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a30 feature
Friday 27 March 2020
Prentice Penny puts a fresh spin on wine films in ‘Uncorked’

LINDSEY BAHR d'Orsay with all these price-
AP Film Writer less works of art," Penny
LOS ANGELES (AP) — In said. "I don't see those im-
an early scene in Prentice ages in American movies."
Penny's debut feature, Athie also said that the de-
"Uncorked," his main char- piction of the family unit
acter Elijah is trying to help was also something that
a customer who doesn't excited him.
know much about wine "It's a love story about fami-
find the right bottle. ly," he said. "I think we could
"Do you like hip hop?" he tell more stories about
says. She does. And so he black families in that way."
starts describing wines with They'd secured some mon-
their hip hop counterparts. ey from Argent Pictures
Chardonnay ("the grand- but were going to have to
daddy of wine, versatile, make some concessions
smooth") is like Jay-Z. Pinot — like maybe considering
Grigio is Kanye West. Ries- Napa instead of Paris — to
ling is like Drake. hit the budget. But when
Netflix boarded, the game
changed and suddenly
Penny had enough for that
trip to France. His six years
This image released by Netflix shows Mamoudou Athie, left, and Courtney B. Vance in a scene of work were finally paying
from "Uncorked." off.
Associated Press The film was all set to pre-
In other words, "Uncorked," Louis (played by Courtney struck a nerve with the ac- miere at this year's South
which starts streaming on B. Vance) owns a bar- tors who read it. by Southwest film festival
Netflix Friday, is not your beque restaurant in Mem- "All the actors of color who too. They planned to take
typical "wine movie." phis which he'd like to pass read it were saying 'I've full advantage of the bar-
It's a film that is a long time onto his son Elijah (Mamou- never gotten a chance to beque options in Austin,
in the making for Penny, dou Athie). But Elijah has make a movie like this.' Like, Texas, as a perfect tie-in.
who cut his teeth writing other plans and wants to seeing a black man riding But the festival was can-
and producing television study to become a master on a bike through Paris in celed even before much
shows like "Scrubs," "Hap- sommelier. an American movie. Or of the country was being
py Endings" and "Brooklyn "I wanted it to be some- walking through the Musée told to stay at home. q
Nine-Nine." The "Insecure" thing where you don't typi-
executive producer had cally see a lot of people Recording Registry adds 'Wichita
been writing in the "voice of color," Penny said of Eli-
of the show" for so long, he jah's career of choice. "We Lineman,' album by Dr. Dre
wondered what his own had a black president, of
voice was. That's when the course we could have a NEW YORK (AP) — Dr. Dre's
idea for a movie came to black sommelier, but for classic debut rap album
him. And having just had a the father he just can't "The Chronic," Selena's
child himself, he decided wrap his head around why sophomore release "Ven
he wanted to make some- you would do that over Conmigo" and the world-
thing about fathers and this." wide disco hit "Y.M.C.A."
sons. It was directly inspired by by the Village People are
"Men of color father-son his own relationship with among 25 recordings be-
stories are usually about his father, who once upon ing inducted to the Na- This Sept. 6, 2012 file photo
the father being absent a time had wanted Pen- tional Recording Registry. shows singer Glen Campbell
and that being the source ny to take over the fam- The Library of Congress performing during his
of conflict, as opposed to ily furniture business. Penny announced Wednesday Goodbye Tour in Little Rock,
them just figuring it out as had dreams of Hollywood that Tina Turner's "Private Ark.
men," Penny said. "I want- though. Dancer," Glen Campbell's Associated Press
ed a film that felt more like The uniqueness of the story "Wichita Lineman" — writ- recording of "Fiddler on
that." also made it a hard sell in ten by Jimmy Webb — the Roof"; the announce-
In "Uncorked," the father Hollywood, but the script and Whitney Houston's ment of the assassination
No. 1 hit and cover of of President John F. Ken-
Dolly Parton's "I Will Always nedy by the Boston Sym-
Love You" are some of the phony Orchestra conduc-
titles tapped for preserva- tor during the recording
tion this year. of a live performance on
Others that made the Nov. 22, 1963; songs from
list include Russ Hodges' "Mister Rogers' Neighbor-
play-by-play of the Na- hood"; field recordings of
tional League tiebreaker over 50 hours of tradition-
between the New York al Afghan music; and al-
Giants and the Brooklyn bums by Dusty Springfield,
Dodgers in 1951; the origi- Cheap Trick and Maria
nal 1964 Broadway cast Schneider.q