In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 dramatic mystery film directed by Norman Jewison starring Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, and Warren Oates. The movie is based on the 1965 John Ball novel of the same name, which tells the story of Virgil Tibbs (Poitier). Tibbs is a black police detective from Philadelphia, who becomes involved in a murder investigation in a racist small town in Mississippi. Continue reading
Category: Drama
7/6/15 O&A Hollywood Monday: Halle Berry- Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (excerpts)


Introducing Dorothy Dandridge is the 1999 biography of Dorothy Dandridge follows her career through early days on the club circuit with her sister to her turn in movies, including becoming the first black actress to win a Best Actress Nomination in 1954 for “Carmen Jones”, to her death from prescription drugs, which remains debated whether it was suicide or accidental. In 2000 production won five Emmy Awards including Outstanding Art Direction, Cinematography, Costumes, Hairstyling and Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie—Halle Berry. Continue reading
12/1/14 O&A Hollywood Monday: How The Grinch Stole Christmas!


How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a children’s story by Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel written in rhymed verse with illustrations by the author. In 1957 the book was published by Random House, and it also appeared in an issue of Redbook Magazine. The story criticizes the commercialization of Christmas. The 26-minute short directed by cartoon legend Chuck Jones and narrated by Boris Karloff was originally telecast on CBS on December 18, 1966.
Hollywood Monday: Vin Diesel – Multi-Facial (1995)
Multi-Facial is the movie that launched Vin Diesel’s career. The 1995 short film was directed, written, produced, scored by and starring Vin Diesel. It had a budget of $3,000, which he paid for himself.
The story depicts the professional and emotional issues faced by Mike (Diesel), a multiracial (Italian and African American) actor. The film was noticed at the Cannes Film Festival by director Steven Spielberg, who remembered Diesel’s performance and cast him in the 1998 Oscar winning film Saving Private Ryan.












