On this day in movie history - Contact (1997)

Contact

directed by Robert Zemeckis,

written by James V. Hart and Michael Goldenberg,

based on the novel by Carl Sagan,

was released in the United States on July 11, 1997.

Music by Alan Silvestri.

Cast:

Jodie Foster, Jena Malone, Matthew McConaughey, David Morse, Tom Skerritt, James Woods, John Hurt, William Fichtner, Angela Bassett, Jake Busey, Rob Lowe, Geoffrey Blake, Max Martini, Steven Ford, Jay Leno, Larry King, Ann Druyan.

On this day in movie history - Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2003)

 

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi and Motonori Sakakibara,

written by Al Reinert, Jeff Vintar, Jack Fletcher, Bruce B.L. Jurgens and Ramin Mebdy,

based on the Final Fantasy game franchise by Hironobu Sakaguchi,

was released in the United States on July 2, 2003.

Music by Elliot Goldenthal.

Cast:

Ming-Na Wen, Alec Baldwin, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi, Peri Gilpin, Donald Sutherland, James Woods, Keith David, Jean Simmons, Matt McKenzie, John DeMita, Matt Adler, Steve Alterman, David Arnott, Cathy Cavadini, Lanei Chapman, Vicki Davis, Judi M. Durand, Greg Finley, Jack Fletcher, Julia Fletcher, Barbara Harris, David McCharen, Tracy Metro, David Michie, Richard Penn, David Randolph, Andrea Baker, Atsushi Goto, Tsutomu Isobe, Jun Karasawa, Kiyoshi Kobayashi, Rikiya Koyama, Keiko Toda, Akio Ôtsuka, Eric Aten, John DiMaggio, Alex Fernandez, David Rasner, Dwight Schultz, Annie Wu.

On this day in movie history - Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

 

Once Upon a Time in America

directed by Sergio Leone,

written by Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Enrico Medioli, Franco Arcalli,

Franco Ferrini, Sergio Leone, Stuart Kaminsky and Ernesto Gastaldi,

based on the novel The Hoods by Harry Grey,

was released at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 20, 1984.

Music by Ennio Morricone.

Cast:

Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Treat Williams, Tuesday Weld, Burt Young, Joe Pesci, Danny Aiello, William Forsythe, James Hayden, Darlanne Fluegel, Larry Rapp, Dutch Miller, Robert Harper, Richard Bright, Gerard Murphy, Amy Ryder, Olga Karlatos, Mario Brega, Ray Dittrich, Frank Gio, Karen Shallo, Angelo Florio, Scott Tiler, Rusty Jacobs, Brian Bloom, Adrian Curran, Mike Monetti, Noah Moazezi, James Russo, Frankie Caserta, Joey Marzella, Clem Caserta, Frank Sisto, Jerry Strivelli, Julie Cohen, Marvin Scott, Mike Gendel, Paul Herman, Ann Neville, Joey Faye, Linda Ipanema, Tandy Cronyn, Richard Zobel, Baxter Harris, Arnon Milchan, Bruno Iannone, Marty Licata, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Estelle Harris, Richard Foronjy, Gerritt Debeer, Jennifer Connelly, Alexander Godfrey, Cliff Cudney, Paul Farentino, Bruce Bahrenburg, Mort Freeman, Sandra Solberg, Jay Zeely, Massimo Liti, Louise Fletcher, Terry Angus, Greg Anthony, Salvatore Billa, Bruno Bilotta, Matteo Cafiso, Nelson Camp, Rossana Canghiari, Scott Coffey, Doug Davis, Mark Frazer, Nunzio Giuliani, Dario Iori, Ole Jorgensen, Francesca Leone, Chuck Low, Claudio Mancini, Giuseppe Marrocco, Maria Pia Monicelli, Ron Nummi, Ryan Paris, Harry Peerce, Filippo Perego, Nicola Roberto, Gianni Sanjust, Alex Serra, Susan Spafford, Marco Stefanelli.

On this day in movie history - Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004)

 

Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession

documentary directed by Xan Cassavetes,

was released at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 16, 2004.

Music by Steven Hufsteter.

 
Cast:

Robert Altman, Vera Carlisle Anderson, C.L. Batten, Jacqueline Bisset, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Champlin, David Chasman, Stuart Cooper, F.X. Feeney, James B. Harris, Jerry Harvey, William Holden, Don Hyde, Henry Jaglom, Jim Jarmusch, Charles H. Joffe, Kris Kristofferson, John McNally, Bill Mechanic, Ned Nalle, Alexander Payne, Sam Peckinpah, Doreen Ringer Ross, Chuck Ross, Alan Rudolph, Theresa Russell, Timothy Ryerson, Jeff Schwager, Penelope Spheeris, Bob Strock, Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Thomas, Jonathan Turell, Douglas Venturelli, Paul Verhoeven, James Woods, Vilmos Zsigmond.

On this day in movie and books history - Videodrome (1983 and 2008)

Videodrome

a.k.a. Zonekiller,

directed and written by David Cronenberg,

was released in the United States on February 4, 1983.

Music by Howard Shore.

Cast:

James Woods, Debbie Harry, Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky, Leslie Carlson, Jack Creley, Lynne Gorman, Julie Khaner, David Bolt, Reiner Schwarz, Lally Cadeau, King Cosmos, Kay Hawtrey, David Tsubouchi.

Recommended reading: 

 

Videodrome
Studies in the Horror Film

by Tim Lucas.

Published by Centipede Press.
First Edition.
Published 2008.
Paperback.

ISBN-10: 1933618280
ISBN-13: 978-1933618289

Description:

Released in 1983, David Cronenberg's Videodrome is one of his most original and provocative works, fusing social commentary with shocking elements of sex and violence. Crossing the boundary between science fiction, horror, and social criticism, Videodrome remains a unique and brilliant work in the oeuvre of cinema's greatest maverick.

Tim Lucas had behind-the-scenes access to every facet of production when Videodrome was filmed in 1981. His unique perspective provides interviews with cast and crew, including exclusive, never-before-published interviews with Cronenberg, commentary and analysis of the film, and over sixty black-and-white and color photographs, many never before seen.

Videodrome is the first in the Studies in the Horror Film series, which aims to present critical and popular discussion of the great horror films in affordable, attractive packages.

Tim Lucas is the editor of Video Watchdog magazine, which specializes in critical discussions of popular and obscure horror, fantasy, and science fiction films. He is also a renowned and astute film critic and award-winning writer.

Videodrome

by Jack Martin.

Published by New English Library Ltd.

Published 1983.

ISBN-10: 0450056015

ISBN-13: 978-0450056017

Description:

In the world that lies ahead of us all, reality and hallucination will merge and interchange.

So, when Max Renn saw the flesh of his stomach swell and redden as though a giant worm was moving beneath the skin, was that imagination – or reality?

And when the skin split and the flesh parted like giant lips, soft and bloodied. When he could sink his fingers, his whole hand, deep inside, feeling and probing through the wall of his own stomach. As the juices, thick and warm, clung and sucked gently at his finger-tips, drawing him in. As the bile rose, hot with revulsion in his throat....

Was that a nightmare – or reality?

On this day in movie history - Casino (1995)

Casino

directed by Martin Scorsese,

written by Nicholas Pileggi and Martin Scorsese,

based on the book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi,

was released in the United States on November 22, 1995.

Cast:

Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, James Woods, Don Rickles, Alan King, Kevin Pollak, L.Q. Jones, Dick Smothers, John Bloom, Pasquale Cajano, Melissa Prophet, Bill Allison, Philip Suriano, Erika von Tagen, Frankie Avalon, Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows, Jerry Vale, Joseph Rigano, Catherine Scorsese, Oscar Goodman, Gene Ruffini, Dominick Grieco, Richard Amalfitano, Richard F. Strafella, Casper Molee, David Leavitt, Peter Conti, Cathy Scorsese, Steve Vignari, Rick Crachy, Larry E. Nadler, Paul Herman, Salvatore Petrillo, Joey DePinto, Heidi Keller, Millicent Sheridan, Nobu Matsuhisa, Toru Nagai, Charlene Hunter, Dom Angelo, Joe Molinaro, Ali Pirouzkar, Frankie J. Allison, Jeff Scott Anderson, Jennifer M. Abbott, Frank Washko Jr., Christian A. Azzinaro, Robert C. Tetzlaff, Anthony Russell, Carol Wilson, Joe Lacoco, John Manca, Ronald Maccone, Buck Stephens, Joseph P. Reidy, Joe La Due, Fred Smith, Sonny D'Angelo, Greg Anderson, Stuart Nisbet, Tommy DeVito, Frank Adonis, Joseph Bono, Daniel P. Conte, Paul Dottore, Richard T. Smith, David Rose, Jonathan Kraft, Michael McKensie Pratt, Patti James, Ruth Gillis, Carol Cardwell, Dean Casper, Nan Brennan, Karyn Amalfitano, C.C. Carr, David Varriale, Darla House, Carol Krolick, Frank Regich, Herb Schwartz, Bret McCormick, Clem Caserta, Jed Mills, Janet Denti, Cameron Milzer, Leain Vashon, Jim Morgan Williams, Brian Le Baron, Shellee Renee, Alfred Nittoli, Carl Ciarfalio, Jack Orend, Linda Perri, Ffolliott Le Coque, J. Charles Thompson, Michael Paskevich, Mike Weatherford, Eric Randall, Gwen Castaldi, Brian Reddy, Roy Conrad, Andy Jarrell.