5 notable Jonathan Demme films
Jonathan Demme, the eclectic, ever enthusiastic filmmaker behind the Oscar winners "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Philadelphia," and the director of one of the most seminal concert films ever made, the Talking Heads' "Stop Making Sense," has died. He was 73.
MELVIN AND HOWARD: Among the most memorable films about Howard Hughes, this 1980 release starred Jason Robards as the mysterious billionaire and Paul le Mat as Melvin Dummar, the struggling everyman who encounters Hughes in the Nevada desert. Mary Steenburgen won an Oscar for playing Lynda, Melvin's first wife.
5 notable films by the late Jonathan Demme
STOP MAKING SENSE: One of the most acclaimed and innovative rock documentaries, this 1984 film drew upon state of the art digital technology as it drew upon a series of Talking Heads concerts at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles. Highlights included classic performances of "Burning Down the House," ''Psycho Killer" and "Take Me to the River," among others.
SOMETHING WILD: A joyous screwball comedy from 1986 and another story of strangers bonding. Melanie Griffith and Jeff Daniels starred in a road adventure featuring shifting identities, unpaid checks and a breakthrough, terrifying performance by a pre-"Goodfellas" Ray Liotta as Griffith's ex-convict husband.
THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS: Once again, strangers meet and the results are unforgettable. The Oscar-winning adaptation of Thomas Harris' grisly novel stars Jodie Foster as FBI trainee Clarice Starling and, in one of the all-time roles, Anthony Hopkins as the flesh-eating Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The film swept all five major Academy Awards at the 1992 ceremony: film, director, screenplay, actor and actress.
PHILADELPHIA: Released in 1993 and one of the first major productions about AIDS, "Philadelphia" stars Oscar-winner Tom Hanks as a corporate lawyer and closeted gay who becomes fatally ill and contends with the fears and phobias that follow. The soundtrack was almost as notable as the story, featuring Neil Young's Oscar-nominated title song and Bruce Springsteen's brooding, Oscar-winning "Streets of Philadelphia."
Angelina Jolie To Receive Gothams Performer Tribute For “Marie”
The Gotham Film & Media Institute has announced that Academy Awardยฎ-winner Angelina Jolie will receive the Performer Tribute for her performance as Maria Callas in Pablo Larrainโs upcoming film Maria, at the 34th edition of The Gothams, taking place on Monday, December 2, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The tribute will honor Jolieโs rendition of legendary opera singer Callas.
โLike the legendary figure she portrays, Angelina Jolie transcends mere performance to craft something extraordinary. Her interpretation captures both Maria Callasโ complexity as an artist and the cultural resonance that defines an icon,โ said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham. โWe are thrilled to celebrate what is truly one of Ms. Jolieโs career-defining performances in the final installment of Pablo Larrainโs magnificent trilogy.โ
Maria follows Callas, one of the most iconic performers of the 20th century, as she retreats to Paris after a glamorous and tumultuous life in the public eye. The film reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days as the diva reckons with her identity and life. Written by Steven Knight, with cinematography by Ed Lachman and costumes by Massimo Cantini Parrini, Maria has Jolie joined by a star-studded cast including Alba Rohrwacher (Hungry Hearts, Happy As Lazzaro), Pierfrancesco Favino (Padrenostro, Adagio), Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog, Dolemite Is My Name), and Valeria Golino (For Your Love, The Beautiful Game). Marie premiered to critical acclaim at the Venice Film Festival and Jolieโs performance continues to stun audiences at the New York Film Festival, London Film Festival and the AFI Fest. Maria will be in... Read More