Who is Your Favorite New Line?
With New Line Cinema recently being folded into its parent corporation and its founders being put to pasture after 40 years of running the company (!), I thought I’d offer out the question of what the row three folks favourite New Line offering is. But that may be putting the cart before the horse. Do folks out there pay attention to studio logos at the front of their films? (I’m asking you). In the early 1990s, seeing the Miramax logo pop up often meant something, same with the early 2000s with Lionsgate. I still get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I see the Focus Features logo, and lately Paramount Vantage has rocked, but I get cold and uncomfortable (usually) upon seeing many Sony Screen Gems features.
Anyway, New Line seemed to be all over the place in their projects. Certainly their early claim to fame was the Nightmare on Elm Street films then the Austin Powers franchise before culminating with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy where it made history in terms of how to shoot expensive blockbusters, how to film a large book or series, how to keep putting out Special Editions (OK, that trick was taken from George Lucas) and ultimately how to get everyone on your back through bad accounting and dirty pool.
But I digress. New Line may not have exactly been high brow as studios go, but they were more or less independent and autonomous for most of their 40 year life. The studio spanned the range from John Waters scat-spliotation to the Pleasantville; Evil Dead to Glengarry Glen Ross; The Hidden to The New World; and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Boogie Nights (and lets not forget the glorious Critters franchise!).
Here are three of my favorites:
any company that brings out “New World” and “Little Children”, perhaps my two favorite films of the last decade, is alright with me.
I can even excuse them the blemish that is Magnolia
Comment by rot — February 29, 2008 @ 9:28 am
If Magnolia is a blemish, then what is “Son of the Mask”? Gonorrhea?
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — February 29, 2008 @ 9:49 am
New Line has released some great stuff over the years. I always remember being a kid and watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and wondering why they showed the New Line opening twice in a row (side topic: I think I’m going to write an article on the greatness and creativity of the first Ninja Turtles live action movie).
And yes, I definitely pay attention to the logos are the beginning of movies. I have ever since I was a little kid, not sure why really. Other New Line movies worth mentioning: Se7en, American History X, Sid and Nancy, About Schmidt, A History of Violence, and Dumb and Dumber.
Comment by Jonathan — February 29, 2008 @ 10:54 am
Kind of on Jonathan’s point, I’ve always been somewhat mindful of the logos before my movies. Focus always seems to be pretty good and New Line was another one I like (I think my fave out of the bunch is either Se7en or The New World) but the old Orion pictures had some great stuff too (Valmont being one of my faves) and Alliance Atlantis when it was still Canadian. Man, I remember applying for nearly EVERY job I could because I WANTED to work for a company that put out so many of the movies I loved.
ThinkFilm is another GREAT one and the one I’m keeping my eye on at the moment is Mongrel who just launched their distribution arm this past year (moving away from just DVD’s). Their track record right now is pretty outstanding.
Comment by Marina Antunes — February 29, 2008 @ 11:54 am
I very much pay attention to the logos at the front end of films. I always forget later, but I know lately, besides FOCUS, I’ve been impressed with anything that says “Pathe” at the beginning.
As for New Line, I remember not only the logo, but also the little jingle that goes along with it. It’s very “crisp and clear” sounding and I always associate that sound with a good movie about to happen.
New Line goodies off the top of my head (other than those mentioned already): Blow, Running Scared, Blade, Detroit Rock City, Thirteen Days, Domino, A History of Violence…
Comment by Andrew James — February 29, 2008 @ 12:16 pm
And the new line logo just happened to be the first thing I ever saw on DVD. Have to admit that little score-bit mentioned does demo the sound system quite well, almost as good as the old THX sound.
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — February 29, 2008 @ 12:33 pm
In addition to LOTR and A History of Violence, two (or four?) of the greatest movies ever, I have to thank New Line for one of my favourite guilty pleasures, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle!
Comment by Ashley Townsend — February 29, 2008 @ 12:42 pm
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle - YES Ashley! I agree!
Comment by Marina Antunes — February 29, 2008 @ 1:33 pm
I don’t even go for that type of comedy, and I found there to be a lot to love in Harold and Kumar. I won’t be hailing it as a classic or anything, but there was much going on in that movie than the usual gross-out stuff. I’d put it above Superbad to be sure.
Actually, I liked UNDERCOVER BROTHER quite a bit too. Maybe there is something to this Neil Patrick Harris supporting character (hmm, Starship Troopers as well)….
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — February 29, 2008 @ 1:43 pm
Undercover Brother eh? I should give that one a shot then. And yes….I see a pattern emerging!
Comment by Marina Antunes — February 29, 2008 @ 2:22 pm