This week’s POW comes to us from the collection of Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes. – Craig Zablo
(February 9, 2002)
Author: Craig
SLY’S BEEN IN THE ENDZONE BEFORE…
In the February / March 2002 issue of Movieline, an article entitled, “You Can Leave Your Shirt On,” by Joe Queenan appears. The article discusses (with a humorous slant) several “older male” actors who regularly take off their shirts in movies. Pierce Brosnan, Harrison Ford, Robert Redford, Tommy Lee Jones, Arnold Swarzenegger and others are mentioned. The general consensus of the article is that the shirts should stay on… but here’s what Mr. Queenan says about Sly:
“No story about middle-aged vanity would be complete without mentioning Sylvester Stallone. Tellingly, the customarily vain Stallone does not take off his shirt in last year’s, “Driven,” generously forgoing a golden opportunity to upstage his costar Kip Pardue. However, Stallone does briefly appear in a sweaty athletic shirt in “Get Carter,” a woeful remake of Mike Hodge’s 1970 film noir classic. Having scrutinized 35 movies in which Sly’s contemporaries part with their shirts, I found it great to see a movie in which a guy showing off his shoulders finally had some shoulders worth showing off. Rippling, taut, enormous, those granite-like Rambo-era pecs and biceps still say it all. Built like the proverbial brick shithouse, Stallone doesn’t need to primp and preen in front of a mirror to get his message across. All he has to do is stand there and let the camera do its work. As a famous man once said, when you get into the end zone, act like you’ve been there before.”
– Craig Zablo (February 9, 2002)
STALLONE PRESENTS AT ASC AWARDS
Sly Stallone presented the President’s Award to Garrett Brown, inventor of the Steadicam at the American Society of Cinematographers 16th Annual Outstanding Achievement Awards, in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2002.
SLY & JEN: LARRY KING LIVE!
Jennifer Flavin, right, wife of actor Sylvester Stallone, left, makes a point as she discusses heart disease during taping of CNN’s ”Larry King Live,” Thursday, Feb. 7, 2002, in Los Angeles. The program is scheduled to be telecast on CNN, Sunday, Feb 10, 2002. Flavin and Stallone’s daughter had open-heart surgery. (AP Photo/CNN, Rose M. Prouser) – Craig Zablo (02/07/02)
MGM LOOKING AT ROCKY MUSICAL
Wednesday January 30 3:49 PM ET
By Bob Tourtellotte
If film studio MGM has its way, “Rocky: the Musical” may just be Broadway’s next big hit, rivaling Brooks‘ current smash ”The Producers” as the hottest ticket in town.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. said on Wednesday it has launched a new initiative under long-time business and legal executive Darcie Denkert to develop new products, starting with Broadway shows, from its huge library of old films.
Already in development, the studio said, are stage plays based on comedies like “The Pink Panther” films from the 1960s and 1970s, which will be produced by Blake Edwards. Actor John Lithgow is set to star in a version of 1957’s “Sweet Smell of Success,” and stage versions of romances “Marty” and ”Moonstruck” are being worked on, an MGM spokeswoman said.
On the horizon could be any one of the roughly 4,100 titles MGM holds in its library of films billed as the world’s largest catalog of modern movies. Off the list, are the MGM musicals of the 1930’s and 1940’s, whose rights were sold years ago.
Still, rags-to-riches boxer Rocky, portrayed in the movies by action hero Sylvester Stallone and owned by MGM, could be tromping the boards on The Great White Way sometime soon.
No doubt, key lyrics to any song in “Rocky: the Musical” would be, “Yo!” and the wailing “Adrian.”
“(Denkert’s) ties to the Hollywood and Broadway creative and business communities provide us with the ideal blend of resources to help energize our renowned library properties,” MGM Vice Chairman Chris McGurk said in a statement.
Denkert takes the job of President, MGM Entertainment Business Group, which will focus on creating new products from old library titles across all of MGM’s businesses, including film, television, home video and music.
But her first effort will be spearheading the efforts of the new MGM on Stage business unit, which MGM has created to develop stage plays from its old films.
MGM is not the first studio to look to Broadway for new business. The Walt Disney Co. has turned hit animated movies such as “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast’‘ into stage plays both on Broadway and in touring companies.
Brooks wrote and directed “The Producers,” the 1968 film about a washed-up theater producer and his accountant who set out to bilk money from investors by making a Broadway flop.
The director of such classic film comedies as “Blazing Saddles” put the story on stage, and it became one of Broadway’s biggest recent hits, starring Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane.
Denkert began her career as a theatrical lawyer involved in Broadway and off-Broadway productions, and subsequently has worked for MGM and its United Artists film unit for a total of 25 years, joining UA’s legal department in 1977.
In addition to naming Denkert as head of the new entertainment business group, MGM is decentralizing its entire business affairs operations, shifting reporting to its various divisions in film, television, home video and music.
MGM is 81 percent owned by billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian, and is currently looking for merger partners in order to expand its distribution platforms.
POW – “Rambo”
This week’s POW comes to us from the collection of Ernest “Jazzman” Resendes. – Craig Zablo
(February 3, 2002)
SLY IN ESCAPE TO (AND FROM) VICTORY
Jazzman sent in this pic and the following: Craig, I found a cool article in the current (UK edition Volume 3 Number 1) issue of HOTDOG ‘the movie magazine’ on Stallone’s VICTORY entitled ‘JACKROOTS FOR GOALPOSTS, THE MAKING OF ESCAPE TO VICTORY’. Here are some excerpts…
John Houston has made better films than Escape To Victory: The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre, Moby Dick, The African Queen, Fat City.. bit it’s doubtful the writer/actor/director/cinematographer/bullfighter/ Mexican cavalry officer ever made a film that was as much fun as this soccer opus.
That the film still enjoys a cult status can’t be entirely attributed to schoolboy nostalgia, however. Amore probable reason for the public’s sustained affection is the films relationship with the granddaddy of all POW movies, The Great Escape.
Caine and co-star Stallone made the most of their weekends off. “We used to get away together when ever we could,” said Caine. “We would race ot the airport on Friday night waving our credit cards and shouting: ‘When’s the next plane out- to anywhere? ‘ Usually it was Paris or London. We’d go eating, drinking and falling down a lot.”
– Craig Zablo (02/03/02)
Thanks to Jazzman for sharing!
Sly and Jennifer to Appear on “Larry King Live”
Sly Stallone and his wife Jennifer Flavin-Stallone have taped an episode that will appear on “Larry King Live” (CNN) on February 10, 2002. One of the topics discussed was the open-heart surgery of their young daughter.
Yo Adrian! Rocky, Other Films May Be MGM Musicals
Wednesday January 30 3:49 PM ET
Yo Adrian! Rocky, Other Films May Be MGM Musicals
By Bob Tourtellotte
LOS ANGELES [Reuters] – Move over MEL BROOKS.
If film studio MGM has its way, “Rocky: the Musical” may just be Broadway‘s next big hit, rivaling BROOKS‘ current smash ”The Producers” as the hottest ticket in town.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. said on Wednesday it has launched a new initiative under long-time business and legal executive Darcie Denkert to develop new products, starting with Broadway shows, from its huge library of old films.
Already in development, the studio said, are stage plays based on comedies like “The Pink Panther” films from the 1960s and 1970s, which will be produced by BLAKE EDWARDS . Actor JOHN LITHGOW is set to star in a version of 1957’s “Sweet Smell of Success,” and stage versions of romances “Marty” and ”Moonstruck” are being worked on, an MGM spokeswoman said.
On the horizon could be any one of the roughly 4,100 titles MGM holds in its library of films billed as the world’s largest catalog of modern movies. Off the list, are the MGM musicals of the 1930’s and 1940’s, whose rights were sold years ago.
Still, rags-to-riches boxer Rocky, portrayed in the movies by action hero SYLVESTER STALLONE and owned by MGM, could be tromping the boards on The Great White Way sometime soon.
No doubt, key lyrics to any song in “Rocky: the Musical” would be, ``Yo!” and the wailing “Adrian.”
“(Denkert‘s) ties to the Hollywood and Broadway creative and business communities provide us with the ideal blend of resources to help energize our renowned library properties,” MGM Vice Chairman Chris McGurk said in a statement.
Denkert takes the job of President, MGM Entertainment Business Group, which will focus on creating new products from old library titles across all of MGM‘s businesses, including film, television, home video and music.
But her first effort will be spearheading the efforts of the new MGM on Stage business unit, which MGM has created to develop stage plays from its old films.
MGM is not the first studio to look to Broadway for new business. The Walt Disney Co. has turned hit animated movies such as “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast” into stage plays both on Broadway and in touring companies.
BROOKS wrote and directed “The Producers,” the 1968 film about a washed-up theater producer and his accountant who set out to bilk money from investors by making a Broadway flop.
The director of such classic film comedies as “Blazing Saddles” put the story on stage, and it became one of Broadway‘s biggest recent hits, starring MATTHEW BRODERICK and NATHAN LANE.
Denkert began her career as a theatrical lawyer involved in Broadway and off-Broadway productions, and subsequently has worked for MGM and its United Artists film unit for a total of 25 years, joining UA‘s legal department in 1977.
In addition to naming Denkert as head of the new entertainment business group, MGM is decentralizing its entire business affairs operations, shifting reporting to its various divisions in film, television, home video and music.
MGM is 81 percent owned by billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian, and is currently looking for merger partners in order to expand its distribution platforms.
– Craig Zablo
Yo Adrian! “Rocky” May Become an MGM Musical
Bob Tourtellotte of Reuters reports…
If film studio MGM has its way, “Rocky: the Musical” may just be Broadway’s next big hit, rivaling (Mel) BROOKS’ current smash ”The Producers” as the hottest ticket in town.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. said on Wednesday it has launched a new initiative under long-time business and legal executive Darcie Denkert to develop new products, starting with Broadway shows, from its huge library of old films.