The Internet Movie Database can provide plot inspiration for a D&D game.

Zich’nyyrl shifted his taloned feet as the overlord spoke.

“You should be returned to the maelstrom for your latest failure, but I am a kind ruler,” it hissed. “Beyond the gate lies a land rich in the mineral we require, inhabited by mindless savages. Zich’nyyrl, you are to take this token through the gate, contact the savages and negotiate a purchase of the land. We have amassed large quantities of this soft, worthless metal the savages hold precious, in addition to numerous polished rocks they hold similarly dear, which we will offer in exchange for the land.

“After passing through the gate, you are to make contact with our scouts at base camp, then present the savages with this token, through which they may request as much of their “currency” or any other payment their primitive minds may desire. Report your success to me, and your rank will be restored. If you fail, you know what awaits you.”

Worlds away, Nezedhra, Priestess of Avandra, bristled at her latest assignment. Investigate reports of foulspawn entering from the Far Realm, in the Dreadbogs, in the dead of winter?  Her friends, all boon companions of a dozen quests, uttered no complaint when they heard of her assignment, since they knew her status as the most junior member of the order. Secretly, though, they all hoped that another acolyte would take orders soon, so that such undesirable quests could be assigned to the newest junior member.

Amazingly, Zich’nyyrl and Nezedhra met without conflict, and the latter agreed to send a messenger to the temple carrying the foulspawn’s offer. Unfortunately, word of the offer – and of the wondrous token through which someone could ask and receive virtually anything – quickly spread outside the temple walls. Even now, agents from every temple, government, cult, bandit gang and wizards’ academy are swarming toward the Dreadbogs, seeking the priestess to influence what will be asked or steal the item, even though she doesn’t even know how to use the item to ask on their behalf.

This was no assignment for a junior priestess.

Some may recognize the basic plot outlined above as being remarkably similar to a science-fiction film, “The Prototypes,” which was made for television this year. The synopsis for the film appears on this page of the Internet Movie Database.

The database contains entries from thousands of films, most of which offer a synopsis or full plot summary. These summaries, modified to fit into a Medieval fantasy setting, can provide background material for legends, rumors and complete adventures in a Dungeons & Dragons game. 

IMDB allows visitors to search the database in numerous ways, including:

• By genre – the example above came from searching “science fiction.”
• By plot – using keywords such as “sword” or “betrayal” yields interesting results
• By character – adapting situations and personality traits from favorite characters, particularly villains, can be a great help to the DM

One of the strengths of using this site for plot inspiration is that it covers multiple genres. Most conflicts presented in any movie can be modified to suit a D&D setting, often by substituting technology with magic or rituals. Clearly, the plots of fantasy films are more easily carried into a D&D game, but the DM must be cautious not to use material from films the players may know. Even the, the sheer number of database entries is sufficient to keep a dungeon master (DM) busy for years, giving rise to the title of this post.
 

Production designer Serge Krizman died one year ago, on October 24, 2008, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  He was 94.  Krizman’s death was reported at the time in his hometown paper, but has not yet been noted by any entertainment industry sources.

Krizman was the initial and/or primary art director on at least four important television shows: The Fugitive, Batman, Harry O, and The Paper Chase.  He also designed sets for the Schlitz Playhouse, Happy Days, Charlie’s Angels, T. J. Hooker, and a number of other series and made-for-television movies.

Because of The Fugitive’s continued popularity, Krizman may be best remembered for his work on that series, which was realistic in its look and somewhat ahead of the curve in combining studio sets with extensive Southern California location work.  (At the time, most TV dramas stuck to the backlot, if they went outdoors at all.)  Krizman even attended at least one Fugitive fan convention in the nineties.  But the most important item on his resume is unquestionably Batman.  Very few television series can claim production design as the defining element of their creative makeup; Batman tops that list.  Krizman’s designs drew on the DC comic, of course, but also expanded to include elements of exuberant camp and dry visual humor that were unique to the TV version.  For that credit alone, Krizman merits a mention in the annals of television history.

That obituary in the Santa Fe New Mexican does a nice job of filling in some details of Krizman’s eventful life, but the author commits one serious error that I think is worth singling out.  The obit lists a purported tally of the individual episodes of various series on which Krizman worked: 70 Batmans, 17 Fugitives, 13 Charlie’s Angels.  I can guess where those stats were sourced.  Wait for it: my old nemesis, the Internet Movie Database. 

The problem is that the IMDb is still hit-or-miss in listing the episodic television credits of many people, especially “below the line” crew members.  It will scoop up a few mentions on one series, and every credit on another, without much rhyme or reason.  In that way, the database presents a very distorted portrait of the significance of specific shows within an individual’s career (or, conversely, the extent of a person’s involvement on a particular series).  Just in the year since his obituary has published, the IMDb’s totals of Krizman’s Fugitives and Batmans have ticked upward by a few episodes. 

I don’t have credit transcripts of any of those shows handy, so I can’t provide the correct numbers.  But I can point out that, while Krizman was credited on all twenty-two episodes of Harry O’s first season, the IMDb records him as the art director for only two.  The IMDb contains a lot of traps into which inexperienced users can fall, but that’s no excuse for journalists to depend on it for “facts” that cannot be confirmed from reliable sources.

Krizman in the early 1990s, at the Goldwyn Studio during one of the Fugitive fan reunions.

A few days ago it was the Internet Movie Databases’ 19th Birthday. The site launched on October 17, 1990.

IMDb is perhaps one of the oldest popular sites still in operation. The site currently takes the 44th slot in traffic rank in the US and 39th worldwide, according to Alexa.

Happy Birthday, IMDb!

A recent comment on my blog asked me about credits on films. I wondered why they were asking and why they had not gone onto the IMDB web site to check out the info. Then I thought perhaps a lot of people are not aware of IMDB the internet movie database. So a bit about it……………… IMDB is basically a whose  who in the film business, very comprehensive covers cast and crew writers etc etc etc. All known film titles (blockbusters and art house) a really brilliant resource used substantially by industry related people and journalists but open to the public as well CHECK IT OUT!!!! IMDB

Προ των πυλών η ταινία inFAMOUS; – Gameover.gr

Εξελίξεις φαίνεται πως υπήρξαν γύρω από τη πιθανότητα ύπαρξης μίας ταινίας βασισμένης στο πιο πρόσφατο δημιούργημα της Sucker Punch, inFAMOUS, μιας και μία σειρά παραγόντων οδηγεί στο συμπέρασμα ότι η Sony Pictures κάτι ετοιμάζει. Το IMDb (Internet Movie Database) έχει ήδη προσθέσει την ταινία στις επερχόμενες κυκλοφορίες για το 2010,[next]

Saludos fanticos del cine, hoy me decidi a investigar sobre algunos exitos del cine y encontre una lista donde mencionaban que la pelicula de suspenso mas exitosa de todos los tiempos es The sixth sense (el sexto sentido). Entonces al leer esto me decidi a investigar más sobre si era verdad o no y resulta que tenian razón.

Debo decir que no me sorprende tanto que esta pelicula sea tan exitosa pues cuenta a mi entender con una buena historia y lo mejor de todo un final inesperado. Ademas de esto quien no ha visto el sexto sentido?, yo la he visto más de 5 veces, y me sigue gustando esta pelicula. Quien no la halla visto a estas alturas solo tiene que poner TNT, en ese canal unos meses atras la pasaban como si fuera un estreno.

Para quienes quieran saber porque es la mas exitosa, pues esto lo dice la Internet Movie Database (base de datos de peliculas en internet), ellos hacen esta afirmación valiendose de que la pelicula recaudo unos 661,5 millones de dólares.

A proposito de la pelicula que habra sido de ese niño llamado Haley Joel Osment quien estelarizo la pelicula con Bruce Willis y de quien he sabido poco ya que sus posteriores peliculas no corrieron con la misma suerte que el Sexto Sentido.

Ahora mi pregunta es: para ti cual es la mejor pelicula de suspenso de todos los tiempos?

From MTV.com:

By now, most Twilighters know more about Kristen Stewart, Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed and the others than their own mothers. So, with filming of “Eclipse” finally under way in Vancouver, the fanbase is excited to welcome some new blood into the vampire franchise.

With that in mind, we present this handy guide to five key actresses joining the “Twilight” saga for its third installment. Much like Bella, we can all look forward to making new friends in Forks, and tomorrow we’ll take a look at the new “Eclipse” men. But to be courteous, here are the ladies first.

Actor: Catalina Sandino Moreno  [IMDB]

Character: Maria

The Lowdown: Fan-favorite Jackson Rathbone has already expressed excitement over the fact that his role as Jasper Hale will be expanded greatly for the third “Twilight” film. Oscar-nominee Moreno may no longer be “Full of Grace,” but will now play a very different Maria. Described in Stephenie Meyer’s pages as being petite with a soft voice, Maria is the woman who turned Jasper into a bloodthirsty immortal when he was 20 years old in 1863. Her inclusion will play a major role in the young vampire threat that emerges throughout “Eclipse” and the likely-to-film-someday “Breaking Dawn.”

Actor: Julia Jones  [IMDB]

Character: Leah Clearwater

The Lowdown: The only female werewolf in the history of the Quileute tribe, the part of Leah was targeted soon after the success of the “Twilight” movie as a star-making role for a young actress — and sure enough, names like Vanessa Hudgens, Q’Orianka Kilcher and Brenda Song were rumored for months. Instead, director David Slade chose 28-year-old relative newcomer Jones (“Hell Ride”) — a former model for the Gap, Esprit, L’Oreal and other national brands. We can look forward to seeing her transform in “New Moon” alongside her brother Seth (BooBoo Stewart), and a problematic love triangle leaves her bitter and eager to tease Jacob about his own love triangle.

Actor: Bryce Dallas Howard  [IMDB]

Character: Victoria

The Lowdown: Technically, she isn’t a new character — in fact, the vampire Victoria is one of the most pivotal figures in the movie franchise. But in case you’ve been trapped in a cave for the last few months, sealed off from all mankind, we thought we’d mention that Bryce Dallas Howard replaced Rachelle Lefevre in “Eclipse” after the actress was unceremoniously dismissed from the franchise — a move that spurned a headline or two. The Golden Globe nominee certainly has not only the appropriate hair color, but the acting chops to go along with it — and has already begun to bond with her castmates. But without a doubt, all eyes will be on Bryce to see if she can fill Rachelle’s sizable shoes.

Actor: Tinsel Korey  [IMDB]

Character: Emily

The Lowdown: Named after Stephenie Meyer’s sister, Emily is Leah Clearwater’s second cousin and the aunt to Claire — a character who will emerge mainly in “Breaking Dawn.” Korey, an actress best known for the Canadian TV crime drama “Rabbit Fall,” is expected to dress down her beauty with prominent scars in “Eclipse.” The markings on Emily’s face and arm serve as constant reminders of the short temper belonging to Sam Uley (Chaske Spencer), as well as the guilt he feels for harming his fiancée.

Actor: Jodelle Ferland  [IMDB]

Character: Bree

The Lowdown: Those who expect “30 Days of Night” filmmaker Slade to bring the blood for his “Twilight” adventure know that a good amount of it could possibly revolve around the violent newborn vampire Victoria creates in an attempt to avenge the death of James (Cam Gigandet) in the first flick. The 14-year-old Ferland appeared with Kristen Stewart previously in the 2007 horror flick “The Messengers,” and has been acting since she was 5 years old. Soon fans can look forward to her shrill voice, special link with Carlisle and eventual fall-out with Jane (Dakota Fanning) and the Volturi.

View Source #1, Source #2.

“The following preview has been approved for

ALL AUDIENCES

by the Motion Picture Association of America.”

Obige Einleitung ist mir jetzt schon bei mehreren Videotrailern aufgefallen. Keine Ahnung, ob ich das bisher übersehen habe oder ob das jetzt neu bei Internetvideos ist.
Die Motion Picture Association of America ist nicht nur die mächtige Organisation der amerikanischen Filmindustrie sondern auch eine Art FSK, die die Filme bewertet (“This motion picture has been rated”). Bei diesem Rating kommen dann so nette Sachen raus wie: “Rated PG-13 for intense epic battle sequences and frightening (scary) images” für die Herr-der-Ringe-Filme oder “Rated PG for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality.” für “Harry Potter und der Halbblutprinz”. Mild Sensuality – geile Formulierung – milde Sinnesfreude

PG steht übrigens für “Parental Guidance” also elterliche Begleitung und ein PG-13-Film ist ein solcher, bei dem die Anwesenheit der Eltern dringend empfohlen wird. Wie die Kinos in den USA diese Empfehlung allerdings praktisch handhaben, entzieht sich meiner Kenntnis. Leider war ich noch nicht im Land der unbegrenzten Möglichkeiten…

Wer selbst einmal ausprobieren will, wie sein Lieblingsfilm “rankt”, der kann das hier tun, auch für nicht-amerikanische Filme. Den Titel, mit dem der Streifen in den USA in die Kinos gekommen ist, müsst Ihr allerdings kennen. Den kriegt man am besten über die Internet Movie Database (IMDb) raus, die es auch in Deutsch gibt. Wer Filme sucht, die weder einen deutschen noch einen englischen Originaltitel tragen, der kann selbigen auch bei IMDb.com suchen.

In Deutschland ist für die Altersfreigabe wie gesagt die FSK oder Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft zuständig. Leider lassen sich dort auf der Website keine Bewertungen einsehen. Ob das im Login-Bereich möglich ist, habe ich nicht ausprobiert. Ganz interessant sind auf jeden Fall die stets aktualisierten Freigabe-Begründungen.

Tras haber transcurrido menos de diez años del nuevo milenio es un poco exagerado hablar de la mejor película del milenio, tal y como se ha hecho en una encuesta de Internet Movie Database (IMDb), la base de datos de Internet sobre el mundo del cine. Aun así han sido muchos internautas (en la noticia publicada en la edición digital del diario Público, procedente de la Agencia de noticias Europa Press, no se da la cifra) los que han respondido a la encuesta y dictaminado cuál es la mejor película del milenio; o como estaría mejor dicho, la mejor película del inicio del milenio, ya que son películas que datan del año 2000 hasta el 2009 que aún está por terminar.

En esta clasificación, por tanto, no tienen cabida grandes mitos del mundo del cine como Casablanca, El gran dictador, Ben-Hur, La naranja mecánica… pero sí otras grandes películas como la trilogía de El Señor de los Anillos. Precisamente la trilogía de Peter Jackson basada en los libros de J.R.R. Tolkien está presente entre las 10 mejores películas de lo que llevamos de milenio según los internautas que respondieron a la encuesta. Pero ninguna de las tres películas es la mejor.

Ese lugar es para la última película del actor Heaht Ledger, El caballero oscuro (2008). Esta película basada en el personaje de cómic Batman es para los internautas la mejor película del milenio; cerca de 400.000 votos ha recibido este film protagonizado por Christian Bale en el papel de Batman y Heath Ledger interpretando a The Joker. Esta película fue un exitazo en taquilla, ya que la noche del estreno recaudó 18′5 millones de dólares. La nota que los internautas han dado a este film es de un 8′9.

El segundo puesto de la clasificación es para la última de las películas de El Señor de los Anillos: El retorno del Rey (2003). Las otras dos películas de la trilogía ocupan los puestos número 5 (La Comunidad del Anillo, del año 2001) y número 8 (Las Dos Torres, del año 2002). Una trilogía de gran éxito tanto en la versión libro, que con el paso de los años se ha convertido en un best seller que todo amante de la Literatura debe leer, como en versión cinematográfica.

El resto de películas que están en los diez primeros puestos de la clasificación son Ciudad de Dios (año 2002) en tercer lugar; Distrito 9 (2009) en cuarto lugar; Up (2009) en sexto lugar; Memento (2000) que ocupa el séptimo puesto; 500 días de verano (2009) en noveno lugar; y WALL·E (2008) que ocupa el último puesto del top-10.

Dos de estas películas (Up y WALL·E) son producto de la animación por ordenador y dirigidas a los niños.

Por su parte, el cine español no tiene relevancia ni da buenas películas a los espectadores, al menos para los internautas que han respondido a la encuesta de Internet Movie Database. Sólo El laberinto del fauno (producción hispano-mexicana), dirigida por Guillermo del Toro está entre las 50 mejores películas según los internautas, y ocupa el puesto número 18.

Tal vez sea porque en todo el mundo el cine español está estigmatizado por su posicionamiento en contra de la Guerra de Irak (motivo al que ha aducido la ex presidenta de la Academia Española del Cine, Marisa Paredes, en la Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo, para comentar porqué el cine español no tiene buena acogida por los espectadores de parte de la sociedad española), tal vez porque en comparación con las películas de Hollywood y las grandes productores, el cine español no tiene ni el dinero ni la calidad suficiente -calidad de los guionistas, de los directores, de los actores…- como para hacer buenas películas.

Sea por los motivos que sea (que pueden ser muchos pero cuesta creer que sea el que ha comentado Marisa Paredes), en la lista de Internet Movie Database de las mejores películas del milenio, no hay ninguna película española hasta que llegamos al puesto número 18, donde hay una co-producción (la única entre las 50 mejores según los internautas).

Fuente:

www.publico.es

Here are the last few social media best practices that coincide with building an acting career. I hope you’re coming up with new ways for yourself as you’ve been reading. What works for one person, may not work for the next.

6. HIGHLIGHT SPECIFIC JOBS- I’ve always felt that the people who are in decision making positions in this industry, lack imagination. So you have to show people and tell people what specifically you can do. People stop listening when you say you can do it all… “If I gain 30lbs. and you put a gray wig on me I could play a grandma.” Why bother imagining something like that when there are thousands of people in this town who fit that same description, that can be here in twenty minutes to audition? Be specific and stick to your specific highlights.

7. VISUALLY STIMULATE- This is the number one way to stand out. Seek the best pictures. Spend the money and get the best. If you put forth half efforts into your company, you will achieve maybe half of your goals. Also, seek the best quality for your reel. This is your shot to prove you belong in front of the camera.

8. BOOST YOUR RANKINGS- The Internet Movie Database is a prime example for boosting your rankings. The more people who view your profile on this site, the lower your starmeter is. To put this into perspective, Emma Watson’s starmeter is 1. This means she has a high level of public awareness or interest and more people are clicking her profile than any other celebrity. My starmeter is 49,449…huge difference in click traffic!

9. PREPARE TO CHANGE- Social media is evolving so quickly and most people aren’t even sure what will really stick. Try out many different sites so you can be everywhere, no matter which site gets stale.

10. PROMOTION- Let people know where you are on these social networking sites. Add it on your resume, your website, and email messages. Promoting doesn’t end once you’ve created a profile. It never ends.

If you take on each of these best practices it would take a tremendous amount of courage and risk. Literally putting yourself out there in such an exposed way is challenging and scary, so do it. Put yourself out there as if today was your first day you decided you wanted a career as an actor.

I had the opportunity to vote (in 2008) for the best ten films in ten different categories (in a survey conducted by the American Film Institute) and think that all of the 100 winners are worthy, as are many of the other 400 nominees. For whatever reasons, there was no category for WAR films. Here are my ten favorites, listed in alphabetical order:

1. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
Business Lesson: The trust, respect, faith, and loyalty of youth must never be betrayed.

2. Attack (1950)
Business Lesson: The potential damage that toxic leaders can commit is incalculable.

3. Braveheart (1995)
Business Lesson: As Sun Tzu suggested (and Don Corleone concurs), “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.”

4. Paths of Glory (1957)
Business Lesson: When involved in a corrupt culture that you cannot leave, at least for a while, do what you can to protect those for whom you are responsible from toxic leaders.

5. Full Metal Jacket (1942)
Business Lesson: Recognize and avoid the “breaking point” of every person for whom you are responsible.

6. Platoon (1995)
Business Lesson: Extreme pressure does not develop character, it reveals it…for better or worse.

7. Saving Private Ryan (1991)
Business Lesson: However vast and complicated an organization may be, the importance of each individual in it must never be underestimated.

8. Spartacus (2001)
Business Lesson: A positively engaged worker is the organization in which she or he is actively and productively involved: “I am Southwest Airlines!”

9. Twelve O’Clock High (1950)
Business Lesson: As Full Metal Jacket also demonstrates, it is very important to recognize and then take into full account human limits.

Note: Stress in the workplace is inevitable and, for some, a serious problem. Supervisors must be very alert to early-warning signs of it and respond appropriately in a timely manner.

10. Zulu (1964)

Business Lesson: The best way to earn a competitor’s respect is to demonstrate professional competence, moral courage, and personal commitment.

It is possible to stretch correlations between the battlefield and the business workplace and yet the fact remains that in both, leaders must possess a combination of professional competence, impeccable character, respect for everyone involved (including opponents), and the trust and respect of those whom they are privileged to lead.

You can check out the wealth of resources provided by the American Film Institute and the Internet Film Database. Here are links to their Web sites:

http://www.afi.com/

http://www.imdb.com/

Comments? Please share.

Lawrence of Arabia

I had the opportunity to vote (in 2008) for the best ten films in ten different categories (in a survey conducted by the American Film Institute) and think that all of the 100 winners are worthy, as are many of the other 400 nominees. Here are the top ten EPIC films:

1. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
2. Ben-Hur (1959)
3. Schindler’s List (1993)
4. Gone with the Wind (1939)
5. Spartacus (1960)
6. Titanic (1997)
7. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
8. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
9. Reds (1981)
10. The Ten Commandments (1985)

Question: Is there one especially important business lesson that films such as these demonstrate?

One man’s opinion: When thinking BIG, focus on the details and nail the fundamentals.

In all of these films, the scale is vast (hence the term “epic”) in terms of the number of characters involved, the span of years covered, the scope of the primary objective, the perils while pursuing it, and the implications of failing to do so. With the exception of Titanic, each of the films is somehow associated with either a war or major social upheaval. It is understandable why many characters feel overwhelmed by the events they observe. The same is true of certain situations in the business world. For example, trying to achieve what Jim Collins calls a “BHAG,” a “Big Hairy Audacious Goal.” In the current economy for many companies, that BHAG is survival. On the screen and in life, the best strategy when thinking big (to win a war or locate a private) is to concentrate on the details of what must be done as well as when and how it must be done. Step by step, piece by piece. After the Japanese invasion in 1937, that is how China moved almost all of his industrial capabilities (dismantled and carried by hand or in carts) to the interior where entire factories were reassembled, brick by brick and piece by piece.

You can check out the wealth the resources provided by the American Film Institute and the Internet Film Database. Here are links to their Web sites:

http://www.afi.com/

http://www.imdb.com/

Comments? Please share.

Annie Hall

I had the opportunity to vote (in 2008) for the best ten films in ten different categories (in a survey conducted by the American Film Institute) and think that all of the 100 winners are worthy, as are many of the other 400 nominees. Here are the top ten ROMANTIC films:

1. City Lights (1931)
2. Annie Hall (1977)
3. It Happened One Night (1934)
4. Roman Holiday (1953)
5. The Philadelphia Story (1941)
6. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
7. Adam’s Rib (1949)
8. Moonstruck (1987)
9. Harold and Maude (1971)
10. Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

Question: Is there one especially important business lesson that films such as these demonstrate?

One man’s opinion: Capture the heart and the mind will follow.

In all of these films, leading characters are attracted to each other, encounter all manner of problems, separate or are separated, get back together, and in most situations live happily ever after…or at least have especially fond memories as do the Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck characters in Roman Holiday. As I watch these and other romantic movies, I am struck by the power of appealing to emotions rather than to reason. In the workplace, intangibles such as being worthy of trust (the basis of any enduring relationship) is far more important than impressing others with one’s knowledge, verbal dexterity, credentials, etc. Throughout history, the greatest leaders conquered hearts of their people so that, together, they can fulfill a compelling vision, defeat a common enemy, overcome a natural disaster, etc. In business, also, people need to care about each other, about what they do and how well they do it, and about those whom they are privileged to serve…their customers.

You can check out the wealth of the resources provided by the American Film Institute and the Internet Film Database. Here are links to their Web sites:

http://www.afi.com/

http://www.imdb.com/

Comments? Please share.

I had the opportunity to vote (in 2008) for the ten best films in ten different categories (in a survey conducted by the American Film Institute) and I believe that all of the 100 winners were worthy, as were many of the other 400 nominees. Here are the top ten MYSTERY films:

1. Vertigo (1958)
2. Chinatown (1974)
3. Rear Window (1954)
4. Laura (1944)
5. The Third Man (1950)
6. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
7. North by Northwest (1959)
8. Blue Velvet (1986)
9. Dial M for Murder (1956)
10. The Usual Suspects (1985)

Question: Is there one especially important business lesson that films such as these demonstrate?

One man’s opinion: Problem-solving often requires a process of elimination.

In all of these films, most (if not all) of the questions are answered and all of the problems are solved and usually by effective use of a process of elimination. The best of the mystery films capture our attention almost immediately by causing us to ask questions such as “Who did it?” and sometimes “What just happened?” or “What’s that all about?” In one of my Q&As (i.e. #81), I suggest why discovery is so important to process improvement initiatives. When faced with unsolved problems (e.g. product defects) and unanswered questions (e.g. “Why are we losing talented people?”) require business leaders to gather information, evaluate it, identify possibilities, rigorously evaluate each, make decisions, and then examine the results. Often this involves trial and error. Any if the films voted among the ten best mysteries demonstrates how valuable effective use of a process of elimination can be, sometimes to identify what Larry Downes and Chunka Mui have characterized as a “killer” application.

You can check out the wealth of the resources provided by the American Film Institute and the Internet Movie Database. Here are links to their Web sites:

http://www.afi.com/

http://www.imdb.com/

Comments? Please share.

Hoosiers

1. Raging Bull (1980)
2. Rocky (1977)
3. The Pride of the Yankees (1943)
4. Hoosiers (1986)
5. Bull Durham (1988)
6. The Hustler (1961)
7. Caddyshack (1980)
8. Breaking Away (1979)
9. National Velvet (1945)
10. Jerry Maguire (1996)

Question: Is there one especially important business lesson that films such as these demonstrate?

One man’s opinion: The terms “winning” and “losing” cannot always be measured in terms of the final “score.”

In all of these films, there are winners and losers in various forms of competition such as prize fighting, high school basketball, high-stakes pool, and bicycle racing. Most of it occurs during “games” that have specific rules. People begin to play games in childhood and, over time, competition becomes more important than participation, and then winning often becomes more important than being competitive. In businesses, there is also intense competition, several different ways of “keeping score,” and several different definitions of “winning” and “losing.” The most highly admired companies, the ones that are the best to work for, do not necessarily generate the most revenue or produce the highest profits. They certainly do not win every contract or dominate every market. However, they set very high standards for conduct, have non-negotiable core values, are customer-focused, treat their people fairly, and are good citizens everywhere they do business. They are the “winners.”

You can check out the wealth of the resources provided by the American Film Institute and the Internet Movie Database. Here are links to their Web sites:

http://www.afi.com/

http://www.imdb.com/

Comments? Please share.

I had the opportunity to vote (in 2008) for the ten best films in ten different categories (in a survey conducted by the American Film Institute) and believe that all of the 100 winners were worthy, as were many of the other 400 nominees. Here are the top ten WESTERN films:

1. The Searchers (1956)
2. High Noon (1952)
3. Shane (1953)
4. Unforgiven (1992)
5. Red River (1948)
6. The Wild Bunch (1969)
7. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
8. McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)
9. Stagecoach (1956)
10. Cat Ballou (1985)

Question: Is there one especially important business lesson that films such as these demonstrate?

One man’s opinion: A community is “fair” and “decent” only if its residents have moral courage.

In most of these films, “justice” is defined by expediency rather than by any formal code of law. There are reasons to explain the need for “frontier justice” after the Civil War. Ironically, Gary Cooper’s character in High Noon, Sheriff Will Kane, is abandoned by everyone (including his newlywed wife, a Quaker) when he decides to face Frank Miller and his gang who are en route to kill him. The residents refuse to accept shared ownership of responsibility to preserve law and order. The healthiest companies are those in which workers have zero-tolerance of inappropriate behavior at all levels and in all areas. The values of any workplace reflect the values of those who labor there, for better or worse.

You can check out the wealth of the resources provided by the American Film Institute and the Internet Movie Database. Here are links to their Web sites:

http://www.afi.com/

http://www.imdb.com/

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High Noon

Interested in films? Want to know which actor/actress appeared in which film? Want to search by genre, actor, film title, director, musician? Feel like voicing your opinion about your favourite or least favourite film? Keen to know about what new films are in the pipeline? … then take a look at Internet Movie Database.

Director: John Hamburg
Writer:  Larry Levin (story and screenplay) and John Hamburg (screenplay).
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, and Rashida Jones.  

I saw I Love You Man earlier this evening and I was not disappointed. Being a huge Paul Rudd, Jason Segel and Andy Samberg fan, I have been looking forward to watching this film since I first saw the trailer. Not everyone will find this movie funny. There are going to be many who find it repulsive and offensive, but that’s comedy. I love this sort of humour. The jokes were quick and witty. The lines were delivered perfectly. The actors were awesome. Their facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language added to, and even created, comic moments. It’s a well written and directed comedy.

“From creators Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, Robot Chicken is stop motion animation with a demented twist.” – IMDB

“Robot Chicken is an Emmy Award-winning American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich. They are also on the writing team, and have directed some episodes. Green provides many voices for the show.
The program is a sketch comedy that parodies a number of pop culture conventions using stop motion animation of toys, action figures, dolls, and claymation” – Wikipedia

| ADULT SWIM / ROBOT CHICKEN |

Released in theatre (in New Zealand) on the 21st May:

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 2 | A FILM WITH ME IN IT | KNOWING

What movie can’t you wait for? Knowing looks likes good. Nicholas Cage is a favourite of mine. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, has some big names from the comedy circle, including Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, Ricky Gervais, and Steve Coogan.

The Internet Movie Database isn’t exactly known for it’s accuracy, especially in recording movies in development/production, but this is interesting.

The IMDb shows that a film based on CBS’s Jericho is in development for a 2010 release. Jericho, starring Skeet Ulrich and Lennie James, is a drama about what happens in a once peaceful, all-American town after a co-ordinated nuclear attack on the United States.

The Save Jericho! page on Facebook brings news of the formation of an exploratory committee to to recruit fans, organize events and advertise the upcoming film. The committee will be comprised of 7 officers charged with separate responsibilities, including:

• A Public Relations Officer for planning and organizing events and communicating with the Jericho stars.
• A Planning and Logistics Officer for planning and organizing events and fundraisers.
• A Marketing Officer for spreading the word to multiple outlets.
• A Fundraising Officer for leading fundraising and causes such as Welcome Home to Jericho.
• An Operations/Chairperson Officer for overseeing the board as a whole.
• A Corporate Officer for negotiations with television networks and Hollywood.
• An IT Officer for co-ordinating websites, message boards and social media.
• An Affiliation Officer for creating affiliations between the board and other groups with similar goals.

Officer elections are Sunday, June 21. Interested parties may inquire at savejericho@ymail.com.

Update: Apparently, the IMDb is referring to this movie, not the beloved CBS series. See Gwen’s comment below. Hope for a Jericho movie and/or new episodes continues.

The first season of Jericho is available on YouTube.