Film

Born 114 Years Ago Today in the Lone Star State, the Singing Cowgirl Who Became a Country Music and TV Icon Alongside Roy Rogers

• Dale Evans was born in Texas in 1912.
• She appeared in 28 films with Roy Rogers.
• She wrote “Happy Trails” and more than 400 songs.

Dale Evans, born Frances Octavia Smith in Texas on 31 October 1912, became a country singer, songwriter and Western film star. Her partnership with Roy Rogers, both on screen and in music, made her a prominent figure in mid-century cowboy entertainment. Evans co-starred with Rogers in 28 films…

The 1997 movie that gave Winona Ryder a serious case of imposter syndrome: “I couldn’t hold my own”

• Ryder felt she could not match Sigourney Weaver in *Alien Resurrection*.
• Filming an underwater scene triggered anxiety linked to a childhood near-drowning.
• The 1997 film made around $100 million in profit.

Winona Ryder said filming *Alien Resurrection* in 1997 left her feeling out of her depth beside Sigourney Weaver and the film’s special effects. Her experience shows how a demanding role can unsettle even an established actor, particularly when it involves confronting a personal fear. A scene required Ryder…

The 10 Best Opening Credits in Film History

• Opening credits can set a film’s tone and tell part of its story.
• The list covers ten sequences across several genres.
• *Goldfinger* and *Drive* are among the examples discussed.

The article argues that film opening credits can do more than list names: they can establish a film’s style and mood, introduce its characters and themes, and contribute to its storytelling. It presents ten sequences as examples of how directors and designers have turned a routine part of…

Rail disruption costs Avanti £20m as Cumbria peatland restoration begins

A Guardian warning says reliance on AI may weaken independent thought and curiosity. Japan’s planned anime award aims to spotlight creators, while the original Twilight Zone is now streaming free with adverts.

In fourth grade, Billy Joel wanted to be Elvis Presley. In 1982, he took a swipe at what Elvis became

• Joel admired Elvis from childhood.
• His 1982 song mourned Presley’s later image.
• It criticised Graceland’s commercialisation.

Billy Joel’s 1982 song ‘Elvis Presley Boulevard’ paid tribute to the singer who first inspired him, while criticising how Presley’s later career and image were handled. Joel admired Elvis as a child, but felt that Hollywood films and the commercialisation of Graceland turned a once extraordinary performer into…

Netflix Officially Says Goodbye to Jake Gyllenhaal’s Explosive $52M Michael Bay Thriller

• Netflix has removed *Ambulance* from its streaming library.
• The 2022 Michael Bay thriller grossed over $52 million.
• It remains available to rent or buy on VOD.

Netflix has removed Michael Bay’s thriller *Ambulance* from its streaming library, ending its recent run on the platform. The 2022 film stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and follows two brothers who hijack an ambulance during a getaway from a bank robbery. The film earned more than…

In 1993, Bruce Springsteen created a song “by accident”. It won four Grammys, an Oscar, and sold more than a million copies

• Springsteen wrote “Streets of Philadelphia” in a few days.
• The song supported a film addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
• It won an Oscar, a Golden Globe and four Grammys.

Bruce Springsteen wrote “Streets of Philadelphia” in 1993 after director Jonathan Demme asked him to contribute a song to the film *Philadelphia*. Springsteen said the song came about “by accident”: he had not read the script, but knew the film addressed the HIV/AIDS epidemic, a subject he felt…

In the 1990s, David Fincher wanted to direct a James Bond movie. He quickly realised it was never going to happen

• Fincher explored directing Bond after Timothy Dalton.
• The franchise’s owners did not want his approach.
• Denis Villeneuve is set to direct Bond 26.

David Fincher considered directing a James Bond film in the mid-1990s, around the time Pierce Brosnan was being cast, but the franchise’s owners were not interested. His account suggests a clash between his darker creative ideas and the established vision for Bond, a tension that had also shaped…

Forget ‘Slow Horses,’ Gary Oldman’s $315 Million Action Classic Is Officially on Netflix

• *Air Force One* is now streaming on Netflix.
• Harrison Ford plays a president facing a hijacking.
• The 1997 film earned about $315.2 million worldwide.

*Air Force One*, the 1997 action thriller starring Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman, is now streaming on Netflix. Its arrival gives viewers a chance to revisit a commercially successful film whose straightforward hijacking story is driven by the performances of its two leads. Ford plays US President James…