By Matt Zoller Seitz, Salon.com
August 16, 2010
Sitting in my in box is a press release about a Blu-Ray edition of "The Last of the Mohicans" that's being hyped as "an all-new director's definitive cut by acclaimed director Michael Mann."
The phrase "definitive cut" made me laugh. I like Mann's films a lot, but definitive he ain't. He's a serial recutter, and this is his third go-round with "Mohicans." The first was the 1992 theatrical cut, which remained unchanged until 1999, when Mann released a second version on DVD that removed four minutes but added eight (mostly small moments of character development). I have no idea what this new version will contain, and frankly I'm in no hurry to find out, or buy the disc, for that matter. Why? Because I don't want to encourage Mann to continue tinkering with his movies -- and because the entire phenomenon of director's cuts and definitive director's cuts and restored cuts and expanded cuts and alternate cuts has gotten out of hand and needs to stop.
Except, of course, when I like the result. I'm flighty that way.
Recuts are irksome. They're hit-and-miss, and they're fueled by such idiosyncratic agendas that it's hard to state that they're always a bad or a good idea.
While trying to frame this issue, I realized it doesn't make sense to group all recuts under a single umbrella. There are many kinds of recuts, created for different reasons, under different circumstances. Whether you consider a second or third or fourth cut valid (or superior) to the first depends on what you liked or disliked about the first cut, and the circumstances that produced that first cut, and what you think was gained or lost in revision.
When should a director stop messing with a movie?
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Friday, August 27, 2010
When should a director stop messing with a movie? Film recuts can destroy a classic or salvage a lost gem
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
U.S Box Office August 20-22, 2010
| Title | Aug 20 - 22 | % Chg. | Theaters | Weeks | AVG | Cumulative | |||
| 1 | The Expendables | $ 16,968,032 | -51.3 | 3,270 | 2 | $ 5,189 | $ 65,357,117 | ||
| 2 | Vampires Suck | 12,202,831 | 3,233 | 1 | 3,774 | 18,566,733 | |||
| 3 | Eat Pray Love | 12,111,162 | -47.6 | 3,082 | 2 | 3,930 | 47,214,078 | ||
| 4 | Lottery Ticket | 10,652,297 | 1,973 | 1 | 5,399 | 10,652,297 | |||
| 5 | The Other Guys | 10,163,337 | -41.6 | 3,472 | 3 | 2,927 | 88,253,482 | ||
| 6 | Piranha 3D | 10,106,872 | 2,470 | 1 | 4,092 | 10,106,872 | |||
| 7 | The Switch | 8,436,713 | 2,012 | 1 | 4,193 | 8,436,713 | |||
| 8 | Nanny McPhee Returns | 8,407,685 | 2,784 | 1 | 3,020 | 8,407,685 | |||
| 9 | Inception | 7,838,179 | -30.5 | 2,401 | 6 | 3,265 | 262,031,594 | ||
| 10 | Scott Pilgrim vs. The World | 5,201,970 | -51.0 | 2,820 | 2 | 1,845 | 20,898,255 |
Source: Box Office Guru Read more!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
U.S Box Office August 13-15, 2010
| # | Title | Aug 13 - 15 | % Chg. | Theaters | Weeks | AVG | Cumulative | ||
| 1 | The Expendables | $ 34,825,135 | 3,270 | 1 | $ 10,650 | $ 34,825,135 | |||
| 2 | Eat Pray Love | 23,104,523 | 3,082 | 1 | 7,497 | 23,104,523 | |||
| 3 | The Other Guys | 17,408,501 | -51.0 | 3,651 | 2 | 4,768 | 69,951,822 | ||
| 4 | Inception | 11,285,051 | -39.0 | 3,120 | 5 | 3,617 | 248,469,482 | ||
| 5 | Scott Pilgrim vs. The World | 10,609,795 | 2,818 | 1 | 3,765 | 10,609,795 | |||
| 6 | Despicable Me | 6,971,355 | -24.9 | 2,923 | 6 | 2,385 | 222,197,390 | ||
| 7 | Step Up 3D | 6,905,201 | -56.3 | 2,439 | 2 | 2,831 | 29,844,422 | ||
| 8 | Dinner for Schmucks | 6,285,179 | -39.4 | 3,046 | 3 | 2,063 | 58,785,547 | ||
| 9 | Salt | 6,219,502 | -43.0 | 2,834 | 4 | 2,195 | 103,438,273 | ||
| 10 | Cats & Dogs: The Revenge... | 4,190,426 | -39.3 | 2,728 | 3 | 1,536 | 35,218,937 |
Source: Box Office Guru Read more!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
2010 Emmy Nominations
Outstanding Comedy Series
Nominees:
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2000)
"Glee" (2009)
"Modern Family" (2009)
"Nurse Jackie" (2009)
"The Office" (2005)
"30 Rock" (2006)
Outstanding Drama Series
Nominees:
"Breaking Bad" (2008)
"Dexter" (2006)
"The Good Wife" (2009)
"Lost" (2004)
"Mad Men" (2007)
"True Blood" (2008)
Outstanding Made for Television Movie
Nominees:
Endgame (2009/I)
Georgia O'Keeffe (2009) (TV)
Moonshot (2009) (TV)
The Special Relationship (2010) (TV)
Temple Grandin (2010) (TV)
You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV)
Outstanding Miniseries
Nominees:
"The Pacific" (2010)
"Return to Cranford" (2007)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Nominees:
Alec Baldwin for "30 Rock" (2006)
Steve Carell for "The Office" (2005)
Larry David for "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2000)
Matthew Morrison for "Glee" (2009)
Jim Parsons for "The Big Bang Theory" (2007)
Tony Shalhoub for "Monk" (2002)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Nominees:
Kyle Chandler for "Friday Night Lights" (2006)
Bryan Cranston for "Breaking Bad" (2008)
Matthew Fox for "Lost" (2004)
Michael C. Hall for "Dexter" (2006)
Jon Hamm for "Mad Men" (2007)
Hugh Laurie for "House M.D." (2004)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Nominees:
Jeff Bridges for A Dog Year (2009)
Ian McKellen for "The Prisoner" (2009)
Al Pacino for You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV)
Dennis Quaid for The Special Relationship (2010) (TV)
Michael Sheen for The Special Relationship (2010) (TV)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Nominees:
Toni Collette for "United States of Tara" (2009)
Edie Falco for "Nurse Jackie" (2009)
Tina Fey for "30 Rock" (2006)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus for "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (2006)
Lea Michele for "Glee" (2009)
Amy Poehler for "Parks and Recreation" (2009)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Nominees:
Connie Britton for "Friday Night Lights" (2006)
Glenn Close for "Damages" (2007)
Mariska Hargitay for "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999)
January Jones for "Mad Men" (2007)
Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife" (2009)
Kyra Sedgwick for "The Closer" (2005)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Nominees:
Joan Allen for Georgia O'Keeffe (2009) (TV)
Claire Danes for Temple Grandin (2010) (TV)
Hope Davis for The Special Relationship (2010) (TV)
Judi Dench for "Return to Cranford" (2007)
Maggie Smith for Capturing Mary (2007) (TV)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Nominees:
Ty Burrell for "Modern Family" (2009)
Chris Colfer for "Glee" (2009)
Jon Cryer for "Two and a Half Men" (2003)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson for "Modern Family" (2009)
Neil Patrick Harris for "How I Met Your Mother" (2005)
Eric Stonestreet for "Modern Family" (2009)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Nominees:
Andre Braugher for "Men of a Certain Age" (2009)
Michael Emerson for "Lost" (2004)
Terry O'Quinn for "Lost" (2004)
Aaron Paul for "Breaking Bad" (2008)
Martin Short for "Damages" (2007)
John Slattery for "Mad Men" (2007)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Nominees:
Michael Gambon for "Emma" (2009)
John Goodman for You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV)
Jonathan Pryce for "Return to Cranford" (2007)
Patrick Stewart for Hamlet (2009) (TV)
David Strathairn for Temple Grandin (2010) (TV)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Nominees:
Julie Bowen for "Modern Family" (2009)
Jane Krakowski for "30 Rock" (2006)
Jane Lynch for "Glee" (2009)
Holland Taylor for "Two and a Half Men" (2003)
Sofía Vergara for "Modern Family" (2009)
Kristen Wiig for "Saturday Night Live" (1975)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Nominees:
Christine Baranski for "The Good Wife" (2009)
Rose Byrne for "Damages" (2007)
Sharon Gless for "Burn Notice" (2007)
Christina Hendricks for "Mad Men" (2007)
Elisabeth Moss for "Mad Men" (2007)
Archie Panjabi for "The Good Wife" (2009)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Nominees:
Kathy Bates for "Alice" (2009)
Catherine O'Hara for Temple Grandin (2010) (TV)
Julia Ormond for Temple Grandin (2010) (TV)
Susan Sarandon for You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV)
Brenda Vaccaro for You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV)
Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series
Nominees:
"The Colbert Report" (2005)
"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" (1996)
"Real Time with Bill Maher" (2003)
"Saturday Night Live" (1975)
"The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" (2009)
Outstanding Reality Competition Program
Nominees:
"The Amazing Race" (2001)
"American Idol" (2002)
"Dancing with the Stars" (2005/I)
"Project Runway" (2005)
"Top Chef" (2006)
Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality - Competition Program
Nominees:
Tom Bergeron for "Dancing with the Stars" (2005/I)
Phil Keoghan for "The Amazing Race" (2001)
Heidi Klum for "Project Runway" (2005)
Jeff Probst for "Survivor" (2000)
Ryan Seacrest for "American Idol" (2002)
Outstanding Reality Program
Nominees:
"Antiques Roadshow" (1997)
"Dirty Jobs" (2005)
"Food Revolution" (2010)
"Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List" (2005)
"MythBusters" (2003)
"Undercover Boss" (2010)
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