pack-2-tazas-two-mugs-pulp-fiction?ref=pr_faveitems

3. PULP FICTION POSTER - GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION A4 - ART PRINT

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/130853451/pulp-fiction-poster-graphic-illustration?ga_search_query=PULP&ref=shop_items_search_1

4. PULP FICTION: REACTION ACTION FIGURE: VINCENT VEGA

https://forbiddenplanet.com/116818-pulp-fiction-reaction-action-figure-vincent-vega/?utm_source=googleps&utm_medium=comparison&gclid=CNDB-L_J6L0CFW7MtAodCX0Alg

5. ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK: PULP FICTION VINYL RECORD

https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/en-gb/shop/original-soundtrack-pulp-fiction-vinyl-record?parentid=NEW-IN-HOME-GIFTS-EU

Top Five: Paul Newman

1. COOL HAND LUKE MINIMALIST ALTERNATIVE MOVIE PRINT & POSTER

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/200340716/cool-hand-luke-minimalist-alternative?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=paul%20newman&ref=sr_gallery-2-10

2. ESQUIRE PAUL NEWMAN COVER GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION A4 - ART PRINT

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/548048254/esquire-paul-newman-cover-graphic?ga_search_query=PAUL&ref=shop_items_search_1

3. PAUL NEWMAN - COOL HAND LUKE POSTER

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/565603723/paul-newman-cool-hand-luke-poster?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=paul%20newman&ref=sr_gallery-1-19

4. VTG 1976 SLAP SHOT PAUL NEWMAN T-SHIRT S 70S CLASSIC HOCKEY COMEDY MOVIE

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/521212663/vtg-1976-slap-shot-paul-newman-t-shirt-s?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=paul%20newman&ref=sr_gallery-1-37

5. VINTAGE, THE STING - "ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK", VINYL LP, RECORD ALBUM, PAUL NEWMAN, ROBERT REDFORD, AMAZING COVER, ORIGINAL 1972

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/92260037/vintage-the-sting-original-motion?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=paul%20newman&ref=sr_gallery-7-19

FILM 1770: WHO THE F**K IS THAT GUY? THE FABULOUS JOURNEY OF MICHAEL ALAGO

'Who The Fuck Is That Guy'? The Fabulous Journey Of Michael Alago tells the astonishing story of a gay Puerto Rican kid growing up in a Hasidic Brooklyn neighborhood, who got on the subway one day and began a musical odyssey that helped shape the musical landscape across N.Y.C. and around the world. Directed by Drew Stone and produced by Michael Alex the film tells the incredible story of a cherished New York City icon. From rubbing elbows with N. Y. scene makers as an teenager at Max's Kansas City and CBGB, to being the architect of a rock 'n' roll renaissance as the 19 year-old talent booker at the legendary Ritz, to making history as a 24 year-old A&R exec, signing the biggest metal band in a generation in Metallica, Michael Alago was on fire. Working with artists ranging from White Zombie and Johnny Rotten to Cyndi Lauper and jazz legend Nina Simone, Alago was driven by a love for great music...ANY great music..Passion and excess would bring Alago crashing into the twin reapers of substance abuse and AIDS, but surviving them both he reinvented himself as an art photographer...healthy, sober, and as passionate as ever. Told by Alago and the artists whose careers he helped build, illustrated with an exquisite collection of personal photographs, 'Who The Fuck Is That Guy'? The Fabulous Journey Of Michael Alago tells the tender, loving, self-destructive, and insane story of a man who loved new music so much he had to bring it to the world, and lived to talk about it.  Barely.

(Info from IMDB)

FILM 1701: BABY DRIVER

TRIVIA: In an introduction from Edgar Wright, he revealed that there was little to no CGI or green screen used to film the car chase sequences. The driving is all practically done.

The tracking shot in the beginning of the movie where Baby gets coffee took 28 takes. The 21st take is the one used in the movie.

Whenever Edgar Wright had Jamie Foxx and Kevin Spacey in the same shot, he would whisper to a colleague: "Double Oscar shot!"

The extensive collection of sunglasses and iPods that Baby owns were not bought by him; they were taken from cars he stole. In an interview, Edgar Wright said: 'If he has been stealing cars since he was 12, the main thing he would have inherited from these stolen cars are people's sunglasses and iPods.'

According to Edgar Wright, each script sent to the main actors that are wanted for their respective roles includes an Ipod that contains list of songs that is to be played (arranged in specific order) while reading a particular scene for the movie in order to emphasize the tone.

Edgar Wright had been sitting on this idea for a film for many years. His first use of it was a music video he directed for British electronic duo Mint Royale and their track "Blue Song". The video stars Noel Fielding as a music-loving getaway driver for a group of bank robbers, one of whom is Wright's regular Nick Frost. A clip from the video is featured in the film when channels are being flipped through on the television in Baby's apartment.

On the first day of filming, Jamie Foxx watched Jon Hamm on the monitor and uttered to himself "he handsome."

In almost every scene where no music is playing, you can hear a slight ringing in the background (the sound of Baby's tinnitus).

Barbra Streisand's experience with tinnitus was the basis for a scene in the movie where Jamie Foxx's character is required to say, "Do I look like I know a f*cking thing about Barbra f*cking Streisand?" Knowing Barbra is close friends with Jamie in real life (who knew?), Edgar was worried about how she would react. Jamie's response to Edgar's worries was "Barbra's gangsta." In 2016 Jamie Foxx sang a duet with Streisand on her ENCORE album.

When Baby is flipping through the channels near the beginning of the film, several lines of dialogue from different movies can be heard ("you are so beautiful," "how's that working out for you?" and "we're partners. There's nothing that matters to me more than our friendship"). Each one of these lines appears later in the film as a line of dialogue.

The first R-rated movie to be given permission to show footage from a Disney film (Monsters, Inc. (2001)). Pete Docter, the director of "Monsters, Inc.", is given a 'special thanks' credit as a result.

The opening credits use a one take shot of Baby walking to buy coffee and then walking back, reminiscent of the famous opening of Shaun of the Dead (2004), where Shaun walks to the shop and then back home in one shot (which is later repeated once the zombie outbreak has begun).

Edgar Wright started to work on this film in 1995, but didn't finish the script until 2011, and the film until 2017. However, he received the advance for it in 2007. He introduced the world premiere of the film at SXSW by thanking his producer for not suing him for this.