Behind the Scenes Buzz

JURASSIC PARK, THE SHINING, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN ENTER NATIONAL FILM REGISTRY: Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, Orson Welles, John Ford, Blake Edwards, Sam Fuller, D.A. Pennebaker, George Cukor, James L. Brooks and Ang Lee films are among the latest bunch of movies picked to enter the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. The 30th annual selection of 25 films are considered “culturally, historically or aesthetically” important to our nation’s cultural heritage. Per the Hollywood Reporter, the films include Hitchcock’s first American feature, Rebecca (1949); the noir classics Leave Her to Heaven (1945) and Welles’ The Lady From Shanghai (1947); Spielberg’s groundbreaking dinosaur tale Jurassic Park (1993); Edwards’ bitter commentary about alcoholism, Days of Wine and Roses (1962); Kubrick’s chilling The Shining (1980); Buster Keaton’s ingenious The Navigator (1924); Kasi Lemmons’ eerie family drama, Eve’s Bayou (1997); Smoke Signals (1998), the first feature to be written, directed and co-produced by Native Americans; and Lee’s love story Brokeback Mountain (2005), which is now the most recent film on the Registry.

HUGH GRANT, JODIE WHITTAKER, WILLEM DEFOE AMONG NEW BAFTA MEMBERS: Hugh Grant, Jodie Whittaker, Willem Defoe and Letitia Wright have joined 386 other new BAFTA members. Worldwide, BAFTA has 8,000 members. In 2016, the organization made diversity more of priority. Amanda Berry, Chief Executive of BAFTA, said, “We’re delighted to welcome our new members to BAFTA. Our members represent the breadth of the ever-evolving film, games and television industries. They sit at the heart of everything BAFTA does, from mentoring emerging talent, voting in the Awards, sharing knowledge and experience at events and online on BAFTA Guru, and making up BAFTA’s Board and committees. With their involvement we are able to inspire the next generation of talent, as well as support the future of our industries.”

NETFLIX REVEALS MOST-WATCHED SHOWS: After another year of strong growth in content and viewers, streaming giant Netflix is offering some insight into its data. The Kissing Booth is the most re-watched original movie in its slate, and On My Block is the most binged original show, Netflix reveals.

NETWORK EXTENDS LIMITED ENGAGEMENT ON BROADWAY: Network, the National Theatre production starring Bryan Cranston, is extending its limited engagement through Sunday, April 28^th, 2019. The Ivo van Hove-helmed play was originally scheduled to close March 17^th.