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- #Alan Smithee
- Alan Smithee - Fake Name
- When a director for some reason or another dosen't want his name associ-
- ated with a movie, say for example the final edited version differs
- from his original visions of the story. He has the option to use a
- pseudonym. The interesting thing is that directors almost always uses
- the same name 'Alan Smitee'. We on the MovieGuide have been trying to
- figure out who the real director behind the alias is (see the ()),
- but so far without any luck.
- @
- #Bodil
- Porcelænsstatuette, udført af Svend Jespersen efter Ebbe Sadolins tegning.
- Uddelt hvert år siden 1948 af Filmmedarbejderforeningen i København som
- anerkendelse for sæsonens bedste filmpræstationer. Opkaldt efter Bodil
- Ibsen og Bodil Kjer, der begge har modtaget den flere gange.
- @
- #Blue Screen
- Actors or objects is placed in front of a blue background, which in the
- editing is replaced with a filmclip. See also (Rear Projection).
- @
-
- #CinemaScope
- The CinemaScope wide-screen image is made, using standard-width 35mm film
- in conjunction with a special lens designed by Dr. Henri Chrétien. This
- makes the image twice the size horizontally. A movie in this compressed
- format, can either be printed on a standard 35mm film, and then un-
- squeezed during projection, or released as a 70mm unsqueezed print.
- The 35mm prints has four magnetic (analog) or magoptical (optical) sound
- tracks.
- The 35mm print has an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, the 70mm 2.2:1.
- @
- #CinemaScope 55
- Uses 55mm film to produce a negative image twice the size of the 35mm
- CinemaScope. The aspect ratio is 2.35:1.
- @
- #Cinemiracle
- This format is photographed using three synchronized cameras, all using
- 35mm film. Under projection, three projectors are used as well, using
- mirrors to project the image to deeply curved, seamless screens, to
- create a wide-screen image. Aspect ratio 2.33:1.
- @
- #Cinerama
- Developed by Fred Waller and the Disney company from 1939 to 1958.
- First used during World War II for training purposes, the Cinerama format
- is photographed on standard-width 35mm film, using three cameras. Three
- projectors project the image on a screen made of more than 1.200 verti-
- cal, overlapping strips of perforated material, creating a curve of
- 146 degrees, to create one single composite picture. The whole idea
- of this format was the same, as with the known OmniMAX format; to give
- the audience a greater sense of 'beeing there'.
- This format uses a seperate 35mm magnetic film, to create the 7 sound
- tracks which goes to the behind of the screen, and on both sides of the
- theater. The aspect ratio is 2.59:1.
- @
- #Cliffhanger
- In the 30s these serials (mainly produced by Republic) served as an extra
- feature to lure audience into the cinema. The word Cliffhanger refers to
- a trick used by the producers to let the hero drive off a cliff and let
- him hang there. So the audience had to return next week to see how the
- hero would get out of his predickament. Many of these serials were later
- cut and re-edited to feature versions. The Indiana Jones movies were
- an attempt to create a sort of feature-length cliffhangers.
- @
- #Computer Color
- In the late 80s the Turner Network bought 4000 MGM classics, and to gene-
- rate a new interest in the old movies, they started to colorize them,
- using modern computer technology. Many directors, i.e Martin Scorsese and
- Woody Allen, protested against what they saw as a threat to the art of
- movie making. In early 1994 Turner announced that they had stopped the
- colorization, due to lack of interest from the general public.
- @
- #Dimension-150
- One of the newer wide-screen formats, covering an angle of 150 degrees!
- Recorded on 65mm film by cameras with 50, 70, 120 and 150-degree lenses,
- Dimension-150 is projected either on a bended scren, og reduced optically
- for standard 35mm projection. Technically brilliant format with its
- entire width in focus, the picture is accompagnied by six magnetic
- tracks.
- @
-
- #Dolby Stereo
- A commonly used noise reduction system (Dolby) which offers a stereo
- sound output.
- @
- #Dolby Spectral Recording (SR)
- @
- #Dolby Surround
- An optimized decoding system for decoding of a stereo signal to a surround
- signal. Surround sound gives you a chance of getting close to a 'being
- there' feeling, in a home environment. By having multiple loudspeakers
- connected to your stereo, and having a Dolby Surround decoder you can get
- a 'wider' sound output, e.g. if a car is driving in from behind of the
- picture, and enters the picture, the sound will first come from behind
- the audience, then go past it, to end in the front speaker. A normal
- surround-setup is a centrechannel (for dialogue etc), two frontchannels
- (for explosions), and two channels in the back of the room for background
- noise and sounds 'entering' the picture from behind.
- @
- #DTS
- A digital sound system for the cinemas, introduced with the premiere of
- Jurassic Park in 1993. Uses CDROMs for the digital-sound. A code is sent
- from a digital track on the 35mm negative, which makes sure the sound
- coming from the CD is synchronized with the picture. If an error in this
- track is found, the system can switch to the analog tracks on the negati-
- ve, automatically. Gives a very deep and wide sound experience. Probably
- the most popular digital sound system at the moment, competing with other
- systems like SDSS (Sony Digital Sound System).
- @
-
- #Gore films
- Gore, Splatter or Slasher movies is the term used to describe a film
- where the actual effect of violence take predence over the movie plot.
- This genre has existed more or less obscure since the 60's, like in
- [Hershell Gordon Lewis]'s _2000 Maniacs_. Before that, the violence was
- not nearly as explicit. It was the thrill rather than the gore that domi-
- nated the movies. Gore and splatter has since then (as a mean of effect)
- crept it's way into the mainstream films like _The Godfather_ or _Platoon_.
- @
-
- #Blockbuster
- Film with high production costs or high box office revenue.
- @
-
- #Box-Office
- The place you buy your cinema ticket. A box office success is a film that
- have earned the producers a high revenue.
- @
-
- #Box-Office Success
- See Box Office
- @
-
- #Buddy Movie
- A buddy movie is a film that describes the relationship between two leading
- characters. i.e. _Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid_ or _Thelma & Louise_.
- See also Road Movie.
- @
-
- #Rear
- A method of filming, where actors work in front of a big screen with a
- running movie. A typical example is two persons on the backseat of a
- car, the rear projection beeing what we see in the rear window of the
- car. Sometimes it's easy to spot a rear projection, especially in older
- movies, but nowadays, the illusion is almost perfect.
-
- See also (Blue Screen).
- @
-
- #Road Movie
- Like the Buddy Movie the Road Movie centers around the development of a
- character relationship, usualy while they move from one place to another.
- i.e. _Thelma & Louise_. See also Buddy Movie.
- @
-
- #Morphing
- Computer generated special effect used to transform an object or person
- into another form. i.e. The T1000 in _Terminator 2: Judgement Day_.
- @
-
- #Cameo
- A small role or appearance of a well known actor or celebrety in a film.
- @
-
- #Programmer
- 1. B picture made in 1930-50 to fill the program of a double bill.
- 2. Picture with a low budget capable of playing at the top of a double
- bill.
- @
-
- #Exploitation Movie
- Movie made to fit trends in society, which sole purpose is to make a
- quick profit.
- @
-
- #Spin-off
- Movie or Television series that uses the popularity of a prequel to
- establish an instant familiarity. i.e. _Wayne's World_ uses the television
- show _Saturday Night Live_, or _Star Trek: Deep Space 9_ uses _Star Trek:
- The Next Generation_.
- @
-
- #Nordisk Film
- A Danish film production company, and as founded in 1906 the oldest in the
- world which is still in business.
- @
-
- #Top gross
- Top 100 Box-Office Grossers, USA/Canada
- =======================================
-
- 1. E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial $399,804,539
- 2. Jurassic Park $345,595,470
- 3. Star Wars $322,000,000
- 4. Home Alone $285,016,000
- 5. Return of the Jedi $263,734,642
- 6. Jaws $260,000,000
- 7. Batman $251,188,924
- 8. Raiders of the Lost Ark $242,374,454
- 9. Beverly Hills Cop $234,760,478
- 10. The Empire Strikes Back $223,000,000
- 11. Ghost Busters $220,855,498
- 12. Ghost $217,631,306
- 13. Aladdin $217,042,825
- 14. Mrs. Doubtfire $211,261,612
- 15. Back to the Future $210,609,762
- 16. Terminator 2 $204,446,562
- 17. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade $197,035,089
- 18. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs $184,925,486
- 19. Dances With Wolves $184,031,993
- 20. The Fugitive $183,752,965
- 21. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom $179,870,271
- 22. Pretty Woman $178,406,268
- 23. Tootsie $177,200,000
- 24. Top Gun $176,781,728
- 25. 'Crocodile' Dundee $174,634,806
- 26. Home Alone 2: Lost In New York $172,667,450
- 27. Rain Man $172,119,229
- 28. Three Men and a Baby $167,780,960
- 29. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves $165,493,908
- 30. The Exorcist $165,000,000
- 31. Batman Returns $162,831,698
- 32. The Firm $158,308,178
- 33. Fatal Attraction $156,645,693
- 34. The Sting $156,000,000
- 35. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? $154,112,492
- 36. Beverly Hills Cop II $153,665,036
- 37. Grease $153,112,093
- 38. 101 Dalmatians $152,551,111
- 39. Rambo: First Blood Part II $150,415,432
- 40. Gremlins $148,168,459
- 41. Lethal Weapon 2 $147,253,986
- 42. Beauty and the Beast $144,816,286
- 43. Lethal Weapon 3 $144,731,527
- 44. National Lampoon's Animal House $141,600,000
- 45. A Few Good Men $141,340,178
- 46. Look Who's Talking $140,088,813
- 47. Sister Act $139,605,150
- 48. Platoon $137,963,328
- 49. Jungle Book $135,475,556
- 50. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles $135,265,915
- 51. Superman $134,218,018
- 52. The Godfather $133,698,921
- 53. The Silence of the Lambs $130,742,922
- 54. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids $130,724,172
- 55. An Officer and a Gentleman $129,795,549
- 56. Close Encounters of the Third Kind $128,290,347
- 57. Coming to America $128,152,301
- 58. Rocky IV $127,863,442
- 59. Smokey and the Bandit $126,737,428
- 60. Sleepless in Seattle $126,551,583
- 61. Good Morning, Vietnam $123,992,370
- 62. City Slickers $123,534,798
- 63. Rocky III $122,823,192
- 64. The Bodyguard $121,936,132
- 65. Wayne's World $121,700,000
- 66. The Hunt for Red October $120,681,684
- 67. Hook $119,654,823
- 68. Blazing Saddles $119,500,000
- 69. Total Recall $119,394,839
- 70. On Golden Pond $119,285,432
- 71. Back to the Future Part II $118,450,002
- 72. Basic Instinct $117,727,224
- 73. Die Hard 2 $117,323,878
- 74. Rocky $117,235,147
- 75. The Towering Inferno $116,000,000
- 76. The Karate Kid, Part II $115,103,979
- 77. American Graffiti $115,000,000
- 78. Big $113,883,454
- 79. The Addams Family $113,379,166
- 80. Ghostbusters II $112,494,738
- 81. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest $112,000,000
- 82. Twins $111,784,821
- 83. Star Trek IV $109,713,132
- 84. 'Crocodile' Dundee II $109,306,210
- 85. Terms of Endearment $108,423,489
- 86. Superman II $108,185,706
- 87. A League of Their Own $107,404,544
- 88. Indecent Proposal $106,614,059
- 89. Driving Miss Daisy $106,578,049
- 90. Kramer vs. Kramer $106,260,000
- 91. Porky's $105,492,483
- 92. Dick Tracy $103,738,726
- 93. 9 to 5 $103,290,500
- 94. In the Line of Fire $102,238,862
- 95. Sleeping With the Enemy $101,599,005
- 96. Stir Crazy $101,300,000
- 97. Unforgiven $101,157,447
- 98. The Pelican Brief $100,030,557
- 99. Parenthood $99,306,869
- 100.Dead Poets Society $95,860,116
-
- Source: Entertainment Weekly/Exhibitor Relations
- All data as of may 1994!
- @
- #Film Formats
- 35mm Standard
-
- 35mm is the original filmformat for projection in cinemas. It has the
- dimensions Width/Height = 1.33:1 - this format had no sound. After
- that came 35mm with sound, 1.2:1.
- In the 1920's many studios, like Warner with their Vistascope, and MGM's
- Realife, tried to change the 1.33:1 norm for film projection, and create
- a wider image (wide-screen). All the way up till the 1950's, they tried
- to introduce extraordinary formats like Cinerama and Cinemiracle, to give
- audiences a greater feeling of participating in the movie, using bend
- projection screens - some covering over 180 degrees.
- In the end, however, it was the more modest wide-screen formats that won
- the battle, and today it is the Panavision formats, in various aspects,
- that dominates the market.
-
- See also CinemasScope, Cinemiracle, Cinerama, Circarama,
- Dimension-150, MGM Camera 65, Naturama, Panavision 35, ScanoScope,
- Super Panavision 70, SuperScope, Super Technirama 70, Technirama,
- TechniScope, Todd-AO, Ultra Panavision, Ultra Semi-Scope & VistaVision.
- @
- #MGM Camera 65
- MGM Camera 65 was first used in 1957, and is filmed on a 65mm negative.
- Produced by a Panavision lens that compresses the image, and unsqueezed
- during projection, the image is projected from 65mm or 70mm prints, onto
- a slightly curved screen, producing a 2.5:1 aspect ratio. The 70mm
- prints of the film has six magnetic sound tracks on the same print, and
- the 65mm version has a seperate print for its sound tracks. This format
- can also be 'converted' to create a CinemaScope projection, using
- anamorphic lenses with optical reduction processes.
- @
- #Naturama
- A format with a 2.55:1 aspect ratio. The image is compressed horizontally
- during filming, and restored to its normal dimensions by complementary
- lenses during projection.
- @
- #Oscar
- Designed by Cedric Gibbons, and remained nameless until 1931. The
- statuette shows a man holding a sword, standing on a reel of film.
- @
- #Slasher Films
- Variation of the gore films where the monster/maniac carry out his murders
- using a knife, chainsaw, axe or in fact any form of cutting blade. I.e.
- _Halloween_ or _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre_.
- See also Gore Films
- @
-
- #Splatter Movies
- See Gore and Slasher films
- @
-
- #Soundsys
- See DTS, Dolby Stereo, Dolby SR, Dolby Surround.
- @
-
- #Top power
- Hollywood Power Top 100 - Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly
- ----------------------------------------------------------
-
- 1. Ruper Murdoch (Chairman, CEO, News Corporation)
- 2. Sumner M. Redstone (Chairman, Viacom Inc.)
- 3. Gerald M. Levin (Chairman, CEO, Time Warner Inc.)
- 4. Steven Spielberg (Producer-director, owner of Amblin Entertainment,
- partner in DreamWorks SKG)
- 5. Michael Eisner (Chairman, CEO, The Walt Disney Company)
- 6. Ted Turner (Cable Magnate)
- 7. Lew Wasserman & Sid Sheinberg (Chairman, CEO/President, COO,
- MCA Incorporated)
- 8. Oprah Winfrey (Talk-show queen)
- 9. Jeffrey Katzenberg (Partner in DreamWorks SKG)
- 10. David Geffen (Chairman, The David Geffen Company, partner in
- DreamWorks SKG)
- 11. Michael Ovitz (Chairman, Creative Artists Agency)
- 12. Michael P. Schulhof & Jeff Sagansky (President, CEO/Executive
- Vicepresident, Sony Corporation of America)
- 13. Bob Daly & Terry Semel (Chairmen, CO-CEOS, Warner Bros.)
- 14. Peter Tortorici & Howard Stringer (President, CBS Entertainment/
- President, CBS Broadcast Group)
- 15. Tom Freston & Judy McGrath (Chairmen, CEO, MTV Networks/
- President, MTV)
- 16. Tom Hanks (Actor)
- 17. Bob Iger & Ted Harbert (President, COO, Capitol Cities ABC/
- President, ABC Entertainment)
- 18. David Letterman (Late-night king)
- 19. Robert Morgado (Chairman, CEO, Warner Music Group)
- 20. Thomas D. Mottola (Pres., COO, Sony Music Entertainment, Inc.)
- 21. Jonathan Dolgen & Sherry Lansing (Chairman, Viacom Entertainment
- Group, Chairman, Motion Pictures, Paramount)
- 22. Tom Cruise (Actor)
- 23. John Malone (Pres., CEO, Tele-Communications Inc.)
- 24. Don Ohlmeyer & Warren Littlefield (Pres., NBC West Coast/
- Pres., NBC Entertainment)
- 25. Tom Pollock (Chairman, MCA Motion Picture Group)
- 26. Leslie Moonves (Pres., Warner Bros. Television)
- 27. Robert Shaye (Chairman, CEO, New Line Cinema Corp.)
- 28. Alain Levy (Pres., CEO, Polygram)
- 29. Peter Chernin & Bill Mechanic (Chmn./Pres./ 20Th Century Fox)
- 30. Jim Fifield (Pres., CEO, EMI Music)
- 31. Barbra Streisand (Singer-Actress-Producer-Director)
- 32. Robert Zemeckis (Director)
- 33. Jeffrey Berg (Chairman, CEO, ICM)
- 34. Joe Roth (Chairman, Walt Disney Motion Pictures)
- 35. Michael Fuchs (Chairman, CEO, HBO)
- 36. James Cameron (Writer-Producer-Director)
- 37. Clint Eastwood (Actor-Director-Producer)
- 38. John Grisham (Writer)
- 39. Arnold Schwarzenegger (Actor)
- 40. Clive Davis (Founder, President, Arista Records)
- 41. Mel Gibson (Actor-Director-Producer)
- 42. Michael Crichton (Writer-Producer)
- 43. Kevin Costner (Actor-Director-Producer)
- 44. Michael Douglas (Actor-Producer)
- 45. Sonny Mehta (President, Editor in Chief, Alfred A. Knopf)
- 46. Harvey & Bob Weinstein (Cochairmen, Miramax Films)
- 47. Stephen King (Writer)
- 48. Robert Redford (Director-Actor)
- 49. Harrison Ford (Actor)
- 50. Aaron Spelling (TV Producer)
- 51. Jimmy Iovine & Ted Field (Heads of Interscope)
- 52. Tim Allen (Actor-Comedian)
- 53. Julia Roberts (Actress)
- 54. Marcy Carsey/Tom Werner (TV Producers)
- 55. Jodie Foster (Actress-Director-Producer)
- 56. Oliver Stone (Director-Producer)
- 57. Danny Goldberg (President, Atlantic Records)
- 58. Robin Williams (Actor-Producer)
- 59. Lenny Waronker (President, Warner Bros. Records)
- 60. Roseanne (Actress-Producer)
- 61. Tony Brown (President, MCA Nashville)
- 62. Jerry Seinfeld (Actor-Writer)
- 63. Rick Berman (Producer)
- 64. Bernie Brillstein & Brad Grey (Manager-Producers)
- 65. Fran Mancuso (Chairman and CEO, MGM)
- 66. Tim Burton (Director-Producer)
- 67. Jim Carrey (Actor)
- 68. David Hill (President, Fox Sports)
- 69. Demi Moore (Actress-Producer)
- 70. Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. (Attorney)
- 71. Diane Sawyer (Achorwoman)
- 72. Tom Clancy (Writer)
- 73. Tim Dubois (Pres., Arista/Nashville)
- 74. Steven Bochco (Writer-Producer)
- 75. David Angell, Peter Casey & David Lee (Writers-Producers)
- 76. Al Teller (Chairman, CEO, MCA Music Entertainment Group)
- 77. Scott Rudin (Producer)
- 78. Dr. Dre (Andre Young) (Rapper-Producer, Co-owner, Death Row Recs.)
- 79. James Burrows (TV Director)
- 80. Andrew Vajna (Chmn, CEO, Cinergi Pictures Ent.)
- 81. Allen Grubman (Attorney)
- 82. L.A. Reid & Babyface Edmonds (Co-CEO's, LaFace Records)
- 83. Steven Brill (Founder, CEO, Court TV)
- 84. Richard Mosk (Chairman, MPAA Ratings Board)
- 85. Howard Stern (Radio & TV Personality)
- 86. Meg Ryan (Actress)
- 87. Laurence J. Kirshbaum (President, CEO, Warner Books)
- 88. Darren Star (TV Producer)
- 89. Whoopi Goldberg (Actress)
- 90. Sylvia Rhone (Chairwoman, Elektra/Eastwest Records)
- 91. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (TV Superheroes)
- 92. Bill Cosby (Actor-Producer)
- 93. Andy Schuon (Senior VP, Music and Programming, MTV)
- 94. Quentin Tarantino (Writer-Director-Actor)
- 95. Russell Simmons (CEO, Rush Communications)
- 96. Michael Stipe (Singer, R.E.M.)
- 97. David Gernert (VP, Editor in Chief, Doubleday)
- 98. Al Cafaro (President, CEO, A&M Records)
- 99. R. Kelly (Singer-Producer)
- 100.Bill Gates (Chairman, CEO, Microsoft)
-
- List courtesy of Entertainment Weekly, October 28. 1994.
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-
- #TVM
- Films marked with this symbol is made especially for television. In other
- words you see the image, as the director intended you to see it. In 1957
- Cinemascope 4:16 was developed for the cinema. All movies before that were
- shot in a format between 4:6 and 4:8.
- @
- #VistaVision
- Aspect: 1.66:1
- @
-
- #Wide-screen
- An expression covering various formats wider than the standard 1,33:1
- 35mm film. Wide-screen editions has been very popular lately, both on
- video casettes and on television. On standard versions of many films,
- as much as 2/3 of the original picture are missing, because of the
- differences in the aspect ratio between the wide-screen formats the
- movies were shot in, and the one on a normal television, 1.33:1 in
- European PAL format. Wide-screen shows the whole picture, but
- leaves two bars in the top and bottom of the picture as a result.
-
- See also CinemasScope, Cinemiracle, Cinerama, Circarama,
- Dimension-150, MGM Camera 65, Naturama, Panavision 35, ScanoScope,
- Super Panavision 70, SuperScope, Super Technirama 70, Technirama,
- TechniScope, Todd-AO, Ultra Panavision, Ultra Semi-Scope & VistaVision.
- @
-