More From Peter Bart
Peter Bart On Redrafting The System: What Joe Eszterhas & The ’80s “Writers Rebellion” Say About Today’s Screenplay Malaise
Even as he collected his martini, the burly stranger who introduced himself as “Joe” exuded an aura of belligerence. We were standing on the fringe of a post-screening reception, so, hand extended, I blurted, "Did the movie work for you?"
"It was blah,"…
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8 Comments Comment on Peter Bart On Redrafting The System: What Joe Eszterhas & The ’80s “Writers Rebellion” Say About Today’s Screenplay Malaise
Peter Bart: Bob Iger’s Proxy War Victory Recalls Corporate Skirmishes Of Hollywood Past
It had all the elements of a good action movie – jeopardy, revenge, a mega budget – with even some casualties thrown in (albeit corporate).
The Bob Iger vs Nelson Peltz (who?) war is over now and Iger has won. But some filmmakers and ticket buyers might…
Peter Bart: Movie Sequels And Prequels, Like Trump Trials, Challenge Patience With Same Old Stories
With at least 10 sequels awaiting our imminent attention, here's the challenge for filmgoers: Viewing each sequel means mastering a new code. Dune: Part Two becomes more accessible once you've learned why the Chakobsa-speaking characters are frustrated by their stalled kirzibs. For that matter, the fifth G…
Peter Bart: Resurgent Rom-Coms Might Be The “Prod Of Positivity” We’re Looking For
In Irish Wish, a new Netflix rom-com, a bride-to-be is dumped by her lover on wedding day — but, with steely determination, she quickly closes in on a handsome replacement. Consistent with rom-com protocol, her “Irish wish” is realized.
Going back to Whe…
Peter Bart: ‘Poor Things’ Oscar Wins Prove Voters’ New-Found Appetite For Dark Horses
The Greek provocateur seemed to be smiling throughout Oscar night. In the past he'd delivered films with titles like Dogtooth and The Lobster, and his newest, Poor Things, was now stockpiling the statuary even as Hollywood's filmmaking elite looked on…
Peter Bart: Jack Warner Presaged Trump, Hated Roosevelt, And Might Have Voted For ‘Oppenheimer’ At The Oscars
"That movie was the President's idea, not mine, but it was a demand, not a suggestion."
The speaker was Jack Warner in a 1947 foreshadowing of his Donald Trumpian style. I recalled his remarks this week as I drove onto the Warner Bros lot, the fabled…
Peter Bart: Hollywood Is Partying And Awards Are Flowing, But A Dicey Jobs Outlook Cues Actor Angst
"I despise auditions," Marlon Brando barked as he launched into the audition for his role in The Godfather. It was his idea, I reminded him, so he himself had caused his actors angst, not the studio. (It was, of course, a great audition.)
Actors’ angst…
Peter Bart: In A Buzz-Less Market, Smart New Movies Must Overcome Critics’ Disdain & Audience Torpor
"Uninspired." "Never catches fire." "Non-memorable."
I was sifting through reviews last weekend as the first step in my mission to re-discover the habit of moviegoing. With Barbenheimer finally behind us (well, almost), I decided to see three new movies on successive days – yes, buying tickets and…
Peter Bart: Dream Job? Netflix’s Next Picture Picker Faces Daunting Challenges As Streamer Confronts Tectonic Shifts
"It was a dream job. Except it was the job from hell."
That was the assessment of Michael Ovitz after he was anointed, then dis-anointed, as president of Disney in 1995. The “dream job” lasted barely over a year.
Some insiders reflect on the Ovitz…
Peter Bart: Remembering Truman Capote’s Boozy Swan Dive And His Not-So-Great ‘Gatsby’
Once the hottest writer in town, Truman Capote also was a master at self destruction.
Cut to The Bistro, Beverly Hills circa 1973. Cradling his cocktail, Capote was at once amiable and petulant. I was sitting across from him at the elegant café to…
Peter Bart: The Film Nerds And ‘Barbie’-Phobes Are Here, But That Won’t Stop A Big Oscar Bump
Given the strong slate of this year’s Oscar nominees, the pre-Academy Awards season has been devoid of the intrigues and mud-slinging of previous epochs. Oops! – could a new outbreak of Barbie-phobia break the harmony and bring naysayers out of the shadows?
I already hear a few negative murmurs: Not…
Peter Bart: A Biden-Trump Rematch Dims Cable News Prospects And A Print Media Biz Already In Trouble
"Sequels suck, whether you're making them or watching them." So said one storied filmmaker in rejecting a rich movie deal (details below), and he'd likely react the same if offered Biden vs. Trump.
The New Hampshire primary results this week reinforced…
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