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Thom Zimny’s epic Netflix documentary, Sly, debuted on Netflix this weekend following an excellent run at TIFF. In it, Stallone opens up about his various career highs and lows while also acknowledging some of the personal obstacles he’s had to face. This includes a tense relationship with his often violent father and the tragic death of his son, Sage Stallone.

Zimny, who previously made two great Bruce Springsteen documentaries, Letters to You and Springsteen on Broadway, along with the classic Elvis documentary, Elvis Presley: The Searcher, was gracious enough to sit with us for an epic chat about Stallone’s filmography. As the writer and narrator of Stallone Revisited (I’ve always interviewed him a few times), I like to think I’m a bit of an expert as far as Sly’s life and legacy goes. Zimny impressed me during our talk, with him genuinely an expert...

In “Sly,” director Thom Zimny captures a side of Sylvester Stallone seldom seen. The 95-minute docu exposes a relatable, vulnerable man who is often thought to be the movie characters he made iconic — Rocky Balboa or John Rambo.

Born in 1946, Stallone grew up in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen with little money and a father who might have hated him. Zimny’s docu reveals that the fraught upbringing turned out to work in Stallone’s favor when it came to Hollywood. The star’s background not only drove him to be a success, but also inspired many of the roles he made legendary.

Unlike many celebrity docus, “Sly” isn’t a valentine to the star as much as a retrospective of the Oscar-winner’s unlikely, but highly successful 50-year career.

Variety spoke to Zimny ahead of the Netflix premiere of “Sly” on Nov. 3.

I’m sure many filmmakers...

Over the past handful of years, Thom Zimny has emerged as one of the most prolific music documentarians around. A former editor on The Wire, Zimny won an Emmy for directing the Netflix film Springsteen on Broadway, reunited with Bruce for Letter to You, chronicled the life of Elvis Presley in Elvis Presley: The Searcher, explored The Man in Black in The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash, and helmed the docuseries Willie Nelson and Family, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. So, it might seem odd...

“Do I have regrets?” asks Sylvester Stallone at the beginning of “Sly,” the Thom Zimny documentary about him that served as the closing-night film at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday. “Hell yeah, I have regrets.”

Putting that quote up front is a smart way to introduce a film about the man whose career sometimes seems to have resulted in equal parts iconography and mockery. The actor, screenwriter and director created the classic characters Rocky Balboa and John Rambo, but struggled to find respect and made more than his share of terrible films.

Another smart move: New conversations with Stallone run throughout the film, but these are not the usual talking-head interviews in which the subject sits in a chair and runs through his life. Instead, Stallone almost always talks to the camera while standing up and moving around.

Zimny’s camera stays on the go, bobbing and weaving...

The 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival concluded with the People’s Choice prize awarded to Cord Jeffersons’, American Fiction, an adaption of the Percival Everett novel Ersaure, starring Jeffrey Wright as a disillusioned academic who resents the literary industry.

Closing out TIFF 2023 was Sylvester Stallone’s documentary, “Sly,” which had its world premiere on Saturday, September 16th, at Roy Thomson Hall. Directed by Thom Zimny, Sly is an intimate and unexpected look at the action star’s early life and a reflection on his career that spans nearly 50 years.

Related: Toronto Film Festival 2023: All Of Deadline’s Movie Reviews

The ongoing strikes by SAG-AFTRA and WGA created uncertainty at the 2023 Venice Film Festival regarding the participation of celebrities attending the premieres. Guild members engaged in or promoting these premieres can only participate if they have SAG-AFTRA interim agreements, allowing...

“Sly,” director Thom Zimny’s documentary about Sylvester Stallone,” will be the closing-night presentation at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF organizers announced on Tuesday.

The film, which will be released by Netflix, will have its world premiere on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Roy Thomson Hall, at the conclusion of the festival that will begin with Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron.”

Zimny previously came to Cannes with two Bruce Springsteen movies, “The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town” in 2010 and “Western Stars” in 2019. His other films include “Willie Nelson & Family,” “Elvis Presley: The Searcher” and “The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash.”

“Sly” covers both Stallone’s career, including the huge hits “Rocky” and “Rambo” and the recent TV series “Tulsa King,” and his personal life from his rough childhood in New York City to now.

“Stallone’s story is one of perseverance,...

Sylvester Stallone’s documentary “Sly” will close the 48th annual Toronto International Film Festival. The movie will have its world premiere on Sept. 16 at Roy Thomson Hall.

“Stallone’s story is one of perseverance, triumph, and his indelible mark left on the world of film, and we couldn’t be more honoured to share it with our audiences as our closing night film,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF CEO. “Celebrating the legacy of a true icon, ‘Sly’ takes audiences on an intimate journey through the life of Stallone, a cultural touchstone whose impact on cinema spans nearly half a century. Sly offers an unexpected and heartfelt exploration of the man behind the action megastar.”

Directed by Thom Zimny, “Sly” is described as an “intimate and unexpected look” at the early life of the action star, as well as a reflection on his decade-spanning career.

The documentary will chronicle Stallone’s rough...

TIFF’s Closing Night Gala for its 48th edition is Sly, the new Netflix documentary about 3x Oscar nominated multi-hyphenate Sylvester Stallone.

The pic will premiere at the fest on Saturday, Sept. 16, at Roy Thomson Hall.

“Stallone’s story is one of perseverance, triumph, and his indelible mark left on the world of film, and we

couldn’t be more honoured to share it with our audiences as our Closing Night film,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF CEO.

“Celebrating the legacy of a true icon, Sly takes audiences on an intimate journey through the life of

Stallone, a cultural touchstone whose impact on cinema spans nearly half a century. Sly offers an unexpected and heartfelt exploration of the man behind the action megastar.”

Directed by Thom Zimny, Sly takes an upfront and personal look at Stallone who reflects on his roller coaster ride show business,...

The Toronto International Film Festival has today announced that its upcoming 2023 edition will conclude with the world premiere of Thom Zimny’s Sylvester Stallone documentary “Sly,” which will serve as the Closing Night Gala for the 48th edition of the festival. Billed by TIFF as “a vivid exploration of an illustrious life woven through the silver screen,” the film will have its world premiere on Saturday, September 16, at Roy Thomson Hall.

“Stallone’s story is one of perseverance, triumph, and his indelible mark left on the world of film, and we couldn’t be more honored to share it with our audiences as our Closing Night film,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF CEO, in an official statement. “Celebrating the legacy of a true icon, ‘Sly’ takes audiences on an intimate journey through the life of Stallone, a cultural touchstone whose impact on cinema spans nearly half a century. ‘Sly’ offers an...

It’ll be good rockin’ tonight at HBO Max this awards season, as the streaming platform is ready to unleash lots of Elvis Presley as the Oscars approach. On Wednesday, March 1, they’ll be dropping Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis,” two documentaries, two concert films and three of Elvis’ movies on the streaming site for a two-week period. Those two weeks begin on the eve of final Oscar voting and run through the Academy Awards show itself, where “Elvis” is nominated in eight categories, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Austin Butler.

In honor of those eight nominations – and to give voters a boost if they’re considering the film, Butler, cinematography Mandy Walker, production and costume designer Catherine Martin or any other “Elvis” nominees – HBO Max has chosen eight different Elvis Presley projects, from movies featuring him to documentaries and a feature about him. Those eight projects together comprise...

Forty-five years ago, on Aug. 16, 1977, Elvis Presley was found dead in the bathroom of his palatial Graceland estate in Memphis — officially of cardiac arrest, but the medicine cabinet of prescription drugs in his system surely didn’t help. In the decades since, reviving Presley and his legacy has become a recurring pop-culture ritual. The campaigns have included a jukebox musical, numerous reissues and lavish box sets, an Edm remix, documentaries (most recently 2018’s Elvis Presley: The Searcher), and biopics (starring Kurt Russell and a pre-Miami Vice Don Johnson).

Each time around,...

Willie Nelson is participating in a docuseries about his life, “Willie Nelson and Family,” with production said to be already “well underway” on the project from Blackbird Presents and Sight Unseen Pictures. The co-directors of the “definitive” multi-part series are Thom Zimny, best known as Bruce Springsteen’s regular filmic collaborator, and Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Oren Moverman.

Nelson, 88, is described as an enthusiastic participant in the project, opening up exclusive access to his archives and encouraging friends and family to take part in a series that’s already been filming in Austin, Nashville, Los Angeles, New York and Maui.

The country music icon’s manager, Mark Rothbaum, developed the project in collaboration with Keith Wortman, the founder-ceo of Blackbird Presents.

The latter company specializes in films and TV shows about music legends and in recent years has produced projects for or about artists like Merle Haggard, Gregg Allman,...

Exclusive: Cavalry Media has inked Thom Zimny, filmmaker and longtime collaborator of 20-time Grammy winner Bruce Springsteen.

Zimny most recently directed Jeep’s 2021 Super Bowl Commercial starring Springsteen for which he received praise calling on Americans to come together following a challenging year.

Most notably, Zimny won two Primetime Emmys for the acclaimed 2019 Netflix special Springsteen on Broadway, as well as for Bruce Springsteen and the 2001 docu The E Street Band: Live in New York. He also directed the Springsteen documentaries Western Stars from Warner Bros. and last year’s Letter to You which is currently streaming on Apple+.

Zimny began his career as a film editor on the hit series The Wire before transitioning into directing with his 2005 directorial debut Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run. He followed that with directing numerous Springsteen music videos and documentaries including, Pay Me My Money Down, Long Walk Home,...

Apple TV Plus will premiere the documentary about the making of Bruce Springsteen’s “Letter to You” on Oct. 23, the same day the album is released, the streaming service announced Monday.

The documentary reunites Springsteen with Thom Zimny, his longtime filmmaking partner. Zimny takes solo credit on the new film after sharing directorial reins with the musician on their previous joint effort, “Western Stars,” a rendering of a concert performance of the album of the same name that debuted with a theatrical run last year. Their most celebrated teaming remains “Springsteen on Broadway,” a filming of Springsteen’s legit one-man show that went to Netflix in 2018.

The new film captures Springsteen at work with the E Street Band in a tight time frame as they recorded “Letter to You.” It’s being described as the first time the singer has worked with his veteran band in a mostly “live in...

In what’s becoming a common trend across the industry, HBO will be providing free content to viewers during the coronavirus lockdown. Following on from the likes of CBS All Access in opening up their paywall, HBO will be making HBO Now and HBO Go free to access from Friday, April 3rd. While this offering does not include certain hit series like Game of Thrones, viewers will still be able to watch almost 500 hours of content from the HBO library, adding to the options available for those stuck at home.

The entertainment giant are using the slogan #StayHomeBoxOffice for the campaign, which will also be open to participating distributor partners including HBO over cable packages, and via Hbonow.com and Hbogo.com. The full list of shows, movies, and documentaries available from this Friday include:

Dramas/Comedies

Ballers (5 Seasons)

Barry (2 Seasons)

Silicon Valley (6 Seasons)

Six Feet Under (5 Seasons)

The Sopranos...

Very much in the manner of an “unplugged” acoustic album that showcases the musicianship of a major artist without distracting flash and filigree, “The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash” is a tightly focused yet impressively multifaceted documentary that attempts nothing less than to delve past familiar myths and illuminate the soul of its fabled subject. Director Thom Zimny, who took a similarly stripped-to-essentials approach to another immortal pop-culture icon in his widely acclaimed “Elvis Presley: The Searcher,” has fashioned, with the full cooperation of the Cash estate, a richly textured portrait infused with sympathetic but unvarnished honesty, one that likely will endure as necessary source material for any future biographer of the Man in Black.

The free-form narrative designed by Zimny and scripter Warren Zanes is anchored in the legendary 1968 concert Johnny Cash gave for inmates at California’s Folsom State Prison, an event that was recorded on a phenomenally popular live album,...

Tony Sokol Chris Longo Apr 11, 2019

Director Thom Zimny found a treasure trove of exclusive audio for The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash.

Johnny Cash didn't sound like anyone else in music. His battered baritone and rhythmic guitar strum mixed Nashville country with the honesty of folk rock that rolled. Cash started in the same studio, Sun, as Elvis Presley, and was part of a magical session with him, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. Thom Zimny's documentary The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash fills in the reality behind the myth. And it does it with an authentic voice. Cash narrates his own oral history through footage from interviews which were never released.

Thom Zimny, who spoke with Den of Geek at SXSW 2019, says when he was approached to do the film he was already a huge fan: "I knew the narrative had been explored in books and feature films.

“A Star Is Born,” “Black Panther” and “Mary Poppins Returns” are among the films that have received multiple nominations from the Guild of Music Supervisors, which announces the nominees for its 9th Annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards on Thursday.

All three of those films were nominated in the Best Music Supervision for a Film Budgeted Over $25 Million category, alongside “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Peter Rabbit.” They were also nominated for individual songs: “A Star Is Born” for Lady Gaga’s “Shallow,” “Black Panther” for Kendrick Lamar’s “All the Stars” and “Mary Poppins Returns” for Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s “Trip a Little Light Fantastic.”

The other nominated songs are Dolly Parton’s “Girl in the Movies,” from “Dumplin’,” and Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower” from “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” the only song nominated by the Gms that is not on the Academy’s short list of...

For much of the Sixties, Elvis Presley’s most visible presence was on the big screen, in a seemingly endless series of films that ranged from fun (Viva Las Vegas) to forgettable (Easy Come, Easy Go). For that reason alone, the King’s December 3rd, 1968, "comeback" special for NBC was a welcome return to form. Yet, entirely on its own it remains simply one of Presley’s finest moments as an electrifying entertainer, and a landmark event that revolutionized the presentation of live music via television.

On November 30th, a comprehensive,...

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s “Free Solo,” a National Geographic documentary about Alex Honnold’s attempt to climb Yosemite’s El Capitan rock formation without any ropes or protective equipment, leads all films in nominations for the third annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards, the Broadcast Film Critics Association and Broadcast Television Journalists Associations announced on Monday.

“Free Solo” received five nominations, including Best Documentary and Best Director, and an additional honor for subject Honnold, who was one of eight subjects singled out in the Most Compelling Living Subject of a Documentary category.

Bing Liu’s “Minding the Gap” and Chapman Way and Maclain Way’s “Wild Wild Country” each received five nominations, while Kimberly Reed’s “Dark Money,” Rüdiger Suchsland’s “Hitler’s Hollywood” and Morgan Neville’s “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” received four each.

Also Read: 'Fahrenheit 11/9' Director Michael Moore to Receive Critics' Choice...

HBO’s two-part documentary “Elvis Presley: The Searcher” covers lots of ground and talks to lots of people who were close to Elvis. But according to director Thom Zimny and producer Jon Landau, a key to the film came from one of the last people they interviewed: Tom Petty, who sat down to talk about Elvis in March 2017, less than seven months before his unexpected death.

“What Tom did, perhaps more than anybody, was tell the story that we were trying to tell,” said Landau, the longtime manager of Bruce Springsteen, who is also interviewed in “The Searcher.” “Tom started talking about the later part of Elvis’ career, which is typically dealt with dismissively. He said, ‘Yeah, but when you put all the craziness aside, there is still this incredible singer, surrounded by this incredible band.’...

History has been cruel to Elvis Presley in many ways. To most people under 50, he’s known only as a jumpsuit-wearing joke, the man who inspired countless cheesy impersonators and cheap Vegas wedding chapels. But "he was much deeper and smarter than his image," Jerry Schilling, a member of Elvis' "Memphis Mafia" inner circle and an executive producer of the new HBO documentary Elvis Presley: The Searcher, exclusively tells Closer Weekly. "Elvis was anything but comical. He certainly had a great sense of humor, but we wanted viewers to get to know him as a human being." That’s why Jerry, with Elvis’ ex-wife, Priscilla Presley (who also exec-produced the film), enlisted confidantes, experts, and musical disciples like Bruce Springsteen and the late Tom Petty to offer new insight into the King for this sprawling, three-and-a-half-hour doc. "Elvis was a light for all of us," Tom says in the film.

The Elvis Presley stories repeated most often these days are rarely flattering. Some emphasize his lethal appetite for fatty foods and prescription painkillers; others dwell on bizarre anecdotes like his meeting with Richard Nixon, where he warned the president that the Beatles had an "anti-American spirit." The overall picture in these tales depicts a sweaty, bloated country bumpkin in a sequined jumpsuit who is quick to fire a gun at his own television set. It's a pathetic, cartoon distortion of the man that has little relation to the musical genius from Tupelo,...

The new HBO documentary Elvis Presley: The Searcher gives an inside look to the parts of the King of Rock n’ Roll’s life that has never been shared before. The legend’s former wife Priscilla Presley was the executive producer for the documentary and held a panel at the South By Southwest Film Festival in Austin. She was alongside director Thom […]

Source: uInterview

The post Priscilla Presley Details Elvis Presley’s Drug Abuse & Final Days In Documentary appeared first on uInterview.

In this edition of TV bits: A sneak-peak at Family Guy‘s limited commercial episode Ross Lynch cast in Netflix’s Sabrina David Tennant joins Lena Dunham‘s new HBO show The Sinner gets a second season Bradley Whitford, Steve Zahn & Lamorne Morris cast in National Geographic limited-series A trailer and details for HBO’s new documentary Elvis Presley: The Searcher […]

The post TV Bits: ‘Family Guy’, ‘Sabrina’ ‘Camping’, ‘The Sinner’, ‘Valley of the Boom’, ‘Elvis Presley: The Searcher’ appeared first on /Film.

The new documentary "Elvis Presley: The Searcher", a three-hour, two-film presentation focusing on 'Elvis Presley' from his childhood to his final 1976 'Jungle Room' recording sessions, premieres April 14, 2018 on HBO:

Directed and produced by Thom Zimny, 'Elvis Presley: The Searcher' is an 'HBO Documentary Films Presentation' in association with Sony Pictures Television. 

Executive producers are Glen Zipper, Priscilla Presley, Jerry Schilling, Andrew Solt, Alan Gasmer and Jamie Salter. Producers are Jon Landau and Kary Antholis.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Elvis Presley"...