|
The New Main Street Singers
''A Mighty Wind'' is a 2003 American mockumentary comedy film about a folk music reunion concert in which three folk bands reunite for a television performance for the first time in decades. Co-written (with Eugene Levy), directed, and composed by Christopher Guest, the film is widely acknowledged to reference folk music producer Harold Leventhal as the inspiration for the character of Irving Steinbloom and more broadly parodies the American folk music revival of the early 1960s and its personalities. Guest co-stars and reunites many of his company of actors from '' This Is Spinal Tap'', '' Waiting for Guffman'', and '' Best in Show'' for this film, including Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Fred Willard, Bob Balaban, Ed Begley Jr., Jennifer Coolidge, John Michael Higgins, Jane Lynch and Parker Posey. Plot After fictional folk music producer Irving Steinbloom dies, his children Jonathan, Naomi, and Elliott organize a memorial concert, which th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christopher Guest
Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest (born February 5, 1948) is an American-British screenwriter, composer, musician, director, actor, and comedian. Guest is most widely known in Hollywood for having written, directed, and starred in his series of comedy films shot in mock-documentary (mockumentary) style. Many scenes and character backgrounds in Guest's films are written and directed, although actors have no rehearsal time and the ensemble improvises scenes while filming them. The series of films began with ''This Is Spinal Tap'' (which he did not direct) and continued with ''Waiting for Guffman'', '' Best in Show'', ''A Mighty Wind'', '' For Your Consideration'', and ''Mascots''. Guest holds a hereditary British peerage as the 5th Baron Haden-Guest, and has publicly expressed a desire to see the House of Lords reformed as a democratically elected chamber. Though he was initially active in the Lords, his career there was cut short by the House of Lords Act 1999, whi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasting campus in the Midtown Atlanta, Midtown business district of Atlanta, Georgia. The channel's programming consists mainly of Golden age (metaphor), classic theatrically released feature films from the Turner Entertainment film library – which comprises films from Warner Bros. (covering films released before 1950), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (covering films released before May 1986), and the North American distribution rights to films from RKO Pictures. However, Turner Classic Movies also licenses films from other studios and occasionally shows more recent films. The channel is available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta (as Turner Classic Movies), Latin America, France, Greece, Cyprus, Spain, the Nordic countrie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Witch
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of Magic (supernatural), magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In Middle Ages, medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have used Black magic, malevolent magic against their own community, and often to have communed with evil beings. It was thought witchcraft could be thwarted by Apotropaic magic, protective magic or counter-magic, which could be provided by cunning folk or folk healers. Suspected witches were also intimidated, banished, attacked or killed. Often they would be formally prosecuted and punished, if found guilty or simply believed to be guilty. European witch-hunts and witch trials in the early modern period led to tens of thousands of executions. In some regions, many of those accused of witchcraft were folk healers or midwife, midwives. European belief in witchcraft gradually dwindled during and after the Age of Enl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pornographic Film
Pornographic films (pornos), erotic films, sex films, and 18+ films are films that present sexually explicit subject matter in order to arouse and satisfy the viewer. Pornographic films present sexual fantasies and usually include erotically stimulating material such as nudity ( softcore) and sexual intercourse (hardcore). A distinction is sometimes made between "erotic" and "pornographic" films on the basis that the latter category contains more explicit sexuality, and focuses more on arousal than storytelling; the distinction is highly subjective. Pornographic films are produced and distributed on a variety of media, depending on the demand and technology available, including traditional film stock in various formats, home video, DVDs, Internet download, cable TV, in addition to other media. Today, pornographic films are sold or rented on DVD; shown through Internet streaming, special channels and pay-per-view on cable and satellite; and viewed in rapidly disappeari ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Folksmen
The Folksmen are a fictitious American folk music trio, conceived and performed by actors-comedians-musicians Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer. Originally created in 1984 for a ''Saturday Night Live'' sketch, the Folksmen have subsequently maintained an intermittent public presence for more than twenty-five years. The trio is best known for its depiction in the mockumentary film ''A Mighty Wind'' (2003), but has also made a number of meta-performances on stage and television, often in conjunction with the same creators' fictitious heavy metal band, Spinal Tap. Film, television and concert depictions Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer first appeared as the Folksmen on the November 3, 1984, episode of ''Saturday Night Live'', the fourth episode of season 10. Guest and Shearer had both joined ''SNL'' as cast members that season (though Harry Shearer was previously an ''SNL'' cast member for the 1979-1980 season), while McKean was hosting that ep ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Audrey Coolidge (born August 28, 1961) is an American actress known for her roles in comedic film and television particularly in American Pie (series), ''American Pie'' film series (1999–2012), Legally Blonde (franchise), ''Legally Blonde'' film series (2001–2003) and the HBO anthology series ''The White Lotus'' (2021–2022). She has received several awards including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Critics' Choice Television Award with nominations for two Golden Globe Awards. Coolidge had supporting roles in the American Pie (series), ''American Pie'' film series (1999–2012) and the Legally Blonde (franchise), ''Legally Blonde'' film series (2001–2003). She has regularly collaborated with Christopher Guest on his mockumentary films, such as ''Best in Show (film), Best in Show'' (2000), ''A Mighty Wind'' (2003), ''For Your Consideration (film), For Your Consideration'' (2006), and ''Mascots (2016 film), Mascots'' (2016). She has also appeared in the films ''A Cind ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ed Begley Jr
Edward James Begley Jr. (born September 16, 1949) is an American actor and environmental activist. Begley has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He played Dr. Victor Ehrlich on the television series '' St. Elsewhere'' (1982–1988). The role earned him six consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award nomination. He also co-hosted, along with wife Rachelle Carson, the green living reality show titled ''Living with Ed'' (2007–2010). Equally prolific in cinema, Begley's films include ''Blue Collar'' (1978), '' An Officer and a Gentleman'' (1982), ''This Is Spinal Tap'' (1984), ''The Accidental Tourist'' (1988), and '' She-Devil'' (1989). He is a recurring cast member in the mockumentaries of Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, including '' Best in Show'' (2000), ''A Mighty Wind'' (2003), '' For Your Consideration'' (2006), and ''Mascots'' (2016). In 2020 he was cast along his wife Rachelle in the award-winnin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Best In Show (film)
''Best in Show'' is a 2000 American mockumentary comedy film co-written by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy and directed by Guest. The film follows five entrants in a prestigious dog show as they travel to the show and compete once there. Much of the dialogue was improvised. Many of the comic actors were also involved in Guest's other films, including ''Waiting for Guffman'', ''A Mighty Wind'', '' For Your Consideration'', and ''Mascots''. The film's score was composed by C. J. Vanston. Plot Five dogs and their owners, trainers and handlers travel to Philadelphia to compete in the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. Gerry and Cookie Fleck are a middle-class couple from Florida who arrive at the Taft Hotel with their Norwich Terrier Winky. After having forgotten to pay their credit card bill and short of cash, they are forced to sleep in the hotel's storage room. While traveling to the show, they encounter several of Cookie’s former lovers who kiss her passionately and try to seduce ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Waiting For Guffman
''Waiting for Guffman'' is a 1996 American mockumentary comedy film written by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, and directed by Guest. The film's ensemble cast includes Guest, Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Fred Willard, and Parker Posey. The film's title is a reference to Samuel Beckett's play '' Waiting for Godot''. As in the other mockumentary films created by Guest, the majority of the dialogue was improvised (based on Guest and Levy's story). Because the film is about the production of a stage musical, it contains several original musical numbers written by Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer. Plot In the fictional small town of Blaine, Missouri, a few residents prepare to put on a community theater production led by eccentric director Corky St. Clair. The show, a musical chronicling the town's history titled ''Red, White and Blaine'', is to be performed as part of the town's 150th-anniversary celebration. Cast in the leads are Ron and Sheila Albertson, married travel age ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
This Is Spinal Tap
''This Is Spinal Tap'' (also known as ''This Is Spınal Tap: A Rockumentary by Martin Di Bergi'') is a 1984 American mockumentary film co-written and directed by Rob Reiner (in his feature directorial debut). The film stars Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer as members of the fictional British heavy metal music, heavy metal band Spinal Tap (band), Spinal Tap, one of England's "loudest bands", with Reiner as Martin "Marty" Di Bergi, a documentary filmmaker who follows them on their American tour. The film satire (film and television), satirizes the behavior and musical pretensions of rock bands and the Hagiography, hagiographic tendencies of Rockumentary, rock documentaries such as ''The Song Remains the Same (film), The Song Remains the Same'' (1976) and ''The Last Waltz'' (1978), and follows the similar ''All You Need Is Cash'' (1978) by the Rutles. Most of its dialogue was improvised and dozens of hours were filmed. ''This Is Spinal Tap'' was released to criti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American Folk Music Revival
The American folk music revival began during the 1940s and peaked in popularity in the mid-1960s. Its roots went earlier, and performers like Josh White, Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Big Bill Broonzy, Billie Holiday, Richard Dyer-Bennet, Oscar Brand, Jean Ritchie, John Jacob Niles, Susan Reed, Paul Robeson, Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey and Cisco Houston had enjoyed a limited general popularity in the 1930s and 1940s. The revival brought forward styles of American folk music that had in earlier times contributed to the development of country and western, blues, jazz, and rock and roll music. Overview Early years The folk revival in New York City was rooted in the resurgent interest in square dancing and folk dancing there in the 1940s as espoused by instructors such as Margot Mayo, which gave musicians such as Pete Seeger popular exposure. The folk revival more generally as a popular and commercial phenomenon begins with the career of The Weavers, formed in November 194 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harold Leventhal
Harold Leventhal (May 24, 1919 – October 4, 2005) was an American music manager. He died in 2005 at the age of 86. Leventhal's career began as a song plugger for Irving Berlin and then Benny Goodman. While working for Goodman, he connected with a new artist, Frank Sinatra, booking him as a singer for a Benny Goodman event. Leventhal later managed The Weavers, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Alan Arkin, Judy Collins, Theodore Bikel, Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez, Mary Travers, Tom Paxton, Don McLean and many others, and promoted major concert events in the genre, thus playing a significant role in the popularization and influence of American folk music in the 1950s and 1960s. Personal life Born in Ellenville, New York, to Orthodox Jewish immigrants from Ukraine and Lithuania, Leventhal was eight weeks old when his father, Samuel, died in the 1918 influenza pandemic at the age of 34. His mother, Sarah, moved her five children to the Lower East Side, where she worked as the tenement's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
