Lars Von Trier Is Back!

He is one of the most mesmerizing and polarizing Directors working today…and he has a provocative new film about to be released.

Here is the very NSFW trailer for “Nymphomaniac”:

A Two-Part “Nymphomaniac!”

Magnolia Pictures has just announced the release plans for this “sure to be controversial” new film…von Trier has cut his work into two separate movies! The first, “Nymphomaniac: Part One”, will open in theaters March 21 – after premiering On Demand March 6. “Nymphomanic: Part Two” will be released On Demand April 3, followed by an April 18 theatrical release.

“Nymphomaniac: Part One” is the story of Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac who is badly beaten and left in an alley. She’s helped by an older bachelor, Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård), who takes her into his home. As he tends to her wounds, she recounts the erotic story of her adolescence and young-adulthood.

This film stars Shia LaBeouf, Christian Slater, Uma Thurman, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Connie Nielsen and Udo Kier.

“Nymphomaniac: Part Two” focuses on Joe’s adulthood, and stars Jamie Bell, Willem Dafoe, Mia Goth and Jean-Marc Barr in addition to Gainsbourg, Skarsgård, Martin and LaBeouf.

Lately, a series of provocative posters have been released as well, highlighting not only the all-star cast involved, but some of their most “intense” looks – here is Shia Lebouef:

Also in the film is Willem Dafoe, who previously starred in Von Trier’s brilliant “Anti-Christ”, another very controversial film:

Uma Thurman is also in “Nymphomaniac”:

Thurman’s character seems to be having a problem in her marriage – here is a clip that was released teasing her storyline, called:

“The Whoring Bed!”

Nymphomaniac appetizer – Chapter 3: Mrs. H

Here is another clip from the film as well:

Nymphomaniac appetizer – Chapter 1: The Compleat Angler

Charlotte Gainsbourg, who also starred in Von Trier’s “Anti-Christ”, is in this film, along with Christian Slater…and here is a clip with Shia Leboeuf:

Nymphomaniac appetizer – Chapter 2: Jerôme

As you can see, this is going to be quite a film – Von Trier has a very controversial career, with acclaimed movies like “Melancholia”, alongside very edgy films like “The Idiots”…and such masterpieces as “Anti-Christ” and “Dancer In The Dark” with Bjork…here is that trailer:

“Dancer In The Dark” stars Bjork in her film debut – as a young Mother who has emigrated to America, works in a factory, and is going blind. And the only thing that keeps her spirits up is when she finds solace in musicals…

Yes, it’s a musical! Catherine Deneuve and David Morse also star – and when the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, it took the festival by storm, winning Bjork best Actress and Von Trieer best film – the coveted Palm D’or award…

There were many stories about the difficulties von Trier had with Bjork on set – specifically the musical scenes, but at the end of the day, it was a triumph for both of them…

My Von Trier Exclusive!

I was in Cannes that year, overseeing E!’s festival coverage, and I got the only US TV interview with the Director. We always covered the smaller films, and that helped us get big interviews…I also did the only US TV interview in 1992 in Cannes with Director Baz Luhrmann – and also with a first-time Director named Quentin Tarantino…

My previous coverage of other von Trier films helped me get the exclusive TV conversation with the Director – and it was his first time ever in Cannes…

This was von Trier’s first time ever at the film festival – he had an aversion to travel, so he didn’t attend for his earlier efforts, “Breaking The Waves” or “The Idiots.”

He was in a very playful mood that day, funny, self-deprecating, and very passionate about film making. He admitted to me that he came to make sure the film had a shot at an award, since the festival had a reputation for not giving the “Palm d’Or” Award for best picture to any Director who didn’t show up for the festival…

Quiet Down, Bjork!

He also told me that his feud with Bjork was overblown by the Actress, and that he was only trying to get a great performance out of her…

While he tried to downplay the controversy stirred up by Bjork, he also clearly liked the attention, and he was right in the end, as Bjork won Best Actress in Cannes…and the film took home the prize for best picture.

A few years earlier, I interviewed a very young Emily Watson in Cannes for “Breaking The Waves” when the film created a sensation at the festival. Watson won best actress, and was subsequently oscar nominated as well, but that year, Von Trier didn’t make it to Cannes – due to his aversion to travel – and the film won the Grand Prize – also known as the “runner up” award…

“Breaking The Waves” is a brilliant, challenging film – here is a look at this masterpiece:

Breaking The Waves – Directed by Lars Von Trier – released in 1996

Emily Watson was Oscar nominated for Best Actress – for her portrayal of Bess, a woman who makes the ultimate sacrifice for the man she loves. Warning: this isn’t an easy film to watch, but it is BRILLIANT! Check out the trailer:

Here is how IMDB describes the film: “Drama set in a repressed, deeply religious community in the north of Scotland, where a naive young woman named Bess McNeil meets and falls in love with Danish oil-rig worker Jan.

Bess and Jan are deeply in love but, when Jan returns to his rig, Bess prays to God that he returns for good.

Jan does return, his neck broken in an accident aboard the rig. Because of his condition, Jan and Bess are now unable to enjoy a sexual relationship and Jan urges Bess to take another lover and tell him the details. As Bess becomes more and more deviant in her sexual behavior, the more she comes to believe that her actions are guided by God and are helping Jan recover.

Bess McNeill: “I don’t make love with them, I make love with Jan and I save him from dying.”

Emily Watson gives one of the most honest, uncompromising performances as a woman who believes she will heal her husband – and makes the ultimate sacrifice in order to do so.

Kudos To Lars Von Trier!

This is a controversial movie, part of Von Trier’s obsession with women who make sacrifices for a greater good – see “Dancer In The Dark” and from last year, “Melancholia”. He is a brilliant director, and the ending of the film is amazing…

Check out all of von Trier’s previous films, and I cannot wait for “Nymphomaniac” in all of its parts! Check out this amazing website for the film!

http://www.nymphomaniacthemovie.com/

Yes, It’s Jenna Jameson And Sylvester Stallone!

Wait until you hear the story behind this picture!

OK, this was designed to be, as it is known in TV, as a “deep tease.” You will have to keep reading to find out how I ended up taking this picture of Jenna Jameson and Sylvester Stallone – it’s all part of a birthday celebration of sorts…

Two Years Of Posting!

Yes, it’s the two year anniversary of this blog! When my wife Alex suggested I start this blog two years ago today, she thought it would be a fun creative outlet. She had NO idea it could lead to THIS:

Yes, I used that trust Alex placed in me to share things like this “bacon cube burger”, and some of you have thanked me for it. I have also shared things like THIS:

If you don’t recognize this image, consider yourself lucky. (Yes, it’s The Bee Gees as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band!) While this blog has been a fun project for me, it has also turned into much more: it’s been a way to share a wide variety of stories of interest to me, and more importantly, it has been a great way to meet a lot of new people with similar passions…like all of the Todd Rundgren fans I’ve met…

521,270 Strong!

I wanted to update everyone on the blog, and of course to thank all of you who take the time to read it. Last year at this time, I had just cracked 104,000 views.

In the last year, I saw a huge increase in the average daily traffic to the site – thanks in part to the huge amount of interest in things like the Eagles reunion tour, which you can see above – as well as the large number of people who have been interested in seeing just HOW Marlon Brando remembered his lines on the set of “The Godfather”:

As you can see, he DIDN’T! Yes, that is Robert Duvall holding cue cards for Brando! That story has been very popular, and if you missed it, here it is:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/20/brandos-cue-cards-real-horse-heads-the-godfathers-best-stories/

I also shared Clemenza’s recipe for meatballs – you know, when you need to feed a dozen guys after you “go to the mattresses”:

So, thanks to all of you, I smashed through a half a million views for the blog! I wanted to not only thank everyone for their support, but to share some of the most popular stories – and preview what is still to come!

Cool It, Ringo!

So, what have people responded to most? Well, it’s been everything from crazy stuff like this picture of Ringo and Raquel Welch clowning around on the set of the cult classic “The Magic Christian”…in fact, these guys always do great:

The Beatles never cease to interest people, and rightly so – my single most viewed story of last year was this one – looking at the “lost” Beatles documentary, “Let It Be”:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/06/let-it-be-the-beatles-lost-documentary-londons-live-beatles-rooftop-concert/

Over 49,000 views for this story so far – as always, The Beatles have spoken…well, at least their fans! And speaking of rabid fans, let’s hear it for “Jerseylicious!”

“Jerseylicious” Forever!

Thanks as well to the terrific cast of “Jerseylicious”, and to the fans who love them…my wife Alex Duda created this show in 2009, and in the five seasons so far I’ve been lucky enough to befriend many of the incredibly talent people followed on the show…

Oliva is not only “America’s Sweetheart”, she’ a terrific makeup artist – and a wonderful person as well…Tracy is also great, and yes, she got married in the “still to be seen” season six of the series…

I’ve had an amazing amount of interest in my behind-the-scenes looks at the show…like when Gigi, Tracy and Olivia visited Steve Harvey:

It was a great year for the team – I had more than 11,000 views of the story about the “Jerseylicious” book by Anthony and Olivia – with amazing cast pictures by Karl Giant!

So many fun posts so far, and more “Jerseylicious” to come….you know, THE WEDDING…

In addition to stories about TV and movies, I also love posting stories about music…including stories about the eagles, Paul McCartney, great new female singer/songwriters like Grace Potter, the best and worst Jame Bond themes, and of course:

“Todd Is God!”

Todd fans know what that means, and they showed it in a big way this year…I want to thank the Todd Rundgren fans who have really shown support for this blog, including a retweet from Todd himself! Here is that story:

http://musicplatter.com/2013/11/01/laura-nyro-todd-rundgrens-muse-todds-retweet/

The original story was about Todd’s friendship with Laura Nyro, an amazing singer/songwriter…and apparently Todd approved!

I posted this story and got a retweet from Todd’s twitter account – which was really cool – I’ve also been lucky enough to have been acknowledged by Director William Friedkin, Actress Rebel Wilson and the legendary singer/songwriter Paul Williams….among many others who have RT’d my stories and shared them with friends…

You can always sign up to receive all of the music-specific stories here:

http://musicplatter.com

What’s With All The Sites?

I’m sorry if I confused some of you with the “topic-specific” sub-sites, but here’s an explanation: When I started blogging, Alex suggested a title that would capture what the site was all about – but as you see, it’s about a lot of different stuff! So I used my name as an easy entry point…

Well, maybe not so easy, since my entire life has seen RIEBER spelled “REIBER”…So, to resolve the confusion, here’s how it works…I post virtually every single day on Johnrieber.com. I hope you all sign up to get notifications – so you won’t miss anything like THIS:

Yes, “Love Actually” is my favorite holiday film…well, except maybe for “Planes, Trains & Automobiles”…and in case you missed this post, here is a list of ALL of the best holiday films:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/11/23/amazing-love-actually-facts-rare-wonderful-life-photos-the-best-holiday-movies-ever/

You see, Del Griffith understands! You don’t have to do anything to get a wide variety of stories from me – just stop by Johnrieber.com and see what’s new…and, if you want more on a certain type of subject, the mini-sites are a way for you to take a blog shortcut:

If you need a quick “bacon fix”, you don’t have to look through the 500+ posts on Johnrieber.com …because “biteeatswallow” has a bacon tab that will take you immediate to this:

Yes, you know I will always have bacon for you somewhere!

Bite Down Hard!

I enjoy posting about strange and unique food items – or as you can see above, “bacon superheroes”…and of course, I love burgers, like this ramen burger from Japan:

And you can never go wrong with a slider…I have posted many recipes for making unique sliders from around the world, like this incredible one from Japan – the “wasabi avocado slider”!

I post all of the food stories on this site first, but later I also post them on a more-specific site devoted to the wacky world of food – like this food stadium to make for Super Bowl Sunday!

Remember, any time you need a burger fix – or any other food stories, you can always go here:

http://biteeatswallow.com

Something like this will ALWAYS be waiting!

Time For A Fight!

I was most excited this year to start the “film fight club!” This allowed you to hammer down on the important film arguments of the day!

The purpose of “Film Fight Club” is solely to argue about movies we love, hate, and love to hate!
This is where you can discuss your favorite James Bond theme song, as well as why you think “The Human Centipede” is a misunderstood masterpiece!

And yes, I got lots of hate comments from fans of “Centipede”, who couldn’t understand why I called it “misguided”! Check out all of the film battles here!

http://filmfightclub.com/

Forget movies, let’s see the world!

I know that some of you enjoy vacationing here:

Let’s Travel The World!

Yep, for those of you who love to travel the world – well, I’ve got you covered: whether it’s Barcelona’s amazing aerial trams, which give you an amazing sky-high view of this incredible city, or surfing with Sasha Grey on Australia’s Bondi Beach…

I posted a number of stories recounting my G4 shoot in Australia with Sasha Grey: everything from her surfing Bondi Beach – to getting photo bombed by live sharks:

I always have to remind people that there was NOTHING between Sasha and those sharks…and then there was this clip of Sasha in the tallest building in the southern hemisphere – by far the most popular video I posted, with more than 24,000 views:

Sasha went 88 stories high in Melbourne, Australia’s Eureka tower – just one of the many travel adventures I’ve been able to share. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to some really fun places, and I’ve gotten a great response from people when I post these stories on “spinningorbit”, which you can check out here:

http://spinningorbit.com/

So, I want to thank everyone who has read a story, and I hope you come back for many more in the years ahead…there have been many fun adventures – interesting people, places and food – so what is next?

Year Three…

Here is a tease: there are more great adventures to come, including my legendary trip to Thailand with Jenna Jameson!

And it wasn’t just us…we hung out with Sylvester Stallone too!

More on that trip soon – really one of my most unique travel adventures ever – and more on Tracy’s “Jerseylcious” wedding as well:

I also have some VERY unique food to share soon:

And I have some great stories about some of the best movies of the 70′s – films that deserve to be remembered, revered, and watched!

Yes, I will be telling the story of “The Getaway”, a classic action film that also caused a Hollywood scandal! And for fans of TRULY unique movies, I have some of the most amazing exploitation classics to share with you as well!

Yes, more crazy world cinema to share! You can always read about it by clicking here:

http://jrsploitation.com/

This is my mini-site devoted to the most unique and outrageous movies the world has ever offered!

And there is a whole world of entertainment still to explore! That’s just a sneak peek of what is still to come…see, there IS a reason to keep reading!

Thanks again to everyone for your support – as always, please leave comments pro, con, or “positively negative”…I enjoy hearing back from you – and thanks again for reading! I will leave you one last tease – a new post about Todd Rundgren and some of his neglected masterpieces is on the way…

Here’s proof: click on the link to enjoy Todd’s amazing live version of “Fade Away”…more to come on this as well!

Everyone has unique life stories to share…one of mine happened to be with Jenna Jameson…

Jenna Jameson In The News!

Arguably the world’s most famous adult film star has been in the media lately – and the stories have not always been flattering…

I wanted to go back to a simpler time, before the headlines…one of my most unique trips ever happened to be the time when I got to work with Jenna on an E! shoot – and we hung out with some of the biggest stars in the world at the time….

Jenna was fun, upbeat, genuine, professional and just a terrific person to work with…so here is how I ended up in Singapore and Bangkok with Jenna, Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis…

My Jenna Jameson “Wild On” Adventure!

This is a picture of me with Jenna Jameson from 1998. We were in Singapore. Why you ask? Well, what began as a series of appearances on E!’s “Wild ON…” series turned into an opportunity for Jenna to host the show…

First, a bit about Jenna:

Jenna Jameson (born Jenna Marie Massoli; April 9, 1974), is the world’s most famous adult-entertainers. My wife Alex and I met her while we were filming one year at the Cannes Film Festival. In addition to E!’s annual Cannes coverage, we also produced “Wild On The Riviera”, which was the “un-official” film festival. At the time, Jenna was the new star for Wicked Pictures…

The Wicked Pictures folks were really good to work with, and Jenna filmed a few stories about attending Cannes for E!’s “Sex On The Riviera” special. Over the next few years, Jenna hosted a number of segments for this show, and was always great to work with –

Jenna was a lot of fun to work with, engaging on camera, personable and funny…over the next few years, we continued to film with her for the “Wild On…” travel series that I created for E! At the same time, I had been to a number of Planet Hollywood openings, including New York, London, Las Vegas and Mall of America…these specials also aired on E!, and after a few years, we wanted to find a way to make them different….

So, when we decided to cover the opening of two new Planet Hollywood restaurants in Singapore and Bangkok, I thought: why not have Jenna be our Host?

So that’s how I found myself sitting next to Jenna in Bangkok – as our entire production team met for a dinner to celebrate the beginning of our Thailand adventure!

Fast Forward To Bangkok And Singapore!

So here we are at dinner, a great group of E! staff in Bangkok, filming the opening of Planet Hollywood restaurants in both cities…as you will soon see, there were some BIG BIG stars in attendance…

Cue The Lifestyle Segments!

When I ran “Wild On…”, each episode had segments on local culture, so of course, the first thing we did was put Jenna in a boat and take her down Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River!

First we had to negotiate the cost of a boat to take us out for filming – our Director of Photography was the legendary Carl Allman – and it was up to him to determine ho wmany boats we’d need for filming.

We determined who would sit where – how we would film the tour – and what we wanted Jenna to talk about during the trip…

And I got to go on the boat as well…as you can tell, I never look all that busy in these pictures, do I?

The water was fairly calm, but these boats were very shallow, so we rocked around a bit, especially when crossing the larger part of the river, where there were more industrial boats around us…

After filming a number of short sequences, we re-grouped to discuss the next part of the tour – a trip some some of the smaller branches of the river – a more “residential” part of Bangkok…

As we explored the river, we found a number of houses perched right over the water – people literally lived “on” the water…

We didn’t scout this location at all, we were just going downstream and looking for fun stuff to film – so we pulled up to one home – situated right on the river…

Jenna jumped out and we grabbed a pic of her…

Then we found a home along the river where a family lived…and lots of kids were playing…

The young boys were jumping off their homes into the river, and Jenna interviewed them! Well, “interview” is a loose term as they didn’t speak a word of english, but we had a fun time nonetheless!

Back on dry land, we also explored many of Bangkok’s street markets – the city was very crowded, a bit chaotic, but friendly at the same time…

Welcome To Bangkok’s Chinatown!

The Chinatown district was full of street markets and vendors – a crowded mix of people, stalls, cars, bikes and motorcycles – all crammed into a very small area…

In fact, Chinatown was so crowded that, at one point, sirens went off and the streets were blocked off to cars – in order to let the pollution in the air clear up! You could actually see a blue haze developing in the alleys and streets – pure pollution…

Of course, we didn’t let that slow us down, we just kept filming – and I kept taking behind-the-scenes pictures – and kept having them taken of me as well…

We had a great day filming: Jenna bought a bunch of products from street vendors, always haggling for the best price…

Jenna’s Shopping Spree!

Even with all of the great locations and fun shoots we did, here is what I remember most about Jenna in Bangkok: after we filmed on Patpong Street, an adult entertainment area full of bars, go go clubs and street vendors, Jenna went a bit “shopping crazy” with the Channel V Host – by the time she was done, Jenna ended up shipping home three new suitcases full of stuff!

Bangkok’s Fertility Shrine!

One of the funniest shoots involves a sequence with Jenna at Bangkok’s fertility shrine, but for some reason, I never got a picture of Jenna there! Instead, I got our terrific field Producer Jill Weiser…posing among the hundreds of fertility symbols: yes, penises…

Yes, this was a very sacred place! Bangkok has many shrines all over the city, and couples would come to this one to pray for fertility…as evidenced by the phallic nature of the shrine itself. The best part was, when we filmed this, the shrine was located in a Hilton Hotel parking lot! Shrines are all over Bangkok, and businesses must build around them, as they are sacred and cannot be moved…

We had the legendary Director of Photography Carl Allman with us, so of course it all looked beautiful…and Carl is so much fun to film with as well!

Bruce Willis Entertains Jenna!

After dinner, we were off to the opening of Planet Hollywood Bangkok, and that meant interviews with the arriving celebrities, like Jackie Chan, Cindy Crawford, Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, and a performance by Bruce Willis and his band!

Here’s a picture of Bruce Willis performing at the restaurant – with Jenna and thousands of fans watching and cheering wildly:

Then Jenna got the chance to interview Bruce. I will always remember that, when he saw her, the first thing Bruce said was:

“You are my favorite E! Host!”

And she was: Jenna was so much fun to work with: she was a total professional, eager to explore Bangkok with us, working all day and night…and it was a long day – filming the lifestyle segments in the daytime, then covering the big party at night…

Jenna also got a lot of attention as well – her she is being interviewed by the former Miss Thailand, who was a Host for Channel V in Thailand…

This Channel V Host hung out with us for hours, and we ended the night at her Dad’s blues bar in a fun Bangkok neighborhood…

At 2am, we finished filming, and Carl picked up one of the bar’s bass guitars and played us some blues while we sipped whiskey! It was a memorable end to a fun day!

Time For A Singapore Sling!

After Bangkok, it was off to Singapore, where Jenna explored many of the city’s unique sights!

That also meant taking a very high cable car over the river and down to Singapore’s park…

Jenna WASN’T a fan of riding in a cable car high over the city…turns out she was afraid of heights! We didn’t know it until she pointed it out and hid her eyes…

But she hung in there and was a complete pro – doing an interview with our local guide and even checking out the view – albeit just for a moment!!

We had a great time in Singpore’s Merlion Park, named after a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, used as a mascot and national personification of Singapore.

The fish body represents Singapore’s origin as a fishing village when it was called Temasek, which means “sea town” in Javanese. The lion head represents Singapore’s original name — Singapura — meaning “lion city” or “kota singa”.

Jenna Hangs Out With Sylvester Stallone!

After a day of filming around Singapore, it was time to head over to Planet Hollywood for the opening of the restaurant – Jenna wrote about this trip in her autobiography – her version is not EXACTLY the same way I remember it, but the facts of the trip are basically the same – she was the Host of our Planet Hollywood coverage, and just like in Bangkok, the stars LOVED talking to her!

Jenna got to hang out with Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Wesley Snipes, Jackie Chan and Cindy Crawford in Singapore, a beautiful city that showed us the utmost hospitality!

Once we got back to the US, it was decided that Jenna shouldn’t host the entire special, but we did air the interviews and all of these segments in Bangkok and Singapore on “E! Explores Planet Hollywood Bangkok” – and she was great!

I’m not sure where Jenna is headed with her career – she just published a book, and it was announced that she is going to do more “adult” work – but regardless of her personal and professional issues right now, she was a pleasure to work with, a great person, and a terrific on-air Talent for us!

Never Forget!

Never forget…..the hair that is….this incredible Jan-Claude hairstyle always reminds me of his greatest movie: John Woo’s Louisiana bayou thriller “Hard Target!” But there is SO much more to celebrate about Jean-Claude – because JCVD is back in a BIG BIG WAY!

Jean-Claude Van Damme was one of the world’s biggest stars. From “Bloodsport” to “Time Cop” to the classic “Hard Target”, Jean-Claude kicked ass across a multitude of great action films…and then, Jean-Claude fell off our screens…until now.

“Central to Unit 27. Jean-Claude Van Damme’s robbing a post office. I need back-up!”

Wait, WHAT? Don;’t worry, I’ll explain in a moment….I will also explain how I ended up:

Hanging With Jean-Claude In Cannes!

I will tell you all about hanging out with the legendary action star – many times – in Cannes, but first, here is the already legendary “splits” TV ad with Jean-Claude Van Damme:

Kudos, Mr. Van Damme! This TV ad has certainly put Jean-Claude back in the spotlight, but you missed his real comeback just last year…and I will also tell you how I have been lucky enough to hang with the action star several times when I was running programming at E! More on that as well, but first, I have to tell you about a revelatory movie starring the “Muscles From Brussels!”

Looking good, JCVD! However, there’s a LOT more on display than just Jean-Claude’s muscles…there is a real, honest, and open look at an action star…if you haven’t seen the terrific film “JCVD”, you are missing out on Jean-Claude’s greatest performance ever…

I was stunned by how good this movie was – I had heard about Jean-Claude’s performance, but never got around to wartching it – and when I did, I was stunned…..First, take a look at the trailer for the great film “JCVD”:

Policier: “Central to Unit 27. Jean-Claude Van Damme’s robbing a post office. I need back-up!”

And with this urgent police call, “JCVD” explodes into action! Between his tax problems and his legal battle with his wife for the custody of his daughter, these are hard times for the action movie star who finds that even Steven Seagal has pinched a role from him! In “JCVD”, Jean-Claude Van Damme returns to the country of his birth to seek the peace and tranquility he can no longer enjoy in the United States. But nothing goes as planned…

I won’t share anything else, as the joy of this film is to watch it unfold…The concept for “JCVD” originated with the producer, who had an agreement with Jean-Claude Van Damme to play himself in a movie. In the original screenplay Van Damme was portrayed more as a clown. Mabrouk El Mechri was brought on to rewrite, and was subsequently asked to direct.

Director Mabrouk El Mechri agreed to rewrite the script on the condition he could meet Jean-Claude Van Damme first before starting the draft, so he wouldn’t waste six months on something that Van Damme would veto.

There is a funny scene in a taxi involving Jean-Claude and a cab driver, and whole scene is completely improvised. Mabrouk El Mechri told Jean-Claude Van Damme to just be nice to the driver no matter what she said!

But the real masterstroke in the film takes place about halfway through, when Jean-Claude breaks the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience…it is mesmerizing, and one of the best monologues committed to film…I don’t want to spoil it, but here is a short snippet to give you an idea of the honesty on display:

J.C.V.D.: “This movie is for me. There we are, you and me. Why did you do that? Or why did I do that? You made my dream come true. I asked for it. I promised you something in return and I haven’t delivered yet. You win, I lose. Unless…”

This monologue goes on for several more minutes – no break, one single take – and it is mesmerizing…you can see the real anguish in his face, in his voice…and the real emotion! After you see this scene, you can’t help but root for Jean-Claude to survive!

This is also a fun, twisty action thriller as well – a real return to form for the “Muscle From Brussels”…really worth checking out – I have the blu-ray of the movie…it’s just the latest chapter in a wild ride for the action star…which took him many times to the south of France…

Welcome To The Cannes Film Festival!

Yes, Cannes is a gorgeous city on the French Riviera, where celebrities gather every year to celebrate film…and we would travel to cover the festival for E!

For many years, my Host was Michael Castner, who Alex points out was always the hardest worker on the team…

Just kidding, Michael – he was terrific to work with, and always got great interviews for us – including this revealing conversation with Jean-Claude at the famed Hotel du Cap…

One year, after a huge Cannes party, I was hanging out with Jean-Claude – since we had covered many Planet Hollywood openings and Cannes festivals, we had become acquainted – and I had just seen his latest movie.

I said to Jean-Claude, congratulations on “Hard Target!” He looked at me and said, “we can do better!” I just smiled but I thought, “no, Jean-Clause, you CAN’T do better than John Woo!” That was, unfortunately, the last time we saw this hairstyle on screen…

And JCVD went into a career tailspin…until now…so kudos on the TV ad, bravo for “JCVD”, and most importantly,

“Welcome Back Jean-Claude!”

Summer 2014 Will End With A Superhero Blockbuster!

Marvel is bringing one of their most unique, and therefore much beloved comic books to the silver screen!

Kudos To Director James Gunn!

This new blockbuster is a result of the tireless effort of Director James Gunn, who was passionate about the special nature of this franchise. He assembled a terrific cast, and Disney has unveiled some great marketing materials – including the cover of the latest GEEK magazine!

The new issue of GEEK is available now, and I’m excited about it for two reasons: first, Director Gunn and the film deserve the attention. Second, the aricle includes one of my James Gunn photos!

Yep, there it is, clear as day in the upper right box…OK, here is the picture, full sized for your enjoyment:

The Writer asked to use it, and since I thought it was a fun picture, and have posted it on my blog before, said “sure.” I also know James saw the picture and didn’t raise an objection to it…more on the story of the picture in a moment, but first, back to Gunn’s new film:

Behold The “Guardians Of The Galaxy!”

There has been a ton of press hitting, along with great stills and some really fun trailers like this one:

What a great trailer! And yes, you will NEVER get Blue Suede’s classic 70′s version of “Hooked On A Feeling” out of your head – and we are all the better for it!

A great cast, terrific sense of humor, and what appears to be amazing action sequences make this a “must see” for me. Here is what Cinemablend.com just posted:

“It will prove to be the final comic book movie of summer 2014, but don’t think for a second that we’ve forgotten about James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy. The film ranks extremely high on our most anticipated list, and today we not only have a closer look at the sci-fi adventure itself, but also into its future. Marvel Studios has just unveiled two brand new stills from the August release, and Disney CEO Bob Iger has revealed that the studio is already thinking about a sequel.

To focus on the images first, which come to us via the Guardians of the Galaxy Facebook page, while Star-Lord – played by Chris Pratt – has certainly been a big part of the marketing for the film so far, what these new stills provide are some cool closer looks at the character’s costume. For example, his helmet:”

As you can tell, CinemaBlend is VERY excited about the upcoming “Guardians” release…check out their website for even more coverage!

The advance buzz on “Guardians” is very strong, and Gunn is doing lots of press to support it. In fact, the Director recently hosted a screen and live discussion of his previous film, “Super!”

This was Gunn’s “anti-hero superhero” film. Here is the plot: after his wife falls under the influence of a drug dealer, an everyday guy transforms himself into Crimson Bolt, a superhero with the best intentions, though he lacks for heroic skills.
James Gunn directs a tight, effectively shocking look at the everyday man who wants to rise up against those who do him wrong!

Writer-director James Gunn does a terrific job with a cast that is up for anything – Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, Gregg Henry and Michael Rooker.

And how about this for trivia? Towards the end of the movie when Liv Tyler is in her rehab group session, she is heard stating “f**ked up, insecure, neurotic, and emotional”. This is a reference and nod to her rocker father Steven Tyler (of Aerosmith) and his 1980′s song “FINE” which is an acronym for the same line.

Lots of great moments, grisly grindhouse exploitation, and heart. LOVE James Gunn’s work and terrific performances by the entire cast!

James Gunn has a great, colorful history in film, and I wanted to celebrate that as well. So here is the story of my Cannes film festival shoots with James and the wacky Troma team!

Welcome to Cannes!

Yes, Troma and James Gunn owned the “unofficial” Cannes film festival, and I had the chance to have some fun with the gang in one of the most beautiful places in the world!

THE CANNES INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL DU FILM!

Oh, as it turns out, one of the most beautiful places in the world just happens to be home to the world’s most prestigious film festival!

This is the Palais du Festival, where the world’s greatest filmmakers arrive to showcase their movies to the world. Cannes 2014 begins on May 15th, and this is a look at the festival and the fun I’ve had there – this is me one year – in a meeting…

I was lucky enough to go to Cannes a dozen times, where I saw the world premieres of “Pulp Fiction”, “Breaking The Waves”, “Moulin Rouge” and many more…and interviewed a bunch of great film makers and stars…it is one of my favorite spots in the world… a place where, at any time, someone can take their top off and get a crowd to take a picture…

I witnessed shoving matches and fistfights as these photographers fought for the perfect shot of a big star – or a topless starlet…it is a delirious madhouse…

Alex was with me many times – like this picture of us taking a break during filming one year for E!

As you can see, Alex caught Michael Castner relaxing before a shoot…and Alex also ran into John Lithgow once!

It a madhouse, one of my favorite jobs ever, and I vow to go back next year with good friend Steve Kmetko, who not only interviewed big stars for us every year, but also hung out with our friends from Troma…

And while the official film festival was underway, so was the “unofficial” Cannes film festival!

All The Love You Cannes! Full disclosure: I am in this movie. I am. It might be a single b-roll shot while Lloyd mentions me in passing, but hey, I’m a Troma star!

Here we all are in Cannes one year: E! News Host Steve Kmetko, who allowed my wife Alex, along with James Gunn, turn him into “Dolphinman” for “Sex On The Riviera”. Lloyd is on the left, by the way…

Every year I was in Cannes, Lloyd and his Troma team were up for any shenanigans…and their tireless energy is captured in Lloyd’s documentary about life at the Cannes film festival.

Tiffany Shepis on the left and James Gunn on the right were always ready to film special stunts with us to capture the craziness of Cannes…we had a lot of fun with them, and they are terrific people!

If you want to see the best documentary about the pomp, circumstance, and sordid underbelly that is Cannes, “All The Love You Cannes” is the movie for you!

Places like Cannes are crucial to an independent studio like Troma – they attract international buyers, they get screenings for their films – as well as lots of press.

The Troma Team is willing to try every stunt imaginable to get a little publicity, including walking the streets of Cannes dressed as various Troma heroes, staging lesbian make-out sessions, hilariously crashing Jean-Claude Van Damme’s “press conference,” where JCVD shows up for about 2 seconds.

So congrats to James Gunn on the upcoming release of “Guardians Of The Galaxy”, and here’s to great memories of Cannes brought back to life by Geek magazine!

To honor the opening night of the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, I present you three people who, at one time, OWNED Cannes!

All Hail The Last Action Heroes – And Their Restaurant!

Here’s a story of how I got to hang out with the world’s biggest stars – at a time when their careers were at all-time highs, a more innocent time when “theme restaurants” like Hard Rock Cafe, The Fashion Cafe and Planet Hollywood were the rage…

There was a time when these guys ruled the world. And I got the chance to hang out with them at the greatest place in the world for movie buffs:

Cannes France!

Welcome to the French Rivera, one of the most beautiful places on earth…and it just happens to host the world’s greatest film festival as well:

The Cannes Film Festival!

2014 Cannes is now officially underway! For two weeks a year, the great film makers in the world showcase their greatest work for the world’s film critics…

The Legendary Carlton Hotel!

It was a time when we got to interview big stars at places like this:

My great Host Michael Castner called it his “home away from home” when he was at the festival – the Carlton hotel housed us, and hosted tons of stars, parties, and all things film festival…

The great thing about attending Cannes was the chance to see movies months before anyone else – as we did when we got to see “Pulp Fiction” a full five months before anyone else…even if that meant hanging our in stairwells waiting for the screening to begin…

The Cannes Color Code!

Still, that was all part of the adventure of Cannes – the crowds, the police, the passes that were distributed in different colors – and if you had a pink pass, you got in before the people with a blue pass….and oh my, you didn’t get in ANYWHERE with a lowly yellow pass…

As the latest festival gets underway, it’s fun to look back at the fun times I had working in Cannes, along with Alex, Michael and a number of great people!

Of course, for every moment of down time, there were dozens of interviews to conduct, and photo shoots to cover – like the interview we did with one of my favorite Actors, Malcolm McDowell…

We even covered the more salacious photo shoots that took place on the beach, the ones that usually included a topless starlet trying to get some attention…

I was lucky enough to work with two other amazing professionals over in Cannes as well: E! News Hosts Jules Asner and Steve Kmetko…

We filmed E! News Daily in Cannes during the festival, and Jules and Steve had dozens of interview to conduct and parties to cover – as it really is a film festival that never slows down….still, we always managed to find time for a few fun photos…

When Michael wasn’t trying to hide, he was talking to some of th biggest stars in the world…

Michael With Jean-Claude Van Damme!

Speaking of action heroes, here’s Michael at the famed Hotel du Cap outside Cannes with Jean-Claude Van Damme – at the time one of the hottest action stars in the world!

Of course, while he was doing the interview, Alex had a moment to grab a candid shot with our co-worker Gary Snegaroff…

We had a great time hanging out with these stars, but sometimes, things got a bit dicey…

The Classic Interview – Michael With Arnold!

So here is how my first Arnold Schwarzenegger encounter played out: we were filming at the film festival, and there was a HUGE press event with Arnold – to announce the very first Planet Hollywood restaurant!

More on Planet Hollywood in a moment! After the huge press event at the Carlton – where Arnold announced the concept of the restaurants and posed for thousands of pictures, a select group of media were allowed to meet Arnold personally for a very short interview behind the hotel.

As you can see, Michael spoke to Arnold first, while I watched from the left…that is our great friend Carl Allman filming it by the way…

After a very short interview, our friend Ed Flaherty, who was also filming for CNN, asked if he could jump in and ask one question as we were still rolling…and he did, but then he asked another, and another, and another, until Arnold looked over at his Press rep Charlotte and said – very loudly, and in a very recognizable Ahhh-nold tone:

“What’s this? First one question, then two questions, now six questions. Charlotte, I’m leaving in ten minutes. PLAN YOUR TIME.”

EVERYONE FROZE. I looked around and saw 5 other entertainment outlets waiting to interview Arnold – needless to say, we got yelled at later for sabotaging everyone else’s time….but that is what Cannes was all about – getting your interview no matter what!

Oh, and that wasn’t Arnold’s first time in Cannes…he was there in 1977 as well!

Arnold was always gracious, professional, and focused on his job – selling whatever he was promoting – and he did it well!

Welcome To Planet Hollywood!

As I said, I was at the first press event to announce Planet Hollywood. It was the beginning of a long friendship with Arnold, Sly, Bruce and the other stars.

While I was at E!, we produced specials on the openings of a myriad of Planet Hollywood restaurants, including the first ones in New York and London!

As you can see, we were a hard working group – there is Michael Castner of course, and Alex, along with George, Gary and Oscar too!

If you want to read more about the Planet Hollywood opening in London, read my “Mel Gibson encounter” as well as the great Joe Ezterhas e-book “Heaven And Mel” – click on that story here!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/14/heaven-and-mel-shocking-mel-gibson-book-my-mel-encounter/

We were inside the opening of Planet Hollywood London – interviewing all of the stars for a one hour special – we also cooked with Arnold and Sly before the doors opened…it was a lot of fun, and those early specials were very popular – helping fuel the worldwide expansion of the chain…

More Planet Hollywood Memories – With Jenna Jameson!

A few years later, I ended up at the opening of Planet Hollywood in Singapore and Bangkok – with Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Jackie Chan and more!

And this time, I had a more unusual choice for host…

Jenna Jameson Interviews Sly and Bruce!

And if you haven’t read my post about my trip to those Asian outposts with my Host Jenna Jameson, then click on here to read about that very funny adventure!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/12/31/wild-on-jenna-jameson-my-worldwide-jenna-adventure-starring-bruce-willis-and-sylvester-stallone/

Jenna hosting our E! coverage was a great memory from my time at E!, and as always, Planet Hollywood turned the stars out for us – here she is interviewing Bruce Willis!

At one point, Planet Hollywood was one of the most successful restaurant chains in the world! They were always terrific to work with, and I still have several jackets from various locations…

I got to hang out with Schwarzenegger many more times, but I will always remember the first interview, when Charlotte had to “plan her time!”

And here is Michael Castner’s great photo from Cannes 1994 when he was mobbed by fans:

Michael claims the crowd thought he was George Michael – but I say they were cheering him! He was very recognizable in Cannes after the first few years of our festival coverage…and we always had a hectic, intense, and hilarious time there! And of course, I got to hang out with a number of other unique people in Cannes as well – such as the night we partied with Prince Albert of Monaco!

My Night In Cannes With Prince Albert Of Monaco!

You can thank Carl Allman for this adventure as well – and you can read all about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/05/21/my-night-with-prince-albert-of-monaco-more-cannes-cannes-memories/

Those trips to the Cannes Film Festival were some of the greatest trips I’ve taken – in one of the most beautiful places on earth!

And here’s a look at more of my adventures in Cannes – including my look up Jack Nicholson’s NOSE!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/05/15/big-stars-bright-lights-cannes-cannes-cannes-the-film-festival-up-close/

Let me know what you think!

I was driving through Beverly Hills the other day and ran into the legendary Actor/Director Richard Benjamin – which reminded me of one of the greatest – and most obscure – movies of all time!

“Who did this room? Parker Brothers?”

If you haven’t heard of “The Last Of Sheila”, you are missing out on one of the great mysteries of the 70′s – and a hilarious look at Hollywood with a great Hollywood cast!

“Psycho” Meets Sondheim!

“The Last Of Sheila” is a great “Hollywood Insider” whodunnit – and it was written by two consummate Hollywood players! The plot is based on murder-mystery party games that co-authors and puzzle enthusiasts Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim wrote and performed in their homes.

Of course, Tony Perkins became a star through his legendary performance as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film “Psycho.”

Their love of puzzles and mysteries led to a classic, and criminally overlooked 70′s film “the Last Of Sheila.”

The Last of Sheila!

I’ll say this up front: this is one of my favorite films of all time. It’s a classic “whodunnit”, as I said, and it was written by Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim. Here is the plot: Movie Producer James Coburn invites a Director, Writer, Starlet, Agent, and a hanger on or two to spend a week on his yacht off the French Riviera. Here is the trailer:

Look At This Cast!

One of the great things about this film is the cast – a “who’s who” of Hollywood in the early 70′s…such as James Mason, who plays a washed-up Director desperate to get back behind a camera – Mason as you know was brilliant in Stanley Kubrick’s “Lolita”…

James Coburn plays the game-loving Hollywood Producer who was married to the actress Sheila – and in mourning her death, he decides to invite his Hollywood “friends” over to his yacht for a “game”…

“The Last Of Sheila” is a great murder-mystery, and I won’t share more plot details to avoid giving anything away. But the cast clearly is having a ball making fun of real life Hollywood figures. Dyan Cannon plays a powerful Agent – in real life, Cannon was married to Cary Grant in the 60′s – and she relishes her role here – if you’ve ever heard of the legendary Super Agent Sue Mengers, wait until you see Dyan Cannon’s take on her…

Raquel Raquel!

Raquel Welch was one of the biggest stars of that time – and she brings all of her sex symbol status to her role as the starlet who needs constant love and affection…

Raquel has rarely been better than she is here – and her scene with Dyan Cannon is a delicious tongue in cheek poke at Hollywood.

Cannon: [while suntanning] “I have to do 25 minutes on my stomach.
Raquel: To make up for the 25 minutes you spent on your back last night?”

Richard Benjamin plays the has-been screenwriter who needs a job – so he spends far too much time sucking up to James Coburn…and he has a few secrets of his own as well…

More on Benjamin in a moment, but first, grab your suntan lotion, time to head to the French Riviera!

Welcome To Cannes!

The entire “Last Of Sheila” film takes place along the French Riviera, including great locations off the coast of Cannes…

Stormy Weather Shoot!

Here is some great trivia, courtesy of IMDB: “Shooting the monastery sequence just off Cannes proved to be troublesome for Raquel Welch. Gale force winds and rain disrupted the night shoot, and Welch was reluctant to leave her Venice hotel for fear of getting stuck in the storm. “

“A Bit Of A Splodge!”

Raquel wasn’t a fan of the weather conditions, but she hung in there like a pro.

“This glamorous picture in the wonderful sunny Cote d’Azur has turned out to be a bit of a splodge,” Welch told a journalist. “This is not my idea of an enjoyable evening, but they’re paying you the money. I just go ahead and do it and don’t complain.”

Kudos Director Herbert Ross!

Herbert Ross directed “Sheila”, and this legendary Director clearly let the cast run with this great material. Herbert Ross was a brilliant Director – along with “Sheila” he directed the Oscar nominated “The Goodbye Girl”, “The Turning Point” and he did “Footloose” too!

There’s a funny bit in the film when James Coburn derisively refers to Tommy’s latest film as “A Fistful of Lasagna”, an obvious dig at spaghetti westerns. But, the same year Coburn appeared in “Sheila”, he starred in legendary Director Sergio Leone’s spaghetti western “A Fistful of Dynamite”!

Richard Benjamin Rules!

And back to Richard Benjamin: along with “Sheila”, he also starred in one of the most brilliant anti-war films ever made – “Catch-22!”

Read all about this provocative film by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/03/24/the-brilliant-black-comedy-catch-22-a-neglected-movie-masterpiece/

Benjamin has starred in a number of great films, including “Goodbye Columbus” and the classic sci-fi movie “Westworld.”

You can read all about this classic sci-fi, which JJ Abrams has announced his company will be remaking, by clicking on here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/30/j-j-abrams-goes-to-westworld-new-sci-fi-franchise-classic-cult-film/

Benjamin is also a great Director, and for me his greatest accomplishment was “My Favorite Year” – an affectionate look at the early days of live television – in fact, it is one of my favorite films of all time!

Read all about this classic comedy by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/02/12/rip-sid-caesar-classic-comedian-my-favorite-years-loving-tribute/

“The Last of Sheila” is a great mystery, an affectionate send up of Hollywood, an Actor’s showcase and a beautifully made mystery – check it out and let me know what you think!

Christina Lindberg Speaks!

“Artsploitation” movie fans were given a great treat recently with the publication of an extensive interview with the original “Queen Of Artsploitation!”

Christina Lindberg was Sweden’s first sex kitten, and her arrival in the US in the early 1970’s was at the forefront of the sexual revolution – a time when movie theaters were willing to push the limits on what they’d show to an eager male audience…and usually, that was exposing them to Swedish erotic cinema!

If you are unfamiliar with the concept of “grind house” cinema, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez paid tribute to it with their double feature “Grindhouse”…and here is a look at this fascinating moment in cinema history:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/11/23/sex-violence-grindhouse-have-a-purient-holiday-an-exploitation-gift-guide/

And here is a look at what New York’s 42nd Street – the epicenter of Grindhouse – looked like in the 70’s…

These movies features lots of gratuitous sex and violence – and in the early days, they depended on Swedish erotic dramas to fill their seats…which meant that European films were brought to the US and shown – usually dubbed – in seedy theaters that catered to a audience that was looking for cheap thrills…no matter what language!

Christina Lindberg was Sweden’s most popular sex kitten from the early 70’s…beginning in men’s magazines, and then Swedish advertising…

Christina Lindberg Speaks!

Lindberg became a huge “artsploitation” star, meaning her movies had lots of sex and nudity, but were artistic – you know, “european”…a unique type of film that flourised in the early 70’s…

While the titles were total exploitation, these were actually intense dramas…with lots of Swedish nudity…and later they were released on VHS for fans to enjoy at home…Quentin Tarantino is a huge Lindberg fan, and here is a picture of them together at a recent convention…

For Lindberg, her success in US grindhouse theaters made her a huge star…something she has always been comfortable talking about…but, it’s important to note that she wasn’t just an actress – she has built a great career as a journalist as well, something she is very proud of…here is a recent interview I found:

This was first published on YouTube on Nov 10, 2013 – FLIXX TV Host Shannon Laing interviews Christina Lindberg – and then I also found a great print interview with the legendary Actress as well!

The “Fix” Is In!

The great movie website “The Digital Fix” posted a terrific interview with Lindberg in 2006 – and I just discovered it – filled with great stuff like this, where she describes being discovered in a Swedish dance club:

“I liked to go out to clubs and dance and it was a photographer from one of the biggest magazines in Sweden who saw me dancing at a famous club in Gothenburg and then he told me, you know, he asked me if I could take some photos. I could be the one girl from Gothenburg and he was supposed to take photos from, we were about five girls, and then he took photos and they published it, and I was on the cover and I was the fold-out.”

She goes on to tell interviewer Kevin Gilvear that posing nude wasn’t natural for her at the time:

“I was very shy. I was very shy and it seems a little bit odd when I take off my clothes and such, but I was very shy.”

She became a star, and the interview goes into much more detail about her life as a pin-up sensation. I have included a link to the entire interview later in the story…soon, Lindberg was a movie star as well!

Lindberg starred in a string of Swedish erotic dramas such as “Exposed”, “Maid In Sweden” and the notorious revenge classic, “Thriller!”

This film really cemented her reputation in US grind houses, where it was also released as “They Call Her One-Eye”, and the ridiculous title of “Hooker’s Revenge”, even though she wasn’t a hooker!

Heading To Japan!

After making these films, Lindberg ended up starring in one of the most acclaimed japanese exploitation films of all: “Sex & Fury!”

So how did Sweden’s most successful erotic star end up in a Japanese sexploitation movie? Well, according to the interview, it was amazingly simple!

“I was down in Cannes and they spread pictures of me all over the world, and also Japan I presume. And then some months after I was on my way from Paris, where I had been a fold-out girl in “Lui”, which is a French play mate magazine. And so I was on the plane and I was going back to Stockholm, and when I walked into the cabin two Japanese men came to my place and said “Are you travelling?” and I said yes, and they asked me if I wanted to work in Japan. So yea, “why not” I said, “why not”. So I said, here you have my address and telephone number, you can contact me in Sweden in a few days. And they did.”

The interview is filled with great anecdotes like that one, so please click on this link to read the entire interview…kudos to Kevin Gilvear for the in-depth, intelligent conversation!

http://film.thedigitalfix.com/content/id/60739/looking-for-mushrooms-with-christina-lindberg.html

“The Digital Fix” is a great website for movies fans…

FYI, “Sex & Fury” is the classic film where the star fights a group of samurai killers NAKED! It’s a terrific film, and Christina Lindberg’s career is a fascinating one, with millions of fan worldwide continuing to collect her films, thanks to DVD and blu-ray!

More Christina!

Here is my original story about the “Queen Of Artsploitation” – with even more about her incredible career, and more on her movies!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/05/21/swedish-sex-kitten-christina-lindberg-the-original-queen-of-artsploitation/

Kudos to Christina, the “Queen Of Artsploitation!”!

Christina Lindberg

RIP Robin Williams.

I was lucky enough to hang out a couple of times with Robin Williams. His death is shocking and sad, for reasons we all know. As an Actor, he left behind a great body of work – and like all Artists, not all of it was award-worthy, as he would tell you.

But while he was a truly gifted Actor and Comedian, I wanted to share a story that spoke to what a great PERSON he was.

The 1997 Cannes Film Festival

My wife Alex and I were at the Cannes film festival in 1997 – and we were invited to a private luncheon with Robin, Annabella Sciora and Cuba Gooding Jr to promote the filming of “What Dreams May Come.”

Thanks to Globe photos for the great photo from their photo call in Cannes…

Cannes was always used to promote films well ahead of their premiere, and in this case, the Actors were getting the word out early.

A big thanks to Spokeo for this great image of Robin Williams that year in Cannes…

Our Robin Williams Encounter!

Along with press conferences and photo calls, the studios would also have press luncheons, so we could get some one-on-one time with the talent. We were invited to a private lunch to meet the cast – with no cameras allowed – because we created the Cannes coverage for E!

We entered the grand ballroom at the Majestic Hotel and saw groups of people gathered around the stars, who were working different part of the room. We made our way over to the very large group gathered around Robin – who was being as spontaneously entertaining as he was known for – and the group listened and laughed at his comments – and we stood about ten feet away, observing and hoping to figure out how to break into this inner circle of fun.

Class Act

Suddenly, Williams looked up from the crowd – looking directly at US – and broke through the group and briskly walked up to us.

“Hello, I’m Robin Williams” he said, shaking our hands and bringing us back into the crowd. It was one of the most honest, genuinely NICE things I have ever experienced, especially from a star of his magnitude. He asked us about ourselves, gave us his undivided attention, and then carried on with his stream-of-consciousness for all of us….

A really classy – and completely unexpected – move from him, and I have never forgotten it…

E!’s Celebrity Of The Year

At one point in the 90’s, perhaps even later that year, I picked Williams as E!’s “Celebrity Of The Year”, and Host Art Mann and I went to his hotel to interview him on the balcony…and once again he was funny, friendly, and COMPLETELY unassuming…telling jokes and being as friendly as any celebrity I have ever interacted with – and no time limit or need to hurry along…Art Mann can probably share better anecdotes from that day, but we always remembered how truly NICE he was…

So, I will watch “Good Will Hunting” and “Dead Poets Society” soon, and “The Fisher King” as well…three of his great performances…

But I will also watch what I consider to be one of his greatest, and his most chilling performance: “One Hour Photo”…he showed more range as an Actor than he was given credit for…he left behind a great body of work – but more importantly, he was possibly the nicest man in entertainment…RIP.

RIP Joan Rivers!

This is shocking news – and incredibly sad for everyone who had the good fortune to know her: Joan Rivers was one of the nicest, most genuinely warm and loving people you could ever meet.

Her death is an incredibly sad day for all of us who were fortunate enough to have worked with her, and of course for her millions of fans…

Yesterday, her friend Cher posted this picture and a note wishing her the best:

“Here’s looking at you kid“

Hey Joan,
Hurry & Get Well
I Know You, & you’re the Toughest Chick on our Block
Me

Last Year On Steve Harvey

Alex and I have known Joan since the days of E!’s Red Carpet coverage, and got the chance to spend time with her and Melissa last year when they came to town to appear on Steve Harvey.

She was, as always, warm and charming, and she and Melissa were as always terrific guests…they were true professionals who knew “the act”…sometimes tough for Melissa, who had to be the “straight man” – but they were fiercely loyal to each other, and a joy to hang out with…

I wanted to share two quick stories that speak to me about what a great person she was…

Joan’s High Flying Fashion Review!

Remember the year that the Oscars performed the “nominated best songs” by including flying trapeze Artists? Well, Alex decided it would be funny to end the “Fashion Review” by flying a production assistant across the stage….

“Wouldn’t it be funnier if it was me?” Joan said with a straight face.

Because with Joan it was always about “the joke”, and she had no ego about that. If the joke wasn’t funny, she cut it without question…and if it was funnier to have Floor Director Tom McNamara pulling her legs back as she was harnessed in, ten feet above the stage, and then letting her fly across over credits…well, that’s what Joan did…

Our Wedding Dinner…

The other story is much more personal: when Alex and I got married, Joan threw a pre-wedding dinner for us at the restaurant Pinot Hollywood. We were told later that, when she arrived to make sure the room was set right, she didn’t like the flowers, so she raced across the street to a convenience store, where she bought up all of the plastic flowers she could find…then saw a line of shoppers waiting for her….

Even though she was in a huge rush, she stopped to take pictures and sign autographs, because as she said, “it’s all about the fans.”

For everyone who worked with her, she was the classiest, most generous person you could ever meet. Melissa has not only lost her Mother, but her best friend as well…

RIP Joan…

Whenever awards season is underway, it always reminds me of some of the most audacious – and neglected – films ever released…

These are movies that are hard to describe in a one sentence, challenge the viewer in ways you don’t expect movies to do, and reward you with a mind-blowing cinematic experience, thanks to the Director’s singular vision…

“Action!”

There is nothing more exciting than watching a Director’s passion for a project unveil itself onscreen…whether it’s Sam Peckinpah directing James Coburn in the brilliant and under-rated “Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid”, or Francis Ford Coppola on the set of the greatest film ever made, “The Godfather”…

There are amazing films released every year – some are big hits, but many don’t get the exposure they deserve…well, it’s time to blow your cinematic mind just a bit:

Because here are three of the most audacious, innovative and mind-blowing films of the past few years!

Here Are Three Visionary Films To Share With You!

“Audacious” doesn’t begin to describe these three brilliant works of art! Let’s get started with the latest film from one of the most controversial Directors in the world!

Enter The Void!

Argentinian Director Gasper Noe makes tough, provocative films….that just happen to be brilliant. Here is his masterpiece from 2009:

A U.S. drug dealer living in Tokyo is betrayed by his best friend and killed in a drug deal. His soul, observing the repercussions of his death, seeks resurrection. Check out the trailer:

My friend Sasha Grey got to watch this with Director Gasper Noe in his Paris screening room, and she told me to seek it out immediately – and boy was she right! This film is electrifying – shot from the main character’s point of view…

Gaspar Noé describes his movie as a “Psychedelic Melodrama”. As the lead character says:

“Basically, when you die your spirit leaves your body, actually at first you can see all your life, like reflected in a magic mirror. Then you start floating like a ghost, you can see anything happening around you, you can hear everything but you can’t communicate. Then you see lights, lights of all different colours, these lights are the doors that pull you into other planes of existence, but most people actually like this world so much, that they don’t want to be taken away, so the whole thing turns into a bad trip, and the only way out is to get reincarnated.”

According to the website IMDB, Gaspar Noé was inspired by the famous “star gate” sequence in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. The camera never stops moving, gliding over a neon Tokyo at night….

The screen is drenched with color, as you can see from these screen shots from the film…

This is challenging filmmaking for sure, but worth the time and effort. And if you REALLY want to be challenged, remember that Noe is the Director of the ultra-violent and controversial “Irreversible”…

As challenging as his movies are, they are also brilliant films that explore dark territories of the mind…and speaking of singular visions, wait until you see this:

L’Homme à la tache de vin: What makes you carry on, Oscar?
Mr. Oscar: What made me start, the beauty of the act.
L’Homme à la tache de vin: Beauty? They say it’s in the eye, the eye of the beholder.
Mr. Oscar: And if there’s no more beholder?

Holy Motors!

That dialogue says it all. This film is almost impossible to describe, so check out the trailer first:

Here is all you need to know about the plot: from dawn to dusk, you travel in a limousine alongside a mystic man named Monsieur Oscar.

Director Leos Carax’s professional name is an anagram of his real name, ‘Alex’, and ‘Oscar’. And interestingly, his regular collaborator Denis Lavant stars as Monsieur ‘Oscar’…

Leos Carax wrote the part of the supermodel with Kate Moss in mind, but by the time of filming, Moss was about to get married so the role went to Eva Mendes.

Singer Kylie Minogue also stars in the film – in a part that the Director turned into a musical role when she agreed to be in the movie.

According to IMDB, the film’s initial concept started with a trend Leos Carax had observed where stretch limousines were being increasingly used for weddings. The director was interested in the cars’ bulkiness!

From there, the characters and situations become more and more ethereal and hallucinatory – with haunting imagery throughout…

Leos Carax’s most well known work in the US is the great – and provocative – 1999 film, “Pola X”.

And if those two films are not mind-blowing enough, well then it’s time to go “inside the mind” once again!

Vanishing Waves!

Yes, another mind bender, literally…In “Vanishing Waves”, a neuron-transfer scientist experiments with the thoughts of a comatose young woman. Check out the trailer…

The experiment takes an unexpected twist when the two meet in their mutually altered forms of consciousness. Soon, their psychic meetings turn into a romantic, sexually charged relationship set against the backdrop of surreal dreamscapes created by their collective minds.

“Vanishing Waves” was directed by Kristina Buožytė and Bruno Samper, and was a co-production between three countries: Lithuania, France and Belgium…

Once again, this is a movie that delves into the mind: how thoughts can be controlled, how thoughts can merge, and of course, the erotic nature of the mind as well…this is a great science-fiction film – full of big ideas and startling imagery…

Kudos to “Artsploitation Films”, a cutting edge home video company releasing challenging films from around the world….like this one released with Elijah Wood:

And speaking of Elijah Wood, here is his new thriller with Sasha Grey:

Read all about “Open Windows” here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/05/23/sasha-greys-new-movie-open-windows-with-elijah-wood/

“Open Windows” is available on demand, so check it out!

And kudos to these three Directors for their brilliantly challenging work! Let me know if you’ve seen any or all of them!

It’s Anniversary Time! Let’s Celebrate!

Today is the third year anniversary of this blog, and I want to take a moment to thank everyone who visits – and if you don’t want a piece of “bacon cake”, then maybe this will do:

Yes, this is a chicken wing cupcake, and I share this photo for a reason: it was three years ago when I shared the recipe for making them yourself…

http://johnrieber.com/2012/02/03/buffalo-chicken-wing-cupcakes/

Three years of posting stories about food, travel, movie, music, books, concerts, great adventures both personal and professional…and yes, stuff like this:

The Majesty Of A Cheesesteak Doughnut Burger!

Yes, I post about burgers a lot. Because many of you seem to enjoy these unique foodstuffs. And yes, there is much more to come. But before we devolve into a discussion of “Cheesesteak Doughnut” burgers, let me thank the person behind this story – and behind this blog.

Three years ago, my wife and ongoing inspiration Alex told me to write a blog and have some fun…and that fun included stories about our adventures in Spain, Provence and more, including the Cannes film festival…

That’s my wife Alex and I along with our good friend Michael Castner in a Cannes hotel stairwell waiting to interview a celebrity. I have shared a number of fun stories from the past, including the story behind this photo of Michael interviewing Arnold Schwarzenegger, while I watch in the orange shirt:

You can read the entire story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/05/14/cannes-2014-my-classic-arnold-schwarzenegger-encounter-big-star-planet-hollywood-shenanigans/

Alex has been amazingly supportive of this blog, letting me share some of our adventures with you – but she couldn’t have imagined it would lead to this:

The Tokyo Burger Tower!

Little did Alex know that, as I looked for things that interested me enough to write about, I would find a world full of crazy food – from a “Tokyo Burger Tower” you see above to the best burger currently being made in Cambodia!

Some people love these burger posts – so thank you for your feedback – and one, Jeff Greenfield, HATED a food story I posted: showcasing the spaghetti-stuffed hot dog!

Not sure why, but Jeff said this freaked him out a bit…so now I have to keep looking for more wacky food mashups just to keep him on his toes…you know, like the “bacon cheeseburger-stuffed doughnut!”

Read all about the majesty of this by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/10/25/bacon-glazed-cheeseburger-doughnut-amazing-burgerbacon-mashup/

Yes, it has been a tasty three years…and I promise moving forward there will be much more of this:

Yes, this bacon cheeseburger has 1,000 slices of bacon, which is appropriate since this is a post all about numbers:

Closing In On One Million Views…

In the three years I have been posting, these stories have collectively generated almost one million views – it is exciting to see the response to new stories as well as stories posted a year ago or longer – and from the comments I have gotten, it’s nice that a wide range of topics are of interest…from amazing travel memoirs like this:

Read about this incredible Author and her year on a south pacific island by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/05/05/faraway-lucy-irvines-castaway-sequel-more-amazing-island-escapes/

And of course, I have posted many times about my favorite musical group of all time!

The Beatles Are #1!

The greatest musical group in history is also making history for me! Here is the single most viewed post I have ever published:

The Beatles Lost Rooftop Concert Film!

Yes, you can never go wrong when you’ve got The Beatles helping you out! My “Let It Be” post continues to be the most viewed story of all time on my blog, which I love because this Beatles documentary is probably the greatest “lost” film of all time, and you can read my entire post about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/06/let-it-be-the-beatles-lost-documentary-londons-live-beatles-rooftop-concert/

And yes, I own a VHS copy of the movie, which is one reason I love The Beatles so much!

Now, onto a “different” kind of movie…

Three years ago, I discovered that certain stories got a lot of interest, like films from the “grindhouse” era of New York’s 42nd street: it was almost three years ago when I actually warned people which movies NOT to show at a family holiday gathering!

Which, I will reiterate, is NOT a film to be shared with relatives…although “The Sinful Dwarf” is a classic example of “euro-sleaze”, a rough type of 70’s film…classic cult cinema that lives on thanks to DVD and on demand services – and I do have a fondness for wacky exploitation movies, like this:

Grindhouse Cinema Lives!

Yes, it’s an acquired taste, but I have met a ton of passionate exploitation fans who enjoy stories about his unique time in movie history…and look, not only did I share the plot of “Mantis In Lace”, but I found this picture as well!

The fact that the President and Vice-President would be eating in front of a “Mantis” poster…I love the internet! Ii you want to more, just click on my “grind house gift guide” here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/11/23/sex-violence-grindhouse-have-a-purient-holiday-an-exploitation-gift-guide/

There are a lot of people who enjoy this unique era of film, and I thank all of you who read my posts about this weird and wild world of cult cinema…

But I also love to travel, and Alex and I have been lucky enough to have some great adventures, which I have shared throughout the years:

Here is Alex harvesting a fresh eggplant from the Patricia Wells garden in Provence, where we cooked with this legendary cookbook Author:

We got to cook on Julia Childs’ original provincial stove, and you can read all about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/06/10/tasting-provence-cooking-with-patricia-wells-food-and-travel-unite/

No matter how great cooking with Patricia and her husband was, it pales in comparison to the fun I’ve had with my kids as well…

This is my daughter Jessica, who came along on a work trip to Tokyo and got to see some crazy japanese food…

http://johnrieber.com/2014/05/06/tokyos-build-a-burger-wacky-japanese-burger-ads-wildest-food-for-sale/

We had a great time eating our way through some of Tokyo’s great food…but it paled in comparison to this hilarious trip, which I call:

The “London Grind!”

My son Jeff went with me on a work trip to London, and got to work with the crew for a few days as well…which led to what we call his “London grind” adventure – a hilarious night out with some very drunken British business people, highlighted here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/12/18/alison-haislip-the-london-grind-travels-with-alison/

This was a trip to film for G4 with Host Alison Haislip, and thanks to Alison for being such a great talent, and so much fun to work with in London!

And Let’s Never Forget The Bacon!

Yes, I have posted about ALL kinds of bacon as well…that’s because bacon is funny, and you “never cut funny”…so whether it’s a bacon wedding cake…

Or perhaps it is bacon that is utilized in a more “fashionable” manner…yes, bacon has proven to be very very popular, and the stranger the better!

Thanks to Sara Underwood for wearing a bacon bikini – all for the good of television. Of course, bacon fits best right here:

Burgers!

I have also enjoyed posting lots of burger posts…like the Brazil burger sold in an edible wrapper:

I haven’t been to Rio to have this, but cannot wait to get there! Read all about this edible adventure here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/12/20/brazils-edible-burger-wrappers-go-brazil-go/

I have also shared my love of music – and of course my admiration for the music and career of Todd Rundgren!

I have been a lifelong fan of this musical Artist, and have posted many stories about his unique career. For example, did you know that he created MTV? Read all about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/02/todd-rundgren-inventor-of-mtv-a-hollywood-square/

And one of my favorite stories about Todd Rundgren was his special musical friendship with the late Singer/Songwriter Laura Nyro…

You can read it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/10/25/brilliant-laura-nyro-todd-rundgrens-muse-their-beautiful-musical-history-together/

Laura is an under-appreciated Artist, and her body of work is amazing to listen to. Here is a story about a recent tribute CD that is currently nominated for Three Grammy Awards!

http://johnrieber.com/2014/09/09/re-imagining-laura-nyro-a-brilliant-map-to-the-treasure-laura-nyros-beautiful-tribute/

Congrats to Billy Childs for the success of this project, which highlights great Laura Nyro music!

Todd Rundgren AND Laura Nyro fans have been hugely supportive of the site, and I truly appreciate it. I’ve also met a lot of great people who have great blogs as well, and I appreciate everyone’s support and interest…

Stevie Wonder Live!

I also shared my review of Stevie Wonder’s “Songs In The Key Of Life” concert in Chicago, including this live performance of “Saturn” with India Arie:

And there is so much more to share!

Year Four Sneak Peek!

With more than 700 posts, I just keep finding more stuff of interest to me. So what else can you expect going into 2015? Here are some clues:

Behold “Zolton”!

Yes, I’ve got some classic movie posters to share, thanks to an incredible website that helps to keep these alive…that will be posting soon, and I also have some great stories about classic Hollywood, such as the legendary sex kitten Jayne Mansfield:

I also have a bunch of travel stuff to share, like more of my adventures with Sasha Grey in Australia, where she got photo bombed by a shark!

Thanks to Sasha for always supporting these posts, and allowing me to tell all the fun stories about working with her, like this classic clip of Sasha finding out just how cold the water at Bondi Beach was!

Check out all of her adventures by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/11/sasha-greys-new-novel-sasha-grey-shark-dive-outtakes/

And yes, there are more food adventures to come as well:

One of Barcelona’s most innovative restaurants is coming soon to the blog…as well as a look at some of the best ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day!

There are a lot of fun adventures still to come…my goal is to share more stories about interesting people, classic movies, adventurous travel, wacky movies and more bacon!

Thanks again for the million views and I hope you enjoy what is still to come!

Let me know your thoughts!

“The greatest feeling you can get in a gym, or the most satisfying feeling you can get in the gym is… The Pump.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger has spoken! And here is when he first burst onto the scene and “pumped up” Hollywood!

Pumping Iron!

Arnold Schwarzenegger was the world’s most renowned bodybuilder, and a great documentary captured his rise to stardom!

This 1977 documentary shows amateur and professional bodybuilders preparing for the 1975 Mr. Olympia and Mr. Universe contests. This is where you can really see how impressive five-time champion Arnold Schwarzenegger was, as he defends his Mr. Olympia title against Serge Nubret and the shy young deaf Lou Ferrigno!

“Pumping Up” The Facts!

There is an updated “special edition” of this documentary that offers a ton of fascinating material! According to IMDB, Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted that he had made up several stories in the movie for attention because the producers told him that without drama it would be boring!

One of the stories made up was the fact that he did not attend his father’s funeral because of a body building competition that was going to happen in a couple of months. Arnold did actually attend his father’s funeral and spoke to him shortly before he passed away.

This is not only a fascinating look at the sport of bodybuilding, but a great look at a young Schwarzenegger! And speaking of that, at an early age he wrote a book all about his life as a bodybuilder!

“The Education Of A Bodybuilder!”

This best-seller from the same year helped make Arnold Schwarzenegger a household name. The book is his story, with a ton of great personal photos, like this one with his parent…

The book is a fascinating, honest look at how this young Austrian became a world champion…here is the opening to the book:

“Arnold! Arnold!”

I can still hear them, the voices of my friends, the lifeguards, bodybuilders, the weight lifters, booming up from the lake where they were working out in the grass and trees.

“Arnold — come on!” cried Karl, the young doctor who had become my friend at the gym…

It was the summer I turned fifteen, a magical season for me because that year I’d discovered exactly what I wanted to do with my life. It was more than a young boy’s mere pipe dream of a distant, hazy future — confused fantasies of being a fireman, detective, sailor, test pilot, or spy. I knew I was going to be a bodybuilder. It wasn’t simply that either. I would be the best bodybuilder in the world, the greatest, the best-built man.

I’m not exactly sure why I chose bodybuilding, except that I loved it. I loved it from the first moment my fingers closed around a barbell and I felt the challenge and exhilaration of hoisting the heavy steel plates above my head.”

I have a signed copy of the book…when I was very young I was fascinated by his story, and so I bought a copy only to discover that Arnold had signed it during a store visit!

I still read the book at times – again, this was a young Arnold, before movies, politics…a much more innocent time that was also captured in an obscure cult film from the 70’s:

“Stay Hungry”!

The world of competitive bodybuilding was used as a backdrop for this gritty tale of Mobsters…with Arnold playing a big supporting role…

This 1976 film starred Jeff Bridges and Sally Field, and it gave Schwarzenegger his first taste of acting…in fact, Arnold won a Golden Globe Award for “Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture”, even though his true film debut was in the obscure camp movie “Hercules in New York” in 1969!

Here is the trailer for “Stay Hungry”:

Here is the plot: a syndicate buys up an entire neighborhood – except for the small gym known as “Olympic”, so they bring in Jeff Bridges as a “cover” to buy the gym cheap.

As the athletes train for the championship, Bridges falls for one of the employees, Sally Field…and also strikes up a friendship with a young bodybuilder…Arnold is great in the role, really doing a great job acting, especially when he plays an impromptu duet on violin…

The movie is perhaps best known for a great visual – when the mob and the gym go at it, the bodybuilders decide to take advantage of the mayhem for a very public showing!

“Stay Hungry” has a few gritty scenes, so it’s not for everyone, but it’s a great cast in a neglected 70’s movie…

When I worked at E!, I got to hang out with Arnold many times…

Arnold Schwarzenegger In Cannes!

My Host Michael Castner had the chance to interview Arnold when he was in Cannes to promote the new chain of Planet Hollywood restaurants! Here is that story:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/05/14/cannes-2014-my-classic-arnold-schwarzenegger-encounter-big-star-planet-hollywood-shenanigans/

I travelled all over the world covering Planet Hollywood openings with Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis, but my favorite was this one!

Yes, I went to the Planet Hollywood openings in Singapore and Bangkok, and my host was Jenna Jameson! You can click here to read all about that adventure:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/12/31/wild-on-jenna-jameson-my-worldwide-jenna-adventure-starring-bruce-willis-and-sylvester-stallone/

Let me know what you think – leave a comment about Arnold’s book, documentary, movie debut – or our Planet Hollywood adventures!

Melissa Rivers Has A Terrific New Memoir About Life With Her Mom!

Congratulations to Melissa on the best-selling success of her new memoir…

“The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief, and Manipulation”

Melissa’s new memoir about life with her Mom is a huge best-seller. Here is how Amazon describes it:

“Joan Rivers was known all over the world—from the Palace Theater to Buckingham Palace, from the bright lights of Las Vegas to the footlights of Broadway, from the days of talkies to hosting talk shows. But there was only one person who knew Joan intimately, one person who the authorities would call when she got a little out of hand. Her daughter and best friend, Melissa.”

My wife Alex and I were lucky enough to work with the duo many times over the years, and here is one experience I wanted to share…

This is a story I waited to write until the eve of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, because one of the greatest adventures my wife Alex and I ever had was filming a “Joan & Melissa Fashion Review” from the deck of the legendary Carlton Hotel in Cannes, France!

Welcome to The South Of France!

First of all, welcome to Cannes, France – one of the most beautiful towns on the French Riviera…for most of the year, the locals have a beautiful serene little village to call their own…

But for two weeks a year, the world’s most prestigious film festival lands here, and one year, we decided it needed some Joan and Melissa Rivers to spice it up!

After several years making E!’s “Joan and Melissa Fashion Review” specials after every major awards ceremony, Alex and I decided we needed Joan and Melissa to cast their fashion eye toward the south of France…especially after seeing Bjork show up one year like this:

You see, every year the world’s great films are unspooled here, and stars parade up the red carpet steps to the cheers of thousands of fans and the flashing of thousands of cameras…

It is a zoo – with Paparazzi fighting to get the best shots of the most beautiful stars as they pose…and of course, it seemed the perfect place for Joan and Melissa to offer their fashion insight…

The “Queen Of The Croisette” Welcomes The “Queen Of Comedy”!

The legendary Carlton Hotel in Cannes is called the “Queen Of The Croisette” because it sits across from the “Croisette”, a walkway that begins each day waiting for the hordes of French Riviera fans to show up….

And when they do, they head to the Cannes beaches to sit and watch the world go by…

At the time, the “Joan and Melissa Fashion Review” was a highly-rated series of specials tied to the biggest awards shows, like the Golden Globes, Grammys, Emmys and Oscars. Because of the massive success, we decided to take it overseas and do a fashion review at the Cannes film festival, and for reasons I still can’t remember, we decided to film it on the Carlton’s Hotel’s legendary dock!

Ummm…what were we thinking? Well, we had been to Cannes many times by then, and were always looking to expand E!’s ownership of the festival. Joan and Melissa were up for it, so we did it! We arrived early one morning to set up the cameras, and then Joan and Melissa arrived to the dock – er, I mean “SET”…

“Fashion” Is A Crowded Business!

As you can see, the set was a bit cramped – we had an amazing view of the Cannes waterfront behind us, but that meant we had to film across the short part of the pier, which kept things “cozy”. It also proves my point:

IF YOU ARE COMMITTED TO IT, YOU CAN MAKE TELEVISION ANYWHERE.

Joan always flew to our filming location with her script at the ready, and while traveling wrote page after page of handwritten jokes to use, or discard – one of Joan’s incredible gifts was her willingness to set a joke aside if it didn’t fit at the time – she had NO ego in that regard…it was also a pleasure to have Jay Redack along, as he also provided creative ideas for the show, and was one of Joan and Melissa’s closest friends…

Melissa Rivers was one of the producers of the shows as well and was always fully involved in the creative process – working with the team to ensure we had all of the elements needed to give us great fashion reviews. Melissa studied the designers intensely so she could offer perspective and insight when critiquing the fashion….I think some people didn’t watch closely, and failed to appreciate and Joan and Melissa had great fashion sense – and yes, Joan was hilarious as well…

It was a beautiful day on the dock as we planned our shoot – we got the Hotel to agree to let us film for three hours – a daunting task, but also you have to remember it was the height of the film festival, when rooms at the hotel went for a thousand dollars a night! The use of the dock was a huge win for us…

Antonio Ruiz was one of the Executive Producers as well – his calm stewardship of the crew kept us on schedule as we raced to make use of all of our available filming time….

My wife Alex Duda was also an Executive Producer – and it was her creative partnership with Joan and Melissa that made the “Fashion Review” shows so much fun…

Calm Down, Joan!

As always, each show included comedy material, and Joan was always up for anything. If she was asked to fight, she fought – if she needed to make faces, she made them!

At the same time as we were filming, E! was also shooting a movie there called “Murder At The Cannes Film Festival” – so the film’s star French Stewart came on our show to have some fun discussing fashion….

No one worked harder than Joan and Melissa…after filming on the dock, Alex took them back to their Carlton hotel room to watch fashion footage and record hours of voiceover to go with the material we shot….they started work at ten that morning and finished just before midnight…

Joan and Melissa were a joy to work with: funny, articulate, passionate about their craft and collaborative…and I’m glad I took the time to capture this moment in time with a few pictures….

Everyone who was lucky enough to meet Joan always commented about how genuinely warm and gracious she was….here is a story I posted after her death, remembering a few of the things that made her so special:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/09/04/rip-joan-rivers-a-world-class-person-is-gone/

I’ll never forget my Cannes adventure with Joan and Melissa, and kudos to Melissa for the warm and touching look at life with her mom!

Chuck Norris! Charles Bronson! Superman!

I love movie history – and here is one of the most fascinating movie documentaries that celebrates the wacky 80’s movie company known as Cannon films!

Time For Some “Electric Boogaloo!”

The new documentary is called “Electric Boogaloo”, and it’s a terrific in-depth look at Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus – two movie-obsessed cousins who launched a film company in the late 70’s that released some of the best B-movies of all time, such as:

“Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo!”

That’s right, the breakdance sensation of the early 80’s “Breakin'” had a sequel with one of cinema’s most ridiculous titles of all time – and of course, it was a Cannon film! Check out the trailer for this new documentary:

Time For Some Cannon Classics!

Cannon Films was known for such b-movie classics as “Enter the Ninja”, “Death Wish 2″ and the legendary Chuck Norris action film “Invasion USA!”

Israeli cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus started Cannon films in 1979, and in the 80’s offered up a never-ending array of low-budget exploitation films and star-studded action movies like Sylvester Stallone’s arm wrestling epic “Over The Top!”

JCVD! JCVD!

The cousins loved action films, which were popular all over the world, so they churned out a lot of them, working with Stallone, Chuck Norris as well as Jean-Claude Van Damme!

The documentary is full of clips from movies such as “Bloodsport” along with interviews with Molly Ringwald, Alex Winter and Dolph Lundgren, who starred in “Masters Of The Universe!”

Golan and Globus were high flyers at the Cannes film festival every year – and legend has it they once signed a deal to do a film on a cocktail napkin at the Carlton Hotel!

Director Mark Hartley has done a great job bringing this story to life…capturing the “anything goes” era of 80’s filmmaking – Cannon never made critically-acclaimed movies, but that wasn’t their goal, and a lot of these movies are still cult hits today!

Probably one of the most fascinating stories about Cannon involves America’s favorite super hero: and how Golan and Globus managed to get the rights to make a fourth “Superman” movie with Christopher Reeve!

There are so many great stories to share and campy movies to celebrate, all thanks to the renegade movie company known as Cannon!

Wait! There Are Even More Great Movie Docs To Share!

I’m now officially a huge fan of Director Hartley, not only for this film but he also made the terrific documentary “Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation”!

This is also a great inside look at the world of Australian exploitation! “Mad Max” got his start down under, and this documentary shows you some of the wildest movies ever to come out of Australia!

Hartley was also the Director of another fun documentary – that takes you inside the world of exploitation film courtesy of The Philippines!

“Machete Maidens Unleashed!”

This is a great look at low budget cinema from around the world…check out the latest and greatest by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/04/10/ozploitation-lives-explore-a-wild-trailer-explosion-from-down-under/

And get a look at some classic Cannon films now!

Hungry? Wrapped Your Mouth Around This!

A bacon-wrapped hot dog simmering in sweet-and-sour sauce. It’s just one of my favorite “street” foods – whether you buy it on the street or pop into a shop and walk away with it – “street food” is one of my passions, and I want to share my favorites with you!

Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs! Octopus Balls! Canneswiches! My Five Favorite Street Meals!

I am happier than I look, I promise! I am in Cannes, France enjoying one of my favorite meals of all: a sandwich from one of the local kiosks.

Cannewiches!

The south of France is lined with food kiosks, where you can grab a sandwich and eat it while the world drifts by on the French Riviera.

A “Pan Bagnat” is one of my favorites: flaky tuna with sliced egg, vinaigrette and lettuce on a soft french roll…yes indeed!

You can see more of the great tasting food available in Cannes kiosks by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/29/cannes-french-riviera-charm-soup-de-poisson-cannes-sandwiches/

Another great place to wander the streets and eat off of food carts is Seoul, South Korea…

Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs in Seoul!

I took a team from G4 to Seoul to film stories about their technology and gaming cultures, but we found plenty of time to enjoy the food as well!

These hot dogs are wrapped in raw bacon and then left to simmer for hours in a sweet and spicy korean sauce…just one of the things I loved about Seoul!

Seoul, South Korea is an amazing city with a vibrant street culture – here’s a look at the street food carts:

You can wander through their street markets and find dried fish strung up for sale to take home and season your meals – here’s a video of some of those food stalls at a street market I found:

The street venders were everywhere, and this caught my eye: a hot dog stand where the dogs were bacon-wrapped and simmering in a sweet and sour sauce…

In addition, you could also buy a super-sized hot dog with a very unique distinction: it’s been battered and fried with crinkle-cut fries!

I will remember this food adventure forever: the people I encountered spoke no english but were helpful, friendly and fun!

You can see more of this adventure here:

Seoul Food! Bacon Hot Dogs! Hanging Fish! A Delicious Korean Adventure!

Another city with a great “street food” culture was Amsterdam, where they serve one of my favorite foods of all:

Frites w/ Mayonnaise in Amsterdam!

Yes, a good old-fashioned bag full of fries! They are sold at this spot I found in Amsterdam:

Hard to miss the shop with the large “cone of fries” outside, and a huge vat of oil fries up potato wedges all day long…and then they squirt a large dollop of any sauce you want right on top…my favorite is mayonnaise!

The best part of Amsterdam french fries is that they are served in a rolled up newspaper with a big squirt of mayo right on top!

You can see more of my Amsterdam adventure, including a tour of the “red light” district – where cameras aren’t allowed…click here for more:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/13/amsterdam-windmills-mayonaise-fries-red-lights-and-baked-goods/

I loved my food adventure in Amsterdam, but you don’t have to go around the world for worldly flavors…here’s an example:

Pork Belly Tacos In Chicago!

There’s a new taco stand in Chicago with some amazing flavors! Velvet Taco is located in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago.

Velvet Taco serves up soft tacos that you can walk away with – like this “Crisp Pork Belly” taco, which has house pickles, grain mustard, tomato, red onion, minor celery, celery salt and of course delicious pork belly!

The flavor is intense, the soft taco firm enough to hold all of the extra toppings…and I also enjoyed this taco:

A “Shrimp And Grits” Taco!

Blackened shrimp are topped with crispy pepper jack cheese grits, charred tomato poblano and a spicy remoulade! It was as good as it looks!

And this may be a more straightforward taco, but a fried fish taco with remoulade is amazing as well!

Chicago has many “pop in” food joints, and Velvet Taco is one of the best!

Finally, I want to share one of the most unique food stands I have ever come across!

Octopus Balls in Tokyo!

I wandered through Tokyo’s Asakusa district and came across this incredible food stand: serving up Octopus is many unqiue styles: on a stick and of course, “Octopus Balls!”

I ate the Octopus on a stick, and of course a platter of fried Octopus Balls: topped with a creamy asian sauce and deliciously deep-fried, I could eat these balls forever!

Of course, not ALL food in Tokyo is for everyone:

Yes, these are “Almond Fish!” It’s a popular snack in Tokyo, just one of the many unique items I sampled there. You can see more here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/12/23/crazy-tokyo-food-coffee-jelly-meat-fish-mix-octopus-bar-almond-fish/

Let me know what your favorite “street food” is, what what you think of a “Shrimp and Grits” taco!

Time For Some “Truth!”

I love documentaries. They can be deadly serious or comically absurd – they can be lurid, spiritual, political and everything in between – here are ten examples of great documentaries you need to see!

“Roger and Me”!

With the recent water events in Flint, Michigan, Michael Moore’s first documentary is even more prescient. He looks at the decline of his hometown, a decline that helped lead to the current crisis that exists today.

Here is the trailer for what many consider to be “The Godfather” of modern docus, “Roger And Me”:

Wow, time flies – it was more than 25 years ago when this “in your face” documentary was considered radical! Moore told the story of the decline of his hometown Flint, Michigan – and his attempts to meet with Ford’s Chairman Roger Smith.

What he did was usher in a new era of non-fictional storytelling, leading to some of these I want to share!

Workingman’s Death!

Some of the world’s most dangerous jobs are highlighted in this compelling documentary. These professions are virtually unknown to most people – like sulfur mining…

The filmmaker’s style allows us a voyeuristic look at the lives of these workers…like these miners who risk their lives to slide back into abandoned crevices where small chunks of leftover coal may still cling to the abandoned walls…

This is an incredible work of art, and the late Documentary filmmaker Michael Glawogger also made a film that looked at the world of prostitution:

You can read more about these compelling films by clicking here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/11/22/searing-expose-docs-workingmans-death-whores-glory-brilliant-documentaries-showcase-life-on-the-edge/

Sometimes, an interesting story turns into something much bigger as the filmmaker rolls the camera:

“My Kid Could Paint That!”

This heartbreaking documentary is about a child prodigy – or not. The filmmakers began the project when they heard about a four-year-old girl with special artistic abilities…but then it turned into a much more troubling story.

This story is so compelling – and so many questions are still unanswered – that is the power of the documentary – to reveal truths – and yet so sad…you can read more about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/03/25/killer-fish-kids-who-paint-and-mid-west-horror-best-documentaries-pt-1/

Now, to something that you would think is amazingly harsh, yet is in fact so “Happy!”

Celebrating The Harsh World Of “Happy People!”

Director Werner Herzog, who has made a number of terrific documentaries like “Grizzly Man”, took a long-form Russian TV documentary and turned it into a compelling two-hour journey to Siberia!

It is some of the most unforgiving land on earth, but the people there are happy! See more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/07/18/into-the-wild-siberias-happy-people-werner-herzogs-new-documentary/

And if you want to bring a smile to your face, have I got a joke for you…

America’s Funniest People Tell The World’s Filthiest Joke! Meet “The Aristocrats!”

The history of the world’s filthiest joke is hilariously profane, and amazingly insightful! Penn and Teller allow some of the world’s greatest comics to tell one joke – a legendary joke in the world of comedy – and each re-telling gets more and more obscene – which is the point of the joke!

The Aristocrats – 2005

Comedy veterans and Magicians Penn and Teller, along with Comedian Paul Provenza capitalize on their insider status and invite over 100 of their closest friends–who happen to be some of the biggest names in entertainment, from George Carlin, Whoopi Goldberg and Drew Carey to Gilbert Gottfried, Bob Saget, Paul Reiser and Sarah Silverman–to reminisce, analyze, deconstruct and deliver their own versions of the world’s dirtiest joke, an old burlesque too extreme to be performed in public, called “The Aristocrats.”

George Carlin: The joke leads me down one path and then it switches the path on me suddenly and hits me with a hammer. It’s just, “Here we go folks.”

The terrific website IMDB has some interesting trivia about the joke: “This joke has been used by comedians for years as a mental stretching exercise. They would tell the joke to each other as a warm up for their acts. While the setup and punchline remain the same throughout, the middle section, describing the actual family act, is always varied to get the juices going by throwing in the most they can and keeping it funny. There are stories of parties where performers will jam and keep it going for almost an hour.”

The late Robin Williams does a variation of the joke in the film, as does Princess Leia, whose Mom is Debbie Reynolds…who isn’t sacred for the sake of the joke…

Carrie Fisher: “My mother was a golden shower queen.”

According to his biography, “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not”, Chevy Chase filmed a version of the joke as well. However, at the last second he decided not to sign the release form as he was afraid of what his daughters would think of the joke’s content.

The highlight is when the film ends with Bob Saget’s version of the joke – the most obscene, rambling and hilarious take on it imaginable…hilarious, profane, and insightful – how can you argue that?

And if profane is your thing…

Shed Some Clothes And Get Down With Some “American Swing!”

New York in the 70’s was a time of sex, drugs and swingers, and for awhile, there was actually a club that allowed casual sex among its members!

If you’ve never heard of “Plato’s Retreat”, it’s exactly the kind of place that Ted Cruz was railing against – and it was legal!

“American Swing” is a fascinating document of a long-lost time – as told by the people who partied there…see it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/04/06/how-can-i-offend-you-best-documentaries-pt-2/

Of course, the subject of sex is always a big seller – and here is an amazing look at the sexiest moments in cinema history:

“That’s Sexploitation” is a wild romp through the annals of grind house cinema, courtesy of Something Weird Video…read more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/04/20/thats-sexploitation-terrific-documentary-captures-the-seedy-majesty-of-grindhouse-cinema/

I know, you are getting a bit worked up right now…if you want a mellow change of pace, dig into the story of one of the greatest bands in the world:

Not Such A “Peaceful Easy Feeling!” It’s The History Of The Eagles!

A “warts and all” documentary, made all the more powerful because the members of the band – old and new – took part. Their brutal honesty, along with amazing archival material the band collected from day one, gives viewers a riveting inside look at one of America’s most beloved bands.

Fans were stunned by the recent death of Glenn Frey, who comes across as a very driven member of the band…this documentary lasts over four hours and digs into all the professional and personal conflicts in the band…

You can read more about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/10/04/eagles-no-peaceful-easy-feeling-here-just-heartache-tonight/

While we are on the subject of music, have you met’s rock’s craziest drummer?

“Beware” Of Rock’s Wildest Drummer!

Ginger Baker was the drummer in Cream, and has had one of the craziest lives imaginable, and one movie captures it all!

“Beware” is right, and if you want to know why, click here!

https://johnrieber.com/2015/01/13/beware-of-mr-baker-brilliant-ginger-baker-documentary-creams-drummer-throws-down/

As someone who loves to travel, I find the climate change debate sad – politics shouldn’t enter into the discussion, when there are entire countries at risk…

A Rising Political Tide! “The Island President!”

As the ocean levels rise, entire nations are at risk. Here is the inspiring story of a President who wouldn’t let his country drown due to inaction…

These islands will be underwater within our lifetime – unless something is done…and one courageous President allowed cameras to follow him as he tries to tell the world what lies ahead…

This is one of my favorite documentaries of all, read more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/05/07/the-island-president-a-tragic-compelling-documentary-a-nation-underwater/

There you have it – some of my favorite documentaries…leave a note to tell me your favorite!

Welcome To Cannes 2016!

Located in the south of France, on the fabled French Riviera, Cannes is one of the most beautiful spots on earth! And for two weeks a year, is is also the site of the world’s most glamorous film festival. Need proof?

Um, well maybe it’s not ALL glamour, but it IS full of stars, like the year Arnold Schwarzenegger showed up to show off his new movie!

The 69th annual Cannes Film Festival runs from May 11-22, and legendary “Mad Max: Fury Road” Director George Miller is the President of the Jury. Woody Allen’s new film “Café Society” will open the festival.

Joan and Melissa Rivers Storm Cannes!

I had my own legendary Comedian in Cannes when I took Joan and Melissa Rivers to the south of France to film a “Cannes Fashion Review!”

Here is the first of my favorite Cannes experiences!

I shot with Joan and Melissa in Cannes twice, and they were so much fun to film with! You can read all about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/05/12/melissa-rivers-new-memoir-joan-rivers-storms-cannes-joan-and-melissas-hilarious-cannes-fashion-review/

Joan was a consummate professional, and Melissa co-hosted and produced the show as well – one of my all-time favorite TV experiences.

Before Joan, I was able to film with another Superstar in Cannes – which is my next great Cannes experience:

Castner Takes On “Ah-nuld!”

Yes, that’s my great E! Host Michael Castner interviewing Arnold Schwarzenegger about the new “Planet Hollywood” restaurant chain he was opening with Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis!

The best part of this shoot was watching Arnold chastise his Publicist for letting us talk to him beyond our allotted time!

You can see our entire “Ah-nuld” encounter here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/05/14/cannes-2014-my-classic-arnold-schwarzenegger-encounter-big-star-planet-hollywood-shenanigans/

My travels around the world with “Planet Hollywood” included another Cannes connection as well:

Jenna Jameson’s “Planet Hollywood” Adventure!

My wife Alex and I discovered legendary Adult Actress Jenna Jameson in Cannes, and she hosted several segments for E! She was great to work with, and we will always remember it as one of our great Cannes experiences! Jenna was also my Host for the openings of Planet Hollywood in Singapore and Bangkok, where she got to interview Arnold’s other “PH” partners!

This trip was full of wacky encounters, which you can read here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/12/31/wild-on-jenna-jameson-my-worldwide-jenna-adventure-starring-bruce-willis-and-sylvester-stallone/

My next Cannes experience was “royal” – I got to hang out with Prince Albert of Monaco!

Yes, that’s me talking to Alex in the foreground, and Prince Albert surrounded by Hawaiian Tropics girls in the back…I met him and it was a hilarious night for many reasons….check it out here:

My Night With Prince Albert of Monaco! More Cannes Cannes Memories!

One of the best parts of Cannes is when you run into a star…as this photo I took of Jack Nicholson proves – sometimes they just show up above you!

I turned, saw him hovering, and snapped…not my best shot ever, but hey – IT’S JACK NICHOLSON!

My next memorable Cannes experience involved the “Muscles From Brussels!”

Alex and a colleague watch as Michael Castner interviewed Jean-Claude Van Damme at the legendary Hotel du Cap…I was lucky enough to hang out with JCVD many times while I was at E!, and you can see some of it here:

Jean-Claude’s Amazing Car Ad! “JCVD” Movie Rocks! Hanging In Cannes With Van Damme!

All this talk of celebrities in Cannes has made me hungry, and Cannes offers up a great “Canneswich!”

The sandwiches in Cannes were great, see the recipe here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/04/29/cannes-french-riviera-charm-soup-de-poisson-cannes-sandwiches/

Finally, one of my best Cannes encounters involved the late Robin Williams:

Robin Williams was incredibly gracious, warm and funny…you can read about my encounter here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/08/12/rip-robin-williams-class-act-a-cannes-encounter/

I hope you enjoyed my trip to the south of France!

“Heat – A Los Angeles Crime Saga”

This 1995 Michael Mann film is a modern classic, one of the greatest action thrillers of the era, and also remembered for making motion picture history:

Amazingly, “Heat” was the first film to ever feature both Robert De Niro and Al Pacino acting together! They both starred in “The Godfather: Part II” in 1974, but their roles were for different eras in the family. When “Heat” was released in 1995, it was promoted as the film to offer the first De Niro/Pacino “showdown!”

Here is the trailer for Michael Mann’s film – with an incredible ensemble including Pacino and DeNiro, along with Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd and Natalie Portman:

Bravo To the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences!

The Academy just put on a great night with the creative team in front of and behind the camera of “Heat” – including a reunion of DeNiro and Pacino!

On September 7, 2016 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, a great discussion of the film was moderated by Christopher Nolan, the Director of “Interstellar” and the “Batman” trilogy!

Here is a clip from the event, where they discuss the famous “showdown” scene, which was shot at the legendary restaurant Kate Mantellini’s restaurant just blocks away from the event.

HEAT US 1995 AL PACINO ROBERT DE NIRO Date 1995, Photo by: Mary Evans/WARNER BROS / REGENCY ENTERPRISES/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection(10372929)

According to IMDB, Pacino revealed that for the scene in the restaurant between Hanna and McCauley, Robert De Niro felt that the scene should not be rehearsed so that the unfamiliarity between the two characters would seem more genuine. Michael Mann agreed, and shot the scene with no practice rehearsals.

Here is a great conversation between Pacino, DeNiro and Director Michael Mann where they discuss filming this iconic movie moment:

Posted by “Oscars” on YouTube – bravo! You can see more of these moments from he event as well – a great way to re-discover this classic film!

Oscar Snub!

Shockingly, “Heat” wasn’t even nominated for Best Picture in 1995….among the other snubs that year were “Dead Man Walking”, “Leaving Las Vegas”, “The Usual Suspects” and “Se7en”!

Here were the Best Picture Nominees: Apollo 13, Babe, Il Postino, Sense and Sensibility

The Best Picture Winner: Braveheart

Wow! Well, twenty+ years on, “Heat” is a classic, and the restaurant scene is a moment for movie history.

Al Pacino is one of my favorite Actors: of course, everyone knows him for this role:

Aside from “The Godfather” and “Scarface”, Pacino has made an incredible impression of cinema…including this masterpiece from the early 70’s:

Check out this great film also starring Gene Hackman – click on my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/06/19/al-pacinos-a-junkie-a-scarecrow-classic-early-al-pacino-performances/

Of course, DeNiro was also in “The Godfather Part II” – but since he played the early Don Corleone, he and Pacino never worked together in the film:

DeNiro has created many iconic movie characters, but perhaps no one more mesmerizing than “Taxi Driver” Travis Bickle:

Here are some of my favorite movies starring DeNiro:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/04/21/travis-bickle-turns-40-taxi-driver-tribeca-screening-3-reasons-to-love-him-one-big-reason-to-hate/

Bravo once again to the Motion Picture Academy for putting on this great event – go to their YouTube channel to see more of the conversation!

“readin’ writing’ and radiation.”

Bravo to one of the great movie taglines of all time! Exploitation fans are well aware of the cult classic “The Class Of Nuke ’em High”, and you should know that Troma released their latest sequel, “Return To Nuke ’em High” two years ago!

If you need to be reminded of how great it was, here is a trailer in all its wacky glory!

Prepare For ‘Vol. 2’!”

In pure Troma fashion, founder Lloyd Kaufman devised a way to turn his film into a two-part masterpiece, much like “Hunger Games: Mockingjay 1 & 2.”

That’s right: “Return To Nuke ’em High Vol. 2” is almost here! First, let’s tease you a bit. Here is the trailer:

Bring Lloyd Home!

Well, if not your actual house, how about movie theater in your town?

Lloyd wants to come to your city to personally screen his latest opus for you! That’s right, if you can get your local movie theater to screen “Return To Nuke ’em High Vol. 2”, Lloyd’s willing to come to town and watch it with you and all of your Tromatic fans!

UNDATED – Photo of Lloyd and the Cretins, photo from the making of RTNH Vol. 1 Return to Nuke Em High Volume 1-HANDOUT Photo Courtesy of Mayfair Theatre

Support Independent Art!

As always, Troma must kick and scratch their way into movie theaters, because the mega chains are more interested in showing “Suicide Squad” on all twenty screens…but when fans cry out and show their support, Troma gets their due – and don’t you want to see THIS on a big screen?

There are a number of ways you can support Lloyd and his Tromatic bunch…most importantly, go to their website and buy some great movies like this!

You can also subscribe to their youtube channel and get some great movies there as well…see all of your options here:

http://www.troma.com

Don’t forget some of the great films you’ve seen because of Lloyd:

Get Social!

Make sure to follow Lloyd and all of the Troma force on Twitter:

@lloydkaufman

@Troma_Team

@tromacathy

@TromaArmy

Troma is the longest-running independent film company in America – thanks in part to this guy:

“The Toxic Avenger” is Troma’s masterwork…there is no way anyone can make it better….well, unless you happen to have made THIS:

That’s right, “The Toxic Avenger” is being remade by the Co-Director Of “Sausage Party!” Read the entire story here:

http://deadline.com/2016/09/the-toxic-avenger-remake-sausage-party-co-director-conrad-vernon-storyscape-entertainment-1201814509/

Some of you read my story about how my wife, Alex, co-created the Troma character “Dolphinman” with James Gunn, the Director of “Guardians Of The Galaxy”…

We met James at the Cannes Film Festival when he was working with Lloyd, and Dolphinman began as a skit on “Sex On The Riviera” for E! You can read all about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/06/04/james-gunn-the-origin-of-tromas-dolphinman-wrestlers-v-zombies-new-tromatic-classics/

If all of this makes you want more Troma movies, well, I’ve got a list of some of the greatest of all time, like this:

Here is my list of Tromatc masterpieces – see how many you already own:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/02/11/tromas-top-ten-the-tromatic-classics-unveiled/

You must click on the story to see if this made the list:

Make sure to reach out to Troma and get “Return To Nuke ’em High Vol. 2” in your town!