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Tim Curry, the notable English actor whose portrayal of the flamboyant Dr Frank-N-Furter in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is perhaps his most famous role, has passed away. He was 80 years old. Curry was also renowned for his other iconic roles, including Wadsworth in "Clue" and Pennywise in the "It" television miniseries. He was a versatile character actor who typically played arrogant Brits, cunning villains, and comical sidekicks.
He was born in Grappenhall, England, on April 19, 1946. After earning a degree from the University of Birmingham, Curry's professional acting career began with a role in the original London production of the groundbreaking rock musical "Hair" in 1968. In 1973, Curry received an invitation from a fellow cast member, Richard O'Brien, to audition for his new musical, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," and was cast in the role of the effeminate, cross-dressing scientist Dr Frank-N-Furter. While the production was a resounding success in London and Los Angeles, it failed to make an impact on Broadway. Fortunately, Curry reprised his role in the 1975 movie adaptation, which, although not an instant hit, became a midnight cult classic.
After "Rocky Horror," Curry appeared in several films, including "Annie," "Clue," "Legend," "The Hunt for Red October," "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," "The Three Musketeers," "The Shadow," "Muppet Treasure Island," "Charlie Angels," and "Scary Movie 2." He even took on the role of the demonic clown Pennywise in the 1990 TV miniseries, "It," based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, for which he wore full-face clown makeup. Curry was also a prolific voice actor, supplying his distinctive voice to characters in animated feature films, such as the villain Hexxus in "FernGully: The Last Rainforest," and in animated television series, such as Nigel Thornberry in Nickelodeon's "The Wild Thornberrys."
Curry's life would forever change in 2012 when he suffered a stroke during a routine massage. The resultant extensive brain surgery left him paralysed on the left side and unable to walk. Fortunately, he regained his speech and continued his career as a voice actor in numerous projects.
We've lost a legend, but we will never forget his memorable performances.
Here are a few highlights of his greatest cinematic roles.
The country music legend, actress, and philanthropist Dolly Parton has died. She was 80. I'm not a huge fan of country music; from what I hear, she was also a talented actress.
While Dolly had a long and successful career in music, with such memorable songs as "Jolene," "9 to 5," "Islands in the Stream" (with Kenny Rogers), and "I Will Always Love You" (later covered by Whitney Houston for her 1992 movie "The Bodyguard"), her acting career was shorter than her time spent performing country music. She began her film career in 1980 when she starred in the iconic movie "9 to 5," opposite Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. While on set, she spontaneously wrote its iconic theme, producing the memorable rhythm simply by scraping her nails together. Her theme song became Dolly's first number one single on the Hot 100.
Her other movies include "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" opposite Burt Reynolds, "Rhinestone" opposite Sylvester Stallone, "Steel Magnolias," and "Joyful Noise."
The former child star/actress Hayden Panettiere is dead. She was 36 years old. Hayden was best known for her roles in the TV series "Heroes" and "Nashville," as well as films such as "Remember the Titans," "I Love You, Beth Cooper," "Scream 4," and "Scream VI." She enjoyed a three-decade-long career in the entertainment industry, but heartbreak and tragedy marred her personal life.
Her career as a model began at a very early age, when she appeared in commercials. Later, in 1994, she landed her first major acting role as Sarah Roberts in the ABC soap opera "One Life to Live." In 1998, she made her big-screen debut as Dot in Pixar's animated movie "A Bug's Life."
Panettiere was 11 years old when she played Sheryl Yoast opposite Hollywood legend Denzel Washington in the 2000 Disney sports drama "Remember the Titans." In the years that followed, she appeared in numerous family and teen movies, including "Raising Helen," "Tiger Cruise," "Racing Stripes,""The Ice Princess," and "Bring It On: All or Nothing." These films from the mid-2000s represented a significant turning point in her career, marking her shift from childhood stardom to establish herself as a leading actress.
At the age of 17, Panettiere rocketed to international fame as the impervious cheerleader Claire Bennet in the popular NBC series "Heroes." The show enjoyed widespread popularity, running for four seasons from 2006 to 2010. She also played Juliette Barnes, a troubled country musician, in the musical drama series "Nashville," which ran for six seasons and earned her two Golden Globe nominations. In addition to her fame in "Heroes" and "Nashville," she also played Kirby Reed in "Scream 4" and "Scream VI."
Another young actress who was taken too soon. My condolences go out to her family and friends.
Art Department Supervisors - Yuri Everson and Andy Schoneberg
Visual Effects Supervisor:
BVVE - Peter Montgomery
Animation Design & Supervision:
Available Light Ltd. - John T.
Van Tilet
Visual Effects Supervisor: R/Greenberg Associates West - Stuart Robertson
Visual Effects Supervisor: Fantasy II Film Effects - Gene Warren, Jr.
Additional Special Visual Effects: Illusion Arts - Syd Dutton and Bill Taylor
Visual Effects Executive Producers: R/Greenberg Associates West - Tricia Henry Ashford and Ralph Horan
Visual Effects Director of
Photography - Vincent E. Toto
Visual Effects Production
Supervisor: BVVE - Denise Davis
Head of Digital Post Production: R/Greenberg Associates West - Tara Handy Turner
Digital Effects Supervisor: Pacific Title - David Sosalla
Production Coordinators: R/Greenberg Associates West - Craig Sost and Craig A. Mumma
Special Projects Supervisor: BVVE - Wally Schaab
CG Supervisor: R/Greenberg Associates West - Isa Alsup
CG Supervisors: BVVE - Aaron Campbell
and David Jones
Digital Matte Paintings and Conceptual Art:
R/Greenberg Associates West - Michael Lloyd
Matte Paintings: BVVE - Paul Lasaine
Model Supervisor: Grant McCune Design -
Grant McCune
Editor - Martin Hunter
Additional Editors - Peter Amundson and
Scott Conrad
Supervising Sound Editor/ADR Editor -
Marc Fishman
Sound Designer - David Farmer
Re-Recording Mixers - Ken Teaney and
William Freesh
Special Vocal Effects - Frank Welker
Music - George S. Clinton
Music Supervisor - Sharon Boyle
Review
With the release of the film Mortal Kombat II, I thought I would take a look back at the original 1995 movie that made it all happen. The film began life as a controversial video game that took the gaming world by storm when it first hit the arcades in 1992, forever changing a generation of children. Gamers waited in long lines for their turn at the machine, while parents and politicians condemned the game's over-the-top violence. I remember playing Mortal Kombat on the Nintendo 64 as a teen, but back then I only played the fourth instalment. I didn't watch the film until I was either 19 or 20, when I rented it on Blu-ray at Blockbuster.
Before Detective Pikachu, theSonic the Hedgehog movies, and even Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the 1995 version of MORTAL KOMBAT was the first good video game movie adaptation and is considered by many as one of the better adaptations of its kind. However, at the time of its release, this film was a marked improvement over the first few failed attempts, such as Super Mario Bros., Double Dragon, and Street Fighter. It proves that some video games can translate well to the big screen if done properly. While the movie grossed well over $124 million worldwide at the box office, it received mixed reviews from critics. However, the audience and fans didn't care, as they enjoyed it anyway. Does the film still stand the test of time? Let's find out!
I liked how the film stayed true to the games while maintaining its core elements, such as its campy tone and dark, otherworldly atmosphere. Unfortunately, it's missing the bloodshed that made the game popular with kids and teens, as the filmmakers toned it down to secure a PG-13 rating, which comes off as a disappointment to many fans. It is a sophomore effort from director Paul W.S. Anderson, who, in later
years, has become a bit of a pariah among film fans for his work on
the Resident Evil films and Alien vs. Predator. Despite his more recent offerings, his direction in the film is competent nonetheless.
While the movie does expand on the original game a bit, the story is
thin, the dialogue is laughable, and the characters are undeveloped,
which is a shame because it could have been so much better. However, these drawbacks also add to its charm. It also draws inspiration from Enter the Dragon, albeit with a supernatural spin.
Unfortunately, the cast is a bit of a mixed bag. Robin Shou did a tremendous job as Liu Kang. He brings the sincerity and
physicality required for the role. Looking back, his career could have
taken off after this film, as he could have been the next Bruce Lee in
terms of acting and martial arts. Cary-Hiroyuki
Tagawa delivers a terrific, over-the-top performance as the villainous sorcerer
Shang Tsung. You can tell that he's having a blast in this film, so much so that in later years, he reprised his role in the Mortal Kombat Legacy webseries and the game Mortal Kombat 11.
Linden Ashby was likable as Johnny Cage. With his cocky, wisecracking attitude, he fits the role perfectly, capturing the character's essence and delivering some of the movie's best humour. Christopher Lambert was an odd casting choice to play the God of
Thunder, Raiden, as the character is supposed to be an Asian deity.
However, Lambert delivers a performance with enough charisma to satisfy
fans without overacting, suggesting he is having fun.
Despite lacking the brutality of the games, the film makes up for this with its spectacular, well-choreographed fight scenes. It helps that many cast members perform their own stunts, including Shou. However, the movie's Hong Kong-inspired wire techniques were developed before The Matrix, with certain camera angles adding flair. The best of these fights include Johnny Cage vs. Scorpion and Liu Kang vs. Reptile.
I liked how the film's lavish and immersive production design faithfully recreates the game's atmosphere with its beautiful sets, most of which were filmed on location in remote areas of Thailand. While some of the practical effects, such as those involving Goro, are effective, some of the CGI is extremely dated. The soundtrack is amazing, with a solid score by George S. Clinton and an awesome selection of techno and electronic dance songs, especially the iconic main theme "Techno Syndrome." Trust me, you'll hear this tune from the moment you recognise it.
While not quite a flawless victory, MORTAL KOMBAT was a decent video game-to-movie adaptation in its own right. It spawned a sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, which proved to be an absolute trainwreck. The film doesn't take itself seriously, which is why it's enjoyable. Anyway, what we've got is a fun, nostalgic ride with plenty of action and 90s nostalgia. For MK fans, the cinematic experience is like stepping into the game itself.
