BuzzSugar

George Lucas's Next Project to Focus on Tuskegee Airmen

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:30:52 -0700

The black airmen trained at the Tuskegee Army Air Field during WWII were the first to prove that black men could pilot aircrafts in the U.S. military, and now these Tuskegee Airmen - some of whom are still alive today - will be the focus of George Lucas's next film, Red Tails.

The surviving airmen say they're glad to have Lucas tell their stories - about both the war they fought against Adolf Hitler and the racial wars waging here in the U.S. Here's some backstory:

At first called the "Tuskegee Experiment," the first aviation cadet class began with 13 students at the Tuskegee Army Air Field, about 40 miles east of Montgomery, in July 1941. Black people weren't allowed to fly in the military at the time and the "experiment" was to see whether they could pilot airplanes and handle heavy machinery. Over the next four years, the airmen went on more than 15,000 combat trips throughout Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa.

And yet, despite the respect they earned, the men returned to an America in which "German prisoners of war [were] being treated better and afforded rights that were withheld from black American citizens."

For more about Red Tails, read more.

The Tuskegee Airmen have been the subjects of several film and TV projects, most notably in a 1995 HBO movie starring Laurence Fishburne, which one ranger at the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site says was "about 50 percent Hollywood, but it gave a good overview and got the word out. People all over the world saw it and it whetted their appetite to want to know more."

And Lucas is one of those hungry people. He wants the story in Red Tails to be drawn from the airmen's personal accounts and has begun collecting oral histories from some of them at his Skywalker Ranch. Personally, I can't wait to see what comes out of this.

Source and source

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: A Great Summertime Kickoff

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:17:26 -0700

There's a lot to enjoy about this fourth installment of Indiana Jones. It's fun, silly, adventure-filled and completely entertaining in ways we don't always get from movies these days, with the greatest parts coming straight from the marvelous imagination of Steven Spielberg. Plus, it's a summertime blockbuster that doesn't totally rely on CGI which feels practically old-fashioned - and I mean that in the best way possible. The performances are strong and overall it's a sequel that doesn't embarrass itself or the whole franchise. It's refreshing and, honestly, it's a relief.

Sure, there are aspects I didn't like about it, but the experience of seeing this movie with a theater full of fans and happy moviegoers pretty much trumps any quibbles I have. The story finds our beloved Indy caught up with a group of Soviets (led by one fierce Irina Spalko, played by Cate Blanchett) trying to find the secrets behind ancient crystal skulls which are said to have been shaped by some kind of higher power (or other-worldly power). They need Indy's mad archaeologist skillz (and wide base of experience) to do this and one way of luring him in is via Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), who they've taken captive. Marion gets in touch with Indy through her son Mutt (Shia LaBeouf). That's the basic gist of things but I wanted to leave plenty for you to discover at the theater, so for more of just my thoughts, read more.

As with last summer's Simpsons Movie, Indiana Jones is not just a highly anticipated movie, it's a highly anticipated movie event. There are plenty of people who will see it no matter what anyone says, and there are plenty of people, too, who are determined to like the movie no matter what. I understand this fanaticism, and though I don't personally feel it about this Indiana Jones movie, I had a great time watching it. At the same time, there are things I disliked, too. Most of all, there is some bizarre, random supernatural stuff at the end that struck me as out of place and totally hokey (and not in the fun way, in the annoying way).

But you know what? It's still a lot of fun. There is much pure, innocent joy to be found sitting in a jam-packed theater, clapping and whistling at the first glimpses of Indy's shadow and Marion Ravenwood's bright smile. There's a goofy pride that comes from laughing along with everyone else at the film's nods to previous films. It is an event, and in some ways it's the quintessential summertime movie event: a fantastically fun time for kids, and a sweetly nostalgic trip for adults.

Basically, you're probably going to go see it anyway, and I think you should.

Photos courtesy of Paramount

Does the Internet Ruin the Fun of Movies?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:30:33 -0700

In a recent interview with EW, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas debate the role of the Web when it comes to movies. Apparently, Spielberg has had a tough time keeping details of the new Indiana Jones film under wraps, and partially blames the Internet for ruining the element of surprise. Lucas, on the other hand argues it's not that big a deal, saying:

Y'know, Steven will say, "Oh, everything's out on the Internet [in terms of Crystal Skull details] - what this is and what that is." And to that I say, "Steven, it doesn't make any difference!" Look - Jaws was a novel before it was a movie, and anybody could see how it ended. Didn't matter.

First of all, it's kind of adorable to read about these two giants bickering like this. However, Spielberg's not the only Hollywood heavyweight annoyed with the Internet these days. Barry Sonnenfeld, director of Men in Black told a live audience: "I fear the Internet for so many reasons," and went on to say he thinks Facebook will bring about the fall of democracy.

The end of democracy aside, I understand how too much speculation and spoilers across the Web might be eroding the element of surprise in the theaters. On the other hand, fans hungry for certain films get to feed their obsessions online, which I assume is a good thing when it comes to building buzz. Do you think the movie experience is being ruined? Or is this the way of the future and filmmakers ought to adapt?

Source

Link Time! 10/9

BuzzSugar — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 13:31:05 -0700

E!'s Watch with Kristin gets the scoop that "Gossip Girl" is getting a full first season, the first show of the fall to get the official order.
Cinematical claims these are the top seven worst Stephen King adaptations, but I'm pretty sure Shawshank Redemption should not be on that list.
Buddy TV interviews Yvonne Strahovski from "Chuck."
The MTV Movies Blog chatted with George Lucas about all things Crystal Skull.
Merry Swankster delivers a quarterly podcast stuffed with great songs, including tracks from The New Pornographers, MIA, Spoon and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
An essential part of every "Friday Night Lights" fan's wardrobe: Give Me My Remote's What Would Riggins Do? T-shirts.
Popwatch opts to talk about lunchtime tacos instead of Britney Spears, and it really is more entertaining than you might think.
Tube Talk puts together some Halloween costumes for TV lovers.
One writer over at Rolling Stone's Rock 'n Roll Daily got a preview of Jay-Z's American Gangster LP, "I'm Better Than Al Capone."
Meanwhile, Best Week Ever gets a sneak listen to Radiohead's In Rainbows. (They're kidding.) (I think.)
TV Squad shares one of the weirdest things I've seen all day: "Deal or No Deal" models recreating a scene from "The Office."

Photo courtesy of The CW

"Robot Chicken" Takes on "Star Wars"

BuzzSugar — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 14:15:18 -0700

George Lucas usually isn't one for letting people make fun of his beloved Star Wars franchise, but this Sunday marks an exception. The guys of "Robot Chicken," the Adult Swim show that uses stop-motion animation and action figures to poke fun at pop culture, convinced Lucas to lend his material (and his voice) to a special "Robot Chicken" take on Star Wars.

Mark "Luke Skywalker" Hamill is among the other celebrities lending their voices to the special, which will air at the top of every hour from 10 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday. USA Today has the details on how Lucas came to give the special his blessing, while MTV talked with creator Seth Green about making sure he and "Family Guy" (which will do its own take on Star Wars in the fall) weren't making fun of the same things.

I'm not sure if I'm a big enough Star Wars geek to get all the jokes, but I'll definitely give it a shot. Of the details that have come out about the episode so far, I'm most excited for the Ice Capades send-up called Emperor on Ice. To watch a trailer for the special, read more

Source