text:
Death Race (film)

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Death Race
Death race poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson
Produced by
Written by Paul W. S. Anderson
Music by Paul Haslinger
Cinematography Scott Kevan
Edited by Niven Howie
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release dates
  • August 22, 2008 (2008-08-22)
Running time
110 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $45 million
Box office $75.7 million

Death Race is a 2008 American Science fiction action thriller film produced, written, and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson and starring Jason Statham.

Though referred to as a remake of the 1975 film Death Race 2000 (based on Ib Melchior's short story "The Racer") in reviews and marketing materials, director Paul W.S. Anderson stated in the DVD commentary that he thought of the film as a prequel.

A remake had been in development since 2002, though production was delayed by disapproval of early screenplays then placed in turnaround following a dispute between Paramount Pictures and the producer duo Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner (the latter was the producer without Cruise in the film). Death Race was acquired by Universal Studios, and Anderson re-joined the project to write and direct. Filming began in Montreal in August 2007, and the completed project was released on August 22, 2008.

Two direct to video prequels were released: Death Race 2 (2010) and Death Race 3: Inferno (2013).

In 2012, the collapse of the US economy and the subsequent increase in crime rates leads to the rise of privatized prisons. One such prison is Terminal Island Penitentiary, whose warden, Claire Hennessey, earns her profits by broadcasting a modern gladiator game participated by the prisoners. In the game "Death Race," The racers, along with their navigators, compete in a 3-part race over 3 days on a closed track. The track is littered with pressure plates that activate either the cars' offensive weapons, defensive equipment or deadly traps. Any racer winning 5 races will be granted freedom.

Towards the end of one race, a masked driver nicknamed Frankenstein is nearing the finish line, pursued by his rival Machine Gun Joe. His navigator, Case, reports that all his defensive equipment have malfunctioned. Against her protest, Frankenstein refuses to let Joe finish first. Case ejects herself out of the car just before Joe destroys it.

Industrial worker and former NASCAR driver Jensen Ames struggles to support his family. When the factory he works at is closed, and then he and his fellow angry workers are attacked by the arriving riot police/SWAT team, forcing them to fight back, he returns home to his wife and their new-born daughter, Piper. A masked assailant knocks him unconscious. Jensen wakes up with a bloodied knife in hand, and his wife lies dead nearby, just before policemen stormed into his home. He is arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment, while Piper is placed in foster care.

Six months later, Jensen is transferred to Terminal Island Prison. He immediately gets into a fight with Pachenko and his Aryan Brotherhood gang. Hennessey's right-hand man Ulrich calls Jensen to her office. She tells him that Frankenstein died from his injuries after the previous race, and offers to let Jensen go free if he impersonates Frankenstein to win one more race (as Frank already won 4). Jensen accepts the offer and meets Frankenstein's maintenance crew consisting of Coach, Gunner, and Lists.

On Day 1, Jensen meets his navigator Case. Jensen's defensive equipment again mysteriously malfunctions. Under attack by Travis Colt, one of the other competitors, Jensen improvises and spills napalm over Colt's car, and Case ignites it with the cigarette lighter. Colt's car is then run into by Machine Gun Joe's. When Jensen sees Pachenko doing the same hand gesture as the masked assailant, he is distracted and is hit by Joe, coming in last place. Day 1 ends with 3 racers dead (Siad, Grimm and Colt) and 6 remaining. After a conversation with Hennessey and another fight with Pachenko, Jensen deduces that Hennessey ordered Pachenko to frame Jensen, so she can have a replacement for Frankenstein.

On Day 2, Jensen confronts Case about the malfunctions. Case admits she sabotaged Frankenstein's car to keep him from winning and leaving Death Race, in exchange for her release papers. Jensen tricks Pachenko into crashing, then leaves his car and kills Pachenko by snapping his neck. Hennessey then unleashes the Dreadnought, a newly-built heavily armed 18-wheel tanker, to thin out the racers and boost ratings. The Dreadnought kills three racers (Carson, Riggins and 14K), leaving only Frankenstein and Joe alive. Jensen contacts Joe and the two work together to trigger a trap which destroys the Dreadnought, much to Hennessey's shock and anger.

Hennessey asks Jensen to consider staying and racing as Frankenstein, in exchange for a life of comfort, but he refuses. She orders Ulrich to plant a bomb under his car, in case he wins. Knowing Hennessey has no intention of letting him go, Jensen plans an escape and talks to Joe.

On the final race, Hennessey deliberately keeps Jensen from activating his weapons and allows Joe to activate his. Jensen, Case and Joe destroy and drive through a weakened wall, which they discovered by examining footage of the previous race, and head for the bridge to the mainland. Hennessey activates the bomb, not knowing that it was removed and neutralized by Coach. The cars wreck the pursuing police cruisers, and a furious Hennessey dispatches attack helicopters. After the cars make it to the mainland and split up, the helicopters follow and corner Jensen's car. Case reveals that she had already received her release papers. She wears Frankenstein's costume, and Jensen jumps out of the car. Case is captured while Joe and Jensen escape on a freight train.

Hennessey, although furious about the losses, is happy about re-capturing "Frankenstein" and the race' success. She opens a congratulatory present from Coach, only to find the bomb planted on Jensen's car. Coach detonates the bomb, killing Hennessey and Ulrich.

Six months later, Joe and Jensen are shown working in Mexico as mechanics, and are reunited with Case and Piper.

  • Jason Statham as Jensen Garner Ames, a falsely-convicted prisoner coerced to drive in the arena, taking the name "Frankenstein" from the man who came before him. He kills 2 racer (Travis Colt, Slovo Pachenko) at the race.[1][2]
  • Joan Allen as Claire Hennessey, the sadistic prison warden who is the current controller of the Death Race.[2]
  • Tyrese Gibson as Joseph Mason (a.k.a. Machine Gun Joe), a sociopathic racer who looks to use Death Race as a means to escape from prison. He alone uses male navigators, due to his habit of killing his navigators or them dying during the race. He has won 3 races, killed 15 racers and wishes to win so he could leave for Miami.[2]
  • Ian McShane as Coach, Frankenstein's loyal head mechanic and a voluntary inmate, since he feels that the outside world is not worth enough.[2]
  • Natalie Martinez as Case, Frankenstein's navigator. In prison for killing her husband, an abusive cop, she has a few years to serve and was given release papers in exchange for sabotaging Frankenstein's (Niles York) car[3]
  • Max Ryan as Pachenko, a Russian rival driver Ames clashes with several times (who also killed Ames' wife and framed him for it). He is the leader of Aryan Brotherhood in the prison. He wins 3 times and kills 9 racers.
  • Jason Clarke as Mr. (Darryl) Ulrich, Hennessey's right-hand man and a sadistic prison guard. His first name is not mentioned in the film.
  • Frederick Koehler as Lists, another member of Frankenstein's pit crew and a compulsive data collector. He is in prison for murdering his mother.
  • Jacob Vargas as Gunner, Frankenstein's car repairman.
  • Justin Mader as Travis Colt, a disgraced ex-NASCAR driver seeking to rebuild his career by winning the race. He wins 2 times and kills 5 racers in the race.
  • Robert LaSardo as Hector Grimm (a.k.a. The Grim Reaper), a certified psychopath driving in the race who loves and worships Hennessey (believing her to be the avatar of the Hindu god of death). He wins 2 races and kills 12 people in the race.
  • Robin Shou as 14K, a tenth-generation Triad member, sent to business school, held a degree from MIT. He wins 2 races and kills 7 racers; he kills 14 fighters in the death match.
  • David Carradine as Niles York/Frankenstein, the most popular driver in the history of Death Race. (cameo voice-over, reprising role in original 1975 film Death Race 2000). His mask comes from a huge fire he suffered. He is actually the second Frankenstein.

The cars in the film are vehicles that have been heavily modified with armor plating, machine guns and defensive weapons:

  • Frankenstein's Monster - A 2006 Ford Mustang GT A80 armed with 2 M134s, smokescreen, napalm and oil slick for defense, as well as a 6-inch-thick (150 mm) detachable steel plate on the rear called "The Tombstone". It also has an ejector seat for the navigator, a NOS system to provide additional speed and a cigarette lighter.
  • 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 - Machine Gun Joe's vehicle armed with 4 hood-mounted Browning M1919, 2 side-mounted Vulcan cannons and Russian RPG-7s on the roof and is mounted with 25-inch wheels to increase the size of the car.
  • 1980 Porsche 911 - Driven by the Chinese convict 14K. With 2 WW2 German MG-42 belt-fed general purpose machine guns and 4 hood-mounted missiles with 4 on the roof.
  • Pachenko's Chop Top- 1966 Buick Riviera Gran Sport armed with 4 German hood-mounted MG-34s and 2 internal PPSh-41 submachine guns also with 2 automatic Uzis mounted in the grille.
  • 1979 Pontiac Trans Am - Carson's Car. Has a M134 aiming backwards for defense and a .50 caliber turret on top of his car which is operated by his navigator.
  • 1972 Buick Boattail Riviera "Boat tail" - Riggins' car. Caltrops for defense, German MG-34s, twin Uzis and twin PPSH41 submachine guns in the passenger side windscreen controlled by the navigator.
  • 1989 Jaguar XJR-S - driven by Travis with 2 .50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns.
  • 2006 Chrysler 300C - driven by Grimm armed with 3 hood-mounted FN MAG58s with no stocks and a missile on the passenger side roof and an oil slick for defense.
  • 1989 BMW E32 735i - Siad's car. Armed with a hood-mounted M134.
  • The Dreadnought - A BAB Unit Peterbilt 18-wheel tanker truck modified by Hennessy into an armored truck with .50 caliber Browning heavy machine guns, 2 flame throwers, 2 rocket launchers, spikes on the forward wheel hubs, iron plates on the back wheels, bulldozer blade, chained caltrops and an M1A1 tank turret on the rear end of the trailer.

In March 2005, following the success of Alien vs. Predator, director Paul W.S. Anderson revealed that he was directing a remake of Death Race 2000 (1975) entitled Death Race 3000 at Paramount Pictures based on a script by J. F. Lawton. The remake would be produced by the producer pair Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner. Anderson described the remake as a riff on the first film. "It's not a straight remake at all. The first movie was an across-America race. This will be an around-the-world race. And it's set further in the future, so the cars are even more futuristic. So you've got cars with rockets, machine guns, force fields; cars that can split apart and re-form, a bit like Transformers. Cars that become invisible," the director explained.[4] reported that "Paul saw his film almost as a prequel if anything; almost the genesis of the Death Race,"[5] though the film is referred to primarily as a remake in reviews and marketing materials.

Two years later, Roger Corman, the producer of Death Race 2000, elaborated that he had an option agreement with producer Tom Cruise, and that Cruise would portray the lead role. The director said that Cruise had not been happy with the first two screenplays and that a third one was underway.[6] In June 2006, producer Jeremy Bolt reported that Anderson would direct the remake of Death Race 2000 after completing Resident Evil: Extinction (2007). The producer described the remake's new tone: "We've basically taken the idea of reality television and extended it twenty years. So it's definitely a comment on society, and particularly reality television, but it is not as much a parody or a satire as the original. It's more straight."[7] The following August, Paramount ended its relationship with Cruise/Wagner Productions, and Death Race was placed in turnaround. According to reports, when the project was discovered available, Universal Studios acquired it. Cruise and Wagner resumed their roles as producers, and Anderson returned to write and direct the film.[8]

In April 2007, actor Jason Statham entered negotiations to star in Death Race, with production slated to begin in late summer or early fall.[8] Anderson described that Death Race would take place in a prison, and that the film would be "super-violent" like its predecessor. "It has little echoes of the original – a lot of people get run down, but rather than having the points system, which had no pay off anyway, it's a pure race. It's more like Gladiator, with the last person standing – or driving, winning," explained the director.[9] Filming on Death Race began in Montreal in August 2007.[2]

Critical response[edit]

The film has received mixed reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 43% rating based on reviews from 150 critics.[10] Metacritic gave it rating of 43 out of 100 based on reviews from 23 critics.[11]

Robert Koehler of Variety called Death Race "as hard as metal and just as dumb" and criticized it for removing the humor of Death Race 2000.[12] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film half a star (out of four), calling it "an assault on all the senses, including common."[13] Keith Phipps of the A.V. Club said the film is "ideal for those who want to watch a bunch of cars blow each other up, without having to think about it all that much."[14] Marc Savlov of the Austin Chronicle called Death Race "one of the most boring drags of all time."[15]

Peter Hartlaub of the San Francisco Chronicle called the film "an ill-advised and severely wussified remake."[16] Elizabeth Weitzman of the New York Daily News gave the film one and a half stars (out of four), calling it "junk" and saying that "the chases are pretty cool, but there's absolutely nothing else to see."[17] A positive review came from Nathan Lee of The New York Times, who said that "the movie is legitimately greasy, authentically nasty, with a good old-fashioned sense of laying waste to everything in sight."[18] James Berardinelli of ReelViews awarded Death Race a score of two and a half stars (out of four), saying that it's "weak when it comes to things like plot, character, and acting, but it's very good at provoking visceral reactions."[19]

Box office[edit]

The film grossed $75,677,515, of which $36,316,032 was from North America.[20]

The film was originally scheduled for release on September 26, 2008, but was moved to August 22, 2008.[21]

Home media[edit]

The DVD and Blu-ray were released in the United States on December 21, 2008.[22] There was also an unrated edition released. The Blu-ray version of the movie features a Digital Copy of the film. In the DVD commentary, Anderson further elaborates on his thought of the movie as a prequel more than a remake.

The score to Death Race was composed by Paul Haslinger who recorded the string portion of his score with the Hollywood Studio Symphony at the Sony Scoring Stage.[23]

The soundtrack was released on August 19, 2008.[24]

The film is followed by two direct-to-video prequel films Death Race 2 (2010) and Death Race 3: Inferno (2013), both take place before this film and was filmed in South Africa. The films was directed by Roel Reiné, stars Luke Goss, Tanit Phoenix, Danny Trejo and Ving Rhames. Lists and 14K are the only returning characters and are portrayed by Frederick Koehler and Robin Shou, respectively.

  1. ^ "First Look: Death Race Battle Scene". Worst Previews. May 28, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e Borys Kit (August 8, 2007). "Buckle up: Allen joins Uni's 'Race'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2007.
  3. ^ Borys Kit (August 21, 2007). "The 'Race' is on for Martinez". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2007.
  4. ^ Patrick Lee (March 18, 2002). "Paul W.S. Anderson reanimates a game group of zombies in Resident Evil". Sci Fi Wire. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2007.
  5. ^ Tom Tinneny (June 3, 2008). "Death Race: The Set Visit!". Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  6. ^ Calum Waddell. "August 17: Roger Corman's DEATH RACE 3000 update". Fangoria. Archived from the original on October 24, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2007.
  7. ^ Stax (June 28, 2006). "Castlevania, Death Race Buzz". IGN. Retrieved September 13, 2007.
  8. ^ a b Borys Kit (April 23, 2007). "Statham in 'Death Race' driver's seat". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 15, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2007.
  9. ^ "Paul WS Anderson talks Death Race". Total Film. July 31, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2007.
  10. ^ "Death Race". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster.
  11. ^ Death Race, Metacritic
  12. ^ Robert Koehler (August 21, 2008). "Death Race review". Variety.
  13. ^ Death Race review, Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
  14. ^ Death Race review, Keith Phipps, The A.V. Club The Onion
  15. ^ Death Race review, Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
  16. ^ Death Race review, Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle
  17. ^ Death Race review, Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
  18. ^ Death Race review, Nathan Lee, The New York Times
  19. ^ Death Race review, James Berardinelli, ReelViews
  20. ^ "Death Race (2008)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  21. ^ "Death Race Rescheduled for this Summer". Retrieved May 11, 2008.
  22. ^ "Death Race (2008)". 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  23. ^ Dan Goldwasser (August 1, 2008). "Paul Haslinger scores Deaf Race". Retrieved August 1, 2008.
  24. ^

External links[edit]


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Epidermoid cyst

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Epidermoid cyst
Epidermal Cyst ear.JPG
Epidermal cyst in the earlobe
Classification and external resources
Specialty dermatology
ICD-10 L72.0
ICD-9-CM 706.2
OMIM 131600
DiseasesDB 29388
eMedicine derm/860
MeSH D004814

An epidermoid cyst is a benign cyst usually found on the skin. The cyst develops out of ectodermal tissue. Histologically, it is made of a thin layer of squamous epithelium.

Several synonyms exist for epidermoid cysts, including epidermal cyst, infundibular cyst, keratin cyst and the technically incorrect, epidermal inclusion cyst.[1]:778[2] "Epidermal inclusion cyst" more specifically refers to implantation of epidermal elements into the dermis. The term infundibular cyst refers to the site of origin of the cyst: the infundibular portion of the hair follicle. In fact, the majority of epidermal inclusion cysts originate from the infundibular portion of the hair follicle thus explaining the interchangeable,[3] yet inaccurate, use of these two terms.

The epidermoid cyst may have no symptoms, or it may hurt when touched. It can release pus. It is very common for women on the major or minor labia. In contrast to pilar cysts, epidermoid cysts are usually present on parts of the body with relatively little hair.[4]

Occasionally, an epidermoid cyst will present with Trigeminal neuralgia.

Although they are not malignant, there are rare cases of malignant tumors arising from an epidermoid cyst.[5]

Epidermoid cysts commonly result from implantation of epidermis into the dermis, as in trauma or surgery. They can also be caused by a blocked pore adjacent to a body piercing. They are also seen in Gardner's syndrome and Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome on the head and neck. They can be infected by bacteria and form a pimple-like shape.

Macroscopic appearance of a resected cyst
Histology showing epithelium and lamellated keratin (left)
Epidermoid cyst in a testicle - ultrasound

Epidermoid cysts are usually diagnosed when a person notices a bump on their skin and seeks medical attention. The definitive diagnosis is made after excision by a pathologist based on microscopic appearance of a cystic lesion lined by cornified epithelium containing lamellated keratin without calcifications. They can also be seen as isointense lesions on MRI or hyperintensities on FLAIR.

Cysts can be removed by excision.[6]

In case of fronto-ethmoidal epidermoid cysts, surgical resection appears to be the mainstay of treatment; however, the extent of resection is dictated by adherence of the tumor capsule to the surrounding vital structures.[7]

Hydrogen peroxide gel (H2O2) was previously recommended for cyst treatment, particularly those on body piercings. However the gel cannot adequately permeate the cyst and was not found to be effective.[8] Hydrogen peroxide is no longer recommended for wound care by doctors as it can damage the healing tissues.[9]

On body piercings, self treatment with a hot saline soak to help drain the cyst and the use of an antibacterial or medicated talcum powder to help dry out the bump and reduce bacterial proliferation is generally recommended until medical advice can be obtained.[10] Piercings, however, are more likely to be victims of hypertrophic scarring than a cyst. Cheek piercings seem to be the piercing most prone to cysts due to the possible interruption of saliva ducts.

See also[edit]

  1. ^ Freedberg, et al. (2003). Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-138076-0.
  2. ^ James, William; Berger, Timothy; Elston, Dirk (2005). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. (10th ed.). Saunders. ISBN 0-7216-2921-0.
  3. ^ "Epidermoid cyst". Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  4. ^ "cysts - British Association of Dermatologists". Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  5. ^ Jehle KS, Shakir AJ, Sayegh ME (2007). "Squamous cell carcinoma arising in an epidermoid cyst". British journal of hospital medicine (London, England : 2005). 68 (8): 446. PMID 17847698.
  6. ^ "Minimal excision technique for removal of an epidermoid cyst". Am Fam Physician. 65 (7): 1423–4. 2002. PMID 11996427.
  7. ^ Epidermoid Cyst; Frontal Lobe; Case Series
  8. ^ Graziani, F; Vano, M; Tartaro, G; Fanelli, G; Gabriele, M (2003). "The use of hydrogen peroxide in the experimental therapy of cysts. An in vitro analysis". Minerva stomatologica. 52 (7-8): 373–7, 378–80. PMID 14608258.
  9. ^ Walsh, L. J. (2000). "Safety issues relating to the use of hydrogen peroxide in dentistry". Australian dental journal. 45 (4): 257–69; quiz 289. PMID 11225528.
  10. ^ http://bodypoetrypiercing.co.uk/piercing-guides/problems-infections-and-issues/piercing-bumps/cysts/

External links[edit]

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text:
Georgios Papandreou (historian)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see George Papandreou.
Georgios Papandreou
Γεώργιος Παπανδρέου
Born 1859
Skoupi, Kalavryta, Achaia, Greece Flag of Greece)
Died 1940
Athens, Greece
Occupation historian, linguist

Georgios Papandreou (Greek: Γεώργιος Παπανδρέου, 1859–1940) was a Greek historian and a linguist. Ο (1859–1940) ήταν διακεκριμένος ιστορικός.

He was born in the village of Skoupi, near Kalavryta in Achaia, and spent his childhood years in Pyrgos and was educated. He moved to Athens where he studied philosophy and became a professor in Pyrgos. In 1886, he became a doctor of the Athens Philosophical with likeness in his member Away, In Ancient Psophis (περι της αρχαίας Ψωφίδος). In 1896, he was proclaimed of linguists with the diatribe Away in The Elean Dialect (περί της των Ηλείων διαλέκτου). In 1924, he wrote the book Elis In The Middle Of The Century (Η Ηλεία δια μέσου των αιώνων = I Ilia dia messou ton eonon). He died on July 26, 1940 in Maroussi, northeast of the Greek capital Athens.

  • The first version of the article is translated and is based from the article at the Greek Wikipedia (el:Main Page)


text:
Good Night, and Good Luck

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Goodnight poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by George Clooney
Produced by Grant Heslov
Written by
  • George Clooney
  • Grant Heslov
Cinematography Robert Elswit
Edited by Stephen Mirrione
Distributed by WIP (US)
Summit (through Lionsgate) (UK)
Release dates
  • September 1, 2005 (2005-09-01) (VIFF)
  • October 7, 2005 (2005-10-07) (United States)
Running time
93 minutes
Country United States
United Kingdom
Language English
Budget $7 million[1]
Box office $56.5 million[1]

Good Night, and Good Luck. is a 2005 historical drama film directed by George Clooney and starring David Strathairn, Clooney, Robert Downey, Jr., Patricia Clarkson and Jeff Daniels. The movie was written by Clooney and Grant Heslov (both of whom also have acting roles in the film) and portrays the conflict between veteran radio and television journalist Edward R. Murrow and U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, especially relating to the anti-Communist Senator's actions with the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

The movie, although released in black and white, was filmed on color film stock but on a greyscale set, and was color corrected to black and white during post-production. It focuses on the theme of media responsibility, and also addresses what occurs when the media offer a voice of dissent from government policy. The movie takes its title (which ends with a period or full stop) from the line with which Murrow routinely signed off his broadcasts.

The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Clooney and Best Actor for David Strathairn.

Set in 1953, during the early days of television broadcast journalism. Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn) and his dedicated staff — headed by his co-producer Fred Friendly (George Clooney) and reporter Joseph Wershba (Robert Downey, Jr.) in the CBS newsroom—defy corporate and sponsorship pressures, and discredit the tactics used by Joseph McCarthy during his crusade to root out Communist elements within the government.

Murrow first defends Milo Radulovich, who is facing separation from the U.S. Air Force because of his sister's political leanings and because his father is subscribed to a Serbian newspaper. Murrow makes a show on McCarthy attacking him. A very public feud develops when McCarthy responds by accusing Murrow of being a communist. Murrow is accused of having been a member of the leftist union Industrial Workers of the World, which Murrow claimed was false.

In this climate of fear and reprisal, the CBS crew carries on and their tenacity ultimately strikes a historic blow against McCarthy. Historical footage also shows the questioning of Annie Lee Moss, a Pentagon communication worker accused of being a communist based on her name appearing on a list seen by an FBI infiltrator of the American Communist Party. The film's subplots feature Joseph and Shirley Wershba, recently married staffers, having to hide their marriage to save their jobs at CBS as well as the suicide of Don Hollenbeck (Ray Wise) who had been accused in print of being a Communist.

The film is framed by performance of the speech given by Murrow to the Radio and Television News Directors Association in 1958, in which Murrow harshly admonishes his audience not to squander the potential of television to inform and educate the public, so that it does not become only "wires and lights in a box".[2]

Main cast[edit]

In September 2005, Clooney explained his interest in the story to an audience at the New York Film Festival: "I thought it was a good time to raise the idea of using fear to stifle political debate."[3] Having majored in journalism in college, Clooney was well-versed in the subject matter. His father, Nick Clooney, was a television journalist for many years, appearing as an anchorman in Cincinnati, Ohio, Salt Lake City, Utah, Los Angeles, California, and Buffalo, New York. The elder Clooney also ran for Congress in 2004.

George Clooney was paid $1 each for writing, directing, and acting in Good Night, and Good Luck., which cost $7.5 million to make. Due to an injury he received on the set of Syriana a few months earlier, Clooney couldn't pass the tests to be insured. He then mortgaged his own house in Los Angeles in order to make the film.[4] Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former eBay president Jeff Skoll invested money in the project as executive producers. The film ultimately grossed more than $54m worldwide.[5]

The CBS offices and studios seen in the movie were all sets on a soundstage. To accomplish a pair of scenes showing characters going up an elevator, different "floors" of the building were laid out on the same level. The "elevator" was actually built on a large turntable at the intersection of the two floor sets, and rotated once the doors were closed. When the doors reopened, the actors appeared to be in a different location. In doing so, the movie exercised a bit of dramatic license—the CBS executive offices at the time were located at 485 Madison Avenue.[6] CBS News was located in an office building just north of Grand Central Terminal (demolished and now the site of the Met Life Building);[7] and the See It Now studio was located in Grand Central Terminal itself, above the waiting room.[8] For dramatic effect, all three areas were depicted as being in the same building.

Clooney and producer Grant Heslov decided to use only archival footage of Joseph McCarthy in his depiction. As all of that footage was black-and-white, that determined the color scheme of the film.[9] A young Robert Kennedy is also shown in the movie during McCarthy's hearing sessions. He was then a staff member on the Senate subcommittee chaired by McCarthy.

A small jazz combo starring jazz singer Dianne Reeves was hired to record the soundtrack to the movie. This combo (Peter Martin, Christoph Luty, Jeff Hamilton and Matt Catingub) was featured in the movie in several scenes; for example, in one scene the newsmen pass a studio where she is recording with the rest of the band. The CD is Dianne Reeves's second featuring jazz standards (including "How High the Moon", "I've Got My Eyes on You", "Too Close For Comfort", "Straighten Up and Fly Right" and "One for My Baby"), and it won the Grammy Award in 2006 for Best Jazz Vocal Album.

The soundtrack to Good Night, and Good Luck. was released on September 27, 2005.

No. Title Artist Length
1. "Straighten Up and Fly Right"   Dianne Reeves 2:44
2. "I've Got My Eyes on You"   Dianne Reeves 2:06
3. "Gotta Be This or That"   Dianne Reeves 3:16
4. "Too Close for Comfort"   Dianne Reeves 3:50
5. "How High the Moon"   Dianne Reeves 2:22
6. "Who's Minding the Store?"   Dianne Reeves 4:31
7. "You're Driving Me Crazy"   Dianne Reeves 1:57
8. "Pretend"   Dianne Reeves 4:01
9. "Solitude"   Dianne Reeves 5:28
10. "TV Is the Thing This Year"   Dianne Reeves 1:43
11. "Pick Yourself Up"   Dianne Reeves 2:38
12. "When I Fall in Love"   Dianne Reeves 3:52
13. "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall"   Dianne Reeves 4:08
14. "There'll Be Another Spring"   Dianne Reeves 4:43
15. "One for My Baby"   Dianne Reeves 3:50
Total length:

The film was critically acclaimed upon release. It was named "Best Reviewed Film of 2005 in Limited Release" by Rotten Tomatoes, where it achieved a 93% positive review rating. The movie received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Director (Clooney), and Actor (Strathairn).

Libertarian Jack Shafer, a columnist for the online magazine Slate, accused the film of continuing what he characterizes as the hagiography of Murrow.[11] Roger Ebert, in his Chicago Sun-Times review, contends that "the movie is not really about the abuses of McCarthy, but about the process by which Murrow and his team eventually brought about his downfall (some would say his self-destruction). It is like a morality play, from which we learn how journalists should behave. It shows Murrow as fearless, but not flawless."[12]

Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton from the ABC show At The Movies each gave the film five stars, making Good Night, and Good Luck the only other film besides Brokeback Mountain to receive such a score from the hosts in 2005.[13] Both described the film as "beautiful" but also praised Clooney for the film's importance. Margaret commented that "[The film] is so important, because it's about things that are really vital today, like the responsibility of the press and examining the press' role in forming opinion." David noted "Though [the film] is in black-and-white, there's nothing monochromatic about Clooney's passion for his subject or the importance of his message."[14]

One complaint about the film among test audiences was their belief that the actor playing McCarthy was too over the top, not realizing that the film used actual archive footage of McCarthy himself.[15]

Awards and nominations[edit]

The film was nominated for six Academy Awards at the 2006 Academy Awards, for six BAFTAs at the 2005 BAFTA Awards, and four Golden Globes at the 2006 Golden Globe Awards. The American Film Institute named Good Night, and Good Luck. as one of the Top Ten Movies of 2005.

  1. ^ a b The Numbers: Good Night and Good Luck. Linked 2013-08-12
  2. ^ Edward R. Murrow Speech, 1958 (excerpts), Radio Television Digital News Association
  3. ^ Brooks, Brian. IndieWire, "Clooney Speaks Out About Journalism and Filmmaking As NYFF Opens." Retrieved: April 24, 2007.
  4. ^ Friedman, Roger. Fox, "Clooney Bets House on New Film," September 27, 2005. Retrieved: December 30, 2007.
  5. ^
  6. ^ "Broadcasting Yearbook 1952", page 448
  7. ^ Kuralt, Charles, "A Life On The Road", 1991
  8. ^ Schwartz, David, via Les Burkhardt, "Studio Originations for CBS New York based shows", Retired CBS Engineers Association website, December 2–3, 2001. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  9. ^ Brooks, Brian. IndieWire, ibid.
  10. ^ Good Night, and Good Luck. Soundtrack AllMusic. Retrieved February 27, 2014
  11. ^ Shafer, Jack., "Edward R. Movie—Good Night, and Good Luck and bad history." Retrieved: March 1, 2006.
  12. ^ Ebert, Roger. Chicago Sun-Times, film review, "Good Night, and Good Luck." Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved: April 23, 2007.
  13. ^ "Movie reviews, 2005". ABC: At the Movies. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  14. ^ "Good Night, and Good Luck (review)". ABC: At the Movies. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  15. ^ "When television took a stand", Telegraph, October 5, 2005

External links[edit]


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Kitakami, Iwate

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Kitakami City Hall
Kitakami City Hall
Flag of Kitakami
Official seal of Kitakami
Location of Kitakami in Iwate Prefecture
Location of Kitakami in Iwate Prefecture
Kitakami is located in Japan
Coordinates: 39°17′12.3″N 141°6′47.5″E / 39.286750°N 141.113194°E / 39.286750; 141.113194Coordinates: 39°17′12.3″N 141°6′47.5″E / 39.286750°N 141.113194°E / 39.286750; 141.113194
Country Japan
Region Tōhoku
Prefecture Iwate
 • -Mayor Toshihiko Takahashi (since May 2011)
 • Total 437.55 km2 (168.94 sq mi)
Population (September 2015)
 • Total 93,345
 • Density 213/km2 (550/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
• Tree Sakura
• Flower White lily
• Bird Grey wagtail
Phone number 0197-64-2111
Address 1-1 Yoshi-cho, Kitakami-shi, Iwate-ken 024-8501
Website Official website
Tenshochi Park in Kitakami City

Kitakami (北上市 Kitakami-shi?) is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of September 2015, the city had an estimated population of 93,345 and a population density of 213 persons per km2. The total area was 437.55 square kilometres (168.94 sq mi). The city is famous for the sakura that bloom in Tenshochi Park.

Kitakami is located in south-central Iwate Prefecture, in the Kitakami River valley.

Neighboring municipalities[edit]

The area of present-day Kitakami was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and has been settled since at least the Jomon period by the Emishi people. During the later portion of the Heian period, the area was ruled by the Northern Fujiwara. During the Sengoku period, the area was contested by various samurai clans before being divided between the Nambu clan of Morioka Domain and the Date clan of Sendai Domain during the Edo period, under the Tokugawa shogunate.

The modern city of Kitakami was founded on April 1, 1954, by the merger of the villages of Kurosawajiri, Iitoyo, Futako, Saraki, Oniyanai, Aisari and Fukuoka. On April 1, 1991 when Kitakami absorbed the neighboring village of Ezuriko and town of Waga (both from Waga District).

The economy of Kitakami was traditionally agricultural; however, due to its ease of access with Sendai and Morioka via the Tohoku Expressway, the area has rapidly developed into a kight manufacturing and transshipment center.

Kitakami has 17 elementary schools, nine middle schools and five high schools.

Local attractions[edit]

The city is famous for the sakura that bloom in Tenshochi Park, which is regarded as one of the hundred best places in Japan to view cherry blossoms.

Another hallmark of the city is Oni Kenbai, a traditional sword dance where the dancers dress as demons, performed during the summer festivals, such as Kitakami Michinoku Traditional Dance Festival.

Kitakami also boasts a site that is reputed to be the grave of the famous Heian period waka poet Izumi Shikibu.

International relations[edit]

Noted people from Kitakami[edit]

  1. ^ "US-Japan Sister Cities by State". Asia Matters for America. Honolulu, HI: East-West Center. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  2. ^ "Sister Cities Friendship Cities". Kitakami City official home page. 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2015.

External links[edit]

Media related to Kitakami, Iwate at Wikimedia Commons