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Teaching Mrs. Tingle
''Teaching Mrs. Tingle'' is a 1999 American teen black comedy thriller film written and directed by Kevin Williamson, in his directorial debut, and starring Helen Mirren, Katie Holmes, Marisa Coughlan, Barry Watson, and Jeffrey Tambor. It follows a trio of high school seniors who must prove their innocence to their vindictive history teacher, who accuses them of cheating on their final exams. Williamson wrote the script before his work on ''Scream'' and ''Dawson's Creek.'' Following the success of those projects, his script was picked up and production of the film proceeded. Released in the United States on August 20, 1999, the film was originally titled ''Killing Mrs. Tingle'', but was delayed and retitled due to the uproar over teen violence in films after the Columbine High School massacre. The film received mostly negative reviews from critics and was a box-office bomb. Williamson has not directed another film since. Plot In Grandsboro, California, Leigh Ann Watson is a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kevin Williamson (screenwriter)
Kevin Meade Williamson (born March 14, 1965) is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. He is known for developing and writing the screenplay for slasher film ''Scream'' (1996)—which launched the ''Scream'' franchise—along with those for ''Scream 2'' (1997) and ''Scream 4'' (2011). He is also known for creating the WB teen drama series ''Dawson's Creek'' (1998–2003), the CW supernatural drama series ''The Vampire Diaries'' (2009–2017), the Fox crime thriller series ''The Following'' (2013–2015), the CBS crime drama series '' Stalker'' (2014–2015), and the CBS All Access thriller series '' Tell Me a Story'' (2018–2020). Williamson also wrote the screenplays for the films ''I Know What You Did Last Summer'' (1997), ''The Faculty'' (1998), and '' Cursed'' (2005). He made his directorial debut with the black comedy film '' Teaching Mrs. Tingle'' (1999), which remains his only directorial work to date. Early life Williamson was born in New Bern, North Caro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Comedy
Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discuss. Writers and comedians often use it as a tool for exploring vulgar issues by provoking discomfort, serious thought, and amusement for their audience. Thus, in fiction, for example, the term ''black comedy'' can also refer to a genre in which dark humor is a core component. Popular themes of the genre include death, crime, poverty, suicide, war, violence, terrorism, discrimination, disease, racism, sexism, and human sexuality. Black comedy differs from both blue comedy—which focuses more on crude topics such as nudity, sex, and Body fluids—and from straightforward obscenity. Whereas the term ''black comedy'' is a relatively broad term covering humor relating to many serious subjects, ''gallows humor'' tends to be used more specifical ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lesley Ann Warren
Lesley Ann Warren (born August 16, 1946) is an American actress and singer. She made her Broadway debut in 1963, aged 17, in '' 110 in the Shade''. In 1965 she received wide recognition for playing the title role in the television musical production of ''Cinderella''. She later had starring roles in the Disney musical films ''The Happiest Millionaire'' (1967) and ''The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band'' (1968), both co-starred opposite John Davidson. In the 1970s, Warren worked mostly on television, receiving a Golden Globe nomination for playing Dana Lambert in the CBS drama series '' Mission: Impossible'' (1970–71). In 1978, she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for the NBC miniseries '' Harold Robbins' 79 Park Avenue''. In 1983, Warren was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing Norma Cassidy in ''Victor/Victoria''. She received two additional Golden Globe nominations for performances in ''Songwriter'' (1984 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael McKean
Michael John McKean (; born October 17, 1947) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, composer, singer, and musician known for various roles in film and television such as Lenny Kosnowski in '' Laverne & Shirley'', David St. Hubbins in '' This Is Spinal Tap'', and Chuck McGill on ''Better Call Saul''. McKean's breakout role was annoying neighbor Lenny Kosnowski on the sitcom ''Laverne & Shirley''. He played David St. Hubbins, lead vocalist and co-lead guitarist of the fictional rock band Spinal Tap in ''This Is Spinal Tap'' and had roles in several Christopher Guest ensemble films. He co-wrote the song "A Mighty Wind" (for the Guest film ''A Mighty Wind''), for which he won a Grammy Award, as well as "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" from the same film, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. McKean was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' for its 19th and 20th seasons in the mid-1990s. McKean received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mind Games
Playing mind games (also power games or head games) is the largely conscious struggle for psychological one-upmanship, often employing passive–aggressive behavior to specifically demoralize or dis-empower the thinking subject, making the aggressor look superior. It also describes the unconscious games played by people engaged in ulterior transactions of which they are not fully aware, and which transactional analysis considers to form a central element of social life all over the world. The first known use of the term "mind game" dates from 1963, and "head game" from 1977. Conscious one-upmanship In intimate relationships, mind games can be used to undermine one partner's belief in the validity of their own perceptions. Personal experience may be denied and driven from memory, and such abusive mind games may extend to the denial of the victim's reality, social undermining, and downplaying the importance of the other partner's concerns or perceptions. Both sexes have equa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blackmail
Blackmail is an act of coercion using the threat of revealing or publicizing either substantially true or false information about a person or people unless certain demands are met. It is often damaging information, and it may be revealed to family members or associates rather than to the general public. These acts can also involve using threats of physical, mental or emotional harm, or of criminal prosecution, against the victim or someone close to the victim. It is normally carried out for personal gain, most commonly of position, money, or property. Blackmail may also be considered a form of extortion. Although the two are generally synonymous, extortion is the taking of personal property by threat of future harm. Blackmail is the use of threat to prevent another from engaging in a lawful occupation and writing libelous letters or letters that provoke a breach of the peace, as well as use of intimidation for purposes of collecting an unpaid debt. In many jurisdictions, bla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crossbow
A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an elastic launching device consisting of a bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar fashion to the stock of a long firearm. Crossbows shoot arrow-like projectiles called '' bolts'' or ''quarrels''. A person who shoots crossbow is called a ''crossbowman'' or an '' arbalist'' (after the arbalest, a European crossbow variant used during the 12th century). Although crossbows and bows use the same launch principle, the difference is that an archer must maintain a bow's draw manually by pitching the bowstring with fingers, pulling it back with arm and back muscles and then holding that same form in order to aim (which distresses the body and demands significant physical strength and stamina); while a crossbow utilizes a locking mechanism to maintain the draw, limiting the shooter's exertion to only pulling the string into lock and then releasing the shot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title for the highest-performing student of a graduating class of an academic institution. The valedictorian is commonly determined by a numerical formula, generally an academic institution's grade point average (GPA) system, but other methods of selection may be used or factored in such as community service or extra-curricular activity. The term is an Anglicised derivation of the Latin ''vale dicere'' ("to say farewell"), historically rooted in the valedictorian's traditional role as the final speaker at the graduation ceremony commencement before the students receive their diplomas. The valedictory address, also known as the valediction, is generally considered a final farewell to classmates, before they disperse to pursue their individual paths after graduating. The term is not widely used or known outside the US, although some countries may award equivalent titles. In Australia, the title is sometimes awarded to a member of a graduating universit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
High School
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., both levels 2 and 3 of the ISCED scale, but these can also be provided in separate schools. In the US, the secondary education system has separate middle schools and high schools. In the UK, most state schools and privately-funded schools accommodate pupils between the ages of 11–16 or 11–18; some UK private schools, i.e. public schools, admit pupils between the ages of 13 and 18. Secondary schools follow on from primary schools and prepare for vocational or tertiary education. Attendance is usually compulsory for students until age 16. The organisations, buildings, and terminology are more or less unique in each country. Levels of education In the ISCED 2011 education scale levels 2 and 3 c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territories of the United States by population, most populous U.S. state and the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 3rd largest by area. It is also the most populated Administrative division, subnational entity in North America and the 34th most populous in the world. The Greater Los Angeles area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation's second and fifth most populous Statistical area (United States), urban regions respectively, with the former having more than 18.7million residents and the latter having over 9.6million. Sacramento, California, Sacramento is the state's capital, while Los Angeles is the List of largest California cities by population, most populous city in the state and the List of United States cities by population, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Box-office Bomb
A box-office bomb, or box-office disaster, is a film that is unprofitable or considered highly unsuccessful during its theatrical run. Although any film for which the production, marketing, and distribution costs combined exceed the revenue after release has technically "bombed", the term is more frequently used for major studio releases that were highly anticipated, extensively marketed and expensive to produce that ultimately failed commercially. Causes Negative word of mouth With the advent of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter in the 2000s, word of mouth regarding new films is easily spread and has had a marked effect on box office performance. A film's ability or failure to attract positive or negative commentary can strongly impact its performance at the box office, especially on the opening weekend. External circumstances Occasionally, films may underperform because of issues largely unrelated to the content of the film, such as the timing of the film's re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Columbine High School Massacre
On April 20, 1999, a school shooting and attempted bombing occurred at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, United States. The perpetrators, 12th grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered 12 students and one teacher. 10 students were killed in the school library, where Harris and Klebold subsequently committed suicide. 21 additional people were injured by gunshots, and gunfire was also exchanged with the police. Another three people were injured trying to escape. At the time, it was the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history. The shooting has inspired dozens of copycat killings, dubbed the Columbine effect, including many deadlier shootings across the world. The word "Columbine" has become a byword for school shootings. Harris and Klebold had intended for the attack to primarily be a bombing and secondarily a shooting, but the failed detonation of the several homemade bombs they planted in the school caused the pair to launch a shooting attac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
