Opening Selection

Sex comedy film grant criticised

Kellan — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 11:52:17 +0000

Film bosses have been criticised for handing nearly £1m of lottery cash to a controversial comedy.

One critic has described The Sex Lives of the Potato Men as "toothless, worthless, mirthless and useless".

The film, which stars comedian Johnny Vegas, was made by a West Midlands-based production company with the help of a £900,000 award.

But the UK Film Council – which agreed the cash – defended the movie as "not critic-led".

'Grubby film'

Sex Lives of the Potato Men, which was made by Devotion Films, follows the sexual antics of four young men who work delivering potatoes.

It is set in Birmingham and also features MacKenzie Crook and Lucy Davies, famous for their roles as Gareth and Dawn in the BBC comedy series The Office.

But the movie has failed to win over the critics, and has been described in The Times as "one of the two most nauseous films ever made".

Will Self wrote in London's Evening Standard that the film was "toothless, worthless, mirthless and useless".

Several MPs have also slated Sex Lives, including Adrian Flook, who sits on the select committee for culture, media and sport.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I'm pretty outraged that we should be spending nearly a £1m of lottery players' money on such a grubby film."

Julie Kirkbride, MP for Bromsgrove and shadow secretary for culture, media and sport, said: "You can produce any old rubbish with your own money.

"When it is public money, spending should be guided by the need to maintain public support for the lottery."

Lottery cash 'for everyone'

Actor Laurence Mann, who stars in the movie, said it should appeal to people in Birmingham: "This film is for true Brummies… born within the sound of somebody else moaning."

A spokesman for the Film Council told the Daily Mail: "Public money is for everyone and that includes people who want to get drunk and see a filthy movie as much as those who want to watch a Japanese movie.

"This film is for a very specific demographic; a young male audience which may not be critic-led.

"The film may still work, despite the fact it hasn't been well-received by critics."

The UK Film Council was set up on 1 April 2000 and distributes almost all public money for the UK film industry, including lottery cash.

Top recognition for city academy

Kellan — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:46:12 +0000

A Bristol school which opened in 2003 has been named as Outstanding Academy in the 2007 Education Business Awards.

The City Academy saw off competition from 83 other schools nationwide, including finalists from London, Manchester and Nottingham.

Judges recognised the progress made by students along with the improvement made by ethnic minorities children.

Principal Dr Ray Priest said: "This recognises the magnificent progress made by Bristol's first academy."

The Outstanding Academy award was presented at the Education Business Awards ceremony, held annually at Westminster Abbey.

The academy made news earlier this year when it was announced it was to scan students' fingerprints to allow them to get their lunch.

The academy opened in 2003 and has more than 1,100 pupils aged between 11 and 18.

Among its visitors has been David Beckham, who turned up in March to teach youngsters soccer skills.

British film makes online debut

Kellan — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 05:44:02 +0000

British film The Plague has become only the second UK feature to make its debut on the internet.

The picture, directed by 23-year-old Greg Hall, has won the support of Oscar nominated film-maker Mike Leigh.

The film's "ticket price" for internet users is £4, entitling viewers to an unlimited number of plays.

The Plague, which was made in three weeks with a budget of £3,500, is being taken to the Cannes Film Festival which begins on 11 May.

Snapshot

Digital film channel itsallelectric.com chose The Plague to launch a new online service for independent feature films.

Films that are not released and disappear without trace after a few festival screenings are being targeted in the initiative.

Neil Bedwell, co-founder of itsallelectric.com, will be writing a web log from the Cannes Film Festival for the BBC News website, where he will be promoting The Plague and other films.

The Plague is described as a "modern day multicultural snapshot of urban life", told through the eyes of four friends.

The three-week shoot was followed by eight months of editing, some of which was done through the night.

Film-maker Hall said the film's editor slept on his floor for three months during the process.

He added that making the film was "the most intense and insane thing I have ever done".

He applauded the support of Mike Leigh, whose most recent success was the Oscar-nominated Vera Drake.

The director has called the film "very alive and very much a movie".

The film won Hall a prize at the Sarajevo Film Festival, the first Katrin Cartledge Foundation Bursary, founded in honour of the actress who died in 2002 at the age of 41.

How the Academy Awards flourished

Kellan — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:41:24 +0000

The 77th annual Academy Awards are taking place on 27 February with the stars of the movie-making world once again holding their breath to discover who will be showered with the honours this year.
But from humble beginnings, how did the modern day extravaganza become the behemoth it is today?

HOW IT ALL STARTED

The first Academy Awards were handed out in 1929 at a comparatively low-key dinner held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel – just over the road from their modern day home.
Just 250 guests attended with ticket prices at $5.

The first film to win was Wings, which starred Clara Bow in the only silent movie to win the big award.

For the first 10 years or so, the winners list was handed to the newspapers so they could publish them at 11pm, but in 1940 the winners were published in the Los Angeles Times at 8.45pm meaning guests entering the ceremony already knew the results.

As a result the sealed envelope system was introduced, leading to the secrecy and suspense-filled night that happens today.

WHEN AND WHERE

The tradition of holding the awards at a banquet continued until 1942 but with increasing interest came a growing guest list and it became impractical to host it as a dinner.

The ceremonies were then transferred to theatres with the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre the first to host the expanded event. Other venues included the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Shrine Auditorium.

They are now held at the Kodak Theatre, which opened in 2002 just across the road from its original home and holds 6,000 people.

Until 1954 they were held on a Thursday, then swapped around from Monday to Wednesday before Sunday night was settled on, although the month swapped from May to April to March and now its current month of February.

The first televised ceremony was in 1953, with Bob Hope as the MC.

WHO WAS OSCAR?

There is no solid evidence as to how the trophy became to be known as Oscar.

One popular story is that Academy librarian Margaret Herrick said the statue looked like her uncle Oscar. A journalist apparently overheard this conversation and used the phrase in an article.
The first time it is thought to have been used in print was when columnist Sidney Skolsky used it to describe Katherine Hepburn's first best actress win in 1934.

The Academy officially adopted the nickname in 1939.

The trophy was designed by MGM art director Cedric Gibbons. Since its inception 2,530 Oscars have been handed out.

In support of the war effort, the Academy handed out plaster Oscar statuettes during WWII. After the war, winners exchanged the plaster awards for the real thing.

Fifty-five statues were stolen in en route to the awards in 2000, 52 were recovered nine days later. Winners were unaffected as a new batch was rushed out.

WHO SITS IN JUDGEMENT?

The Academy was set up in 1927 as a non-profit organisation with 36 members from different film disciplines. Douglas Fairbanks Sr was the first president and oversaw the first awards.

There are now 5,700 members of the Academy – with membership by invitation only to those who are seen to have achieved distinction in the movies and are therefore seen as fit to judge their peers.

Some of the criteria for admittance includes: film credits that reflect the high standards of the Academy, receipt of an Academy Award nomination, achievement of unique distinction, earning of special merit, or making an outstanding contribution to film.

THE STARS WHO LEFT EMPTY-HANDED

While many of the biggest films and movie-makers have been honoured by the Academy, there is still surprise at those that did not receive any nominations that later went on to become classics.

Among the overlooked films were Hobson's Choice, Dirty Harry, The 39 Steps, The Searchers and King Kong.

Actors that failed to win for their iconic roles included Al Jolson in the Jazz Singer (1927), Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1944), Gene Kelly in Singing in the Rain (1952) and Henry Fonda in 12 Angry Men (1957).

Alfred Hitchcock also failed to win an award despite five nominations. His enduring influence on the horror genre was finally recognised with an honorary gong in 1968.

THE SHOW ALWAYS GOES ON

Not even war has halted the glittering Hollywood event. There were calls for it to be cancelled in 2003 during the war in Iraq, but as it didn't stop during World War II or the Vietnam war.

Documentary winner Michael Moore ensured nobody forgot about the Iraq war though and used his acceptance speech to criticise the American invasion. The ceremony was muted with the glitz turned down and many female stars opting for demure dark dresses.

The ceremony has been postponed on three occasions. Los Angeles floods in 1938 saw it put back a week. The death of Martin Luther King saw it postponed for two days in 1968 as a mark of respect and there was a 24-hour delay following the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.

CONTROVERSIES AND OTHER GAFFES

Three people have refused Oscars, including actor George C Scott who said the whole thing was "demeaning". Writer Dudley Nichols refused his Academy Award in 1935 for his screenplay for The Insider because the Writers' Guild was striking at the time.

Marlon Brando turned down his best actor Oscar for The Godfather in 1973 in protest as Hollywood's apparent discrimination against Native American people. He sent along a woman called Sacheen Littlefeather to collect his award. She was later revealed to be Native American actress Maria Cruz.

The following year Robert Opal interrupted proceedings when he streaked, flashing a peace sign as well as everything else. The TV network managed to pan away and avoid too much nudity. Opal was murdered in 1979.

Frank Capra was the butt of one major gaffe in 1934 when the host opened out best picture envelope and declared "come on up and get it, Frank" to which Frank Capra bounded up to the stage before realising that he had meant Frank Lloyd had won for Cavalcade.
Capra vowed he would never to go the awards again but went the following year to collect his award for It Happened One Night.

Film director’s mother honoured

Kellan — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:28:13 +0000

The mother of acclaimed film director Anthony Minghella has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for her tireless charity work.

Gloria Minghella and 20 others in Hants and the Isle of Wight were made MBEs.

The death of her sister from Motor Neurone Disease led her to become the president of the Motor Neurone Disease Association on the island.

Yachtswoman Dee Caffari, Ch Insp Karen Scipio were made MBEs and head teacher Jeffrey Threlfall was made a CBE.

Mrs Minghella said: "Obviously, it is a great honour for me but this award is not for me it is for the people who supported me."

Mrs Minghella's charity work began 30 years ago when she decided to become a prison visitor before she established an information bureau in Newport, which later became part of the Citizens Advice Bureau.

"I found it very rewarding to be able to give advice to those who are struggling and need help," said Mrs Minghella, who also runs an ice cream business with her husband Edward Minghella.

"I am very blessed to have such a wonderful son, while my husband has been my rock," she added.

'Equality and fairness'

Ch Insp Scipio, 44, based in Lyndhurst, shares her honour for services to the police with Portsmouth Pc David Gregory, who was made an OBE.

She was involved in adding women and members of black, minority and ethnic groups to the force's support unit.

Ch Insp Scipio said: "I have a real passion for equality and fairness, which probably comes from having a black father and a white mother."

Pc Gregory, 54, who has been a police officer for more than 34 years, said he was "stunned and immensely proud" of being made an OBE.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight honours:

CBE

Robert Braithwaite, MBE, chief executive officer, Sunseeker International, for services to business and to charity in Poole, Dorset.
Jeffrey Threlfall, head teacher, Wildern School, Southampton, for services to education.
Tom Wright, chief executive, VisitBritain, for services to the tourist industry.
OBE
Col Ronald Dadswell, for services to sail training.
Pc David Gregory, QPM, for services to the police.
Jason Wells, Grade B2, Ministry of Defence.
MBE
Kim Buckland, co-founder, Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare, for services to the beauty industry.
Denise Caffari, yachtswoman, for services to sailing.
Marjorie Clarke, for services to the community in Old Alresford.
Vinod Desai, for services to the arts.
Dr John Dracass GP, for services to healthcare.
Pauline Drew, for services to drama.
Susan Elizabeth (Liz) Earle, co-founder, Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare, for services to the beauty industry.
John Gulliver, head keeper, Forestry Commission.
Peter Kelly, for services to the Environment Agency and the community.
Pamela Ledingham, for services to the Women's Royal Voluntary Service in Hythe.
Gloria Minghella, JP, DL, for services to the community in the Isle of Wight.
Michael Norton, dental adviser and postgraduate tutor, for services to dentistry.
Faith O'Sullivan, higher officer, Processing Team, HM Revenue and Customs.
Peter Redway, for services to inland waterways.
Ch Insp Karen Scipio, for services to the police.
Dr Janet Sheriton, for services to education.
Diana Ruth, the Dutchess of Wellington, for services to the community.
Ian Thorington, for services to further education.
Michael Uzebu-Asije, coach of Eastleigh Amateur Boxing Club, for services to sport.
Kathryn Elizabeth Wheeler, higher executive officer, Department for Work and Pensions.
Peter Woods, partnership director, Learning and Skills Council, Hampshire, for services to further education.
QFSM
John Bonney, chief fire officer, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Mujhse Dosti Karoje: Your views

Kellan — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:44:41 +0000

Friday, 16 August, 2002, 14:42 GMT 15:42 UK Mujhse Dosti Karoje: Your views
Kareena Kapoor: Long-distance love story
Mujhse Dosti Karoje (Will You Be My Friend?), just released in the UK, stars Hrithik Roshan, who falls in love with an old friend back in India after settling in England with his family.

The film is directed by Kunil Kohli and took £204,490 in its first three days of release in the UK, despite playing at only 32 screens around the country.

"Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukherjee share occasional momemts of sparkle and promise, but add in the all too familiar climax, and you are left with a Bolly flick, full of the usual genre clichés and predictable plot twists," wrote Omar Ahmed.

But what do you think?

Is it a disappointment? Is Hrithik Roshan a promising actor?

BBC News Online users had their say.

I liked the film very much. I would watch it over and over again. I loved it it was the best film ever. I have the Audio tape, DVD, Video and VCD and SVCD. It's 100 out of 100.
Nisha, UK

It is a total disappointment. Hrithik Roshan is an average guy. He should go for supporting roles rather than lead roles. He has no ability to shoulder a film on his own except his first which was more of a marketing success. Some segments of media for reasons unclear are trying to portray him a one of the greatest in Indian cinema but the fact of the matter is he is just an average actor. As far as the film is concerned, the movie makers should think of some better ideas rather than unrealistic and predictable plots as such.
Ash, USA

Another film with hardly any story line, a typical Bollywood product. Most if not all from the Indian subcontinent do not fall in love with someone from India as there is a huge cultural difference.
ABCD, UK

The acting by Hrithik Roshan and Kareen Kapoor was pathetic, the only face saver was Rani Mukherji but not a great character to show her acting talent. The movie is being sold on the name of these three big actors. On the whole out of 10 this movie can be rated at 3-4 .
Chandresh, India

Last Saturday I went to this film with my friend. It's not one of the worst films I've ever seen but it's also definitely not one of the best. The storyline is not original (theme of a love triangle has been dealt with in zillion movies) and there are some things which don't add up (Rani has had the same computer for 15 years, but 15 years ago there was no email!). The film is also too predictable and I don't think that Hrithik is one of the best actors in Bollywood. He can learn a thing or two from Shah Rukh who in my opinion is still the best actor (together with Ajay Devgan) in Bollywood.
Gaitrie Goli, Netherlands

One may recall watching Hrithik Roshan play the reluctant sacrificial lamb in Subhash Ghai's Yaadein. In Mujhse Dosti Karoge, he does the same with renewed enthusiasm. He is competent and impresses with his dancing skills. Anyone who feels Roshan Jr has lost his hold on the audience needs to watch this film. The audience's excited whistles and claps at practically all his scenes is proof enough.

Anyway, Hrithik Roshan steals the show from the two petite ladies.
Farhan Ajmal, Pakistan

Can't Bollywood think of ideas other than love stories?
Tipu Sultan, UK

With regards to Hrithik Roshan, he is a disappointment. How can he call himself an actor when he's only willing to play the same character in movie after movie? As for promising, unless he's willing to take a risk and try challenging roles instead of always chasing after the $, I don't see a promising future.
Rohit, USA – India

Hrithik is best! No doubt… And yes, Sharukh sucks….. He does not act, he OVERACTS. Like in Navtankis. So, please guys, stop comparison. There isn't any!
Peter, USA – India

Hrithik and Kareena need to take a long vacation from films and attend some serious acting school. Instead of spending senseless hours in the gym only, they should really get some acting 101 classes.
Joe, USA

I was expecting something good from the director because he used to screw all movies left, right and centre when he was a show host come movie critic. I wanted to leave the movie within the first half-hour but decided to sleep in the AC, as it was very hot outside. And surprise … surprise… I still knew what happened with in one and half-hours when I was asleep.
Sandeep, England

Shame on the producer, the director, Hrithik, Karena and Rani for wasting their time and people's time by making a third class movie – has no value to anyone like most Hrithik movies.
Taurus Rome, USA

I will not recommend this film even to someone who is bored and has nothing better to do.
Rajesh Kumar, India

These absurd Bollywood movies are the biggest embarrassment to an Indian living abroad today. These film makers with little or no creative vision has done enough damage to our contemporary Indian culture and values. They have made enough cash with their trash by pandering to the vain desires of the proletariat. But what's more surprising is the fact that our so called educated Indian (middle-upper middle class whatever!!) with global views are actually paying to watch their ravishing stars gyrating around bushes in the Alps.
Coppola, India

Kareena's annoying and shrilling voice gave me a headache. Her facial expression is too absurd and comical.These young actors try to immitate American accents but most of them can't pronounce American words well. Kareena Kapoor dresses hideously.Only the school drop outs and trashy girls in dress so seductively in America. Most Indian producers and directors are laughing stocks among the NRIs.
Pradeshi, India

MDK is one of the best movies of Hrithik and Rani's careers (I wish I could say the same about Kareena's career). Sure, the story line is cliched and predictable, but these two actors did the best they could given the material they had. There is a definite media bias against Hrithik, who I think is a fine actor yearning for better material. Rani gives a subtle, yet poignant performance. Kareena has become typecast as the ultimate spoiled snob, which she appears to be in reality as well. I would recommend MDK to anyone looking for a typical Bollywood love story.
Tina, Edison, NJ, USA

Why do these directors/producers even bother making such third rate movies?!! Why do they waste so much money? Do they not see the poverty around them? I wish they would donate money to good causes within India, instead of making these poor people live in fantasy land.
Kirpal, USA

Having watched the film I felt what a waste of money, I seriously felt that I was entitled to a refund, but was persuaded by wife not to. What is the film about? Acting was poor, the story was just repetitive dribble, when are the Bollywood lot going to realise these kind of films will always be a flop if there is no emotive storylines, and no decent acting? Thus these kind of films are just good for those who are just don't like films to be mentally challeging.
Sandeep Magar, UK

Of course Hrithik is a promising actor. But if he is selling his talents for a movie like this, it definitely will pull down his fame. The movie, briefly, is much about nothing.
Jossy, Susmitha, Sulatha & Pramod, United Arab Emirates

I invited a few of my British mates to go and watch this movie encouraging them that it had a great star cast and that they will really enjoy it. But I was disappointed and felt bad when we left the cinema. I wish Bollywood would make great movies so that we can be very proud and invite foreign people to watch them. It's just the same old thing again and agian.
Seyed Jahangir, U.K

If Bollywood is the cultural face of the "emerging regional power", then there is a long, long way to go before the power finally "emerges".
Nausherwan Lahori, Lahore, Pakistan

For God's sake, Indian directors and actors should stop making fools of themselves. Hrithik of course does not have a choice; as it is he's had too many flops in a row. Honestly, he should take a break from those repetitive dance steps and fixed expressions. It's not happening. And Kareena could at least learn from her sister.
Rhea, India

Rithik Roshan should quit acting in movies and start taking lessons in acting. One more thing about Bollywood directors is that they should know that entertainment does not mean only Love Story with the hero and heroine dancing in the streets. They should know that movies should be based on reality and there should be some amount of creativity in a movie.
Kalyan, USA

I watched Bollywood's Lagaan after nealy 20 years of shunning commercial Hindi films. That got me interested again. But Lagaan apparently was an exception to the Bollywood rule – which is trash, trash and more trash. Thanks for the heads up on this another mindless movie. I fault the Indian audience more for desiring such nonsense movies. These far-fetched run-of-the-mill fantasies are made to meet demand. So why blame the maker?
TKS, USA

After just 30 minutes in the movie I fell asleep. It was THE most boring movie I ever saw. The movie was undoubtedly targeted for NRI audience with no story line and guess what, after the movie when my friend woke me I could predict the movie inside out! A complete debacle and shame to Bollywood.
Shantanu R, USA

I just want to say that the comment that Gaitri didn't correctly understood that the purpose of this movie was just for entertainment only (like most of the Bollywood movies). So for Gaitri, next try to sit back and relax and watch the movie as if you were a lot younger.
Rokesh, Netherlands

Hrithik is one of the best actors, and Bollywood is better than all other country's movies. In all Hrithik movies there is a story.
Edna, India

I think Hrithik should stop playing the lead roles. He does not have the calibre to make a move hit on his own. He should do more supporting roles like in K3G which was a hit.
Nirvan, USA

Just another attempt to cash Hrithik's heroic image (if threre is any). Weak story line, weak performances. There is a big difference between an actor and and a hero. Hrithik came into Bollywood as a hero, he wasn't an actor at all from his first day. But after his flop movies like this he has lost his ONLY heroic imgae too.
Shahzad, Pakistan

Emmy Award speeches ‘to be cut’

Kellan — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:36:07 +0000

The number of acceptance speeches at US TV's top awards ceremony, the Emmys, is being cut by organisers who want to attract more viewers.

Some winners will have short taped interviews played instead of spontaneous on-stage remarks.

TV actors will be exempt from the plans, approved by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences – but writers and directors are affected.

The awards will be presented at a Los Angeles ceremony on 18 September.

Academy chairman and chief executive Dick Askin said the ceremony would continue to recognise the best in TV but at a "better pace".

'Invigorated' show

"We have set a course which we believe will result in a new and invigorated Emmy Awards telecast," he said.

Last year, the Emmys sank to their second-lowest ratings ever, drawing fewer than 14 million viewers for the three-hour show.

The 2002 ceremony, which was 15 minutes longer, was watched by almost 20 million.

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' board of governors approved the plans but backed away from a proposal to reduce the number of awards.

Eight writing and directing categories are initially affected but the new approach may also be expanded to some other categories.

The plan met some resistance from industry unions whose approval was required.

Academy Awards A-Z

Kellan — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:37:53 +0000

Friday, 17 March, 2000, 16:13 GMT Academy Awards A-Z

Auction – Pop superstar Michael Jackson paid a record $1.54m to own an Oscar at Sotheby's in New York in June 1999.

He bought the best film Oscar awarded to producer David O Selznick for Gone With The Wind in 1939. A Sotheby's spokesman said it was Jackson's "lifelong desire to own that particular object".

Brit – The legendary Charles Laughton became the first British actor to win an Oscar in 1934 for his leading role in The Private Life of Henry VIII.

Born in 1899, he was to be nominated for Academy Awards twice more – for Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) and Witness for the Prosecution (1957).

Cabaret - Bob Fosse's 1972 masterpiece starring Liza Minnelli holds an unusual distinction in Academy Awards history.

It picked up the most Oscars (eight) won by a film that did not win best picture – an accolade awarded that year to The Godfather.

Disney – Walt Disney holds the all-time record for the most Academy Awards wins.

Starting with an Oscar for 1932's Flowers and Trees – the first cartoon to be produced in colour and the first cartoon to win an Academy Award – he went on to win a further 26 statuettes.

Elia Kazan – The presentation of a lifetime achievement award to the veteran director Elia Kazan at the 1999 was a controversial moment.

Actor Nick Nolte was among those who refused to join the standing ovation for the man who divided Hollywood in 1952 with his testimony to Senator McCarthy's communist-hunting congressional committee.

Foreign – Italy leads the pack in the best foreign film category at the Academy Awards.

It has won 10 Oscars – including three special/honorary awards – compared to France's nine. However, France has won the most nominations – 29 to Italy's 26.

Gardener – Comic great Peter Sellers was Oscar-nominated for his performance as simple-minded Chance the gardener in 1979's Being There.

Despite winning the 1980 Golden Globe for best motion picture actor (musical/comedy), Sellers was beaten to the best actor Academy Award by Dustin Hoffman for Kramer vs Kramer.

Hamlet – Actor/director Laurence Olivier was the toast of Hollywood in 1949 when his big screen version of Hamlet scooped five Oscars.

The production was the first British film to win the Academy Award for best picture. Olivier also won the best actor Oscar.

Isaac Hayes – Soul star Hayes became the first African-American to win a music Oscar.

His Theme from Shaft landed the 1971 prize for best original song. Most recently Hayes has voiced Chef in South Park and the track Blame Canada has been nominated for best original song at this year's Academy Awards.

Jealousy? – Relations were strained between sisters Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland at the 1941 Academy Awards.

Both were nominated in the best actress category – Fontaine for Suspicion and de Havilland for Hold Back the Dawn. Relationships between the two were strained before Fontaine won, an event which was said to have intensified a life-long feud.

Katharine Hepburn – The Hollywood legend has won more acting Academy Awards than any other actress.

The 92-year-old holds the record of being the actress with the most Oscar nominations (shared with Meryl Streep at 12) and wins (four). Her first was for Morning Glory (1933) – the last for On Golden Pond (1981).

Landmark – Hattie McDaniel became the first black star to win an Academy Award for her role as Mammy in the 1939 epic Gone with the Wind.

Her last wish was to be buried at the Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery. However, when she died in 1952, it did not take blacks and she was buried at the Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery instead.

Moniker – How Oscar received his nickname remains a mystery.

The most popular story is that Margaret Herrick, an Academy employee and eventual executive director, remarked that the statuette resembled her Uncle Oscar, and the Academy staff began to refer to it by that name.

No-show – Much of the movie community considers the Oscars the highlight of their year but some have made a career out of staying away.

Among the most notorious is Woody Allen. Over the years, Allen has never acknowledged his 15 Oscar nominations, and two wins, as writer or director. He has never so much as set foot near the ceremony and described the Academy Awards as "meaningless".

But as stubborn as Allen might seem, he could not match George C Scott for obstinacy. Throughout his 40-year career, Scott repeatedly warned the Academy never to nominate him. They didn't listen and when they awarded him best actor for Patton, he categorically refused to turn up.

Oldest -British actress Jessica Tandy is the oldest actress to have won a competitive Oscar.

She was 80 when she received her Academy Award for her performance in 1989's Driving Miss Daisy. Groucho Marx is the oldest ever recipient – he won an honorary award in 1973, aged 83.

Posthumous – Gone With the Wind screenwriter Sidney Howard became the first posthumous Oscar winner in 1939.

On 23 August 1939, he was killed while working on his farm in Massachusetts. He was driving his tractor when it rolled over on top of him.

Queen – Queen Elizabeth I: 1999 was a bumper year for the Virgin monarch as two movies about her reign swept the board. Elizabeth, starring Cate Blanchett and Joseph Fiennes picked up three Oscars, including best actress for Blanchett as the flame-haired Liz.

Fiennes, however, had a doubly disappointing evening. After failing to command attention from the Academy in Elizabeth, he spookily went to face similar distinterest for his starring part in Shakespeare in Love. The movie grabbed an impressive seven statuettes – including best actress for Gwyneth Paltrow as the Bard's aristocratic love interest – but Fiennes walked away with none.

Record – Ben-Hur (1960) and Titanic (1997) are the most successful films in Academy Awards history.

Ben-Hur won 11 of its 12 nominations, while Titanic won 11 of its 14 nominations.

Stevie Wonder -Musician Stevie Wonder dedicated his best original song Oscar – I Just Called To Say I Love You from 1984's The Woman In Red – to the imprisoned Nelson Mandela.

South Africa was none too pleased and promptly banned Wonder's records.

Emma Thompson – The British star became the first person ever nominated as an actress and for a screenplay with 1995's Sense and Sensibility.

However, she only picked up the Oscar for best screenplay (adapted). Susan Sarandon won the best actress trophy for Dead Man Walking.

Underdressed – There's nothing like the Oscars for putting on the style. But while most celebrities habitually dress up to the nines, there are some who have, at times appeared to have lost the plot.

In 1987, pop star and actress Cher collected the best actress Oscar for Moonstruck but lost all credibility for wearing a flesh-baring mesh sheath. In 1989 Demi Moore fared little better with her Boy Wonder look of bike shorts and cape. And in 1999, Cate Blanchett left little to the imagination in a clinging purple number transparent at the back to the bikini line.

But for sheer award-winning audacity nothing can beat Robert Opal who in 1973 threw caution to the wind and streaked between the acting awards. It led David Niven to remark that "the only laugh that man will probably ever get is for stripping and showing off his shortcomings".

Veteran – The oldest set of acting Oscar winners came in 1981.

Three were septegenarians – Katharine Hepburn (72), Henry Fonda (77) and Sir John Gielgud (77) – while Maureen Stapleton was 56 years young.

Wings – The World War I epic Wings was the only silent movie ever to win the best picture Oscar at the 1927-8 first Academy Awards ceremony.

Starring the legendary Clara Bow – the original "It" girl – it also featured featured a young Gary Cooper who promptly won a contract with Paramount.

X-rated – In 1969, Midnight Cowboy became the only high-profile X-rated film to win the best picture Oscar.

It contained no guns, no gratuitous nudity and the f-word wasn't spoken once. Soon after the win the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) changed it to an R.

Youngest – Actor Ryan O'Neill's daughter, Tatum O'Neill, is the youngest person ever to win a competitive Oscar.

The nine-year-old was named best supporting actress for her role as Addie Loggins in Peter Bogdanovich's Paper Moon of 1973. Shirley Temple won a honorary Academy Award, aged six, in 1935.

Zanuck The legendary movie producer Darryl Zanuck and his son Richard D Zanuck are the only father and son to receive the prestigious Irving G Thalberg Memorial Award.

Zanuck Snr received the first Thalberg award in 1937 (he was to win again in 1947 and 1950). Richard, who is the co-producer of the Oscars 2000 ceremony, received the honour in 1990.

The Academy Awards’ 80 landmarks

Kellan — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:23:27 +0000

The 2008 Academy Awards marks the 80th anniversary of the prestigious Hollywood ceremony.

To mark this landmark in the history of the Oscars, here are some of the memorable moments, from the early days to the present.

1920s/'30s

1 At the first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929, 270 guests attended and tickets cost $5.

2 All 15 Oscars went to men at the inaugural gala – apart from best actress.

3 While the Oscar winners were supposed to be a secret, 1930 best-acting winners George Arliss and Norma Shearer posed with their awards two days before the ceremony.

4 In 1932 Walt Disney was presented with an honorary Oscar for creating Mickey Mouse.

5 In the same year, the ceremony was broadcast on the radio for the first time.

6 In Depression-hit 1934, writers and performers protested at a proposed 50% pay cut and formed the Screenwriters and Screen Actors Guilds.

7 At the 1935 ceremony, It Happened One Night became the first film to win a sweep of all the major awards.

8 The first supporting actor and actress prizes were awarded in 1936, to Walter Brennan and Gale Sondergaard.

9 The 1939 gala saw both Bette Davis and Spencer Tracy collect their second acting Academy Awards, while floods delayed the ceremony by a week.

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THE 1940s

10 1940 was the year of Gone with the Wind, which picked up eight competitive and two special Oscars. Hattie McDaniel became the first black actress to win an Oscar and attend the ceremony.

11 In 1940 the Academy adopted the sealed-envelope system of announcing the winners, after the Los Angeles Times broke the embargo and revealed the results in its evening edition on the day of the awards.

12 In 1942 Bette Davis resigned as Academy president after her plans to sell tickets to raise money for Britain's war effort were rejected.

13 The following year, Hollywood contributed to the war effort by giving out Oscar statuettes made of plaster to counter wartime metal shortages.

14 In 1945 actor Barry Fitzgerald was nominated for both best actor and best supporting actor for the same performance. The rules were changed so this never happened again.

15 That same year, the awards ceremony was broadcast to American troops fighting overseas.

16 Joan Crawford triumphed as best actress in 1946 for her performance in Mildred Pierce but did not attend the ceremony, receiving her award at home some days later.

17 Foreign-language films were admitted to the competition in 1948, with Italian move Shoe-Shine winning the honours.

18 In 1949 Shakespeare made an impact at the Oscars, with a best picture award for Hamlet and its titular star Laurence Olivier.

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THE 1950s

19 Dancing legend Fred Astaire was awarded an honorary Academy Award in 1950.

20 In 1951 Marilyn Monroe made her only appearance at the Oscars as presenter of the best sound award.

21 The African Queen scooped an acting prize at the 1952 ceremony, with Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart taking home the spoils.

22 In 1953 the Academy Awards were televised for the first time on NBC, with Bob Hope acting as master of ceremonies.

23 Judy Garland and Grace Kelly went head-to-head for the best actress prize in 1955, both playing wives of alcoholics, with Kelly winning.

24 With Hollywood gripped by the era of the blacklists, a rule that no communists were permitted to win an Oscar was introduced in 1957.

25 Miyoshi Umecki became the first Asian actress to win an Academy Award in 1958 for her performance in Sayonara.

26 The same year saw a slew of awards for The Bridge on the River Kwai by British director David Lean.

27 Bugs Bunny scooped his one and only Oscar in 1959.

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THE 1960s

28 Ben Hur broke Academy Awards records in 1960, converting 11 of its 12 nominations.

29 In 1961, Elizabeth Taylor was considered such a certainty to win best actress for her role in Butterfield 8 that three of her fellow nominees failed to turn up.

30 British star Hayley Mills won a special Oscar that year for outstanding juvenile performance for her role in Pollyanna.

31 In 1962 Italian star Sophia Loren became the first best-actress winner for a performance not in the English language.

32 Sidney Poitier became the first black man to win the best actor Oscar in 1964 for his role in Lilies of the Field.

33 In 1965 the acting awards were all won by non-Americans for the first time, including Britons Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins) and Rex Harrison (My Fair Lady).

34 Audrey Hepburn failed to be nominated that year for playing Eliza Doolittle because her singing had been performed by Marni Nixon.

35 The Oscars ceremony was seen in colour on television for the first time in 1966.

36 In 1968 the awards show was postponed by two days following the assassination of Martin Luther King.

37 The best actress category was tied for the first time that year, with Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand both collecting statuettes.

38 It was Hepburn's second award in a row – she won for her performance in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner in 1967.

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THE 1970s

39 In 1970 Western legend John Wayne won the only Oscar of his career, 19 years after his first nomination.

40 Legendary film-maker Orson Welles was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1971 but did not collect it in person. He claimed to be in Spain but was at his Hollywood home.

41 A year later, screen legend Charlie Chaplin was given the accolade, gaining a five-minute standing ovation from the audience.

42 Cabaret won eight Oscars in 1973, but it was overshadowed by The Godfather, which scooped best picture and best actor for Marlon Brando's lead performance. He declined to accept his award in a protest over American Indian rights.

43 Charlton Heston was lined up as host of the ceremony that year, but was substituted at the last minute by Clint Eastwood.

44 Tatum O'Neal became the youngest Oscar winner at the age of 10 when she won best supporting actress for Paper Moon in 1974.

45 The child star was not nominated for best actress, despite appearing in most scenes of the film.

46 That year Katharine Hepburn attended the ceremony for the first time when she was presenting a statuette rather than collecting one.

47 Woody Allen's Annie Hall scooped the major awards at the 1978 ceremony, but the film-maker failed to put in an appearance.

48 In 1979 anti-Vietnam war films The Deer Hunter and Coming Home took the honours.

49 Also Laurence Olivier was given a lifetime achievement award and he attended the ceremony for the first time since 1939.

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THE 1980s

50 1981's ceremony was postponed by 24 hours owing to the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.

51 Chariots of Fire won four Oscars at the 1982 ceremony including best picture, leading to screenwriter Colin Welland to proclaim: "The British are coming!"

52 Henry and Jane Fonda became the first father-daughter nominees for On Golden Pond that year, but Jane lost out.

53 1983 was the year of Richard Attenborough's Gandhi, which picked up eight Oscars.

54 Prince's score for Purple Rain and Stevie Wonder's song I Just Called to Say I Love You scooped musical Oscar spoils in 1985.

55 In 1986 Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple amassed 11 nominations but failed to win a single statuette.

56 The 60th anniversary of the Oscars in 1988 was marred by a Writers Guild Strike, leading to comic hosts and presenters who could speak off the cuff.

57 Cher won the best actress award for Moonstruck, beating Glenn Close and Meryl Streep among others.

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THE 1990s

58 Jessica Tandy became the oldest winner of a competitive Oscar – she was 81 years old when she won best actress for Driving Miss Daisy in 1990.

59 In 1991 Kevin Costner's debut as a film-maker – Dances with Wolves – won seven Oscars, including best director for Costner.

60 Whoopi Goldberg became only the second black actress to win an Oscar after Hattie McDaniel in 1939.

61 1993 was considered another good year for the Brits, with Emma Thompson winning best actress for Howard's End, a period piece which scooped two other awards.

62 Schindler's List swept the 1994 ceremony with 10 Oscars, including a first best-director award for Steven Spielberg.

63 British animator Nick Park won the first of three Oscars for Wallace and Gromit.

64 Eleven-year-old Anna Paquin memorably gulped in shock on the podium after winning best supporting actress for The Piano.

65 In 1995 Tom Hanks won his second Oscar on the trot for Forrest Gump.

66 Elton John won an Oscar, along with Tim Rice, for a track from The Lion King.

67 In 1996 Emma Thompson became the first person to add a best screenplay Oscar to her 1993 best actress gong.

68 Titanic dominated the 1998 ceremony with a haul of 11 awards. Director James Cameron famously declared himself "king of the world".

69 In 1999 Gwyneth Paltrow won best actress for Shakespeare in Love and made a tearful, gushing speech on the podium. Judi Dench was awarded for her cameo as Queen Elizabeth I in the film.

70 Italian Roberto Benigni also became the first best-actor winner for a role in a language other than English.

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2000-2007

71 The first awards of the new millennium was a triumph for American Beauty and Britons Sam Mendes, and there was a second Oscar for Michael Caine.

72 Spanish film-maker Pedro Almodovar, who won best foreign language film for All About My Mother, had to be coaxed off the stage by Antonio Banderas as his acceptance speech overran.

73 Historical epics Gladiator and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon shared the spoils in 2001.

74 Icelandic star Bjork attended the ceremony in her famous swan dress, but lost out to Bob Dylan in the best song category.

75 Halle Berry became the first black woman to win best actress in 2002, and was overwhelmed with emotion when she accepted the award.

76 The US invasion of Iraq led to a muted ceremony the following year, with heightened security and politically-tinged acceptance speeches.

77 In 2004 The Return of the King became the only film ever to have won every single Oscar it was nominated for.

78 Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby won the main awards in 2005 including best director, consigning Martin Scorsese to the sidelines for the fifth time in his career.

79 In 2006, a major upset was caused in the best picture category when Crash won instead of hot favourite Brokeback Mountain.

80 Martin Scorsese finally won best director for The Departed, while Dame Helen Mirren capped an awards-laden year for her role as Queen Elizabeth II.

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Robert Redford – the champion of indie film

Kellan — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:39:01 +0000

In a HardTalk Extra interview screened on 28 January, Tom Brook talks to Robert Redford about his remarkable career, his passion for independent film and his thoughts on life in America today.

For copyright reasons this interview is no longer available for viewing.

The following is a transcript of the interview as broadcast. While every effort has been made to ensure that it correctly reflects the interview, we cannot guarantee that it is completely accurate.

TOM BROOK: Robert Redford, a very warm welcome to Hardtalk Extra. We've just seen a clip there of The Motorcycle Diaries. Now this is a film that you were intimately involved with, you were the executive producer. What was it about the story that really drew you in.

ROBERT REDFORD: The fact that it was story not known, it was a story beneath the story that is known, which has probably been distorted mythology. And that's usually the case with me, I prefer stories that led to something happening that no-one knows about, whether it's All the Presidents Men or films like, it's about the story beneath the story that got told.

And in this case it had a particularly humane side that I thought if it were done well it could transcend borders and the film should absolutely be pure, should absolutely risk being pure. Meaning, in the language it was written, an all latino cast. I was not interested in the poster we've got plenty of that, and that's probably been distorted by myth and whatever.

It's kind of hard to distort the diaries written by a man who was nothing. This was a 23 year student, a medical student, who was writing about his personal feelings during travels on his adventure in life. So I trusted that, that's one of the reasons why I wanted to make it. Secondly, Sundance itself, associated with me, is pretty committed to developing international relationships in film. And exposing other film makers from other countries on the, on the belief that considering the spin that's going on around in the world, the globalisation of the world itself, and the spin that's coming with it, it makes it hard to find the truth anywhere.

Particularly where certain medias controlled by corporate interests. You're going to have, you're pretty hard pressed to get to the truth, so the idea of using film as a more cultural exchange is obviously appealing to me, and I think it's reached that level where it can be through international documentaries or documentaries. And films brought to us by other people from other cultures can increase our understanding from other cultures which might in turn effect our foreign policy.

TOM BROOK: When we look at Sundance and the film festival, what is it do you think was behind it? What are the aims of the festival and do you think that you've achieved that?

ROBERT REDFORD: I think the aims of the festival have been achieved beyond what I actually hoped. Which is, I could see the industry that I was in, which is the main stream part of the industry, even though I've made independent films within it, I was blessed by being able to be in the side, inside it to do it.

I could see the way the industry was moving in 1980, that it was likely that we were going to be maybe abrograting that space that was given over to more diverse fare. It wasn't so, it wasn't so dependent on the high concept, formulaic, special effects, following the young market which was going to go younger and younger and younger and you could pretty well track where that would lead us.

The work was undoubtedly going to get better, more skilled, as technology increased. But to me, the, more the humanistic side of cinema has always what's interested me where the really great stories are to be told and so I focused on that in 1980.

We think about the lab that we have developed, new talent, new voices, and then you think about the category of independent films, which is pretty well reduced to government grants in those days, by touching that category with new talent I would hope that we could create almost a separate category of alternative viewing and that would simply keep the industry alive and, keeping diversity alive.

So that was the objective, didn't know it would work, took a while to find out. But it has and we are committed to increasing the role of documentaries, increasing the role of international films. So if it's, if it's the United Kingdom, if it's Asia, if it's Africa, we're committed in Latin America, particularly Latin America because it's so close to America. They're more than our neighbours, they are really a part of us now.

So we need to understand these cultures. So bringing those films to these countries to broaden our understanding seems like a pretty good idea. And that's happening.

TOM BROOK: When people talk about Sundance, everybody points out that it is very inclusive as a festival. But how inclusive is it, because a lot of the films here are really challenging the status quo. They're left wing, for want of a better term, many of them. And you don't have many right wing films here, do you?

ROBERT REDFORD: We do. I mean, we have to be careful there because, bi-partisanship is built into our menu because we offer something for everyone. We don't lean in one direction or another, we don't even know what the themes of the festival are going to really be until it's over. So you see the combination of the demonstration in the market place and what audiences are responding to.

We can't define ourselves until the festival's over. That's why it's kind of a joke, I hear people defining us before we've even arrived, it's kind of getting boring. But that's the fact, that we're too easily categorised, I think because of me maybe, or some of the films I've made or the fact we're about diversity which includes dissent, includes freedom of expression, big stress and freedom of expression.

Considering the state of affairs in our country right now, that can be considered left. I don't consider it left, I just consider it democratic and so, that gets distorted from time to time. No, I don't think there are any left leading films, I'm sure there are, there are films about the revolution, there are films about Iraq.

There's a film here about the republican convention that went on in New York, telling the story that no-one saw, which is photographic footage of how the demonstrators and protestors were treated by the police. And all that footage was confiscated or edited out by the networks, but the stuff that was spared is being used into a storyline, for a film. That's simply the truth you know.

So, no I don't think, I think it's too easy to, first of all I don't like labels, red-state, blue state, that's crap, you know, diminishing.

TOM BROOK: Let me ask you, the public is bombarded with information from the mass media. A lot of these media organisations are controlled by corporate interest, but this is what people consume from TV and from newspapers. What role do you think does independent film provide that, is it an alternative in a way to what people are getting from the mass media, and do you think that's its proper role?

ROBERT REDFORD: I do. And that is true, and that is what's happening. The, our country right now, when you have both parties, both houses of government in control of one party you have a president, same party. You have an effort to redo our court system, which basically you have an effort not too thinly disguised to re-do our constitution.

You have an invasion of a more egalitarian government and so therefore any, any attempt to kind of go against that, just to keep balance and to keep diversity, which is democratic alive, anybody would be for that, otherwise the country's going to be inundated with information that is very distorted, one-sided, maybe manipulative and right now I think that's primarily the case, it's kind of joke to say, well the media's controlled by the liberal. That's not true, you've got a lot of examples that are just the opposite.

So a lot of the voices that get heard on the media, are voices from the right, and particularly now in this climate, the extremist, radical right. I call them, to me they're the real radicals, and so that extremist point of view is so dominant right now, I consider it a healthy and correct thing to balance it out with views of the other side. That's all. If it's too much in that direction, we want to be looking at a balance from the other side.

TOM BROOK: But you talk about this, you take the voice of right wing America, you have Talk Radio, it does reach millions of people. The films here don't have such a large reach, a lot of them are showing in art house cinemas, and just reaching a few thousand people.

ROBERT REDFORD: Well, I think that's going to change. I think not only is independent film on the rise, I think the bar has been lifted, in terms of the quality. I think diversity is stronger now than it was 10 years ago. I think you have whole industries, cottage industries that have come up out of the idea of developing independent film.

You now have smaller distributors, smaller production companies, they're simply to finance those films, the studios, the major studios won't. So there's a movement for it. I think the internet, which is really democratised film telling all kinds of stories from all different points of view.

All that goes hand in hand with what Sundance is about, which is providing as much information to the public, so that they can decide on their own, so it becomes discovery, so the festivals really as much discovery as much as anything.

TOM BROOK: You have lived through a lot in your life, by way of developments in the world. I mean, you were alive during World War II, McCarthyism, Reaganism, Clintonism, I get the feeling from talking to you or hearing you that you're very worried about what's going on now. Is it very different from what happened historically during your lifetime, do you think?

ROBERT REDFORD: Yeah, I've experienced in my life time some phenomenal terms in history. The Second World War, and right after that there was McCarthy. All of these were threatening to our security and our solidarity as a country, but we survived it, barely. Particularly McCarthyism.

Part of the closest parallel to our state of being right now would be the state that existed with McCarthy. Because there was fear, it was controlled by playing the fear card.

I think that's what we see now in this country. The fear's being used as a tool, and a very effective one, because no-one wants to see their security jeopardised, particularly if they're comfortable. And this country, I think was reasonably, aside from the poor people, the minorities and people not getting a fair shake, it's a pretty comfortable country all things considered.

So the idea of saying, oh there may be terrorists here and they may be coming after you in your neighbourhood, and there may be young people out their demonstration around the republican convention that are actually terrorists in disguise, people are going to support a violation of freedom of speech or civil rights. That's not a new situation, I think that's existed all through time.

We have Watergate, we have McCarthy, we have Reagonomics, we had the Iran contra. And in those cases we had a Teflon leadership that never seemed to get tagged for the offences that occurred. Now you have it again, these people seem to be Teflon, no-ones taking responsibility, let alone admitting what grievances we've created. And it keeps happening.

So my guess is we're probably doomed to that in our history. I guess I have faith in the American people that in a form of justice that says no matter how come, how close we come to the breach of evil force. I think people probably get fed up and say, hold it. But I think it's a pattern. I'm not sure that that's ever going to change. That's not going to bleep. I think that's true.

TOM BROOK: I know you don't like labels but a lot of people do think of you as being a liberal politically, but they will say, or a lot of people say that liberalism as an ideology is passé. That there's no way that a liberal platform could get a president of the United States or a candidate elected. Do you believe that to be true?

ROBERT REDFORD: No, no I don't. First of all, let's take me as a liberal. I have liberal tendencies, that would be true, but to be labelled a liberal, I don't think so. Because if I was a strict liberal, or a strict democrat, that would mean that on principle alone, I would only vote one way. That's not true. I think I've supported people in the past that have been republicans because I thought they were good people.

I think they were people that stood for being on the right side of an issue. And I thought they were people with courage. And I would support them, and I still do. So for me, it's more the issue, and it's more the person, and whether that person, that issue is going to embody fundamental principles that I think have kept this country strong. It's as simple as that.

So, I'm not the classic liberal. If I'm going to be categorised that way, one of our Hollywood actors, director. I'm a Hollywood character, so to speak, although I don't live in Hollywood and I don't see myself that way. I'll be classified, because it's easy. But no, I'm no, I'm more interested in, right now I think the only answer for us is by partisanship and without that I think we're deep cockup.

I think we're already living in a very dangerous time. More dangerous than any time in my lifetime.

TOM BROOK: You are obviously are a champion of independent film, but how important is it for you right now, to maintain a profile as an actor, as maybe a Hollywood actor?

ROBERT REDFORD: Well, if you go straight across the board, every corporate fear, people make decisions in the corporate world that are based on fear, going to lose their job, they don't want to lose market share what have you, they'll take short cuts, they'll hide funds, if it gets caught Hollywood sticks its neck out there.

Hollywood is a business and the only thing in my mind that ever really threatens Hollywood, really threatens Hollywood, is if money is threatened. Then you will see some reactions. So for example, if there is a film that moves over in that direction this side, or that side they'll absolutely go with it unless they feel it may hurt their financial figures.

TOM BROOK: What about your own career as a movie actor. I know you don't like labels but at one point a lot of people did call you Hollywood's golden boy. And I'm sure, I mean you have an ego, does it bother you than when you make a film nowadays you don't get as much attention for your acting?

ROBERT REDFORD: I don't know that I ever did, until I got labelled a golden boy. I started out in theatre on Broadway and I did theatre and live television, a lot of television up until about 1963. I played mostly killers, rapists, insane people, just 'cos they were great parts. I didn't get labelled a crazy. The labelling didn't start until success came in, you know when you have a picture that's very, very successful, then suddenly you go along with it and you become labelled according to the film.

So once the labelling came I wasn't bothered in the beginning because I thought it was so absurd, but then I realised that that's the way it is and there's only so far you can go complaining about it, or trying to turn it around.

The only way you can turn it around is just to keep doing diverse parts until it no longer fits or people get tired. It was hard until I realised that there was nothing I could do about it. You just have to live with it.

TOM BROOK: What about watching your work on the screen. I read that you don't really like to watch your own movies.

ROBERT REDFORD: I don't. I never did though. And that goes all the way back to square one, I just didn't. I kind of want to analysis it and take it to therapy thing. I never was comfortable about it, I'm not particularly comfortable in seeing films that I've done. Looking backwards is sort of not my thing.

I think I've gone to a fault, I think I've gone too far in that direction and I think not having seen some of my work is a mistake. I certainly think now of all times I can do that. So that's probably some flaw with myself. But it is true, I don't particularly watch myself, I don't like to sit in dailies.

When I'm directing myself or producing a film on, it's hard, because of the editing. And as to exactly why, I don't know, maybe it's because I used to make fun of actors when I was a kid. Go to the movie theatre and say, Oh hey, you tell them lover. And here I am up there, it's maybe that's weird. I don't know, it's not important.

TOM BROOK: I don't have to tell you, but last year this book came out, Down and Dirty Pictures, which really in a sense, it looked at independent film, but it took aim at you and one of the things that came through in the book was that you in a way were very meticulous about things and vain and a bit of a perfectionist. Is there any truth to that and how did you feel about the book?

ROBERT REDFORD: I didn't read the book. It was partly true. Vain, I don't know about that, I don't think I have a vanity in the way we understand it. I think I'm vain about wanting to see my work the best it could be. I don't think it was a physical vanity, otherwise I'd have done different things.

But, I think the problem with something like that, the book was so distorted and it was so one sided and that particular author had done it to us before. I think he was harbouring some grief because he was not sort of brought in to inner circle.

I think he's cut from a very similar profile of wannabes on the outside that realise that the only way they can get inside is by lobbing grenades over a fence. In the territory they really don't know how could they because they haven't been there. So there's a lot of distortion and a lot of, there's huge distortion, a lot of people were upset by it. I realised about 13 years earlier that same guy had written something just like that.

We were just starting our festival. He went after the festival and it was very, very critical but he never interviewed any of the film makers. He interviewed people who had left their job or had been let go. When you have that kind of distortion tied to some, that kind of small minded negativity then that person has a problem and you can't worry about it. In the end it will come out the way it should.

I don't think the book had any real power, because it was so distorted it was so not true, I just didn't bother to read it. Because I knew, when I heard, oh dear he goes again. He's got some burr under his saddle that has him want to get at us in some way, but I can't really be bothered with it.

TOM BROOK: As you go through life though, do you think that you can learn from criticism? Is it something that you encourage other people to do, in relation to you?

ROBERT REDFORD: Yeah, absolutely. I think that criticism, how can you be discerning about your own criticism, but I guess you are. There are certain things, it's too easy to say, well that negative review, that guy didn't know what he was talking about so I'll dismiss it. Well that positive review, hey.

Well I don't go there because I've had positive reviews that I didn't agree with, as to why they liked it. I've had negative reviews that I thought were terribly unfair. They seem to say more about some grief the critic, like the book you were just mentioning.

That has a lot, that's got more to do with the guy, a mean spirit type of some smallness in himself, simply unsatisfied. Then he takes out on others, that's of no use 'cos you see it, you see it's so distorted it's not going to do any good.

On the other hand, it is important, although I don't read reviews anymore. I did, and I thought you know I've look for something that feels constructive. I'm not perfect. No-one is perfect. I'm actually, I like criticism. But when it's distorted by personal agenda, then you have to learn to forget that.

TOM BROOK: You have achieved a tremendous amount in your life, and the Sundance film festival must rank, to you I'm sure, as one of your major achievements, but do you have a grand plan, or anything to match Sundance that you want to put your energies into for the future?

ROBERT REDFORD: That's a great question. I think if my family, or close friends, if they heard that question they'd try to yank me out this chair right now, before I could tell you what that might be 'cos I'm already involved in maybe too many things.

But no, right now, I don't see anything on the horizon. Not politics, more people ask me that, because I have an interest in politics, because it controls my life, but do I want to go into it, not on your life. Too full of compromise, so that's out.

But, no, basically I'm an artist, that's what I started out to be and that's what I am, so acting, directing, writing, producing is where I want to be and will always be. Sundance was just something that was started to give opportunity to others, because I think you should put something back. And that opportunity turned into other opportunities. It felt like good sense, and then finally good business and so I went there.

I don't want to be in that world. That's not the world I belong in. I'm not interested in being a business executive. I had to be one just to protect the investment, so to speak, but I don't really need to do that anymore, just sort of see it through and make sure it can holds its course and maintains its integrity.

But, I see, following that through and any new opportunities that come from it, I would seize them because the plan is to take independent film and push it to its maximum and give the best opportunity you can to the new talent, and give them the best showcasing they can get. So we will continue with that for, but fundamentally my candle burns hottest with doing.

TOM BROOK: Well, Robert Redford, thank you very much indeed, for joining me on Hardtalk Extra and that was very interesting to hear your views.

HARDtalk Extra can be seen on Fridays on BBC World at 04:30 GMT, 11:30 GMT, 15:30 GMT, 19:30 GMT and 00:30 GMT.

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 04:30 and 23:30