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In this week's Academy Originals we asked several filmmakers what is their favorite line from movie history.Tom Arnold, Bryce Dallas Howard, Molly Shannon, Frank Marshall and others answered with lines from "Jaws," "The Godfather," "Star Wars" and many more.Check out some other videos in our Questions series, like when we asked other movie makers what's inspiring them and which was the first movie that made them cry.
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The first theme park of its kind, Disneyland opened sixty years ago this month in Anaheim, California. The ambitious undertaking was a dream project for Walt Disney, a record-breaking Academy Award winner and animation pioneer, and ever since it has entertained millions of visitors and multiple generations of families from around the globe. Now let's take a look back at the early days of Disneyland, which opened with great fanfare in 1955 complete with enthusiastic media coverage.
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In this week's Academy Originals we visit three filmmaking members of the Marshall family: Penny, Garry and his son Scott. The trio explained elements of their directing skills, helping actors with their lines, and the benefits of hiring family members on films."I got a part once from being a back up. You had to shoot a scene and I was just there on the set," Scott reminded his dad, saying how excited he was that he was finally going to be an actor. "And the only reason you wanted me was so I could hold the umbrella over Bette Midler's head so her hair wouldn't get wet." "I didn't try…
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When Philadelphia-based publisher J.B. Lippincott Company decided to publish Harper Lee’s debut novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, the company requested an initial print run of just 5,000 copies. Nevertheless, upon its release in July 1960, the novel swiftly gained popularity and earned a place on the New York Times bestseller list. Unusual for a promising literary property, the motion picture rights to which were often sold before publication, To Kill a Mockingbird spent six weeks on the list before producer Alan J. Pakula and director Robert Mulligan acquired the rights to the book, which…
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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences celebrates the work of Aardman Animations with three programs featuring the studio’s Oscar®-winning and nominated Wallace and Gromit shorts on Friday, August 7, and Sunday, August 9.Wallace and Gromit Restored – The Marc Davis Celebration of AnimationFriday, August 7, 7:30 p.m. │Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Beverly HillsAs part of the Academy’s Marc Davis Celebration of Animation series, Aardman Animations co-founder David Sproxton and Wallace and Gromit cinematographer Dave Alex Riddett will discuss the making of the…
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In this week's Academy Originals we sat down with writer/director Ernest Dickerson who recounts the story about hiring a young (and relatively unknown) Tupac Shakur in the gritty film "Juice"."Tupac at that time was still a background singer and roadie for Digital Underground," Dickerson recalled. "And while we were shooting he was always writing," Dickerson added, suspecting that what he was writing were some of the powerful tunes that people have been listening to for decades now.For another interesting story about how actors were chosen, check out casting director Marci Liroff ("…
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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced its newly elected 2015–16 Board of Governors. A runoff election is required for the Writers Branch.“I’m excited to welcome our four new governors to the Board and congratulate those who have been reelected,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “Our Board is made up of some of the most experienced and respected professionals in our industry, and we look forward to working with them on our ongoing goals of increasing member engagement and expanding the Academy’s outreach to our global film community.”Those…
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Showcasing America's lasting love of fireworks and hamburgers (and demonstrating the great strides made in food advertising aesthetics), “Come and Get ‘Em” is one of the many vintage snipes in the vaults of the Academy Film Archive. Snipes, or brief promotional films screened ahead of (or in-between) features, provide unique snapshots of the movie-going experience of yesteryear. Not only tempting audiences with the wondrous delights of the refreshment stand, these culturally significant materials also informed viewers about the many issues of the day such as the miracle of movie theater…
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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today published its list of upcoming submission deadlines for 88th Academy Awards® consideration.Submissions for individual categories and the General Entry/Official Screen Credits (OSC) form are due by 5 p.m. PT on the following dates:Scientific and Technical Awards Documentary Short Subject Documentary Feature Animated Short Film Live Action Short Film Foreign Language Film Animated Feature Film Original Score…
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The original Muscle Beach, located south of the Santa Monica Pier, was constructed in 1934 by the Works Progress Administration with the intention of creating a park on a public beach. By the 1940s however, Muscle Beach frequently appeared as a standing joke in trade magazines and was often mentioned with innuendo in Hollywood gossip columns. For filmmaker Joseph Strick, however, the beach scene offered an opportunity to observe and document an emerging subculture of gymnasts, bodybuilders and exhibitionists. His 1948 short Muscle Beach, made with assistance from fellow filmmaker Irving…