The Weinstein Company

Brad Pitt’s ‘Inglourious Basterds’ Becomes Quentin Tarantino’s Highest-Grossing Film

BrianTT — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:12:24 -0600

CHICAGO – The Weinstein Company (QTC) announced that Quentin Tarantino’s recent film “Inglourious Basterds” passed “Pulp Fiction” at the box office and is now his highest grossing film ever. “Basterds” has now grossed more than $108 million in North American box office sales since the film was released on August 21, 2009.

Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and Sgt. Donny Donowitz (Eli Roth) in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.
Photo credit: Francois Duhamel/TWC

“Pulp Fiction” made $107,966,120 in its North American release. “Inglourious Basterds” is a huge international success for both TWC and its partner, Universal Pictures. The filmed debuted at #1 in the US and all over the world on August 21, 2009.

“We have been Quentin’s biggest fans since the beginning. It was extremely gratifying to see ‘Inglourious Basterds’ put up such huge numbers. It is a kick ass film from a director who always keeps me and audiences on their toes,” said Harvey Weinstein in response to the new benchmark.

Weinstein is crediting the success of the film to an innovative marketing plan. The film took advantage of Twitter and other popular social networking sites in a direct fashion, which involved using Twitter in the film’s LA Premiere. “It was great working with Biz Stone at Twitter on ‘Inglourious.’ It took the campaign to another level,” says Weinstein.

The film is set during World War II where a group of Jewish-American solders known as “The Basterds” were chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. They soon come across a French-Jewish woman who runs a movie theater in Paris that is targeted by the soldiers.

The Weinstein Company and Universal Pictures co-financed and co-presented the film with a single-pot worldwide 50/50 deal. Lawrence Bender, A Band Apart, Zehnte Babelsberg Film, and GmbH Production produced “Inglourious Basterds”. The film was shot at Studio Babelsberg and on location in Berlin, Saxony and Paris.

Domestic grosses for other Tarantino-directed films include $2 million for “Reservoir Dogs” (1992), $40 million for “Jackie Brown” (1997), $71 million for “Kill Bill, Vol. 1” (2003), $66 million for “Kill Bill, Vol. 2 (2004), and $25 million for “Grindhouse” (2007).

By ANGIE RENTMEESTER
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

Interview: ‘Inglourious Basterds’ Mastermind Quentin Tarantino Does Chicago

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:13:35 -0600

CHICAGO – Venerated writer and Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino has no shame in admitting he’s a basterd. In fact, he’s deeply proud of it.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Tarantino charmed a packed Chicago crowd of onlookers and the press for the Aug. 18, 2009 red-carpet premiere of his newly controversial Nazi-killing film “Inglourious Basterds” inside AMC River East in downtown Chicago.

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino of “Pulp Fiction” fame, “Inglourious Basterds” is a piece of bravura filmmaking that stars Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth (the director of “Hostel” and “Hostel: Part II”), Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger and Daniel Brühl.

During the seemingly 2.490 seconds he spoke with this HollywoodChicago.com critic in a well-lit and sweaty interview on the “Inglourious Basterds” red carpet, Tarantino unsurprisingly but emphatically professed his love for The Weinstein Company (his production company for the film along with Universal Pictures) and in working with the Harvey and Bob Weinstein namesakes.

“I’ve had no issues in working with the Weinsteins. They’re ma boyz!,” Tarantino exclaimed both with anticipated media training but also with genuine indebtedness to the brotherly duo. He added: “They’re coming back in a big way.”

Writer and director Quentin Tarantino poses for the HollywoodChicago.com lens in this exclusive,
off-the-red-carpet portrait with his career achievement award on Aug. 18, 2009 at the summer gala
for the 45th-annual Chicago International Film Festival premiere of his new film “Inglourious Basterds”.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Professional critics nationwide have already lauded the film, which opens on Friday, and have awarded it a certified fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.

When asked about his respect for the modern-day film critic, Tarantino said: “I like reading good film criticism. If I think they’re off base and they just reject my aesthetic, that’s one thing. But if they actually have something thoughtful to say one way or another, that’s good food for thought.”

“Inglourious Basterds” takes place in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. A group of Jewish-American soldiers known as “The Basterds” and led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) rise to fame to percolate fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and violently killing Nazis almost like sport.

But the script didn’t come easily nor did it manifest quickly for Tarantino. He actually started penning “Inglourious Basterds” prior to “Kill Bill: Vol. 1” in 2003 and couldn’t put his finger on an ending. The Basterds got put on hold for that Uma Thurman, Bill-killing film.

Tarantino worked on the “Inglourious Basterds” script for almost a decade. He says he’s not yet sure what he has created and he’ll need time for the dust to settle in order to figure it out. He added: “I need at least three years of distance to really know exactly what I’ve done and how it ranked. I love it right now, but it’s also the one I’ve seen the least.”

Often imitated and never exactly duplicated, Tarantino knows a professional copycat is the highest form of flattery. And he enjoys it: “My films have created a subgenre. Every time they say something is a ‘Tarantino-like film,’ it’s always a crime film. … I don’t try to be different or offensive. I might [be different or offensive] very effortlessly, but I don’t try.”

Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt, right) and Sgt. Donny Donowitz (Eli Roth, left) in Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds”.
Photo credit: Francois Duhamel, The Weinstein Company

As for his stay in Chicago, he says he’s most interested in the city’s pizza and the impressions of his latest project from local moviegoers. Tarantino said: “I had some pizza. I’ve been hearing about Chicago deep-dish pizza my whole life. My big thing here, though, is about watching the movie with the Chicago audience and doing a Q&A session afterward.”

What’s next? Of course, those are beans he won’t spill: “I’m not sure what’s next. Right now it’s all about this. When this movie is officially in the past, then I can think about what’s next. … I love this film because I did it. I think it’s damn good writing.”

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds” stars Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger and Daniel Brühl. “Inglourious Basterds” opens everywhere on Aug. 21, 2009. The film is rated “R” for strong graphic violence, language and brief sexuality. Its running time is 153 minutes.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

‘Killshot’ Poster, Cast, Synopsis Information For Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane Thriller

BrianTT — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:55:14 -0700

CHICAGO – The Weinstein Company sent over the official poster for Killshot and information about the long-delayed release.

“Killshot”

Release Date: January 23rd, 2009

Cast: Diane Lane, Mickey Rourke, Thomas Jane, Rosario Dawson, Johnny Knoxville

Synopsis: From Academy Award nominated director John Madden (“Shakespeare in Love”) comes Hossein Amini’s wry adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s best-selling crime novel. The beautiful Carmen Colson (Diane Lane) and her husband Wayne (Thomas Jane) become entangled in a scam with a bumbling, small time con artist (Joseph Gordon Levitt) and his over-the-hill hitman partner the Blackbird (Mickey Rourke). Ultimately, it all comes down to one wife, one husband, two killers…and one lethal killshot.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

The Weinstein Co. to Hit Broadway With Stage Versions of ‘Finding Neverland,’ Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’

HollywoodChicago.com — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:18:54 -0600

CHICAGO – Brothers Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein of The Weinstein Company are becoming just as big on Broadway as they have been in the movies.

Harvey Weinstein (left) and Bob Weinstein (right) of The Weinstein Company.
Photo credits: Harvey Weinstein image (source) and Bob Weinstein image (source)

The Weinstein Co., which is a minority producer in the Tony Award-winning revival “Boeing Boeing” and the Steppenwolf Theatre’s Tony Award-winning “August: Osage County,” recently announced the production of numerous stage projects. They’ll begin with a stage version of the film “Finding Neverland” followed by a work based off Pink Floyd’s seminal album “The Wall”.

Further down the line are musicals based off the Miramax pictures “Shakespeare in Love,” “Chocolat,” “Cinema Paradiso” and “Shall We Dance”.

The Weinsteins first got their taste for live theatre when they helped produce Tom Stoppard’s 2000 revival of “The Real Thing” and the following year on Mel Brooks’ “The Producers”. Up until now, the brothers have played low-key rolls in the creative process, but the newly announced productions will feature The Weinstein Co. at the helm of each.

The Weinstein Co. has also announced a major rehaul on its Miramax TV division, which aside from “Project Greenlight” and “Project Runway” hasn’t been as successful as its film and stage ventures.

New shows include “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” for HBO, “Models of the Runway” (a “Project Runway” spinoff for Lifetime) and a sitcom based on the 2007 movie “The Nanny Diaries”. Also in the works include the eco-friendly series “Lovecraft” and a new take on the 1980s franchise “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”.

By DUSTIN LEVELL
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
dustin@hollywoodchicago.com

Hookup: 30 Admit-Two Early Passes to ‘The Promotion’ With John C. Reilly, Seann William Scott

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:22:32 -0600

CHICAGO – In our latest edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we’re giving away 30 admit-two passes to the new film “The Promotion” with John C. Reilly and Seann William Scott. The screening will take place on June 2, 2008 at 7 p.m. in Chicago. To win, just submit a comment! The first 30 people to do so are guaranteed free passes.

The movie poster for “The Promotion” with John C. Reilly and Seann William Scott.
Image credit: The Weinstein Company

Here’s a description of the new film, which is scheduled to open on June 6, 2008.

Oscar-nominated actor John C. Reilly (“Chicago,” “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”) and Seann William Scott (“American Pie”) lend their deft comedic touch to the story of two mid-level Chicago supermarket employees – Doug and Richard (a dubious new guy from Canada) – who compete ruthlessly for a coveted managerial post.

Doug and Richard couldn’t be more different, but going head to head in a contest of wits and will reveals how they have more in common than they thought. The duo battle toward a hilarious final showdown that will leave you guessing until the very end. The film is the directorial debut of Steve Conrad (writer of “The Pursuit of Happyness”).

Seann William Scott (left) and John C. Reilly in “The Promotion”.
Image credit: The Weinstein Company

Winners will be e-mailed with confirmation and venue information. To secure your tickets now, make sure you’re logged into your HollywoodChicago.com account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Next, click “Add new comment” below. This is required to win. In your comment, you must include your name and an answer to this simple question:

Who’s funnier and why: John C. Reilly or Seann William Scott?

John C. Reilly (left) and Seann William Scott in “The Promotion”.
Image credit: The Weinstein Company

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

John Cusack is Mad Scientist’s Hunchbacked Lab Assistant in Animated ‘Igor’; Poster Released

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:49:25 -0600

CHICAGO – Chicago’s John Cusack will play a mad scientist’s hunchbacked lab assistant in the animated feature film “Igor” from The Weinstein Company. Igor’s greatest aspiration is to win a first-place prize at an annual evil science fair.

The film also features voice talent from Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall, Eddie Izzard, Molly Shannon, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Jennifer Coolidge and James Lipton (who plays himself). “Igor” is slated for release on Sept. 19, 2008. The official teaser poster for the film was released on Thursday and can be viewed below. Our interview with Cusack on the film “Grace is Gone” can be listened to here.

Teaser poster art for “Igor” with John Cusack from The Weinstein Company. View a high-resolution version here.
Image credit: The Weinstein Company

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: Boisterous Morgan Spurlock on Latest Film ‘Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?’

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:57:38 -0600

CHICAGO – Morgan Spurlock wants to change the world. The creator and filmmaker who took on fast-food giant McDonald’s in his first film (“Super Size Me”) is now taking on the current global war on terror and the image of the most wanted terrorist in his new film “Where in World is Osama Bin Laden?”

Traveling to the “hot spots” in the Middle East including Afghanistan, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Spurlock talks both to the leaders and people of the regions.

Morgan Spurlock in his new documentary “Where in World is Osama Bin Laden?”.
Photo credit: Daniel Marracino, The Weinstein Company

Not only does he light-heartedly search for the elusive Bin Laden but he also tries to promote understanding about why a harmful byproduct like terrorism can emerge from religious and political movements.

HollywoodChicago.com recently interviewed Spurlock about the context of his documentary and also to get an idea of why he approached this particularly complex theme as a subject for a new movie.

“Movies are an incredibly inspiring medium. Movies do have the ability to transcend culture, transcend countries and transcend the barrier of language,” Spurlock said.

He added: “Hopefully through film you can get people to start to think about things in a way they normally wouldn’t. People look at films as an entertaining medium. For me, if you can entertain and get others to think at the same time, then you’re actually accomplishing something pretty great.”

Morgan Spurlock in his new documentary “Where in World is Osama Bin Laden?”.
Photo credit: Daniel Marracino, The Weinstein Company

The trademark in Spurlock’s method is humor. He establishes this early through an animated prologue that describes his impending fatherhood and then morphs into a video-game style that pits him against the evil image of Bin Laden.

“We were about six months into post-production when – in the middle of the night – I got the idea for the video-game look. I thought it just made sense because it was a typical ‘good versus evil’ video-game scenario you experience when playing,” Spurlock related.

“I also wanted a bridge from my generation to the younger generation as well. This style spoke to me. I hope it speaks to others,” Spurlock said. “We started working with Curious Pictures, which developed the popular game ‘Rock Band’. They helped make that video-game look a reality.”

“I wanted to give more voice to the moderates and the ordinary people who usually don’t get a platform. The more we empower those people, the less influence an extremist like Bin Laden has.”

~ Director Morgan Spurlock

In preparation for the trip to the Middle East, Spurlock went through language lessons, booster shots for potential disease and survival training.

“It messed with my head a bit when they started to talk about potential injuries as in: ‘What do you do when you’re shot in the neck?’ When you talk about things like that, it makes you realize you’re going into possible grave situations. It can get a little hairy,” Spurlock said.

And so it was. When going into militarized zones like the Gaza Strip and Afghanistan, there were several dangerous stops along the way. Through it all, though, Spurlock talked to the native people of the areas to get information and understanding about the grip that Bin Laden has put on the world.

“I wanted to give more voice to the moderates and the ordinary people who usually don’t get a platform,” he asserted. “The more we empower those people, the less influence an extremist like Bin Laden has.”

Morgan Spurlock in his new documentary “Where in World is Osama Bin Laden?”.
Photo credit: Daniel Marracino, The Weinstein Company

In mixing with the different countries, Spurlock exposed the control on thought and action that governments and religion have on people. In Saudi Arabia, two adult officials sat in on an interview with 18-year-olds and an orthodox section of Israel wanted him out and his cameras off.

“[The orthodox Israelis] are closed off to outsiders to begin with,” he recounted, “but there was one individual who came up to us and assured that the situation didn’t represent everyone. That one scene speaks volumes for the whole movie – that it’s a small group of radical people who will take aggression to another level.”

Morgan Spurlock in his new documentary “Where in World is Osama Bin Laden?”.
Photo credit: Daniel Marracino, The Weinstein Company

Spurlock chose not to debate politics and noted the extreme factions on both sides of one particular conflict.

“The bigger picture of what I wanted to do was paint a portrait of what people have to face on an everyday basis,” Spurlock said.

He added: “[I exposed] the people in Palestine who live within walls and have to go through multiple checkpoints just to get home to the everyday people in Israel who have to live under the threat of bombs – and even bombs shot from Gaza falling from the sky.”

It’s a valiant thesis as a movie and is another in a long string of rational “why can’t we just get along?” propositions. It’s also frustrating to realize we live in a world of Bin Ladens.

This has perpetuated the U.S. to wage war when the average citizens of the conflicted regions simply want peace for their children.

Spurlock dedicated his film of peace, love and understanding to his new, 16-month-old son. He concluded: “The goal for me was to try and create a forward-thinking movie – a movie that would ask the question: ‘Where do we go from here?’”

“Where in World is Osama Bin Laden?” opens on April 18, 2008. In Chicago, the film will show at AMC River East, Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema, Landmark’s Renaissance Place Cinema and Century 12 Evanston.

More From the Mind of Morgan Spurlock

On fellow documentary maker Michael Moore:

“The one thing about Michael – and people can say what they want about him – but whenever he makes a movie, he creates a topic that immediately becomes headlines on newspapers, magazine covers and broadcast news. To be able to generate a dialogue about a topic just from a movie is tremendous influence.”

On “Super Size Me” and its influence:

“The film caused a lot of people to look at their business practices. Even more important, McDonald’s eliminated super-sized options and came out with a lot of healthier menu items. What was really satisfying was how individuals wanted to change their diets.

I meet people every day who show me old pictures of themselves and say: ‘This used to be me. I lost 100 pounds because after seeing your film I changed the whole way I ate.’ It’s an amazing little film for what it did. I’m astounded by it every day.”

On whether he has eaten at McDonald’s since and if his son will ever go there:

“I haven’t been back to a McDonald’s since March 2, 2003 where we had a party for my final meal there. When my son – who is being raised in a vegan household – is ready for a real hamburger and a real milkshake, there are so many better places to take him to.”

By PATRICK McDONALD
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

Final Poster Art Released For Morgan Spurlock’s ‘Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?’

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:08:44 -0600

CHICAGO – Following up on our Feb. 25, 2008 report with poster art for The Weinstein Company’s new film “Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?” by Morgan Spurlock from “Super Size Me” fame, we have just been sent the final poster art for the new documentary, which opens on April 18, 2008.

Spurlock also produced “What Would Jesus Buy?”. In “Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?,” he tours the Middle East to discuss the war on terror with Arabic people. The art for the film’s second poster can be found below. Click on the image for a full-size version. For purposes of comparison, we also have the first poster following the new art.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Production Stills Surface For George A. Romero’s ‘Diary of the Dead’

HollywoodChicago.com — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 19:01:24 -0700

CHICAGO – The Weinstein Company has released 11 new production stills for George A. Romero’s “Diary of the Dead,” which will show at the Sundance Film Festival later this month and hits limited U.S. theaters on Feb. 15.

In the film, a group of young film students run into real-life zombies while filming a horror movie of their own. “Diary of the Dead” is written and directed by horror master George A. Romero (“Land of the Dead,” “Day of the Dead,” “Dawn of the Dead,” “Night of the Living Dead”).

Though the film’s primary cast relies on many actors you’ve likely never heard of, it interestingly features voice work from people including Wes Craven, Stephen King, Quentin Tarantino and Guillermo del Toro.

I’ve included a few of the production stills below. All of them can be found in our new “Diary of the Dead” image gallery.

The publicist for the film has informed us that “Diary of the Dead” will show at the Sundance Film Festival on these dates and at these locations:

Jan. 18, 11:30 p.m., Library Center Theatre
Jan. 22, 9 p.m., Tower Theatre, Salt Lake City
Jan. 26, 11:30 p.m., Holiday Village Cinema II
Jan. 27, 10 a.m., Holiday Village Cinema I

Click here to view the entire “Diary of the Dead” image gallery!

The trailer – along with a challenge from Romero to submit your own short horror film for possible release with the DVD version – can be viewed below. This was posted on our boards on Jan. 11. You can discuss these production stills at this new thread on our boards.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: Denzel Washington’s Difference of Opinion With Harvey Weinstein on ‘The Great Debaters’

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 12:00:51 -0700

I interviewed actor and director Denzel Washington on Dec. 6 on the topic of “The Great Debaters,” which is the second film he has directed. “The Great Debaters” opens on Christmas.

We spoke about the difference between what he wants for his films and what the studio wants. Specifically, we discussed why Harvey Weinstein at the Weinstein Company required Washington to act in “The Great Debaters” along with the other debate films of 2007.

Denzel Washington in “The Great Debaters”.
Photo credit: IMDb

Adam Fendelman: Some directors put themselves in their films as an actor and some don’t. I spoke to Alison Eastwood on “Rails & Ties,” for example, and why she didn’t.

So you’ve done two now (“The Great Debaters” in 2007 and “Antwone Fisher” in 2002) where you’ve put yourself in the films. What’s your feeling on that in terms of just strictly directing or also putting yourself in it?

Denzel Washington: It’s strictly business. I didn’t want to be in either film. It was strictly to get the money. Basically, the studio said: “If you’re not in the film, your budget is this. If you’re in the film, this is your budget.”

They sort of back you into a corner. They give you a budget they know you can’t make the movie for, and two or three years after you’ve been working on it, I said: “OK. I’ll play a small role in it.”

That still wasn’t enough money to make the kind of picture I wanted to make. It’s not a big-budget film. We spent $25 million, but basically, the number was going to be more like $10 or $12 million.

To make a film for that (which is a lot of money) was going to be very difficult for a period film. I am not interested in being in the films I direct at all. Did I make that clear?

Adam Fendelman: Yeah, and now that you’ve been on both sides of the lens (obviously a lot more on the acting side), which do you prefer?

Denzel Washington: Well, it’s not an either/or. Right now, this is new and exciting at this point in my life, so I’m passionate about directing. I have no plans to direct another film right now.

I’m going back in front of the camera probably for the next couple years until my twins graduate from high school. I do have some ideas for films I want to direct. Clint Eastwood is my hero. I want to do both (acting and directing).

Adam Fendelman: Have you seen the film “Rocket Science”?

Denzel Washington: No. I haven’t.

Adam Fendelman: It came out in 2007. It’s about debate.

Denzel Washington: There was another one I heard about called “Resolved”. I heard about them, but in a way, I didn’t want to see it. I didn’t want to be influenced. The debate now is a completely different style.

Click for the full, 51-page interview transcript.