Film History & Features
American actor Ben Gazzara (1930-2012)
By David Walsh, February 9, 2012
Ben Gazzara had a long career in film, theater and television, which began in the mid-1950s. He worked with numerous interesting directors, although he seems to have found the greatest artistic satisfaction working with John Cassavetes.
A discussion with film historian Joseph McBride about Steven Spielberg: A Biography—Part 2
By David Walsh, May 5, 2011
A new edition of a critical study and biography of filmmaker Steven Spielberg has been published. David Walsh recently spoke with its author, Joseph McBride. This is the second part of the discussion.
A discussion with film historian Joseph McBride about Steven Spielberg: A Biography―Part 1
By David Walsh, May 4, 2011
A new edition of a critical study and biography of filmmaker Steven Spielberg has been published. David Walsh recently spoke with its author, Joseph McBride.
Cinema as an imperialist weapon: Hollywood and World War I
By Max Alvarez, August 5, 2010
The First World War (1914-1918) marked the initial foray by the US ruling elite into promoting a war with assistance from Hollywood film companies. The latter responded enthusiastically to the appeals of the Woodrow Wilson administration.
Hollywood on Trial: a timely reminder
By Charles Bogle, December 10, 2009
The Hollywood witchhunt and blacklisting of left-wing actors, writers and directors in the post-World War II period has been the subject of many books, but has received little serious attention in Hollywood itself.
An evaluation of Roman Polanski as an artist
By David Walsh, November 20, 2009
Filmmaker Roman Polanski remains in a Zurich jail cell, while his lawyers fight the efforts by US authorities to extradite him. The director has a half-century-long artistic career that needs to be assessed.
An interview with Joseph McBride, author of What Ever Happened to Orson Welles?
Orson Welles, the blacklist and Hollywood filmmaking—Part 2
By David Walsh and Joanne Laurier, June 17, 2009
This is the second part of an interview with Joseph McBride, author of What Ever Happened to Orson Welles? A Portrait of an Independent Career (2006). The first part was posted June 16.
An interview with Joseph McBride, author of What Ever Happened to Orson Welles?
Orson Welles, the blacklist and Hollywood filmmaking—Part 1
By David Walsh and Joanne Laurier, June 16, 2009
While in the Bay Area for the recent San Francisco Film Festival, David Walsh and Joanne Laurier had a lengthy conversation with Joseph McBride, author of What Ever Happened to Orson Welles? A Portrait of an Independent Career (2006), an unusual and valuable book.
Japanese filmmaker dead at 88
Akira Kurosawa’s achievement
By David Walsh, September 9, 1998
The Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa died at his home in Tokyo September 6 at the age of 88. Kurosawa, who made 28 films between 1943 and 1993, belonged to that generation of European and Asian directors whose works dominated the international art film world in the 1950s and 1960s. One thinks of such figur
AFI’s 100 Greatest Movies: Some serious questions
By David Walsh, June 18, 1998
The American Film Institute's celebration of a century of filmmaking in the US could have been an extraordinary event. Instead, both the list of the supposed 100 greatest American movies and the June 17 three-hour CBS special during which the list was revealed were predictable and mediocre.
David Walsh looks at the 70th Academy Awards:
Long live conformism and banality!
By David Walsh, March 25, 1998
The 70th Academy Awards ceremony was a pretty dire affair. The victory of James Cameron's Titanic in 11 categories certainly set the general tone. Academy members bestowed on this trite and mediocre film awards for best picture, direction, song, cinematography, art direction, film editing, costume design, s
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By David Walsh, March 10, 1998
A number of factors account for the current popularity of Titanic and similar films, including problems bound up with a crisis of social and political perspective. But the general unfamiliarity of the moviegoing public with the wealth of extraordinary films that have been made in the past also plays a role.
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