60's Kurosawa Masterpiece Films

There is no doubt that Akira Kurosawa, the Japanese filmmaker, has had a profound impact on moviemaking and film history. From the 1960's to the 1980's Kurosawa made one masterpiece after the other and was a major influencer to the new generation of filmmakers throughout the 1970's to today, including Spielberg, Lucas, Lee, Altman, Bergman, Fellini, and Kubrick.

Kurosawa with young American directors Francis Coppola and George Lucas

To rank Kurosawa's works is a fool's game. Given his films, it is in the eyes and ears of the viewer which masterpiece ranks over another.  For example, his 1960's film 'The Bad Sleep Well', based upon Hamlet, is a story of revenge only set in corporate world. Not usually ranked as a Kurosawa favorite it is nonetheless a masterpiece.

'Red Beard' (1965) is epic. This film explores the close and tension-riddled relationship between a medical student and his mentor. This three-hour classic is set in the mid-1800's and explores the relationship between doctor and student, doctor and patient, and doctor and medical staff. 

'Sanjuro' (1962) is a sequel to the more famous masterpiece 'Yojimbo' - but nonetheless can stand on its own as a very special movie. 'Sanjuro' is a samurai-based violent, bloody, death-riddled journey with the lead character assisting a group of young samurai take down corrupt individuals in their clan.

"Yojimbo' (1961) is the story of good guy taking on bad guys and is the basis for the spaghetti westerns. A timeless classic that is considered one of Kurosawa's best works.

 Kurosawa, the greatest visual Master of Films

Shifting gears, in 1963 Kurosawa makes a thriller, entitled 'High and Low', which is almost without peer. In fact, as I write this post, Spike Lee and Densel Washington are in the process of producing an updated version of this film - which many consider the best thriller movie ever made. 'High and Low' deals with greed, justice, corruption, and crime like no other. It demonstrates the art form of filmmaking and a top-tier film that should be viewed by every movie fan at least once.

By: Jim Lavorato

State of the $800+ billion Entertainment Industry

 It should be no secret to anyone that the $800+ billion global entertainment market is split in two. Legacy businesses - broadcast and cable TV, standalone videos, and the cinema are struggling, while streaming and online platforms are thriving and multiplying. 

Of the legacy businesses only, the cinema is ever so slowly moving toward higher attendance levels. We see this in Asia, especially in China where the cinema is booming. As for broadcast and cable TV, it is on a downward trajectory with no end in sight.

There is also a movement from legacy entertainment models that were national to streaming models which are universal in reach. This has had a major impact on content distribution as online entertainment is chasing after the same audiences creating massive market redundancy and overlap.

When speaking about the cinema, the exclusive theatrical distribution window is essentially over. This makes film distribution ever more complex. The saving grace for movies is that streaming platforms are not the premier form of viewing movies, that honor is still held by the cinema. 

For streamers, the focus is on advertising while retaining subscribers by the use of long episodical series spread over some timeframe. Whereas on the movie side the trend is for less production by the studios but content of higher quality and a significant increase in independent movie production for both fictional and documentary films. 

There has been a shift in funding as well. For movies the move toward multi-party funding for films vs. single source will grow - as for example the recent 30-picture deal inked between Paramount and Domain Capital. 

In summary, the massive global entertainment industry is currently adapting to a new playing field, where streaming will be king but other players, such as the cinema, will still be viable and significant.

By: Jim Lavorato

 

Diane Warren: Least Known but Most Heard

 

This year, Diane Warren's original song 'The Journey' for the film 'The Six Triple Eight' is her 16th Oscar nomination for that category - it is also the eighth year in a row and the tenth time in 11 years she has been nominated for best original song. However, and unbelievably, she has never won. 

At 68, Warren is the only person to be nominated more times in the same Oscar category without winning. 

It's not that she is unpopular. She is very well thought of in the movie industry and in the music community so let's chalk it up to bad luck. This may be the case this year as well, as her nomination was the only one received by 'The Six Triple Eight'.

I hope things break Warren's way. She really deserves the Oscar.  As a tribute to her 16 nominated songs, she composed a seven-minute medley - listen here.

Best of luck Diane.

Which Genres Have Won Most Best Picture Oscars

Since its beginning in 1929, the best picture award has remained the highest honor of the Oscars. The best picture award has been bestowed on 96 films to date and winning was dependent upon the social trends of the time. Musicals, which dominated the best picture award during the 1950's and 60's, have not won a best picture award since 'Chicago' in 2002. 

So, let's take a look back and see how each of nine movie genres vied for and won the top prize. 

- Biographical Dramas explore the way individuals have impacted history. Over the years, nine bio-dramas have won best picture with 'Oppenheimer' the most successful. 

- Biopics stories about one person and how they lived. Only two biopics have won best picture awards. 'Ghandi' won in 1982 and 'The Life of Emile Zola' in 1937.

- Romantic Comedies have won best picture five times. The romcom 'It Happened One Night' is one of only two movies ever to sweep the big five awards: best picture, best director, best actor, best actress, and best screenplay, the other being 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'.

-Epic, a movie with a sweeping theme and big production budget. This genre has won best picture 21 times. Some of the winners had multiple parts, such as 'The Godfather'.

- Historical Drama, similar to bio dramas, this genre is defined as fictionalized accounts of specific events set in a distinct time period. Only four films have won in this genre with 'Mutiny of the Bounty' the most well-known.

- Horror, only seven horror films have ever even been nominated for best picture, including this year's 'The Substance'. Only one has won a best picture Oscar, 'The Silence of the Lambs'.

-Musicals, have won 10 best picture awards. The musical that won 10 of 11 Oscars it was nominated for and set the record for most awards won by a musical was 'West Side Story'.

- Thriller, a film with suspense and drama. Six have won best picture awards. 'Rebecca' (1940), the Hitchcock thriller, was the first to win in this genre.

- Sci-Fi movies have won only two best picture awards. It wasn't until 1971 when 'A Clockwork Orange' was nominated for best picture. It took another 46 years when in 1971 'The Shape of Water' actually won best picture. 

And there you have it.

By: Jim Lavorato

Rom-Coms: No Longer Movies to Take a Date

 

"People will watch this one at home", says Helen Fielding, the author who created Bridget Jones. "If you're Bridget's generation it will be with a bottle of wine and a tub of ice cream. If you're Gen Z, it will be with mineral water and slippers. But it's a good movie to watch on the sofa." That's Fieldling's view of the rom-com. "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy" the latest in the Jones' series debuted on February 13th via the second-tier streaming service Peacock. 

The once highly valued film genre, the romance-comedy has fallen from audience grace. Making the careers of Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, and Sandra Bullock, over the last decade moviegoers have abandoned the genre as these films now go directly to online streaming bypassing the cinema release completely.

What happened was that rom-coms became 'same old' and failed to reach the quality of an earlier generation of films. The funny thing is that outside the U.S. rom-coms are booming and still have theatrical releases which are followed by streaming. For the Jones' series of films, the global box office accounted for 89% of total ticket sales. Yet, in the U.S. online streaming is keeping the rom-com alive. Look to the Anne Hathaway led 'The Idea of You' or Amy Schumers' 'Kinda Pregnant' standout on the seemingly endless list of new streaming releases.

U.S. rom-com fans are hoping for a big-screen revival but to do so will require storylines that are inventive and captivating and cast with A-listers. Scott Meslow, author of 'The Rise and Fall of the Romantic Comedy' predicts, "In five years, the rom-com will be resurrected. People are charmed by these stories if they're unique and well made." 

Well, I guess, it's a wait and see. Rom-coms draw a specific demographic so to be mainstream the storylines need to be broader than just - boy-meets-girl. 

By: Jim Lavorato

Studios Have Become Risk Adverse

I love the movie award shows and festivals where the winners are always thanking their backers for their bravery and courage..."we're so thankful that the studio had the bravery and foresight to make this film."

But this isn't the case. If anything, risk taking in Hollywood has and will continue to diminish. This caution is caused by a several factors, from consumers' changing habits to the major content streamers growing into predictable and safe corporate entities. 

Many film scripts are now viewed as too socially correct or too political to be distributed let alone funded. Message films, which were once embraced by the studios are now taboo. Studios are no longer in the risk-taking game. The days of opening their checkbooks to totally unproven, nameless productions without obvious and immediate box office success - are gone. 

Film making is now a vicious circle... studios take fewer risks, so audiences see fewer risky movies, so studios take fewer risks, and so on. What you wind up with is the 'same old' on the marquee.

I believe this is a sign of the times in which we live. No one wants to take a risk with anything...it's all about risk aversion and it's unfortunate.   

By: Jim Lavorato

Netflix As Restaurateur...?

 

Netflix is opening up 'Netflix Bites' at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Netflix says they are opening this latest experimental project later this month as a full-service restaurant.

Netflix had previously opened a dinner only restaurant in Los Angeles in 2023 to mixed reviews and closed in six weeks. Netflix Bites will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner 7 days a week and offer dishes inspired by their iconic shows, including Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Squid Game, One Piece, Love is Blind, and Nailed It!

Netflix Bites is the streamer's push into live experiences, which will culminate later this year when it opens Netflix House, with locations in Pennsylvania and Texas offering food, retail merch sales, and experimental offerings.

"With Netflix Bites Vegas, we're taking fan-favorite shows from screen to table and turning that into a culinary adventure", says Josh Simon, Netflix VP consumer products, "We're excited to offer fans a new way to experience their favorite stories."

I guess my question is why? Netflix is by far the largest content streamer on a global basis - operating on over 190 countries and having more subscribers worldwide then all other streaming services combined. I can see trying to link their hit shows to a consumer experience but why restaurants with their huge cost of buildout, heavy, hands-on management, and extreme competition. 

Arguably, Netflix was the best stock to own over the last 15 years (with a total return of 11,554% over that time) but there must be other ways for them to parlay their success besides opening restaurants that sell merch.  The key to success, for any content streamer is to retain (and increase) your subscription base - which is becoming harder and harder to achieve. I believe a better way for Netflix to grow outside their core business is to purchase already successful podcasts and social media outlets which would help in cementing their subscriber base.

By: Jim Lavorato 

 

The Death of Lagacy TV News

 

OUT WITH The OLD

IN WITH The NEW

The news cycle moves at a frantic pace and legacy news outlets are having to face the grim reality that they are dying a slow death.

In the U.S., ABC, NBC, the New York Times, CNN, etc. the list is long, are all facing new ownership or closing as their platforms, which have defined media for five decades, are breaking down and have become socially irrelevant.

MSNBC is being spun off by parent Comcast joining sister channel CNBC at 'Spin Co.' Warner Bros. is restructuring and CNN is being staged for divestment. According to CNN CEO Mark Thompson, "these are profound and irreversible shifts as the way consumers obtain their news and that's not us."

Not only are broadcast and print outlets in trouble but cable TV as well. Cable cord-cutting has been going on for years, with younger consumers largely opting not to pay for TV but instead spending their viewing dollars on streaming platforms. For example, earnings at CNN were $600 million in 2021 but only $400 million in 2023.This led to the firing of 200 staff at CNN in January.

The legacy networks and print media had it good for a very long time but now the party is over and it's not coming back. The majority of people get their news and daily information online - podcasts and short-clips on social media. This has forced legacy outlets to ink deals with podcasters and other digital-native hosts - but this is too little, too late. They are too far behind the curve. They have become dinosaurs in the world of mass media, and it's not just the U.S. legacy media but those across the globe.

By: Jim Lavorato

Pro Football Goes Hollywood

The Kansas City Chiefs will be in the upcoming Super Bowl, this would be their fifth SB win if they come out victorious. But that's not all the Chiefs are pursuing within the entertainment industry - they want to be in the film making business as well.

Yes, the Chiefs have decided to venture out of the gridiron and into the business of moviemaking. They have launched their own film production studio, dubbed the Foolish Club Studio. Their goal is to develop and produce scripted and unscripted content for a variety of media platforms - and enhance the Chief brand.

Last year, the Foolish Club Studio produced and distributed via the Hallmark Channel the holiday film 'Holiday Touchdown: A Chief's Love Story' which played to good reviews. 

Clark Hunt, Chairman & CEO of the Chiefs says, "we expect this new studio to grow as we expand our plans in storytelling and continue to make our brand more relevant to our fans through various entertainment vehicles." 

The thought is that the Foolish Club Studio will allow the football team to connect with individuals around the world in new and unique ways.

We predict other pro-teams will follow suit and enter the entertainment production space. This makes a lot of sense for a fan-driven entity, such as a pro-sports team. 

Copyright vs AI

 

Last Wednesday, the U.S. Copyright Office declared that the use of AI tools to assist in the creation process does not undermine the copyright work. This paves the way for the use of AI in post-production of movies. Studios, live and die on strong copyright protections and have expressed grave concerns regarding the use of AI. 

In its report, the Copyright Office reiterated that human authorship is essential to copyright, and simply entering text prompts into an AI program is not enough to claim authorship of the output. This position leaves room for AI's legitimacy when used to supplement the creative process. 

"The use of AI tools to assist rather than stand in for human creativity does not affect the availability of copyright protection for the output," the Report concludes. This marks a significant step in the AI creative debate. The Copyright Office had previously called for legislation to prevent AI-generated replicas that mimic a person's voice and likeness.

Essentially the Copyright Office is stating that work created by a "machine is not eligible for copyright protection." However, it has no issue with AI being used as a brainstorming tool, or to create outlines for literary works. 

In ending, the Office stated that "in our view, society would be poorer if the sparks of human creativity become fewer and dimmer."

By: Jim Lavorato

China's Box Office Booms as U.S.'s Languishes

 The Chinese box office went crazy over the Year of the Snake Lunar Holiday, with a massive $1.24 billion take - a 234% increase over last year's results.

'Ne Zha 2'

An animated sequel, entitled 'Ne Zha 2', lead the way with a $434 million gross over the seven-day holiday period. 

In addition, the next four top grossers, none of which were Hollywood productions, were:

'Detective Chinatown 1900' - $253.1 million.

'Creation of the Gods 2' - $124.3 million.

'Boonie Bears' - $57.9 million

'Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants' - $41.4 million

'Detective Chinatown 1900'

It appears that blockbusters are back in China and bigger than the most optimistic of forecasts. This indicates that the soft 2024 was a result of supply and not demand - let's hope this is the case in the U.S. market over the course of the rest of the year. It may be that U.S. exhibitors start booking Chinese films.

Hollywood's Doggie Airline

 BARK Air opened last spring with none-stop flights out of L.A. to NYC, London, and Paris.

Passenger with pet on BARK flight

BARK specializes in providing air transportation for passengers and their dogs. It operates Gulfstream G5 and G4 private jets and proclaims itself the 'first dog airline'. These days, pets traveling on airplanes need to have 'emotional support' papers and the pet must be housed in an under-seat carrier, all other pets have to travel in the luggage hold. 

All on board

The BARK departure lounge in L.A. is filled with treats and happy, dog-trained attendants. The menu includes items such as 'Barkaccino' and 'Chompagne'. There is no size or weight restrictions for canine passengers.

"Flying on traditional airlines with dogs is very stressful for both the dog and owner. So, we thought we'd go the opposite way and supercharge it so that we care about your dog even more than you", says Dave Strangel, BARK's brand manager.

Most of the weekly $6,000 cross-continental flights sell out - this is about equal in cost of two first-class tickets on a commercial flight. 

BARK is betting that enough people are willing to pay for themselves and their dogs to travel in first-class style over long distances - and it seems to be working.

By: Jim Lavorato

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How to Measure the Super Bowl

 Although the Super Bowl has little to do with cinemas it is a spectator phenomenon which dominates all other entertainment or sporting events...and we should study it.

Is the Super Bowl the greatest place to advertise?

There are fewer and fewer events where large and small companies can find mass audiences all watching the same content...and the Super Bowl is at the top of that list.

This year, Fox is charging $7 million for a 30 second ad spot during the SB. Basically, all of the ad time was sold out by last August and now whatever little remains is selling at $8 million per spot.

Even ads around the SB broadcast have gotten costly. For example, a 30 second spot on the pre-game coverage runs between $4-4.5 million as compared to $2.5-3.0 last year.

Fox's last SB broadcast was in 2023, when it grossed $600 million in ad revenue. This year, the NFL has agreed to let the network add five more ad spots and Fox's forecast for revenue is $800 million. 

Big marketers this year include Budweiser-InBev, Pepsi, Ferrara Cancy, Georgia-Pacific, Squarespace (the web building and hosting site), and Stellantis (the auto company).

The Super Bowl is an epic sporting but arguably an even greater marketing event. The broadcasters and the NFL have been able to transform a one-hour football game into a 4+ hour entertainment extravaganza - and that's no small feat. With an expected viewership of 125 - 130 million it ranks as one of the most highly viewed annual entertainment events and certainly measures up to all of its hype. 

Are Video Platforms Negatively Impacting Movies?

 
It's often thought that video platforms like YouTube and TikTok have a negative impact on moviegoing. However, a new study on audience behavior by Natasha Hritzua, research chief at Warner Bros. says that "on the surface it definitely looked like the video platforms were cutting into the TV and movie markets, but that's not the case."

She believes the explosion of social videos actually represents an opportunity for studios to reset their promotional practices to more effectively reach audiences." When consumers see a clip, a trailer, a compilation, even fan generated content that becomes a powerful tool especially for younger generations that encourages them to go and watch the full content", says Hritzua. "So, I would argue that short-term videos are a critical interim step for studios who want to promote their movies to younger viewers."

The landscape has changed regarding how and when to promote upcoming films. The use of social video platforms is now one of the most important advertising channels in reaching younger audiences. Video platforms should not be viewed as competition with movies but as a way to promote them.   

Dr. Seuss' Last Book Gets Green-lit For Film Production

 

Dr. Seuss' final book, including all new original songs, is being produced with a scheduled release date of March 2028 with first screenings at IMAX theatres. 

"Oh, the Places You'll Go!" is being produced by Warner Bros. which has designated it as a high priority project in partnership with Dr. Suess Enterprises. 

The film will follow the globetrotting adventures of a young man as he travels through the joys and pitfalls of life.

Jon Chu will direct. He is coming off his direction of "Wicked" (a ten Oscar nominee) and "Wicked: For Good" to be released in November.  

This should be a great film for both children and adults.

'Chateau Marmont Hollywood Handbook' Now on Sale After 30 Years

 This is the bible of the place where '90s Hollywood held court and MORE!

The bestselling 'Chateau Marmont Hollywood Handbook' which recounts the official story of the famed hotel on Sunset Blvd. has been reprinted for the first time since 1996. It can be pre-ordered for $39.95 from Amazon.

Dining on the Marmont's terrace

This classic book, edited by the Marmont's owner Andre Balazs, gets into the nitty-gritty of the goings-on at the storied hotel and how it impacted Hollywood culture then and now.

"Checking into the Marmont was like stepping into living history. It's out of time, suspended from the constraints, the issues, the concerns of the real world. The epicenter of a city without a center, where deals were made, love won and lost, and history made, all is the same night" wrote American writer, A.M. Holmes.

Chateau Marmont perched on hill - Sunset Blvd. 

Other works have been published on the Marmont; however, this rendition, which was first published in 1996 and edited by Balazs is considered the official account of the hotel's history - and up until now the most difficult to get a copy of.

Grab a copy today.

Documentary on Trump Pardon of Crypto Criminal

 On day three of his administration, President Trump upheld his promise made during his visit to the Libertarian National Convention during his campaign and gave a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht.

Trump signing pardon of Ross Ulbricht

Ulbricht's release had become a cause of many libertarians and crypto ecosystem proponents. He had been sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years after being convicted of creating an online drug market, called the Silk Road. 

According to Federal prosecutors, the Silk Road generated hundreds of millions of illicit dollars, and Ulbricht was its creator. Upon notice of his pending arrest, he fled and became the subject of a manhunt which ended in his arrest in San Francisco in 2013. 

After his arrest and conviction, Ulbricht went silent and did not give any interviews or meetings. However, in 2019 he started working with two documentarian filmmakers, Jonah Tulis and Blake Harris, who taped over 60 hours of conversational interviews with Ulbricht. These interviews are now being complied into a documentary film to be released this year. 

Members of Libertarian Party demanding Ulbricht's release

"Our film is a no holds-barred look at what really happened and how things wound up spiraling out of control", states Jonah Tulis. The film also includes interviews and conversations with FBI and Federal prosecutors who investigated, brought charges against, and won their case against Ulbricht.

Jonah Tulis

The Silk Road played a big role in popularizing Bitcoin (which was the Silk Road's currency of choice) causing cryptocurrency enthusiasts and libertarians, who have shared ideals regarding the use of digital currency vs. sovereign, government issued money. 

Convicted under the Obama Administration, many legal scholars felt that the life without parole sentence for money laundering was excessive and the Justice Department and presiding Judge wanted to make an example out of Ulbricht. When signing Ross Ulbricht's pardon, President Trump stated that the sentence was "ridicules and he had already served over 11 years in prison."

Tulis and Harris previous documentaries include 'Console Wars' and 'GameStop: Rise of the Players'. The Ross Ulbricht documentary as yet to be titled.

By: Jim Lavorato

History Does Repeat Itself...Unless We Change

 If you don't learn from the past you are doomed to repeat its bad impact...i.e. the L.A. fires.

Inceville in 1912 where silent Western films were produced 

Over a century ago a fire destroyed Inceville, CA. Inceville was where the Pacific Palisades now rests. It was founded by Thomas Ince in 1912 and was developed into a silent film studio. 

The Ince studio principally produced Western films and was the first studio to establish a star system and formalized the roles of director, screenwriter, and editor as separate, vital filmmaking positions.

In 1916, Inceville was damaged by fire and Ince was forced to move his filmmaking operation to Culver City where he teamed up with D.W. Griffith and Mack Sennett. These three early filmmakers formed the Triangle Studio which was subsequently acquired by Goldwyn Pictures in 1918.

Ince sold what was left of Inceville to William Hart, who at the time was one of the silent stars of Western films. Hart rebuilt and operated it until 1922 when another fire destroyed the entire studio... it was left in ruins for years after.

Filmmaking by William Hart in rebuilt Inceville which then burnt down in 1922

Fast forward, and we see the Palisades again destroyed by fire over a century later...nothing was learned from history. So, it should come as no surprise that the Santa Ana winds will stoke the smallest spark into a roaring inferno, and it will happen again. We cannot stop nature's destructive powers, but we have the capacity to mitigate it. The fact that there was no water, a shortage of firefighters, and purposeful lack of vegetation control made for the perfect storm for the current total destruction of the Palisades.

We need to learn from the past. If not, it will be repeated.

By: Jim Lavorato

Will L.A. Fires Help the Box Office?

 

Angelenos go to cinema to escape realities of fires

Angelenos flocked to the cinema in L.A. to escape the realities of the fires. "It's been a very sad week" says Cheyanne Shannon, a talent agent in Hollywood, "coming to the movies is a way to get away from everything and be distracted by a different story."

Going to the movies to escape from the deluge of bad news is a coping mechanism for many in Los Angeles and across the U.S. The number one place for admissions, last week was New York City, followed by Burbank and Orlando.

Going to the cinema in NYC this weekend

It represented the enduring symbol of the cinema as the core of a community. "Local cinemas represent a safe haven to movie patrons looking for a temporary escape," noted ComScore analyst, Paul Dergarabodian.

The L.A. fires came at a bad time for the box office in general. It needs to be at top performance this year and a trip to the cinema as a distraction and for entertainment is needed by not just Angelenos but everyone.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences donated $250,000 that it had earmarked for this year's Oscar Nominees' Luncheon, which brought the total contributions by the Academy to the L.A. Fire Relief Fund to over $1 million. This is a small token but one that show the unity of the Hollywood elite and their determination to rebuild Hollywood into the mecca of film production and distribution worldwide. And, I agree, that the Oscars Show should not be canceled and should be aired as planned. 

The U.S. needs to take back its dominance of the entertainment business that it built from scratch and make the movie business a Hollywood driven endeavor once again. This will require the full backing and commitment of everyone involved in the movie business, as well as the government at the Federal, State and local levels. California's State and Los Angeles' government leaders have to understand the necessity to make the movie industry their highest priority. 

The fight has started to save the movie business and return it as the central and most important form of entertainment on a global scale.

By: Jim Lavorato

Trump Appoints Special Hollywood Ambassadors

 

Trump with Stallone, Gibson, and Voight

Yesterday, President-elect Trump announced the appointment of three "special Hollywood Ambassadors, to make Hollywood great again."

The three are Sly Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight. Their goal will be to bring back business to Hollywood which has been lost to foreign countries.

According to Trump, "Hollywood is a great but very troubled place right now. These Ambassadors will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to foreign countries, back bigger, better, and stronger. These people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest - it will be the Golden Age of Hollywood."

Gibson stated that he, "Will heed the call. My duty as a citizen is to give any help and insight I can." He added, "any chance the position comes with an ambassador's residence?" Gibson's home in Malibu was completely destroyed last week in the L.A. fires.

Currently, all three are active in the film industry. Gibson has a movie being released later this month, "Flight Risk' and is working on a sequel to "The Passion of Christ" entitles "The Resurrection of Christ". Stallone is currently starring in the hit series "Tulsa King" and co-wrote and produced the upcoming Jason Statham film "Working Man". Voight recently appeared in the Coppola film "Megalopolis" and the biopic "Reagan"

Our best wishes to the success of these three very talented film veterans. 

By: Jim Lavorato

Very Rich Go Private to Fight Fires

 If you're very rich and your priceless home is in peril, what do you do? Well, you hire your own firefighters. That's right you hire private firefighting services.

Fire Force has private trucks for pumping water

This consists of crews with all appropriate equipment, trucks, chemical retardants, and even bring their own water supply. Private firefighting services sprang up after the 2018 L.A. fires that devastated large portions of the city. Yet, little is known about these services.

Private crews use the latest in firefighting equipment

"The reality here is that you've got to protect your investments, and a large investment needs unusual protection", stated a top media executive. And it's not just the structure, as many of the very rich and powerful possess uncommon valuables - including massive auto and art collections. 

The cost for private firefighting ranges from $5,000 per day for a small crew with equipment up to $20,000 per day for fighters, trucks, etc. In many cases, the private crews are better equipped than regular firemen.

By: Jim Lavorato

The Fires of L.A.

 

Anyone with even a passing interest in the movie business cannot ignore the devastating fires that are raging across Los Angeles. These fires have impacted moviedom on a personal and business level, as thousands of displaced residents are now seeking housing where none exists.

Dylan Eckhardt, a high-end realtor says he "had $73 million in house listings wiped out in Malibu and Pacific Palisades where over 10,000 homes and other structures were obliterated. I'm waiving my commission for anyone who is directly affected by the fires."

Not only is renting or buying in the immediate aftermath of the fires at issue but the rebuilding after the fires die out will take, an estimated, seven to ten years. Rental properties in the adjacent areas range in price from $15,000-$45,000 per month.

Fanned by the Santa Ana winds (referred to as the evil winds) the fires did the most damage to the upscale Pacific Palisades (median house value of $7 million), Malibu, and the Altadena area of Los Angeles. Notable names of the individuals whose homes were destroyed were Anthony Hopkins, Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, James Woods, Mel Gibson, and Jeff Bridges just to name several. 

Beachfront homes in Malibu destroyed

Insurance recovery is not available for many who have lost their homes. For example, in July, State Farm Insurance dropped coverage on 72,000 homes in California, including 1,600 in Pacific Palisades.

Other Problems

Those whose homes escaped the flames but fled because they lived in an evacuation area are now dealing with looting, which has become a major issue.

Economic losses now total over $60 billion - the most ever in California, and the fires are still raging. The largest being the Palisades Fire, which was moving eastward toward Santa Monica. The Sunset Fire broke out, as well, in the Hollywood Hills area scorching over 40 acres.

What Are the Issues

Incompetence, some would say dereliction of duty, within the public sector is event. Governor Newsom, LA Mayor Bass, and the Head of the Fire Department instantly come to mind. The State Insurance Commission and the Public Safety Commission are also guilty of poor, if not bad, judgement. And finally, the State Legislature.

Californians themselves need to take responsibility as well, for electing people that are not capable administrators or legislators except for the fact that they meet DEI based social criteria. We must come to grips with the fact that the most meritorious and qualified get appointed and elected to these very critical positions. 

As regards the cost of rebuilding - it should be on the shoulders of Californians and not the entire nation. Perhaps if they are stuck with the bill for the devastation the citizens of California will understand that they must change their ways as regards to the very liberal policies they hold and where they spend their tax dollars. Woke don't work.

By: Jim Lavorato

National Popcorn Day

 

National Popcorn Day celebration

Sunday, January 19th is National Popcorn Day, and many cinemas are celebrating by having a 'Bring Your Own Bucket' event.

It can be any kind of bucket - a movie collectable bucket, snack bowl, or water bucket, all will be filled. Some cinemas, like Cinemark, are charging $5 per bucket - no matter the size. In other cinemas, it's free of change. The purchase of a movie ticket is not required, just bring any bucket but one not does not exceed 400 ounces.  

National Popcorn Day is one of the best days for moviegoers and cinemas. If you are a cinema owner/operator and you are going to celebrate the day do so in a big way. Your patrons deserve it, and it will reap big payoff going forward.

By: Jim Lavorato