Rolling out the red black carpet on Monday night, New York City truly became Gotham as the stars of this summer's most talked-about movie, The Dark Knight, stepped out at the film's world premiere. Nearly all in attendance were dressed in the same somber tones of the carpet (presumably as a tribute to the late Heath Ledger, whose portrayal of the Joker is the film's biggest buzz-drawer), but there was still plenty of excitement in the air. While Ledger was on the minds and tongues of many, the stars also chose to use the evening to celebrate the film, which has had those lucky enough to screen it early (myself included) gushing for the past couple of weeks.Michael Caine, who reprises his role as Bruce Wayne's loyal butler Alfred, said the film has an "extraordinary intelligence at work," referring to cowriter/director Christopher Nolan and his epic vision for the sequel to the franchise rebooting Batman Begins. "It's not like the usual cartoon or big blockbuster," Caine said. "All o...
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Send your movie questions to FlickChickThe Illusionist and The Prestige Two Hollywood movies about turn-ofthe-century magicians in one year howd that happen Not that its unusual for competing projects about the same or similar subject matters to go into development but rarely do both stay the course A star drops out financing dries up someone blinks and then theres only one film left This weeks DVD Tuesday pick is The Prestige which isnt to say The Illusionist is a bad movie in fact they make a great double bill But The Prestige has a bracing mean streak that warmed the cockles of my dark dark heart Impoverished cockney Alfred Borden Christian Bale and well-born American Robert Angier Hugh Jackman he uses a pseudonym so as not to embarrass his family once worked together under the tutelage of Harry Cutter Michael Caine a renowned ingeneur or a guy who devises and builds mechanical illusions Both are talented but in completely
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Question: In a recent column you answered a question about the classic Michael Caine/Laurence Olivier movie Sleuth, and it reminded me that I heard some time ago that they were remaking it with Caine in the Olivier role and a younger actor in Caine's old part. Is this true?
Answer: There's been talk for the better part of five years that Stephen Frears was going to direct a rem
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Question: Are ensemble casts ever recognized with an Oscar that's designed especially for a group of actors who worked really well together? Or does someone always have to be singled out as a lead or supporting player? Answer: Although the SAG Awards, which are given by the Screen Actors Guild, regularly honor ensembles, the Academy Awards only recognize individuals. But there have been instances in which all the actors with speaking roles are nominated. They include Sleuth (1972) — which, to be fair, has only two speaking roles, but both Michael Caine and Sir Laurence Olivier were nominated in the best-actor category — and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966). Virginia W
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Question: When I was about 15, I saw a movie on AMC starring Michael Caine as a bad guy who murdered another man's mistress. I remember he dressed in a bunny suit and hid clues in the man's house about the murder (diamonds in a glass of water, shoes in the coal cellar). I'd like to get it so I can watch the entire movie, but I don't remember the title. Can you help me?
Answer:
The movie is Sleuth (1972), with Michael Caine and Sir Laurence Olivier as two men playing a lethal game of cat and mouse. Though Caine's character is having an affair with Olivier's wife, nothing about either ma
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