Sorry, you must be a member of the group to do that. Join this group.
Steve Pond's Blog, page 2007
January 20, 2020
How MLK Ad-Libbed the ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
Clarence Jones, who helped the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. write the “I Have A Dream Speech,” told a Television Critics Association panel in 2013 how the most famous part of the speech came spontaneously.
It was Aug. 28, 1963: King was speaking to hundreds of thousands at the Lincoln Memorial, and millions watching on TV, when suddenly singer Mahalia Jackson called out. Here is what Jones said:
Very few people know — most people do not know — that the speech that he gave was not the speech that he had intended to give. … As he was reading from the text of his prepared remarks, there came a point when Mahalia Jackson, who was sitting on the platform, said, “Tell them about the dream, Martin! Tell them about the dream.”
Also Read: Why the MLK Holiday Has Become a Major Box Office Weekend
Now I have often speculated that she had heard him talk in other places… and make reference to the dream. On June 23, 1963, in Detroit, he had made very express reference to the dream.
When Mahalia shouted to him, I was standing about 50 feet behind him… and I saw it happening in real time. He just took the text of his speech and moved it to the left side of the lectern. … And I said to somebody standing next to me: “These people don’t know it, but they’re about to go to church.”
I said that because I could see his body language change from the rear. Where he had been reading, like giving a lecture, but then going into his Baptist preacher mode.
Also Read: 11 Most Inspiring Martin Luther King Jr. Memes
Had there been anyone else — anyone else — who had shouted anything to him, I think he would have been a little taken aback. I’m not so sure he would have departed from the text of his speech. But Mahalia Jackson was his favorite gospel singer. When Mahalia said that it was almost like a mandate to respond.
You can watch the speech above.
Related stories from TheWrap:
11 Most Inspiring Martin Luther King Jr. Memes
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, MLK Day. While celebrating the birthday of the slain civil rights leader, remember his powerful words that helped unite a segregated nation.
Watch Martin Luther King Jr’s ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech (Video)
On August 28, 1963, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech that inspired America — and shamed it into honoring the principles on which it was founded.
Clarence Jones, who co-wrote an early draft of the speech, recalled to TheWrap in 2013 how King came to deliver the most famous part of his speech for the March on Washington.
As he looked out at the crowd, King said it would “go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.”
Also Read: 11 Most Inspiring Martin Luther King Jr. Memes
King was well into his prepared remarks, Jones said, when his favorite gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson, cried out, “Tell them about the dream, Martin! Tell them about the dream.”
And then King went off his script — and the speech became known as “I Have a Dream.”
“When Mahalia shouted to him, I was standing about 50 feet behind him… and I saw it happening in real time. He just took the text of his speech and moved it to the left side of the lectern. … And I said to somebody standing next to me: ‘These people don’t know it, but they’re about to go to church.’ I said that because I could see his body language change from the rear. Where he had been reading, like giving a lecture, but then going into his Baptist preacher mode,” said Jones.
Also Read: How MLK Ad-Libbed the 'I Have a Dream' Speech
“Had there been anyone else — anyone else — who had shouted anything to him — I think he would have been a little taken aback. I’m not so sure he would have departed from the text of his speech. But Mahalia Jackson was his favorite gospel singer. When Mahalia said that it was almost like a mandate to respond.”
Watch the video:
Related stories from TheWrap:
11 Most Inspiring Martin Luther King Jr. Memes
'Bad Boys for Life' Film Review: Will Smith and Martin Lawrence Go Over the Top, Again
8 Documentaries to Watch for Martin Luther King Day (Photos)
January 19, 2020
Netflix Picks Up International Streaming Rights to 21 Studio Ghibli Films
Japanese art house Studio Ghibli has found a home on Netflix.
Starting Feb. 1, 21 films from the Academy Award-winning Studio Ghibli will be available on Netflix through distribution partner Wild Bunch International, the streaming platform announced Sunday.
The deal excludes the U.S., Canada and Japan. HBO Max acquired the U.S. rights to the animated library last year, with the films debuting on the platform in the spring of this year.
Studio Ghibli’s catalogue, which will include Academy Award-winner “Spirited Away,” “Princess Mononoke,” “Arrietty,” “My Neighbor Totoro” and “The Tale of Princess Kaguya,” will be subtitled in 28 languages and dubbed in up to 20 languages.
Also Read: HBO Max Acquires US Streaming Rights to Japan's Studio Ghibli Films
“In this day and age, there are various great ways a film can reach audiences,” producer Toshio Suzuki at Studio Ghibli said in a statement. “We’ve listened to our fans and have made the definitive decision to stream our film catalogue. We hope people around the world will discover the world of Studio Ghibli through this experience.”
Director of Original Animation at Netflix Aram Yacoubian added: “This is a dream come true for Netflix and millions of our members. Studio Ghibli’s animated films are legendary and have enthralled fans around the world for over 35 years. We’re excited to make them available in more languages across Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia – so that more people can enjoy this whimsical and wonderful world of animation.”
Studio Ghibli is one of the most acclaimed animation studios in the world, having brought content to the forefront for the last 30 years. “Spirited Away” won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2002, while “Howl’s Moving Castle,” “The Wind Rises,” “The Tale of The Princess Kaguya” and “When Marnie Was There” were all nominated for an Oscar. Director and co-founder Hayao Miyazaki was given an Honorary Award at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Governors Awards in 2014, and he will also receive a tribute with a special exhibit of his artwork when the Academy Museum opens in 2020.
Also Read: You Can Buy Every Studio Ghibli Movie for Digital Download Starting This Month
See the release schedule for Studio Ghibli films on Netflix below.
Feb. 1, 2020:
“Castle in the Sky” (1986), “My Neighbor Totoro” (1988), “Kiki’s Delivery Service” (1989), “Only Yesterday” (1991), “Porco Rosso” (1992), “Ocean Waves” (1993), “Tales From Earthsea” (2006)
March 1, 2020:
“Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” (1984), “Princess Mononoke” (1997), “My Neighbors the Yamadas” (1999), “Spirited Away” (2001), “The Cat Returns” (2002), “Arrietty” (2010), “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” (2013)
April 1, 2020:
“Pom Poko” (1994), “Whisper of the Heart” (1995), “Howl’s Moving Castle” (2004), “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” (2008), “From Up on Poppy Hill” (2011), “The Wind Rises” (2013), “When Marnie Was There” (2014)
Related stories from TheWrap:
Netflix Acquires Documentary 'Mucho Mucho Amor' Ahead of Sundance
New York Times Endorses Both Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren for 2020 Democratic Primary
In a radical break from convention reflecting the divided state of the Democratic Party, the New York Times on Monday endorsed both Senators Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren in the 2020 primary.
“Both the radical and the realist models warrant serious consideration. If there were ever a time to be open to new ideas, it is now. If there were ever a time to seek stability, now is it,” the Times editorial board wrote. “That’s why we’re endorsing the most effective advocates for each approach. They are Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar.”
The Times praised Warren, the former Harvard law professor turned senator from Massachusetts as “a standard-bearer for the Democratic left” who “speaks elegantly of how the economic system is rigged against all but the wealthiest Americans.”
Also Read: 2020 Presidential Contenders: Who's Still Challenging Donald Trump and Who's Dropped Out (Photos)
After discounting other centrists in the Democratic field, including former vice president Joe Biden and former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg, the Times offered praise for Klobuchar, calling the Minnesota Democrat “a standard-bearer for the Democratic center” whose “vision goes beyond the incremental” and who is “the very definition of Midwestern charisma, grit and sticktoitiveness.”
The Times issued its endorsement just two weeks ahead of the Iowa caucuses, the first polling in the Democratic primary process.
The paper acknowledged that critics might be “dissatisfied that this page is not throwing its weight behind a single candidate, favoring centrists or progressives” and concluded its editorial by saying, “May the best woman win.”
Related stories from TheWrap:
David Brooks' Column on 'Class War' Gets Pushback – From Fellow NY Times Columnist Paul Krugman
Harvard Professor Sues New York Times for Defamation Over Jeffrey Epstein Donation Story
‘Ford v Ferrari,’ ‘1917,’ ‘Jojo Rabbit’ Win Awards From Motion Picture Sound Editors
“Ford v Ferrari,” “1917,” “Jojo Rabbit,” “Parasite,” “Toy Story 4” and “Echo in the Canyon” have won feature-film awards in the Motion Picture Sound Editors’ Golden Reel Awards, which were handed out on Sunday night in Los Angeles.
“Ford v Ferrari” won for Feature Motion Picture – Effects/Foley, the category which most closely corresponds to the Oscar for Best Sound Editing. “1917” won for dialogue/ADR and “Jojo Rabbit” for music underscore.
“Toy Story 4” took the prize for animation, “Rocketman” for musical, and “Echo in the Canyon” for documentary.
Also Read: SAG Awards 2020: The Complete List of Winners (Updating Live)
“Chernobyl” was the only project to take two awards, winning for dialogue/ADR and for effects/foley in the television categories. Other TV winners included “Barry,” “Modern Love,” “The Mandalorian,” “Game of Thrones” and “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.”
The 2020 MPSE Filmmaker Award went to Marvel Studios Executive VP of Production Victoria Alonso, and the 2020 MPSE Career Achievement Award was presented to sound editor Cecelia “Cece” Hall.
The Golden Reel Awards ceremony took place at the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
Also Read:
Here is the list of winning films, television shows and other projects. Names of the individual winners can be found at the MPSE website.
Feature Motion Picture – Feature Animation: “Toy Story 4”
Feature Motion Picture – Dialogue / ADR: “1917”
Feature Motion Picture – Effects / Foley: “Ford v Ferrari”
Feature Motion Picture – Music Underscore: “Jojo Rabbit”
Feature Documentary: “Echo in the Canyon”
Foreign Language Feature: “Parasite”
Musical: “Rocketman”
Computer Cinematic: “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)”
Computer Interactive Game Play: “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)”
Live-Action Under 35:00: “Barry”: “ronny/lily”
Episodic Short Form – Dialogue/ADR: “Modern Love”: “Take Me as I Am”
Episodic Short Form – Effects / Foley: “The Mandalorian”: “Chapter One”
Episodic Short Form – Music / Musical: “Wu-Tang: An American Saga”: “All In Together Now”
Episodic Long Form – Dialogue/ADR: “Chernobyl”: “Please Remain Calm”
Episodic Long Form – Effects / Foley: “Chernobyl”: “1.23.45”
Episodic Long Form – Music / Musical: “Game of Thrones”: “The Long Night”
Animation Short Form: “3 Below”: “Tales of Arcadia”
Special Venue: “Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series”: “Episode 1”
Single Presentation: “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie”
Non-Theatrical Feature: “Togo”
Non-Theatrical Animation Long Form: “Lego DC Batman: Family Matters”
Non-Theatrical Documentary: “Serengeti”
Student Film (Verna Fields Award): “Heatwave”
Filmmaker Award: Victoria Alonso
Career Achievement Award: Cecelia “Cece” Hall
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Parasite' and 'Jojo Rabbit' Score Oscar Rebound at Indie Box Office
SAG Awards Crown ‘Parasite,’ Give the Oscar Race a Shot of Uncertainty
More than most years, the film races at Sunday night’s Screen Actors Guild Awards were all about the SAG Ensemble Award that was won by “Parasite,” giving yet another awards-season boost to the twisted Korean-language film.
The big takeaway from the show was that actors love Bong Joon Ho’s movie even if they don’t know the names of the actors — so much so that the movie can win the ensemble award without getting a single individual acting nomination.
And now the question that will hang in the air for the next three weeks is a related one: Can a movie that isn’t in English and didn’t get a single Oscar nomination for acting be popular enough with the Academy’s huge Actors Branch to actually win Best Picture?
Also Read: SAG Awards 2020: The Complete List of Winners
We don’t know the answer. But after the SAG Awards, we know that it’s a real possibility — and with “1917” winning the Producers Guild Award on Saturday night, we just might be looking at a year in which the two leading Oscar contenders don’t have a single acting nomination between them.
The SAG ensemble award doesn’t go to the Oscar Best Picture winner more often than it does, but people remember the times when it showed a film had real strength with voters: “Shakespeare in Love,” “Crash,” “Spotlight” …
We might also be looking at a year in which the two films that seemed to be frontrunners for much of the season, “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood” and “The Irishman,” are suddenly falling by the wayside.
The SAG Awards was an important contest for both of those films. Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time” won the comedy Golden Globe on Jan. 5 but in recent days lost to “1917” at the Producers Guild and Critics’ Choice Awards, while Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” has been landing lots of nominations but winning almost nothing except critics’ awards.
But with “1917” not nominated for any SAG Awards, the ceremony provided an opportunity for one of its competitors to snag a high-profile award and grab a bit of momentum in a shortened awards season. That the competitor who did that was “Parasite,” a black Korean comedy about class divisions, is a further sign that this is one odd, unsettled awards season.
Also Read: How 'Parasite' Director Bong Joon Ho Created the Year's Most Dangerously Charming Film
But in the individual acting categories, SAG only proved that the season isn’t unsettled at all. Instead, the four film-acting winners — Joaquin Phoenix for “Joker,” Renee Zellweger for “Judy,” Brad Pitt for “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood” and Laura Dern for “Marriage Story” — have been on a roll through one awards show after another, and seem all but assured to win at the Oscars on Feb. 9.
Of course, you could have said that about Glenn Close in “The Wife” last year at this time, until Olivia Colman was surprised to learn that Oscar voters had a different idea. But even if an upset is still possible in one of the individual categories, it’s unlikely — even less so, perhaps, after Sunday night.
For Phoenix and Zellweger and Pitt and Dern, there’s not much risk in these shows — if they can get up onstage and be relatively gracious, passionate, heartfelt and/or charming, they’ll probably give Oscar voters who are already leaning in their direction permission to remain that way.
Also Read: 'Judy': Why Renée Zellweger Had to Actually Sing in the Garland Biopic (Exclusive Video)
That’s an easy task for Zellweger, Pitt and Dern. Zellweger is always passionate about Judy Garland, the woman she plays in “Judy.” Pitt is effortlessly charming and amusing every time he sets foot on a stage. Dern is the very definition of heartfelt.
And while Phoenix is obviously the least comfortable in an awards spotlight, his obviously unfeigned graciousness toward his fellow nominees made this the most touching and the funniest of his awards speeches. He’s getting better at this, and his performance in “Joker” does the rest.
In the television categories, the big surprise was that “Fleabag” actually lost an award for which it was nominated, a true rarity during the last five months of awards shows. And actress Alex Borstein, who attempted to accept the award on behalf of “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” acknowledged as much when she began her speech by saying, “I voted for ‘Fleabag.’ This makes no sense.”
Elsewhere, it came as something of a surprise that Peter Dinklage had never before won a SAG Award for “Game of Thrones,” and that it took the voters three seasons to finally recognize “The Crown,” and that they loved “Fosse/Verdon” enough to reward both of its lead actors, Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams.
Also Read: Phoebe Waller-Bridge Brings All 3 of Her Emmys to 'SNL' in New Promo (Video)
But really, the Emmy Awards are four months in the rearview mirror or eight months in the future, depending on the direction you’re looking. This time of year, the focus is on movies. And on Sunday night, that meant the focus was on “Parasite.”
And if it’s now down to “Parasite” v. “1917” at the Oscars, where neither of those films has a nominated actor, does that mean the Screen Actors Guild just helped prove that acting nominations don’t really matter?
Maybe they did. Maybe it’s that kind of year.
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Parasite' and 'Jojo Rabbit' Score Oscar Rebound at Indie Box Office
How the 5 Oscar Front-Runners Can Win
Director Taika Waititi Says 6 Oscar Nominations for 'Jojo Rabbit' Is 'Massive'
January 18, 2020
‘1917’ Named Top Film at Producers Guild Awards
“1917” has won the Producers Guild of America’s award as the best-produced feature film of 2019, giving it an important victory at an awards show that usually honors the film that goes on to win the Oscar for Best Picture.
The film, an immersive drama about World War I that was fashioned to look like a single shot, triumphed in a field that also included top Academy Award contenders “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” “The Irishman,” “Parasite” and “Joker.” While the PGA win makes it a de facto frontrunner of sorts in that race, this is a year in which the Oscar race still feels unsettled.
“Apollo 11” won the award for documentary feature, while “Toy Story 4” won for animated feature.
Also Read: '1917': How Sam Mendes & Co. Re-Created World War I in a Single Take
Television winners included “Succession,” “Fleabag,” “Chernobyl,” “Apollo: Missions to the Moon” and “Leaving Neverland.”
As the only other major award to use the same ranked-choice voting system as the Academy to determine its top film prize, the Producers Guild Awards are one of the most reliable predictors of Oscar success. The PGA winner has gone on to win the Best Picture Oscar 21 times in 30 years, and eight times in the 10 years since both groups expanded to 10 nominees and instituted ranked-choice voting.
But in one of those eight years, the Oscar winner, “12 Years a Slave,” tied with “Gravity” at the PGA – and in 2015 and 2016, the guild went for “The Big Short” and “La La Land” while the Oscars chose “Spotlight” and “Moonlight.”
So while the win gives “1917” some valuable momentum in what has seemed to be a wide-open year, the compressed schedule leaves less time for any momentum to take hold before Oscar voting begins on Jan. 30 (but also less time to momentum to change). The film is not nominated for any Screen Actors Guild Awards, which will be handed out on Sunday.
Special awards were given to Netflix’s Ted Sarandos (Milestone Award), Plan B’s Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner (David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures); Marta Kauffman (Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television); actress and producer Octavia Spencer (Visionary Award); and the film “Bombshell” (Stanley Kramer Award).
The ceremony took place at the Hollywood Palladium.
The winners:
Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: “1917,” Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne‐Ann Tenggren, Callum McDougall
Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures: “Apollo 11,” Todd Douglas Miller, Thomas Petersen
Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures: “Toy Story 4,” Mark Nielsen, Jonas Rivera
Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Drama: “Succession” (Season 2), Jesse Armstrong, Adam McKay, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Mark Mylod, Jane Tranter, Tony Roche, Scott Ferguson, Jon Brown, Georgia Pritchett, Will Tracy, Jonathan Glatzer, Dara Schnapper, Gabrielle Mahon
Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Comedy: “Fleabag” (Season 2), Phoebe Waller‐Bridge, Harry Bradbeer, Lydia Hampson, Harry Williams, Jack Williams, Joe Lewis, Sarah Hammond
David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited Series Television: “Chernobyl,” Craig Mazin, Carolyn Strauss, Jane Featherstone, Johan Renck, Chris Fry, Sanne Wohlenberg
Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures: “Apollo: Missions to the Moon”
Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television: “Leaving Neverland”
Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (Season 6)
Outstanding Producer of Game & Competition Television: “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (Season 11)
Outstanding Sports Program: “What’s My Name / Muhammad Ali”
Outstanding Children’s Program: “Sesame Street” (Season 49)
Outstanding Short-form Program: “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” (Season 11)
PGA Innovation Award: “Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series – Episode 1”
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Parasite,' 'Jojo Rabbit' Win Top Awards From American Cinema Editors
Critics' Choice Awards: The Complete List of Winners
Oscars 2020: Fewer Movies (and Nonwhite Actors) Get More Nominations, and That's No Joke
Julian Fellowes Explains How ‘Belgravia’ Definitely Isn’t ‘Downton Abbey’
Julian Fellowes admits that his new Epix historical period limited series “Belgravia” bears a lot in common with “Downton Abbey,” but they are not, in fact, the same show.
“Well, I think there are bound to be some similarities because they’re written by the same guy and there’s a kind of limit to how many voices one possesses,” Fellowes said at the Television Critics Association press tour on Saturday. “I think it is different from ‘Downton’ because it has a tauter narrative. It’s a single narrative; a completed story at the end. By the end of Episode 6, we’ve gotten to the end of the story. It isn’t open-ended in [the same] way.”
“Belgravia,” based on Fellowes’ own novel, is a story of secrets and scandals amongst the upper echelon of London society in the 19th century. Fellowes, along with “Downton” collaborators Gareth Neame, Nigel Marchant and Liz Trubridge serve as executive producers on the show.
The series kicks off with a real historical event — similar to the way “Downton” began with the sinking of the Titanic — “to help place it in time,” as Neame put it. “Belgravia” begins at the Duchess of Richmond’s ball in 1815, which was held in Brussels on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo. Again, like “Downtown,” the series tells a fictional story with a few historical figures interwoven throughout.
But beyond the similarities in concept and in tone, the two shows are set about 100 years apart, with “Belgravia” spanning the first half of the 19th century and “Downtown” firmly rooted in the early 20th century.
“It’s a different period,” Fellowes said. “It really is, in a sense, the rise of the great Victorian era of manufacture and money making and empire … and the expansion of London and so on. Whereas you could say that ‘Downton’ was on the other side of the hill. It was part of the decline, particularly as we followed it through into the ’20s.”
Also Read: Epix Picks Up 'Belgravia' Limited Series From 'Downton Abbey' Creator Julian Fellowes
But even Fellowes is willing to admit that, because both projects sprung from his own mind and cater to his own style and taste, there are bound to be some similarities.
“There are differences but, inevitably, there are some aspects that they share,” he said. “Because, you know, them’s my sentiments. So they pop up in what I do.”
“I think it’s a can-do show,” he said. “It’s really about people achieving what they want despite the difficulties that society places in their path. These take different forms in the different stories, but I hope it is essentially a kind of uplifting tale. Anyway, that’s my wish.”
“Belgravia” premieres on April 12 at 9 p.m. on Epix.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Epix Picks Up 'Belgravia' Limited Series From 'Downton Abbey' Creator Julian Fellowes
Epix Is Developing Scripted Series From the Elizabethan, Arthurian and Reagan Eras
Steve Pond's Blog
