Academy Awards

May 3, 2023

The Flashback Interview: Gail Ryan

Johnny Caps ...About Last Night, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, Academy Awards, Bob Hope, Che, Dancing With The Stars, Dolly Parton, Doris Day, Gail Ryan, Grease Live, How the Grinch Stole Christmas., I'll Do Anything, Looney Tunes: Back In Action, McDonalds, Once Upon A Brothers Grimm, Oscars, Paper Dolls, Perfect Strangers, The Carpenters, The Dean Martin Show, The Golddiggers, The Naked Gun: From The Files Of Police Squad, The Osmonds, The Rat Pack 10

In the cover photo for this article, you’ll recognize Marie Osmond and Barbara Eden, but you may be wondering who is accompanying them. The third party in this picture is my newest interview subject, Gail Ryan. Ms. Ryan is an accomplished hairstylist with credits going back to the 1960s. She’s worked with talents ranging from Dean Martin and Bob Hope to Demi Moore and Jim Carrey to Benicio Del Toro and many of the professionals on Dancing With The Stars. Along the way, Gail has won many awards for her work as a hairstylist, including a Best Makeup Academy Award for How The Grinch Stole Christmas. With the depth and diversity of Ms. Ryan’s work, I knew she would be a fascinating interview subject, and with the assistance of her fellow Oscar winner, and a former interview subject of mine, Ve Neill, we had the conversation that you’ll be reading today. Say hello to Gail Ryan! ——- Gail: Hello? Johnny: Hi, Gail. Johnny Caps here. Gail: Hi, Johnny. Johnny: First

April 4, 2023

The Flashback Interview: Russell Williams II

Johnny Caps 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, Academy Awards, Boomerang, Dances With Wolves, Disco Godfather, Eyes On The Prize, Field Of Dreams, Glory, In The Mood, Invaders From Mars, Making The Grade, Oscars, Penitentiary II, Rules Of Engagement, Russell Williams II, Sound, Spirits Known And Unknown, TAPS, Teaching, Television Parts, The Distinguished Gentleman, Training Day, Valley Girl, Waiting To Exhale 9

I was first exposed to the work of today’s interview subject, sound designer Russell Williams II, when I saw the 1986 Cannon version of Invaders From Mars on WPIX, New York’s Movie Station, in the 1990s. Upon revisiting that movie as an adult, I could better appreciate what Russell was able to do considering Cannon’s stinginess. Looking at Russell’s IMDB page many years later, I was amazed by the depth and diversity of his sound work, work that led him to become the first of only five, as of 2023, African-American artists to win multiple Academy Awards. I reached out to Mr. Williams about an interview last year, and he agreed to it. We spoke late last year about his work as a sound designer and as a teacher, and now I can share this interview with all of you. I hope you all enjoy getting to know this amazing man. Say hello to Russell Williams II! Russell: Is this Johnny? Johnny: Yes, it is, Mr. Williams. Russell: How are

May 16, 2022

The Flashback Interview: Michele Burke

Johnny Caps 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, Academy Awards, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Carslan, Glossip, Interview With The Vampire, Michele Burke, Oscars, Quest For Fire, Terror Train, The Cell, There Be Dragons 2

The interview you’re about to read will mark my 200th article for Pop Geeks, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the occasion. Michele Burke is an acclaimed and accomplished makeup artist who has won multiple awards for her work, including two Academy Awards for, respectively, Quest For Fire and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. With a career spanning decades and continents, I knew Ms. Burke would be a fascinating interview subject, so I reached out to her via her website and she agreed to speak to me. This is the end result, and I hope you all enjoy reading it. Say hello to Michele Burke! Johnny: You were born in Ireland, and grew up there in a family of 10. As one can often draw inspiration for their future from their family, did you have any family members with connections to the entertainment industry? Michele: No, absolutely not. I was the only one. Johnny: Alright. To go to my next question, after some time working on

March 30, 2022

The Flashback Interview: Barney Burman

Johnny Caps 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, Academy Awards, Barney Burman, Body Snatchers, Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Dawn Of The Dead, Fright Night Part II, From A Whisper To A Scream, galaxy quest, grimm, House, In Search Of Dr. Seuss, Mission: Impossible 3, Oscars, Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl, Star Trek 2009, Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, The Cannibals', the ring, Wild Boar, zombieland 4

The gentleman in the beret in this article’s cover photo is my newest interview subject, Barney Burman. Barney has been active as a makeup artist for almost four decades now. Coming from a family of makeup artists, Barney started as a teenager, and isn’t showing any signs of stopping. That’s fantastic as he’s a versatile designer who has worked on all sorts of amazing projects, most notably 2009’s Star Trek, which won him a Best Makeup And Hairstyling Oscar, which he shared with Mindy Hall, who’s next to him in the cover photo, and Joel Harlow. A few weeks back, Barney was kind enough to agree to an interview with me. I hope you all enjoy getting to know more about this talented creator and his work. Say hello to Barney Burman! Johnny: Was working in film something you’d always wanted to do, or did you initially have a different career goal in mind growing up? Barney: I always imagined myself working in films in one capacity or another. I

February 9, 2022

94th Academy Awards’ Best Original Song: Thoughts

Johnny Caps 2020s, 94th Academy Awards, Academy Award, Academy Awards, Be Alive, Belfast, Beyonce Knowles, Billie Eilish, Diane Warren, Dos Oruguitas, Down To Joy, Encanto, Four Good Days, King Richard, Lin-Manuel Miranda, No Time to die, Oscars, Reba McEntire, Somehow You Do, Van Morrison 0

The nominations for the 94th Academy Awards are out, and as I’ve done on-and-off during my time writing for Pop Geeks so far, I want to write about this year’s nominees for Best Original Song. Last year, I wrote that I hoped Io Si (Seen) from The Life Ahead would win Best Original Song, but predicted that Fight For You from Judas And The Black Messiah would win the prize. I predicted correctly, but will that be the case this year? Let’s find out as we examine the five nominees for Best Original Song at the 94th Academy Awards. To start us off, we have Be Alive, written by Beyonce Knowles and DIXSON for the Williams family biopic King Richard. I’ll admit that I’ve never been a very athletic man, and while I’ve had my struggles, they haven’t been anything compared to what Richard Williams and his family went through to become the tennis titans they are. Roger Ebert once said that the movies are a machine that generates empathy,

January 5, 2022

The Flashback Interview: Mark A. Mangini

Johnny Caps 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, Academy Awards, Aladdin, Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy, Beauty and the Beast, Che, disney, Dune, Escape From Tomorrow, gremlins, hanna-barbera, Innerspace, Looney Tunes: Back In Action, Mad Mad: Fury Road, Mark A. Mangini, Metallica Through The Never, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, MGM, Oscars, poltergeist, Star Trek, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Fifth Element, The Green Mile, The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood, The Rum Diary, Unreal II 0

My newest interview subject, Mark A. Mangini, is an accomplished sound designer and editor. He’s helped create the soundscapes for films of all sorts. Ranging from multiple films in the Star Trek franchise to a frequent collaboration with Joe Dante, from Disney Renaissance classics like Beauty And The Beast and Aladdin to Mad Max: Fury Road, which would win him his first Oscar, Mark A. Mangini has created memorable soundscapes for almost half-a-century, with no signs of stopping any time soon. Mark took some time to speak with me this past December, and today I share my epic conversation with this great talent. Say hello to Mark A. Mangini! Mark: Hello? Johnny: Hello, Mark. Johnny Caps from Pop Geeks here. Mark: Hey, Johnny. How ya doin’? Johnny: I’m doing good. First of all, before anything, thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to speak to me. Mark: My pleasure. Johnny: Alright. I have my questions ready to go. Mark: Yeah! Good. Johnny: To start off with, as

November 15, 2021

The Flashback Interview: Sandahl Bergman

Johnny Caps 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, A Chorus Line, Academy Awards, All That Jazz, Conan the Barbarian, convention, Conventions, Dance, Dancin', dancing, Hart To Hart, Hell Comes To Frogtown, Moonlighting, Murder She Wrote, Oscars, Pippin, Programmed To Kill, Red Sonja, Sandahl Bergman, She, Stewardess School, Theater, Xanadu 0

My first exposure to the work of my latest interview subject, Sandahl Bergman, came when WPIX, New York’s Movie Station, regularly played Conan The Barbarian throughout the 80s and 90s. Sandahl’s work as the brave warrior Valeria was very memorable. As I grew older, I would see more of Sandahl’s work in projects as diverse as All That Jazz, Xanadu and Stewardess School. I’d been hoping to interview Sandahl for a long time, but I never had any luck until this year. When I interviewed Deborah Geffner earlier this year, I asked her if she kept in touch with Sandahl Bergman, and she said yes. Deborah was kind enough to connect me and Sandahl, and because of Deborah, the interview you’re about to read finally happened. Sandahl Bergman is a dancer, an actress and a director, and she has some amazing stories to share. I hope you’ll all enjoy reading them. Get your dancing shoes on because it’s time to hit the floor with my newest interview subject. Say hello

November 11, 2021

The Flashback Interview: Matthew W. Mungle

Johnny Caps 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Academy Awards, Alice In Chains, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Bugsy, Congo, CSI, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, Glenn Close, inception, Matthew W. Mungle, Natural Born Killers, Oscars, Planet of the Apes, Reach Me, Roar, robin hood, Schindler's List, Silver Bullet, The Polar Express, The X-Files, Tracey Ullman In The Trailer Tales, Untraceable 0

Underneath the ape makeup in this article’s cover photo is my newest interview subject, Matthew W. Mungle. Matthew is an acclaimed makeup artist who got his start helping a local movie theater in Atoka, Oklahoma promote their films by creating elaborate makeups. This would lead Matthew to a career in entertainment industry makeup that started in the 70s and is still going this day. Matthew would even win an Academy Award for Best Makeup for 1992’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Near the end of October, I spoke to Matthew about his long and diverse career, and I hope you all enjoy getting to know this fantastic talent. Say hello to Matthew W. Mungle! Matthew: Hello? Johnny: Hello, Matthew. Johnny Caps of Pop Geeks here, calling for our interview. Matthew: Hey, how are ya? Johnny: I’m doing good. Thank you very much for taking the time out of your schedule to speak to me. Matthew: Not a problem! Johnny: Alright. I have my questions ready to go, starting with this: According to

August 10, 2021

The Flashback Interview: Bruce Vilanch

Johnny Caps 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, Academy Awards, Bruce Vilanch, Cat's Eye, Celebrity Fit Club, disney, Hollywood Squares, Oscars, Platinum, Theatre 0

I first came to know of Bruce Vilanch’s work in the 1990s. Whether it was through the jokes he wrote for Academy Awards hosts like Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal, or through his deliciously saucy answers on the late-90s incarnation of Hollywood Squares, Mr. Vilanch made quite an impression on me. In 2021, with the assistance of Clay Mills of The Katz Company, I was able to set up an e-mail interview with Mr. Vilanch about various aspects of his work. Even in written format, his unique wit comes shining through, and I hope you all enjoy this interview. Say hello to Bruce Vilanch! Johnny: One of your very first television writing credits was for a variety show pilot for Charo. With Charo as a jumping-off point, when you’ve written jokes for international performers, have any of them had difficulty understanding your style and references, or are they able to pick up on it pretty quickly? Bruce: Depends on how much English they have and how strong their dialect is,

July 22, 2021

The Flashback Interview: Ve Neill

Johnny Caps 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, A.I: Artifical Intelligence, Academy Awards, batman, Beetlejuice, Cinderella, convention, Conventions, Ed Wood, Edward Scissorshands, Flatliners, galaxy quest, Lily Tomlin, Man On The Moon, Mrs. Doubtfire, Oscars, Pee-wee's Playhouse, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The A-Team, the hunger games, The Lost Boys, The Private Files Of J. Edgar Hoover, Ve Neill 0

Years before I knew the name of my newest interview subject, Ve Neill, I was witness to her work on some of the most enjoyable movies of my youth. From Beetlejuice (which won her the first of three Best Makeup Oscars) to Mrs. Doubtfire (which won her a second Best Makeup Oscar) to the Batman sequels, Ve Neill helped create some of the most memorable images the screen has ever seen. I’d been wanting to interview her about her life and work for several years now, and earlier this month, it finally happened. Join me as we talk about Ve’s life and work from the 70s to today and into the future. Say hello to Ve Neill! Johnny: I have my questions ready to go. Ve: I see that. You have a lot of questions, way more than anybody has ever asked me, and you have some really interesting questions as well that nobody’s ever asked me. I’m not sure that I will want to answer all of them, but

June 21, 2021

The Flashback Interview: Lois Burwell

Johnny Caps 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, Academy Awards, Air America, Almost Famous, Braveheart, Catch Me If You Can, Gregory's Girl, Hamlet, Highlander, Legend, Lois Burwell, Mission: Impossible, Mona Lisa, Oscars, ready player one, Saving Private Ryan, The Fifth Element, The Muppet Christmas Carol, The Princess Bride, Who Framed Roger Rabbit 0

My first exposure to the work of my newest interview subject, Lois Burwell, came when I saw Who Framed Roger Rabbit as a young child. Ms. Burwell worked on the movie’s makeup, and although it would be a long time before I knew her name, I was impressed with what I saw. A few years ago, I befriended Lois on Facebook. I knew I wanted to interview her someday, and that someday came on June 11th, 2021. We talked about the many films she’s worked on, as well as some big picture concepts. I hope you all enjoy reading this interview. Say hello to Lois Burwell! —- Johnny: I have my questions ready to go… Lois: Great! Johnny: Starting with this: What led you to be interested in a career in makeup effects? Lois: Well, makeup artistry in general, but definitely film makeup artistry. I wanted to work in film. I was very clear on that. It just sort of unfolded, I suppose, in that I had the interest. I

April 9, 2021

2020 To February 2021 Oscar For Best Original Song: My Thoughts

Johnny Caps 2020, 2021, Academy Award, Academy Awards, Best Original Song, celeste, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga, Fight For You, H.E.R, Hear My Voice, Husavik (My Hometown), Judas And The Black Messiah, Laura Pausini, Leslie Odom Jr., One Night In Miami, Oscars, Seen (Io Si), Speak Now, The Life Ahead, The Trial Of The Chicago 7 0

The 93rd Academy Awards, honoring the cinematic achievements of 2020 and the first two months of 2021, will be happening in about two weeks or so, and as I’ve done occasionally over the course of the past few years, I wanted to take a look at this season’s nominees for Best Original Song. I’ll offer my thoughts on each song, and at the end, I’ll predict which song will win and which song I would choose to win if I had the only vote. My predictions haven’t exactly had the best track record, but perhaps this might be a year I get it right. We start off with Husavik (My Hometown), which was featured in 2020’s Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga. Husavik, written by Rickard Goransson, Fat Max Gsus, and Savan Kotecha, is an interesting song. It’s a sweeping ballad about the movie’s protagonist Sigrit (Rachel McAdams, though the singing was done by My Marianne) expressing love for both her hometown and her singing partner Lars (Will

The Flashback Interview: Gail Ryan

The Flashback Interview: Russell Williams II

The Flashback Interview: Michele Burke

The Flashback Interview: Barney Burman

94th Academy Awards’ Best Original Song: Thoughts

The Flashback Interview: Mark A. Mangini

The Flashback Interview: Sandahl Bergman

The Flashback Interview: Matthew W. Mungle

The Flashback Interview: Bruce Vilanch

The Flashback Interview: Ve Neill

The Flashback Interview: Lois Burwell

2020 To February 2021 Oscar For Best Original Song: My Thoughts

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