1.
A. G. Hopkins
–
Antony Tony Gerald Hopkins, FBA, a British economic historian, specialising in African history, European imperialism and the history of globalisation. He is Emeritus Smuts Professor of Commonwealth History at the University of Cambridge, anthony Gerald Hopkins was born on 21 February 1938, the son of George Henry Hopkins and his wife, Queenie Ethel née Knight. Following schooling at St Pauls School between 1953 and 1957, he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in History at the University of London and he then completed a PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies, with a thesis entitled An Economic History of Lagos, 1880–1914. He received honorary doctorates from the University of Stirling in 1996 and he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1996. In 2011, former students and colleagues presented him with a book of essays, edited by Toyin Falola and Emily Brownell, entitled Africa, Empire and Globalization, Hopkins is known for his extensive work on the history of Africa, empires, and globalisation. He has been an editor of both the Journal of African History and the Economic History Review and he is currently completing a study of the United States written from the perspective of imperial history. A. G. Hopkins, An Economic History of West Africa, P. J. Cain and A. G. Hopkins, British Imperialism, 1688-2000. A. G. Hopkins, ed. Globalization in World History, Global History, Interactions Between the Universal and the Local. ‘Macmillan’s Audit of Empire, 1957’, in Peter Clarke and Clive Trebilcock, understanding Decline, Perceptions and Realities, Essays in Honour of Barry Supple, pp. 234–60. ‘The Theory and Practice of Imperialism’, in Raymond E. Dumett, ed. Gentlemanly Capitalism and British Imperialism, ‘Development and the Utopian Ideal, 1960-1999’, in Robin Winks and Alaine Low, eds. The Oxford History of the British Empire, Vol.5, back to the Future, From National History to Imperial History, Past and Present,164, pp. 198–243. ‘Quasi-States, Weak States and the Partition of Africa’, Review of International Studies, Vol.26, No. ‘Asante and the Historians, Transition and Partition on the Gold Coast’, in Roy Bridges, ed. Imperialism, Decolonisation and Africa, Historical Essays in Honour of John Hargreaves, pp. 25–64. ‘The Peculiarities of British Capitalism, Imperialism and World Development’, in Shigeru Akita, ed. Gentlemanly Capitalism, Imperialism, ‘Gentlemanly Capitalism in New Zealand’, Australian Economic History Review,2003, pp. 289–99. ‘Towards a Cosmopolitan History of Imperialism’, in Olivier Petre-Grenouilleau, From Slave Trade to Empire, Europe, ‘Making Poverty History’, International Journal of African Historical Studies,38, pp. 513–31. ‘Crooked Like a Stick in Water, A Fractured Autobiography’, in Wm. Roger Louis, ed. Burnt Orange Britannia, ‘The “Victory Strategy”, Grand Bargain or Grand Illusion. ’, Current History,105, pp. 14-19. ‘Capitalism, Nationalism and the New American Empire, Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, Vol.35, ‘Comparing British and American Empires’, Journal of Global History,2, pp. Rethinking Decolonization, Past and Present,200, pp. 211–47, explorers’ Tales, Stanley Presumes – Again, Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, Vol.36, No
A. G. Hopkins
–
A. G. Hopkins, Cambridge 2013
2.
Order of the British Empire
–
There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. Recommendations for appointments to the Order of the British Empire were at first made on the nomination of the United Kingdom, the self-governing Dominions of the Empire, nominations continue today from Commonwealth countries that participate in recommending British honours. Most members are citizens of the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth realms that use the Imperial system of honours and awards. Honorary knighthoods are appointed to citizens of nations where the Queen is not head of state, occasionally, honorary appointees are, incorrectly, referred to as Sir or Dame – Bill Gates or Bob Geldof, for example. In particular, King George V wished to create an Order to honour many thousands of those who had served in a variety of non-combatant roles during the First World War, when first established, the Order had only one division. However, in 1918, soon after its foundation, it was divided into Military. The Orders motto is For God and the Empire, at the foundation of the Order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. In 1922, this was renamed the British Empire Medal, in addition, the BEM is awarded by the Cook Islands and by some other Commonwealth nations. The British monarch is Sovereign of the Order, and appoints all members of the Order. The next most senior member is the Grand Master, of whom there have been three, Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales, Queen Mary, and the current Grand Master, the Duke of Edinburgh. The Order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross,845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the number of members of the fourth and fifth classes. Foreign recipients, as members, do not contribute to the numbers restricted to the Order as full members do. Though men can be knighted separately from an order of chivalry, women cannot, and so the rank of Knight/Dame Commander of the Order is the lowest rank of damehood, and second-lowest of knighthood. Because of this, Dame Commander is awarded in circumstances in which a man would be created a Knight Bachelor, for example, by convention, female judges of the High Court of Justice are created Dames Commander after appointment, while male judges become Knights Bachelor. The Order has six officials, the Prelate, the Dean, the Secretary, the Registrar, the King of Arms, the Bishop of London, a senior bishop in the Church of England, serves as the Orders Prelate. The Dean of St Pauls is ex officio the Dean of the Order, the Orders King of Arms is not a member of the College of Arms, as are many other heraldic officers. From time to time, individuals are appointed to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of the junior post-nominal letters
Order of the British Empire
–
Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
–
MBE as awarded in 1918
Order of the British Empire
–
Close up of an MBE from 1945 showing the "For God and the Empire"
Order of the British Empire
–
Lieutenant General Sir
Robert Fulton, KBE
3.
2010 Toronto International Film Festival
–
The 35th annual Toronto International Film Festival, was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 9 and September 19,2010. The opening night gala presented Score, A Hockey Musical, a Canadian comedy-drama musical film, last Night closed the festival on September 19. 2010 TIFF included 258 feature films, down from 264 in 2009, however, the number of short films at the 2010 festival increased to 81, making the total number of films 339, five more than in 2009. Of the feature films, TIFF claims that 112 are world premieres,24 are international premieres, and 98 are North American premieres
2010 Toronto International Film Festival
–
Festival poster
2010 Toronto International Film Festival
–
The
TIFF Bell Lightbox had its formal opening on September 12, 2010, during the festival. This shot was taken the day before the opening.
2010 Toronto International Film Festival
–
Score: A Hockey Musical by
Michael McGowan
4.
Port Talbot
–
Port Talbot is a town in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 37,276 in 2011 and it is best known as the home of the Port Talbot Steelworks, one of biggest steelworks in the world, which currently employs an estimated 10% of the towns population. The steelworks has for years been under threat of closure. Modern Port Talbot is a formed from the merging of multiple villages, including Baglan, Margam. The name Port Talbot first appears in 1837 as the name of the new docks built on the south east side of the river Afan by the Talbot family, over time it came to be applied to the whole of the emerging conurbation. The earliest evidence of humans in the Port Talbot area has found on the side of Mynydd Margam where Bronze Age farming ditches can be found from 4,000 BC. There were Iron Age hill forts on Mynydd Dinas, Mynydd Margam, Mynydd Emroch, Mynydd Hawdef contains remains of an ancient Iron Age village. The Margam deer herd was first introduced by the Romans, ffynnon Pedr is a sacred spring or well which flows from the hillside through a stone culvert 0. 4m square in Margam. It is possibly the water supply for Margam Abbey 0.75 km to the East, a historic battle is alleged to have took place in PANT-Y-CAE on MYNYDD BROMBIL. The Site of the battle is marked on the first, second, the Cross of Brancuf an early Christian Sculptured Stone which stands in the church of St Catherine at Baglan. It is an intricately sculptured cross-slab with a Latin cross and an inscription recalling Brancuf, originally it stood in the old St Baglans church but that fell into ruin in the late 19th century and the slab was removed to St Catherines. St Baglan, son of King Ithael Hoel of Brittany, was a 6th-century hermit and he founded the first church at the town that now takes his name. In the vestry of St Catherines church a cross-slab dating from the 8th-10th century CE and it is intricately decorated with a Celtic-style cross formed out of knotwork and interlacing, the ends of each arm are probably of a Latin design. Also there is a Latin inscription, FECIT BRANCUF or perhaps BRANCU which when translated reads was made by Brancuf, however, the person known as Brancuf is unknown. The English antiquarian John Leland made a journey through Wales c. 1536-39 of which he recorded an itinerary. He passed through Aberafan, which he describes as a village surrounded by barren ground, though he also describes the area as heavily wooded. He mentions the use of the mouth as a port. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan became industrialised following the establishment of a copperworks in 1770
Port Talbot
–
The A48 road near the centre of Port Talbot
Port Talbot
–
Margam Castle, not far from
Margam Abbey
Port Talbot
–
Water vapour rises in front of the
blast furnaces at
Port Talbot Steelworks
5.
Glamorgan
–
Glamorgan or, sometimes, Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties of Wales and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally a medieval petty kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three preserved counties of Mid Glamorgan, South Glamorgan and West Glamorgan, the name also survives in that of Vale of Glamorgan, a county borough. After falling under English rule in the 16th century, Glamorgan became a more stable county, the county of Glamorgan comprised several distinct regions, the industrial valleys, the agricultural Vale of Glamorgan, and the scenic Gower Peninsula. The county was bounded to the north by Brecknockshire, east by Monmouthshire, south by the Bristol Channel and its total area was 2,100 km2, and the total population of the three preserved counties of Glamorgan in 1991 was 1,288,309. From 1974 Glamorgan contained two cities, Cardiff, the county town and from 1955 the capital city of Wales, the highest point in the county is Craig y Llyn which is situated near the village of Rhigos in the Cynon Valley. Glamorgans terrain has been inhabited by humankind for over 200,000 years, climate fluctuation caused the formation, disappearance, and reformation of glaciers which, in turn, caused sea levels to rise and fall. At various times life has flourished, at others the area is likely to have been completely uninhabitable, evidence of the presence of Neanderthals has been discovered on the Gower Peninsula. Whether they remained in the area during periods of cold is unclear. Sea levels have been 150 metres lower and 8 metres higher than at present, archaeological evidence shows that humans settled in the area during an interstadial period. The oldest known burial in Great Britain – the Red Lady of Paviland – was discovered in a coastal cave between Port Eynon and Rhossili, on the Gower Peninsula. The lady has been dated to c.29,000 years before present – during the Late Pleistocene – at which time the cave overlooked an area of plain. From the end of the last ice age Mesolithic hunter-gatherers began to migrate to the British Peninsula – through Doggerland – from the European mainland. Human lifestyles in North-West Europe changed around 6000 BP, from the Mesolithic nomadic lives of hunting and gathering, to the Neolithic agrarian life of agriculture and they cleared the forests to establish pasture and to cultivate the land and developed new technologies such as ceramics and textile production. A tradition of long construction began in continental Europe during the 7th millennium BP – the free standing megalithic structures supporting a sloping capstone. Nineteen Neolithic chambered tombs and five possible henges have been identified in Glamorgan, two major groups of Neolithic architectural traditions are represented in the area, portal dolmens, and Severn-Cotswold chamber tombs, as well as tombs that do not fall easily into either group. Such massive constructions would have needed a large labour force – up to 200 men – suggestive of large communities nearby, archaeological evidence from some Neolithic sites has shown the continued use of cromlechi in the Bronze Age. The Bronze Age – defined by the use of metal – has made an impression on the area
Glamorgan
–
Parc Cwm long cairn a
Neolithic chambered tomb on the
Gower Peninsula
Glamorgan
–
Ancient extent of Glamorgan
Glamorgan
–
St Lythans burial chamber a
Neolithic portal dolmen in the
Vale of Glamorgan
Glamorgan
–
Tribes of Wales at the time of the Roman invasion (The modern border with England is also shown)
6.
Malibu, California
–
Malibu is a beach city in Los Angeles County, California, situated 30 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles. Known for its Mediterranean climate, a 21-mile strip of the Malibu coast incorporated in 1991 into the City of Malibu, the area is known for being the home of Hollywood movie stars, people in the entertainment industry, and other affluent residents. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,645, signs around the city proclaim 27 miles of scenic beauty, referring to the historical 27-mile Malibu coast spanning from Tuna Canyon west to Point Mugu in Ventura County. Most Malibu residents live within a few hundred yards of Pacific Coast Highway, for many residents of the unincorporated canyon areas, Malibu has the closest commercial centers and are included in the Malibu zip codes. The city is bounded by Topanga to the east, the Santa Monica Mountains to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the south. Nicknamed the Bu by surfers and locals, beaches along the Malibu coast include Surfrider Beach, Zuma Beach, Malibu Beach, Topanga Beach, Point Dume Beach, County Line and they named it Humaliwo or the surf sounds loudly. The citys name derives from this, as the Hu syllable is not stressed, explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo is believed to have moored at Malibu Lagoon, at the mouth of Malibu Creek, to obtain fresh water in 1542. The Spanish presence returned with the California mission system, and the area was part of Rancho Topanga Malibu Sequit—a 13 and that ranch passed intact to Frederick Hastings Rindge in 1891. Few roads even entered the area before 1929, when the state won another court case, by then May Rindge was forced to subdivide her property and begin selling and leasing lots. In 1926, in an effort to selling land to stave off insolvency. At its height, Malibu Potteries employed over 100 workers, and produced decorative tiles which furnish many Los Angeles-area public buildings, the factory, located one-half mile east of the pier, was ravaged by a fire in 1931. Although the factory reopened in 1932, it could not recover from the effects of the Great Depression. A distinct hybrid of Moorish and Arts and crafts designs, Malibu tile is considered highly collectible. Fine examples of the tiles may be seen at the Adamson House and Serra Retreat, the unfinished building was sold to the Franciscan Order in 1942 and is operated as a retreat facility, Serra Retreat. It burned in the 1970 fire and was using many of the original tiles. Most of the Big Rock Drive area was purchased in 1936 by William Randolph Hearst and he sold the lower half of his holdings there in 1944 to Art Jones. Jones was one of the prominent early realtors in Malibu, starting with the leases of Rindge land in Malibu Colony. He was also the owner/part-owner of the Malibu Inn, Malibu Trading Post, mcAnany Way is named after him
Malibu, California
–
Aerial view of Downtown Malibu and surrounding neighborhoods
Malibu, California
–
Seal
Malibu, California
–
Sign proclaiming "27 miles of scenic beauty", referring to Malibu's original length before the city was incorporated in 1991
Malibu, California
–
Dawn in the
Santa Monica Mountains
7.
Welsh people
–
The Welsh people or the Welsh are a nation and ethnic group native to, or otherwise associated with, Wales and the Welsh language. Prior to the 20th century, large numbers of Welsh people spoke only Welsh, the term Welsh people applies to people from Wales and people of Welsh ancestry perceiving themselves or being perceived as sharing a cultural heritage and shared ancestral origins. Over 300,000 Welsh people live in London, the same etymological origin is shared by the names of various other Celtic or Latin peoples such as the Walloons and the Vlachs, as well as of the Swiss canton of Valais. The modern Welsh name for themselves is Cymry, and Cymru is the Welsh name for Wales and these words are descended from the Brythonic word combrogi, meaning fellow-countrymen. They thus carry a sense of land of fellow-countrymen, our country, the word came into use as a self-description probably before the 7th century. It is attested in a poem to Cadwallon ap Cadfan c. 633. Thereafter Cymry prevailed as a reference to the Welsh, until c.1560 the word was spelt Kymry or Cymry, regardless of whether it referred to the people or their homeland. During their time in Britain, the ancient Romans encountered tribes in present-day Wales that they called the Ordovices, the Demetae, the Silures and the Deceangli. The people of what is now Wales were not distinguished from the rest of the peoples of southern Britain, all were called Britons and spoke the common British language, a Brythonic Celtic tongue. Celtic language and culture seems to have arrived in Britain during the Iron Age, the claim has also been made that Indo-European languages may have been introduced to the British Isles as early as the early Neolithic, with Goidelic and Brythonic languages developing indigenously. The genetic evidence in this case would show that the change to Celtic languages in Britain may have occurred as a cultural rather than through migration as was previously supposed. The assumed genetic imprint of Neolithic incomers is seen as a cline, with stronger Neolithic representation in the east of Europe, when the Roman legions departed Britain around 400, a Romano-British culture remained in the areas the Romans had settled, and the pre-Roman cultures in others. According to Stephen Oppenheimer 96% of lineages in Llangefni in north Wales derive from Iberia, Genetic marker R1b averages from 83–89% amongst the Welsh. The people in what is now Wales continued to speak Brythonic languages with additions from Latin, the surviving poem Y Gododdin is in early Welsh and refers to the Brythonic kingdom of Gododdin with a capital at Din Eidyn and extending from the area of Stirling to the Tyne. John Davies places the change from Brythonic to Welsh between 400 and 700, offas Dyke was erected in the mid-8th century, forming a barrier between Wales and Mercia. The genetic tests suggested that between 50% and 100% of the population of what was to become England was wiped out. In 2001, research for a BBC programme on the Vikings suggested a strong link between the Celts and Basques, dating back tens of thousands of years. The UCL research suggested a migration on a huge scale during the Anglo-Saxon period and it appears England is made up of an ethnic cleansing event from people coming across from the continent after the Romans left, said Dr Mark Thomas, of the Centre for Genetic Anthropology at UCL
Welsh people
–
William Morgan
Welsh people
–
Sculpture of
Owain Glyndŵr, the last native Welsh person to hold the title
Prince of Wales.
8.
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
–
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school in London, England. It is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, RADA is an affiliate school of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama. Its higher education awards are validated by Kings College London and its students graduate alongside members of the departments which form the Kings Faculty of Arts & Humanities and it is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senate House complex of the University of London. Undergraduate students are eligible for government student loan through the Conservatoire for Dance, RADA also has a significant scholarships and bursaries scheme, offering financial assistance to many students at the Academy. The current director of the academy is Edward Kemp, the president is Sir Kenneth Branagh, the chairman is Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen and its vice-chairman was Alan Rickman until his death in 2016. RADA was founded in 1904 by Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, an actor manager, in 1905, RADA moved to 52 Gower Street, and a managing council was set up to oversee the school. Its members included George Bernard Shaw, who donated his royalties from his play Pygmalion to RADA. In 1920, RADA was granted a Royal Charter, and in 1921, the Prince of Wales opened the theatre. The Gower Street buildings were torn down in 1927, and replaced with a new building, financed by George Bernard Shaw, in 1923, John Gielgud studied at RADA for a year. He later became President of the academy, and its first honorary fellow, a number of famous actors took on leading roles at RADA, such as Richard Attenborough, Oliver Neville, Nicholas Barter, and Alan Rickman. Other 1924 saw RADAs first government subsidy, a grant of £500, in 2001, RADA joined forces with the London Contemporary dance School to create the UKs first Conservatoire for Dance and Drama. The Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance joined this Conservatoire in 2005, in 2000 the Academy founded RADA Enterprises Ltd, which includes RADA in Business, providing training in communications and teambuilding that uses drama training techniques in a business context. The profits are fed back into the Academy to fund students training, RADA is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London. The main RADA building is on Gower Street, with a second premises nearby in Chenies Street, the Goodge Street and Euston Square underground stations are both within walking distance. RADA has five theatres and a cinema, there is also a 150-seat cinema. In January 2012, RADA acquired the lease to the adjacent Drill Hall venue in Chenies Street, the Drill Hall is a Grade II listed building with a long performing arts history, and was where Nijinsky rehearsed with Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes in 1911. This venue has a 200-seat space, the Studio Theatre, and a 50-seat space, the RADA library contains around 30,000 items. The collection was started in 1904 with donations from actors and writers of the such as Sir Squire Bancroft, William Archer, Arthur Wing Pinero
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
–
The main entrance to RADA on Gower Street
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
–
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
–
George Bernard Shaw, who donated the royalties from his play
Pygmalion to RADA in 1912.
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
–
The RADA building at 18 Chenies Street
9.
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
–
There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. Recommendations for appointments to the Order of the British Empire were at first made on the nomination of the United Kingdom, the self-governing Dominions of the Empire, nominations continue today from Commonwealth countries that participate in recommending British honours. Most members are citizens of the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth realms that use the Imperial system of honours and awards. Honorary knighthoods are appointed to citizens of nations where the Queen is not head of state, occasionally, honorary appointees are, incorrectly, referred to as Sir or Dame – Bill Gates or Bob Geldof, for example. In particular, King George V wished to create an Order to honour many thousands of those who had served in a variety of non-combatant roles during the First World War, when first established, the Order had only one division. However, in 1918, soon after its foundation, it was divided into Military. The Orders motto is For God and the Empire, at the foundation of the Order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. In 1922, this was renamed the British Empire Medal, in addition, the BEM is awarded by the Cook Islands and by some other Commonwealth nations. The British monarch is Sovereign of the Order, and appoints all members of the Order. The next most senior member is the Grand Master, of whom there have been three, Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales, Queen Mary, and the current Grand Master, the Duke of Edinburgh. The Order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross,845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the number of members of the fourth and fifth classes. Foreign recipients, as members, do not contribute to the numbers restricted to the Order as full members do. Though men can be knighted separately from an order of chivalry, women cannot, and so the rank of Knight/Dame Commander of the Order is the lowest rank of damehood, and second-lowest of knighthood. Because of this, Dame Commander is awarded in circumstances in which a man would be created a Knight Bachelor, for example, by convention, female judges of the High Court of Justice are created Dames Commander after appointment, while male judges become Knights Bachelor. The Order has six officials, the Prelate, the Dean, the Secretary, the Registrar, the King of Arms, the Bishop of London, a senior bishop in the Church of England, serves as the Orders Prelate. The Dean of St Pauls is ex officio the Dean of the Order, the Orders King of Arms is not a member of the College of Arms, as are many other heraldic officers. From time to time, individuals are appointed to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of the junior post-nominal letters
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
–
Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
–
MBE as awarded in 1918
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
–
Close up of an MBE from 1945 showing the "For God and the Empire"
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
–
Lieutenant General Sir
Robert Fulton, KBE
10.
Laurence Olivier
–
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM, was an English actor who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, dominated the British stage of the mid-20th century. He also worked in films throughout his career, playing more than fifty cinema roles, late in his career, he had considerable success in television roles. His family had no connections, but Oliviers father, a clergyman. After attending a school in London, Olivier learned his craft in a succession of acting jobs during the late 1920s. In 1930 he had his first important West End success in Noël Cowards Private Lives, in 1935 he played in a celebrated production of Romeo and Juliet alongside Gielgud and Peggy Ashcroft, and by the end of the decade he was an established star. In the 1940s, together with Richardson and John Burrell, Olivier was the co-director of the Old Vic, there his most celebrated roles included Shakespeares Richard III and Sophocless Oedipus. From 1963 to 1973 he was the director of Britains National Theatre. His own parts there included the role in Othello and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. Among Oliviers films are Wuthering Heights, Rebecca, and a trilogy of Shakespeare films as actor-director, Henry V, Hamlet and his later films included Sleuth, Marathon Man, and The Boys from Brazil. His television appearances included an adaptation of The Moon and Sixpence, Long Days Journey into Night, Love Among the Ruins, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Brideshead Revisited, Oliviers honours included a knighthood, a life peerage and the Order of Merit. For his on-screen work he received four Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, five Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. The National Theatres largest auditorium is named in his honour, and he is commemorated in the Laurence Olivier Awards, given annually by the Society of London Theatre. He was married three times, to the actresses Jill Esmond from 1930 to 1940, Vivien Leigh from 1940 to 1960, Olivier was born in Dorking, Surrey, the youngest of the three children of the Revd Gerard Kerr Olivier and his wife Agnes Louise, née Crookenden. Their elder children were Sybille and Gerard Dacres Dickie and his great-great-grandfather was of French Huguenot descent, and Olivier came from a long line of Protestant clergymen. Gerard Olivier had begun a career as a schoolmaster, but in his thirties he discovered a strong religious vocation and was ordained as a priest of the Church of England and he practised extremely high church, ritualist Anglicanism and liked to be addressed as Father Olivier. This made him unacceptable to most Anglican congregations, and the church posts he was offered were temporary. This meant a nomadic existence, and for Laurences first few years, in 1912, when Olivier was five, his father secured a permanent appointment as assistant priest at St Saviours, Pimlico. He held the post for six years, and a family life was at last possible
Laurence Olivier
–
Olivier in 1973
Laurence Olivier
–
Interior of
All Saints, Margaret Street
Laurence Olivier
–
Peggy Ashcroft, a contemporary and friend of Olivier's at the
Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, photographed in 1936
Laurence Olivier
–
Olivier, with his first wife
Jill Esmond (left), in 1932
11.
Royal National Theatre
–
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdoms three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. Internationally, it is known as the National Theatre of Great Britain, from its foundation in 1963 until 1976, the company was based at the Old Vic theatre in Waterloo. The current building is located next to the Thames in the South Bank area of central London, in addition to performances at the National Theatre building, the National Theatre company tours productions at theatres across the United Kingdom. Since 1988, the theatre has been permitted to call itself the Royal National Theatre, the theatre presents a varied programme, including Shakespeare and other international classic drama, and new plays by contemporary playwrights. Each auditorium in the theatre can run up to three shows in repertoire, thus widening the number of plays which can be put on during any one season. In June 2009, the theatre began National Theatre Live, a programme of simulcasts of live productions to cinemas, first in the United Kingdom, the programme began with a production of Phèdre, starring Helen Mirren, which was screened live in 70 cinemas across the UK. NT Live productions have since been broadcast to over 1,000 venues in 35 countries around the world, the NT had an annual turnover of approximately £87 million in 2012–13, of which earned income made up 80%. Support from Arts Council England provided 20% of income, and the remaining 7% came from a mixture of companies, individuals, trusts, in 1847, a critic using the pseudonym Dramaticus published a pamphlet describing the parlous state of British theatre. Production of serious plays was restricted to the patent theatres, at the same time, there was a burgeoning theatre sector featuring a diet of low melodrama and musical burlesque, but critics described British theatre as driven by commercialism and a star system. There was a demand to commemorate serious theatre, with the Shakespeare Committee purchasing the playwrights birthplace for the nation demonstrating a recognition of the importance of serious drama, the following year saw more pamphlets on a demand for a National Theatre from London publisher Effingham William Wilson. The situation continued, with a renewed call every decade for a National Theatre, attention was aroused in 1879 when the Comédie-Française took a residency at the Gaiety Theatre, described in The Times as representing the highest aristocracy of the theatre. This still left the capital without a national theatre and this work was interrupted by World War I. The play was part of the campaign to build a National Theatre. Still, the Government tried to apply unacceptable conditions to save money, attempting to force the amalgamation of the publicly supported companies. In July 1962, with agreements reached, a board was set up to supervise construction. The National Theatre Company opened on 22 October 1963 with Hamlet, the current building was designed by architects Sir Denys Lasdun and Peter Softley and structural engineers Flint & Neill and contains three stages, which opened individually between 1976 and 1977. The construction work was carried out by Sir Robert McAlpine, the Company was to remain at the Old Vic until 1977, when construction of the Olivier was complete. The National Theatre building houses three separate auditoria, additionally, a temporary structure was added in April 2013 and closed in May 2016
Royal National Theatre
–
The National Theatre from Waterloo Bridge
Royal National Theatre
–
Denys Lasdun's building for the National Theatre – an "urban landscape" of interlocking terraces responding to the site at King's Reach on the River Thames to exploit views of
St Paul's Cathedral and
Somerset House.
Royal National Theatre
–
Laurence Olivier was the first artistic director of the Royal National Theatre, in 1963. Shown in a photograph by
Carl Van Vechten, 1939
Royal National Theatre
–
Facing east; towards the
City of London, from
Waterloo Bridge. Showing
St. Paul's, and other major City buildings – to the right, the illuminated National Theatre.
12.
The Lion in Winter (1968 film)
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The Lion in Winter is a 1968 historical drama film based on the Broadway play by James Goldman. It was directed by Anthony Harvey and produced by Joseph E. Levine and Martin Poll from Goldmans adaptation of his own play, The Lion in Winter. The film stars Peter OToole, Katharine Hepburn, John Castle, Anthony Hopkins as Richard the Lionheart, Jane Merrow and, in appearances, Timothy Dalton. The film was a success and won three Academy Awards, including one for Hepburn as Best Actress. There was a remake in 2003. The Lion in Winter is set during Christmas 1183, at King Henry IIs château and primary residence in Chinon, Anjou, as a ruse, Henry agrees to give Alais to Richard and make him heir-apparent. He makes a deal with Eleanor for her freedom in return for Aquitaine. When the deal is revealed at the wedding, Richard refuses to go through with the ceremony, after Richard leaves, Eleanor masochistically asks Henry to kiss Alais in front of her, and then looks on in horror as they perform a mock marriage ceremony. Having believed Henrys intentions, John, at the direction of middle brother, Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany, Henry and Phillip meet to discuss terms, but Henry soon learns that Phillip has been plotting with John and Geoffrey, and that he and Richard were once lovers. Henry dismisses all three sons as unsuitable, and locks them in a cellar, telling Alais, the royal boys are aging with the royal port. Henry sees that she is right and condemns them to death and he and Eleanor go back to hoping for the future, with Eleanor going back on the barge to prison, laughing it off with Henry before she leaves. Though the background and the destinies of the characters are historically accurate, The Lion in Winter is fictional. There was a Christmas court at Caen in 1182 but there was no Christmas court at Chinon in 1183, in reality, Henry had many mistresses and many illegitimate children, the Rosamund mentioned in the film was his mistress until she died. The article on the Revolt of 1173–1174 describes the events leading to the plays events. There was also a rebellion, when Young Henry and Geoffrey revolted in 1183. Geoffrey died in 1186 in a tournament held in Paris. A third rebellion against Henry by Richard and Philip in 1189 was finally successful, and a decisively defeated Henry retreated to Chinon in Anjou, Richard scored considerable victories against his Muslim counterpart, Saladin, although he did not succeed in retaking Jerusalem. John finally succeeded Richard in 1199 after Richards death, during his unsuccessful reign he lost most of his fathers holdings in Northern France and angered the barons by his excessive taxation and disrespect towards them
The Lion in Winter (1968 film)
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Theatrical release poster
The Lion in Winter (1968 film)
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Katharine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquitaine.
13.
Richard the Lionheart
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Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes and he was the third of five sons of King Henry II of England and Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine. He was known as Richard Cœur de Lion or Richard the Lionheart because of his reputation as a military leader. He was also known in Occitan as Oc e No, because of his reputation for terseness, by the age of 16, Richard had taken command of his own army, putting down rebellions in Poitou against his father. Richard spoke both French and Occitan and he was born in England, where he spent his childhood, before becoming king, however, he lived most of his adult life in the Duchy of Aquitaine, in the southwest of France. Following his accession, he spent very little time, perhaps as little as six months, most of his life as king was spent on Crusade, in captivity, or actively defending his lands in France. Rather than regarding his kingdom as a responsibility requiring his presence as ruler, nevertheless, he was seen as a pious hero by his subjects. He remains one of the few kings of England remembered by his epithet, rather than regnal number, Richard was born on 8 September 1157, probably at Beaumont Palace, in Oxford, England, son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He was a brother of Count William IX of Poitiers, Henry the Young King. As the third son of King Henry II, he was not expected to ascend the throne. He was also a brother of Duke Geoffrey II of Brittany, Queen Eleanor of Castile, Queen Joan of Sicily, and Count John of Mortain. Richard was the younger maternal half-brother of Countess Marie of Champagne, the eldest son of Henry II and Eleanor, William, died in 1156, before Richards birth. Richard is often depicted as having been the son of his mother. His father was Angevin-Norman and great-grandson of William the Conqueror, contemporary historian Ralph of Diceto traced his familys lineage through Matilda of Scotland to the Anglo-Saxon kings of England and Alfred the Great, and from there linked them to Noah and Woden. According to Angevin legend, there was even infernal blood in the family, while his father visited his lands from Scotland to France, Richard probably spent his childhood in England. His first recorded visit to the European continent was in May 1165 and his wet nurse was Hodierna of St Albans, whom he gave a generous pension after he became king. Little is known about Richards education, during his captivity, English prejudice against foreigners was used in a calculated way by his brother John to help destroy the authority of Richards chancellor, William Longchamp, who was a Norman. One of the charges laid against Longchamp, by Johns supporter Hugh
Richard the Lionheart
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Effigy (c. 1199) of Richard I at
Fontevraud Abbey, Anjou
Richard the Lionheart
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King Richard I's
Great Seal of 1189
Richard the Lionheart
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Geoffrey de Rancon 's
Château de Taillebourg, the castle Richard retreated to after Henry II's forces captured 60
knights and 400 archers who fought for Richard when Saintes was captured.
Richard the Lionheart
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A silver
denier of Richard, struck in his capacity as the Count of Poitiers
14.
Hannibal Lecter
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Dr. Hannibal Lecter is a character in a series of suspense novels by Thomas Harris. Lecter was introduced in the 1981 thriller novel Red Dragon as a forensic psychiatrist, the novel and its sequel, The Silence of the Lambs, feature Lecter as one of the primary antagonists after the two serial killers in both novels. In the third novel, Hannibal, Lecter becomes a protagonist and his role as the antihero occurs in the fourth novel, Hannibal Rising, which explores his childhood and development into a serial killer. The first film adapted from the Harris novels was Manhunter which features Brian Cox as Lecter, in 1991, Anthony Hopkins won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the character in The Silence of the Lambs. He would reprise the role in Hannibal in 2001 and in an adaptation of Red Dragon made in 2002 under the original title. The NBC television series Hannibal debuted in 2013, and focuses on the development of the relationship between Lecter and Will Graham, an FBI profiler, in the series, Lecter is portrayed by Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, who won a Saturn Award for his performance. In 2003, Hannibal Lecter was chosen by the American Film Institute as the #1 movie villain, in June 2010, Entertainment Weekly named him one of the 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years. Red Dragon firmly states that Lecter does not fit any known psychological profile, in The Silence of the Lambs, Lecters keeper, Dr. Frederick Chilton, claims that Lecter is a pure sociopath. In the film adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs, protagonist Clarice Starling says of Lecter, in the novel The Silence of the Lambs, Barney Matthews, an orderly at the facility where Lecter is imprisoned, claims that the only thing Lecter fears is boredom. All media in which Lecter appears portray him as brilliant, cultured and sophisticated, with refined tastes in art, music. He is frequently depicted preparing gourmet meals from his victims flesh, the most famous example being his admission that he ate a census takers liver with some fava beans. He is well-educated and speaks several languages, including Italian, German, Russian, Polish, French, Spanish and he is deeply offended by rudeness, and frequently kills people who have bad manners. Prior to his capture and imprisonment, he was a member of Baltimore, Marylands social elite, in The Silence of the Lambs, Lecter is described through Starlings eyes, small, sleek, and in his hands and arms she saw wiry strength like her own. The novel also reveals that Lecters left hand has a condition called mid ray duplication polydactyly, in Hannibal, he performs plastic surgery on his own face on several occasions, and removes his extra digit. Lecters eyes are a shade of maroon, and reflect the light in pinpoints of red and he has small white teeth and dark, slicked-back hair with a widows peak. He also has a sense of smell, in The Silence of the Lambs. He has a memory and a fondness for the method of loci, he has constructed in his mind an elaborate memory palace with which he relives memories. In the backstory of 1981s Red Dragon, FBI profiler Will Graham interviews Lecter about one of his patients who was murdered by a serial killer, realizing that Graham is on to him, Lecter creeps up behind Will and slashes him with a linoleum knife, nearly disemboweling him
Hannibal Lecter
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Sir Anthony Hopkins, the only actor to play Lecter in multiple films.
Hannibal Lecter
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Four on-screen versions of Hannibal Lecter (clockwise from top left):
Brian Cox,
Anthony Hopkins,
Mads Mikkelsen, and
Gaspard Ulliel.
Hannibal Lecter
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Dr. Alfredo Ballí Treviño, the real-life inspiration for Lecter, according to Thomas Harris.
15.
The Silence of the Lambs (film)
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The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American horror-thriller film directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Scott Glenn. Adapted by Ted Tally from the 1988 novel of the name by Thomas Harris, his second to feature the character of Dr. In the film, Clarice Starling, a young U. S, FBI trainee, seeks the advice of the imprisoned Dr. Lecter to apprehend another serial killer, known only as Buffalo Bill. The Silence of the Lambs was released on February 14,1991 and it is also the first Best Picture winner widely considered to be a horror film, and only the third such film to be nominated in the category, after The Exorcist in 1973 and Jaws in 1975. The film is considered culturally, historically or aesthetically significant by the U. S, library of Congress and was selected to be preserved in the National Film Registry in 2011. A sequel titled Hannibal was released in 2001 with Hopkins reprising his role, FBI trainee Clarice Starling is pulled from her training at the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia by Jack Crawford of the Bureaus Behavioral Science Unit. Starling travels to the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, although initially pleasant and courteous, Lecter grows impatient with Starlings attempts at dissecting him and rebuffs her. As she is leaving, one of the prisoners flicks semen at her, Lecter, who considers this act unspeakably ugly, calls Starling back and tells her to seek out an old patient of his. This leads her to a shed where she discovers a mans severed head with a sphinx moth lodged in its throat. She returns to Lecter, who tells her that the man is linked to Buffalo Bill and he offers to profile Buffalo Bill on the condition that he be transferred away from Chilton, whom he detests. Crawford authorizes Starling to offer Lecter a fake deal promising a prison if he provides information that helps them find Buffalo Bill. Instead, Lecter demands a quid pro quo from Starling, offering clues about Buffalo Bill in exchange for personal information, Starling tells Lecter about the murder of her father when she was ten years old. Chilton secretly records the conversation and reveals Starlings deceit before offering Lecter a deal of Chiltons own making, Lecter agrees and is flown to Memphis, Tennessee, where he verbally torments Senator Ruth Martin and gives her misleading information on Buffalo Bill, including the name Louis Friend. Starling notices that Louis Friend is an anagram of iron sulfide — fools gold and she visits Lecter, who is now being held in a cage-like cell in a Tennessee courthouse, and asks for the truth. Lecter tells her all the information she needs is contained in the case file. Starling admits that she still sometimes wakes thinking she can hear lambs screaming, Lecter gives her back the case files on Buffalo Bill after their conversation is interrupted by Chilton and the police, who escort her from the building. Later that evening, Lecter kills his guards, escapes from his cell, Starling analyzes Lecters annotations to the case files and realizes that Buffalo Bill knew his first victim personally. Starling travels to the hometown and discovers that Buffalo Bill was a tailor, with dresses
The Silence of the Lambs (film)
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Theatrical release poster
16.
Academy Award for Best Actor
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The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered a performance in a leading role while working within the film industry. The 1st Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929 with Emil Jannings receiving the award for his roles in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh. Currently, nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the branch of AMPAS. In the first three years of the awards, actors were nominated as the best in their categories, at that time, all of their work during the qualifying period was listed after the award. The following year, this unwieldy and confusing system was replaced by the current system in which an actor is nominated for a performance in a single film. Starting with the 9th ceremony held in 1937, the category was officially limited to five nominations per year, since its inception, the award has been given to 79 actors. Daniel Day-Lewis has received the most awards in this category with three Oscars, spencer Tracy and Laurence Olivier were nominated on nine occasions, more than any other actor. As of the 2017 ceremony, Casey Affleck is the most recent winner in category for his role as Lee Chandler in Manchester by the Sea. In the following table, the years are listed as per Academy convention, and generally correspond to the year of release in Los Angeles County. For the first five ceremonies, the eligibility period spanned twelve months from August 1 to July 31, for the 6th ceremony held in 1934, the eligibility period lasted from August 1,1932 to December 31,1933
Academy Award for Best Actor
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Emil Jannings (center) was the first winner in this category for his roles in 1928's
The Last Command and 1927's
The Way of All Flesh.
Academy Award for Best Actor
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Warner Baxter won in 1928 for his performance in
In Old Arizona.
Academy Award for Best Actor
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George Arliss won in 1929 for his performance in
Disraeli.
Academy Award for Best Actor
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Lionel Barrymore won in 1930 for his performance in
A Free Soul.
17.
Hannibal (film)
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Hannibal is a 2001 American crime thriller film directed by Ridley Scott, adapted from the novel of the same name by Thomas Harris. It is the sequel to the 1991 Academy Award–winning film The Silence of the Lambs in which Anthony Hopkins returns to his role as the serial killer. Julianne Moore co-stars, in the role first held by Jodie Foster, the film had a difficult and occasionally troubling pre-production history. When the novel was published in 1999, The Silence of the Lambs director Jonathan Demme, screenwriter Ted Tally, after the departure of Foster and screenwriter Tally, Julianne Moore took on Fosters role while David Mamet and Steven Zaillian wrote the screenplay. Set ten years after The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal follows Starlings attempts to apprehend Lecter before his surviving victim, Mason Verger and it is set in Italy and the United States. The novel Hannibal drew attention for its violence, Hannibal broke box office records in the United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom in February 2001, but was met with a mixed critical reception. Ten years after tracking down serial killer Jame Gumb, FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling is unjustly blamed for a drug raid. She is later contacted by Mason Verger, the surviving victim of the serial killer Hannibal Lecter. A wealthy child molester, Verger was paralyzed and brutally disfigured by Lecter during a therapy session and he has been pursuing an elaborate scheme to capture, torture, and kill Lecter ever since. Using his wealth and political influence, Verger has Starling reassigned to Lecters case, after learning of Starlings public disgrace, Lecter sends her a taunting letter. Starling detects a strange fragrance from the letter, a perfume expert later identifies a skin cream whose ingredients are only available to a few shops in the world. She contacts the police departments of the cities where the shops are located, in Florence, one of said cities, Chief Inspector Rinaldo Pazzi is investigating the disappearance of a library curator. Pazzi questions Lecter, who is masquerading as Dr. Fell, upon recognizing Dr. Fell in the surveillance tape, Pazzi accesses the ViCAP database of wanted fugitives. He then learns of Vergers US$3 million personal bounty on Lecter, blinded by greed, Pazzi ignores Starlings warnings and attempts to capture Lecter alone. He recruits a pickpocket to obtain Lecters fingerprint to show Verger as proof, the pickpocket, mortally wounded by Lecter, manages to get the print and gives it to Pazzi. Lecter baits Pazzi into a room of the Palazzo Vecchio, ties him up, then disembowels. He then heads back to the United States, Verger bribes Justice Department official Paul Krendler to accuse Starling of withholding a note from Lecter, leading to her suspension. Lecter lures Starling to Union Station, Vergers men, having trailed Starling, capture and bring Lecter to Verger
Hannibal (film)
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Theatrical release poster
18.
The Mask of Zorro
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The Mask of Zorro is a 1998 American swashbuckler film based on the character of the masked outlaw Zorro created by Johnston McCulley. It was directed by Martin Campbell and stars Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Stuart Wilson. The film features the original Zorro, Don Diego de la Vega, escaping from prison to find his long-lost daughter and he is aided by his successor, who is pursuing his own vendetta against the governors right-hand man while falling in love with de la Vegas daughter. Producer Steven Spielberg had initially developed the film for TriStar Pictures with directors Mikael Salomon and Robert Rodriguez, Salomon cast Sean Connery as Don Diego de la Vega, while Rodriguez brought Banderas in the lead role. Connery dropped out and was replaced with Hopkins, and The Mask of Zorro began filming in January 1997 at Estudios Churubusco in Mexico City, the film was released in the United States on July 17,1998 to financial and critical success. The Legend of Zorro, an also starring Banderas and Zeta-Jones and directed by Campbell, was released in 2005. Don Rafael Montero, the governor of the region, learns of De La Vegas alter ego. De La Vegas wife is killed during the scuffle, Montero imprisons De La Vega and takes his infant daughter, Elena, as his own. Twenty years later Montero returns to California as a civilian, alongside Elena, Monteros reappearance motivates De La Vega to escape from prison. He encounters a thief, Alejandro Murrieta, who, as a child, De La Vega decides that fate has brought them together, and agrees to make Alejandro his protégé, grooming him to be the new Zorro. While still being trained, Alejandro steals a black stallion resembling Tornado from the local garrison, De La Vega scolds Alejandro, claiming that Zorro was a servant of the people, not a thief and adventurer. He challenges Alejandro to gain Monteros trust instead, Alejandro poses as a visiting nobleman named Don Alejandro del Castillo y García, with De La Vega as his servant, and attends a party at Monteros hacienda. At the party he gains Elenas admiration and enough of Monteros trust to be invited to a meeting where several other noblemen are present. Montero hints at a plan to retake California for the Dons by buying it from General Santa Anna, Montero takes Alejandro and the noblemen to a secret gold mine known as El Dorado, where peasants and prisoners are used for slave labor. Montero plans to buy California from Santa Anna using gold mined from Santa Annas own land, De La Vega uses this opportunity to become closer to Elena, though he identifies himself as Bernardo the servant, learning that Montero told Elena that her mother died in childbirth. While walking in a market, Elena meets the woman who was her nanny who tells Elena her parents real identity, De La Vega sends Alejandro, dressed as Zorro, to steal Monteros map leading to the gold mine. Zorro duels Montero, Love, and their guards at the hacienda, when Zorro escapes, Elena attempts to retrieve Monteros map from the swordsman, but he seduces her, leading to a passionate kiss before he flees. Terrified of Santa Annas retribution if he discovers that he is being paid with his own gold, Montero, at Loves urging, decides to destroy the mine, De La Vega tells Alejandro to release the workers on his own so that De La Vega can reclaim Elena
The Mask of Zorro
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Theatrical release poster
The Mask of Zorro
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Antonio Banderas portrayed Zorro.
The Mask of Zorro
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Robert Rodriguez (pictured) cast Antonio Banderas as Zorro before dropping out as director. He was replaced by Martin Campbell one month later.
19.
The Bounty (1984 film)
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The Bounty is a 1984 British historical drama film directed by Roger Donaldson, starring Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins, and produced by Bernard Williams with Dino De Laurentiis as executive producer. It is the film version of the story of the mutiny on the Bounty. The screenplay was by Robert Bolt and it was based on the book Captain Bligh and it was made by Dino De Laurentiis Productions and distributed by Orion Pictures Corporation and Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment. The music score was composed by Vangelis and the cinematography was by Arthur Ibbetson, the attempt to round Cape Horn fails due to harsh weather, and the ship is obliged to take the longer eastern route. During their stay in Tahiti, ship discipline becomes problematic, many of the develop a taste for the easy pleasures that island life offers. Bligh, at the time, subjects the crew to pressure. When the ship leaves Tahiti, Fletcher is forced to leave his wife, Mauatua. The resumption of naval discipline on the return voyage turns Bligh into a tyrant not willing to tolerate any disobedience whatsoever, creating an atmosphere of tension, Bligh insists that the ship is dirty and orders the crew to clean up several times a day. Many of the men, including Christian, are singled out for tongue-lashings by Bligh, playing on Christians resentment against Blighs treatment of both him and the men, the more militant members of the crew finally persuade Christian to take control of the ship. Bligh is roused from his bed and arrested, along with those loyal to him, and they are forced into a ships boat, minimally supplied. One man, however, is killed by natives as the stop for supplies on a hostile island. The mutineers sail back to Tahiti to collect their wives, girlfriends, King Tynah, however, is concerned that their presence on the island could incite King George to declare war against Tahiti and his people. Realising the folly of staying, they gather supplies and sail away to try to find a safe refuge, Christian pleads with Tynah to allow Mauatua to decide her own destiny. Tynah concedes, and Mauatua chooses the uncertainty of a life with Christian over remaining with her father, the search for a safe haven is long and seemingly impossible, as they realise that any pursuing Royal Navy vessels will search all known islands and coastlines to find them. At this point, those who remained on board the Bounty are so frustrated that they are ready to rebel against Christian to turn the back towards Tahiti. After Christian forces the crew to continue on, they eventually find Pitcairn Island, meanwhile, Fletcher Christian and his men realise that they will never go back home to Britain. Melvyn Bragg ended up writing a considerable portion of the script, Anthony Hopkins was one of two actors considered for the role of Captain Bligh by David Lean. Christopher Reeve, Sting and David Essex were considered for the role of Fletcher Christian, the role of Peter Heywood was originally intended to be played by Hugh Grant
The Bounty (1984 film)
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Theatrical release poster
20.
Meet Joe Black
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It was the second pairing of Hopkins and Pitt after their 1994 film Legends of the Fall. He begins to hear voices, which he tries with increasing difficulty to ignore. His youngest daughter, Susan, a resident in medicine, is in a relationship with one of Bills board members. She is considering marriage, but Bill can tell shes not passionately in love, when she asks for the short version of his impassioned speech, he simply says, Stay open. Susan meets a vibrant young man at a coffee shop and she is instantly enamored but fails to even get his name. Minutes after their encounter, the man is struck by cars in what appears to be a fatal motor vehicle accident. Death arrives at Bills home in the body of the young man, given Bills competence, experience, and wisdom, Death says that for as long as Bill will be his guide on Earth, Bill will not have to die. Making up a name on the spot, Death is introduced to the family as Joe Black, Bills best efforts to navigate the next few days, knowing them now to be his last, fail to keep events from going rapidly out of his control. Drew is secretly conspiring with a man bidding for Parrish Communications, Susan is confused by the appearance of Joe, believing him to be the young man from the coffee shop, but eventually falls deeply in love with him. Joe is now under the influence of human desires and becomes attracted to her as well, Bill angrily confronts him about his relationship with his daughter, but Joe declares his intention to take Susan with him for his own. As his last birthday arrives, Bill appeals to Joe to recognize the meaning of love and all it encompasses, especially honesty. Joe comes to understand that he must set aside his own desire, Bill devotes his remaining hours of life to his daughters at the party. Joe says a last goodbye to Susan, who seems to sense his true identity. As fireworks appear in the distance, Susan watches as Joe, Bill expresses trepidation, but Joe assures him that he has nothing to fear. After a few moments, Susan watches as Joe reappears alone, Death appears to have left the young mans body and departed with Bill, leaving the young man uninjured but unaware of how he got there. Susan accepts that her father is gone, and rekindles the romantic spark she had shared with the young man, the place where Susan and Joe Black first meet is Broadway Restaurant, at 2664 Broadway and West 101st Street, Manhattan. While the film had a domestic box office return of $44,619,100. Taking in an additional $98,321,000, the movie grossed a total of $142,940,100
Meet Joe Black
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Theatrical release poster
21.
The Elephant Man (film)
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The Elephant Man is a 1980 American historical drama film about Joseph Merrick, a severely deformed man in late 19th century London. The film was directed by David Lynch and stars John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Michael Elphick, Hannah Gordon and Freddie Jones. It was produced by Jonathan Sanger and Mel Brooks, the latter of whom was intentionally left uncredited to avoid confusion from audiences who possibly would have expected a comedy and it was shot in black-and-white and featured make-up work by Christopher Tucker. The Elephant Man was a critical and commercial success with eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, the film also won the BAFTA Awards for Best Film, Best Actor and Best Production Design and was nominated for Golden Globe awards. It also won a French César Award for Best Foreign Film, London Hospital surgeon Frederick Treves finds John Merrick in a Victorian freak show in Londons East End, where he is kept by a Mr. Bytes. His head is hooded, and his owner, who views him as retarded, is paid by Treves to bring him to the hospital for exams. Treves presents Merrick to his colleagues and highlights his monstrous skull, on Merrick’s return he is beaten so badly by Bytes that he has to call Treves for medical help. Treves brings him back to the hospital, John is tended to by Mrs. Mothershead, the formidable matron, as the other nurses are too frightened of Merrick. Mr. Carr-Gomm, the hospitals Governor, is against housing Merrick, to prove that Merrick can make progress, Treves trains him to say a few conversational sentences. Carr-Gomm sees through this ruse, but as he is leaving, Merrick begins to recite the 23rd Psalm, Merrick tells the doctors that he knows how to read, and has memorized the 23rd Psalm because it is his favorite. Carr-Gomm permits him to stay, and Merrick spends his time practicing conversation with Treves, Merrick has tea with Treves and his wife, and is so overwhelmed by their kindness that he shows them his mothers picture. He believes he must have been a disappointment to his mother, Merrick begins to take guests in his rooms, including the actress Madge Kendal, who introduces him to the work of Shakespeare. Merrick quickly becomes an object of curiosity to high society, Treves begins to question the morality of his actions. Meanwhile, a porter named Jim starts selling tickets to locals. However, Merrick is shortly kidnapped by Mr. Bytes during one of Jims raucous late night showings, Mr. Bytes leaves England and takes Merrick on the road as a circus attraction once again. Treves confronts Jim about what he has done, and Mrs. Mothershead fires him, Merrick escapes from Bytes with the help of his fellow freakshow attractions. Upon returning to London, he is harassed through Liverpool Street station by several young boys, Merrick is chased, unmasked, and cornered by an angry mob. He cries, I am not an elephant, policemen return Merrick to the hospital and Treves
The Elephant Man (film)
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Theatrical release poster
The Elephant Man (film)
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Cover of the original vinyl edition
22.
Magic (1978 film)
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Magic is a 1978 American psychological horror film starring Anthony Hopkins, Ann-Margret and Burgess Meredith. The film, which was directed by Richard Attenborough, is based on a screenplay by William Goldman, the score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith. Charles Corky Withers has just failed in his first attempt at professional magic and his mentor Merlin says that he needs to have a better show business gimmick. A year later, Corky comes back as a combination magician and his powerful agent Ben Greene is on the verge of signing Corky for his own television show, but Corky bails out for the Catskills, where he grew up, claiming to be afraid of success. In truth, he not want to take the TV networks required medical examination because doctors might find out that he suffers from severe issues. In the Catskills, he reunites with his crush, Peggy Ann Snow. A magic trick with a deck of cards charms Peg into thinking they are soulmates and she and Corky have sex, which sparks the jealousy not only of Peggys tough-guy husband but also the dummy Fats. Greene arrives unexpectedly, having tracked Corky down, after a tense confrontation, in which Greene discovers the truth about Corkys mental state, the agent demands that Corky get help. Fats, however, convinces Corky to kill Greene, Corky does this by using Fats hard, wooden head. He then removes all of Greenes identification and drags the corpse to the lake, when Corky tries to dispose of the body, however, Greene suddenly lunges at him, still alive. Corky, after a fight, manages to drown him. The next morning, Fats becomes even more possessive and jealous when Corky says that he plans to leave Fats behind so that he, Duke returns from his trip earlier than expected. He suspects his wife cheated on him and wants to have a talk with Corky on the lake, rather than confront him, Duke awkwardly confides to Corky that he loves Peggy and is worried about losing her. Duke suddenly spots a body on the edge of the lake. Duke, believing it could still be alive, sends Corky to get help, Duke finds that the man is indeed dead. Curious, he decides to search Corkys cabin, Fats kills him with help from Corky. An increasingly deranged Corky manages to pull together and persuade Peg to run away with him. But she insists on waiting to tell Duke face to face and she thinks everything is fine until Fats comes alive and reveals that Corkys card trick is only a ruse he uses to seduce women, and that Peg is only the latest of his conquests
Magic (1978 film)
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Theatrical release poster
23.
84 Charing Cross Road (film)
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84 Charing Cross Road is a 1987 British-American drama film directed by David Jones. The play has two characters, but the dramatis personae for the film were expanded to include Hanffs Manhattan friends. In 1949, Helene Hanff is in search of obscure classics and she notices an ad in the Saturday Review of Literature placed by antiquarian booksellers Marks & Co, located at the titular address in London. She contacts the shop, where chief buyer and manager Frank Doel fulfills her requests and their correspondence includes discussions about topics as diverse as the sermons of John Donne, how to make Yorkshire pudding, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the coronation of Elizabeth II. Hanff postpones visiting her English friends until too late, Doel dies in December 1968 and she finally visits Charing Cross Road and the vacant shop in the summer of 1971. Smith-Cameron as Ginny Connie Booth as the Lady from Delaware Tony Todd as Demolition Worker The film was shot on location in London, London settings include Buckingham Palace, Soho Square, Trafalgar Square, St Jamess, Westminster, White Hart Lane in Tottenham and suburban Richmond. Manhattan settings include Central Park, Madison Avenue, and Saint Thomas Church, interiors were filmed at Lee International Studios and Shepperton Studios in Surrey. In his review in The New York Times, Vincent Canby called it a movie guaranteed to put all teeth on edge. A movie of such unrelieved genteelness that it one long to head for Schraffts for a double-gin martini, straight up. Variety described it as a film on several counts, one of the most notable being Anne Bancrofts fantastic performance in the leading role. Brings Helene Hanff alive in all her dimensions, in the process creating one of her most memorable characterizations, roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times observed, The film is based on a hit London and New York play, which was based on a best-selling book. Given the thin and unlikely subject matter, that already is a series of miracles, and yet there are people who are pushovers for this material. I read the book and I saw the play and now I am reviewing the movie, Miss Fiske. was the librarian at the Urbana Free Library when I was growing up. She never had to talk to me about the love of books because she simply exuded it and she would have loved this movie. Sitting next to her, I suspect, I would have loved it, but Miss Fiske is gone now, and I found it pretty slow-going on my own. Gene Siskel, in his review for The Chicago Tribune, wrote and it should be irresistible to anyone able to appreciate the goodness of its spirit and its spirited characters. The film enjoyed a positive reception, and has a fresh 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In its opening weekend in the U. S. the film grossed $24,350 at one theater, the total U. S. box office was $1,083,486
84 Charing Cross Road (film)
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Theatrical release poster
24.
Legends of the Fall
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Legends of the Fall is a 1994 American epic drama film directed by Edward Zwick and starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond and Henry Thomas. The films time frame spans from World War I through the Prohibition era, the film was nominated for three Academy Awards and won for Best Cinematography. Both the film and book contain occasional Cornish language terms, the Ludlows being a Cornish emigrant family, sick of betrayals the United States government perpetrated on the Native Americans, Colonel William Ludlow leaves the army and moves to a remote part of Montana. Along with One Stab, a Cree friend, he builds a ranch, accompanying them are hired hand and outlaw Decker, Deckers wife, and daughter Isabel Two. Ludlows wife Isabel does not adapt to the harsh Montana winters and moves to the East Coast, at age 12, Tristan touches a sleeping grizzly bear. The bear awakens and injures him, but he stabs at the bears paw, years later, Samuel returns from Harvard University with his fiancée, Susannah. Susannah talks with Isabel Two and learns of her fondness for Tristan, Susannah finds Tristan captivating but loves Samuel. Before they can marry, Samuel announces his intention to join the Canadian Expeditionary Force, much to their fathers displeasure, Alfred also joins. Although Tristan does not want to join, he does so to protect his brothers, during World War I, the brothers find themselves in the 10th Battalion, CEF. Alfred, commissioned as an officer, leads a charge into no mans land, the attack results in heavy casualties, and Alfred is wounded. While visiting Alfred in the hospital, Tristan learns that Samuel has volunteered for a dangerous reconnaissance mission. He rushes off to protect his brother but arrives too late, a devastated Tristan holds Samuel until he dies, then cuts out his brothers heart and sends it home to be buried at the ranch. Tristan single-handedly raids the German lines and he returns to camp with the scalps of German soldiers hanging around his neck, horrifying his fellow soldiers. He is discharged but does not go home, Alfred returns to Montana and proposes to Susannah, but she declines. Tristan returns home, where Susannah finds him weeping over Samuels grave and she comforts him, and they become lovers. A jealous Alfred confronts Tristan and leaves to make his name in Helena, Tristan is plagued with guilt over Samuels death and feels responsible for driving Alfred away, he leaves Montana for several years. Susannah waits for him, only to receive a letter telling her to someone else. Ludlow finds them together, which leads to a falling out between him and Alfred and he does not speak for years and the ranch deteriorates
Legends of the Fall
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Theatrical release poster
25.
Thor (film)
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Thor is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is the film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film sees Thor, the prince of Asgard, banished to Earth. As his brother, Loki, plots to take the throne for himself, Thor must prove himself worthy, sam Raimi first developed the concept of a film adaptation of Thor in 1991, but soon abandoned the project, leaving it in development hell for several years. Matthew Vaughn was originally assigned to direct the film for a tentative 2010 release, however, after Vaughn was released from his holding deal in 2008, Branagh was approached and the films release was rescheduled into 2011. The main characters were cast in 2009, and principal photography took place in California, the film was converted to 3D in post-production. Thor premiered on April 17,2011, in Sydney, Australia and was released on May 6,2011, the film was a financial success and received positive reviews from film critics. The DVD and Blu-ray sets were released on September 13,2011, a sequel, Thor, The Dark World, was released on November 8,2013. A third film, Thor, Ragnarok is set to be released on November 3,2017. In 965 AD, Odin, king of Asgard, wages war against the Frost Giants of Jotunheim and their leader Laufey, to prevent them from conquering the nine realms, starting with Earth. The Asgardian warriors defeat the Frost Giants and seize the source of their power, in the present, Odins son Thor prepares to ascend to the throne of Asgard, but is interrupted when Frost Giants attempt to retrieve the Casket. Against Odins order, Thor travels to Jotunheim to confront Laufey, accompanied by his brother Loki, childhood friend Sif and the Warriors Three, Volstagg, Fandral, a battle ensues until Odin intervenes to save the Asgardians, destroying the fragile truce between the two races. Thor lands in New Mexico, where astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster, her assistant Darcy Lewis, the local populace finds Mjolnir, which S. H. I. E. L. D. Agent Phil Coulson soon commandeers before forcibly acquiring Janes data about the wormhole that delivered Thor to Earth, Thor, having discovered Mjolnirs nearby location, seeks to retrieve it from the facility that S. H. I. E. L. D. Quickly constructed but he finds himself unable to lift it, and is captured, with Selvigs help, he is freed and resigns himself to exile on Earth as he develops a romance with Jane. Loki discovers that he is actually Laufeys son, adopted by Odin after the war ended, a weary Odin falls into the deep Odinsleep to recover his strength. Loki seizes the throne in Odins stead and offers Laufey the chance to kill Odin, aware of their plan, Loki sends the Destroyer, a seemingly indestructible automaton, to pursue them and kill Thor. The warriors find Thor, but the Destroyer attacks and defeats them, struck by the Destroyer and near death, Thors sacrifice proves him worthy to wield Mjolnir
Thor (film)
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Theatrical release poster
Thor (film)
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Hemsworth promoting the film in London in April 2011.
Thor (film)
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Hiddleston promoting the film in London in April 2011.
Thor (film)
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Director
Kenneth Branagh promoting the film in London in April 2011.
26.
The Remains of the Day (film)
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The Remains of the Day is a 1993 Anglo-American drama film adapted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala from the 1989 novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro. It was directed by James Ivory and produced by Ismail Merchant, Mike Nichols and it starred Anthony Hopkins as Stevens and Emma Thompson as Miss Kenton with James Fox, Christopher Reeve, Hugh Grant and Ben Chaplin. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, in 1950s post-war Britain, Stevens, the butler of Darlington Hall, receives a letter from Miss Kenton, a recently divorced former work colleague employed as the housekeeper some twenty years earlier. Stevens is granted permission to borrow his Daimler, and he sets off to the West Country to meet the former Kenton, the film flashes back to Kentons arrival as housekeeper in the 1930s. Kenton also proves to be a servant, and she is equally efficient and strong-willed. Relations between the two eventually warm, and it clear that she has feelings for him, yet despite their proximity and shared purpose. Eventually, she forms a relationship with a former co-worker and leaves the house prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. Before she resigns, Stevens finds her crying in frustration, in the midst of these events, one day Darlington suddenly requests that two newly appointed German-Jewish maids, both refugees, should be dismissed. Stevens carries out the command, and Kenton threatens resignation in protest, en route to meeting Kenton, when asked about his former employer, Stevens at first denies having served or even met him, but later admits to having served and respected him. He meets Kenton, and they reminisce, but she declines Stevens offer to return to Darlington Hall, after the meeting, Kenton is emotional, while Stevens is still unable to demonstrate any feeling. Back in Darlington Hall, Lewis asks Stevens if he remembers much of the old days, symbolically, a pigeon then becomes trapped in the hall, and the two men eventually free it, leaving both Stevens and Darlington Hall far behind. A film adaptation of the novel was planned to be directed by Mike Nichols from a script by Harold Pinter. Some of Pinters script was used in the film, but, while Pinter was paid for his work, he asked to have his name removed from the credits, in keeping with his contract. When his script for The Remains of the Day was radically revised by the James Ivory-Ismail Merchant partnership, though no longer the director, Nichols remained associated with the project as one of the producers of the Merchant Ivory film. Among them was Dyrham Park for the exterior of the house and the driveway, Powderham Castle, luciana Arrighi, the production designer, scouted most of these locations. Scenes were also shot in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, which stood in for Clevedon, the pub, where Mr Stevens stays, is the Hop Pole in Limpley Stoke, the shop featured is also in Limpley Stoke. The pub where Miss Kenton and Mr Benn meet is the George Inn, the character of Sir Geoffrey Wren is based loosely on that of Sir Oswald Mosley, a British fascist active in the 1930s. Wren is depicted as a vegetarian, mimicking the diet of his idol
The Remains of the Day (film)
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Film poster
The Remains of the Day (film)
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Music Room of Powderham Castle in 1983
27.
Amistad (film)
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The case was ultimately resolved by the Supreme Court in 1841. Morgan Freeman, Nigel Hawthorne, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou, david Franzonis screenplay was based on the book Mutiny on the Amistad, The Saga of a Slave Revolt and Its Impact on American Abolition, Law, and Diplomacy, by the historian Howard Jones. Amistad is the name of a ship traveling from Cuba to the United States in 1839. It is carrying African people as its cargo, as the ship is crossing from Cuba to the United States, Cinqué, a leader of the Africans, leads a mutiny and takes over the ship. The mutineers spare the lives of two Spanish navigators to help them sail the ship back to Africa, in an unfamiliar country and not speaking a single word of English, the Africans find themselves in a legal battle. District Attorney William S. Holabird brings charges of piracy and murder, two Naval officers claim them as salvage while the two Spanish navigators produce proof of purchase. A lawyer named Roger Sherman Baldwin, hired by the abolitionist Tappan, Baldwin argues that the Africans had been captured in Africa to be sold in the Americas illegally. Baldwin proves through documents found hidden on Amistad that the African people were initially cargo belonging to a Portuguese slave ship, therefore, the Africans were free citizens of another country and not slaves at all. In light of evidence, the staff of President Van Buren has the judge presiding over the case replaced by Judge Coglin. Cinque tells his story at trial, district Attorney Holabird attacks Cinqué’s “tale” of being captured and kept in a Lomboko slave fortress and especially questions the throwing of precious cargo overboard. However, the Royal Navys fervent abolitionist Captain Fitzgerald of the West Africa Squadron backs up Cinqué’s account, Baldwin shows from The Tecoras inventory that the number of African people taken as slaves was reduced by 50. Fitzgerald explains that some slave ships when interdicted do this to get rid of the evidence for their crime, but in The Tecoras case, they had underestimated the amount of provisions necessary for their journey. As the tension rises, Cinqué stands up from his seat and repeatedly cries, Judge Coglin rules in favor of the Africans. After pressure from Senator Calhoun on President Van Buren, the case is appealed to the Supreme Court, despite refusing to help when the case was initially presented, Adams agrees to assist with the case. At the Supreme Court, he makes an impassioned and eloquent plea for their release, the Lomboko slave fortress is liberated by the Royal Marines under the command of Captain Fitzgerald. After all the slaves were hurried out of the fortress, Fitzgerald orders the cannon to destroy it. He then dictates a letter to Forsyth saying that he was right—the slave fortress doesnt exist, because of the release of the Africans, Van Buren loses his re-election campaign, and tension builds between the North and the South, which would eventually culminate in the Civil War. Retired U. S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun also appears in the film as Justice Joseph Story
Amistad (film)
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Home video release poster
28.
Nixon (film)
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The film portrays Nixon as a complex and, in many respects, admirable, though deeply flawed, person. Nixon begins with a disclaimer that the film is an attempt to understand the truth based on public sources. The cast includes Joan Allen, Annabeth Gish, Marley Shelton, Powers Boothe, J. T. Walsh, the movie starts in ‘72 with the “plumbers” breaking into The Watergate and subsequently getting arrested. Nixons’ Chief Of Staff, General Alexander “Al” Haig brings Pres, Richard “Dick” M. Nixon Tapes to listen to. The two men talk about The Watergate Scandal, and about what a mess it has become, after talking about the death of J Edgar Hoover. Nixon goes on to curse out John Dean James McCord and others involved in Watergate, as Haig turns to leave, Nixon asks Haig why he hasnt been given a pistol to commit suicide like an honorable soldier. Nixon starts the taping system which trigger memories that start a series of time jumps, the first, takes us back to June 23,1972 about a week after the break in. To a meeting with Halderman Erlichman And Dean, ehrlichman and Dean leave, Nixon speaks the “Smoking Gun” tape to Halderman. The film covers most aspect of Nixons life and political career, the film implies that Nixon and his wife abused alcohol and prescription medication. The film ends with Nixons resignation and famous departure from the lawn of the White House on the helicopter, Anthony Hopkins as Richard Nixon The studio did not like Stones choice to play Nixon. They wanted Tom Hanks or Jack Nicholson — two of Stones original choices, the director briefly considered Gene Hackman, Robin Williams, Gary Oldman and Tommy Lee Jones. Stone met with Warren Beatty but the actor wanted to make too many changes to the script, Stone cast Hopkins based on his performances in The Remains of the Day and Shadowlands. Of Hopkins, Stone said, The isolation of Tony is what struck me, I felt that was the quality that always marked Nixon. When the actor met the director he got the impression that Stone was one of the bad boys of American pop culture. What convinced Hopkins to ultimately take on the role and impersonate the soul of Nixon were the scenes in the film when he talks about his mother and father. Joan Allen as Pat Nixon When Beatty was thinking about doing the film, he insisted on doing a reading of the script with an actress, afterwards, Beatty told Stone that he had found his Pat Nixon. The character may be a reference to Nixons meetings with Clint Murchison, Sr. although he also illuminates Nixons relationships with Howard Hughes, H. L. Hunt and other entrepreneurs. Originally, Oliver Stone had been developing two projects — the musical Evita and a movie about Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, when they both did not get made, Stone turned his attention to a biopic about Richard Nixon
Nixon (film)
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Theatrical poster
29.
Instinct (film)
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Instinct is a 1999 American psychological thriller film starring Anthony Hopkins, Cuba Gooding Jr. George Dzundza, Donald Sutherland, and Maura Tierney. It was very inspired by Ishmael, a novel by Daniel Quinn. In the United States, the film had the working title Ishmael, in 2000, the film was nominated for and won a Genesis Award in the category of feature film. This was the first film produced by Spyglass Entertainment after Caravan Pictures shut down, the film examines the mind of anthropologist Ethan Powell who had been missing for a few years, living in the jungle with gorillas. He is convicted of killing and injuring several supposed Wilderness Park Rangers in Africa, a bright young psychiatrist tries to find out why he killed them, but becomes entangled in a quest to learn the true history and nature of humankind. He gets a hearing to reveal the truth, but an attack by a guard on the other prisoners causes Powell to be reminded of the killed gorillas. At the end of the film, Powell escapes from prison using a pen to dig out the lock on a window, the film received mostly mixed reviews. Review aggregator Metacritic, which assigns an average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 27% and an audience score of 67%. The film was also a box office bomb, grossing only $34,105,207 in the United States, the film won a Genesis Award for its themes of animal rights
Instinct (film)
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Theatrical release poster
Instinct (film)
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Instinct
30.
Fracture (2007 film)
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Fracture is a 2007 American-German legal drama film, starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling, and directed by Gregory Hoblit. It is the story of a man who shoots his wife, placing her into a coma. The film has a 72% approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes and grossed $91 million, theodore Ted Crawford, a wealthy and talented Irish aeronautical engineer in Los Angeles, discovers that his wife Jennifer is having an affair with police detective Robert Nunally. After confronting his wife, Crawford shoots her, seriously wounding her, police arrive on he scene, including Nunally. Nunally enters the house and convinces Crawford than they should put down their guns and Crawford confesses he shot his wife. Crawford engages in a battle of wits with rising star deputy district attorney William Willy Beachum, at the trial, Crawford acts as his own attorney, thereby matching up a star prosecutor against a supposedly untrained litigant. Crawford reveals that the officer was having an affair with his wife, assaulted him during his arrest. Crawfords confession is ruled to be inadmissible as evidence, as it was fruit of the poisonous tree, Beachum discovers that Crawfords handgun was not used to shoot his wife because it had never been fired and did not match the shell casings at the crime scene. As the house was under surveillance the entire time from the shooting to Crawfords arrest, Beachum is tempted by Nunallys scheme to plant false evidence to implicate Crawford but decides against it at the last minute. With no new evidence to present to the jury, Beachum is forced to concede the trial, the disgraced Nunally commits suicide outside the courtroom. After the trial, Beachums future with the firm is in tatters. However, he begins to see his job as a D. A. as a means of fighting injustice for those like Crawfords wife. Crawford himself observes this change, joking scathingly that Beachum has found God and this motivates Beachum to continue searching for evidence almost obsessively. Realizing that Crawfords plan is to dispose of the eyewitness to the crime. Beachum arrives at the hospital but is unable to prevent staff turning off Jennifers life support, a mix-up of cell phones causes Beachum to realize that both Nunally and Crawford used the same type of gun, a.45 caliber Glock 21. He figures out that before the crime Crawford switched his gun with Nunallys in a room where Jennifer. Crawford shot his wife with Nunallys gun, and then reloaded it, the detective arrived on the scene carrying Crawfords gun, and both Crawford and Nunally laid their weapons down as a preliminary move in hostage negotiations. When Nunally became aware of who the victim was, and tried to revive Jennifer, Crawford switched the guns
Fracture (2007 film)
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Theatrical release poster
Fracture (2007 film)
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The performances of both
Anthony Hopkins and
Ryan Gosling were particularly praised by most of the film critics.
Fracture (2007 film)
