Leonard Maltin
Full Name and Common Aliases
Leonard Maltin is a renowned American film critic, historian, and author.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on June 18, 1935, in New York City; still active in the industry as of this writing.
Nationality and Profession(s)
American by birth, Maltin is a respected film critic, historian, and educator, known for his work in various media platforms including print, television, and online.
Early Life and Background
Maltin grew up in New York City with an early interest in cinema. He began attending movie theaters at the age of 5 and by the time he was 13, he had already seen over 4,000 films. His passion for film led him to pursue a career in this field.
Major Accomplishments
Maltin's contributions to the film industry are numerous:
He is best known for his long-running television show Entertainment Tonight, where he served as a film reviewer and critic from 1976 to 1997.
Maltin has written or co-written over 100 books on cinema, including the popular Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide series.
He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Cinematic Arts and has taught film history courses.Notable Works or Actions
Some notable works include:
Of Mice and Men (1960), a stage adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic novel that won a Tony Award for Best Play.
The Disney Movie Project (2011), an online series where he provided analysis on various Disney films.
His annual "Top Ten Films" list, which appears in the publication _Entertainment Weekly_.
Impact and Legacy
Maltin's influence on cinema is multifaceted:
Through his writing and broadcasting, Maltin has educated audiences about film history, genres, and techniques.
He has helped shape public opinion on films and filmmakers, contributing to their popularity or notoriety.
* As an educator, he continues to train the next generation of film professionals.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Maltin is frequently quoted in various publications for his insightful commentary on cinema. His extensive knowledge, critical thinking, and engaging style have earned him respect and admiration from both filmmakers and audiences.
Quotes by Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin's insights on:
Woody Allen has said, “If I wanted to have a weekend of pure pleasure, it would be to have a half-dozen Bob Hope films and watch them, films like Monsieur Beaucaire and My Favorite Brunette. It’s not for nothing that he’s such a greatly accepted comedian. He is a great, great talent.” Despite this praise from a celebrated contemporary funnyman, there is a tendency to take Bob Hope’s films for granted.
I think the people who are making Christmas-themed movies today feel that people are more cynical about Christmas. There’s more of an edge.
While it was occasionally done here or there, nobody else had a figurehead like Walt doing it. Jack Warner wasn’t on TV. Walt was the boss, but he had a real public profile and he used it to his advantage. And he became a household face.
If you’re willing to go along for this farcical ride, you’ll find ‘Dead Snow 2’ to be one terrific zombie movie.
The last person to stand still and repeat himself was Walt Disney. He refused to repeat himself. So to think that he’d be making the same kind of film in the year 2001 that he made in 1941 is absurd.
I teach at USC. I have a big class of 360 kids, only about a fifth of whom are film majors. I don’t just show the Hollywood blockbusters. I show independent films, foreign films, documentaries.
Shakespeare wrote great plays that we’re still watching all these years later. Charlie Chaplin made great comedies and they are still as funny today as they ever were.
Joe Berlinger’s documentary ‘Whitey’ is so hard-hitting and compelling, you can’t take your eyes off the screen.