blackbird is a 2014 drama film directed by patrik-ian polk and starring mo'nique and isaiah washington in the lead .

the film is adapted from the novel of the same name by larry duplechan and was released 24 april 2015 .

the film had been shown at various film festivals in 2014 .

blackbird ( 2014 film )

in february 2014 , ‘blackbird’ began its very successful film festival run as the closing night gala screening for los angeles’ pan african film festival ( paff ) where it won the founders award for best narrative feature film . other notable festival appearances include newfest at lincoln center in new york city , out on film in atlanta , reeling in chicago , outfest fusion in los angeles , the seattle lgbt film festival , reelq in pittsburgh , outflix in memphis , long beach qfilms , new york’s american black film festival ( abff ) and the tampa international lgbt film festival . ‘blackbird’ also sold out the twelve - hundred - seat historic castro theatre in san francisco at frameline film festival , the country’s oldest lgbt film fest .
multiple festival juries and audiences have rewarded ‘blackbird’ 2 with ‘best feature’ honors : outflix memphis , atlanta’s out on film , reeling in chicago and the crossroads film festival in polk’s native mississippi . additionally , the film received honors for best ensemble cast , best director & best actor ( julian walker ) at atlanta’s out on film and the diversity award at the barcelona lgtib film festival .
premiered at the recent pan african film festival where it was chosen as the bulleit frontier film for pushing the boundaries of the modern frontier of cinematography .
“it was important to bring this film to theaters and i was honored to produce and work with mo’nique , julian walker and kevin allesse on this film , ” said isaiah washington . “duplechan first introduced his novel blackbird nearly thirty years ago , yet the story remains just as timely today as it was when first told . ‘blackbird’ is a glorious film , a personal journey and a story that deserves to be shared . ”
blackbird is about a gay interracial romance set in the deep south . courtesy of urltoken hide caption
andrews will make his film directing debut with “ blackbird . ” his work was most recently seen in gotham in a production of “the maids” starring cate blanchett and isabelle huppert .
despite its sense of mission , the film suffers from soapy excesses and narrative disjunctures .
ultimately , “blackbird” is a well - shot film that does what it was intended to do : entertain , and provoke thought and discussion . with striking visuals and polk’s trademark smart , candid commentary on sexuality , the movie is sure to spark a lively post - film conversation .
rooney mara and ben mendelsohn ( “the place beyond the pines” ) will topline the upcoming film adaptation of david harrower’s play “ blackbird , ” to be helmed by buzzy theater director benedict andrews .
there are no featured audience reviews yet . click the link below to see what others say about blackbird !
but ultimately , blackbird is a well - shot film that does what it was intended to do : entertain , and provoke thought and discussion . with striking visuals and polk’s trademark smart , candid commentary on sexuality , the movie is sure to spark a lively post - film conversation .
a look at ' blackbird , ' the first film on the new ' black netflix ' : code switch the urban movie channel , created by bet founder robert l . johnson , is being touted as the black netflix . its first original movie , blackbird , is about a gay interracial romance in the deep south .
it would be difficult to find a more earnest film than blackbird , which is forthright , incisive and often heart - meltingly sweet . it is precisely this earnestness that holds our interest during the thematically bloated story .
david e . talbert’s film is most affecting in its simpler moments , particularly those revolving around food .
the first original film it has acquired is a gay interracial romance set in the deep south . in blackbird , the main character randy is in high school . everyone thinks he ' s gay , and they ' re totally fine with it .
internationally , ‘blackbird’ had successful screenings at festivals in barcelona , melbourne , copenhagen and amsterdam with forthcoming appearances in canada , england and italy .
rooney mara and ben mendelsohn ( “the place beyond the pines” ) will topline the upcoming film adaptation of david harrower’s play “blackbird , ” to be helmed by buzzy theater director benedict andrews . the movie , produced by theater and film producer jean doumanian ( “august : osage county” ) and patrick daly , will start shooting in the u . k . this summer . adapted by harrower [ … ]
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despite what could have been a breakthrough performance for walker , blackbird becomes just a well - intentioned melodrama that lacks the focus it needs to truly soar .
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
read more louis c . k . to direct , star in indie film ' i ' m a cop ' ( exclusive )
with blackbird , mo ' nique is executive producing . so is washington . that gives them a kind of power over their narratives — both on screen and off .
the film is , like its main character , too naïve to understand or , at least , to deploy the reparative powers of camp .
the film is , like its main character , too naive to understand or , at least , to deploy the reparative powers of camp .
blackbird is also opening in a small number of theaters across the country this weekend . de veaux is impressed that it ' s the urban movie channel ' s first original acquisition
with oscar winner mo’nique starring in her first role since 2009’s “precious” along with washington – both of whom are also producers of the film – “blackbird” could potentially draw a wider audience that’s unfamiliar with polk and unprepared for his brand of humor and frank discussions on sexuality . but from the provocative opening scene setting up randy’s conservative christian beliefs against his closeted sexual fantasies , it’s clear that this is a film about confronting uneasy feelings and bringing tough issues to light .
with oscar winner mo’nique starring in her first role since 2009’s precious along with washington – both of whom are also producers of the film – blackbird could potentially draw a wider audience that’s unfamiliar with polk and unprepared for his brand of humor and frank discussions on sexuality . but from the provocative opening scene setting up randy’s conservative christian beliefs against his closeted sexual fantasies , it’s clear that this is a film about confronting uneasy feelings and bringing tough issues to light .
the second patrick ian - polk film i ' ve seen now after the skinny . i felt that was a phenomenal film , great for people new to the gay scene . this one . . . i ' m not sure but something didn ' t add up for me .
such a great film that finally represents lgbt christians who are looking for god ' s love in a world that doesn ' t want them .
blackbird implements a melodramatic style – perhaps more appropriate to the stage – which maximises the dramatic effects . unfortunately the theatricality also strains the plausibility and , ultimately , impact of the tale .
director patrik - ian polk says blackbird is a movie he has wanted to make ever since he left mississippi for college and found himself in the gay and lesbian section of a boston bookstore .
the film is executive produced by sidney hicks and mo’nique hicks and produced by keith brown , patrik - ian polk , carol ann shine and isaiah washington .
wonderful music is something you will remember this film for , but pushing the sexual preferences as love was difficult to chew . . . over and over !
that perspective informs everything polk ' s made for the past 20 years , including his groundbreaking cable series noah ' s arc . when polk finally adapted blackbird , he sent the script to actor isaiah washington .
at no point does anyone in the film even vaguely resemble an actual 21st - century teenager ; when these kids text each other , it comes across like science fiction .
the reveal furthers the discussion of the film while providing a space for readers who have seen it to discuss plot - sensitive details . in other words : spoilers ahead .
“bob johnson is a legend and a trailblazer – so i couldn’t be more thrilled to work with him and his exciting new enterprise on the release of ‘blackbird , ' ” director patrik - ian polk said . “i’ve dreamed of making this film since first reading larry duplechan’s groundbreaking novel twenty - five years ago as a freshman in college , and i can’t wait to see it in theaters ! ”
the movie , produced by theater and film producer jean doumanian ( “august : osage county” ) and patrick daly , will start shooting in the u . k . this summer .
that ' s because seven years ago , washington was accused of using an anti - gay slur in an argument on the set of the show grey ' s anatomy . in blackbird , he plays randy ' s loving father .
i’ve seen this more than once . it’s lowkey all over the place & has a lot of cringey moments ( from both dialogue & the music at times ) but overall it’s a very important story . this film placed a magnifying glass on sexually repressed southern black christian teenagers in a very interesting way . mo’nique’s performance was the best thing about this . she carried the film on her back !
fifteen true life stories from people struggling with love , loss , homelessness , alcoholism , betrayal and suicidal tendencies . this film explores those moments , big and small , in which . . . see full summary »
the film stars academy award winning actress and comedian mo’nique , isaiah washington , terrell tilford , d . woods , gary l . gray , torrey laamar , kevin allesee , nikki jane and introduces breakthrough talent julian walker .
this third and final film of the falls trilogy revisits former mormon missionaries chris and rj , six years after they first fell in love and were disciplined for it , as they formulate a plan to be together at long last .
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screwed ( orig . pihalla ) is a finnish drama film , where seventeen year olds miku and elias find themselves , and each other , during a summer in the finnish countryside . love is not as easy as it seems .
“i am very excited to bring ‘blackbird’ to theaters and to umc , ” said johnson , adding , “’blackbird’ is in line with my vision for umc to bring together the african american / urban production and talent community with a distribution channel dedicated to showcasing and supporting their creative works . i have had the pleasure of knowing mo’nique since early in her career as a comedian and her appearances on bet , and i know and admire isaiah’s work as both an actor and a producer . i am certain that audiences will enjoy the inspirational storyline and powerful performances by this extraordinary cast . ”
each movie is about a teenage boy coming to grips with his sexuality : in blackbird , randy rousseau ( julian walker ) is a black church choirboy but ashamed of his nocturnal emissions . in helicopter mom , lloyd cooper ( jason dolley ) is a shy , white poet unsure about who to take to his…
it deals a lot with shame as the protagonist is very worried about his sexuality and his religion and how the two do not clash . he feels shame for liking guys to the point he sleeps with a woman at one point in the film .
if you have ever seen a film about a teenager in the closet , you have seen this and you probably saw it done better . mo ' nique ' s performance deserved better . the deus ex sister is a real howler of an ending . d
in its best moments , blackbird exudes the cheekiness of but i’m a cheerleader , as in randy meeting a bona - fide gay , marshall ( kevin allesee ) , who ushers him toward his first sex - cruising experience at a park late at night . randy asks , “is this some kind of lovers lane ? ” but for a film that wants to be something of a teen musical , a coming - of - age story , and a gay fairy tale all at once , it’s too often bogged down by an unnecessarily somber subplot about randy’s sister , which never quite fits the narrative , and worn - out images of jesus freaks trying to pray the gay away through exorcism . indeed , being a closeted black gay boy in mississippi is surely suffocating , but blackbird is , like its main character , too naïve to understand or , at least , to deploy the reparative powers of camp .
featuring such other plot elements as sexually transmitted disease , an unwanted pregnancy , and the effort of a local priest to exorcise randy ' s homosexuality , the film is a stylistic and narrative muddle . with its equal doses of musical numbers and titillation , such as when a shirtless todd interrupts randy and marshall during a romantic clinch and asks ,
is this a gay party or can a dirty straight boy join in ?
( yet another dream sequence ) , blackbird can ' t seem to make up its mind whether it ' s aiming for camp or an enlightened afterschool special .
“a boy’s best friend is his mother” said anthony perkins as norman bates in psycho , the greatest probably - gay performance in hollywood history . touching on the primal relationship that figures in gay male self - esteem , bates queered it for all time so that his famous ironic phrase even shadows this week’s new films : patrik - ian polk’s blackbird and salomé breziner’s helicopter mom .
umc – urban movie channel , an rlj entertainment brand , created by robert l . johnson , founder of black entertainment television ( bet ) , today announced the april 24 , 2015 , u . s . theatrical release of director patrik - ian polk ’s coming - of - age drama “blackbird , ” which is based on the novel by the same name by larry duplechan .
blackbird based on the novel by larry duplechan starring : mo ' nique , isaiah washington , terrell tilford , d . woods , torrey laamar , gary l . gray , kevin allesee and introducing julian walker executive producers : sidney hicks & mo ' nique hicks producers : keith brown , patrik - ian polk , carol ann shine & isaiah washington directed by : patrik - ian polk
while any story like this runs the risk of stereotype , randy’s confusion is fortunately balanced by a group of sympathetic straight friends ( nikki jane , torrey laamar , wanita woodgett of danity kane fame ) as well as other gay characters who are more sure of themselves . there’s marshall ( kevin allesee ) , his co - star in a local student film , and his wise - cracking friend efram ( played by standout gary leroi gray ) . walker does a solid job in his first major film role opposite veterans like washington , who’s amusing here as a small - town dad trying to make sense and acceptance of his son’s choices .
it always irritates me when some jackass tells me i ' m living in an echo chamber because i block rude commenters . meanwhile , said jackass lists citizen kane , inception , and pulp fiction as favorites and dismisses films like this without ever watching . i am not the audience for this film . this is a film made for black gay christian men , an affirmation to the idea of radical queer love in the context of southern conservative religious culture . this is made for people for whom these stories are vastly more familiar ; as much as i find parts of this recognizable so much is beyond my ken . knowing this , i watch this…
blackbird opens with sexually repressed randy ( julian walker ) , a closeted black high school senior from a southern baptist family , singing a duet in his choir with another guy . the scene culminates with the two making out and taking their clothes off on stage and at least one member of the choir fainting in horror . turns out this is just a wet dream , one of many that randy will have throughout the film , which sometimes includes guys knocking on his window and asking , “is this a gay party or can a dirty straight boy join in ? ” randy tends to wake up from these dreams with jizz all over his hands , and stricken with the kind of guilt that gets him on his knees , begging the lord for forgiveness .
well - intentioned ineptitude is one of the hardest things to endure onscreen . an awful movie that’s clearly designed as a crass cash factory , like paul blart : mall cop 2 , merits nothing but scorn—it’s actively fun to ridicule . but there’s no joy in pissing all over an awful movie that’s earnestly striving to do good in the world . blackbird , the coming - out story of a devoutly religious gay teenager , wants nothing more than to promote tolerance and celebrate art ( music , film , theater ) . it can’t be faulted for its noble intentions . like many an after - school special , however , it can be faulted in virtually every other department , including stilted performances , turgid dialogue , flat direction , and a general ignorance regarding human nature .
while this gospel glee of a movie about gay alienation has its share of witty lines ( “what do they teach you straight boys , nothing ? ” ) and sweet tear - jerking scenes , blackbird flounders by using a song in every other scene , or whenever it wants to evoke an emotion , and by casting mo’nique as yet another mother monster . she slaps randy in the face when he eats the pie she’s baked for her missing daughter , and arms herself with a baseball bat when finding irrefutable proof that he’s gay . to add to the film’s tmz - triggered problems , having isaiah “not - your - little - faggot” washington , as randy’s father , play the one gay - friendly voice in an ocean of homophobic hysteria is an embarrassingly forced mea culpa .
one minor thing blackbird does have going for it is the beautiful singing voice of its lead actor , newcomer julian walker . he plays randy rousseau , a mississippi high - school student who sings for the church choir , looks after his slightly crazy mother , claire ( mo’nique ) , and refuses to emerge from the closet , even in his own mind . despite having multiple wet dreams about his good buddy todd ( torrey laamar ) , randy insists he’s not gay , mostly because he believes homosexuality is a sin . his conviction wavers , though , after he’s cast opposite todd in a gay shakespeare production ( romeo and julian ) and falls in love with a fellow actor , marshall ( kevin allesee ) , with whom he’s acting in a student film at another school .
with past films like “the skinny” and “noah’s arc : jumping the broom , ” writer - director polk has become known for steamy ensemble dramedies about the lives and romantic woes of black gay men . his latest , “blackbird , ” while focused on a younger set of characters with tamer sexual history , has polk’s imprint all over it , painting a vivid picture of the struggle , shame and awkwardness that comes with growing up black and gay in a tiny mississippi town .
with past films like the skinny and noah’s arc : jumping the broom , writer - director patrik - ian polk has become known for steamy ensemble dramedies about the lives and romantic woes of black gay men . his latest , blackbird , while focused on a younger set of characters with tamer sexual history , has polk’s imprint all over it , painting a vivid picture of the struggle , shame and awkwardness that comes with growing up black and gay in a tiny mississippi town .
blackbird tells the story of seventeen - year - old randy ( julian walker ) , a devout christian , who , as strong as he seems on the outside , is hiding a secret inner struggle - the denial of being gay . he is also struggling with his life at home since his father ( isaiah washington ) has left , and randy cares for his emotionally disturbed mother ( mo ' nique ) . it is not until he opens himself up to love that he discovers that becoming a man means accepting who you really are .
the subject matter is an interesting one , but that alone cannot make a good film . jason buxton has done a fantastic job in getting the best out of the young cast . with a limited script , the cinematography contributes a great deal in conveying the lonely atmosphere , and a significant amount of time is assigned for the characters to develop . however , the key strength beneath all this is its plausibility , and subtlety when executed .
the dream motif actually turns out to be one of the patrik - ian polk film’s least hackneyed devices ; after all , a gay boy in the most stifling of closets ( this despite the realness of randy’s joan crawford eyebrows ) can only gasp for air in the unconscious . the device recovers its usual triteness , however , once we hear an entire song about dreams , just in case we haven’t understood that they’re quite important for randy , while watching him lose his virginity to some white dude in , of course , slow motion .
if there’s an issue with the film , it lies with story . with randy facing so many challenges , there’s not enough space to fully explore them all . closeted homosexuality , christian proselytizing , child abduction , parental relationships , teen pregnancy , and more – are all tied up very quickly and perhaps , too easily , given the amount of conflict . it makes one curious about how closely the movie sticks to the source material , the 1986 larry duplechan novel of the same name , which polk apparently infused with parts of his own life story .
randy also finds happiness in the form of the slightly older , openly gay aspiring filmmaker marshall ( kevin allessee ) , who casts him in his new student film . they ' re soon involved in a passionate relationship , beginning with a date on
booty hill .
unfortunately , his mother spies them making out in a car , with the character played by mo ' nique getting all precious on them by smashing the window with a baseball bat and claiming that her daughter ' s disappearance is god ' s way of punishing the family for randy ' s deviance .
this film puts to the screen a legitimate cultural perspective that is unique . as unique from my own as coming out perhaps did not reflect most american lgbt cinema of the time . small town , gay , religion . a trifecta of drama . the ending is a glossy sappy thing and some of the thematic moments and storylines and arcs are jumbled glossied over objects that look more mangled rainbows drawn by toddlers than actual arcs . this said , it is perhaps one of the better lgbt representative films i ' ve seen this year , and just under the wire at that . enjoy .
the deal was negotiated by mark ward on behalf of rlj entertainment and attorneys ricky anderson and nathan hale williams on behalf of the filmmakers .
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the adolescent milan discovers his own suspected homosexuality at the age of 17 and the consequences for him and his family but also the liberation as he understands why he has been so down and rebellious .
mike has felt alienated and alone for as long as he can remember , until a new boy arrives at his school - awakening feelings and a world of possibilities he ' d never before dared to dream of .
damien lives with his mother marianne , a doctor , while his father is on a tour of duty abroad . he is bullied by thomas , whose mother is ill . the boys find themselves living together when marianne invites thomas to come and stay with them .
will you choose to be what you had no choice in being . . .
: parting is such sweet sorrow , i shall say goodnight , ' till there ' ll be tomorrow .
: sleep dwell upon thy eyes , peace in thy breasts ; would i were peace and sleep , so sweet to rest .
it is low budget movie . . . . so what ! the actors portraying the teens were great . i would have liked them to be fleshed out more . . . but so what ! the story line of youth coming into their own is probably playing out in millions of homes across the world . the writing was start / sad / witty / funny . i would have liked to see more about the young couple and their struggles . the sex scenes were not just obligatory , they were well produced / directed . did i say it was low budget . . . . so what ! i can ' t find the soundtrack to this movie . . . the first song should be on my ipod . . . period . . . if there is a soundtrack please release it somewhere . . . . period
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jawn murray exposes mo ' nique and her husband sidney hicks . messy details inside !
sommore might be the funniest female in the game ( why did mo ' nique get a show before her ) . flv
lee daniels :
i ' m a sell - out . . . mo’nique got herself blackballed with ‘reverse racism’
movies and tv shows are certified fresh with a steady tomatometer of 75 % or higher after a set amount of reviews ( 80 for wide - release movies , 40 for limited - release movies , 20 for tv shows ) , including 5 reviews from top critics .
director patrik - ian polk makes the ending a little too pat , but he makes us root for these characters to be happy , and for their world to be a better place .
patrik - ian polk makes a huge artistic leap with this deeply affecting , funny and original peek at one confused youth ' s coming out process .
a gospel - driven cross of precious and rent , only set in a sleepy southern town that time forgot instead of new york city .
set in a small mississippi town , the story centers on sweet , 17 - year - old choir boy randy ( an appealing julian walker ) , who in the opening moments is seen engaging in a torrid make - out session with a fellow male singer in front of the horrified congregation . surprise ! —it ' s just a dream , one of many for the sexually repressed randy that results in him having to frequently wash his sheets .
desperately praying to jesus to put him on the literally straight path , randy has other problems as well . his parents have split up as a result of the mysterious disappearance years earlier of randy ' s younger sister , with his somewhat unhinged mother claire ( oscar winner mo ' nique ) spending much of her time slapping
missing
stickers on milk cartons at the local supermarket .
fortunately for him , randy ' s sexuality is warmly embraced by his friends efrem ( gary l . gray ) and crystal ( nikki jane ) , as well as by his loving and tolerant father . that the latter is played by isaiah washington , who garnered notoriety for his use of a gay slur on the set of the television series grey ' s anatomy , adds a distracting subtext .
though the christian school randy attends rejects his suggestion of putting on a production of jesus christ superstar —
it ' s a little rich for our small - town blood
—he somehow manages to land a lead role in a gay - themed production of romeo and juliet opposite the hunky jock todd ( torrey laamar ) on whom he has a hopeless crush .
production : kbiz entertainment , tall skinny black boy productions cast : mo ' nique , julian walker , isaiah washington , terrell tilford , d . woods , torrey laamar , gary l . gray , kevin allesee , nikki jane director : patrik - ian polk screenwriters : patrik - ian polk , rikki beadle blair producers : keith brown , patrik - ian polk , carol ann shine , isaiah washington executive producers : sidney hicks , mo ' nique hicks director of photography : eun - ah lee production designer : candi guterrres editor : bryan colvin costume designer : jennifer schreck casting : matthew morgan
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tonally the movie is equal parts comedy and drama and always , like its lead character , a bit theatrical . the characters all seem mature beyond their years , the accents extra sharp , the shots super composed , which lends to a sense of hyperrealism that coincides with randy’s dream - like state . writing shines most in the hilarious verbal jabs between him and his teenage buddies , who try to drag him out of the closet with slick one - liners that prove they can be just as clever and raunchy as the adults . cringeworthy moments , like when randy’s friends ask to have sex in his bed while he’s out at bible study , pull us into his predicament and serve to soften what could otherwise make for a heavy , dramatic narrative .
seventeen - year - old randy tries very hard to be a good person . since his father left , randy takes care of his emotionally disturbed mother , and he ' s the kind of friend all of his classmates can depend on . as strong as he seems on the outside , randy is hiding a secret inner struggle and denial of his true self . it ' s not until he opens himself up to love that he discovers that becoming a man means accepting who you really are .
this is not an actual line of dialogue in the movie , but this moment basically happens anyway . hits all it ' s after - school special beats as thuddingly obvious as possible , over and over again . does nothing to examine the specific challenges of growing up in the south as a gay black man : the only thing that would change if randy was white is that the all the christian music would be worse . fails to find root in any kind of specificity , instead content with piling on # hottopics like abortion and stds .
i think it says a lot about the correspondence between homosexuality and conservative christianity . i mean , i grew up in a home like that , but i ' m white and this deals more with being a black , gay christian . …
also , no shade but . . . the writer / director talked about how important it is to have queer coming of age films that don’t center whiteness because “we’ve seen it over , and over , and over . ” yet there’s still a white love interest , as if we haven’t seen that over and over . i’m tired . why is it so hard to have two black boys love each other on screen ?
the story this time is about a gay high school student and his friends in small town america . confusion , mixed reactions , pretending . . . everything here could be found , but for these guys love is the solution - and the message .
the abiding sincerity finds chief manifestation in newcomer julian walker , who is expressive and charming , and supported by an equally enthusiastic young cast . even so , most are surpassed by isaiah washington’s expert performance .
despite the various inconsistencies , this is a well made , emotionally engaging and entertaining watch . patrik - ian polk’s latest project provides a great example of worthy independent filmmaking .
when you treat a subject in this way and you also think your public is that naive , the fault of the failure undoubtedly belongs to its director and writer .
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seventeen - year - old randy ( julian walker ) tries very hard to be a good person . since his father ( isaiah washington ) left , randy takes care of his emotionally disturbed mother ( mo’nique ) , and he’s the kind of friend all of his classmates can depend on . as strong as he seems on the outside , randy is hiding a secret inner struggle and denial of his true self . it’s not until he opens himself up to love that he discovers that becoming a man means accepting who you really are .
patrik - ian polk has outdone himself . he had me at punks ( 2000 ) and it seemed impossible for him to create characters & a storyline that would ever rival noah ' s ark . however , his search and delightful find of julian walker was ingenious . julian broke two legs , two wrists & and an arm ( in hollywood terms ) by successfully portraying this troubled gay teen ! the movie was full of twists and subtle , realistic drama . i almost want to see a sequel or a television series ! i did not want the movie to end . great work ! !
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a tiny independent movie has been picked by one of hollywood ' s biggest moguls to promote his latest venture . robert l . johnson created bet and now , the urban movie channel — an online channel that ' s being called the black netflix .
randy , 18 , is fervently religious . even though his best friend is gay , randy ' s in denial about his own sexuality .
and there was one book on the shelf i could tell had an illustration of a black person on the cover ,
he recalls .
i could see illustrated brown skin on the spine .
it had changed my life ,
polk says .
i ' d never read anything that was told from a gay black perspective .
washington recalls :
i said , ' so , sorry i said have to be part of this — this is an amazing story . coming from me , i know it ' s going to raise eyebrows . '
all the drama around what washington might have said on the grey ' s anatomy set did not concern polk .
two actors having a spat on set — which happens all the time — and unfortunately in this media age that we live in now , that gets blown up ,
he says .
and suddenly he ' s labeled , you know , homophobe , and that ' s all people remember .
polk says the label sticks with washington even though other actors like alex baldwin , jonah hill have used gay slurs , apologized and moved on .
since the grey ' s anatomy incident , washington has worked in a lot of small independent films . he starred in the critically acclaimed but little - seen blue caprice , where he played the washington , d . c . , sniper john muhammad .
washington ' s recent films reflect his range and fearlessness , says marcella de veaux . she ' s a media relations expert who follows entertainment issues . but she was still surprised to see isaiah washington in a movie with a lot of gay teenage sex — some of it during church .
if i were guiding him , i would have suggest something maybe not so controversial , maybe not so provocative ,
she says .
i might have said , ' play it safe . '
it ' s terrific , i mean , it ' s bob johnson ,
she says .
he takes chances . why tiptoe out of the gate ?
as it happens , this is also the first movie out of the gate for actress and comedian mo ' nique since she won an oscar four years ago for her role in the movie precious . mo ' nique says she got branded as difficult , partly because she turned down every single script she was sent .
not only did it not touch me , it just didn ' t make financial sense ,
she says .
you know , some of the offers that i was getting , i was offered less money after i won the oscar than before i won the oscar .
we ' re definitely not post - racial . and we like things complicated .
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adapted by harrower from his olivier - winning play — which came stateside in a 2007 off broadway production that starred jeff daniels — the plot centers on a confrontation between a man and a woman , estranged former lovers , who clash when the woman shows up unexpectedly at the man’s office .
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the cheat ( 1923 ) is a silent film produced by famous players-lasky and distributed by paramount pictures , and is a remake of cecil b. demille 's 1915 hit feature using the same script by hector turnbull and jeanie macpherson .

this version stars pola negri and was directed by george fitzmaurice .

the cheat ( 1923 film )

“the cheat . ” rev . the new york times ( 27 aug . 1923 ) : 14 .
“fitzmaurice to direct ‘the cheat . ’” morning telegraph ( 24 dec . 1922 ) : 5 .
< < valve : no , our gaming anti - cheat system isn ' t . . .
4 . the eternal struggle ( metro pictures , louis b . mayer , 1923 )
bella donna is a 1923 american silent film produced by famous players - lasky and released by paramount pictures . the film is based on a novel , bella donna , by robert smythe hichens which was later adapted for a 1912 broadway play starring alla nazimova . this film is also a remake of the 1915 paramount film bella donna starring pauline frederick . the 1923 film was directed by george fitzmaurice and starred pola negri in her first american film .
if the music is specifically written and recorded for the film , it ' s part of the larger work and the copyright is owned by the owner of the film .
reportedly the film played with sound provided by the deforest phonofilm sound - on - film process . this was probably music and sound effects but no dialogue , and was only at the april 1 , 1923 premiere at the rivoli theatre in new york city .
defining the cinematic essay : the essay film by elizabeth a . papazian & caroline eades , and essays on the essay film by nora m . alter & timothy corrigan
higashi , sumiko . “ethnicity , class and gender in film : demille’s the cheat , ” in unspeakable images : ethnicity and the american cinema , edited bylester d . friedman , 112 - 139 . urbana , il : the university of illinois press , 1991 .
the eternal city ( 1923 ) is a silent film directed by george fitzmaurice , from a script by ouida bergère based on a hall caine novel , starring barbara la marr , lionel barrymore and bert lytell .
among the films , there is a 1923 film entitled the call of the canyon , a rex ingram directed film entitled the arab , and two 1919 wallace reid starring pieces , entitled you’re fired and valley of the giants . other films included here are kick in , the conquest of canaan , the eternal struggle , keep smiling , canyon of the fools and circus days .
previously , “kick in” was a successful broadway play starring john barrymore . fitzmaurice also directed an earlier version of the film in 1917 . he gained fame as a director of several successful romantic dramas , including “the cheat” with pola negri , which he also produced ; “the son of the sheik , ” rudolph valentino’s last film ; and “the night of love” with ronald colman .
film independent produces the spirit awards , the annual celebration honoring artist - driven films and recognizing the finest achievements of american independent filmmakers . film independent also produces the la film festival , showcasing the best of american and international cinema and film independent at lacma , a year - round , weekly program that offers unique cinematic experiences for the los angeles creative community and the general public .
kozlovic , anton k . “the construction of a christ - figure within the 1956 and 1923 versions of cecil b . demille’s the ten commandments . ” the journal of religion and film 10 , no . 1 ( 2006 ) : urltoken accessed 20 november 2010 .
all terms of copyright run through the end of the calendar year in which they would otherwise expire , so a work enters the public domain on the first of the year following the expiration of its copyright term . for example , a book published on 15 march 1923 will enter the public domain on 1 january 2019 , not 16 march 2018 ( 1923 + 95 = 2018 ) .
founded in 1999 , senses of cinema is one of the first online film journals of its kind and has set the standard for professional , high quality film - related content on the internet .
4 . film critic writes such insane garbage techdirt links to his article . 5 . page views on his article skyrockets 6 . film critic profits !
with over 250 annual screenings and events , film independent provides access to a network of like - minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry . film independent’s artist development program offers free labs for selected writers , directors , producers and documentary filmmakers and presents year - round networking opportunities . project involve is film independent’s signature program dedicated to fostering the careers of talented filmmakers from communities traditionally underrepresented in the film industry .
future learning and skills – giving everyone the opportunity to build a lifelong relationship with film .
paramount also premiered the covered wagon in new york city on march 16 , 1923 . all or about two reels of the covered wagon had a music track recorded in the phonofilm process , but was only shown this way at the premiere at the rivoli theater in new york city . on april 15 , 1923 , lee deforest presented a program of 18 short films made in the phonofilm process , also at the rivoli theater .
anton karl kozlovic is a graduate of the australian film , television & radio school ( aftrs ) and has a phd about celluloid religion and the biblical cinema of cecil b . demille from flinders university , australia . he publishes predominantly in the religion - and - film field and has guest edited the “exploring religion and popular film” special issue of the australian religion studies review ( 2008 , vol . 21 , no . 3 ) and has multiple film entries within the encyclopedia of religion and film and the encyclopedia of the bible and its reception .
even if that were true , the film industry could use some damage . bring back public domain .
the problem with film is that there aren ' t enough works in the public domain to sustain a film restoration business . this leaves it up to the studios to restore the films themselves
i ' m being a little nitpicky , but the studios don ' t restore the films themselves . they hire film restoration businesses to do it for them .
1 . media industry insiders cultivate film critic whose reviews have appeared in the nyt , ny sun , wsj and la weekly , etc . 2 . film critic enjoys his inside access to the glamorous movie business . 3 . film critic loses objectivity and becomes a reliable mouth - piece for the industry agenda .
a growing source of silent era film information . this listing is from the progressive silent film list by carl bennett . copyright © 1999 - 2018 by carl bennett and the silent era company . all rights reserved .
ouida bergère was perhaps best known in the film industry as mrs . basil rathbone and party hostess extraordinaire .
bodeen , dewitt . “the cheat , ” in magill’s survey of cinema . silent films . volume 1 , edited by frank n . magill , 295 - 297 . englewood cliffs , nj : salem press , 1982 , p . 295 .
2018 © san francisco silent film festival . true art transcends time . all rights reserved .
named after cecil b . demille , these annual awards honours student achievement in film production , television & broadcast journalism , and public relations & advertising at the dodge college of film and media arts , chapman university
film independent is the non - profit arts organization that champions creative independence in visual storytelling and supports a community of artists who embody diversity , innovation and uniqueness of vision . film independent helps filmmakers make their movies , builds an audience for their projects , and works to diversify the film industry . film independent’s board of directors , filmmakers , staff , and constituents , is comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across ability , age , ethnicity , gender , race , and sexual orientation . anyone passionate about film can become a member , whether you are a filmmaker , industry professional , or a film lover .
technically speaking , this is not a remake of his 1923 the ten commandments since it only focused upon the moses prologue and not the modern - day story or the jesus end piece ; rather , it was an expanded re - visioning of that classic ot tale .
anonymous . the de mille dynasty exhibition : a century of theatre , film and dance . los angeles : the americana museum , 1985 .
margarita landazuri writes about cinema for turner classic movies , among other outlets . she coedits the silent film festival program book .
noah , sara . historical figures in film : the celluloid christ . san jose state university , ma thesis , 1993 .
boorman , john , tom luddy , david thomson , and walter donohue , eds . projections 4 : film - makers on film - making . london : faber and faber , 1995 , pp . 23 - 24 .
costa de beauregard , raphaelle . “authority , protestantism and cecil b demille’s early silent films ( 1913 - 1923 ) . ” anglophonia : french journal of english studies 17 ( 2005 ) : 399 - 407 .
at bay , 1915 ; esterbrook case , 1915 ; wasted lives , 1915 ; arms and the woman , 1916 ; big jim garrity , 1916 ; new york , 1916 ; the romantic journey , 1916 ; virtue triumphant , 1916 ; the iron heart , 1917 ; kick in , 1917 ; the hillcrest mystery , 1918 ; innocent , 1918 ; a japanese nightingale , 1918 ; more trouble , 1918 ; the narrow path , 1918 ; the avalanche , 1919 ; the broken melody , 1919 ; common clay , 1919 ; counterfeit , 1919 ; the country cousin , 1919 ; 1919 ; cry of the weak , 1919 ; our better selves , 1919 ; the profiteers , 1919 ; the root of evil , 1919 ; a society exile , 1919 ; his wife’s money , 1920 ; on with the dance , 1920 ; forever , 1921 ; paying the piper , 1921 ; peacock alley , 1922 ; to have and to hold , 1922 ; the cheat , 1923 ; the rustle of silk , 1923 ; eternal city , 1924 .
—– . “antimodernism as historical representation in a consumer culture : cecil b . demille’s the ten commandments , 1923 , 1956 , 1993 , ” in the persistence of history : cinema , television , and the modern event , edited by vivian sobchack , 91 - 112 . new york : routledge , 1996 .
ernst lubitsch , who played a hunchback jester in sumurun the play , also wrote and directed films . he got negri a contract with ufa ( universum - film ag ) , germany’s largest and most important film studio , and starred her in his first major feature ,
los angeles ( february 25 , 2017 ) – film independent , the nonprofit arts organization that produces the spirit awards and the la film festival , handed out honors to moonlight , the witch , other people , manchester by the sea , elle and hell or high water at this afternoon’s 32nd film independent spirit awards . spa night , o . j . : made in america and toni erdman also received awards at the ceremony , which was held in a tent on the beach in santa monica . in addition to being the celebration that honors artist - driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers whose films embody diversity , innovation and uniqueness of vision , the spirit awards is the primary fundraiser for film independent’s year - round programs .
d’arc , james v . “cecil b . demille goes to hollywood , ” in projections 8 : film - makers on film - making , edited by john boorman and walter donohue , 384 - 396 . london : faber and faber , 1998 .
blaetz , robin . strategies of containment : joan of arc in film . new york university , phd thesis , 1989 .
this film was based on the novel “toby tyler , or ten weeks with a circus” by james otis kaler , an extremely prolific author of boys’ novels from the 1880s - 1905 .
rivers , jennifer ann . cecil b . demille’s vision of the west : a comparison of history and film . brigham young university , ma thesis , 1996 .
variety is reporting that on thursday , the library of congress played host to a presentation of 10 previously lost american silent films , which have been digitally preserved by the russian film archive gosfilmofond .
the official website dedicated to demille’s work , life and legacy . it contains an extensive biography , filmography , list of awards , photo - gallery and various film links
attendees : joining josh welsh , president of film independent , were hosts nick kroll and john mulaney and spirit award honorary chair david oyelowo .
steidel , debra eve . that her soul may remain pure : women in american silent film . american university , ma thesis , 1989 .
this text was printed from the women film pioneers project at columbia university . to promote readability and conserve consumable resources , images and interactive elements in the digital version do not appear in print format .
“woman heads company . ouida bergere , former pathé scenario editor , to manage film company . ” the new york dramatic mirror ( 17 feb . 1915 ) : 24 .
apostolos - cappadona , diane . “iconography , ” in the routledge companion to religion and film , edited by john lyden , 440 - 464 . london : routledge , 2010 .
kick in . dir . : george fitzmaurice , sc . / adp . : ouida bergère ( famous players - lasky us 1923 ) cas . : betty compson , bert lytell , si , b & w , 7 reels ; 7 , 074 ft . archive : rur .
palmer , allen w . “cecil b . demille writes america’s history for the 1939 world’s fair . ” film history 5 , no . 1 ( 1993 ) : 36 - 48 .
bella donna . dir . : george fitzmaurice , sc . : ouida bergère ( famous players - lasky corp . us 1923 ) cas . : pola negri , si , b & w , 8 reels ; 7 , 895 - 7 , 903 ft . archive : rur , beb .
six days . dir . : charles brabin , aut . elinor glyn , adp . : ouida bergère ( goldwyn pictures us 1923 ) cas . : corinne griffith , frank mayo , myrtle stedman , si , b & w , 9 reels , 8 , 010 ft . archive : frl .
now in its 32nd year , the film independent spirit awards is an annual celebration honoring artist - driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers whose films embody independence and originality . the spirit awards recognizes the achievements of american independent filmmakers and promotes the finest independent films of the year to a wider audience .
scorsese , martin . “martin scorsese’s guilty pleasures . ” film comment 34 , no . 3 ( 1998 ) : 46 - 48 , p . 46 .
goldburg , peta . “selling jesus : judas the betrayer in film . ” religious education journal of australia 20 , no . 2 ( 2004 ) : 12 - 16 , p . 13 .
—– . “ the plainsman ( 1937 ) : cecil b . demille’s greatest authenticity lapse ? ” kinema : a journal for film and audiovisual media 19 ( 2003 ) : 73 - 86 .
apostolos - cappadona , diane . “iconography , ” in the routledge companion to religion and film , edited by john lyden , 440 - 464 . london : routledge , 2010 , p . 450 .
lardner jr . , ring . “the sign of the boss : cecil de mille , union buster , ” in celluloid power : social film criticism from the birth of a nation to judgment at nuremberg , edited by david platt , 383 - 394 . metuchen , nj : the scarecrow press , 1992 .
the film independent spirit awards are sponsored by premier sponsors piaget , american airlines , jeep brand , ifc , and principal sponsor at & t , as well as breyers gelato indulgences . fiji water is the official water . perrier - jouët is the official champagne . landmark vineyards is the official wine . bulleit frontier whiskey is the official spirit . wireimage is the official photographer .
the ceremony aired live today on ifc and a rebroadcast will air later this evening ; please check your local listings for times . an on - demand version of the spirit awards will also be made available for sundance now members shortly after the telecast concludes . clips from the ceremony will be available on film independent’s youtube channel after the show .
the problem with film is that there aren ' t enough works in the public domain to sustain a film restoration business . this leaves it up to the studios to restore the films themselves , but there ' s aren ' t a lot of pre - 1950 films that can be profitably restored , so most of them sit in the corporate vaults hidden from view . one fix might be mandating that digital copies of all pre - 1950 prints be made available to the public within 10 years , or else they ' re turned over to the government ( and hence the public domain ) so that the library of congress can make them available . this would give the studios a chance to purge their libraries without corroding their precious copyright , and make every film in their vault available to everyone . it ' s frustrating to read about films you can never see .
us formalities include the requirement that a formal notice of copyright be included in the work ; registration , renewal , and deposit of copies in the copyright office ; and the manufacture of the work in the us .
the 2017 roger and chaz ebert foundation fellowship , which includes a cash grant of $ 10 , 000 , was awarded to project involve fellow , jomo fray . this annual award is given to a filmmaker currently participating in a film independent artist development program with the mission of diversity in mind . film independent also awarded the inaugural turner fellowship , which includes a $ 10 , 000 cash grant , to project involve fellow kady kamakate . this generous three - year commitment from turner broadcasting , project involve lead sponsor , will enable film independent to provide an even deeper level of support to talented filmmakers from under - represented communities .
the name of the owner of copyright in the sound recording , or an abbreviation by which the name can be recognized , or a generally known alternative designation of the owner . if the producer of the sound recording is named on the phonorecord label or container and if no other name appears in conjunction with the notice , the producer ' s name shall be considered a part of the notice .
reid , one of the most popular film actors of the late teens and early 20s , teamed up with director james cruze for several pictures in 1919 , including this outdoor adventure . cruze , originally trained as a stage actor , started working in films in 1911 . in 1918 , he turned his attention to directing , and by 1927 , was the most popular and highest - salaried director in the business . it was on this movie , filming on location in northern california and southern oregon , that reid was injured doing stunt work . he supposedly was given morphine injections for the pain by a studio physician , which led to his addiction and ultimate death on january 18 , 1923 .
kozlovic , anton karl . ‘behold his mighty hand ! ’ a critical examination of the biblical cinema of cecil b . demille : a film studies offering to religious education . flinders university , phd thesis , 2009 .
south american beauty carmelita de córdoba , who is betrothed to an elderly latin american , elopes with new york broker dudley drake ; and after being disinherited by her father , she falls into the clutches of rao - singh , a crook masquerading as an indian prince . when carmelita seeks to repay her debt to him with money , he refuses her check and brands her as a cheat with his family crest . carmelita retaliates by shooting him , then escapes . dudley drake arrives in time to take the rap , but he is acquitted when carmelita shows the brand on her shoulder , and the courtroom mobs the bogus prince .
upon his return from college , a young man ( wallace reid ) learns that his father is in danger of losing the family’s beloved land to an unscrupulous lumberman . the film is highlighted with a daring scene played out on a runaway logging train .
( 1918 ) , a lurid melodrama costarring emil jannings . it was a huge hit and , over the next several years , lubitsch and negri collaborated on several more big - budget successes that were released in the u . s . a new york times review of the film version of
if the music is specifically written and recorded for the film , it ' s part of the larger work and the copyright is owned by the owner of the film . yes , but sometimes they use existing music , licensed for the film . the problem is that at the time many of these movies were made , there wasn ' t any home video market to plan for . even after the advent of home video , many movies and shows got tied up in legal red tape over the music . you can ' t buy dvd copies of a lot of older shows like wkrp in cincinnati or 21 jumpstreet with their original music because the studios didn ' t want to spend the money and time it would take to work out licensing deals for all of the music . the fox show werewolf was reportedly all set to be released by one company , but at the last minute , they couldn ' t clear the rights to two songs and since fox no longer had separate voice and music tracks , there was no way for them to replace the music . so the whole project was scrapped . the movie heavy metal came out in 1981 , but there wasn ' t a home video release until 1996 . bootlegs made from pay cable channels were available under the table , but music licensing held up the official release for a full fifteen years .
—– . “the art of creative scriptural extrapolation : bithiah , mered and 1 chronicles 4 : 18 within cecil b . demille’s the ten commandments ( 1956 ) . ” kinema : a journal for film and audiovisual media 33 ( 2010 ) : 4 - 30 .
wagner , phil . “passing through nightmares : cecil b . demille’s the plainsman and epic discourse in new deal america . ” in the epic film in world culture , edited by robert burgoyne , 207 - 234 . new york , ny : routledge , 2011 .
, ” according to the san antonio express . the film is a lavishly produced swashbuckler set in 17th century spain . negri plays dancer maritana , who falls in love with a dashing but impecunious nobleman and must fight off the advances of the lecherous king philip iv . although maritana’s titled lover , played by antonio moreno , swaggers grandly , negri is at the center of the action . she dances , romances , tells fortunes , jumps on and off horses , and suffers gallantly , displaying her charm , her range , and her dancer’s grace . her acting is subtle , soulfully expressive yet understated . interviewed in a 2006 documentary about negri , film historian jeanine basinger noted : “she has great physical control and she has eloquence to her body . she can do that thing that silent film stars needed to do , which is act from the head to the toe , use the entire body as an instrument of expression . ”
cecile b . demille 1956 ( biography excerpt ) [ incorrect first name ] demille and the march of dimes ( polo vaccine promotional advertisement ) demille’s lost set rough ( 1923 the ten commandments ) demille’s lost city of the pharaoh ( 1923 the ten commandments ) cecil b . demille’s hussy ( 1927 the king of kings – colour ) hollywood stories : demille commands ( 1956 the ten commandments ) leonard maltin on the ten commandments ( 1956 version ) 10 things i hate about commandments ( parody trailer : 1956 the ten commandments ) supermoses ( parody trailer : 1956 the ten commandments ) star trek 2009 trailer – the ten commandments version ( parody trailer : 1956 version ) love god , love people ( cecil b . demille edition ) ( rolling hills community church advertisement ) gloria swanson – “all right mr . demille , i’m ready for my close - up” ( sunset blvd . 1950 excerpt ) home for the holidays ( comedy short : demille as a zombie ) ayn rand meets cecil b . demille , part 1 ( lecture : dr . michael s . berliner ) ayn rand meets cecil b . demille , part 2 ( lecture : dr . michael s . berliner )
the problem with film is that there aren ' t enough works in the public domain to sustain a film restoration business . here ' s an idea i had a while back , and kicked around in my head for a while : crowdfund it . set up a site , like kickstarter , where the various studios list older movies that aren ' t currently in digital format , along with the cost it would take to restore and digitize them . should enough people donate to a particular film , it ' s restored , digitized , and made available to be purchased , with the backers getting copies due to already ' paying ' . a setup like this would allow the studios to have a zero - risk way of digitizing older works , since as long as it makes the goal , even if no one but the backers was interested in buying it , they ' ll still have broken even . if not enough backers donate for a film , it indicates that there ' s not enough interest . of course such a system would require the studios to be willing to compete against their older films , and would actually be good for the public , so the odds of anything like this actually happening is probably zero to none .
pratt , george c . “forty - five years of picture making : an interview with cecil b . demille . ” film history 3 , no . 2 ( 1989 ) : 134 - 145 .
( 1964 ) . negri plays a jewel thief who lives on a yacht and keeps a cheetah for a pet . she makes the most of her brief appearance , every inch the glamorous icon who has “lived through two wars , four revolutions , and five marriages , ” in the words of her character . at the press conference for the film , she entered with the cheetah on a leash . it was a fitting swan song for one of the silent era’s most dazzling stars .
over the past 32 years , the film independent spirit awards has made a name for itself as the premiere awards show for the independent film community . artists who have received industry recognition first at the spirit awards include ava duvernay , justin simien , ryan coogler , joel and ethan coen , spike lee , oliver stone , ashley judd , robert rodriguez , david o . russell , edward burns , aaron eckhart , neil labute , darren aronofsky , spike jonze , charlie kaufman , hilary swank , marc forster , todd field , christopher nolan , zach braff , amy adams , lena dunham and many more .
if the source country ' s first adhered to either the berne treaty or the wto after 1 january 1996 , then the relevant date is the earliest date of membership . date of membership is tracked at urltoken
maltby , richard . “ the king of kings and the czar of all the rushes : the propriety of the christ story . ” screen 31 , no . 2 ( 1990 ) : 188 - 213 .
carey was one of the biggest western movie stars of the silent era and one of the few who bucked the trend by making a successful transition to sound motion pictures .
in the public domain in the u . s . as of 1 january 2018 3
structurally speaking , this film is an uneven triptych ( ot , modern - day , nt ) , but it is presented in the onscreen cast list and within the literature as only a two - part production ( ot , modern - day ) . jesus is seen in a back view and this actor is not listed in the cast list although the leprous woman is mentioned .
foreign works published after 1923 are likely to be still under copyright in the us because of the uruguay round agreements act ( uraa ) modifying the general agreement on tariffs and trade ( gatt ) . the uraa restored copyright in foreign works that as of 1 january 1996 had fallen into the public domain in the us because of a failure to comply with us formalities . one of the authors of the work had to be a non - us citizen or resident , the work could not have been published in the us within 30 days after its publication abroad , and the work needed to still be in copyright in the country of publication . such works have a copyright term equivalent to that of an american work that had followed all of the formalities . for more information , see library of congress copyright office , highlights of copyright amendments contained in the uruguay round agreements act ( uraa ) . circular 38b . [ washington , d . c . : library of congress , copyright office , 2004 ] .
ouida bergère was perhaps best known in the film industry as mrs . basil rathbone and party hostess extraordinaire . however , before her marriage , to rathbone , bergère was a prominent and top paid scenario writer . bergère was born in spain , but moved to the us at the age of six . her father was french - spanish and her mother , british ( lowrey 1920 , 22 ) . there is some conflicting information regarding her birth name ; most sources claim she was born ida bergère , others eulalia bergère . regardless , upon entering the film industry , she changed her name to ouida .
the on - the - square - girl ( fifth avenue ) . dir . : george fitzmaurice , sc . : ouida bergère ( astra film corp . us 1917 ) cas . : mollie king , l . rogers lytton , si , b & w , 5 reels . archive : gbb .
d’arc , james vincent . 1986 . two articles : “darryl f . zanuck’s brigham young : a film in context and “ ‘so let it be written…’ — the creation of cecil b . demille’s autobiography ” . brigham young university , phd thesis , 1986 .
d’arc , james v . “ two articles : “darryl f . zanuck’s brigham young : a film in context and “‘so let it be written…’ — the creation of cecil b . demille’s autobiography . ” phd dissertation , brigham young university , 1986 , p . 74 .
a trip to paramount town ( 1921 ) felix in hollywood ( 1923 ) ( caricature ) hollywood ( 1923 ) arch - conspirators on cecil b . demille’s next production ( 1925 ) free and easy ( 1930 ) hollywood on parade no . 9 ( 1933 ) this day and age — special trailer ( 1933 ) the hollywood you never see ( 1934 ) demille — penn sunday trailer ( 1935 ) hollywood extra girl ( 1935 ) demille homecoming ( 1937 ) gretchen comes across ( 1938 ) glamour boy ( 1941 ) star spangled rhythm ( 1942 ) the story of a great motion picture ( 1942 ) demille war appeal ( 1943 ) the story of dr . wassell — trailer ( 1944 ) background of a great adventure ( 1947 ) variety girl ( 1947 ) my favorite brunette ( 1947 ) right to work ( 1948 ) screen snapshots — 50 th anniversary of movies ( 1949 ) history brought to life ( 1950 ) sunset blvd . ( 1950 ) screen snapshots : the great director ( 1951 ) the house on any street ( 1951 ) son of paleface ( 1952 ) screen snapshots : hollywood night life ( 1952 ) the greatest show on earth — trailer ( 1952 ) the great director ( 1956 ) the ten commandments — special trailer ( 1956 ) the ten commandments — curtain speech ( 1956 ) the buster keaton story ( 1957 ) the buccaneer — special trailer ( 1958 )
kemp , philip . “cecil b ( lount ) demille , ” in world film directors . volume i : 1890 - 1945 , edited by john wakeman , 207 - 222 . new york : h . w . wilson , 1987 .
this article is issued from wikipedia - version of the 9 / 19 / 2016 . the text is available under the creative commons attribution / share alike but additional terms may apply for the media files .
brought to you by packard campus of the audio - visual conservation center at the library of congress .
hollywood and the stars : the great directors ( 1964 , prod . jack haley , jr . )
how to enjoy art , and cecil b . demille’s the ten commandments the encyclopedia britannica blog about demille
grace , pamela . “gospel truth ? : from cecil b . demille to nicholas ray , ” in a companion to literature and film , edited by robert stam and alessandra raengo , 46 - 57 . malden , ma : blackwell , 2004 .
a prolific and versatile filmmaker , banks came to the u . s . as a teenager and made his film debut in 1917 under his real name mario bianchi . as actor , producer and director , banks went on to become one of the top screen comedians of the silent era , starring in his own series of shorts for the fledgling warner bros . studio as well as appearing alongside the likes of roscoe “fatty” arbuckle , buster keaton and the young jean arthur . after the coming of sound , he moved to england where he continued his career as director of a number of popular musical comedies .
presumption as to the author ' s death requires a certified report from the copyright office that its records disclose nothing to indicate that the author of the work is living or died less than seventy years before .
ohad - karny , yael . ““anticipating” gibson’s the passion of the christ : the controversy over cecil b . de mille’s the king of kings . ” jewish history 19 ( 2005 ) : 189 - 210 .
who here knows what happened to the series of doctor who ? doctor who started in late 60 ' s black and white , bbc . . the usa even tried to buy / copy it . . the bbc tried to make a compilation of all the shows . . missing over 1 / 2 of them to time and destruction of tapes . they searched the world for copies . . now to the vaults in the usa . . where the movie industry keeps all those old films on media that was original in 1930 - 40 - 50 . . . never upgraded to any other form / format / or new media copy . all that old tape / film rotting . . no changes , no upgrades , no fixing the faded colors or rotting tape / film . . for reference : urltoken urltoken this group gathers / buys / collects the old movies and fixes them , as much as they can . . this is like going out to the dump and finding stuff to take home and fix . . missing parts , rotten wood , and so forth . they try hard . where is the movie industry in this ? ?
you can already donate to film preservation non - profits , but again they ' re largely limited to restoring public domain films , and only a handful of pubic domain films are famous enough to be profitable ( and i suspect meager profits at best ) .
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in many cases , the studio can ' t release them , at least not as - is , because of the use of copyrighted music in the films .
noerdlinger , henry s . moses and egypt : the documentation to the motion picture the ten commandments . los angeles : university of southern california press , 1956 .
the world’s greatest showman — the legend of cecil b . demille ( 1963 , dir . boris sagal )
publication
was not explicitly defined in the copyright law before 1976 , but the 1909 act indirectly indicated that publication was when copies of the first authorized edition were placed on sale , sold , or publicly distributed by the proprietor of the copyright or under his authority .
with a new addition to the canon of silent films within the criterion collection set to hit shelves come november , the library of congress has made their own headlines thanks to some newly found films from the silent era .
hamand , carol . the effects of the adoption of sound on narrative and narration in the american cinema . university of wisconsin - madison , phd thesis , 1983 .
grace , pamela . “gospel truth ? : from cecil b . demille to nicholas ray , ” in a companion to literature and film , edited by robert stam and alessandra raengo , 46 - 57 . malden , ma : blackwell , 2004 , p . 48 .
none . in the public domain in the united states ( 17 u . s . c . § 105 )
the differing dates is a product of the question of controversial twin books v . walt disney co . decision by the 9th circuit court of appeals in 1996 . the question at issue is the copyright status of a work only published in a foreign language outside of the united states and without a copyright notice . it had long been assumed that failure to comply with us formalities placed these works in the public domain in the us and , as such , were subject to copyright restoration under uraa ( see note 10 ) . the court in twin books , however , concluded
publication without a copyright notice in a foreign country did not put the work in the public domain in the united states .
according to the court , these foreign publications were in effect
unpublished
in the us , and hence have the same copyright term as unpublished works . the decision has been harshly criticized in nimmer on copyright , the leading treatise on copyright , as being incompatible with previous decisions and the intent of congress when it restored foreign copyrights . the copyright office as well ignores the twin books decision in its circular on restored copyrights . nevertheless , the decision is currently applicable in all of the 9th judicial circuit ( alaska , arizona , california , hawaii , idaho , montana , nevada , oregon , washington , and guam and the northern mariana islands ) , and it may apply in the rest of the country .
yallop , david a . the day the laughter stopped : the true story of fatty arbuckle . new york : st . martin’s press , 1976 , p . 242 .
winters , charlene renberg . demille as phoenix : the rise , the fall , and the rise of an american director . brigham young university , ma thesis , 1996 .
williams , douglas . the eagle or the cross : rome , the bible , and cold war america . university of california , san diego , phd thesis , 1996 .
leonard j . leff and jerold l . simmons . the dame in the kimono : hollywood , censorship , and the production code , 2 nd ed . lexington , ky : the university press of kentucky , 2001 , p . 167 .
the 10th annual robert altman award was given to one film’s director , casting director and ensemble cast . barry jenkins’ moonlight received this award , along with casting director yesi ramirez and ensemble cast members mahershala ali , patrick decile , naomie harris , alex hibbert , andré holland , jharrel jerome , janelle monáe , jaden piner , trevante rhodes and ashton sanders .
the screen as a religious teacher – cecil b . demille c . b . discussing the king of kings ( 1927 )
there is the problem that movies that are on film and sound recordings ( that are on wax , celluloid , shellack , vinyl , or magnetic tape ) have that books , photographs , and sheet music do not have . and that is that listening and / or watching them destroy the medium they are stored on even in normal operation . it does not help that most movies were leased to theaters instead of sold .
sort films by title , year of release , and year inducted into the registry by using the up and down arrows at the top of each column . download pdf copies of the entire list of registry titles sorted alphabetically or by year of release .
was a better showcase for negri’s versatility . the project had been intended for the studio’s top male star , rudolph valentino , who was to play the cash - strapped nobleman . but he and the studio were mired in a contract dispute , so the screenplay was reworked to focus on the gypsy dancer instead . negri wanted lubitsch to direct , but mary pickford had already imported him for
may , lary . “transforming the “white” frontier : cecil b . demille and the origins of the hollywood home , ” in the human tradition in california , edited by clark davis and david igler , 119 - 134 . lanham : sr books , 2004 .
the photoplay for the spanish dancer features pola negri as maritana , a gypsy dancer in love with don césar de bazan , a penniless nobleman played by antonio moreno . intrigue in the spanish court arises when the king ( wallace beery ) must decide whether to sign a treaty with france . his wife , queen isabel ( kathlyn williams ) , advocates in favor but is opposed by courtier don salluste ( adolphe menjou ) , who conspires to sow discord between the royal couple . don césar is arrested in violation of the king’s edict against dueling and is sentenced to the firing squad . maritana pleads with the queen to spare don césar , but the king has designs on the “gypsy wench” and delays the pardon . the plot reaches its climax when the king dupes maritana into a rendezvous at his hunting lodge , while don césar escapes and attempts maritana’s rescue and the queen arrives to confront her husband with his infidelity .
schatz , thomas . history of the american cinema . 6 . boom and bust : the american cinema in the 1940s . new york : simon and schuster macmillan , 1997 , p . 394 .
a starring role in the warsaw stage production of max reinhardt’s arabian nights tale sumurun led to an offer to appear in the theater impresario’s revival of the play in berlin in 1917 , and soon negri became a star on the german stage as well . she also was married briefly to the polish count eugene dambski . even though the marriage didn’t last , the title did—negri continued to call herself countess dambski even after she went to america . a professional partnership formed during the berlin run of sumurun proved more lasting and more satisfying .
previously filmed in 1916 , “the conquest of canaan” was based on a novel by booth tarkington , author of a number of novels and plays that were adapted for film , including “alice adams , ” “monsieur beaucaire” and “the magnificent ambersons . ” meighan was a popular leading man in silent films beginning in 1914 , often appearing in such cecil b . demille productions as “male and female” ( 1919 ) and “why change your wife ? ” ( 1919 ) .
not all published works are copyrighted . works prepared by an officer or employee of the united states government as part of that person ' s official duties receive no copyright protection in the us . for much of the twentieth century , certain formalities had to be followed to secure copyright protection . for example , some books had to be printed in the united states to receive copyright protection , and failure to deposit copies of works with the register of copyright could result in the loss of copyright . the requirements that copies include a formal notice of copyright and that the copyright be renewed after twenty eight years were the most common conditions , and are specified in the chart .
jordana mollick received the piaget producers award . the award honors emerging producers who , despite highly limited resources , demonstrate the creativity , tenacity and vision required to produce quality , independent films . the annual award , in its 20th year , includes a $ 25 , 000 unrestricted grant funded by piaget for the 10th year . finalists for the award were lisa kjerulff , melody c . roscher and craig shilowich .
most works , even bestsellers , hits , etc . , have a limited time period when they make 99 % of their lifetime sales . so the creators will need to produce a new work to provide new sales . as a thought experiment , for the year 2004 how many people will buy a copy of the top grossing movie for that year this year ( shrek 2 ) . most of the sales have already occurred so if it want into the public domain this year dreamworks would probably not miss many sales . it is unlikely that there are enough sales to justify another pressing of the dvd . another point that is overlooked , most people want to buy a reputable copy of the work . so even a work in public domain reputable copies will still sell . a reputable copy is one made from the original masters for a film or recording or accurate reprinting of a book . often the original producers or publishers are in the best position to reissue reputable copies of an older work . along these lines , if one wants a good copy of the movie casablanca one is likely to buy a copy quite possibly made by the studio .
—– . why i made the ten commandments : an address by cecil b . demille at a luncheon at the plaza hotel just prior to the opening of his motion picture production at the criterion theatre in new york city . usa : n . p . , 1956 .
the only reason some episodes of early doctor who even exist is because fans ignored copyright & recorded the audio , video or both & kept them . now , the bbc is trying to track these recordings down , so they can finally release the full stories on dvd . some parts have to be animated , because the video was lost .
this year’s major winners were moonlight , which won best feature , best director , best screenplay , best cinematography , best editing and the robert altman award ; the witch , which won best first feature and best first screenplay ; manchester by the sea , which won best male lead ; elle , which won best female lead ; hell or high water , which won best supporting male ; other people , which won best supporting female ; spa night , which won the john cassavetes award ; o . j . : made in america , which won best documentary and toni erdmann , which won best international film .
( note : the following information applies only to the sound recording itself , and not to any copyrights in underlying compositions or texts . )
. here is the exact text : the copyright notice for phonorecords embodying a sound recording is different from that for other works . sound recordings are defined as
works that result from the fixation of a series of musical , spoken or other sounds , but not including the sounds accompanying a motion picture or other audiovisual work .
copyright in a sound recording protects the particular series of sounds fixed in the recording against unauthorized reproduction , revision , and distribution . this copyright is distinct from copyright of the musical , literary , or dramatic work that may be recorded on the phonorecord . phonorecords may be records ( such as lps and 45s ) , audio tapes , cassettes , or disks . the notice should contain the following three elements appearing together on the phonorecord :
there are tons of content decaying , rotting in the studio vaults . not to mention rca , which used all its old 78rpm master discs as hardcore in the foundations of a new building in the 1960s .
the bbc tried to make a compilation of all the shows . . missing over 1 / 2 of them to time and destruction of tapes . they searched the world for copies . . actually the bbc wasn ' t being particularly careless here . at no time did anyone knowingly wipe a tape that they believed to be the only copy . the problem was that there were two subsections of the bbc involved and each one thought that the other one was keeping the reference copy . actually this is worse because it points out that even when rightsholders are trying to keep things they are still likely to fail . and btw dr who started in 1963 - not late 60 ' s . in fact the first episode was broadcast on the day that john kennedy was assassinated !
the article itself mentions various public domain films that have been restored by the likes of the bfi , loc , criterion , etc . , restorations that they never got during the decades they were covered by copyright . no one would even know these films existed if they hadn ' t entered the public domain , certainly there would not be enough demand for them to drive the restoration efforts . failure to even mention the vast loss of orphan works pushes this article beyond simple
ignorance
.
this is one of the last feature films produced or released by louis b . mayer’s metro pictures corporation before he helped to establish mgm in 1924 . “the eternal struggle” also features the earliest surviving performance of french - born actress reneé adoreé , who two years later played the female lead opposite john gilbert in mgm’s mega - hit “the big parade . ”