Daft Punk Unconditional Film Scores Electronic Music

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Daft Punk combines funk, techno, disco, rock and synth-pop.
Daft Punk combines funk, techno, disco, rock and synth-pop. | Source

Motorcycle Helmets

The best way to describe Daft Punk is as DJs in funky helmets that look like motorcycle helmets. We never see their faces or the color of their skin and hair. Who are these guys, and what is their story in electronic music?

Disney Movies

Grammy Award-winning Daft Punk rose to prominence when Disney released a 20-minute sneak peek of TRON: Legacy at the designated IMAX theaters across America. The free promotional screening tickets sold out within a couple of hours.

One of the best promotional events through Disney movies introduced mainstream America to Techno music.

In conjunction with the promotional screening, Disney released sound clips from the TRON: Legacy soundtrack. The clips were different from the way Americans experience music. The clips introduced us to the exclusive and decisively acclaimed French techno duo Daft Punk.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski, who also directed Top Gun: Maverick, the highly anticipated movie about a young man searching for his father, who disappeared into a computer some years ago, matched perfectly with the electronically energized music.

In 2021, supposedly, Daft Punk bid each other goodbye.
In 2021, supposedly, Daft Punk bid each other goodbye.

Movie Soundtrack

Daft Punk’s music soundtrack connects with the Disney movie. Not long after the promotional release of the soundtrack clips, the complete soundtrack hit the streets, and it swiftly climbed the Billboard charts to number ten and didn’t let up in the following weeks.

The duo proved the world’s brilliance of techno music when the genre was performed in its relevant context. TRON: Legacy is the proper content.

The soundtrack achieved “Best Original Score” from the Austin Film Critics Association. It was honored with Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film by the International Film Music Critics Association.

Film Score

Daft Punk composed the Tron: Legacy soundtrack, which plays like a creative process that brings the audience into the computer alongside the lead character.

Who is Daft Punk?

The two performers are Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter. To create the movie soundtrack, they brought together 100 talented musicians from London and formed a symphony. They recorded the soundtrack at AIR Lyndhurst Studios, Britain’s central scoring facility.

Devotees were euphoric over the thought that the electronic music duo was developing the soundtrack for a Disney movie. The movie added prestige to Daft Punk’s first film score. The soundtrack achieved “Best Original Score” from the Austin Film Critics Association. It was honored with Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film by the International Film Music Critics Association.

"Tron" is an excellent reminder of the music by Daft Punk.
“Tron” is an excellent reminder of Daft Punk’s music.

Tron’s “Recognizer” moved over to the Resident Evil: Retribution teaser trailer. “The Game Has Changed” appeared in the Game of Thrones trailer and was played as part of the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Sochi, Russia.

Hypnotic

Disney is known for its detailed and strategically staged promotional campaigns. The announcement of Daft Punk’s 90-second piece for the second TRON movie became a surefire success. A 10-week promotional campaign on Facebook, featuring something new every Tuesday about TRON: Legacy, ran successfully. Befittingly called “TRON Tuesdays,” a global countdown to the sequel’s official release brought attention to the movie. So much attention was paid to Daft Punk fans, who gathered on Facebook to listen to the electronic duo’s latest rendition.

Daft Punk’s “Derezzed” played every Tuesday during the campaign. The music generated a hypnotic effect.

So much so that fans became mesmerized when they heard and saw the music, in which Michael Sheen looks menacing with his white hair as Castor, a conniving and renowned program in The Grid. He controls the End of Line Club at the top of a tower in the computer system where the story happens.

Games of Thrones

Daft Punk magnifies the meaning of Techno performances. Their super-charged performance fills the venue with multi-electronic lights, including visual machinery, and laser effects play an integral part.

Both Homem-Christo and Bangalter are renowned for their heavy beats in their visual and story compositions. They wear ornate robot regalia in public and while performing their monogram trademark, which they orchestrated in collaboration with Disney’s production design for TRON: Legacy.

The music received so many accolades that Tron’s “Recognizer” played in Resident Evil: Retribution teaser trailer, and “The Game Has Changed” played in the Game of Thrones trailer. A portion was part of the 2014 Winter Olympics 2014 opening ceremony in Sochi, Russia.

Daft Punk Tour

During 2017, rumors were rampant on the Internet about a possible Daft Punk tour. As stories go, they were just rumors. Daft Punk did release a holiday song called “Celebrate the Holidays: Face to Face.”

Daft Punk began in 1994 and continues as a duo, so keep your ear to the ground for any news of future touring plans.

Osage Dancer Maria Tallchief America’s First Major Prima Ballerina

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Tallchief was proud of her Osage heritage.
Tallchief was proud of her Osage heritage. | Source

Native American Ballet Dancer

Maria Tallchief broke barriers as the first Native American woman (Osage) in ballet. She broke down ethnic barriers as one of the first Americans to flourish in her field. The New York Times called her one of America’s most brilliant ballerinas of the 20th century.

Maria Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina

Maria Tallchief: America’s Prima Ballerina

In her book, “Maria Tallchief: America’s Prima Ballerina,” she also explained how the Osage headrights affected her father. She said it felt as if her father owned property everywhere in Fairfax—the pool hall and local movie theater. Her family lived in a 10-room brick house on a hill overlooking the Osage reservation. They spent the summer in Colorado Springs because of the sweltering heat in Oklahoma. Tallchief also wrote in her book about the Osage Reign of Terror, “villainous white” who married Osage women and killed them to inherit their headrights.

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Born During the Osage Reign of Terror

On January 24, 1925, Maria Tallchief was born in Fairfax, Oklahoma, on the Osage Indian Reservation, during the Osage Reign of Terror described in Killers of the Flower Moon, directed by Martin Scorsese, and in the book of the same name by David Grann.

The true story Killers of the Flower Moon recounts the murder of over twenty Osage Indians from 1921 to 1926 because of their oil mineral rights. The tribal law made each member wealthy by granting them headrights, a share of the mineral trust. Because the government deemed the Osage unfit to manage their wealth, it appointed guardians to supervise their headrights.

Tallchief’s grandfather, Peter Bigheart, helped negotiate the agreement that founded the reservation and maintained the tribe’s mineral rights. When the Osage Indians discovered oil on the reservation, they became the wealthiest Native American tribe in the USA.

Maria’s father, an Osage Indian, Alexander Joseph Tall Chief, was a wealthy real estate executive. Her mother, Ruth Mary Porter Tall Chief, was of Scottish and Irish descent. Marie Tallchief wrote in her autobiography that her father never worked “a day in his life” because of the headrights.

Tallchief Early Years

Tallchief spent her childhood in Los Angeles, California, honing her ballet skills through years of training. Her mother had her start formal ballet lessons in Fairfax, Oklahoma, before she was four.

At eight, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. The purpose was to establish advanced ballet training for Maria and her sister, Marjorie. Their mother wanted them to work in Hollywood musicals.

Wore Ballet Flats Most of Her Life

Ballet Career Started on the Osage Reservation

Maria’s mother encouraged her and her sister, Marjorie, to take ballet and piano lessons during their toddler years. They performed at Osage civic organizations.

Moved to California

At age eight, Marie’s family moved to Beverly Hills, California, where she continued to study ballet and piano. Marie studied under prominent Russian ballerinas, Madame Nijinska and Anna Pavlova, by age twelve.

Because Tallchief was a Native American, members of the ballet community were skeptical. However, choreographer George Balanchine recognized her talent. He nurtured her into a prima ballerina.

Marie and Marjorie became professional ballet dancers and leading figures in America. In their retirement years, they founded Lyric Opera’s Ballet School in 1974, teaching the Balanchine method. Tallchief’s ballerina career took her around the world, resulting in a professional and personal relationship with George Balanchine.

Tallchief Moved to New York City

At 17, Marie moved to New York City to establish herself in a major ballet company. Here, she made her official name, Marie Tallchief.

For the next five years, she danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and met her first husband, choreographer George Balanchine. He co-founded the New York City Ballet in 1946, and Marie became its first prima ballerina.

Tallchief's early career in the 1940s included dancing with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.
Tallchief’s early career in the 1940s included dancing with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. | Source

Killers of the Flower Moon

Killers of the Flower Moon

Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Ernest Burkhard in an unlikely love story, and Lily Gladstone portrays Mollie Kyle. Oil transformed the Osage Nation into one of the wealthiest populations in the world at the start of the 20th century. I found the film informative, with an authentic Scorsese flair. There is a scene in which Robert De Niro’s character, William K. Hale, stands with a group of ballerinas and their teacher. I am sure it’s paying homage to Maria Tallchief’s legacy. Today, it’s a legacy celebrated on the reservation with statues of Tallchief.

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Tallchief Discusses Balanchine

Balanchine Ballet Technique Influences

Tallchief’s passion for ballet and Balanchine’s challenging choreography made the art form more popular. But some argue that Tallchief, as the Firebird in Stravinsky’s The Firebird, in the first year brought accolades to the New York Ballet. Playing the Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker catapulted the Christmas ballet from obscurity to popularity in America.

Balanchine elevated Tallchief’s career as a prima ballerina, soloing her in his first ballet with the Russe de Monte Carlo called Song of Norway and as Alexandra Danilova’s understudy. Balanchine repeatedly cast Tallchief in significant roles in classical ballet. Eventually, she became the second lead when Ballet Imperial opened.

Balanchine and Tallchief grew fond of each other, and he told The Washington Post she was his “crucial artistic inspiration.” Their working relationship crossed into a personal relationship, and they married in 1946.

During their professional career, Balanchine influenced Tallchief’s ballet style by encouraging her to start over with the fundamentals of the craft. She lost weight and elongated her neck and legs as she learned to hold her chest high. Danilova taught Tallchief extensively, transforming her into a featured soloist.

Tallchief created the role of Coquette and Night Shadow and was the first ballerina to perform it. The most challenging role in the ballet was another milestone in her illustrious career.

Her career blossomed with a stint with the Paris Opera Ballet, becoming the first American to perform with the company. The French audiences loved her.

Tallchief revolutionized ballet under the guidance of George Balanchine.
Tallchief revolutionized ballet under the guidance of George Balanchine. | Source

New York City Ballet

Returning to New York in 1948, Balanchine co-founded the New York City Ballet, giving Tallchief the first prima ballerina role. During this time, Balanchine revolutionized ballet, creating dances that demanded athleticism, aggressive dancing and speed. Tallchief complied with all his choreography. To the point, the New York Times critic wrote she did everything except spin on her head.

Tallchief’s popularity and talent helped boost the fledgling ballet company, dancing eight times a week. She received critical success, and the audience praised her dancing as the Sugarplum Fairy in the annual Christmas classic, The Nutcracker.

Other dancing roles under Balanchine’s choreography included Swan Queen in Swan Lake and Eurydice in Orpheus. Tallchief created different lead roles in Jones Breach, Prodigal Son and A La Francaix. She also danced in Balanchine ballets with no storyline, interpreting music with theatrical elements. Balanchine was masterful at creating images or expressing and provoking emotion. Tallchief’s fiery dancing and athletic performances solidified Balanchine’s era as the most prominent choreographer.

Tallchief’s Marriages

Balanchine and Tallchief’s marriage was annulled in 1952. Shortly after, Tallchief married Elmourza Natirboff, a pilot. They divorced two years later, and she married Henry D. (Buzz) Paschen Jr in 1955. They had a daughter, Elise Maria Paschen, an award-winning poet. They remained married until he died in 2004.

Tallchief’s Illustrious Career

Tallchief continued establishing firsts, such as the American Ballet Theatre’s first guest dancer and prima ballerina. She was also the first American to dance at the Bolshoi Theatre in Russia. She was Rudolf Nureyev’s chosen partner for his American television debut.

Her Oklahoma people honored her with an array of statues and an official day of recognition. The National Women’s Hall of Fame inducted her, and she received a National Medal of Arts from the United States Congress. She also received a Kennedy Center Honor for her lifetime achievements.

In 2012, Tallchief broke her hip and passed away on April 11, 2013, because of complications from her injury.

References

Foreign Horror Movies That Scare You to Death

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Foreign Horror Movie Trailers

Watching horror movie trailers is a great pastime of mine. Seeing what each director offers in terms of horrifying entertainment captivates me.

The editing of the movie trailers shows how much thought, effort, and time went into making the movie. More thought and action mean the director and production company are proud of their film.

These horror movie trailers are even more entertaining because, most likely, you haven’t seen the movie yet, since they are not American-made and are in English subtitles. You are in for a horrific and thrilling treat. You may even jump out of your skin.

“It’s important to me to work in my own language now and then. I love English, but you can never learn to master a foreign language if you’re not brought up with it.”— Max von Sydow, Actor.

“Silencio” – Supernatural, Horror Movie

Lorena Villarreal wrote and directed Silencio in Mexico. The supernatural-horror suspense movie investigates a natural phenomenon known as the Zone of Silence, in Mexico, a mysterious place where strange things happen. It is often referred to as the “Bermuda Triangle” of Mexico.

The filmmakers took the license to write an entertaining, entirely fictional story. They were able to maintain the essence of the Zone of Silence.

The main character is a psychiatrist, which is the best choice for the movie because it is not an exact science. The psychiatric industry uses made-up labels to call people “mentally ill” when they are the ones who have all the social and mental problems.

“The Snarling” – Not One of the Best British Comedies

Over in the UK, an all-new horror movie is the rage, with comedic undertones. Written and directed by Pablo Raybould, The Snarling gives a poke at An American Werewolf and Shawn of the Dead.

Raybould is quite funny as the inspector in this British horror movie. He played Frank in Me Before You, starring Sam Claflin.

I recommend this movie to get a taste of British horror with a touch of comedy. The cast, including talented and rather funny Chris Simmons, Laurence Saunders, and Ben Manning, kept me laughing. Simmons and Manning starred in another horror movie, The Last Twitch, written and directed by Raybould.

Even with the cheesy special effects, particularly the werewolf. It’s a howling, fun movie worth mentioning — the British humor is dry and witty.

“Luz” – German Horror Movie Shot on 16mm

Luz is a German horror movie. Tilman Sinnger directs it. It is his first feature as a writer and director. Interestingly, shot on 16mm. Sinnger immersed the film in sound and visuals reminiscent of 1970s Spanish horror movies. The brooding score by Simon Waskow plays a cunning role in maintaining the movie’s credibility. In 2018, Luz premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival.

The cast includes Luana Velis as Luz, Jan Bluthardt, and Julia Riedler. Bluthardt and Riedler play convincing supporting roles.

The movie starts with a rainy night where a confused and emotionless young cab driver, Luz, drags herself into the fiercely lit admittance lobby of a neglected police station. From another part of town, in a nightclub, Nora flirts, making sexual advances with police psychiatrist Dr. Rossini in a banter.

Controlled by a demonic entity, Nora longs for the woman it loves – Luz. She shares a story about her old schoolmate from a girls’ school in Chile with the psychiatrist. As she tells the story of Luz’s disobedient past, Nora becomes drunker. Rossini becomes an easy victim for Nora to attack. He is sent to the police station to interview Luz.

At the police station where his colleagues supervise his interview, the psychiatrist hypnotizes Luz, causing a succession of flashbacks. Each flashback unfolds experiences leading to her appearance.

We mustn’t forget about the demonic entity controlling the psychiatrist and who desires something more. Little by little, the mysterious creature creeps into Luz’s dreams, bringing to light old and dark memories.

“Sheborg” – Australian Cult Horror Movie

Australian horror fans classify Sheborg as a cult horror film.

Written and directed by Daniel Armstrong, Sheborg Massacre stars Daisy Masterman, Emma-Louise Wilson, and Whitney Duff. The bold women’s roles narrate a horrific story about an alien fugitive.

She crashes her ship inside a remote puppy farm and immediately transforms everyone into a mutated robot. The robots are killing machines with a preference for puppy flesh.

Dylan, played by Duff, and Eddie, played by Masterman, are self-declared political activists. Both are the only ones who can save Earth from complete domination. When they’re compelled to “dare to be great,” and neither one is prepared for it, the two women must battle as best they can against the cops, city officials, and cybernetic dog butchers. So, they can destroy the evil Sheborg and save Earth.

Armstrong is a screenwriter who scripted and directed some cheesy Australian movies like Fight Like a Girl and MurderDrone.

Masterman starred in Armstrong’s MurderDrone and other Australian films. Sheborg is the first time Duff has worked with Armstrong, but she has a long list of credits in Australian movies and TV series.

Melbourne Underground Film Festival gives two awards to Sheborg: Best Actress for both Masterman and Duff; Special Jury Prize for Armstrong.

I recommend watching Sheborg because the first six minutes will rock your obsession with horror movies.

Portugal’s “The Lost Forest of Souls”

The Lost Forest of Souls is a Portuguese psychological horror film written and directed by José Pedro Lopes. The movie follows Ricardo and Carolina, played by Jorge Mota and Daniela Love. They are total strangers and meet by chance in the “Forest of the Lost Souls.”

The forest is where many people go to commit suicide. Carolina is a young woman, and Richardo is an older man. They have come to the woods to kill themselves.

They quickly become acquainted and postpone their suicides by exploring the forest and talking to each other.

As they go deeper into the forest, the story becomes more interesting, and a psychopath emerges from the dense forest. The movie received favorable reviews and awards. As one of the best foreign horror movies, I highly recommend The Forest of Lost Souls to anyone who enjoys a fresh twist on the genre.

Twainian “The Tag-Along 2”

Twainian horror movie The Tag-Along 2 is a sequel to the urban legend movie The Tag-Along, which is about a situation. In 1998, a home video titled The Little Girl Red sparked a viral frenzy. The Tag-Along’s first foreign movie received positive reviews and was a box-office triumph.

The sequel resumes the horrific and daunting mystery about the little girl in the red dress helmed by Wei-Hao Cheng.

The movie follows a social worker, played by Rainie Yang. Her teenage daughter is pregnant and has disappeared.

Everything that happens in the story is related to the little girl in the red dress.
The movie is creepy and wicked, and that is why it did so well and is the top money-making horror movie in Taiwan.

You Won’t Be Alone

Goran Stolevski wrote and directed You Won’t Be Alone. The film followed a young girl who was kidnapped and transformed into an ancient spirit. In the 1800s, the location was a creepy, isolated mountain village in Macedonia, Southeast Europe.

The girl grows up and kills a peasant, taking over her body, using horrific power.

Scariest Foreign Horror Movies

Foreign horror movies are unique in style and composition. I recommend viewing some of the ones I’ve listed in this article to discover a special genre of filmmaking.

As a horror movie fan, you can appreciate the differences and similarities between cultures and what the director creates in their movie. Each culture and director’s vision is different, and thus, it is a real horrific treat to see.

Post-Wedding Photoshoots Create Fun Memories

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“A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people.”— – Annie Leibovitz

Fine Art Wedding Photography

Weddings are a memorable time in anyone’s life, from the bride’s parents and groom to the guests and best friends. The wedding ceremony decoration ideas are in place. The wedding photographer is set to capture the cherished day with families and friends, memories that will last for years to come.

For most couples, regular and candid pictures are not the desired outcome. Wedding photography is a huge business and a precise style of photography. A wedding photographer doing it right can bring success to any photographer and capture fond memories of the church, reception, wedding party, and friends. The photographer who takes pictures using a quality camera.

Destination Wedding Photography

A photographer can choose many venues for their craft or profession. Still, shooting weddings and pictures of the bride and groom requires learning to capture the essence of wedding ceremonies and their participants. The wedding photography package includes the church aisle, decorations, the bride’s wedding dress, and the overall atmosphere.

As a beginner, the first impression is crucial, and you want original work with high-quality photographs.

With that, the wedding party, including family and friends, will forever be in awe of your work and recommend you to future brides. They may even call you back for the baby pictures. The more you read about wedding photography with patience and practice, the better you will be at your craft.

Candid Wedding Photography

Tons of photographs from the wedding will capture every moment. The pictures that stand out are those of the bride and groom and the wedding party.

When the photographer is meticulous with each pose, his endeavor will be more fruitful. Sincere, touching shots are also considered a blessing at weddings. These could be the flower girl dancing with her brother, the bride dancing with her father, or the groom longing for his bride.

We mustn’t forget photographs of guests, inanimate belongings, or personal locations. Common choices are a church, a cake, rings, and a gown.

An impressive trick that is becoming increasingly popular during wedding preparations, parties, or candid moments is capturing someone’s iPhone or Android reflection. You are not limited to phone screens; you can also use windows, watches, glasses, and any similar devices you may encounter.

Trick Photographs

Taking photographs after the wedding and honeymoon is relaxing and ultra-candid. Another unique idea for a wedding picture is to take it after the wedding photo session. Be creative with the bride and groom. Ask them to think about “trash the dress” or “show the candor.”

The bride and groom can relax. After the honeymoon, they pose away from the crowds with their guard down.

Now that the formal occasion is over, these sessions often feature the bride wearing her gown in wacky or offbeat situations. Unique ideas include shots taken with the bride on an amusement ride, on a tennis court, or dining in the surf.

The newlyweds are more likely to include it in their wedding package if the idea is fun and creative, and if it takes about an hour. The photo shoot is either their dream life wedding photography or just crazy pictures.

“You need to use [a hat] when you have to, such as when it’s raining. Or, when you just feel like it. Sometimes you wear it because you need to get the sun out of your eyes. Think about flash in the same way. Don’t use it all the time, but also don’t shy away from it. If it’s dark outside, use flash. If you know there’s time, and you have a good idea, and your clients will love it, then go for it.”— – Matt Kennedy

Source

“The best thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do.”— – Andy Warhol

After the Wedding Photography

When you approach the couple, realize it might be hard for them to imagine getting their picture taken, yet again, after the wedding and the honeymoon.

Encourage your clientele to take the time and energy to get memorable photos of their first year of marriage.

The couple starts with photographs after the honeymoon. Ask them, “What kind of memorable tokens did they bring home?” Include those in the photos and other items, such as reenactments of activities they did on their trip, like snorkeling, skydiving, sunbathing, and hiking.

They can even call them something creative like “Lost Honeymoon Photos” or “Our First Year. We Made It!”

Wedding Photographer

As a wedding photographer, you utilize your craft, which can be both personally and professionally rewarding. All you need to do is keep to the basic rules of the profession. You will be fruitful for all those who participate.

Binge Worthy Shows Influenced by Social Media

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Social Media or Popular Series

Some TV shows promote themselves well on social media. They rank so well because the shows are worthy or because their social media campaigns are brilliant. It’s the chicken-or-the-egg theory.

What came first, a well-produced show to comment about on social media or a favorite book promoted on social media as an upcoming TV show? In the following article, I speculate that the show needs to be high-ranking to capture major social media trends. Though there is one show called Outlander that was super popular before its premiere. It is another way for fans to enjoy their favorite show.

“Outlander”

Outlander airs on Starz and is an example of social media supporting both sides of the spectrum. Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan are on Twitter and Instagram almost daily, plugging Outlander or their other products and movies. Heughan promotes his clothing line, Barbour, and whiskey, rightly named Sassenach. Facebook has several dedicated pages to the Scottish-themed show. Heughan’s Heughligans and the author, Gabaldon, sponsor a Facebook page.

Starz sponsored several Twitter and Facebook campaigns. Heughan and Balfe answered Twitter questions via video that played on Facebook. The campaign was such a success that Starz continued using the Q & A theme with other cast members, including Richard Rankin and Sophie Skelton.

My Peak Challenge

In this video, Sam Heughan discusses receiving his honorary doctorate from the University of Stirling in Scotland. He mentions his online charity with over 12,000 members, raising over $4 million – A solid example of using social media to promote his charity.

Ellen DeGeneres Hosts the Academy Awards

The Rolling Stone Magazine reported the early ratings of the 2014 Academy Awards, which Ellen DeGeneres hosted, and the viewership was at an all-time 10-year high. The magazine credited DeGeneres’s social media activity for sharing her funny acts.

Like when she took several selfies with celebrities, the star-studded one, posted below, earned over 2.8 million retweets and is probably still popular.

The show garnered 43 million viewers. The last time such a feat occurred was in 2004 with Billy Crystal as the host.

DeGeneres draws the viewers on her own, no doubt, but her antics on social media topped the charts.

Source

“Stranger Things”

In a Variety interview, Winona Ryder and Millie Bobby Brown discussed tweeting about their show, Stranger Things. Only Brown understood the technology of promoting a TV show on social media. Ryder’s fascination manifested in awe about Brown’s knowledge.

Ryder does not need to worry because Netflix developed its own social media campaign for the hit show. The purpose of the movement was to ensure fans knew when the series went live on Netflix.

They hit all the popular social networks, including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. The campaign included plot teasers and clips from the show.

What do you think?

Which Social Media Do You Use the Most?

People surveyed about their social media preference selected Facebook as their most used social media outlet.

  • 9% Instragram
  • 1% Pinterest
  • 0% Snap Chat
  • 0% Diggs
  • 1% Reddit
  • 0% Other
  • 81% Facebook
  • 7% Twitter

“Games of Thrones”

HBO’s Games of Thrones‘ social media hype was a late bloomer. The finale season marked the best use of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Working with 360i, HBO continued the season finale’s awareness and even banked on the audience feedback to promote the hypertheoretical spin-offs.

The week before and the week after the final episode, we saw #GOT for GOT’s upcoming season. It worked so well that even those who didn’t watch the series posted how they have not ever well watch #GOT.

Spin-off rumors continue to pop up on Facebook and Twitter. We can only imagine what it would be like to have a GOT spin-off.

“Orange is the New Black”

Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black used social media to show behind-the-scenes antics. Some say the marketing department does it better than any other show. The award-winning show and its large cast offer many options for Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

The popular hashtag is #OITNB, and their Facebook Page posts about the final season kept fans raving about the favorite show. You can still binge-watch the show on Netflix and Amazon.

“The Walking Dead” and “Fear The Walking Dead”

The Walking Dead (#TWD) is the show posted the most on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. A fanbase of over 40 million speaks for itself.

Fear Stories

The spin-off Fear The Walking Dead (#FTWD) was released with a brilliant social media campaign called “Fear Stories.”

“Pretty Little Liars”

Pretty Little Liars trended well with Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The award-winning series followed four friends band against an anonymous enemy, and the mystery person threatens to expose their darkest secrets.
The social media campaign worked overtime to keep the fans coming back for more.

The show’s final season in 2017 ranked higher than season six, and the social media surged with #littleliars. The success reinforced Freeform, a Disney based cable channel spin-off called The Perfectionist, bringing back some of the main characters — #PLLThePerfectionist.

“Empire”

Empire launched Taraji P. Henson’s career, and the show is trending even today with the final, sixth season. The show is about a hip-hop company three sons are fighting over while the ex-wife connives to reclaim what she feels is hers.

Fox marketing went all out and invested in Twitter. The social media campaign paid off. The show ranked on Nielsen’s 2016 list of Twitter MVPs — averaging 387,000 Tweets per episode. The social media campaigns consisted of inviting viewers to Tweet their questions to @EmpireFOX, and star Taraji P. Henson will answer the questions via video.

Another campaign had fans tweeting #FOXWednesdays, adding a cookie emoji (Henson’s character’s first name is Cookie Lyon). Once they twitted, they became eligible to win some treats. The cookie theme continued using different kinds of cookie themes.

Social Media and TV Shows

Episodic TV shows will continue to use social media as a send all to promoting the next and latest occurrence of each episode. How the marketing departments spin each campaign, whether unique or not, is what fans look forward to seeing. It is a whole new way to enjoy episodic television while waiting for the next episode and speculating.

Gilbert Saldivar Talks About Dancing in Film

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Latino Family

Gilbert Saldivar stars in the movie Shine, the audience award winner for best feature at the 2017 Urbanworld Film Festival. Directed by Anthony Nardolillo, the story follows a family, community, and culture. Together, they learn the value of not backing down and fighting for what they want in life.

Two Puerto Rican brothers grew up in Spanish Harlem in New York. They gained popularity as the best Salsa dancers on the street, but separated after a tragedy. They come together years later on conflicting sides of gentrification.

Gentrification is “the restoration of run-down urban areas by the middle class (resulting in the displacement of lower-income people)” – WordNet.

Ballet Folkorico Dancer

Gilbert’s dance training stems from growing up learning and becoming a ballet folklórico dancer. He performed the traditional Mexican dance in Texas, France, and Mexico. He played the traditional Mexican dance in Texas, France, and Mexico. After he started college, “I branched out and started dancing for the NBA and the WPA for a couple [of] years.”

Gilbert moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dancing career and dance with pop artists like Madonna and Jennifer Lopez. His eyes brighten when he talks about his passion and says, “I meant to be a dancer, and it just kind of flows.”

Movie Musicals

He is humble yet excited about Shine’s popularity and hopes to continue working in film. He aspires to be the Gene Kelley or Fred Astaire of Latino Dancers. He talked about the recent surge of movie musicals like La La Land, the remake of Gypsy, and West Side Story. “I find myself being drawn to wanting to create. The movie musicals are pretty popular today. I would love to kind of go in that direction. I would love to continue dancing in films.”

His talent in dancing and acting landed him the role of Junior in Shine. Junior is the younger of two Puerto Rican brothers who are separated by a tragedy. They find themselves on opposite sides of a gentrification project seven years later. Junior is trying to maintain the neighborhood’s culture that their father created. The older brother, Ralphi, played by Jorge Burgos, works with other corporations building locally and wants to redevelop their family’s neighborhood. Thus, raising the cost of living beyond the family’s means and closing down the Salsa Dance Studio.

Debbie Reynolds Legacy Studio

Gilbert stressed that gentrification occurs in many lower-income areas and cited a famous dance studio that went through a similar experience to the one in the movie. “I just talked to a group of friends about the Debbie Reynolds Legacy Dance Studio. It’s the most legendary dance studio that exists. Michael Jackson used to rehearse there, and they’re dealing with gentrification issues right now. The studio is about to be closed down for the same reasons that happened in the movie.”

The movie’s message is for those trying to maintain a location in a low-income area. Gilbert expresses the need for a film like Shine. “It communicates about gentrification. It’s something that people need to find out about.”

“Shine” is a film about salsa dancing, family, and gentrification in New York’s Spanish Harlem.

Director Anthony Nardolillo caught CBS’s eye due to this film and is about to direct TV episodes for the network.

Shine the Movie

Gilbert talked more about his friend being a part-owner of the Debbie Reynolds Legacy Studio.

Because of redevelopment in the area, the studio’s rent will triple. “It’s too difficult to move on with the people who own the studio. It is kind of like what happens in the film.”

As a small independent film, Shine experienced growth and played in 600 theaters across the US.

Christina Aguilera loved this movie, and it won the Audience Award for Best Feature at HBO Urbanworld 2017

New York Urbanworld Film Festival

Gilbert senses the popularity of the movie comes from movies like Crazy Rich Asians and Black Panther. “We were carrying that pattern because every minority is wanting to see themselves on screen and wanting stories like them because they’re happening, and it matters,” explains Gilbert. “It’s creating this momentum with the film. The movie took on this magical power when we introduced it in New York at the Urbanworld Film Festival a year ago.”

Dirty Harry, Clint Eastwood

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Who is Dirty Harry?

With crime escalating and the economy on a hellish rollercoaster dive, it is a perfect time to view the 1970s tough-cop action thriller Dirty Harry.

The script, by the married team Harry Julian Fink and Rita M. Fink (based on her unpublished story), Dean Riesner, and John Milius (unaccredited), is a lesson in a tight, fast-paced story.

The .44 Magnum he carries guides a story’s worth of sharp dialogue that launched a movie legend.

Eastwood states the memorable tough-cop line while holding a .44 Magnum, “Make my Day.” He repeats the famous line at the end of the movie. He baits the punk to gamble with his streetwise Russian Roulette.

Who is Clint Eastwood?

Don Siegel’s stylish, almost surreal, at times direction and editing set the pace for Clint Eastwood’s incredible performance as Harry Callahan, a middle-aged, individualist, unconventional cop who throws away the rulebook but gets the short end of the stick.

The screenwriters give Callahan some of the most memorable lines and witty comments in film history, thus establishing the territory for how far a script can go to create the antihero of all jerks while keeping the audience on his side.

The unsolved Zodiac murder case in San Francisco is eerily contemporary today. The opening scene of a public tribute to San Francisco police officers killed in the line of duty fades to the muzzle-barrel end of a high-powered rifle of a serial sniper, a baby-faced hippie killer, on a rooftop with a telescopic lens aimed at a young woman in a yellow, one-piece swimsuit. She swims her lap, he pulls the trigger, the bullet hits her, and she sinks below the surface as the water turns red.

Who is Harry Callahan?

Enter Harry Callahan, the lone wolf investigating the crime scene by himself. He finds the used shell of the shot and a ransom note pinned to a TV antenna. The first few words he says throughout the film are direct responses: “Jesus.”

The handwritten note from the deranged sniper calling himself Scorpio says he will enjoy killing one person every day until he receives one hundred thousand dollars. It will be his pleasure to shoot a Catholic priest or a nigger. I can’t help but remind us of the sniper killings in the D.C. area.

Favorite Dirty Harry Quote

Those surveyed said their favorite Dirty Harry quote is “You’ve got to ask yourself a question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?! The next favorite quote is  “Go Ahead, Make My Day.”

Dialogue Makes the Movie

Spiteful and rude, Callahan was summoned to the Mayor’s office. After the Mayor inquires what he has done about the Scorpio case so far, Callahan complains, waiting, “Oh well, for the past three-quarters of an hour, I’ve been sitting on my ass in your outer office, waiting for you.”

Most Unforgettable Movie Cop Scene

Up next is probably one of the most unforgettable cop scenes in film history, which is often mistaken for the film’s opening scene.

Callahan drives up in his navy blue sedan on a San Francisco street and parks illegally at the red curb in front of an adult bookstore. He walks to a local Burger Den restaurant to order his jumbo hot dog. Callahan casually asks the cook about a tan Ford across the street in front of the bank, with the usual lack of excitement. He suspects a bank robbery and asks the cook to phone the police department and report a two-eleven in progress. Callahan says, “Now, just wait until the cavalry arrives.” he hears the bank’s alarm system and a gunshot after one bite of his hot dog and says, “Oh, Sh-t!”

Cliint Eastwood shows how to point a gun at the camera.
Clint Eastwood shows how to point a gun at the camera.

“I have a very strict gun control policy: if there’s a gun around, I want to be in control of it.”— Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood Dirty Harry Quotes

Callahan’s calm and collected strides outside pull out his monstrous, long-barreled, heavyweight Smith and Wesson .44 Magnum. He single-handedly stops the heist by shooting the fleeing bank robbers. Still chewing his hot dog, Dirty Harry fires his sixth shot at the last fleeing robber. He looks down at his pant leg, which indicates blood seeped through from a leg wound. Dirty Harry walks over to the bank entrance. He threatens the wounded robber, who is reaching for his shotgun on the sidewalk.

Aiming the .44 Magnum, Callahan says his memorable tough-cop line baits the criminal to try and use the shotgun- gamble on luck with his streetwise version of Russian Roulette.

The dialogue contributes to the fast-paced movie, while the audience sees Callahan as a tough, unscrupulous cop. In the film review for the New York Times, critic Roger Greenspun describes Callahan as: “Dirty is Harry’s given epithet, and he carries it proudly enough. But he is a knight in shining armor whose dirtiness is mostly rubbed off from the scummy world he keeps trying to wipe clean.”

Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry

Clint Eastwood is not only a fine actor but also an award-winning director and jazz musician. Each project he works on has a social message important to our society.

Like Dirty Harry, Eastwood communicates the need to help the underdogs and support this generation’s heroes.

“Bolden” About The Man Who Invented Jazz

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Who Invented Jazz?

Charles “Buddy” Bolden’s story is haunting and captivating, marked by extreme highs and terrifying lows. Few people are familiar with his influence on the music culture, yet his musical ingenuity touches us fundamentally and socially.

He invented one of America’s few homegrown art forms, including its first and most important cultural export: jazz.

Growing up in New Orleans toward the end of the 19th century, he developed a new music style. Some describe it as fusing blues, gospel, and ragtime, calling for rapid improvisational rhythm. He played his cornet’s warmth and arousal sound like no other.

“Very little is known about musician Buddy Bolden:

He was born on September 6, 1877.

He was committed to an insane asylum in 1907, where he died in 1931.

Very few pictures of him exist….But Buddy Bolden invented jazz.”

American-Made

Jazz is as American-made as apple pie. The art form emerged about 120 years ago, when musicians gathered in inspiration, devotion, angst, and revelation. The splendor of jazz is between the musical notes, and its origins are veiled in an alchemy of mystery and allure.

Carr plays the trumpet as "Buddy."
Carr plays the trumpet as “Buddy.” | Source

Origins of Jazz

Quite possibly, the mystery of jazz’s origins stems from one of the first gifted musicians in this genre. Charles “Buddy” Bolden remains virtually unknown. Born in New Orleans in 1877, he became a bandleader spectacle before Louis Armstrong.

He was the first cornet player to surface from ragtime and blues, playing a fresh, new form. “Buddy Bolden’s Blues” (“I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say”) by Jelly Roll Morton is one of the first and rare acknowledgments to the shadowy artist called “King” Bolden. Director and writer Dan Pritzker decided to change that and shed light on Bolden’s life and times.

The movie poster promoted the dynamic film.
The movie poster promoted the dynamic film.

Using the screenplay Pritzker wrote with David Rothschild, he innovated the musician’s life and chose to be creative with Bolden’s story. The movie immerses the audience through images of his lively and tragic life.

Each frame comprises the social framework in which Bolden grew up and developed revolutionary music. Pritzker focuses on inspiration from artists like Louis Armstrong and the musical style of the period.

Bolden engages the audience, starting with the early 1900s in New Orleans. Buddy Boden, played by Gary Carr, was broadly known as the “King” of New Orleans jazz. He took an innovative approach to music by merging ragtime, gospel, and blues with distinct improvisational riffs.

A clip from the movie shows a young Bolden sheltered under his mother’s sewing machine at the sweatshop. He fantasizes about the beat and sounds of the shop, with women workers ballet dancing to the equipment’s sounds: the movie trailer and other clips from the movie show Bolden at different points in his life. Most clips are triumphant and tragic, but the story is sad.

Coming Through Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje, who wrote The English Patient, tells Bolden’s story in poetic passages of his life. Ondaatje writes about how Bolden drank heavily as a barber by day and a musician by night. One night, he went crazy and was locked up in a pre-Civil War asylum.

On the contrary, the movie introduces us to his wife, Nora, played by Yaya DaCosta. She profoundly loved him and endured emotional pain because his personal life was not stable. His manager, Buddy Bartley, played by Erik LaRay Harvey, managed him through jubilant highs and precarious lows.

Yaya DaCosta as Nora Bolden with Gary Carr as Buddy Bolden
Yaya DaCosta as Nora Bolden with Gary Carr as Buddy Bolden | Source

The film jumps to 1931, showing the incredibly trendy trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong, played by Reno Wilson. He returns to New Orleans and becomes one of the first African-American entertainers broadcast on the radio. Ironically, Bolden was experiencing his last days in the Louisiana insane asylum at the same time.

Reno Wilson as Louis Armstrong
Reno Wilson as Louis Armstrong | Source

Pritzker’s passion for telling Bolden’s story goes back decades. A guitarist for the Chicago-based rock/soul/R&B band, Sonia Dad, introduced Bolden’s story to Pritzker by recommending the nonfiction book “In Search of Buddy Bolden” by Donald M. Marquis.

Marquis is from Indiana but lives in New Orleans. He works at the New Orleans Public Library, spending most of his time researching jazz history and writing for jazz publications. Compared to Ondaatje’s book, he is well-researched with documentation and acknowledges a team of researchers who helped him uncover the life of Bolden.

“Jazz does not belong to one race or culture, but is a gift that America has given the world.”— Ahmad Alaadeen

Pritzker recalls reading Marquis’ book for the first time while touring with Sonia Dada. A friend introduced him to a book about Bolden, the creator of jazz. It got his attention, but it was a ridiculous concept, like saying this guy invented water or lightning. The truth is, Bolden set the stage for jazz. Pritzker says it is a tragedy because Bolden’s music impacted his life, even though he had never heard of him until now.

Dan Pritzker (Director) and Wynton Marsalis.
Dan Pritzker (Director) and Wynton Marsalis. | Source

Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis composed the film score and served as an executive producer. He hopes the film shines a positive light on the cornet player so people respect our musical history and culture.

Marsalis is from New Orleans and plays the trumpet; he has won multiple Grammys and was the only entertainer to win Grammys for jazz and classical recordings in the same year, the inaugural musician to win the Pulitzer Prize for music.

All the music that came after Bolden and Marsalis was associated with cornet solos and the style of variations. But he was surprised people didn’t talk about him as a cultural influence. He played loud music, had many women, and he drank too much.

Legendary jazz musicians recall Bolden’s work and life as if it were a myth. There are no recordings of his music or documents of his life. His career began as the famous King Bolden, but ended in a Louisiana insane asylum, where he spent the last 25 years of his life.

More About Jazz

All Pixar Movies You Haven’t Seen Yet

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Pixar Shorts for the Family

Pixar movies are stories with emotion, adventure, heroes, relationships, energy, and humor. Disney and Pixar collaborate on producing animated family movies. But sometimes, Pixar shorts get overlooked as family movies by moviegoers. If you have ever seen a Pixar short, you know that much talent and creative craftsmanship went into making the film.

Pixar’s first short, The Adventures of Andre and Wall B., released in 1984, is a classic for any Pixar fan. The story involves two characters: a pesky bee and a character named Andre wearing a hat. The story first aired on the Disney Channel. Pixar co-founder John Lasseter developed the animation. He wanted to create something extraordinary for his son. The film encouraged the industry to pursue computer-generated movies. Today, Hollywood supports high-quality animated films.

“Luxo Jr.”

The next Pixar short, Luxo Jr., is the first film officially produced by Pixar, marking the studio’s official establishment.

The two-and-a-half-minute short film introduces Pixar’s icon, the hopping desk lamp. Luxo Jr. chases a small ball while Luxo, a large lamp, reacts to Luxo Jr.’s escapade of chasing and balancing on the ball.

Future Computer Animators

As the story goes, Ed Catmull and John Lasseter departed from Industrial. Light and Magic computer division to finish a short film for SIGGRAPH, an annual computer technology exhibition attended by thousands of industry professionals.

The future computer animators worked day and night. Their dedication proved fruitful despite the impossibility that Luxo Jr. failed as a finished film for SIGGRAPH.

As the audience watched the movie at the computer technology exhibition, they rose and applauded before the short ended. Animated films became a whole new fabric of the movie industry.

“Red’s Dream”

Red’s Dream is the following short film produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter. It was released in 1987 and is the only brief that is not attached to one of the studio’s family feature films.

In the audio commentary, Lasseter talks about how Ed Catmull thought the Pixar staff could make a film using the Pixar Image Computer and the rendering software Chapreyes. Lasseter and the other team began developing a tale about a circus clown outshining his very own unicycle.

Animators Eben Ostby and William Reeves worked on their unique ideas. Ostby’s idea was to animate the bicycle, and Reeves developed a rainy night in a city. Finally, Lasseter and the two artists pooled their creative ideas, resulting in Red’s Dream.

“Pixar Shorts Volume One, Two, and Three”

The animation studio offers a DVD called Pixar Shorts Volume One. Each short is a work of art in its own right, and it’s definitely fun to watch with the whole family. Some of the movies mentioned in this article are available on DVD. Pixar released two more Volumes that are just as delightful.

“Toy Story”

Toy Story is Pixar’s signature movie. Woody and Buzz Lightyear go on adventures with Andy’s motley crew of toys.

Andy gave his toys away because he had grown up, and they belonged to Bonnie. She is as delightful and cute as a button.

Pixar proves that a studio can produce quality sequels without dulling our imagination or running out of quality material with four Toy Story movies.

“Incredibles”

Follow the career of Brad Bird, and you will see a brilliant filmmaker at work. He wrote and directed the Incredibles and Incredibles 2: Raising Son. His association with Pixar is longstanding and proves that Lasseter can hire top talent.

The storyline is innovative and unique. It is against the law for any superhero to practice their abilities. We follow a treacherous villain who devises a scheme to kill or trap superheroes from allying to protect society.

We have a family of superheroes, each with a specific superhero trait. The cleverness of Bird’s creativity lies in taking real-life situations and weaving them into the movie.

Incredibles 2 has the wife and mother going off to work while the father stays home caring for his infant son and angsty teenage daughter. With his grade-school son, he tries in vain to help him with Common Core math.

A typical family situation, plus his kids’ superpowers, makes the relationship more dynamic. Jack-Jack, his infant son, spontaneously goes invisible and turns into a ball of fire.

“Finding Nemo”

Andrew Stanton is another Pixar genius who brought us two box-office hits: Finding Nemo and Finding Dory, featuring the voices of Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres.

The movie follows an overprotective father, Marlin, a clownfish, whose son, Nemo, is captured from the Great Barrier Reef. He befriends another fish, Dory, a regal blue tang fish with short-term memory loss. Together, they search for his son and encounter all sorts of marine life when they arrive at Sydney Harbour. They save Nemo from an aquarium in a dentist’s office. The journey teaches Marlin to let his son take care of himself and live a little by taking risks. Just like many of Pixar’s movies, Finding Nemo won an Oscar for the best-animated feature film.

I remember Stanton talking about capturing the look and feel of the ocean water as a CGI image. Not yet mastered it until this movie came out.

A sequel followed, called Finding Dory, with an all-star cast of voices. Ellen DeGeneres returned to voice Dory, who is searching for her mother and father and contends with her short-term memory loss.

“Cars”

Based on a screenplay by Dan Fogelman and co-written and directed by John Lasseter, Cars is Pixar’s final independent movie before Disney purchased the studio in the Spring of 2006.

Taking the audience by surprise with a world of talking cars and anthropomorphic vehicles, the movie voice stars included Owen Wilson and Paul Newman. Lighting McQueen learns humility while falling in love with someone other than himself. Two more Car movies followed with spin-offs about talking airplanes.

The soundtrack for the first movie is the favorite Pixar soundtrack.

The 22 songs feature musical artists and Randy Newman. “Route 66” is the catchy tune you hear throughout the movie.

Are Pixar Movies Disney?

With all these successful Pixar movies, we mustn’t forget their connection to Disney. Disney distributed their movies before buying the studio in 2006. Press releases announcing the next Pixar movie are not uncommon, and film enthusiasts speculate on each announcement’s storyline. The movies are innocuous and family-friendly. Their success will continue as long as they don’t change their storytelling formula.

References

  • Pixar Animation Studios
    Pixar Animation Studios (Pixar) is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. Pixar is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.

Harry Potter Obsession

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J. K. Rowling’s Books

If you are a Harry Potter fan, you have most likely read all of J.K. Rowling’s books. If you are not a reader, then you watch the Warner Bros. movies. They grabbed your attention, and you couldn’t get away. The obsession with the Harry Potter stories is worldwide, whether it’s the books or just the movies, or both. The story is one that the whole family can experience together, and I highly recommend it. When your family decides to watch Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, snuggle up because it’s time to share a much darker and deeper Harry Potter movie than the earlier ones.

Moviegoers’ first reaction to Half-Blood Prince is how much those kids have grown up. They look so much older, and the story grows with them and gets darker. The actors surpassed their adolescence, and the characters have mastered their wizard training. If you have read the book, you are aware of the movie’s overall plot and outcome.

Sure. The story is darker, and Harry Potter learns more about Voldemort’s dark secrets and how to overpower the evil wizard once and for all. One main character in the story will perish, which is a pivotal point in Rowling’s series and may be hard to bear.

Harry Potter Books or Movies?

Those surveyed indicated that 50% had read the books before seeing the Harry Potter movies. The other 50% split between seeing the films and then deciding to read the books, and never reading the books at all.

Yates Directs Harry Potter Movies

David Yates directs the movie, and he is by far the best director of the franchise, as evidenced by his return to finish the last three installments after directing Order of the Phoenix.

Yates’s experience as a British television director keeps the story above the special effects. Yates told IMDB, “I like to create an atmosphere where actors feel safe enough to take risks. I certainly don’t believe in being a macho bully. I’m not interested in frightening good work out of people. It’s bollocks,” he continues. “In an ideal world, I’d bounce between big projects and no-budget TV dramas with fantastic scripts. Many Hollywood films tend to be bloated, bombastic, and loud. At the same time, I do like the infrastructure of making a blockbuster; it’s like having a big train set.”

Young Tom Riddle

In Half-Blood Prince, we discover detailed information about the young Tom Riddle, the boy. He eventually grows up to be Lord Voldemort, played brilliantly by Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, the nephew of Ralph Fiennes. Ralph Fiennes plays Voldemort, which makes the casting quite a family affair.

Another new cast member of the franchise is Jim Broadbent as Horace Slughorn, the new potions teacher, a plot-driven character in the Harry Potter story. Broadbent’s resume is extensive and probably one of the most favored character actors in the U.K. and the U.S.

Rowling’s Final Scene

So, sit down with your family and enjoy the sixth installment of the Harry Potter films. At the end of the movie, Harry reflects with Ron and Hermione on the difference between him and Voldemort. It’s a meaningful line and poignant, which is why we read Rowling’s series and flock to see Harry Potter movies.

“Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Mobile Game”

Even though we read the books, watch the movies, and see spin-offs like Fantastic Beasts, a Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Mobile Game offers a chance to play a game set in the franchise. The mobile game is just another way to enjoy Harry Potter.

Play the video promoting the new game, and you will see some reactions to the game from real Harry Potter talent, like one of the Phelps brothers. The game launch at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando was exciting and eventful for those who attended.

It is one of the first games where players experience being a character they choose and a Hogwarts student.

Future of Harry Potter

With spin-offs from Harry Potter stories, the new television series, the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the theme parks, and mobile games, you walk into a Barnes & Noble bookstore and see Harry Potter fandom from the original story, Fantastic Beasts. Anything is possible with such a fantasy story.

Rowling’s work inspires people to dream and to be part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, or to write their own fantasy books where families and friends bond, sharing a fanciful reality.