Episode 145: Psycho(1960)

We go back to the 70s to watch Robert Redford's and Paul Newmans SECOND team up film The StingDirected by George Roy HillWritten by David S. WardProduced by Tony Bill, Michael Phillips, Julia PhillipsStarring Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Robert ShawCinematography Robert SurteesEdited by William ReynoldsMusic by Marvin HamlischProduction companies Universal PicturesThe Zanuck/Brown CompanyDistributed byUniversal PicturesRelease date December 25, 1973Running time 129 minutesBudget$5,500,000 (estimated)Gross US & Canada$156,000,000Gross worldwide$156,005,969

Out off spooky season we jump into the iconic rockumentary This Is Spinal TapDirected by Rob ReinerWritten by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob ReinerProduced by Karen MurphyStarring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, June Chadwick, Tony Hendra, Bruno KirbyCinematography Peter SmoklerEdited by Robert Leighton, Kent Beyda, Kim SecristMusic by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob ReinerProduction company Spinal Tap ProductionsDistributed byEmbassy PicturesRelease dateMarch 2, 1984Running time82 minutesBudget$2,500,000 (estimated)Gross US & Canada$5,805,939Opening weekend US & Canada$30,835Mar 4, 1984Gross worldwide$6,051,884

Happy Halloween! On our last spooky movie adventure, we jump into one of Shane Black's first screen plays, the 1987 horror-comedy, The Monster Squad.Directed by Fred DekkerWritten by Shane Black, Fred DekkerProduced by Jonathan A. ZimbertStarring Andre Gower, Robby Kiger, Duncan Regehr, Stephen Macht, Stan Shaw, Tom NoonanCinematography Bradford MayEdited by James MitchellMusic by Bruce BroughtonColor process by MetrocolorProduction companies Taft Entertainment PicturesKeith Barish ProductionsDistributed by Tri-Star PicturesRelease date August 14, 1987Running time 82 minutesBudget$12,000,000 (estimated)Gross US & Canada$3,769,990Opening weekend US & Canada$1,920,678Aug 16, 1987Gross worldwide$3,771,779

We FINALLY jump into the world of Hitchcock and we jump into the deep end with his 1960 psychological thriller - PsychoDirected by Alfred HitchcockScreenplay byJoseph StefanoBased on Psycho 1959 novel by Robert BlochProduced by Alfred HitchcockStarring Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, John McIntire, Janet LeighCinematography John L. RussellEdited by George TomasiniMusic by Bernard HerrmannProduction company Shamley ProductionsDistributed byParamount Pictures[a]Release datesJune 16, 1960 (New York City)[3]September 8, 1960 (United States)[4]Running time109 minutesBudget$806,947 (estimated)Gross US & Canada$32,181,230Gross worldwide$32,332,374

We continue our journey of the spooky with Ripley Scott's 1979 Sci-fi-Horror classic, AlienDirected by Ridley ScottScreenplay byDan O'BannonStory by Dan O'Bannon, Ronald ShusettProduced by Gordon Carroll, David Giler, Walter HillStarring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Yaphet KottoCinematography Derek VanlintEdited by Terry RawlingsPeter WeatherleyMusic by Jerry GoldsmithProduction companies 20th Century-FoxBrandywine Productions[1][2]Distributed by20th Century-FoxRelease datesMay 25, 1979 (United States)September 6, 1979 (United Kingdom)Running time116 minutesBudget$11,000,000 (estimated)Gross US & Canada$84,206,106Opening weekend US & Canada$3,527,881May 28, 1979Gross worldwide$109,726,643

Happy spooky season! We start the season off with the breakthrough indie action/horror flick,UnderworldDirected by Len WisemanScreenplay byDanny McBrideStory by Kevin Grevioux, Len Wiseman, Danny McBrideProduced byTom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Richard WrightStarring Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen, Shane Brolly, Erwin Leder, Bill NighyCinematography Tony Pierce-RobertsEdited by Martin HunterMusic by Paul HaslingerProduction companies Screen Gems, Lakeshore Entertainment Subterranean ProductionsUnderworld Produktions GmbH, LaurinfilmDistributed bySony Pictures Releasing (North America, Australia, New Zealand and Italy)[1]Entertainment Film Distributors (United Kingdom)[2][3][4]Concorde Filmverleih (Germany)[4]SPI International (Hungary)[4]Release datesSeptember 15, 2003 (Grauman's Chinese Theatre)September 19, 2003 (United States and United Kingdom)January 29, 2004 (Germany)April 22, 2004 (Hungary)Running time121 minutesBudget$22,000,000 (estimated)Gross US & Canada$51,970,690Opening weekend US & Canada$21,753,759Sep 21, 2003Gross worldwide$95,708,457

We go way back - billions of years back - to a story of a stone age family. We watching the 1994, live-action, The FlintstonesDirected by Brian LevantWritten by Tom S. Parker, Jim Jennewein, Steven E. de SouzaBased on The Flintstones by William Hanna, Joseph BarberaProduced by Bruce CohenStarring John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins, Rosie O'Donnell, Kyle MacLachlan, Halle Berry, Elizabeth TaylorCinematography Dean CundeyEdited by Kent BeydaMusic by David NewmanProduction companies Amblin EntertainmentHanna-Barbera ProductionsDistributed by Universal PicturesRelease date May 27, 1994Running time 91 minutesBudget$46,000,000 (estimated)Gross US & Canada$130,531,208Opening weekend US & Canada$29,688,730May 29, 1994Gross worldwide$341,631,208

This week we take on the Oscar winning performance of Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt in the 1997 James L. Brooks picture, As Good As It GetsDirected by James L. BrooksScreenplay byMark Andrus, James L. BrooksStory by Mark AndrusProduced by James L. Brooks, Bridget JohnsonKristi ZeaStarring Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg KinnearCuba Gooding Jr., Skeet Ulrich, Shirley Knight, Yeardley SmithCinematography John BaileyEdited by Richard MarksMusic by Hans ZimmerProduction companies TriStar Pictures, Gracie FilmsDistributed bySony Pictures ReleasingRelease datesDecember 6, 1997 (Regency Village Theatre)December 25, 1997 (United States)Running time138 minutesBudget$50,000,000 (estimated)Gross US & Canada$148,478,011Opening weekend US & Canada$12,606,928Dec 28, 1997Gross worldwide$314,178,011

We did it. We finally did it. We watched a Wes Anderson movie. Lets see what we thought of his 1998 film, RushmoreDirected by Wes AndersonWritten by Wes Anderson, Owen WilsonProduced by Barry Mendel, Paul SchiffStarring Jason Schwartzman, Olivia WilliamsBill Murray, Brian Cox, Seymour Cassel, Mason GambleCinematography Robert YeomanEdited by David MoritzMusic by Mark MothersbaughProduction companies Touchstone Pictures[1][2]American Empirical PicturesDistributed byBuena Vista Pictures Distribution[1]Release datesSeptember 17, 1998 (TIFF)December 11, 1998 (United States)Running time93 minutesBudget$9,000,000 (estimated)Gross US & Canada$17,105,219Opening weekend US & Canada$43,666Dec 13, 1998Gross worldwide$17,198,495

Romantic Comedy? Assassin story? Both? We watched the very slept on 1997 film  Grosse Pointe Blank!Directed by George ArmitageScreenplay by Tom Jankiewicz, D. V. DeVincentisSteve Pink, John CusackStory by Tom JankiewiczProduced by Susan Arnold, Donna Arkoff RothRoger BirnbaumStarring John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Alan ArkinDan AykroydCinematography Jamie AndersonEdited by Brian BerdanMusic by Joe StrummerProduction companies Hollywood PicturesCaravan Pictures, Roger Birnbaum ProductionsRoth-Arnold Productions, New Crime ProductionsDistributed byBuena Vista PicturesRelease dateApril 11, 1997Running time107 minutesBudget$15,000,000 (estimated)Gross US & Canada$28,084,357Opening weekend US & Canada$6,870,397Apr 13, 1997Gross worldwide$28,084,357