Game, set and match for Tudor Giurgiu, Cristian Pascariu and Tudor D. Popescu, who co-direct Nasty, a pleasingly hagiographic portrait of Romanian tennis icon Ilie Năstase. What fun tennis must have been in the 1970s, as it was on the turn from a knockabout sport into the sharp-footed profession it is today. Năstase and his contemporaries brought finesse and genius to the game, but tennis hadn’t yet been fully corrupted by corporate greed and mechanical elite athleticism. These players were hardworking and hard-partying in equal measure, and Năstase was a key ringleader for the frivolity, dating models, and canoodling on the mattresses at Studio 54.
He was also the sport’s chief antagonist a generation before John McEnroe took the mantle. Arguing with his fellow players and with the umpires. But he never questioned them when their calls were right, he insists, in one of the rare modern interview clips with Năstase himself.
He was also the sport’s chief antagonist a generation before John McEnroe took the mantle. Arguing with his fellow players and with the umpires. But he never questioned them when their calls were right, he insists, in one of the rare modern interview clips with Năstase himself.
- 5/24/2024
- by Joe Utichi
- Deadline Film + TV
There’s a scene early in the documentary “Nasty,” a rollicking portrait of the ’70s Romanian tennis bad boy Ilie Năstase, where the Grand Slam champion’s mentor and longtime doubles partner Ion Țiriac recalls teaching Năstase how to ski. The young prodigy was a fast study — perhaps too fast.
“He skied down perfectly,” says Țiriac, “except he ran into the fence because I hadn’t taught him to stop.”
You’d be hard-pressed to find a better metaphor for the free-wheeling, fast-living Năstase, a “wild child,” “rock star” and “insolent, elegant, angry, whimsical bon vivant” who makes a fitting subject for the documentary, which was directed by Tudor Giurgiu, Cristian Pascariu and Tudor D. Popescu. A co-production between HBO Documentaries Europe and Romania’s Libra Films, the film has a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival on May 23 and will drop across Europe on Max the following day.
“He skied down perfectly,” says Țiriac, “except he ran into the fence because I hadn’t taught him to stop.”
You’d be hard-pressed to find a better metaphor for the free-wheeling, fast-living Năstase, a “wild child,” “rock star” and “insolent, elegant, angry, whimsical bon vivant” who makes a fitting subject for the documentary, which was directed by Tudor Giurgiu, Cristian Pascariu and Tudor D. Popescu. A co-production between HBO Documentaries Europe and Romania’s Libra Films, the film has a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival on May 23 and will drop across Europe on Max the following day.
- 5/19/2024
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Goodfellas is adding a new sports-focused sales label to its growing roster of genre-based companies and themed sales strands.
Bannered Oui Michel, the label is launching with documentary Nasty, about controversial Romanian tennis legend Ilie Nastase, which makes its international premiere as a Special Screening in Cannes Official Selection this May.
Directed by Romanian filmmakers Tudor Giurgiu, Cristian Pascariu and Tudor D. Popescu, the doc focuses on the immediate aftermath of Nastase’s sudden worldwide fame when he won his first U.S. Open in 1972 and made it into the Wimbledon and Davis Cup finals that same year.
As per the official synopsis: “Nasty explores his highs and lows, the controversies that surrounded the 1973 world number one ranked player, and the enduring impact he has had on the world of tennis. Lovable, charming and generous, yet temperamental, arrogant and obscene – Nastase disrupted the sport’s antiquated etiquette with a...
Bannered Oui Michel, the label is launching with documentary Nasty, about controversial Romanian tennis legend Ilie Nastase, which makes its international premiere as a Special Screening in Cannes Official Selection this May.
Directed by Romanian filmmakers Tudor Giurgiu, Cristian Pascariu and Tudor D. Popescu, the doc focuses on the immediate aftermath of Nastase’s sudden worldwide fame when he won his first U.S. Open in 1972 and made it into the Wimbledon and Davis Cup finals that same year.
As per the official synopsis: “Nasty explores his highs and lows, the controversies that surrounded the 1973 world number one ranked player, and the enduring impact he has had on the world of tennis. Lovable, charming and generous, yet temperamental, arrogant and obscene – Nastase disrupted the sport’s antiquated etiquette with a...
- 5/6/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Eddie Merrins, the gentlemanly golf pro at the Bel-Air Country Club who taught the game to the likes of Bing Crosby, Ringo Starr, George C. Scott, Dean Martin, Celine Dion and Jack Nicholson, has died. He was 91.
Merrins died Wednesday after a long illness, according to UCLA, where he coached for 14 years. His son Michael had launched a GoFundMe campaign this year to help the family with expenses.
Nicknamed “The Little Pro,” the 5-foot-7 Mississippi native played on the PGA Tour before serving as Bel-Air’s head pro from 1962 until he was asked to step aside in 2003. However, he remained a beloved fixture at the fabled club as pro emeritus in a jacket/sweater, tie and white driving cap.
Remarkably, Bel Air, which opened in 1925, has had only three head pros: Joe Novak, Merrins and now Dave Podas.
Inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame in 2009, Merrins arranged for Jack Nicklaus to meet Tiger Woods,...
Merrins died Wednesday after a long illness, according to UCLA, where he coached for 14 years. His son Michael had launched a GoFundMe campaign this year to help the family with expenses.
Nicknamed “The Little Pro,” the 5-foot-7 Mississippi native played on the PGA Tour before serving as Bel-Air’s head pro from 1962 until he was asked to step aside in 2003. However, he remained a beloved fixture at the fabled club as pro emeritus in a jacket/sweater, tie and white driving cap.
Remarkably, Bel Air, which opened in 1925, has had only three head pros: Joe Novak, Merrins and now Dave Podas.
Inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame in 2009, Merrins arranged for Jack Nicklaus to meet Tiger Woods,...
- 11/25/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Alcaraz received a second-set retirement from Dominik Kopefer (ankle) in his opening match, but got the opportunity to stress test his game against the powerful 26-year-old Afrcian on Thursday night.
The youngest US Open top seed in tournament history, Alcaraz defended nine of 10 break points faced and recovered from being a break down midway through the third set.
The Spaniard, who is looking to become the first back-to-back champion at Flushing Meadows since Roger Federer won five straight titles from 2004-2008, improved to 55-6 (18-3 on hard) on the season. He is chasing his seventh title of the season and third career major.
Harris, who frequently challenged Alcaraz with big second serves, was a US Open quarter-finalist in 2021 but missed the last six months of the 2022 season with a wrist injury.
Alcaraz will face a difficult test in the third round against gritty Brit and recent Washington champion Daniel Evans.
The youngest US Open top seed in tournament history, Alcaraz defended nine of 10 break points faced and recovered from being a break down midway through the third set.
The Spaniard, who is looking to become the first back-to-back champion at Flushing Meadows since Roger Federer won five straight titles from 2004-2008, improved to 55-6 (18-3 on hard) on the season. He is chasing his seventh title of the season and third career major.
Harris, who frequently challenged Alcaraz with big second serves, was a US Open quarter-finalist in 2021 but missed the last six months of the 2022 season with a wrist injury.
Alcaraz will face a difficult test in the third round against gritty Brit and recent Washington champion Daniel Evans.
- 9/1/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Cincinnati (US), Aug 21 (Ians) The 23-time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic defeated world no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in one of the all-time great Masters 1000 matches, with the Serbian saving championship point to win the Cincinnati Masters 5-7, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (4).
The 36-year-old rallied from a set and a break down against the World No. 1 and saved a championship point at 5/6 in the second-set tie-break to earn a record-extending 39th Atp Masters 1000 title.
Djokovic was visibly struggling with the intense Cincinnati heat and was unable to find an answer against the top seed. But one poor Alcaraz service game at 4-3 in the second set slightly opened the door, and that was all Djokovic needed to spring to life.
By the final-set tie-break, it was the 20-year-old who was struggling physically, cramping in his right hand. Djokovic finally converted his fifth championship point and fell to the court in celebration.
Djokovic and Alcaraz...
The 36-year-old rallied from a set and a break down against the World No. 1 and saved a championship point at 5/6 in the second-set tie-break to earn a record-extending 39th Atp Masters 1000 title.
Djokovic was visibly struggling with the intense Cincinnati heat and was unable to find an answer against the top seed. But one poor Alcaraz service game at 4-3 in the second set slightly opened the door, and that was all Djokovic needed to spring to life.
By the final-set tie-break, it was the 20-year-old who was struggling physically, cramping in his right hand. Djokovic finally converted his fifth championship point and fell to the court in celebration.
Djokovic and Alcaraz...
- 8/21/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Mallorca (Spain), June 29 (Ians) Yannick Hanfmann continued his strong performance in the 2023 season as he claimed his first Top 5 victim, beating top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in three games in the pre-quarterfinals of the Mallorca Championships here.
The German player overcame defending champion Tsitsipas of Greece 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in the grass-court Atp 250 event in Spain’s Balearic Islands for the biggest win of his career on Wednesday night. Hanfmann won 80 per cent (36/45) of points behind his first serve in a rock-solid performance to reach his first non-clay Atp Tour quarterfinal.
Hanfmann broke Tsitsipas’ serve in the opening game of the match and two more times in the deciding set to seal his victory. The 31-year-old, who broke into the Top 50 in the Atp Rankings on Monday, now holds a 16-9 record for 2023. He reached his maiden Atp Masters 1000 quarterfinal in May in Madrid, a run that included Top 10 victories against Taylor Fritz and Andrey Rublev.
The German player overcame defending champion Tsitsipas of Greece 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in the grass-court Atp 250 event in Spain’s Balearic Islands for the biggest win of his career on Wednesday night. Hanfmann won 80 per cent (36/45) of points behind his first serve in a rock-solid performance to reach his first non-clay Atp Tour quarterfinal.
Hanfmann broke Tsitsipas’ serve in the opening game of the match and two more times in the deciding set to seal his victory. The 31-year-old, who broke into the Top 50 in the Atp Rankings on Monday, now holds a 16-9 record for 2023. He reached his maiden Atp Masters 1000 quarterfinal in May in Madrid, a run that included Top 10 victories against Taylor Fritz and Andrey Rublev.
- 6/29/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
‘Nasty’ is about the legendary Romanian tennis player and is direted by festival president Tudor Giurgiu.
New films by Tudor Giurgiu and Marian Crisan are to be shown in Ro Days’ Closed Screenings at this week’s Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF) in Cluj-Napoca.
The screenings are open to distributors, festival programmers, and sales agents.
Transilvania festival president Giurgiu’s documentary Nasty about the legendary Romanian tennis player Ilie Nastase includes interviews with Rafa Nadal, Stan Smith, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, and Billie Jean King.
At last year’s TIFF, the director had given a sneak preview of around 15 minutes...
New films by Tudor Giurgiu and Marian Crisan are to be shown in Ro Days’ Closed Screenings at this week’s Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF) in Cluj-Napoca.
The screenings are open to distributors, festival programmers, and sales agents.
Transilvania festival president Giurgiu’s documentary Nasty about the legendary Romanian tennis player Ilie Nastase includes interviews with Rafa Nadal, Stan Smith, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, and Billie Jean King.
At last year’s TIFF, the director had given a sneak preview of around 15 minutes...
- 6/12/2023
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Indian Wells (USA), March 14 (Ians) World no. 2 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain secured a milestone moment in his career by notching his 100th tour-level win after beating Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 7-6(4), 6-3 in the third round of the Indian Wells Masters, here on Monday night.
With his 100-32 tour-level record, the 19-year-old has earned second place on the list of fewest matches to 100 wins among players to reach No. 1 in the Atp Rankings at some stage during their career.
Only American great John McEnroe (100-31) reached his century faster than Alcaraz, who sits above Andre Agassi (100-35), Rafael Nadal (100-37), and Mats Wilander/Jimmy Connors (both 100-38) on the list.
The Spaniard has his sights set on bigger goals this week by winning the Indian Wells title and returning to World No. 1.
“I’m really proud to get my 100th win on the Atp Tour and I hope it’s the first 100 of many.
With his 100-32 tour-level record, the 19-year-old has earned second place on the list of fewest matches to 100 wins among players to reach No. 1 in the Atp Rankings at some stage during their career.
Only American great John McEnroe (100-31) reached his century faster than Alcaraz, who sits above Andre Agassi (100-35), Rafael Nadal (100-37), and Mats Wilander/Jimmy Connors (both 100-38) on the list.
The Spaniard has his sights set on bigger goals this week by winning the Indian Wells title and returning to World No. 1.
“I’m really proud to get my 100th win on the Atp Tour and I hope it’s the first 100 of many.
- 3/14/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
Todd Field's "Tár," easily one of the best films of 2022, was a long time in the making. It is the first feature film Field made since "Little Children," which came out in 2006. In the intervening 16 years, Field attempted to make multiple projects, most of them based on his favorite books, to no avail. Among the filmmaker's unmade projects were an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian," a political thriller he co-wrote with Joan Didion, an autobiographical film about his childhood experiences working for the defunct Portland baseball team called the Mavericks, and a biography of Bowe Bergdahl, an American prisoner of war. It wouldn't be until "Tár" that his filmmaking career would finally pick up again, his third feature as a director, having made his debut in 2001 with the Best Picture Oscar nominee "In the Bedroom."
Prior to 2001, Field appeared in numerous films as an actor. Most notably,...
Prior to 2001, Field appeared in numerous films as an actor. Most notably,...
- 1/19/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
As a kid, fashion and home designer Jenni Kayne used to visit the Santa Ynez Valley with her family. “I have such amazing memories of summers and long weekends there,” says Kayne regarding the wine-growing region northwest of the city of Santa Barbara.
In September of 2020, Kayne purchased a 3,860-square-foot home in the valley — where celebrity residents have included Noah Wylie, Bo Derek, tennis great Jimmy Connors and lyricist Bernie Taupin — but the four-bedroom house was not exactly move-in ready.
“I spent time looking for the right property in Santa Ynez, and came across this home that had been abandoned since the 1970s. It was near disrepair, with caution tape across the sinks and toilets and animals living inside,” says Kayne, who nevertheless could see the potential of the space as a showcase for her Jenni Kayne Home collection and as a place...
As a kid, fashion and home designer Jenni Kayne used to visit the Santa Ynez Valley with her family. “I have such amazing memories of summers and long weekends there,” says Kayne regarding the wine-growing region northwest of the city of Santa Barbara.
In September of 2020, Kayne purchased a 3,860-square-foot home in the valley — where celebrity residents have included Noah Wylie, Bo Derek, tennis great Jimmy Connors and lyricist Bernie Taupin — but the four-bedroom house was not exactly move-in ready.
“I spent time looking for the right property in Santa Ynez, and came across this home that had been abandoned since the 1970s. It was near disrepair, with caution tape across the sinks and toilets and animals living inside,” says Kayne, who nevertheless could see the potential of the space as a showcase for her Jenni Kayne Home collection and as a place...
- 11/1/2022
- by Degen Pener
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Calabasas Films + Media and Sterling Road Films are partnering to produce the first official documentary about former tennis player and actor Vijay Amritraj.
Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sami Khan (St. Louis Superman), the currently untitled feature is being executive-produced by Calabasas partners Kapil Mahendra and Paul Beahan, alongside Prakash Amritraj and Dhaval Desai.
The documentary will chart Amritraj’s rise from his childhood in India, overcoming serious health issues, to his emergence as a top player in the 1970s and 1980s, defeating Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, and John McEnroe in their primes.
Along with older brother Anand, Vijay Amritraj was an integral part of the Indian team that boycotted the 1974 Davis Cup Finals against South Africa to protest Apartheid. Vijay is also the older brother of Ashok Amritraj (himself a former tennis player), the long-time film producer who is currently CEO of Hyde Park Entertainment and was formerly CEO of National Geographic Films.
Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sami Khan (St. Louis Superman), the currently untitled feature is being executive-produced by Calabasas partners Kapil Mahendra and Paul Beahan, alongside Prakash Amritraj and Dhaval Desai.
The documentary will chart Amritraj’s rise from his childhood in India, overcoming serious health issues, to his emergence as a top player in the 1970s and 1980s, defeating Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, and John McEnroe in their primes.
Along with older brother Anand, Vijay Amritraj was an integral part of the Indian team that boycotted the 1974 Davis Cup Finals against South Africa to protest Apartheid. Vijay is also the older brother of Ashok Amritraj (himself a former tennis player), the long-time film producer who is currently CEO of Hyde Park Entertainment and was formerly CEO of National Geographic Films.
- 7/8/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
This review of “Citizen Ashe” was first published on Sept. 3, 2021 after the film’s premiere at the Telluride Film Festival.
There are the sports icons who inspire fans and wannabe players. Then there are the athletes who, apart from the stat sheet, change their sport for the better, use their position to help others, and generally spur us to want to be better people. Tennis has a few of those throughout its history, and two of them won singles titles at Wimbledon in 1975: women’s pioneer Billie Jean King, and men’s champion Arthur Ashe.
Long overdue as a multifaceted documentary subject for his sports achievements, influence and activism, he is finally the center of one with “Citizen Ashe,” an engaging, moving portrait co-directed by Rex Miller (“Behind These Walls”) and Sam Pollard (“MLK/FBI”).
The ins and outs of Ashe’s groundbreaking win in England over rival Jimmy Connors are thrillingly depicted,...
There are the sports icons who inspire fans and wannabe players. Then there are the athletes who, apart from the stat sheet, change their sport for the better, use their position to help others, and generally spur us to want to be better people. Tennis has a few of those throughout its history, and two of them won singles titles at Wimbledon in 1975: women’s pioneer Billie Jean King, and men’s champion Arthur Ashe.
Long overdue as a multifaceted documentary subject for his sports achievements, influence and activism, he is finally the center of one with “Citizen Ashe,” an engaging, moving portrait co-directed by Rex Miller (“Behind These Walls”) and Sam Pollard (“MLK/FBI”).
The ins and outs of Ashe’s groundbreaking win in England over rival Jimmy Connors are thrillingly depicted,...
- 7/3/2022
- by Robert Abele
- The Wrap
This review of “The French” was first published on June 17, 2021, after its Metrograph.com streaming debut.
Tennis fans exhausted by two weeks of a Grand Slam competition in Paris that ended last Sunday with a thrilling new champion on the women’s side, and perhaps the cementing of Goat status on the men’s, may believe they’re ready to leave the spring’s red clay season behind for the summer grass and regulation whites at Wimbledon.
But a new reissue of a sports documentary artifact is now available to offer tennis diehards one more rewarding reminder of the enduring thrills and frustrations of battling on the terre battue, William Klein’s movie about the 1981 Roland Garros tournament, “The French.”
Klein, an American-born, French-identified photographer and filmmaker now in his 90s, had long been lauded for his street-smart, irony-laden, instinctively artistic work. His feature debut, the 1966 fashion satire “Who Are You,...
Tennis fans exhausted by two weeks of a Grand Slam competition in Paris that ended last Sunday with a thrilling new champion on the women’s side, and perhaps the cementing of Goat status on the men’s, may believe they’re ready to leave the spring’s red clay season behind for the summer grass and regulation whites at Wimbledon.
But a new reissue of a sports documentary artifact is now available to offer tennis diehards one more rewarding reminder of the enduring thrills and frustrations of battling on the terre battue, William Klein’s movie about the 1981 Roland Garros tournament, “The French.”
Klein, an American-born, French-identified photographer and filmmaker now in his 90s, had long been lauded for his street-smart, irony-laden, instinctively artistic work. His feature debut, the 1966 fashion satire “Who Are You,...
- 5/19/2022
- by Robert Abele
- The Wrap
The Performer | Brian Cox
The Show | HBO’s Succession
More from TVLineSuccession Season 3 Finale Recap: This Isn't Family -- It's Just BusinessThe TVLine-Up: What's Returning, New and Leaving the Week of Dec. 12Sex Lives of College Girls Boss Breaks Down Finale Cliffhanger, Leighton's Big Moment, Nico's Feelings for Kimberly
The Episode | “Chiantishire” (Dec. 5, 2021)
The Performance | Logan Roy’s formidable presence looms large over every frame of HBO’s riveting corporate drama, with his children fighting and clawing to either win his favor or take his place, even when he’s not on screen. But when he is on screen, we...
The Show | HBO’s Succession
More from TVLineSuccession Season 3 Finale Recap: This Isn't Family -- It's Just BusinessThe TVLine-Up: What's Returning, New and Leaving the Week of Dec. 12Sex Lives of College Girls Boss Breaks Down Finale Cliffhanger, Leighton's Big Moment, Nico's Feelings for Kimberly
The Episode | “Chiantishire” (Dec. 5, 2021)
The Performance | Logan Roy’s formidable presence looms large over every frame of HBO’s riveting corporate drama, with his children fighting and clawing to either win his favor or take his place, even when he’s not on screen. But when he is on screen, we...
- 12/11/2021
- by Team TVLine
- TVLine.com
This documentary tracks the life of African American tennis star Arthur Ashe who was a pioneering radical despite his restrained style
A clip towards the end of this respectful documentary shows Barack Obama revealing that his role-model heroes were Muhammad Ali and Arthur Ashe. Surely, Ashe had to be the bigger influence: the only black man ever to have won Wimbledon was a famously someone with a thoughtful, non-strident personality whom the white tennis establishment found to be highly acceptable. Ashe himself, though sympathetic to the new black radicalism of the 1960s was, in terms of style, entirely apart from it, and this film recounts his stoicism at enduring the occasional “Uncle Tom” jibe.
Perhaps this was crystallised by his decision to ignore the boycotts against apartheid South Africa and play there as a way of accelerating integration, despite the fact that he was for a long time refused a...
A clip towards the end of this respectful documentary shows Barack Obama revealing that his role-model heroes were Muhammad Ali and Arthur Ashe. Surely, Ashe had to be the bigger influence: the only black man ever to have won Wimbledon was a famously someone with a thoughtful, non-strident personality whom the white tennis establishment found to be highly acceptable. Ashe himself, though sympathetic to the new black radicalism of the 1960s was, in terms of style, entirely apart from it, and this film recounts his stoicism at enduring the occasional “Uncle Tom” jibe.
Perhaps this was crystallised by his decision to ignore the boycotts against apartheid South Africa and play there as a way of accelerating integration, despite the fact that he was for a long time refused a...
- 12/7/2021
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Rex Miller was alway meant to make “Citizen Ashe,” the new documentary he co-directed with Sam Pollard about Arthur Ashe, the groundbreaking tennis legend who found his own way to becoming a leading activist. “I’d say this is part of my whole lifelong tennis journey as I grew up a tennis player, had tennis fanatic parents. And my first glimpse of Arthur Ashe — I was 6 years old and I was at the match in 1968 when he won the U.S. Open. And I used to try to play like him as well as the other greats, Stan Smith and Jimmy Connors, all those guys,” Miller tells Gold Derby (watch the exclusive video interview above).
Miller, who helmed the 2015 doc “Althea” about Althea Gibson, the first African-American tennis player to win a Grand Slam title, started work on “Citizen Ashe” five years ago after the daughter of a “Life” magazine photographer reached out to him.
Miller, who helmed the 2015 doc “Althea” about Althea Gibson, the first African-American tennis player to win a Grand Slam title, started work on “Citizen Ashe” five years ago after the daughter of a “Life” magazine photographer reached out to him.
- 12/6/2021
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
‘Citizen Ashe’ Review: Doc Follows How the Tumultuous ’60s Helped Define the Trailblazing Tennis Pro
Arthur Ashe was a trailblazer in tennis, a sport with a long history of white elitism. In “Citizen Ashe,” co-directed by Rex Miller and Sam Pollard, captures key moments in Ashe’s life but race looms large throughout. For the African-American tennis champion, it was an albatross that eventually motivated a thrust into the civil rights struggle. Wavering on a number of issues related to racial justice, and the civic responsibilities of Black athletes, was a tension that defined his life.
Confused by what being an athlete meant in the African-American context, Ashe, a Southerner who grew up in Richmond, Virginia in the 1950s, wanted to break the mold. Instead of taking up sports like track, baseball, and basketball, he chose tennis, because he wanted to be “the Jackie Robinson” of the sport, as his brother, Johnnie Ashe, recalls in the film, It’s a compelling life story of a...
Confused by what being an athlete meant in the African-American context, Ashe, a Southerner who grew up in Richmond, Virginia in the 1950s, wanted to break the mold. Instead of taking up sports like track, baseball, and basketball, he chose tennis, because he wanted to be “the Jackie Robinson” of the sport, as his brother, Johnnie Ashe, recalls in the film, It’s a compelling life story of a...
- 9/3/2021
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Rome, May 17 (Ians) Despite the hard-fought three-set victory over arch-rival Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the Italian Open final on Sunday, Spaniard Rafael Nadal continues to be at third spot on the Atp rankings, released on Monday.
Djokovic is way ahead of the pack with 11,063 points. Russian Daniil Medvedev continues to be ranked No. 2 in the world with 9,793 points, just 163 points ahead of Nadal, who would be aiming for a record 21st Grand Slam title at the French Open starting on May 24.
While no movement was seen in the top 10, it was a historic last week for Nadal in Rome in several ways. The Spaniard not only won the Italian Open for a record 10th time, he also tied Djokovic's record for most career Masters 1000 titles at 36.
Nadal's 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 victory over the Serb in the Italian Open final was his 22nd career win over a reigning No. 1, more...
Djokovic is way ahead of the pack with 11,063 points. Russian Daniil Medvedev continues to be ranked No. 2 in the world with 9,793 points, just 163 points ahead of Nadal, who would be aiming for a record 21st Grand Slam title at the French Open starting on May 24.
While no movement was seen in the top 10, it was a historic last week for Nadal in Rome in several ways. The Spaniard not only won the Italian Open for a record 10th time, he also tied Djokovic's record for most career Masters 1000 titles at 36.
Nadal's 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 victory over the Serb in the Italian Open final was his 22nd career win over a reigning No. 1, more...
- 5/20/2021
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
After flirting with fight fans in a series of teases and workout videos, former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson is set to make his highly anticipated return to the ring. Tyson, 54, will face former four-division world champion and onetime best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, Roy Jones Jr.
I. Am. Back. #legendsonlyleague. September 12th vs @RealRoyJonesJr on #Triller and PPV #frontlinebattle @TysonLeague pic.twitter.com/eksSfdjDzK
— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) July 23, 2020
The exhibition will take place on September 12, 2020 at 9:00 p.m. Et on pay-per-view as well as on multi-media platform Triller, which Relativity Media founder Ryan Kavanaugh helped fund. Triller has also obtained exclusive streaming rights to the soon-to-be-released, ten-part docuseries featuring behind-the-scenes, pre-fight footage. Two episodes will be released each week leading up to the match.
A three-hour live event, the Tyson vs. Jones bout is set for eight rounds and will be part of a multiple fight card.
I. Am. Back. #legendsonlyleague. September 12th vs @RealRoyJonesJr on #Triller and PPV #frontlinebattle @TysonLeague pic.twitter.com/eksSfdjDzK
— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) July 23, 2020
The exhibition will take place on September 12, 2020 at 9:00 p.m. Et on pay-per-view as well as on multi-media platform Triller, which Relativity Media founder Ryan Kavanaugh helped fund. Triller has also obtained exclusive streaming rights to the soon-to-be-released, ten-part docuseries featuring behind-the-scenes, pre-fight footage. Two episodes will be released each week leading up to the match.
A three-hour live event, the Tyson vs. Jones bout is set for eight rounds and will be part of a multiple fight card.
- 7/23/2020
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in Strike Up The Band is currently available on Blu-ray From Warner Archive. Ordering information can be found Here
Among cinema’s many treasures, few are as delightfully entertaining as the musical pairings of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Strike Up the Band is one of the brightest results of that talented collaboration. Brimming with youthful high spirits, Mickey and Judy are effervescent as high school kids who are ready and eager to climb the long ladder of success. He’s an energetic bandleader, she’s his lovelorn singer. Together, they sing and dance their way to the top, with a few bumps along the way! Of course, the film abounds in musical riches, from a rousing “Drummer Boy,” performed by Mickey and Judy, to Judy’s plaintive rendition of “(I Ain’t Got) Nobody.” There’s an all-out musical tribute to that forties dance craze,...
Among cinema’s many treasures, few are as delightfully entertaining as the musical pairings of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Strike Up the Band is one of the brightest results of that talented collaboration. Brimming with youthful high spirits, Mickey and Judy are effervescent as high school kids who are ready and eager to climb the long ladder of success. He’s an energetic bandleader, she’s his lovelorn singer. Together, they sing and dance their way to the top, with a few bumps along the way! Of course, the film abounds in musical riches, from a rousing “Drummer Boy,” performed by Mickey and Judy, to Judy’s plaintive rendition of “(I Ain’t Got) Nobody.” There’s an all-out musical tribute to that forties dance craze,...
- 7/8/2020
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
As we kick off this week’s installments of ‘The Last Dance,’ Michael Jordan is the league’s elder statesman and undisputed king. At the 1998 All-Star Game, Larry Bird is his coach, and Magic Johnson is a TV commentator. The men whose feats Jordan once strove to match are long gone from the court, and a 19-year-old Kobe Bryant — the event’s youngest-ever competitor — is nipping at his heels. (Leading to some hilarious pot/kettle locker-room banter where an indignant Jordan preaches about Kobe’s ball-hogging.) He glad-hands and breezily...
- 5/4/2020
- by Maria Fontoura
- Rollingstone.com
Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars and filmmakers and not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.
As we all stay safe and keep our social distance, here is a very special episode for you all. The incredibly talented writer/director Brian Koppelman joined us to discuss his accomplished career, specifically the two feature films he directed with David Levien: Knockaround Guys and Solitary Man. If you’re a film fan, you know Koppelman and Levien for Rounders, the John Dahl movie starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton that gained cult status as poker became a mainstream sport. The duo wrote the script for the film, highlighting their specific style of dialogue that lives on to this day.
Koppelman and Levien are currently busy with their hit show Billions, which we...
As we all stay safe and keep our social distance, here is a very special episode for you all. The incredibly talented writer/director Brian Koppelman joined us to discuss his accomplished career, specifically the two feature films he directed with David Levien: Knockaround Guys and Solitary Man. If you’re a film fan, you know Koppelman and Levien for Rounders, the John Dahl movie starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton that gained cult status as poker became a mainstream sport. The duo wrote the script for the film, highlighting their specific style of dialogue that lives on to this day.
Koppelman and Levien are currently busy with their hit show Billions, which we...
- 3/26/2020
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
Well, that was a nice change of pace.
NCIS Season 16 Episode 20 framed Gibbs for a crime he didn't commit.
It was a riveting hour that shed light on parts of his life about which long-time viewers did not know.
Many shows run out of steam in their later years, and then there's NCIS that is still fleshing out Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
Bringing Ellen into the mix was a good move.
Gibbs already implied on NCIS Season 16 Episode 19 that he was all about changing things up by changing one of his rules.
But he found himself under intense scrutiny during "Hail & Farewell."
Related: Enjoy Unlimited access to thousands of Movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video. Watch Anywhere. Cancel Anytime!
I got blindsided by the revelation that Gibbs and Ellen were engaged.
That was unexpected and raised the stakes in a way that I did not think was possible.
Ellen's...
NCIS Season 16 Episode 20 framed Gibbs for a crime he didn't commit.
It was a riveting hour that shed light on parts of his life about which long-time viewers did not know.
Many shows run out of steam in their later years, and then there's NCIS that is still fleshing out Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
Bringing Ellen into the mix was a good move.
Gibbs already implied on NCIS Season 16 Episode 19 that he was all about changing things up by changing one of his rules.
But he found himself under intense scrutiny during "Hail & Farewell."
Related: Enjoy Unlimited access to thousands of Movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video. Watch Anywhere. Cancel Anytime!
I got blindsided by the revelation that Gibbs and Ellen were engaged.
That was unexpected and raised the stakes in a way that I did not think was possible.
Ellen's...
- 4/17/2019
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
HBO has garnered acclaim for their prestige TV offerings, but one of their most underrated contributions to the television landscape is 2015’s “7 Days in Hell,” a mockumentary of the infamous John Isner/Nicolas Mahut Wimbledon showdown that shattered the record for longest tennis match in history. On the strengths of stars Andy Samberg and Kit Harrington, “7 Days in Hell” also took aim at a few of the legendary tennis rivalries of the 70s, 80s and 90s that brought the sport into the mainstream.
It’s a goofy, perfectly timed spoof that plays with the familiar tropes of sports docs, namely the ones in Espn’s “30 for 30” series. Apparently, it worked so well that HBO wanted more. Samberg and “7 Days in Hell” writer Murray Miller have reteamed for another trip through niche sports history with “Tour de Pharmacy,” a fictional look at a doping scandal in the world of 80s cycling.
It’s a goofy, perfectly timed spoof that plays with the familiar tropes of sports docs, namely the ones in Espn’s “30 for 30” series. Apparently, it worked so well that HBO wanted more. Samberg and “7 Days in Hell” writer Murray Miller have reteamed for another trip through niche sports history with “Tour de Pharmacy,” a fictional look at a doping scandal in the world of 80s cycling.
- 5/19/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
He's the quintessential "guy next door" who has made a very lucrative living making America laugh. He's Matthew Perry, the former Friends (TV) star who, for ten years, Bing'd his way into our living room each week with his self-effacing humor and sharp wit while sipping gourmet coffee and communing with one of the most famous ensemble casts in television history. With the end of Friends (TV), Matthew continued to find work in both film and television, After a hit-and-miss with last season's Mr. Sunshine (a show Perry co-created, co-wrote, and co-produced), the forty-three year old actor landed two roles on the same day - a recurring gig as the sociopathic Chicago lawyer Mike Kresteva on CBS' The Good Wife (TV) and the lead in NBC's new comedy-drama sitcom Go On (TV). In a recent conference call with journalists, Matthew sat down to discuss the new show, and how his...
- 10/10/2012
- by jmaurer@corp.popstar.com (Jennifer Maurer)
- PopStar
The man who won the French Open again has something the laid-back sport is sorely lacking: heart. Buzz Bissinger on what makes the tennis titan tick.
Who is the best athlete in the world?
Related story on The Daily Beast: Spain's Win: Cosmic Justice
It is always a spirited argument, the kind that begins in a bar and ends at closing time with too many empty bottles of beer and too little consensus. Somewhere, some place, whether it's in the grand arena of the public or the privacy of practice, an athlete is making the impossible possible.
But Sunday, there came an answer to the dispute that no one can argue with, at least for a couple of days.
Rafael Nadal.
On the red clay in Paris, Nadal defeated Roger Federer in four sets to win the French Open. Tennis is, shall we say, not the most mano a mano...
Who is the best athlete in the world?
Related story on The Daily Beast: Spain's Win: Cosmic Justice
It is always a spirited argument, the kind that begins in a bar and ends at closing time with too many empty bottles of beer and too little consensus. Somewhere, some place, whether it's in the grand arena of the public or the privacy of practice, an athlete is making the impossible possible.
But Sunday, there came an answer to the dispute that no one can argue with, at least for a couple of days.
Rafael Nadal.
On the red clay in Paris, Nadal defeated Roger Federer in four sets to win the French Open. Tennis is, shall we say, not the most mano a mano...
- 6/6/2011
- by Buzz Bissinger
- The Daily Beast
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