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Box Office UPDATE: Clint Eastwood’s Excellent “Richard Jewell” Has $5 Mil Weekend, Killed by Controversy Over Real Life Female Reporter

Roger Friedman
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Box Office UPDATE: Clint Eastwood’s Excellent “Richard Jewell” Has $5 Mil Weekend, Killed by Controversy Over Real Life Female Reporter

UPDATE: “Richard Jewell” was killed at the box office with just a $5 mil weekend. The movie is excellent, and the whole thing is a shame. If you can, see it. I’m very disappointed that so many forces against it– on purpose.

EARLIER Clint Eastwood’s “Richard Jewell” should be a movie everyone’s talking about right now. And indeed they are, but not for the right reasons. With a controversy surrounding it, the Warner Bros. film has had a disappointing launch on its opening night.

“Richard Jewell” made just $1.5 million on Friday night in over 2,000 theaters. Its weekend cume will come to under $4.5 million. Coupled with a lack of awards nominations– a mistake, I think — the film doesn’t have the brightest future. What a shame.

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The true story of how Jewell’s life was ruined by local law enforcement, the FBI, and the media in Atlanta when he was falsely accused of bombing the 1996 Olympics is extremely well conveyed by Eastwood and a sterling cast. But the secondary plot– of a real life reporter from the Atlanta Journal Constitution sleeping with a source to break the story– has turned “Richard Jewell” into a marketing nightmare.

The AJC is conducting a war against the movie, denying that the late reporter, Kathy Scruggs, would have done such a thing. Everyone who knew Scruggs has spoken out, too, including her colleagues and her family, all in agreement that while she was unconventional, and wore short skirts (that part is the most amusing), Scruggs wouldn’t have crossed that line.

To make matters worse, the movie uses her name but not the real name of the FBI agent she supposedly slept with. So Jon Hamm’s character is basically fictional, while Olivia Wilde is representing a real person.

The debate about this plot point has come to taint what would have otherwise been a critical and possible financial hit. We’ve seen this before–a great movie can be killed in the marketing. Look at Nate Parker’s “The Birth of a Nation,” which died because of the revelation Parker had been acquitted in a college rape trial. That was the end of that movie, which was on track for awards acclaim.

Wilde, who’s so good as “Scruggs,” has defended her role. The movie company has pointed out that the AJC nevertheless was culpable in ruining Jewell’s life. But either the AJC’s campaign against the movie, or a sub rosa Hollywood campaign against “Richard Jewell,” has certainly made the movie’s situation unfavorable.

It’s not great for Warner Bros. on a different score. They’ve been unable all year to make non branded adult films catch on. (“Joker” can’t be counted in there because it comes from DC Comics.) Their last chance is “Just Mercy,” with Jamie Foxx and Michael B. Jordan, which is also excellent and just landed Foxx a SAG Awards nomination. So far, there’s no controversy (fingers crossed). “Just Mercy” deserves an Oscar comeback after disappointing rounds with the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards.

In the meantime, go see “Richard Jewell.” As I said when I saw it, it’s a jewel of a movie and one of Eastwood’s best.

Classic Rock Lives: Latest Townshend Daltrey Version of The Who Debuts 1st Number 1 Album Since 1971

Roger Friedman
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Classic Rock Lives: Latest Townshend Daltrey Version of The Who Debuts 1st Number 1 Album Since 1971

They’re not exactly The Who, but it’s semantics. The real Who included John Entwhistle and Keith Moon, each of whom are long deceased.

But The Who as they stand are originators Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey. And their self-titled album sold the most copies this past week, 90 thousand. It’s their first number 1 in over thirty years. The number two album, also without streaming figures, was the very hot, very now Camilla Cabello, whose “Romance” did about 45,000 CDs and downloads.

Of course when you add in streaming, The Who came in second to someone called Roddy Ricch. But Roddy’s sales are almost purely from streaming. His 100,000 total had just 3,000 paid downloads and CDs. No one wanted to own a copy of Roddy’s album. Everyone wanted The Who.

It’s kind of amazing. But well played. The real last Who album was in 1981, it was called “Face Dances” and had the real hit, “You Better You Bet.” There was one the following year called “It’s Hard.” The single was “Athena,” so maybe that counts. But the next one was the forgettable “Endless Wire” in 2006. And then nothing til now.

So it’s been 13 years since any Who album. According to Billboard, the real last number 1 was “Who’s Next” in 1971, which, of course, is their quintessential album with “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “Baba O’Riley,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” and so on.

The Who have had many final tours over the last 40 years. Many of them spawned live recordings, although their most famous concert album, “Live at Leeds,” was recorded in 1970.

Interesting note: thought it may seem old to you, Pete’s and Roger’s age are on the younger edge of their generation. Pete is 74, Roger is 75. They’re younger than all the Beatles, Stones, etc. They’re also in good shape. Daltrey always boasted about taking care of himself. So they’re not wrapping it up any time soon, knock wood.

The new “Who” album has some great backing musicians with Ringo’s son Zak Starkey on drums, and famed producer Lenny Waronker’s son Joey also on drums. But most of it is made by Townshend and Daltrey singing, playing and writing 97% of it. How cool is that?

The album is distinctively robust. Many of the sounds are recycled little bits and pieces from classic Who. But a lot of it is fresh and contemporary, with more topical lyrics than usual. The first time I played it I had a funny feeling, like zombies had returned to lay down tracks. But that’s because we haven’t heard this sound with new material in at least 13 if not more years. The more I played it the more I liked it. And it will be fun to hear in concert.

So god bless The Who. As long as we’re all still here, let’s enjoy them!

 

RIP Danny Aiello, the Great Actor, Loved by Everyone, Known for “Do the Right Thing,” “Moonstruck,” “The Professional”

Roger Friedman
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RIP Danny Aiello, the Great Actor, Loved by Everyone, Known for “Do the Right Thing,” “Moonstruck,” “The Professional”

Danny Aiello was like the New York actor. He was a hit here before he was a hit anywhere. Everyone in New York knew him from the movies and loved him. He was our guy. And he responded that way, too. He loved everyone he met. He became friends with everyone, on a first name basis. You could tell he loved life, and appreciated his fame. He died at age 86 yesterday, and there’s an outpouring of love for him all over social media.

I could say I knew him, but he knew everyone and everyone’s names. Even if he hadn’t seen you in a while, Danny acted like you were long lost friends. He was the kind of person who made you feel good for his success.

And that success: “Godfather II.” “Fort Apache: The Bronx.” Two Woody Allen movies, “Purple Rose of Cairo,” “Radio Days.” “Moonstruck.” And then “Do the Right Thing” brought him the celebrity, the Oscar nomination, all the accolades. He was off and running. Wherever he went people wanted to hug him. That’s what you did before everyone started asking for a picture. In Elaine’s, if he stopped by, they’d be talking about it for days. Danny Aiello was here.

Thanks, Danny. It was great knowing you. The funny part now will be people going back to the old movies, and saying, Look, it’s Danny Aiello. He’s in every movie. It seemed like that.

Review: On “Fine Line,” Harry Styles Has Studied the 70s and Sung it Back to His Teen Fans: Stephen Stills Will Get a Good Laugh

Roger Friedman
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Review: On “Fine Line,” Harry Styles Has Studied the 70s and Sung it Back to His Teen Fans: Stephen Stills Will Get a Good Laugh

Harry Styles is a nice kid, a cute kid, with acting chops, a mandate to be a pop star. I don’t think he cares about the latter. He didn’t seem to care in One Direction, where Niall Horan was clearly the musician. Harry was the Cute One, waiting to figure out what to do with his life.

It takes a village to make an album for him. So on his second solo effort, “Fine Line,” Harry and his pit crew have studied the best of the early 70s and sung it back to his teen — mostly girl– fans. It’s not a bad idea. The only people who might object are the ones whose ideas were “borrowed.” On this record that would be Stephen Stills, Paul McCartney, Crowded House, and a few others.

The fact that Harry is an amiable presence, a guest at his own tribute, makes “Fine Line” pass without any trouble. He’s already released three singles, the best of which– “Lights Up” — did the worst. “Watermelon Sugar” is catchy and short and totally meaningless. “Adore You” sounds like Crowded House, and things could be worse.

There’s a six minute track that’s like a Paul McCartney fest called “She.” I could only listen to the first couple of minutes because Paul would have cut it there and added two more two minute chapters to make one of his famous triptychs. he lets the band perform a very 70s-esque instrumental, too.

The new song I kind of liked best was “Treat People with Kindness.” This is written by Ilsey Juber, daughter of former Wings player Laurence Juber. It’s very mid 70s Paul, and not unwelcome. (Harry so reveres solo McCartney that he named the album and its title song for a recent Paul single.)

Stephen Stills: Harry and pals studied “Love the One You’re With” and “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.” They came up with a backing vocal on “Golden” and a whole song– “Canyon Moon”– that’s a tribute to CSN circa 1969.

Styles’ crew consists of Jeff Bhasker, Thomas Tull, and Tyler Johnson. They are his group, his producers, his writers, his tailors. He’s their voice. There’s nothing wrong with that. They’re like his own Wrecking Crew. He’s lucky to have them. I’m not unhappy they exist. Harry Styles is never going to be Elvis Costello. He has no ideas of his own. But he’s clever at arranging himself around these ideas. And it works.

This isn’t a put down. You root for him. At a time when there are few male solo acts, Styles’ career is important. Girls are going to scream. He’s not offensively ignorant like Justin Bieber, which also helps. He’s clever and charming. And that goes a long way.

PS The last song on the album is the title track. It was left off the digital press stream, so I’m just listening to it now. It’s over 6 minutes long. It’s got that faux McCartney-Crowded House sound. Harry’s team definitely went for a sound on this album that was dreamy and richly layered orchestrally, lots of bass and falsetto. Acoustic guitar floats over the top. The feel is Beatles as you wanted them to be. What’s interesting is that the lyrics to all of these songs are sexless. They want to be thought of as ‘general entertainment.’ Everyone’s included, no one gets hurt.

UPDATE : “Playmobil” Movie, With $75 Million Budget, Made Just $11 Per Theater Thursday Night at 2300 Locations

Roger Friedman
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UPDATE : “Playmobil” Movie, With $75 Million Budget, Made Just $11 Per Theater Thursday Night at 2300 Locations

FRIDAY NIGHT UPDATE: “Playmobil,” an animated film based on a children’s toy, made just $11 per screen Thursday night at 2,337 locations. The film cost $75 million to make, and has so far earned just $797,702 in 7 days. On Wednesday night, it made $17 per screen.

For new studio STX this is quite a disaster. It’s especially heartbreaking since STX’s fortunes were looking up with the success of “Hustlers” and Jennifer Lopez getting some nice awards attention. Earlier this year, STX also had a hit with “The Upside.” Each of those films made over $100 million.

But “Playmobil” is a total write off. Reviews were terrible, too, coming in at 16% on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s not like the bar is that high. The goal here is to make something where you can park kids on the weekends. The movie ticket price is supposed to be a bargain compared to a baby sitter. But if the movie is so bad that even that can’t happen, you know you’re in trouble!

“Playmobil” is directed by Lino DiSalvo. It’s his first directing job, but he was head of animation on “Frozen.” These days, such a failure could mean DiSalvo directs the next “Star Trek” movie.

Playmobil is a toy for small children– very small. It’s owned by German company, Brandstatter. It’s a little unclear if they licensed the product or invested their own money in the movie. The credits include 21 different producers including the husband of Princess Grace’s granddaughter, Dmitri Rassam.

The Murdochs Become the Clampetts as Rupert’s Son Buys Jed and Granny’s Bev Hills Mansion for $150 Mil

Roger Friedman
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The Murdochs Become the Clampetts as Rupert’s Son Buys Jed and Granny’s Bev Hills Mansion for $150 Mil

Mr. Drysdale and Miss Hathaway will be right over with the paper work!

Rupert Murdoch’s son, Lachlan, has reportedly bought the mansion used for “The Beverly Hillbillies” for $150 million.

Can we cast this show? Lachlan is Jethro. Rupert is Jed Clampett. Rupert’s mom, who lived to be 104, is Granny. Jeri Hall is Ellie Mae. James Murdoch? He can be Jethro’s long lost twin.

No one better to play Milburn Drysdale, the idiot banker, than Donald Trump. And Miss Jane Hathaway? Why, that credit goes to Kellyanne Conway.

Seriously, Lachlan Murdoch paid $150 million for the Bel Air mansion used to depict the Clampletts’ home. You may recall they struck oil in the Ozarks and moved to the Hills of Beverly.

The Clampetts came from Hooterville, which is sort of the equivalent of Australia. They left behind the cast of “Petticoat Junction”– which could be played by the Kardashian family. Imagine Caitlyn Jenner popping out of the water tower after a quick dip on a hot day!

The Murdochs are generally thought to be the inspiration for HBO’s searing satire, “Succession.” But suddenly this all makes much more sense!

 

Shakespeare Gets a Raw Deal in 2019: Netflix “The King” Movie Drops His Name, “West Side Story” Cuts Romeo and Juliet Balcony Scene

Roger Friedman
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Shakespeare Gets a Raw Deal in 2019: Netflix “The King” Movie Drops His Name, “West Side Story” Cuts Romeo and Juliet Balcony Scene

William Shakespeare is having a bad year.

First, Netflix’s “The King,” starring Timothee Chalamet, dropped his name and all reference to him in the advertising. “The King” is based on Shakespeare’s “Henry” plays (Henry the Fourth Parts 1 and 2, Henry V). But you’d never know it from promotion. We’ve fallen a long way from “William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.” for example, Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 extravaganza with Leonardo Di Caprio and Clare Danes.

But “The King” is only the first wound for the Bard of Avon this year. Now comes news from the Broadway Theater that all traces of Shakespeare are gone from the new production of “West Side Story.” The famed and revered musical is based on “Romeo and Juliet,” if you recall. Lovers Tony and Maria are supposed to come from different sides of the tracks. He’s a fair haired Polish American kid. She’s a gorgeous Puerto Rican transplanted to New York. Their respective friends hate each other.

“West Side Story” is so much based on “Romeo and Juliet” that it features a famous balcony scene in which Tony approaches Maria, climbs her fire escape, and they sing the great song, “Tonight.”

Alas, the balcony, according to sources, is gone from Ivo van Hove’s “WSS,” which has had two preview performances this week. It opens February 6, 2020. But one audience member tells me, “There’s no balcony because there are no sets.” No sets? “No sets. The whole show is performed on a bare brick stage painted black. A large back wall, large enough to be Fenway Park’s big green wall, is a massive video projection.”

Shakespeare should sue! One of his most famous lines is “But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.” Juliet is standing on the balcony. But in the new “WSS,” Juliet– er, Maria– is apparently cheated out of her big moment.

Other changes to “West Side Story” besides no sets? We already know the Jerome Robbins choreography is gone. So is the song “I Feel Pretty,” and a ballet that follows the song “Somewhere.” I’m told the “Gee Officer Krupke” song, which used to be comedic, is now pretty dark. and Officer Krupke holds a gun on the gang members while they serenade him.

Hmmmm….I guess someone outta brush up their Shakespeare!

 

Sir Bob Geldof Celebrates with 1st Boomtown Rats Album in 36 Years, New Book and Film Coming As Well

Roger Friedman
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Sir Bob Geldof Celebrates with 1st Boomtown Rats Album in 36 Years, New Book and Film Coming As Well

Sir Bob Geldof is back in circulation. On Monday he aced performances at Sting’s Rainforest concert with his big Boomtown Rats hit, “I Don’t Like Mondays” and Elvis Costello’s Nick Lowe anthem, “What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding.”

Now we see why Geldof is ginned up. He’s got his first Boomtown Rats album in 36 years, called “Citizens of Boomtown.” It’s released in March 2020 on BMG Records. Produced by Rats bassist Pete Briquette, it will be available on digital platforms, CD and vinyl. The first single ‘Trash Glam Baby’, a beautifully sleazy rocker, will be released on January 10, 2020. The Rats consist of Bob Geldof on vocals, Pete Briquette on bass, Simon Crowe on drums and Garry Roberts on guitar.

Geldof and the Rats were right in the middle of the Punk/New Wave movement late 70s, early 80s. They hit their peak with the very prescient “I Don’t Like Mondays,” a song about a girl who shot up her school. It was based on a real story then– in January 1979, 16 year old Brenda Spencer said she killed the principal at Grover Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego because she didn’t like Mondays. (She also wounded 8 children and a police officer). It seemed ludicrous at the time. But it became an epidemic all too soon after that.

The Rats had 6 albums, Geldof put out 7 albums but something else happened: Live Aid. Geldof put together the international 1985 weekend concert to stop starvation in Ethiopia, and it became a phenomenon. Suddenly he was the face of rock and roll worldwide philanthropy. He was even knighted by Queen Elizabeth. Thanks to Geldof, unknown millions of lives were probably saved and still are.

But the rocker never goes away. So he’s got a new album, a tour, a book, and a documentary coming. And it’s about time!

“Indeed if anything”, says Geldof “it was time to hear THAT noise again. But I only knew that when I heard this group of individuals re-constitute their specific racket”.

Were they not afraid of a sort of cozy or complacent nostalgia smothering the original vitality of the music?

Geldof responds: “Had that happened I’d have instantly knocked it on the head, but when we played “Someone’s Looking At You’ I found I was singing now about the dangerous corporate surveillance of Facebook, Apple, Google, ever-on “smart’ shit whose product is ‘You’. When we do ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ I’m thinking of last week’s mass killing. When it’s ‘Banana Republic’, it is now the death of the American Republic. When it’s ‘Rat Trap’, that abattoir I worked in and where I wrote the song, now still serves as a physical metaphor, not just for the death of the animals there, but the hopelessness of the human lives that worked there. It still works for that same reason. There is no nostalgia here. None.”

Larry David is Back for Season 10, Year 20 of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”: Guests Include Jon Hamm, Laverne Cox, Richard Kind, Cheryl Hines, Etc

Roger Friedman
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Larry David is Back for Season 10, Year 20 of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”: Guests Include Jon Hamm, Laverne Cox, Richard Kind, Cheryl Hines, Etc

Larry David is back with “Curb Your Enthusiasm” on January 19th at 10:30p on HBO. It’s the 10th season, although the show began longer ago than that. Like say, October 2000. Yes, it’s twenty years of Larry crabbing and annoying people. Thank god.

What a pleasure to see Larry back with his gang including Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, JB Smoove, Richard Lewis, Cheryl Hines and Richard Kind. But he’s also got Jon Hamm, Ted Danson, Esai Morales and many other special guests. Glad to see Carol Leifer is co-producing. One of the greats.

Between the new season and Larry doing Bernie Sanders on “SNL,” this should be a good year for comedy.

Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins Executive Produce and Act in Son Jack’s Feature Film Directing Debut, “VHYES” Coming in January

Roger Friedman
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Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins Executive Produce and Act in Son Jack’s Feature Film Directing Debut, “VHYES” Coming in January

Well, all the best showbiz genes have lined up for Jack Henry Robbins.

The son of Oscar winners Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins has written and directed his first feature film, called “VHYES.” It will be released next month by Oscilloscope.

Sarandon and Robbins not only executive produced the film, they act it in as well. The film is part of a kickstarter fundraising program that raised $25,000 this fall.

The film is described in a press release: “A bizarre retro comedy shot entirely on VHS, “VHYes” takes us back to a simpler time, when twelve-year-old Ralph mistakenly records home videos and his favorite late night shows over his parents’ wedding tape. The result is a nostalgic wave of home shopping clips, censored pornography, and nefarious true-crime tales that threaten to unkindly rewind Ralph’s reality. A hypnotic narrative told through hundreds of criss-crossing vignettes and a mix of absurdist comedy, sincere drama, music, and just a touch of horror, this wholly original feature debut expertly walks the fine line between complete lunacy and total sincerity. ”

The cast includes mostly indie actors, unknown to us, except for Thomas Lennon.

There are 12 EPs and producers including Sarandon, Robbins, and Stella Schnabel, daughter of artist Julian Schnabel.

I don’t know how the film will turn out, but the party should be amazing. Stay tuned!

PS Jack’s brother Miles has a burgeoning acting career. He’s been a regular on “X Files” and “Mozart in the Jungle,” plus he has three or four movies already shot for release this coming year.

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