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Pairing John Wayne With A Giant Squid Proved A Winning Move For Paramount – My Blog

When was the last time you were truly dazzled by a special effect? Our mainstream media landscape has been consumed by CGI to the point where we don’t even think about the logistics of what we see anymore. In the series premiere of “House of the Dragon,” Were you awed by the presence of multiple dragons, or did you just go, “Oh, yeah. Dragons. Sure?” Bear in mind, these creatures don’t exist in real life and look entirely real.At a time where effects are more seamless than ever before, we no longer feel their power because entire movies and television shows go by without a single frame using them. Before digital effects, you had to build this stuff by hand and have them ready to shoot on the day. Because they took so much time, money, and manpower to create, productions would focus their special effects on one single thing: a set piece, a creature, or just a moment of magic. While this was usually done for practical reasons, what it did was give these effects more of a “wow” factor, making audiences wonder about how the thing they just saw was done. They couldn’t just say, “Computers.”One such instance of this kind of practical effect magic comes from Cecil B. DeMille’s 1942 sea-faring adventure film “Reap the Wild Wind,” starring Ray Milland, John Wayne, Paulette Goddard, and a whole host of familiar faces. That film’s climax features Milland and Wayne’s characters underwater, battling a gigantic squid. Even today, the creature work leaves you slightly slack-jawed, and it riveted audiences at the time, making it the fourth-highest grossing film of the year. And people were clamoring to know how they made it.A bathtub thoughtParamountWhen breaking the story for “Reap the Wild Wind,” Cecil B. DeMille and his trio of screenwriters, Charles Bennett, Jesse Lasky Jr., and Alan Le May (plus the uncredited contributions of Jeanie Macpherson and Theodore St. John), could not come up with an ending to the picture they were all happy with. As recounted in the book “Duke: The Life and Image of John Wayne” by Ronald L. Davis, Charles Bennett, who wrote the screenplays to many of Alfred Hitchcock’s pre-Hollywood films, was taking a bath one morning and had his own “Eureka!” moment. His big thought was “Giant squid!” Well, he had a little more than that. He had the whole scene in his head.Bennett recalls the meeting where he pitched the scene to DeMille:“I was John Wayne, I was Ray Milland, I was the squid … I acted the whole scene out in front of DeMille.”DeMille was satisfied, adding that it all needed to be, “In Technicolor.” The giant squid was in the picture, and it was going to kill John Wayne’s character, a rarity for the actor so often held up as the bright, shining hero of his pictures. His second-billed turn in “Reap the Wild Wind” is for a character who makes some not-so-savory choices, and him meeting his fate at the hands (or tentacles) of the giant squid is his punishment, even if he does save Ray Milland’s character’s life while doing so.They had the scene, but they still had to construct how this underwater beast would actually function on film.Ten days in a tankParamountIn order to have a giant squid, you need a giant set to put it in, or in this case, you need a giant tank for underwater photography. Luckily, Paramount had a gigantic tank on the studio lot ready for them to utilize. Ray Milland says of the massive underwater set that was constructed for the scene:“The tank was almost the size of a football field and about twenty-five feet deep at the deepest part … Down there they had built a marine wonderland: the hull of a wrecked ship, strange and jagged rocks, a slowly moving aqueous forest. And caves, dark and frightening.”Then came the giant squid itself. In total, the squid was 14 feet long. The head of the creature was not particularly articulative, and if you watch the scene, it’s fairly obvious. The thing was clearly quite heavy, and once they got it in the water, it was going to lay where it lay. That was not the case with the tentacles, which are quite remarkable in their dexterity, able to seamlessly wrap around and grip the two actors. They are so convincing that they cover up any deficiencies the squid’s head presents. Its eyes, while clearly fake, do hold some strange menace in them. Cecil B. DeMille said of the creature, “It was truly a marvelous piece of work.”The whole sequence cost $250 thousand, which is a bit over $5 million today. As for the film’s box office, it grossed $4 million, or nearly $73 million today. Pretty good return on investment.Won’t say how they did itParamountAs movie fans in the age of home video, we have been lucky to dive deep into the special features on a movie and watch all of the behind-the-scenes documentaries. They have been invaluable for us who have ever wanted to know what goes into the filmmaking process, even if it meant breaking the reality of a film to do so. For some people, finding out this information enriches our love of the medium. For others, though, it makes the film not seem as special as it once was.For “Reap the Wild Wind,” Paramount wanted everyone to be in complete awe of the giant squid. They received letters from people of every walk of life inquiring about how they made the squid for the film (Remember, kids, this was before the Internet). To maintain the air of magic, Paramount’s standard reply to this was simply:“It is the policy of the studio to release no information on technical details of any motion picture because it would detract from the dramatic illusion.”I can’t help but respect the whole “Accept the mystery” element of the statement. They have even carried that forward onto the Blu-ray release, which features no “Making Of” documentaries (and that comes to us from Kino Lorber, who are usually pretty good about including those kinds of features).I also wish that Paramount would do a better job of letting people today see this film. Currently, that Blu-ray is the only way you are able to watch “Reap the Wild Wind.” It’s not on a streaming service or available to purchase or rent digitally in any way. That is fine for a physical media fiend like me, but Paramount … let people watch your “John Wayne vs. Giant Squid” movie.Read More: https://www.slashfilm.com/587316/alfred-hitchcocks-15-best-films-ranked/?utm_campaign=clip

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MILEY CYRUS STUNNED IN A VERY CHIC GUCCI DRESS WITH A DARING LEG SLIT THAT WENT ALL THE WAY TO HER WAIST DURING HER GRAMMY ACCEPTANCE SPEECH AND APPARENTLY SHE ‘WASN’T WEARING ANY UɴᴅᴇƦᴡᴇᴀƦ’

Miley Cyrus had the crowd roaring when she closed out her Grammys acceptance speech with a cheeky remark about ‘forgetting’ her underwear.
She did so while rocking a very racy Gucci dress with a daring leg slit that climbed to her waist.But now the singer, 31 — who is now a two-time Grammy winner — is insisting that it was only a joke.Miley took to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday to write: ‘PS I was only kidding…. I had on matching custom @gucci panties [HEART-EMOJI]’She then thanked Gucci’s creative director Sabato De Sarno for the ‘head to toe chocolate custom couture’ that’s earned her a ton of attention online.In the same X post, Miley fawned over Mariah Carey, Meryl Streep and Mark Ronson — the trio of stars who presented her with her first-ever Grammys on Sunday night.

Miley Cyrus had the crowd roaring when she closed out her Grammys acceptance speech with a cheeky remark about ‘forgetting’ her underwear – and now she’s clarifying that it was just a joke.

Miley took to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday to write: ‘PS I was only kidding…. I had on matching custom @gucci panties’

While accepting the Record Of The Year trophy, Miley rocked a very racy Gucci dress with a daring leg slit that climbed to her waistShe included photos from the show that showed Meryl handing Miley her Record Of The Year trophy as well as Miley hugging her team, who joined her on stage.

She wrote that the third photo in her post ‘sums up’ her relationship with her Flowers co-writer Michael Pollack and producers Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson ‘perfectly.’The image showed Miley in front of the mic accepting their award while Pollack, Harpoon and Johnson stood idly behind her.‘You 3 wanting me to do all the talking until I start talking….’ she teased.Miley was one of the biggest winners of the night as she earned the coveted Record Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for her hit track Flowers.Along with setting social media ablaze with her underwear joke, Miley also got fans talking about her father Billy Ray Cyrus, who she left out of her Record Of The Year acceptance speech.”This award is amazing,’ she began. ‘But I really hope that it doesn’t change anything because my life was beautiful yesterday. Not everyone in the world will get a Grammy, but everyone in this world is spectacular…

‘So please don’t think that this is important, even though it’s very important, right guys? ‘[I want to thank] everyone that’s standing on this stage right now Tom, Tyler, Michael and Greg.

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Woman Who Claimed To ‘Marry Her Stepdad’ Clears The Air On Their Relationship

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Woman Who Claimed to Marry Her Stepfather Clears the Air on Their Relationship

The internet thrives on shocking stories, but one recent claim left social media users in disbelief. A woman allegedly married her stepfather, sparking outrage, curiosity, and a flood of reactions online. Now, she’s speaking out to set the record straight and clarify the truth behind her controversial statement.

The story first gained traction when a video went viral, showing the woman with her stepfather, leading to accusations of an inappropriate relationship. The online frenzy was fueled by speculation, memes, and heated debates about family boundaries. For weeks, critics and supporters alike dissected the story, with some condemning the alleged union and others calling it a matter of personal freedom.

In a recent interview, the woman addressed the situation head-on, debunking the rumors that she married her stepdad. She explained that her initial claim was misunderstood, blown out of proportion, and taken out of context. According to her, the relationship has been misrepresented, and while they do share a close bond, it is far from what people assumed.

“It’s crazy how quickly the internet twists things. People love drama, but this isn’t what they think it is,” she said. She revealed that her stepfather has been a supportive figure in her life, and their connection is built on mutual respect and care—not romance.

Despite her clarification, the backlash hasn’t entirely subsided. Critics question why she made the claim in the first place, while some accuse her of seeking attention. Others, however, have come to her defense, emphasizing the importance of verifying facts before jumping to conclusions.

Psychologists have weighed in on the situation, highlighting how social media amplifies controversies without context. “In today’s digital age, a misunderstood statement can snowball into a viral sensation within hours,” said one expert.

The woman admits that she didn’t anticipate the uproar her comments would create but hopes that her explanation will put the matter to rest. “I want people to stop judging without knowing the full story,” she added.

The saga serves as a reminder of how quickly stories can spiral out of control online. It also raises questions about privacy and the consequences of sharing personal details in the public eye.

As the dust begins to settle, one thing is clear: the internet never forgets. Whether this will be a lesson learned or just another fleeting viral moment remains to be seen.

What’s your take on this bizarre story? Was it just a misunderstanding, or is there more to it? Share your thoughts below!

 

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Michael Bublé breaks down in tears over son Noah’s health issues

Michael Bublé Breaks Down in Tears Over Son Noah’s Health Issues

Michael Bublé, the beloved Canadian crooner known for his smooth voice and charming stage presence, recently opened up about one of the most challenging chapters of his life. In an emotional interview, Bublé shared his heartache over his son Noah’s battle with liver cancer, a health struggle that shook his family to its core.

Bublé, who is known for keeping his personal life relatively private, revealed the toll that Noah’s illness took on him, his wife, Luisana Lopilato, and their entire family. Noah, now 10, was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare form of liver cancer, in 2016 when he was just three years old. The news was devastating, forcing the singer to put his flourishing career on hold to focus entirely on his son’s treatment and recovery.

In the candid conversation, Bublé broke down in tears while recounting the moment he first learned of Noah’s diagnosis. “I felt like my world had ended,” he admitted. “As a parent, you think you can protect your kids from anything, but something like this… it changes everything.”

The Grammy-winning artist described the sleepless nights and the rollercoaster of emotions that accompanied Noah’s treatment, which included surgery and chemotherapy. Bublé and Lopilato stayed by their son’s side every step of the way, drawing strength from their love for their family and their faith.

Bublé credits his son’s resilience and the support of loved ones for helping them endure the ordeal. He also expressed gratitude for the medical team that treated Noah, calling them “angels” for their dedication and care.

Thankfully, after months of treatment, Noah went into remission, a moment Bublé described as “the greatest miracle of my life.” While the experience left emotional scars, it also deepened Bublé’s appreciation for life and the things that truly matter.

The ordeal profoundly impacted the way Bublé approaches his music and career. He admitted that he once prioritized professional success but now places his family above all else. “Fame and fortune mean nothing compared to the health and happiness of my children,” he said.

Today, Noah is a thriving and happy young boy, and Bublé continues to use his platform to raise awareness about pediatric cancer. He hopes his story will inspire other families facing similar struggles to stay hopeful and strong.

Michael Bublé’s vulnerability in sharing his family’s journey has endeared him even more to his fans, reminding the world that behind the music is a devoted father who would do anything for his children.

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