Sam Shepard

Sam Shepard

Sam Shepard Quick Links

News Pictures Video Film Quotes RSS

Jessica Lange Spoke About Sam Shepard's 'Dark Humour' Before His Death


Jessica Lange Sam Shepard

Sam Shepard's ex-partner and former collaborator Jessica Lange had opened up about the late actor and playwright's style of humour in an article that was published the same day his death was announced, and she was wonderfully diplomatic about it. She is yet to publicly comment on the sad news.

Jessica Lange at the Tony AwardsJessica Lange at the Tony Awards

While the 'American Horror Story' star has yet to make a public statement regarding her feelings on the death of her former lover Sam Shepard, she was in fact only talking about him a matter of days before his death in an interview that was published earlier this week at the same time his death was revealed.

Continue reading: Jessica Lange Spoke About Sam Shepard's 'Dark Humour' Before His Death

Renowned Playwright And Actor Sam Shepard Has Died At 73


Sam Shepard

It's another sad day for Hollywood as it's revealed that screen legend and award-winning playwright Sam Shepard passed away last week at his home in Kentucky following a short battle with motor neurone disease. He was 73-years-old, and still actively taking small and big screen roles.

Sam Shepard at 'Heartless' opening night after party in 2012Sam Shepard at 'Heartless' opening night after party in 2012

The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and actor died on Thursday (July 27th 2017) at his home in Midway, Kentucky due to complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as motor neurone disease or Lou Gehrig's disease). A spokesperson confirmed the tragic news yesterday. 

Continue reading: Renowned Playwright And Actor Sam Shepard Has Died At 73

Out Of The Furnace Review


Very Good

Coarse and not exactly subtle, this dark drama might disappoint viewers expecting a more traditional revenge thriller, but there's something more interesting going on here. And even though it starts at full volume and only gets more intense, the film is actually remarkably thoughtful and measured in its approach.

It's set in the Rust Belt, industrial Pennsylvania, where Russell (Bale) works in a steel mill and worries about his little brother Rodney (Affleck), who's deep in debt to a local bookie (Dafoe). Then a late-night car crash lands Russell in prison, and when he's released everything has changed. He has no job, his girlfriend (Saldana) is now dating the local sheriff (Whitaker), and Rodney is paying off his debts by fighting in bare-knuckle boxing matches. Even more perilous is the fact that all of this puts the brothers on a collision course with vicious local redneck Harlan (Harrelson), who has no intention of making their lives easier.

The film opens with a particularly brutal display of Harlan's menace, so we know what's coming. And as everything goes from bad to worse for our two heroes, the film feels almost aggressively harsh. Of course, Bale and Affleck are terrific as these damaged men whose fierce bond both helps and puts them into danger. And both actors let us see beneath the surface as their lives fall apart. In what could be the thankless ex-girlfriend role, Saldana has some surprisingly powerful moments. And Harrelson is a deeply terrifying force to reckon with.

Continue reading: Out Of The Furnace Review

August: Osage County Review


Extraordinary

Tracy Letts adapts his own prize-winning play into a blistering depiction of one of cinema's most dysfunctional families ever. It's still rather theatrical, throwing a mob of top actors into a room for what feels like a fight to the death, but it's so well written and so beautifully observed by the actors that we can't look away. And of course Meryl Streep walks off with the show.

Everything kicks off when Beverly Weston (Shepard) goes missing, leaving his ruthlessly straight-talking, pill-popping wife Violet (Streep) to assemble the family in their rambling Oklahoma home. They have three equally feisty daughters: Barbara (Roberts) is a tightly wound bundle of anger with an estranged husband (McGregor) and surly teen daughter (Breslin) in tow; Karen (Lewis) is a free-spirited floater with yet another random boyfriend (Mulroney); and Ivy (Nicholson) is fed up with being the dutiful daughter who stayed close to home. Also on hand is Violet's sister Mattie Fae (Martindale), whose husband (Cooper) is the family patriarch now that Beverly is gone, which means their son (Cumberbatch) feels even more useless than normal.

What plot there is centres on skeletons rattling out of closets and relationships imploding spectacularly. The film is a series of brutally intense encounters between people who probably still love each other in vaguely undefined ways and express it through bitter bursts of witty cruelty. Streep has the meatiest role as the imperious Violet, who knows a lot more than she's letting on. And her chief rival is Barbara, played with unnerving intensity by Roberts. The only person we even remotely like is Mattie Fae, and the always-superb Martindale finds all kinds of layers in the character.

Continue reading: August: Osage County Review

Klondike Trailer


When news gets round about a gold discovery in the Klondike region of the Yukon, Canada in 1897, it becomes one of the last great gold rushes in history. Bill Haskell and Byron Epstein are two hopeful travellers with an ambition of wealth who travel up to Dawson City (often dubbed 'The Paris of the North') to receive their fortune. However, digging up a life of luxury becomes less straightforward as they are forced to face bitter sub-zero temperatures, gold-digging temptresses and men who won't think twice about killing for profit. Making an easy fortune is one thing; surviving long enough to use it is another.

Continue: Klondike Trailer

'August: Osage County' Premieres At TIFF: How Did The Adaptation Of The Play About Strong Women Fare?


Meryl Streep Ewan McGregor Julia Roberts Juliette Lewis Benedict Cumberbatch Abigail Breslin George Clooney Sam Shepard

John Wells' August: Osage County adaptation premiered last night at the Toronto International Film Festival after years of being performed as a Pulitzer Prize-winning Tracy Letts play. The movie boasts a star-studded caast, including Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Juliette Lewis and Sam Shepard.

Osage County
Meryl Streep & Julia Roberts Serve Up Roaring Performances In August: Osage County.

The plot centres on outspoken matriarch, Violet (Meryl Streep), who is addicted to painkillers with the excuse that she has mouth cancer. Her husband Beverly (Sam Shepard) hires a Native American housekeeper (Misty Upham) to take care of his wife and he moves away. Upon her husband's absence, Violet summons her three grown-up daughters who have each moved away from the isolation of their family home, set in the desolate landscape of Oklahoma.

Continue reading: 'August: Osage County' Premieres At TIFF: How Did The Adaptation Of The Play About Strong Women Fare?

Sam Shepard - Sam Shepard seen in New York City - New York City, NY, United States - Monday 5th August 2013

Sam Shepard

Out Of The Furnace Trailer


Russell Baze lives in a rundown, underprivileged neighbourhood where he works full-time at a steelworks while also trying to support his wife and take care of his dying father. His spirits lift, however, at the arrival of his brother Rodney, a soldier, who has finally come home after serving in Iraq. Unfortunately, he brings will him a burden - he's in need of money and has approached a ruthless crime boss in order to get it. They arrange for him to take part in a bare-knuckle boxing match, but when he fails to comply with the winning/losing arrangements he made with his new boss, he suddenly disappears without a trace. Russell goes to the police who are less than helpful and have been unable to find his brother and so he decides to go after the gang himself, determined to seek justice.

This gripping crime thriller has an all-star cast and has been directed by Scott Cooper ('Crazy Heart') who also wrote the screenplay alongside Brad Ingelsby ('The Dynamiter'). It's a story of desperation, justice and loyalty and just how far people would go to save their loved ones. 'Out Of The Furnace' is set to appear on UK cinema screens on November 29th 2013.

Click Here To Read - Out of the Furnace Movie Review

Mud Review


Very Good

Writer-director Nichols continues to get inside the heads of his characters with this involving but overlong dramatic thriller. Like his previous film Take Shelter, this is another fable-like movie, this time harking back to Huck Finn with a boys' adventure story set on the waterways of rural Arkansas. It's impeccably shot and edited, with terrific performances even from side characters. But at over two hours, the long running-time tries our patience.

Our hero is Ellis (Sheridan), a shy but steely 14-year-old who dreams of one day escaping his backwoods community. For entertainment, he explores the rivers with his pal Neckbone (Lofland), and when they hear rumours of a boat stranded in a tree, they have to investigate. Sure enough, there it is, then inside it they discover the fugitive Mud (McConaughey). Even though he's wanted for murder, they decide to help free the boat so he can escape with his battered girlfriend Juniper (Witherspoon), who's hiding in a local motel. But Ellis and Neckbone need some help with this elaborate plan, so they turn to the scary old man (Shepard) who lives across the river.

Cinematographer Adam Stone beautifully captures both the evocative settings and the expressive faces of the actors, who all bring an introspective touch to their characters. Sheridan and Lofland are excellent in the lead roles, which are pretty demanding as these two teens have to grow up quickly. And McConaughey and Witherspoon dive fully into their much flashier roles, constantly surprising us with sparky details that take these people in unexpected directions. There's also a telling smaller role for Nichols' regular Shannon as Neckbone's haunted, sidelined guardian.

Continue reading: Mud Review

Mud - Clips


Ellis and Neckbone are two young boys from Mississippi who spend their time exploring the wilderness and river near their home. When they discover a sizeable motor boat stuck in a tree after a flood, they think they've hit the jackpot of all discoveries and claim it as their own. However, they soon notice that food has been left there, leading them to believe that someone has been sleeping there. Unnerved, they leave to find their boat and venture home, only to come across a new neighbour on the isolated island, Mud. Mud is hiding from some bounty hunters who want to arrest him for killing a man in Texas who attempted to steal his girlfriend Juniper. Initially, wary of him, the boys soon warm to him and agree to bring him food if he helps them mend their motor boat before Juniper arrives to meet him. However, things aren't as easy as they seem when the boys start becoming suspicious of Mud and Juniper has problems of her own.

Continue: Mud - Clips

Mud Trailer


Ellis and Neckbone are two fourteen year old boys from Mississippi who, after crossing a river in a small boat on one of their regular explorations, discover a larger motor boat stuck in a tree on an island after a previous flood. They claim the boat as their own but soon begin to discover that someone has been sleeping there and they come across Mud. Mud is a man who has been hiding from a group of bounty hunters who have been hired by the family of a man he murdered in Texas for attempting to steal his beautiful girlfriend Juniper. The boys are sympathetic and captivated by him and agree to help him mend the boat while he makes plans to meet Juniper, who is hiding out in a motel, and run away with her. Things don't go as smoothly as planned and deceptions and suspicion causes tensions to rise between Mud, Juniper and the boys. 

'Mud' is an emotional journey tackling issues about right and wrong and good guys and bad guys. It has been directed and written by Jeff Nichols ('Take Shelter', 'Shotgun Stories') and received a last minute nomination for the Palme d'Or award on its showing at the Cannes Film Festival. It is set to hit cinemas on April 17th 2013.

Director: Jeff Nichols

Continue: Mud Trailer

Sam Shepard

Sam Shepard Quick Links

News Pictures Video Film Quotes RSS

Occupation

Actor


Sam Shepard Movies

Midnight Special Movie Review

Midnight Special Movie Review

Gifted director Jeff Nichols takes on another genre in his fourth film with actor Michael...

Midnight Special Trailer

Midnight Special Trailer

Alton is a very special young boy who has been given a unique gift. When...

Out of the Furnace Movie Review

Out of the Furnace Movie Review

Coarse and not exactly subtle, this dark drama might disappoint viewers expecting a more traditional...

August: Osage County Movie Review

August: Osage County Movie Review

Tracy Letts adapts his own prize-winning play into a blistering depiction of one of cinema's...

Klondike Trailer

Klondike Trailer

When news gets round about a gold discovery in the Klondike region of the Yukon,...

August: Osage County Trailer

August: Osage County Trailer

The Weston family know they are probably one of the most dysfunctional families around, but...

Out Of The Furnace Trailer

Out Of The Furnace Trailer

Russell Baze lives in a rundown, underprivileged neighbourhood where he works full-time at a steelworks...

Mud Movie Review

Mud Movie Review

Writer-director Nichols continues to get inside the heads of his characters with this involving but...

Mud Trailer

Mud Trailer

Ellis and Neckbone are two fourteen year old boys from Mississippi who, after crossing a...

Killing Them Softly Movie Review

Killing Them Softly Movie Review

Moral murkiness makes this hitman thriller gripping to watch, mainly because we're never quite sure...

Killing Them Softly Trailer

Killing Them Softly Trailer

Jackie Cogan is the enforcer in an organized mob. He becomes the key investigator when...

Blackthorn Movie Review

Blackthorn Movie Review

Plaintive and perhaps too slow-moving for mainstream audiences, this finely made Western cycles through a...

Darling Companion Trailer

Darling Companion Trailer

Beth and Joseph Winter have been married for several years but lately, she feels that...

Safe House Movie Review

Safe House Movie Review

With a cool Cape Town setting and constant sweaty, kinetic violence, this entire film plays...

Artists
Actors
    Filmmakers
      Artists
      Bands
        Musicians
          Artists
          Celebrities
             
              Artists
              Interviews