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Don LaFontaine, Hollywood's Voiceover Master, Dies at 68

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:30:16 PDT

In a world where movie trailers were a key way to drum up excitement for an upcoming feature, there was but one king: Don LaFontaine. LaFontaine, whose voice is probably the one that pops into your head anytime you hear that classic "In a world . . . " beginning, recorded more than 5,000 voiceovers for commercials, video games, and - most notably - movie trailers over the course of his career. LaFontaine died Monday at age 68 from complications from a collapsed lung.

Among the companies that used LaFontaine as their official voice: Paramount, TBS, TNT, the Cartoon Network, and every broadcast TV network except the WB. Some of his best-known work was in trailers for The Godfather, Fatal Attraction, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and he'd more recently parodied himself in a Geico insurance commercial. He often said in interviews that his own favorite voiceover was the trailer for The Elephant Man, but he tried not to let his own opinions seep into his voiceovers. As he once told Swindle magazine:

My philosophy is that you have to really believe what you're reading, even if you think the film's a piece of junk. Even the worst picture is someone's favorite film, and that someone is the fan I am always talking to.

One thing's for sure: Movie trailers won't be the same without him. To see some of LaFontaine's work, including a Good Morning America interview, the Geico ad, and the Elephant Man trailer he loved, just

Pilot Scoop: Are You There, Chelsea?

Shannon Vestal — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:42:54 PST

NBC shelved Community from its midseason schedule to make room for other comedies on the network, and one of those newbies is Are You There, Chelsea?. Based on Chelsea Handler's book Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea, the show stars Laura Prepon as Chelsea (loosely based on Handler) as she waitresses in a bar and parties at all hours. Handler has a supporting role as Chelsea's sister on the series, which premieres tonight.

Where it works: The series mines Chelsea's bad-girl behavior for humor (Chelsea is a heavy drinker and kicks off the pilot episode by getting arrested for a DUI), and with Handler's influence, it feels like the series has potential to be an irreverent comedy. It's also funny to see Handler as Chelsea's disapproving, pregnant sister Sloane.
Where it doesn't: I like seeing Prepon heading up a sitcom, but her character is pretty unsympathetic, with none of the sass needed to pull off Chelsea's pithy one-liners. Her voice-over comes off as joyless monotone, and many of the jokes are stale, because of their content and delivery (like the fact that the cat's name is "*ssface").
You might like this show if: You love Chelsea Handler's brand of snarky humor.
When it's on: Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. on NBC.

To see a video preview and some photos from Are You There, Chelsea?, just keep reading.

LOL Trailer: Miley Cyrus Laughs Out Loud in High School and Paris

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:56:53 PST

In LOL, Miley Cyrus stars as Lola, who goes by the nickname of "Lol," so the title isn't just reflective of her generation's love for and reliance on technology. But cell phones, IMs, and texting do play a big part here, as Lola and her friends navigate high school and its profusion of boys and partying. Of course, no high school movie is complete without a disapproving parent, and Lola's mom (Demi Moore) certainly doesn't endorse Lola's misbehavior, which includes failing her classes. Lola eventually gets to go to France for some reason, and things with her mom start to look up.

LOL in general seems achingly cheesy (it's not helped by voice-over lines like "she's at that special age when hearts are broken"). That said, I probably would have liked it when I was Lola's age; the trailer is bubbly and light, and worth it to watch for the costume changes and man candy (and to see if you can pick out the very brief glimpse of Ashley Greene). There's no release date set yet, but you can watch the trailer after the break.

See a Smoking-Hot Sophia Loren in This Vintage Perfume Commercial

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:22:00 PST

If you adore iconic beauty and all-around awesome lady Sophia Loren, you really won't want to miss this amazing 1984 commercial for her eponymous scent, which is, as the voice-over guy intones, "the most female fragrance you'll ever experience." The ad is classic '80s all the way. It has a bit of everything: a lilting theme song, fireworks and fog coming out of the fragrance flacon, and a closing kicker from the grand dame herself. Watch it, and bring out the woman in every woman (or something).

Game of Thrones Season Two Teaser: Yes, Winter Is Still Coming

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:36:10 PST

HBO unveiled a brand-new trailer for Game of Thrones this weekend, which gives us another peek at what's in store for season two. There's not a ton of secrets being divulged; mostly we just hear a voice-over from one of Robert's brothers claiming the Westeros throne. However, there is one thing that's telling: the voice seems to be aware that Joffrey is not Robert's real son, and is willing to stop at nothing to take what is rightfully his. Meanwhile, we see the concerned faces of old friends like Jon Snow, Arya, Robb, Tyrion, and pretty much everyone else.

Cold Wind Tease

Birth Control Gets the Modern PSA Treatment

Annie Scudder — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:15:58 PST

For the first time, the Ad Council has produced a public service announcement for birth control. The council teamed up with the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy to make a light-hearted ad that directs women to Bedsider.com, a site that lets you explore tons of birth control options. In the spot, a sunny French tune plays as couples confront awkward situations while getting it on. There's a whipped cream moment gone wrong and a dog who just can't look away, and at the end a voiceover says, "You didn't give up on sex. Don't give up on birth control either." Watch it above, and tell me if you think it's effective. I do!

Snow White and The Huntsman Trailer: Kristen Stewart Is a Damsel in Distress

Shannon Vestal — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:02:35 PST

Kristen Stewart is about to live out a fairy tale onscreen, but the depiction of the classic story in Snow White and the Huntsman is much darker than any bedtime story you grew up hearing. The trailer focuses on Charlize Theron's evil queen and her obsession with youth and the lengths she'll go to to stay beautiful - like sucking the life out of pretty young things. When she looks to confirmation from the fanciful Mirror, Mirror (an amazing effect in itself) that she's the fairest of them all, it tells her that Snow White (Stewart) is about to take her place. We meet the young woman in brief spurts - mostly as she runs for life through the forest to escape the queen's plot to kill her and eat her heart. Chris Hemsworth appears as the huntsman who's hired to find Snow White, and the prince (Sam Claflin) pops up briefly as well.

Though I'm dying to see more of Stewart in the armor we've seen her clad in for the film, I couldn't be more excited about this trailer. The action and drama are super heightened, right down to the tense music playing over Theron's creepy voiceover and the dark visuals. I can't wait to see more, particularly any dialogue from Stewart, but watch this first trailer after the jump.

Robert Pattinson Teams Up With Cosmopolis's David Cronenberg For Voice Work

Katie Henry — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:50:58 PDT

Robert Pattinson exited a Toronto sound studio on Wednesday following a voice-over session with his Cosmopolis director, David Cronenberg. Despite wrapping the film about two months ago, it seems there is still some postproduction work for Robert and David to do. Rob's trip up north was short. Just 48 hours after touching down, Rob was spotted leaving Toronto late last night. It seems the only studio work Rob's busy with is for the big screen. Despite rumors the Twilight actor would record new music, Rob's rep denied reports he's making an album.

Announcing the 2011 Primetime Emmy Award Winners!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:03:25 PDT

The Emmy Awards have wrapped and this year there were a few repeat winners, as well as some surprises. Mad Men took home the Emmy for best drama for the fourth consecutive year, while Modern Family picked up its second win for best comedy series. The ABC comedy dominated a lot of the evening's other categories, with Julie Bowen and Ty Burell taking home taking home matching Emmys for for best supporting actress and actor. Kyle Chandler was a pleasant surprise winner of the evening, himself admitting he did not expect to win during his acceptance speech for best actor in a drama for his role in Friday Night Lights.

Host Jane Lynch opened the show with a funny musical opener, but it was the Lonely Island boys and a slew of comedians that helped provide the funnier moments of the evening with spoofs and performances. The nominees for the best actress also garnered a lot of laughs, taking to the stage as soon as their names were announced and literally crowning winner Melissa McCarthy. For a complete list of the night's other winners, just read more

Buzz Blabber: Hunger Games Teaser Disappoints

BuzzSugar — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 03:05:00 PDT

A lot of famous musicians took to the MTV VMA stage this week, but it was the teaser trailer for The Hunger Games that aired during the show that got you guys talking. You guys also had a lot to say about the legion of mini me Britney Spears dancers that participated in the Vanguard award tribute to the pop star, as well as the latest episode of True Blood, which ran during the same night as the VMAs. Check out what readers had to say about about each topic.

The Hunger Games teaser trailer left you hungry for more

"I feel like this teaser accomplished what the pictorial in Entertainment Weekly with her in costume meant to. I believe her as Katniss now, but I wanted more from a teaser trailer. Have you SEEN what Chris Nolan did with the most recent Batman teaser? So much crammed into those few seconds without giving anything away!" - yeokr
"Good teaser, but like everyone else, I wish it had been longer or had more content. Maybe there could have been other character voiceovers instead of just Gale's to increase the intensity of the situation." - larisa5656
"Jennifer is definitely growing on me as Katniss. But yeah, this teaser was exactly that, a teaser. Really didn't give any of us anything to go on other than footage of trees and a person running through the forest." - alyssaaa

Find out what else got you talking when you

"That was awesome. I loved the Britney impersonators. It just goes to remind you of all of Britney's memorable moments. She's really a VMA staple - and she's not even 30!" -genesisrocks
"I loved it! The remixes are great, the costumes are nice memories, loved the dancing." - French Kiss
"Wow, weird but cool!" - littlemunchkin

True Blood fans weigh in on who Sookie will choose

"I for one enjoyed Eric and Sookie's little tête-à-tête on the couch. I don't think she'll be with either of them at the end of the season and am looking forward to seeing how that relationship progresses next season. Lots of angst I am sure." - Bethany0403
"I have enjoyed the nice soft side of Eric and totally understand Sookie's attraction, but I have a strong feeling that relationship will end. I think she will not be with either of them but still fighting the temptation of both since she is connected to both of them through the exchange of blood. I feel like Alcide and Sookie's broken hearts will get it on." - care0531
"I was so happy to have my old Eric back. While I loved his venerable side, I love my bad ass best. Am I the only one on the planet who can recognize the fact that Alcide is simply muscle in a robotic body who is a mediocre character at best? Was not sorry to see Tommy go. He would never have gotten over the fact that he killed his mother. Russell will be back next season at the latest, I want Steve Newlin back; he was such a hoot. Of course Sookie will, in the end, choose Bill. She can't handle a healthy relationship, and while Alan Ball keeps harping surprises at us he is totally predictable where Sookie and Bill are concerned." - asfandancer

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate