Monday, June 28, 2010

Pulp Fiction Pulp Fiction (1994) Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel

Pulp Fiction Pulp Fiction (1994) Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel picture wallpaper
Pulp Fiction Pulp Fiction (1994) Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel

Pulp Fiction (1994) is an American crime film directed by Quentin Tarantino, who cowrote its screenplay with Roger Avary. The film is known for its rich, eclectic dialogue, ironic mix of humor and violence, nonlinear storyline, and host of cinematic allusions and pop culture references. The film was nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture; Tarantino and Avary won for Best Original Screenplay. It was also awarded the Palme d'Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival. A major critical and commercial success, it revitalized the career of its leading man, John Travolta, who received an Academy Award nomination, as did costars Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman.

Directed in a highly stylized manner, Pulp Fiction joins the intersecting storylines of Los Angeles mobsters, fringe players, small-time criminals, and a mysterious briefcase. Considerable screen time is devoted to conversations and monologues that reveal the characters' senses of humor and perspectives on life. The film's title refers to the pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels popular during the mid-20th century, known for their graphic violence and punchy dialogue. Pulp Fiction is self-referential from its opening moments, beginning with a title card that gives two dictionary definitions of "pulp". The plot, in keeping with most of Tarantino's other works, is presented out of chronological sequence.

The picture's self-reflexivity, unconventional structure, and extensive use of homage and pastiche have led critics to describe it as a prime example of postmodern film. Considered by some critics a black comedy,[3] the film is also frequently labeled a "neo-noir".[4] Critic Geoffrey O'Brien argues otherwise: "The old-time noir passions, the brooding melancholy and operatic death scenes, would be altogether out of place in the crisp and brightly lit wonderland that Tarantino conjures up. [It is] neither neo-noir nor a parody of noir".[5] Similarly, Nicholas Christopher calls it "more gangland camp than neo-noir",[6] and Foster Hirsch suggests that its "trippy fantasy landscape" characterizes it more definitively than any genre label.[7] Pulp Fiction is viewed as the inspiration for many later movies that adopted various elements of its style. The nature of its development, marketing, and distribution and its consequent profitability had a sweeping effect on the field of independent cinema (although it is not an independent film itself). A cultural watershed, Pulp Fiction's influence has been felt in several other media.

Pulp Fiction Pulp Fiction (1994) Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel picture wallpaper
Pulp Fiction Pulp Fiction (1994) Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel


Cast

John Travolta as Vincent Vega: Tarantino cast Travolta in Pulp Fiction only because Michael Madsen, who had a major role—Vic Vega—in Reservoir Dogs, chose to appear in Kevin Costner's Wyatt Earp instead. Madsen was still rueing his choice over a decade later.[35] Harvey Weinstein pushed for Daniel Day-Lewis in the part.[36] Travolta accepted a bargain rate for his services—sources claim either $100,000 or $140,000—but the film's success and his Oscar nomination as Best Actor revitalized his career.[37] Travolta was subsequently cast in several hits including Get Shorty, in which he played a similar character, and the John Woo blockbuster Face/Off. In 2004, Tarantino discussed an idea for a movie starring Travolta and Madsen as the Vega brothers; the concept remains unrealized.[38]

Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield: Tarantino had written the part with Jackson in mind, but the actor nearly lost it after his first audition was overshadowed by Paul Calderon's. Jackson assumed the audition was merely a reading. Harvey Weinstein convinced Jackson to audition a second time, and his performance of the final diner scene won over Tarantino.[39] Jules was originally scripted with a giant afro, but Tarantino and Jackson agreed on the Jheri-curled wig seen in the film.[40] (One reviewer took it as a "tacit comic statement about the ghettoization of blacks in movies".)[41] Jackson received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Calderon appears in the movie as Paul, Marsellus's right-hand man.

Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace: Miramax favored Holly Hunter or Meg Ryan for the role. Alfre Woodard and Meg Tilly were also considered, but Tarantino wanted Thurman after their first meeting.[42][43] She dominated most of the film's promotional material, appearing on a bed with cigarette in hand. She was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar and was launched into the celebrity A-list. She took little advantage of her newfound fame, choosing not to do any big-budget films for the next three years.[44] Thurman would later star in Tarantino's two Kill Bill movies.

Pulp Fiction Pulp Fiction (1994) Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel picture wallpaper
Willis evoked one 1950s actor in particular for Tarantino: "Aldo Ray in Jacques Tourneur's Nightfall [1956].... I said let's go for that whole look."[45] His boxing robe, designed by Betsy Heimann, exemplifies Tarantino's notion of costume as symbolic armor.



Bruce Willis as Butch Coolidge: Willis was a major star, but most of his recent films had been box-office disappointments. As described by Peter Bart, taking a role in the modestly budgeted film "meant lowering his salary and risking his star status, but the strategy...paid off royally: Pulp Fiction not only brought Willis new respect as an actor, but also earned him several million dollars as a result of his gross participation."[47] Willis's appearance and physical presence were crucial to Tarantino's interest in casting him: "Bruce has the look of a 50s actor. I can't think of any other star that has that look."[17]

Harvey Keitel as Winston Wolf or simply "The Wolf": The part was written specifically for Keitel, who had starred in Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs and was instrumental in getting it produced. In the filmmaker's words, "Harvey had been my favorite actor since I was 16 years old."[48] Keitel had played a character similarly employed as a "cleaner" in Point of No Return, released a year earlier.

Tim Roth as "Pumpkin" or "Ringo": Roth had starred in Reservoir Dogs alongside Keitel and was brought on board again. He had used an American accent in the earlier film, but uses his natural, London one in Pulp Fiction. Though Tarantino had written the part specifically with Roth in mind, TriStar head Mike Medavoy preferred Johnny Depp or Christian Slater.[49]

Amanda Plummer as Yolanda or "Honey Bunny": Tarantino wrote the role for Plummer, specifically to partner Roth onscreen. Roth had introduced the actress and director, telling Tarantino, "I want to work with Amanda in one of your films, but she has to have a really big gun."[50] Plummer followed up with director Michael Winterbottom's Butterfly Kiss, in which she plays a serial killer.

Maria de Medeiros as Fabienne: Butch's girlfriend. Tarantino met the Portuguese actress while traveling with Reservoir Dogs around the European film festival circuit.[13] She had previously costarred with Thurman in Henry & June (1990), playing Anaïs Nin.

Ving Rhames as Marsellus Wallace: Before Rhames was cast, the part was offered to Sid Haig, who had appeared in many classic exploitation movies of the 1970s. Haig passed on the role.[51] According to Bender, Rhames gave "one of the best auditions I've ever seen."[43] His acclaimed performance led to his being cast in big-budget features such as Mission Impossible, Con Air, and Out of Sight.[52]

Eric Stoltz as Lance: Vincent's drug dealer. Courtney Love later reported that Kurt Cobain was originally offered the role of Lance; if he had taken it, Love would have played the role of his wife.[53] Tarantino, however, denies that he ever even met Cobain, much less offered him a role in the movie.[54]

Rosanna Arquette as Jody: Lance's wife. Pam Grier read for the role, but Tarantino did not believe audiences would find it plausible for Lance to yell at her.[55] Grier was later cast as the lead of Tarantino's Jackie Brown. Ellen DeGeneres also read for Jody.[56]

Christopher Walken as Captain Koons: Walken appears in a single scene, devoted to the Vietnam veteran's monologue about the gold watch. In 1993, Walken had appeared in another small but pivotal role in the "Sicilian scene" in the Tarantino-written True Romance.

Schindler's List Schindler's List (1993) Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes

Schindler's List Schindler's List (1993) Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes picture wallpaper
Schindler's List Schindler's List (1993) Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes

Schindler's List is an 1993 American epic film about Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg, and based on the novel Schindler's Ark by Thomas Keneally. It stars Liam Neeson as Schindler, Ralph Fiennes as Schutzstaffel (SS) officer Amon Göth, and Ben Kingsley as Schindler's Jewish accountant Itzhak Stern.

The film was a box office success and recipient of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Score, as well as numerous other awards (7 BAFTAs, 3 Golden Globes). In 2007, the American Film Institute (AFI) ranked the film 8th on its list of the 100 best American films of all time (up one position from its 9th place listing on the 1998 list).

Cast
Main


* Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saves the lives of over 1,100 Jews by employing them in his factory.
* Ben Kingsley as Itzhak Stern, Schindler's accountant and business partner.
* Ralph Fiennes as Amon Göth, the main antagonist in the film; Göth is an SS officer assigned to build and run the Płaszów concentration camp, and is befriended by Schindler, though he grows steadily suspicious of Schindler's true aims as the film progresses.
* Embeth Davidtz as Helen Hirsch, a young Jewish woman whom Göth takes to work as his housekeeper, and finds attractive.
* Caroline Goodall as Emilie Schindler, Schindler's wife.
* Jonathan Sagall as Poldek Pfefferberg, a young man who survives with his wife, and provides goods to Schindler from the black market.

Secondary

* Ezra Dagan as Rabbi Lewartow, a rabbi who acquires skills as a welder in Schindler's camp.
* Malgoscha Gebel as Wiktoria Klonowska, Schindler's mistress
* Shmuel Levy as Wilek Chilowicz
* Mark Ivanir as Marcel Goldberg
* Béatrice Macola as Ingrid
* Andrzej Seweryn as Julian Scherner
* Friedrich von Thun as Rolf Czurda
* Krzysztof Luft as Herman Toffel
* Harry Nehring as Leo John
* Norbert Weisser as Albert Hujar
* Adi Nitzan as Mila Pfefferberg, Poldek's Wife.
* Michael Schneider as Juda Dresner
* Miri Fabian as Chaja Dresner
* Anna Mucha as Danka Dresner
* Ben Darby as Man in Grey
* Albert Misak as Mordecai Wulkan
* Hans-Michael Rehberg as Rudolf Höß
* Daniel Del Ponte as Dr. Josef Mengele

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Starring: Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Viggo Mortensen.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Starring: Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Viggo Mortensen. picture wallpaper
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Starring: Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Viggo Mortensen.


The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a 2001 fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson based on the first volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (1954–1955). Set in Middle-earth, the story tells of the Dark Lord Sauron, who is seeking the One Ring. The Ring has found its way to the young hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood). The fate of Middle-earth hangs in the balance as Frodo and eight companions form the Fellowship of the Ring, and begin their journey to Mount Doom in the land of Mordor: the only place where the Ring can be destroyed.

Released on December 19, 2001, the film was highly acclaimed by critics and fans alike, especially as many of the latter judged it to be the most sufficiently faithful adaption of the original story out of Jackson's film trilogy. It was a major box office success, earning over $870 million worldwide, and the second highest grossing film of 2001 in the U.S. and worldwide (behind Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) which made it the 5th highest grossing film ever at the time. Today it is the 19th highest grossing worldwide film of all time. It won four Academy Awards and five BAFTAs, including Best Film and Best Director BAFTA awards. The Special Extended DVD Edition was released on November 12, 2002 and is now discontinued. In 2007, The Fellowship of the Ring was voted number 50 on the American Film Institute's list of 100 greatest American films. The AFI also voted it the second greatest fantasy film of all time during their AFI's 10 Top 10 special.

Awards

In 2002, the movie won four Academy Awards out of thirteen nominations. The winning categories were for Best Cinematography, Best Effects (Visual Effects), Best Makeup, and Best Music (Original Score). Despite its praise by fans, the other nominated categories of Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Ian McKellen), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Music (Best Song) (Enya, Nicky Ryan and Roma Ryan for "May It Be"), Best Picture, Best Sound, Costume Design and Best Writing (Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published) were not won.

As of June 2010, it is the 19th highest grossing film worldwide, with takings of US$870,761,744 from worldwide theatrical box office receipts.[1]

The movie won the 2002 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. It also won Empire readers' Best Film award, as well as five BAFTAs, including Best Film, the David Lean Award for Direction, the Audience Award (voted for by the public), Best Special Effects, and Best Make-up.

In June 2008, AFI revealed its "Ten top Ten"—the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres—after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was acknowledged as the second best film in the fantasy genre.

The Godfather, Part II The Godfather Part II (1974) Starring: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro

The Godfather, Part II The Godfather Part II (1974) Starring: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro
The Godfather, Part II The Godfather Part II (1974) Starring: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro picture wallpaper
The Godfather, Part II The Godfather Part II (1974) Starring: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro

The Godfather Part II is a 1974 American gangster film directed by Francis Ford Coppola from a script co-written with Mario Puzo. The film is both a sequel and a prequel to The Godfather, chronicling the story of the Corleone family following the events of the first film while also depicting the rise to power of the young Vito Corleone before the events of the first film. The film stars Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Michael V. Gazzo and Lee Strasberg.

The Godfather Part II was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won six, including Best Picture[2] and Best Supporting Actor for Robert De Niro, and has been selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry.

Principal cast

* Al Pacino as Michael Corleone
* Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen
* Robert De Niro as Vito Corleone
* Diane Keaton as Kay Adams-Corleone
* John Cazale as Fredo Corleone
* Talia Shire as Connie Corleone
* Lee Strasberg as Hyman Roth
* Michael V. Gazzo as Frankie Pentangeli
* Morgana King as Carmela Corleone
* G. D. Spradlin as Senator Pat Geary
* Richard Bright as Al Neri
* Marianna Hill as Deanna Corleone
* Gastone Moschin as Don Fanucci
* Troy Donahue as Merle Johnson
* Dominic Chianese as Johnny Ola
* Joe Spinell as Willi Cicci
* Bruno Kirby as Young Peter Clemenza
* Frank Sivero as Young Genco Abbandando
* James Caan as Sonny Corleone (cameo)
* Abe Vigoda as Salvatore Tessio (cameo)
* Gianni Russo as Carlo Rizzi (cameo)
* Giuseppe Sillato as Don Francesco Ciccio
* Roman Coppola as Young Santino Corleone
* John Megna as Young Hyman Roth
* Julian Voloshin as Sam Roth
* Larry Guardino as Vito's uncle
* Danny Aiello as Tony Rosato
* John Aprea as Young Sal Tessio
* Leopoldo Trieste as Signor Roberto (landlord)
* Salvatore Poe as Vincenzo Pentangeli


Between The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Coppola directed The Conversation, which was released in 1974 and was also nominated for Best Picture. This resulted in Coppola being the second director in Hollywood history to have two films released in the same year nominated for Best Picture. (The first was Alfred Hitchcock in 1941 with Foreign Correspondent and Rebecca, which won. This achievement was matched by Herbert Ross in 1977 with The Goodbye Girl and The Turning Point and again with Steven Soderbergh in 2000, when the films Erin Brockovich and Traffic were both nominated for Best Picture.)

The film was the first sequel to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

American Film Institute recognition

* 1998 AFI's 100 Years…100 Movies #32
* 2003 AFI's 100 Years…100 Heroes and Villains:
o Michael Corleone — Villain #11
* 2005 AFI's 100 Years…100 Movie Quotes:
o "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer," #58
o "I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse." #2
* 2007 AFI's 100 Years…100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) #32
* 2008 AFI's 10 Top 10 #3 Gangster film

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