News

Dennis Hopper’s long film career began with the 1955 teen angst classic Rebel Without a Cause with James Dean, and he helped usher in Hollywood’s New Wave as director and star of the counterculture anthem Easy Rider in 1969. He later became a respected character actor, specializing in such off-beat villains as the drug-addicted, obscenity-spouting Frank Black in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet (1986), crazed bomber Howard Payne in the 1994 action-thriller Speed with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, and Deacon in Kevin Costner’s soggy post-apocalyptic saga Waterworld (1995).

Hopper was born in Dodge City, Kansas on May 17, 1936. He moved to San Diego, California with his family in the late 1940s, and began studying at the local Old Globe Theater while attending high school. He soon signed with Warner Brothers and was featured in a small role in 1955’s Rebel Without a Cause. He was later featured as Jordan Benedict III, the...

Director Lee Daniels ("Precious") and producer Roger Corman ("The Prophet") were honored recently by the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (Tft) at the closing night gala of the UCLA 2010 Festival of New Creative Work. The event's "Directors Spotlight" centered on "the voice of the independent filmmaker" and honored student's work in the field of directing. Pictured are Lee Daniels, Filmmaker of the Year Award winner; Teri Schwartz, Dean, ...

Let me ask you something. Given the opportunity, would you decline to work on a franchise you think is silly, or would you bite the bullet and try to start a revolt from the inside? That's something I wonder about David Slade directing the third Twilight movie, which apparently promises to be a little different. In this edition, we'll also take a look at the latest District 9 controversy, a Mamma Mia! without Abba, and the zombie Patrick Swayze that never was.

The Good

• Roger Corman is getting an Oscar! Can you believe it? The Academy has decided to give the King of B-movies an honorary award for his memorable works, alongside actress Lauren Bacall, producer John Calley and cinematographer Gordon Willis. Maybe next year, they can give one to Russ Meyer.

• One of my most anticipated films at the moment, The Prophet, has just been picked as France's entry for the 2010 Academy Awards.