Yoko Ono Archives - The Playlist

‘Isle Of Dogs’ Trailer: Wes Anderson Goes To Japan

Kevin Jagernauth — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 14:59:04 +0000

If you want to know how strong the goodwill that Wes Anderson carries around is, all you have to do is look at the absolutely great and kinda bonkers cast for his new movie, “Isle Of Dogs.” In no particular order, F. Murray Abraham, Bob Balaban, Bryan Cranston, Greta Gerwig, Jeff Goldblum, Akira Ito, Scarlett Johansson, Harvey Keitel, Bill Murray, Kunichi Nomura, Edward Norton, Yoko Ono, Koyu Rankin, Liev Schreiber, Tilda Swinton, Akira Takayama and Frank Wood, all lend their voices to what is hopefully another winning picture from the filmmaker.

Continue reading ‘Isle Of Dogs’ Trailer: Wes Anderson Goes To Japan at The Playlist.

Exclusive: First Clip From Mystery Project ‘ITW Pathway’ Starring Terrence Howard, Famke Janssen, Rosie Perez, Moby, Alan Cumming, Will Oldham & More

Kevin Jagernauth — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 22:44:00 +0000

We have an exclusive first look today at “ITW Pathway,” a secretive project that is being so closely guarded, the filmmakers themselves are, for now, not revealing their identity.

From what we can tell you, the cast signed on knowing very little about the project, but one thing we can say is that while it does boast a lot of music talent, it is not a music-centered film. “ITW Pathway” boasts a huge cast, including Terrence Howard, Temple Grandin, Rufus Wainwright, Famke Janssen, Will Shortz, Moby, Kent Cullers, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Jorgen Leth, Dave Matthews, Alan Cumming, Rosie Perez, Aimee Mullins, Bob Mankoff and Will Oldham with original music by Yoko Ono.

Continue reading Exclusive: First Clip From Mystery Project ‘ITW Pathway’ Starring Terrence Howard, Famke Janssen, Rosie Perez, Moby, Alan Cumming, Will Oldham & More at The Playlist.

Long Awaited Doc ‘Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why is Everybody Talkin’ About Him)?’ Finally Picked Up By Lorber Films

Kevin Jagernauth — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:17:00 +0000

Premiering way back in 2006 at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and then dropping off the map, “Who is Harry Nilsson (and Why is Everybody Talkin’ About Him)?” is a music documentary we’ve long been anticipating and now we’ll finally get to see it. The film has finally been acquired, with Lorber Films picking up the rights to the film.

Directed by John Scheinfeld, the film provides the overview of the immensely talented and still undersung singer/songwriter.

Continue reading Long Awaited Doc ‘Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why is Everybody Talkin’ About Him)?’ Finally Picked Up By Lorber Films at The Playlist.

Clash Of The Titans: ‘Religulous’ Soon To Beat ‘Expelled’ As the Top Grossing Doc Of 2008

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:46:00 +0000

So “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” the Ben Stein creationist-propaganda film that stole a John Lennon song from Yoko Ono was the highest grossing documentary this year, with a $7.7 million gross, right?

Well, Bill Maher and Larry Charles’ “Religulous” documentary looks like it will supersede that number shortly, as they’re not far behind with $7,049,342 cume so far according to Box-Office Mojo (via the L.A. Times).

And thank, ahem, God, for that.

Continue reading Clash Of The Titans: ‘Religulous’ Soon To Beat ‘Expelled’ As the Top Grossing Doc Of 2008 at The Playlist.

Yoko Ono Drops Suit Over Lennon Song Use In Creationist Doc, ‘Expelled’

Rodrigo Perez — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:18:00 +0000

Remember Yoko Ono’s long standing feud with Ben Stein and his creationist doc, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” which used part of John Lennon’s “Imagine,” without consent from his estate?

Last we left off in this case, “Expelled” was being re-released for the summer (it did surprisingly well at the box-office for a documentary) and Ono had lost her initial lawsuit when Stein and Creation Media (the people behind ‘Expelled’) hid behind the fair-use doctrine.

Continue reading Yoko Ono Drops Suit Over Lennon Song Use In Creationist Doc, ‘Expelled’ at The Playlist.

Now That Yoko’s Out Of The Way, Ben Stein’s ‘Expelled’ Getting Re-Released This Summer

Rodrigo Perez — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:38:00 +0000

Man, Premise Media, Ben Stein and the filmmakers of the creationist propaganda documentary, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” are really rubbing their victory over Yoko Ono in her and our noses.

You’ll remember that Yoko Ono sued the film for using John Lennon’s classic 1971 anthem “Imagine” in the documentary without her permission.
We expected her bulldog lawyers to sue them back into the stone ages, but somehow they won the case with their fair use doctrine defense (‘Expelled’ essentially tricked the Vegas rockers The Killers into signing over one of their songs as well).

Continue reading Now That Yoko’s Out Of The Way, Ben Stein’s ‘Expelled’ Getting Re-Released This Summer at The Playlist.

Yoko Ono Loses Lawsuit Against Ben Stein And ‘Expelled’ Creationist Cronies Over Use Of John Lennon’s “Imagine”

Rodrigo Perez — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:24:00 +0000

Does the blogosphere memory extend further than three weeks?

You’ll recall that Yoko Ono had sued Premise Media and the makers of the creationist propaganda documentary, ‘Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed’ for using John Lennon’s classic 1971 anthem “Imagine” in the documentary without her permission (the full use was 15-seconds).

The filmmakers said they would defend the use of the song under the fair-use doctrine. We assumed they would have no shot in hell given Ono’s litigious nature and surely Cerberus-like lawyers, but we were wrong.

Continue reading Yoko Ono Loses Lawsuit Against Ben Stein And ‘Expelled’ Creationist Cronies Over Use Of John Lennon’s “Imagine” at The Playlist.

Ben Stein Fires Back At Yoko Ono Lawsuit; This Will TOTALLY Hold Up In Court

Rodrigo Perez — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:11:00 +0000

Yoko Ono and her kin, along with privately held publisher EMI Blackwood Music Inc. are suing the pro-creationist film, “Expelled:No Intelligence Allowed,”and its producers (Premise Media) for the unlawful use of John Lennon’s 1971 classic song, “Imagine.”

They’re claiming the fair-use doctrine, but whatever Ono’s going to sue them into the stone age, wait, they probably don’t believe in that. Sue them back in to the B.C. days?

Either way, Ben Stein the star of the doc has shot back at Yoko via a damning press release.

Continue reading Ben Stein Fires Back At Yoko Ono Lawsuit; This Will TOTALLY Hold Up In Court at The Playlist.

Yoko Ono Sues ‘Expelled’ Filmmakers For Unauthorized Use Of Lennon’s “Imagine”

Rodrigo Perez — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:28:00 +0000

Did we call this one first or what? Yoko Ono has filed suit against the filmmakers of “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” for the unauthorized use of John Lennon’s classic 1971 song, “Imagine.”

On April 17, Ono’s lawyer, said in an interview that the filmmakers of the pro-creationist film starring adenoidal actor Ben Stein did not have lawful permission to use the song. “It was not licensed,” he told the Wall Street Journal. “We are exploring all options.”

And explore they did.

Continue reading Yoko Ono Sues ‘Expelled’ Filmmakers For Unauthorized Use Of Lennon’s “Imagine” at The Playlist.

Duped: ‘Expelled’ Film Creationist Producers Tricked The Killers Too

Rodrigo Perez — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:03:00 +0000

It’s nothing new to hear about dubious-sounding dealings from the producers of the “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” documentary, their misrepresentations about the film and their interviews allegedly done under false pretenses have been well-documented (there’s a whole website dedicated to debunking all their apparently “outrageous claims”). John Lennon’s music was used without Yoko’s permission and now it appears The Killers have been had as well.
From a post in our comments section:

Here is what the head administrator over at the official Killers message board just posted:

“I just spoke to the band’s manager, and adding to the confusion was the fact that they did authorize a project months ago with this request:

Quote: ‘The film is a satirical documentary with an estimated running time of 1 hour and 50 minutes, exploring academic freedom in public schools and government institutions with actor, comedian, economist, Ben Stein as the spokesperson.’

What they authorized was a documentary about ‘academic freedom in schools’, not the film that the producers produced.

Continue reading Duped: ‘Expelled’ Film Creationist Producers Tricked The Killers Too at The Playlist.

Yoko One Denies ‘Expelled’ Lennon Song, Filmmakers Use Track Regardless Under “Freespeech” Doctrine; Killers On The Otherhand Say ‘OK’

Rodrigo Perez — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:16:00 +0000

So after a little digging around on the whole imbroglio involving Ben Stein’s dubious pro-creationist film, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” and the fact that two tracks by The Killers and John Lennon (“Imagine,” no less) may have been licensed for the film – which as many have pointed out would be an odd association for Yoko Ono, Lennon and the Killers to be a part of – we’ve found some answers.

Publicists for Ono, her lawyers and people have told us the the track was not licensed for the film and a statement on the matter would be forthcoming (see below).

Continue reading Yoko One Denies ‘Expelled’ Lennon Song, Filmmakers Use Track Regardless Under “Freespeech” Doctrine; Killers On The Otherhand Say ‘OK’ at The Playlist.

Hoodwinked? John Lennon & The Killers Songs Not Actually Licensed For Ben Stein Creationist Film ‘Expelled’?

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:33:00 +0000

So yesterday, a blog from the Huffington Post reported that a Killers song and a John Lennon song (“Imagine” no less) were licensed for the what they called, “creationist propaganda” film “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.” The article was called, “Yoko Ono Sells Out John Lennon To Creationist Manufactroversy,” and the author was duly outraged over the fact both Ono and the Sin-City mormons had given their musical consent.

Members of the blogosphere, including us, reported it as fact, or at least reported that “according to the Huffington Post, …” etc., etc.

Continue reading Hoodwinked? John Lennon & The Killers Songs Not Actually Licensed For Ben Stein Creationist Film ‘Expelled’? at The Playlist.

I’m Looking Through You: The Missing Music Of Wes Anderson – The Royal Tenenbaums

Rodrigo Perez — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 17:00:00 +0000

Our features on the music of Wes Anderson – and the music that doesn’t appear on the soundtrack CD’s – continues with 2001’s “The Royal Tenenbaums” (Earlier this week we looked at “Bottle Rocket” and “Rushmore“)

“I Always Wanted To Be A Tenenbaum” -Liner Notes: The music supervisor Randall Poster calls Mark Mothersbaugh’s [French Impressionism-inspired] score, “charmed, magical and sort of innocent.” Of Mothersbaugh’s Mutato Muzika L.A. operation, Wes Anderson said, “Mutato Muzika – which I think is Esperanto – provides a very stimulating creative atmosphere.

Continue reading I’m Looking Through You: The Missing Music Of Wes Anderson – The Royal Tenenbaums at The Playlist.

Endorsed by John & Yoko; The Father of The Midnight Movie Returns

Rodrigo Perez — Thu, 03 May 2007 16:25:00 +0000

“Nothing is a matter of probability. If you put your spirit to something that phenomenon will happen; when you are determined, when you deeply enter that dimension that I call the ‘Dance of reality.’ – Alejandro Jodorowsky

Just released to DVD are the films of Chilean-born, ’60s crackpot surrealist Alejandro Jodorowsky. An acid-soaked hodgepodge of unintentionally funny psychedelia, gratuitous blood, gratuitous nudity and lesbianism, wanton religious and militaristic iconography and other hippie-laden hilarious nonsense, the film, “El Topo,” became an instant cult-classic upon its release in 1970 (it’s ostensibly about a gunslinger on a “spiritual quest”).

Continue reading Endorsed by John & Yoko; The Father of The Midnight Movie Returns at The Playlist.