Classic Reviews
‘Dallas’: THR’s 1978 Review
On April 2, 1978, CBS premiered its primetime soap opera Dallas, which would go on to run for fourteen seasons at the network. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review, which appeared as part of a TeleVisions column, is below: PASSING IN REVIEW: Melodrama emerges full blown with Dallas, a new CBS limited run series which debuted […]
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‘Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’: THR’s 1983 Review
On May 25, 1983, the original Star Wars trilogy concluded, to be revived decades later. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review of Return of the Jedi, which takes stock of how the franchise began to start fraying, is below: Although Return of the Jedi is officially Part VI of George Lucas’s projected Star Wars nonogy, […]
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‘Romancing the Stone’: THR’s 1984 Review
On March 30, 1984, 20th Century-Fox unveiled Robert Zemeckis’ adventure film Romancing the Stone in theaters. The film, starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito, went on to gross $75 million-plus during its theatrical run. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below: One of the nicest things about Michael Douglas’ production of Romancing the […]
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‘East of Eden’: THR’s 1955 Review
On March 9, 1955, Warner Bros. unveiled Elia Kazan’s East of Eden adaptation at its premiere at the Astor Theatre in New York. The James Dean-starring drama went on to nab four Oscar nominations at the 28th Academy Awards, winning one for supporting actress for Jo Van Fleet’s role. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review, titled […]
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‘The Wedding Singer’: THR’s 1998 Review
On Feb. 13, 1998, New Line unveiled The Wedding Singer in theaters in time for Valentine’s Day audiences. The Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore rom-com went on to earn $123 million globally at the box office. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below. We’ve all heard him, usually at weddings and bar mitzvahs where alcohol […]
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‘City Lights’: THR’s 1931 Review
On Jan. 30, 1931, United Artists unveiled the silent film City Lights, written, directed and produced by Charlie Chaplin. In a front page story on the same day the film was reviewed, The Hollywood Reporter declared that Chaplin “pulled a fast one on the industry. Not only is there no word spoken in his latest […]
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‘The A-Team’: THR’s 1983 Review
On Jan. 23, 1983, NBC premiered the action series The A-Team, which went on to run for five seasons at the network. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review, included in a TeleVisions column, is below: Passing in Review: The A-Team (NBC, Sunday, 10-11 p.m.) There is only one answer. NBC Entertainment has a suicide complex. Why […]
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‘Good Morning, Vietnam’: THR’s 1987 Review
On December 23, 1987, Buena Vista unveiled the Barry Levinson-directed feature Good Morning, Vietnam in theaters, where it would go on to gross $123 million. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review of the Robin Williams starrer is below: Lucy Bird and Linda Bird, former vp Nixon, LBJ, Bob Hope, Freddy and the Dreamers, Ho Chi Minh […]
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‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’: THR’s 1954 Review
On Dec. 23, 1954, Disney-Buena Vista unveiled 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea at its premiere in New York. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review, titled “‘20,000 Leagues’ Sure-Fire: Disney Film Tops; Fleischer Megging, Effects Standout,” is below: Disney has really topped himself in bringing this most dignified and respected of all science-fiction classics to the screen. […]
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‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’: THR’s 1937 Review
On Dec. 21, 1937, Walt Disney premiered his first full-length animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, at Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review, titled “‘Snow White’ Delightful Fairy Tale for All Ages,” is below: Walt Disney’s long-awaited Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, first feature-length film told with […]
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‘Miracle on 34th Street’: THR’s 1947 Review
On June 11, 1947, 20th Century-Fox unveiled Miracle on 34th Street in theaters, from producer William Perlberg and director George Seaton. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review, titled “Miracle on 34th Street Delightful Surprise Hit,” is below: This is a comedy dedicated to faith, and faith is defined in a line of dialogue as “believing in […]
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‘It Happened on 5th Avenue’: THR’s 1947 Review
On April 19, 1947, Allied Artists and producer-director Roy Del Ruth unveiled the holiday-themed film in theaters. The title went on to earn an Oscar nomination in the writing category at the 20th Academy Awards. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below: Boasting a story that has real bounce, It Happened on 5th Avenue, as […]
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