The Bearded Trio

Happy Birthday, Tom! Tom Hanks celebrates his 70th birthday today, marking a milestone for one of cinema’s most enduring and beloved figures. Few actors have shaped modern film quite the way Hanks has. For decades he’s brought unforgettable characters to life, always with that unmistakable blend of warmth, honesty and humanity that audiences connect with instantly. It’s also impossible to celebrate the day without recognising his extraordinary creative partnership with Steven Spielberg. Together, Hanks and Spielberg have delivered some of the most powerful and memorable films of the last thirty years. Their collaborations include Saving Private Ryan , a landmark war film that changed the genre; Catch Me If You Can , a stylish and witty chase across decades; The Terminal , a gentle and heartfelt story anchored by Hanks’ charm; and Bridge of Spies , a gripping Cold War drama with quiet emotional weight. Their work hasn’t been limited to the big screen. Hanks and Spielberg have also colla...

THE OFFICIAL EXHIBITION CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF STAR WARS™ OPENS FEBRUARY 2027 AT THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE IN PHILADELPHIA MORE EXCLUSIVE DETAILS AND FIRST LOOKS TO COME AT SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON 2026 The world premiere exhibition, Star Wars™: The Experience, an epic journey through the legacy of Star Wars™, will open at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia on February 13, 2027, as part of the Star Wars 50th anniversary celebration. Created by The Franklin Institute, in collaboration with MDSX, Lucasfilm and Disney Consumer Products, Star Wars™: The Experience – A Journey Through the Galaxy, is the largest and most comprehensive behind-the-scenes exhibition celebrating the Star Wars galaxy, and the official exhibition during the landmark anniversary year. The all-new exhibition spans 18,000 square feet of visually rich, interconnected galleries, featuring large immersive moments, screen-used artifacts, and an RFID-powered experience for an interactive, personalized, and cinematic journey...

The Boroughs – A Modern Score with an 80s Soul I’ve been listening to John Paesano’s The Boroughs soundtrack a lot lately, and it’s one of those scores that immediately takes you somewhere familiar. It’s atmospheric, mysterious, and wrapped in that unmistakable 80s glow. There’s a warm, analogue sheen to it that instantly brings to mind the golden age of Amblin, suburban fantasy, and gentle sci‑fi wonder. Even though the show is set firmly in the present day, the music feels like it could sit comfortably alongside Poltergeist, Cocoon, Back to the Future, Close Encounters, and even Raiders of the Lost Ark. The show itself has been described as Stranger Things with adults, and that tone absolutely carries through into the score. There’s a Cocoon‑like warmth in the softer cues, a touch of Silvestri’s magic, and moments where I genuinely thought I was listening to James Newton Howard. Paesano leans into the mystery in a way that feels very Shyamalan, restrained and atmospheric with a quie...

Terry Richards Disappointed Over Iconic Raiders Scene It was on this day back in 2014 that it was announced we lost Terry Richards, the brilliant British stunt man whose career spanned Indiana Jones, James Bond, Star Wars and so many classics. Richards had actually passed away on 14th June, aged 81. Richards served in the Welsh Guards before being told by a friend that they needed extras with military training.  He was asked if he could fall from a scaffolding which ultimately led to his long career as a stuntman. Most fans remember him as the Cairo Swordsman in Raiders of the Lost Ark, a scene that became iconic completely by accident. Richards had trained hard for a full sword fight, but Harrison Ford was too ill to perform it. As Ford explained: “I was no longer capable of staying out of my trailer for more than it took to expose a role of film, which was 10 minutes, and then I would have to flee back there for sanitary facilities.” Ford admitted Richards was disappointed after ...

Retro Sci-Fi Trivia Time!  ​Take a look at this snippet from Starburst Vol. 1, No. 3 which appropriately features Close Encounters on the cover.  The segment in the news section explains just how much George Lucas and Steven Spielberg loved Chuck Jones’ legendary cartoon, Duck Dodgers in the 24½ Century.  ​According to the article: ​George Lucas loved it so much he opened his initial Hollywood cast and crew screening of Star Wars with it, eventually getting it to play before the main feature in a San Francisco cinema. ​Steven Spielberg gave it a shoutout in Close Encounters, where it plays on the TV in the playroom scene ("H'h'h'happy birthday, you thing from another world, you!"). ​​I love finding little stories like this in old mags. The hype for a movie or the industry back then seemed more exciting and more innocent, but at the same time, more cosy.  But rose tinted glasses and all that as they say - Rob The Bearded Trio - The Site For Steven Spielberg, Geo...

A look back at the Welsh filmmaker whose work on Return of the Jedi deserves far more recognition. Every now and then I like to shine a light on the filmmakers who helped shape the movies that meant so much to us growing up. Today I’m revisiting one of them: Richard Marquand, the Welsh director of Return of the Jedi . I’m sharing a video tribute I made to him more than ten years ago. The quality is a little rough because it was created long before modern editing tools were easily available, but the heart behind it is still very much there. Marquand is one of those names that often slips through the cracks when people talk about Star Wars. Ask many fans who directed Jedi and you’ll hear the same line repeated again and again: “George Lucas basically took over.” It’s a comment that has been repeated so often it has become part of the mythology. But if you’ve ever read The Making of Return of the Jedi , you’ll know that Marquand’s involvement was far deeper and far more hands‑on than he’...