After weeks of negotiations, it is official. The Walt Disney Company have completed the deal to buy Film and TV assets from 20th Century Fox.
Disney’s New Assets
With this being one of, if not the biggest deal in entertainment history, many are excited to see more of the details unfold. The deal worth roughly $52.4 billion will grant Disney the rights to many of our favourite TV and Film franchises. Marvel components are involved in this deal, making avid comic book fans extremely happy. The battle between the X Men and The Avengers could be coming sooner than we think. Disney have also gained the rights to the historic Star Wars Trilogy, having full control over the cinematic universe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6vn-Y18yO4
Although, this may be great news for Film and TV fans, Disney’s competitors may have some trouble on their hands, with this deal, the company now have almost a third of box office revenue after these acquisitions. It may also be bad news for people working at 20th Century Fox who could potentially lose their jobs; due to cost cuts or potential conflicts of interest.
Disney also has ownership rights to ‘The Simpsons’ and best selling film of all time ‘Avatar’, as well as online streaming platform Hulu, directly competing with Netflix, Amazon and Apple. Disney CEO Bob Iger has extended his contract to oversee this deal, which will take eighteen months to go through.
Since his debut on-screen appearance in the 1981 romance Endless Love, Tom Cruise has risen to the top of Hollywood’s royalty list and has managed to stay on top right up until the present day. Although Cruise has a wide variety of titles in his filmography, the majority of audiences love him most for his inescapable charisma that can captivate within an instant. His latest film, American Made, has been hailed as a return to the kind of characters that offer just that; relying on the sheer moxie of pilot Barry Seal, who manages to dig himself into a deeper and deeper hole when working for the CIA in South America and simultaneously moonlighting as a drug trafficker.
With American Made available on Digital from December 18th and 4k Ultra HD, Blu-rayTM and DVD from December 26th, we see no better time than to take a look back at some of the best roles of Tom Cruise’s career.
Top Gun (1986)
The first film on our list will forever be synonymous with the career of Tom Cruise, becoming his first smash hit at the box office and showcasing the charismatic persona he’s become known for. For the rare few of you who haven’t seen this epic 80s action masterpiece, Cruise’s devil-may-care navy pilot Pete Mitchell is sent to Miramar Naval Air Station for advanced fighter jet training where he vies with Tom Kasansky (Val Kilmer) for the coveted “Top Gun” award.
When not so occupied in the cockpit, Mitchell carries on a romance with civilian consultant Charlotte Blackwood, played by Kelly McGillis (cue blue light and ‘Take My Breath Away’). The film made more money than any other film in 1986 and with audiences still reeling over Cruise’s charm and the vertigo-inducing visuals, it’s no surprise a modern sequel has just been announced.
Bill Nighy is one of the country’s beloved character actors and whether he’s breaking hearts in Love, Actually, swashing his buckle in Pirates of the Caribbean or spinning records in The Boat That Rocked, Nighy has always been one of the nation’s most dextrous and treasured performers.
In The Limehouse Golem – which arrives on Digital Download on Christmas Day, and on Blu-ray and DVD on Boxing Day – Nighy remarkably takes his first ever role as a detective, Inspector Kildare, who must discover the identity of mass serial killer, nicknamed ‘the Limehouse Golem’, who is terrorising the streets of Victorian London.
In honour of Nighy and his multi-faceted acting talents, let’s take a look at some of his greatest roles, to date.
Love, Actually (2003)
A perennial Christmas classic, Love Actually has stood the test of time and remains a firm favourite in households up and down the country. In the romantic comedy, Nighy has a ball as jaded rock’n’roll star Billy Mack; a character who keeps his frazzled manager Joe (Gregor Fisher) on his toes with his unpredictability and outlandish character.
A ticking time bomb and no stranger to swearing live on air, Mack is a loose cannon who cannot be tamed. As the film progresses, it becomes clear that Mack’s world has narrowed and Joe is the only one who’s been there for him through thick and thin. Perfectly cast in a role that seems on the surface a caricature, Nighy adds bittersweet notes; creating the light and shade that has had audiences hooked for well over a decade.
The world-renowned filmmaker Sir Ridley Scott has been responsible for numerous classics over the years, and films like Alien, Thelma & Louise, and Black Hawk Down are some of his most notable contributions to the film world. There is no denying that these pictures are exceptional creations, but Gladiator is arguably the influential Englishman’s finest work to date. Not only was the film absolutely outstanding and earned the director an Academy Award Nomination while picking up other Oscars itself, it has also stood the test of time and remains strong in popular culture.
Gladiator in Slot Machine Form
Although it’s been 17 years since the release of Gladiator in 2000, the iconic film is still ever-present in popular culture. There is even an online slot game based on the movie. This is significant, as iGaming developers tend to create content based on things that are currently popular, such as the Marvel franchise or the recent Batman films from director Christopher Nolan. For online casino technology giants Playtech to decide to create a game based on Gladiator, it indicates that the film is still loved by many to this day. This is because they believe that the name alone is enough to attract people to play the game. This is supported by the fact that this Gladiator slot review says that the game is a long-standing favourite among slots fanatics, which also features plenty of aspects from the film such as the main characters as symbols on the reels.
Russell Crowe Became a Household Name
Another reason why Gladiator has to go down as Scott’s best film ever is that it sparked the career of one of the best actors of a generation. Prior to being cast in the starring role of Gladiator where he played Maximus Decimus Meridius, Russell Crowe was known for his excellent performances in earlier films LA Confidential and The Insider. But the film set in ancient Rome was the first time that Crowe was the main man and wasn’t sharing screen time with better-established actors. The New Zealand-born actor won an Oscar for his performance as the banished general at the 73rd Academy Awards, and was then nominated again a year later for his heart-wrenching turn in A Beautiful Mind. After that, Crowe developed a strong relationship with Scott and has played the lead role in other collaborations including Body of Lies and American Gangster.
Influence on Other Films
Gladiator was a major hit when it was released, and made $457 million worldwide. It was also nominated for numerous Academy Awards and won the Oscar for Best Picture ahead of Chocolat and Erin Brockovich. There is no doubt that Scott’s epic had a strong impact on the film industry, and inspired other films such as 300, Troy, Kingdom of Heaven, and King Arthur. In terms of the effect it had on other filmmakers who wanted to emulate it, Gladiator is perhaps Scott’s most influential film to date.
Ridley Scott’s most recent work has seen him pick up the Alien franchise again with Alien: Covenant. Although many fans would love to see the 80-year-old make a sequel to Gladiator, the picture was so perfect it would be wise to leave it. Most would agree that it’s one of the rare movies that can be watched over and over again.
Prior to witnessing a character’s actions or hearing their dialogue, their appearance can give us an insight into many aspects of who they are. Susan’s initial costume consists of a black, woollen turtleneck jumper, underneath a black blazer.
Nocturnal Animals
Susan’s recurrent choice of black – as seen in the previous scene – correlates with her persona. Black is symbolic of strength and power, which is appropriate considering Susan’s success and position within the LA art world. This colour is also representative of detachment and emptiness, which allows us to recognise Susan’s alienation from her emotions and truly connecting with those around her. This notion of emptiness links with Susan’s lacking of reassurance in her identity, as well as the lack of love present in her current relationships. Furthermore, the colour black focuses a reflection upon the negative aspects of one’s life such as pain and loss, which is highly fitting for this character, as well as the themes of the story. The sleek and stylish cut of her clothing alongside the rich fabrics indicate her success and consequential wealth. A high neck, as oppose to a low-cut/open neckline connects with Susan’s detachment. Susan is not physically being revealing and vulnerable, just as her emotions are not on show for all to see. This style of neckline is also connotes entrapment and pressure/suffocation. Susan is trapped in a loveless and unhappy marriage, and has been faced with pressure from those around her (e.g. her mother, Edward) throughout her life.
Nocturnal Animals
Throughout the film, Susan’s costumes tend to blend into the settings via the colours utilised. Perhaps this is simply to keep in line with the overall aesthetic style of the film, however it could be said that this choice is specifically fitting for Susan.
Nocturnal Animals
As we get to know Susan we develop an awareness of her confusion about her identity and purpose. Blending in with the setting, she does not signify any sense of individuality. It is as though her visual style is extracted and moulded by her surroundings – not from her own creativity within.
Nocturnal Animals
Isn’t this also true of her inner being? Doesn’t it seem as if her choices in life have been chosen for her by those around her? Is her identity also dictated and moulded by her surroundings?
The styling of Susan’s costumes are also key. We always see her tailored very sharply, everything neatly pressed, with no sense of messiness. This helps to develop a contrast between what she allows people to see on the outside and what is actually happening in the inside. Despite Susan being at conflict internally, she maintains an image of a confident and successful woman who always has it together.
Nocturnal Animals
This sense of conformity could also be indicated in the styling of her hair. In the flashbacks to her younger life her hair has natural waves, which contrasts the slick and kink-free hair we see in the present day. It seems as though Susan has denied her natural being and is conforming to the fashion (and pressure) around her. Or is this a further attempt to conceal the ‘messiness’ going on within?
Nocturnal Animals
Unlike Susan, Laura Hastings is dressed in blue – a blue denim shirt paired with darker blue jeans. There seems to be a great contrast in the styling of these two characters, which assists in the separation of reality and fiction within the film. Perhaps this also highlights the difference between the city life (of Susan) and the rural life (of Laura)? Maybe there is a suggestion here that the lives of Susan and Edward are incompatible? The colour blue can also be significant here, as it suggests purity and loyalty. Perhaps this is how Edward sees her? Or is it how he wishes she was?
Arianne Phillips was the costumer designer for Nocturnal Animals.
