Author: Peter J Patrick
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Home Viewing with Peter #876
With streaming programs in full force across various platforms, there’s no excuse not to view something at home now, whether it be through one of the services or from the reserves of your DVD and Blu-ray collections. Here are a few examples of the remarkable films and TV series and miniseries that are streaming right…
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Oscar Profile: Johnny Depp
Born June 9, 1963 in Owensboro, Kentucky, the youngest of four children of a waitress mother and civil engineer father, John Christopher (Johnny) Depp II frequently moved with his family, settling in Miramar, Florida. His parents divorced when he was 15, his mother later marrying Robert Palmer, who young Depp considered an inspiration. Depp’s mother…
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Home Viewing with Peter #875
There are lots of series and mini-series to watch on streaming, but not too many recent or new theatrical films worth delving into. The dwindling Blu-ray and DVD releases of the last week or so are a mixed bag as well. Best of the lot is Gregory Hoblit’s 1996 film Primal Fear, given a 4K…
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Oscar Profile: Jonathan Demme Revisited
Born February 22, 1944 in Baldwin, N.Y., (Robert) Jonathan Demme was the son of Robert Demme, a public relations manager and his wife, Dorothy. The family later moved to Florida, where he was educated, graduating from Southwest Miami High School and the University of Florida. Demme had an early job as a film critic for…
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Home Viewing with Peter #874
Warner Archive has released a Blu-ray of the long in demand 1948 version of Peter B. Kyne’s 1916 novel 3 Godfathers. John Ford’s film was the 8th of 9 films to date made from the 1913 novel of the same name. The first two versions, released in 1913 and 1916, respectively, starred silent screen great…
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Oscar Profile: Harrison Ford
Born July 13, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois to a radio actress and an actor turned advertising executive, Harrison Ford was a lackluster student with no athletic ability who never averaged more than a C grade. After dropping out of Ripon College in Wisconsin where he did some acting and later summer stock, he signed a…
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Home Viewing with Peter #873
Imprint has released a Blu-ray upgrade of Bob Rafelson’s 1990 film Mountains of the Moon, based on the historical biographical “Burton and Speke” novel by William Harrison, as well as the original journals of the 19th century explorers John Hanning Speke and Richard Burton. It was only the second film from prolific writer-producer-director Rafelson that…
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Oscar Profile: Michael Mann
Born February 5, 1943 in Chicago, Illinois, Michael Mann studied English literature at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, graduating with a B.A. in 1965. Having fallen in love with the movies thanks to a screening of Dr. Strangelove, the fledgling filmmaker then moved to London where he earned an M.A. from the London Film…
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Home Viewing with Peter #872
The Criterion Collection has released William Dieterle’s 1941 film All That Money Can Buy on Blu-ray under its Oscar qualifying title. Previous home video releases of the film, as well as its numerous television showings over the years, were under its better-known alternate title, The Devil and Daniel Webster, which was a slightly cut version…
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Oscar Profile: Emma Stone
Born October 6, 1988 in Scottsdale, Arizona to a contracting company founder and CEO and his wife, Emma Stone began acting as a child as a member of the Valley Youth Theatre in Phoenix where she made her debut in a production of The Wind in the Willows. She appeared in many of their productions…
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Home Viewing with Peter #871
Now that the 2023 Oscars are over, this is a good time to look back at previous Oscars to get a perspective on how the year’s best film might fare over time. Looking back at the Oscars of the years 2003, 1983, 1963, and 1943 gives us a snapshot of those Oscar nominated and winning…
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Oscar Profile: Warren Low
Born August 12, 1905 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Warren Low was an American silent screen actor before he became a film editor. Low began as editor at Warner Brothers, first as an assistant editor beginning in 1930. Among the film on which he worked as assistant editor without credit were 1934’s British Agent and 1935’s A…
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Home Viewing with Peter #870
The Criterion Collection and Kino Lorber have both released 4K UHD restored versions of classic films that were produced by the legendary Hal Wallis. Raoul Walsh’s 1939 film The Roaring Twenties was made during Wallis’ tenure as chief of production at Warner Brothers, while John Sturges’ 1957 film Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was made…
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Oscar Profile: Rodrigo Prieto
Born November 23, 1965 in Mexico City, Mexico, Rodrigo Prieto’s grandfather (Jorge Prieto Laurens) was the mayor of Mexico City and leader of the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico who was later persecuted by the country’s ruler because of political differences. The grandfather escaped with his family to Texas and then to Los Angeles where…
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Home Viewing with Peter #869
As Oscar voting draws to a close, all this year’s Best Picture nominees are available for home viewing in one form or another. I finally got to see the last remaining nominee I hadn’t seen last week. Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest can be found on Apple TV and other platforms. The Holocaust drama…
