CBS - "This classic episode of 48 Hours, which last aired on 7/5/2008, explores a tragedy in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. After Hurricane Katrina had passed over southeastern Louisiana, many people thought the region had been spared from the most severe damage."
"But the worst was yet to come: on Monday, August 29th 2005, the region's protective levees started to fail, and entire communities were overwhelmed by floodwater. Could the operators of St. Rita's Nursing Home, Sal and Mabel Magano, be held responsible after 35 people in their care die? 48 Hours - correspondent Harold Dow reports."
Note: Cable-TV host Nancy Grace was just awful to Sal and Mabel Magano. Her first reports were speculative and wrong who never apologized to the couple.
NBC Podcast, "In this Dateline classic, when Lisa Seabolt went missing in Bakersfield, California, her twin sister came up with a brilliant and dangerous plan to catch the person responsible. Few people could do what she did, and it almost got her killed. Keith Morrison reports. Originally aired on NBC on April 29, 2006."
DATELINE on NBC. The next episode is called, "The Blue Blanket Mystery" that will air this Friday at 9/8 p.m.
NBC says, "A decades-long investigation begins after a New Jersey mother reports that her 5-year-old son has vanished from a carnival. Andrea Canning reports."
48 HOURS on CBS. Last night's episode was called, "Last seen in Breckenridge" (8-26-2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It garnered 2.24 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.3 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
DATELINE on NBC. last night's episode was called, "Night of the Summer Solstice" (8/25/2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It garnered 1.87 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.2 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
You have to Sign-Up to Sign-In to watch the latest episode.
John Profumo lied about the affair but soon resigned from Parliament. The Conservative Party was then over-taken by the Labor Party with the next election 1964. Stephen was charged with living off the money of Keeler who was labeled a prostitute. He became the scapegoat by introducing young women to government officials.
"Scandal" started out as a British TV mini-series. It was never made because of the sensitive historical facts. The story was shortened into a movie script. The production budget climbed to $7 million. It made $3.7 million in the United Kingdom and $8.8 million in the U.S.
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) first gave "Scandal" an adult X-Rating. Filmmakers had cut several seconds off of the sex orgy scene. It was then distributed with an R-Rating for Independent U.S theaters. The Uncut-Version came out on VHS Home Video Rentals. It grabbed a whole new audience. I walked into an independent movie theater at Portland, Oregon to watch it.
"Scandal" captured the 1960's era perfectly. The sex orgy and all that nudity looks pretty tame in 2023.... Back in 1989 though. It was kind of salacious because of Censorship and the true story. Sex, Politics and Money has not changed... (This is one of my favorite films of the 1980's).
(Below) Movie Trailer for "Scandal" 1989.
(Below) Click photos for free movie. You have to sign-in with your Facebook password.
DVD cover of the Un-Rated Version. Joanne Whalley-Kilmer as Christine Keeler. The photo duplicates the true portrait Keeler did back in the 1960's.
A cut scene from the film. Bridget Fonda as Mandy Rice-Davies. Joanne Whalley-Kilmer as Christine Keeler.
A dangerous affair.. Ian McKellen as John Profumo. Joanne Whalley-Kilmer as Christine Keeler.
NBC says, "Crime fighting becomes personal for FBI Agents in Wilmington, North Carolina, when their own office manager is murdered. Josh Mankiewicz reports in this Dateline classic. Originally aired on NBC on July 12, 2010."
Deadline Hollywood says - "In his 16th weekly installment of the Deadline Strike Talk Podcast, Billy Ray continues to explore ways that the shifting sands of the entertainment business can settle in a manner that pleases shareholders of the corporations paying for content, and the talent responsible for creating it with the traditional understanding they share in the upside of success."
(Below) Click the photo for Deadline Hollywood News.
The 45th President of the United States Donald Trump has been arrested. In Fulton County at Georgia. He is charged with 13 Felony Counts after interfering in the 2020 General Election.
Him and 18 other co-defendants have each been charged with "Racketeering." These charges are from the State of Georgia and if all defendants are convicted. None can be "Pardoned" under state law. Not even Donald Trump.
District Attorney Fani Willis charged these 19 co-defendants two weeks ago. She gave them until Aug. 25, 2023 to surrender to the Fulton County Jail. Trump surrendered today on Thursday Aug. 24th for booking, finger prints and mugshot. He is inmate P01135809. If convicted with each 13 felony charges. Trump could spend the rest of his life in prison.
He is the only U.S. President to be charged with a "Felony" who will go to a court trial.
100 METER WOMEN'S FINAL from the 2023 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson was disqualified from the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games (2020). She tested positive for marijuana after mother's death. She had to recover and came back "big" in 2023.
Sha'Carri swept the field in the women's 100 meter final. She grabbed the Championship Record with 10.65. It's also a personal best to become one of the fastest women in the world. She heads into the Summer Paris Olympic Games in 2024. The U.S. women have been shut out of the world title since 2017.
Below are the U.S Women who have won the World Championships 100 meter title.
1993 - Gail Devers
1995 - Gwen Torrence
1997/1999 - Marion Jones
2003 - Torri Edwards
2005 - Lauryn Williams
2011 - Carmelita Jeter
2017 - Tori Bowie
2023 - Sha'Carri Richardson
(Below) Sha'Carri Richardson - Photo by Martin Meissner
(Below is the NBC video of 100 meter Women's Final at the 2023 World Championships).
48 Hours - "This classic episode of 48 Hours, which last aired on 8/20/2003, features a report on the 2002 brutal murders of Devon Routier, 6, and Damon Routier, 5. Their mother, Darlie, claims her sons were killed by an intruder."
"On death row for more than 20 years, was Darlie Routier of Dallas wrongly accused of killing her two young children? 48 Hours correspondent Bill Lagattuta reports."
Note: She remains on death row (2023) for the murder of Damon. She was not tried in the stabbing death of Devon. (IMO - She did it.).
48 HOURS on CBS. Last night's episode was called, "What Angela Saw" (8-19-2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It garnered 2.65 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.4 million TV viewers with the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
PURPLE RAIN from WARNER BROS. The studio executives thought the film was "outrageous." After internal meetings and debate. The movie was released in July of 1984. The production budget was $7.2 million and would become a box office hit reaching $70 million. It had another "Life" with VHS Home Video Rentals and would become a classic. (My brother rented this movie way too many times).
Film critics and audiences loved the movie.
"Prince" and his group "The Revolution" wrote and performed most of their songs in the film. The Vinyl Album sold 15 million copies in the U.S., and 25 million worldwide. "When Doves Cry", "Let's Go Crazy" and "Purple Rain" were the Billboard Hits off of the official soundtrack. But - it was the album itself that "sold" film and music audiences. Every song is great.!!
The "Purple Rain" Soundtrack (1984) won the "Oscar" for "Best Original Song Score." It also won the "Grammy" Award for "Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special."
The cultural impact "Purple Rain" had was amazing. The movie caught on by "Word-of-Mouth" from Mid-Summer through the Fall and then into Winter. (1984 theater ticket prices). Prince became an overnight sensation with his film debut.
Note: Prince wanted to direct films and his debut was called, "Under the Cherry Moon" (1986). It was a bomb at the box office and critics hated it. The "Purple Rain" sequel was called, "Graffiti Bridge" (1990). It was written, directed and starred Prince. It is considered one of the worst movies of that year. Film audiences and critics laughed "out-loud" in theaters. And.. Not because it was funny.
DATELINE on NBC. Last night's episode was called, "Horror at the Lake" (8/18/2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It garnered 2.24 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.3 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
You have to Sign-Up to Sign-in to watch the latest episode.
Deadline Hollywood says, "In his 16th weekly installment of the Deadline Strike Talk Podcast, Billy Ray continues to explore ways that the shifting sands of the entertainment business can settle in a manner that pleases shareholders of the corporations paying for content, and the talent responsible for creating it with the traditional understanding they share in the upside of success."
48 HOURS on CBS. The next episode is called, "What Angela Saw" that will air this Saturday at 10/9 p.m. This is a repeat episode. Check it out if you missed it.
CBS says, "A young girl peeks out of her bedroom to see blood on the floor and her mother in distress. As an adult she looks back on a night that changed her life. 48 Hours - correspondent Peter Van Sant reports."
NBC says, "78-year-old Joseph Gatto was found shot to death in his Silver Lake home in Los Angeles, California in November of 2013. His case has gone cold, but the Los Angeles Police Department is still investigating."
NBC says, "In this Dateline classic, Dennis Murphy reports on the disappearance of filmmaker Allen Ross. When police come up with no answers, Allen’s friends and family devise a plan of their own to help solve the mystery. Originally aired on NBC on February 25, 2005."
Former President Donald Trump now has 4 State and Federal charges against him. The new charges come from the state of Georgia. Him and his 18 allies tried to intervene in the 2020 general election.
NOTE: None of these Defendants can be "Pardoned" because of U.S. State Charges. Trump cannot be "Pardoned" either.
There are 41 Felony Count Charges.
Trump receives 13 of those Counts.
All of them have been charged with 1 count of "Racketeering."
Trump's Allies include - Rudy Giuliani, Sydney Powell, Mark Meadows and more....
The 98-Page Indictment Court Document is on the Internet.
All Defendants have until Aug. 25, 2023 to turn themselves in at Georgia.
(Below) News Conference with Georgia's District Attorney.
SCORCERER distributed by UNIVERSAL and PARAMOUNT. (1977). The big problem was that both studios didn't believe in their own product. They shared distribution and opened the film one month after "Star Wars."
According to box office reports. The movie grabbed $14 million world-wide against a budget of $22 million. $5 million was nabbed in U.S. theaters. It was quickly pulled from theaters.
William Freidkin also had to switch his production crew mid-stream. That made the production budget rise. Critics say that the other problem was the film title, "Scorcerer." What is that about? Will there be a devil? (Freidkin directed "The Exorcist").
The story is simple. Several outcast criminals are hired to drive a cargo of dynamite which leaks nitroglycerin.
Critics and fans consider this a remake of the 1953 picture, "Wages of Fear." It's based on a French novel. Freidkin believed that he didn't film a remake. He said so about this production.
"Scorcerer" was forgotten until the 1978 Oscars. It was nominated for Best Sound (Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, Richard Tyler and Jean-Louis Ducarme). They lost of course to..., "Star Wars."
Since 1977. It has become a large cult classic because of theater revivals. It was released on BluRay in 2017 and was restored by Friedkin himself. It is exciting to watch. Check it out.
What a fine Tribute to William Freidkin who passed at age 87.
(Below) Sneak Previews: Siskel & Ebert - Forgotten Films of the 1970's. Audio is overlayed into scenes of the film "Scorcerer."
(Below) Movie Poster and scenes from "Scorcerer" 1977.
48 HOURS on CBS. Last night's episode was called, "The-Unsolvable-Murder of Roxanne Wood" (8/12/2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It garnered 2.07 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.2 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA distributed by MGM-UA (1985). This is my favorite film directed by William Freidkin because I grew up in the 1980's. I walked into a movie theater to watch this and was blown away. I even had a VHS-Tape for years. (Hahaha...).
Freidkin was always drawn to written novels that he can turn into a film. He was fascinated by "To Live and Die in LA" because of the secret service and counterfeit money. He received only $6 million for the whole production. It opened in the U.S. and grabbed $17.3 million. At the time. It was criticized because there were no major movie stars. Freidkin always done this with unknown actors and actresses.
The famous car chase on the LA streets was choreographed. But, parts of it was done on the fly. There were 40 stuntmen working on it and Freidkin went over budget. They wanted it to be better than the chase sequence in Freidkin's own, "The French Connection" (1971).
Freidkin is all about realism who doesn't like actor rehearsal. He always got big "emotions" on the first or second take. He also captured parts of Los Angeles that still looks that way in 2023. (East LA is an example).
What is fantastic is the movie soundtrack written by the pop group "Wang Chung." Freidkin wanted them to "not" write a theme song. He just wanted complete music. The group still wrote a theme and Freidkin liked it. He inserted it right at the beginning of the movie. The soundtrack album hit Billboard's hot 200 chart.
Note: VHS Home Video was huge in the 1980's. After a film opened in movie theaters. It had a second life on home video. "To Live and Die in LA" was a big rental and quickly became a cult classic.
What a great Tribute to William Freidkin who recently passed at 87.
(Below) The making of "To Live and Die in LA."
(Below) Scenes from the film "To Live and Die in LA."
DATELINE on NBC. Last night's episode was called, "What Happened in Vegas" (08/11/2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It garnered 3.31 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.6 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
You have to Sign-Up to Sign-In to watch the latest episode.
THE FRENCH CONNECTION from 20TH CENTURY FOX (1971). According to reports on the box office receipts. The film grabbed $75 million at the world wide box office (1971 ticket prices). It is considered to be one of the best films ever made and its' influence resonates to this day. The car chase scene is also the best thing ever filmed.
It's based on a popular book from the 1960's about real life narcotics detectives. Freidkin claimed that all of the Hollywood studios turned down the movie twice. Richard Zanuck was being fired from 20th Century Fox within months and told Freidkin to make the film.
Freidkin was only known as a documentary filmmaker who brought that kind of "feel" to "French." The film crew shot it all on-location in France and New York. Freidkin was also big on realism with the human experience. It comes through in every scene of this movie. It stands up to this day and looks fantastic on BluRay Disc.
Two narcotics police detectives play a hunch from the Brooklyn streets. They follow the owner of a small diner who might be connected to a major Heroin drug deal. It was coming in from the country of France (Albiet the French Connection). That package drug deal reaches $32 million and was to be distributed in New York. Can these two detectives stop this deal?
The movie was nominated for 8 Oscars and won 5 including Best Picture. It also won Best Actor (Gene Hackman), Best Director (William Freidkin), Best Editing (Gerald B. Greenberg) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ernest Tidyman).
What a lasting tribute to William Freidkin who recently passed at age 87.
(Below) The Film Trailer of "The French Connection" 1973.
(Below) Movie Scenes from "The French Connection" 20th Century Fox.
DEADLY SECRET.... CBS, "This classic episode of 48 Hours, which last aired on 6/5/2000, takes a look at the September 1994 disappearance of Khristine Smith, a seemingly happy wife and mother. Russ Smith, her husband, claimed that Khristine had abandoned him and their daughter Candace for another man."
"With no body and little evidence, Detective Dan Westin, head of the cold case unit, was finally able to wear Smith down to the point where he confessed to his crime. 48 Hours correspondent Harold Dow reports."
Deadline Hollywood, "In today’s episode, they focus on “Ethical AI,” a tech innovation by Frank Correa. An attorney who specializes in the intersection of entertainment, tech and finance, Correa has developed an app that makes it possible for the copyrighted references that make up learned intelligence contributions to Hollywood to be catalogued and documented."
"While this will help artists get paid, you will hear how the studios that own the copyrights on works stand to benefit the most by clear and transparent definitions of the technology. The hosts believe this could help Hollywood from destroying itself."
THE EXORCIST from WARNER BROS. (1973). According to the filmmakers. This horror movie was turned down by all of the Hollywood studios. Warner Bros. also wanted a major movie star, but ended up with unknown actors. Director William Friedkin was not even on the list to helm the movie. That is until his, "The French Connection" premiered in 1971.
The horror movie opened on Dec. 26, 1973 in 24 U.S. theaters. It grabbed $1.9 million in just those theaters after one week (1973 ticket prices). In the cold of winter. Theater lines stretched around the block and patrons waited for hours to see the movie. It scared audiences so much that men and women were fainting in theater aisles. Plus, many vomited from the horror scenes. (Check out YouTube for impact of film on audiences).
Warner Bros. executives didn't believe in the film. They decided not to preview it nor show it to critics. Distribution had to quickly add 366 theaters after the first week. The movie ran for 105 weeks and nabbed $193 million worldwide. The cultural impact was cemented by the practice of "Exorcism" by the Catholic Church. Even the current Pope John thought the horror movie was accurate. (Demons do take over the bodies of human beings).
The Director's Cut with the 2000 re-release grabbed another $184 million worldwide. William Freidkin loves the DVD and BluRay releases. The reason is because he hears sounds he had never heard before even when he cut the movie in 1973. He wanted realism and the documentary style brought the film to actual people in actual life.
The movie went on-to receive 10 Oscar nominations including Best Picture. It won two for Best Adapted Screenplay (William Blatty) and Best Sound (Robert Knudson and Chris Newman). It became one the best horror films ever made. It has never been replicated even after a dozen "Exorcist" themed films.
What a tribute to William Freidkin who recently passed at age 87.
(Below) 1973 movie Scenes from "The Exorcist" (Warner Bros.)
The Producers had asked the Writers Guild for another meeting this Friday Aug. 11, 2023. It is to resume talks toward negotiating new contracts.
David Robb from Deadline Hollywood says, "The writers strike over a new film and TV contract just passed the 100-day mark on Wednesday, making the strike as of today longer than the guild’s 2007-08 action. It is now 52 days away from becoming the longest in WGA history."
Photo below is by David McNew for Getty Images.
Click photo above for David Robb reports on latest Writers Strike.
THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE THE DEMETER Distributed by UNIVERSAL PICTURES. After production delays and changing of several film directors. The latest horror movie about "Dracula" opens in theaters on Friday Aug. 11, 2023. Critics and Fans are giving it some love.... Scary love.
Bob Iger (Disney CEO) now says that he wants the WGA strike to end. It is being reported that Disney has lost money in the 2nd quarter. Internet streaming losses total ($512 Million). It also lost money by removing movies & TV shows from its' streaming content ($2.4 Billion). Iger says that there will be price hikes in subscriptions for streaming because of the Writer & Actor Strikes.
The WGA strike has now reached 100 days. Iger says that he is committed to helping Writers get back to work.
WGA - Click this logo for Deadline Hollywood news.
UM - "There have been new developments in two of our episodes: Adam Doe (Season 1, Episode 11) has been identified, and Alicia Navarro (Season 2, Episode 69) has come forward."
Dateline says, "A chance encounter on the Pacific Coast Highway with a woman he first spoke to in a jail cell leads Keith Morrison to reexamine the mysterious death of Las Vegas casino magnate Ted Binion."
Note: If you want to listen to "What Happened in Vegas" before Friday's episode (8-11-23). Check out the classic podcast segment. (Below).
William Friedkin is a 1970's film director who drastically changed the horror genre with "The Exorcist" (1973). When the movie premiered. Film-goers had to walk out of theaters because of a girl's body being taken over by "The Devil." It became a box office smash and set the model with horror films to come. It was revolutionary.
Friedkin never returned to direct the movie sequels. He also believed that "The Exorcist" could never be made with the current CGI special effects. He directed his film which had a documentary feel. It was created from the ground up with movie-sets, make-up and powerful sounded effects. The movie was never replicated since 1973 and became an original masterpiece.
Note:I only watched "The Exorcist" once and will never see it again. (You call the "Devil" and he will come).
Friedkin won the Best Director Oscar for "The French Connection" (1971). He also went on-to direct the controversial "Cruising" (1980) with Al Pacino. It's about a gay male killer in New York.
My favorite is "To Live and Die in L.A." (1985). It is on my top 10 Best List of movies from the 1980's.
"Scorcerer" (1977) has now become a cult classic and fans cannot get enough of this movie. It was released on the same weekend as "Star Wars.!!" Freidkin thanked fans of this film at a recent revival screening.
William Friedkin - Rest in Peace....
(Below) Warner Bros... Behind the Scenes of "The Exorcist."
(Below) 2023 4K Ultra HD Official Trailer "The Exorcist"
(Below) 1985 Original Trailer "To Live and Die in L.A."
48 HOURS on CBS. Last night's episode was called, "The Snapchat Clue" (8/5/2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It garnered 2.20 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.1 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
WGA union told Deadline Hollywood, "As of now, there is no agreement on these items, because the AMPTP said they needed to consult with their member studios before moving forward."
The Strike continues as both the Writers and AMPTP fail to reach the negotiating table.
DATELINE on NBC. Last night's episode was called, "The Black Candle Confession" (8/4/2023). In the overnight TV ratings. It garnered 2.18 million TV viewers overall. It reached 0.3 million TV viewers in the all important 18 to 49 adult demographic.
You have to Sign-Up to Sign-In to watch the latest episode.
"Last week Billy Ray frightened everyone with the disruptive potential of AI by interviewing the technology and having it respond in the familiar voices of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. In his Week 14 outing, Ray pivots...."
"On a day when the WGA and AMPTP plan to return to the bargaining table just short of the 100 days it took to settle the last strike, Ray explores ways that both sides can find common ground in a future that nurtures an ecosystem that will perpetuate and reward creative growth, leading to a renaissance that will be profitable for all."
48 HOURS on CBS. The next episode is called, "The Snapchat Clue" that will air on Saturday at 10/9 p.m. This is a repeat episode. Check it out if you missed it.
CBS, "When his parents disappear, Chandler Halderson’s social media helps investigators unravel the case. 48 Hours - correspondent Erin Moriarty reports."
The WGA writers will meet with Producers (AMPTP) on Friday Aug. 4, 2023. They both will come to the negotiation table after the 100-Day-Strike by Writers.
Nonetheless - CBS has rearranged their Fall TV schedule 2023. It will be filled with Re-runs and Reality TV.
CBS
CBS
CBS SATURDAY, SEPT. 2
7:30-11 PM — College Football on CBS: Texas Tech at Wyoming
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9
7:30-11 PM — College Football on CBS: UCLA at San Diego State
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