Search

The author expresses her dissatisfaction with the August 8, 2018, decision by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to establish an Oscar award in the category of outstanding achievement in popular film.

The article profiles black actor Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson, 57, sees every one of his movies in a theater with paying customers. His films have taken in more money at the box office than those of any other actor in history. His current film, "Snakes on a Plane," arrives with an R rating and may cement Jackson's status as the multiplex's great populist, a title he has pursued for years. In his early career he originated the role of Boy Willie in August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson" and spent two years as Bill Cosby's on-set stand-in for "The Cosby Show." "Pulp Fiction" made him famous in his mid-40s.

The article focuses on motion pictures which are released at the end of the month of December to qualify them for Academy Award (Oscars) deadlines. It comments on how film studios will release movies aimed at upscale minority audiences to encourage Oscar voters to watch films designed with the Oscars in mind instead of profits. It mentions how "The Hurt Locker" which was a box-office flop prevailed over the popular movie "Avatar" for Best Picture.

The article reports on the anticipated success of the film "Jaws" and its impact to moviegoers in the U.S. The movie not only affects movie audiences, but also swimmers because they already huddle in groups and some retreated out of the water at the sight of dorsal fins, while lifeguards spent much of their time explaining to beach goers that floating logs were not sharks. According to producers Richard Zanuck and David Brown, they delayed the release of the film until the beginning of the beach season because of its huge impact on the people. Moreover, it is anticipated that "Jaws" will outgross the move "Godfather" and expected to generate about 100 million dollars.

The article reports on the increasing popularity of the film "The Exorcist" in the U.S. It states that the film has gained more than 10 million dollars at box office cash registers in various cities in the country and is expected by executives of Warner Bros. to exceed the gross of the film "The Godfather," which has gained about 155 million dollars. However, some people argue that the popularity of the movie has been attributed to the growing interest in crowd psychology rather than the show-business phenomenon.

The article presents information on filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. Before he became a director in the early 1980s, Kapur worked as an accountant for the company Burmah Oil in London. He also spent seven years as a corporate planner for a multinational oil company. Some of his popular movies include Bandit Queen, Elizabeth, Water, and other. Kapur directed actress Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth, about the life of England's 16th century monarch, which was nominated for seven Oscar awards.

The article presents information about the motion picture industry in Vietnam. The government's Cinematography Department, first founded 50 years ago, announced in February 2003 that it would only release films with "popular appeal." Not all Vietnamese-made films are political. The film "Guava Season," for example, is relatively apolitical and has received international praise. The government studios are under increasing competitive pressure to hold onto their audience.