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RIP Richard Sherman, 95, Wrote the “Mary Poppins” Songs, “Chitty Chitty Bang” with Brother Robert

Leah Sydney
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RIP Richard Sherman, 95, Wrote the “Mary Poppins” Songs, “Chitty Chitty Bang” with Brother Robert

Hollywood is mourning the death of Richard M. Sherman one half of the legendary Sherman brothers died today at the age of 95.  Richard and his late brother, Robert Sherman wrote songs for classic Disney fare such as “Mary Poppins”, “The Jungle Book,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” and many more. The Disney theme park anthem, “It’s A Small World,” is the most the publicly performed song of all time according to Time.com. 

The Shermans (Robert died in 2012 at age 86) wrote an estimated 1,000 songs for 50 movies, including “Lets Get Together” from “The Parent Trap” and songs in “Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree” “Charlotte’s Web” amongst others. They were responsible for more movie musical songs than anyone in history. The brothers also penned “You’re Sixteen,” a hit for Johnny Burnette and then Ringo Starr.

Richard and Robert were the recipients of multiple awards including the Songwriters Hall of Fame and The National Medal of Honor. Their success was massive but the brothers’ relationship was often troubled. The documentary “The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story” which was produced and directed by their sons Gregory V. Sherman and Jeffrey C. Sherman, tells their story poignantly and beautifully. The brothers were named Disney legends in 1990.

Director and Pixar chief creative officer Pete Doctor said in a statement today, “You don’t get songs like ‘Spoonful of Sugar’ without a genuine love of life, which Richard passed on to everyone lucky enough to be around him,” Even in his 90s, he had more energy and enthusiasm than anyone, and I always left renewed by Richard’s infectious joy for life.”

On a very personal note: I, as well as so many others lucky enough to know him, know how genuinely kind and gracious he was. A true gentleman. About a decade ago I took my brother Aran, who was struggling with cancer, to the Academy to for a screening of “Young Frankenstein” one of his favorite movies. Richard was there. I knew Richard and his equally lovely wife, Elizabeth, and always loved seeing them. Aran was a huge fan of his. I went over to Richard and asked if he could come and meet him, as Aran was frail and needed to sit. Richard came over and not only did he say hello, he sat with him for 20 plus minutes and chatted with him about movies and music. I saw my brother truly happy; a rare moment at a tough time for him. He passed away soon after, but I never forgot it and thanked him repeatedly through the years since then.

As the songwriter Diane Warren wrote today, “Richard sadly left us today, but his songs never will. Today, it’s a sad world after all.” Richard Sherman is irreplaceable. The Sherman Brothers’ timeless songs will live forever.

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wrote an estimated 1,000 songs for 50 movies, including “Lets Get Together” from “The Parent Trap” and songs in “Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree” “Charlotte’s Web”  amongst others.   They were responsible for more movie musical songs, “It’s A Small World than anyone in history. Richard also penned “You’re Sixteen” a hit for Ringo Starr.

Richard and Robert were the recipients of multiple awards including the Songwriters Hall of Fame and The National Medal of Honor.  Their success was massive but the brother’s relationship was often troubled.  The documentary “The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story” which was produced and directed by their sons Gregory V. Sherman and Jeffrey C. Sherman, tells their story poignantly and beautifully.  The brothers were named Disney legends in 1990.

Director and Pixar chief creative officer Pete Doctor said in a statement today, “You don’t get songs like ‘Spoonful of Sugar’ without a genuine love of life, which Richard passed on to everyone lucky enough to be around him,” Even in his 90s, he had more energy and enthusiasm than anyone, and I always left renewed by Richard’s infectious joy for life.” 

I, as well as so many others lucky enough to know him, know how genuinely kind and gracious he was. A true gentleman. About a decade ago I took my brother Aran, who was struggling with cancer, to the Academy to for a screening of “Young Frankenstein” one of his favorite movies.  Richard was there.  I knew Richard and his equally lovely wife Elizabeth and always loved seeing them.  Aran was a huge fan of his. I went over to Richard and asked if he could come and meet him, as Aran was frail and needed to sit.  Richard came over and not only did he say hello, he sat with him for 20 plus minutes and chatted with him about movies and music.  I saw my brother truly happy; a rare moment at a tough time for him. He passed away soon after, but I never forgot it and thanked him repeatedly through the years since then. As the songwriter Diane Warren wrote today, “Richard sadly left us today, but his songs never will. Today, it’s a sad world after all.”  Richard Sherman; you are irreplaceable. The Sherman Brothers timeless songs will live forever.

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Box Office: “Mad Max Furiosa” Sets Unwanted Record for 36th Lowest Memorial Day Weekend Opener

Roger Friedman
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Box Office: “Mad Max Furiosa” Sets Unwanted Record for 36th Lowest Memorial Day Weekend Opener

There are 36 movies ahead of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Story” on the all time Memorial Day opening weekend list.

“Furiosa” today become number 36 on the list. That breaks an all time low, or high, depending on how you look at it.

For “Furiosa,” the take from Thursday through today, Sunday, is $25.5 millon.

The movie ahead of it on the Memorial Day weekend list is “Rambo: First Blood, Part 2” with $25.52 million.

This isn’t about the quality of “Furiosa.” George Miller’s film has B+ Cinemascore, and high numbers from Rotten Tomatoes. It’s a well made movie. But the studios have taught the moviegoing audience that if they don’t come out to theaters now, they’ll see “Furiosa” at home by the middle of the summer. So why get off the couch?

The box office is in shambles, also partly due to the strikes from last year. Aside from “Deadpool and Wolverine,” there isn’t a lot of light at the end of the tunnel. Will Smith’s “Bad Boys” movie will be more a test of his popularity two years after he lost his mind at the Oscars and slapped Chris Rock on stage (followed by cursing him out).

The new “Garfield” movie, also out this weekend, has turned into a disappointment, as well.

All of this may be a blessing in disguise for “The Fall Guy” and for “If,” two films that got written off. But they may hold up a bit in theaters for the people still wanting to get out of the house.

Cannes Film Festival Award Winners: Coppola Shunned for Risk Taking $120 Mil “Megalopolis,” Palme d’Or to “Anora,” Jury Prize to “Emilia Perez,” Grand Prize “All We Imagine are Light”

Roger Friedman
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Cannes Film Festival Award Winners: Coppola Shunned for Risk Taking $120 Mil “Megalopolis,” Palme d’Or to “Anora,” Jury Prize to “Emilia Perez,” Grand Prize “All We Imagine are Light”

Cannes Film Festival winners are being announced right now on the Croisette. Keep refreshing…

The Palme D’or has gone to Sean Baker and his “Anora.” Baker, an American who works on a small budget, also directed the much admired “The Florida Project,” “red Rocket,” and “Tangerine.”

The Award for Best Director goes to MIGUEL GOMES for GRAND TOUR.

This means the Cannes jury has shunned Francis Ford Coppola and his $120 million bet, “Megalopolis.” The film still has no US distributor as well. Putting “Megalopolis” into competition was a mistake, of course. Last year, Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” was shown out of competition. Coppola’s legacy, besides his great films, is one of taking huge chances that don’t always work out.

So now what? Coppola will return to the US with a lot of foreign distribution deals but nothing at home, and no awards with which to promote the film. This is going to be tricky. But we always root for him!

The Jury Prize goes to EMILIA PÉREZ by JACQUES AUDIARD.

The Grand Prize goes to ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT by PAYAL KAPADIA.

The Award for Best Actor goes to JESSE PLEMONS in KINDS OF KINDNESS by YÓRGOS LÁNTHIMOS.

FOUR WAY TIE! The Award for Best Actress goes to ADRIANA PAZ, ZOE SALDAÑA, KARLA SOFÍA GASCÓN, SELENA GOMEZ in EMILIA PÉREZ de JACQUES AUDIARD.

The Award for Best Screenplay goes to CORALIE FARGEAT for THE SUBSTANCE.

The Special Award for Best Screenplay goes to THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG by MOHAMMAD RASOULOF

Bruce Springsteen Cancels Show in Marseille, France “Unable to Sing and Perform” After Grueling Schedule Abroad

Roger Friedman
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Bruce Springsteen Cancels Show in Marseille, France “Unable to Sing and Perform” After Grueling Schedule Abroad

Bruce Springsteen has cancelled his Marseille, France show tonight at the last minute.

He posted an announcement: “Due to a loss of voice and on medical orders, Bruce Springsteen is unable to sing and perform this evening. This evening’s concert planned at the Orange Vélodrome in Marseilles has unfortunately been postponed to a later date.”

The very young at heart 74 year old Springsteen and the E Street Band have been burning it in the US and recently in England and Ireland. Marseille would have been show number 17 on this leg. Bruce has had health issues cancel shows a lot this last year, including an 8 month break because of a painful peptic ulcer.

But the Boss is only human. His next show is three days from now in Prague. Speedy recovery!

PS Bruce was certainly singing up a storm in Dublin. See below.

“Furiosa” Nervosa as Mad Max Movie Opens to Iffy Box Office, “Garfield” De-clawed, Scratching Around

Roger Friedman
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“Furiosa” Nervosa as Mad Max Movie Opens to Iffy Box Office, “Garfield” De-clawed, Scratching Around

Saturday: today, tonight are crucial for the new releases of the week.

So far, “Furiosa” is making everyone nervosa. The “Mad Max” story has made just $10.5 million from previews through last night. It’s actually following the path of the most recent new release, “If.” It’s hoped that “Furiosa” will add $20 million on Saturday and Sunday.

The return of “Garfield” the cat for family viewing is also scratching the furniture. We need some purring. “Garfield” has grossed $8.4 million over the two day opening. Its claws could be sharper After all those mixed metaphors, let’s hope it doesn’t cough up a hairball. Are families too complacent at home?

It does look like a historically low Memorial Day weekend is coming to the box office. If only “Hit Man” were reporting numbers, we’d have something exciting to report. But it’s not playing anywhere. Thanks, Netflix. This is no help.

There are plenty of seats today at the Paris Theater, by the way. No surprise, everyone’s away for the weekend. What a mess.

Will Smith Promoting New Film in Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Belgium — Anywhere Away from US Media Asking Slap Questions

Roger Friedman
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Will Smith Promoting New Film in Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Belgium — Anywhere Away from US Media Asking Slap Questions

Will Smith’s “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” is getting a worldwide promotional tour.

So far Will and Martin Lawrence have been in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, Mexico, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Miami.

The film opens June 7th but so far Sony has kept Smith away from any real press in the US, especially Los Angeles and New York. I’m told some outlets in Los Angeles pulled out of a junket because they were told not to ask about “the slap.”

That’s right. Will Smith’s famous live slap or punch of Chris Rock on the stage of the Oscars is being avoided at all costs. Smith was punished with a 10 year ejection by the Academy. He immediately lost work. Smith has been mostly persona non grata in Hollywood for the two years since the slap.

So, of course, now he’s back, starring in a big studio film. Has Hollywood forgiven and forgotten? Can you really attack someone on live TV in front of a worldwide audience and get away with it?

Maybe you can.

So far no entertainment reporter has been brave enough to ask a single question about the Slap. Will Will Smith get away with it? And what about Martin Lawrence? I’m hearing odd things about his appearance from those who’ve talked to him. He didn’t look well at the Emmy Awards back in January. Everyone is rooting for him, whatever is wrong.

We’ll see how the Slap figures into all this on June 6th, when “Bad Boys” plays previews.

Alec Baldwin Will Stand Trial for “Rust” Shooting After Judge Denies Motion to Dismiss Involuntary Manslaughter

Roger Friedman
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Alec Baldwin Will Stand Trial for “Rust” Shooting After Judge Denies Motion to Dismiss Involuntary Manslaughter

Alec Baldwin is going on trial this summer.

A judge in Santa Fe has dismissed Baldwin’s motion to end his involuntary manslaughter case in the “Rust” case.

In October 2022, Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer of Baldwin’s indie movie, “Rust,” was killed, and the director wounded when a prop gun discharged on the New Mexico set.

The armorer on the set, Hannah Gutierrez, has already been found guilty on involuntary manslaughter. She was given the maximum sentence of 18 months.

Baldwin, who had the gun in his hand, and was also producer of the movie, has been charged by the state after several moves back and forth. A grand jury finally decided there was sufficient evidence that he acted negligently by pointing a loaded gun at Hutchins without first checking the weapon. If found guilty Baldwin also faces 18 months in jail.

Baldwin thought by reaching settlements with Hutchins’ husband, and others on the set, he’d escaped this situation. But the Santa Fe DA’s office is determined to prove they can beat a Hollywood star and his lawyers — even if it doesn’t make sense.

Baldwin’s lawyers said in the motion that prosecutors were bending over backwards to prove a shaky case. But New Mexico First Judicial District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said she didn’t see prosecutorial misconduct. So the trial goes forward in mid summer. Stay tuned…

Stranger Things: Eleven Becomes Two as 20 Year Old Millie Bobby Brown Marries Jon Bon Jovi’s Son, Jake, 22

Roger Friedman
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Stranger Things: Eleven Becomes Two as 20 Year Old Millie Bobby Brown Marries Jon Bon Jovi’s Son, Jake, 22

You can now count one degree of separation between the Upside Down and Bon Jovi, the rock band.

Millie Bobby Brown, just age 20, has married Jake Bon Jovi, 22, son of of rocker Jon. According to The Sun, the small surprise wedding took place last weekend.

Millie is the star of “Stranger Things,” in which she plays a character named Eleven. So now Eleven is Two.

Congrats to the couple! Can these two crazy kids make it in the modern world? At least they won’t have to worry about money. She’s already made a pile from the Netflix series, and will always have work as an actress. Brown is currently shooting the fifth and final season of “Stranger Things.”

The groom is a model, and not exactly livin’ on a prayer.

Getting married so young with no college degree? That’s the way they do it now, you know.

Jennifer Lopez’s Really Bad Year: New Netflix Movie A Critical Disaster with 9% Rating After Album, Video Flop

Roger Friedman
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Jennifer Lopez’s Really Bad Year: New Netflix Movie A Critical Disaster with 9% Rating After Album, Video Flop

Either Jennifer Lopez is in total denial, or she doesn’t care.

JLo is having a very bad year, that’s for sure.

First of all, it does seem that her marriage to Ben Affleck is in trouble after less than two years.

Now comes her new film, “Atlas,” on Netflix. Apparently it’s unwatchable. The Rotten Tomatoes rating is 10%. That may be the lowest ever for her.

Just a couple of months ago, Lopez released a new album called “This is Me…Now,” which was dead on arrival. A longform video went with it, called “The Greatest Romance Never Told,” and is also flopped like a sea lion at the Central Park Zoo.

“Atlas” is futuristic, I guess, and has something to do with artificial intelligence. How about some genuine intelligence? JLo should send up an SOS soon before all hope is lost.

Mick Jagger Makes Trump Weather Joke at Stunning Meadowlands Stones Show: “I thought we were going to get a little Stormy Daniels”

Roger Friedman
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Mick Jagger Makes Trump Weather Joke at Stunning Meadowlands Stones Show: “I thought we were going to get a little Stormy Daniels”

Mick Jagger is the 8th wonder of the world, that much we saw last night at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey.

Two months shy of 81, Jagger remains remains remarkably lithe, trim, and agile. Still fronting the Rolling Stones after 60 years, he not only runs the width of the stadium back and forth, skipping sometimes, but then prances down a runway stage into the middle of the audience with wild abandon and precision. The whole thing is quite mad.

The Rolling Stones put on a two hour show last night that is both economical and textured. It’s like a military exercise it’s so well planned, but it also seems off the cuff and improvised. That’s the beauty of it. But when you have three front men — Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood — whose total ages are over 300, there’s no room for error. Plus, they’ve been playing these songs for six decades.

The set list of greatest hits (mixing in a couple of songs from the very good new “Hackney Diamonds” album) varies a little from city to city, but last night the New York-New Jersey crowd got “Shattered,” because it’s got local references. “Miss You,” also a New York song, took off slowly and then built into an incantation. Every single entry including Richards’ two solo bits — “You Got the Silver” and “Little T and A” — had surprises. (Richards joked about the latter song, “I wrote it but I don’t remember what it’s about!” Oh, he does.)

Jagger gave the obligatory “Welcome to (blank city)” salutations a couple of times. But he finally got a little cheeky. “New York — I know you have your trials and tribulations,” he said, emphasizing trial. “I was worried about the weather,” he joked, “I thought we were going to get a little Stormy Daniels!”

The Jagger-Richards canon of songs never ceases to amaze after all these years. Numbers like “Paint it Black,” “Gimme Shelter,” and “Sympathy for the Devil” remain as sinister as they were originally. “Tumbling Dice” and “Wild Horses” are R&B classics. Richards, Wood, and co made “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Honky Tonk Woman,” to mention, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” into dizzying jams of blues and rock.

Jagger’s voice is equal to his physical presence. How can he still be singing like that? He had some falsetto runs last night that were spine chilling. It can’t just be lots and lots of sex and yoga, can it? His face has grown into a chiseled replica of his former visage. When he spreads his arms wide while dancing, he lifts into the air. You can see the ballet moves. He’s Nureyev and Tina Turner rolled into one.

Kudos to the band, plus Chanel Haynes with her blistering vocals on “Gimme Shelter” (a tribute to the original, Merry Clayton). Haynes was playing Tina Turner in the West End of London when got this job and was immediately fired by the production. She gets the last laugh here– touring with the Stones, playing to 100,000 people a night, and ripping the paint off the metal girders.

Is this the last Stones tour? I don’t think so. I really believe we’ll see them back in two years. Impossible but likely. Richards, who’s seen a lifetime of indulgence and health issues, never looked stronger than last night. While Jagger never sits nor barely pauses for water, Richards briefly — like two seconds — took a breather. But then he was up quickly, not missing a beat.

The Stones return to Met Life for a second show on Sunday. I’m too tired to be there, but they’ll be back as a life force.

 

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