R.I.P. John Morris (1926-2018)

John Morris

On January 25, 2018, composer John Morris died at the age of 91 in Red Hook, New York. over the course of his career, he has produced some of the most iconic scores ranging from films by Mel Brooks such as The Producers and Blazing Saddles; to more mature work like The Elephant Man. Even if he wasn't a household name, he managed to create some of the most empathetic and effective music in comedy and drama, and leaves behind an impressive body of work. Who could forget the melodies of a Brooks film? A lot of the credit is owed to Morris, who foudn a way to make melodies funny and catchy. With an impressive career spanning 30 years, he leaves behind an impressive body of work that will leave film fans happy and dancing, no matter how much they try to resist.

R.I.P. Gene Wilder (1933-2016)

Gene Wilder

On August 29, 2016, actor and director Gene Wilder died of Alzheimer's Disease in Stamford, Connecticut at the age of 83. Over the course of his career, he is best known for his comedic roles in films such as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and three collaborations with Mel Brooks (two of which received him Oscar nominations). With a lengthy and impressive career, he was a funny man who complimented his co-stars while also being able to make characters with an understated nuttiness. With several iconic films to his credit and activism in cancer research through Gilda's Club, he was a passionate man who made the most of his career by making people laugh and love. His talents loom large over pop culture, and his presence will be greatly missed.

Birthday Take: Gene Wilder in "Young Frankenstein" (1974)

Gene Wilder

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

8 Reasons That Madeline Kahn Was a Great Actress

Madeline Kahn in Paper Moon

There is one thing nowadays that I don't think is well known: Madeline Kahn was one of the best actresses of her time. No, seriously. While you are likely to remember Diane Keaton or Meryl Streep, there were few performers who were as charismatic, mixing drama with comedy, and song with dance. The two-time Oscar nominee had a fantastic career that was cut short at the age of 57 in 1999 from ovarian cancer. On the occasion of what would've been her 73rd birthday, I am here to remind everyone of her many achievements in entertainment and explain to you why she was one of the greats.

The Directors Project: #31 - Mel Brooks

Scene from Cinema Paradiso

With the many lists and essays written on the subject of film, there has been one thing that The Oscar Buzz has tried to understand: Who is my favorite of the film world? For 10 weeks this summer, I will be exploring this with a countdown of the Top 50 names based on a numerical ranking of ratings from various sources, the following is a list of directors who rank above everyone else. With occasional upsets, this is intended as both a discussion opener as well as a better understanding of me as a film critic and fan. Please enjoy and leave any comments you have regarding the entry's selection.