Cheree Franco
Recent Stories by Cheree Franco
Vertigo juggles a dizzying variety of causes
posted: 06/10/2013 2:51 a.m. Discuss
Hugh Pollard, 72, of Little Rock, hasn’t taken a bad spill yet. He’s hoping he never will.
R.A.O. from dawn
posted: 06/04/2013 3:35 a.m. Discuss
Downtown Little Rock’s R.A.O. Video houses the most diverse adult movie collection in a tristate area. The front window advertises bongs and sex toys, alongside life-size cut-outs of Marilyn Monroe, Cher, Yosemite Sam and Angelina Jolie. Upstairs there’s the adult arcade — several dark-paneled closets, where $1 buys four minutes of privacy.
Video store’s stats and facts
posted: 06/04/2013 3:23 a.m. Discuss
R.A.O. Video: a snapshot Open since 1977 10,000 members 20,000 movies (75 percent general audience, 25 percent adult) Membership: free if you live or work downtown; $3 otherwise New releases: $1.50/night, $3/ three nights Old movies: $1/night, $2/three nights Adult movies: $3.50/three nights, $5/week Registry robberies: one. Warrants issued for theft of leased property: thousands Security cameras: 30 Robert Oliver’s favorite film: Imitation of Life (1959 version ) Biggest controversies: Victor Oliver: “About 13 years ago … they tried to shut down several [adult] stores … we were never actually shut down, but they arrested a few people … my dad got arrested and one or two employees who were here at the time. So the next shift came in, started running it, and they were out that same day. They went to court and the judge just threw it out.” Robert Oliver: “There was one movie in particular. It’s just a common movie now, but they almost closed me up over it. It was a Roman Empire movie, where they stuck swords in
Crowds swell as attendees explore LR Film Fest’s new home downtown
posted: 05/20/2013 12:07 a.m. Discuss
The Little Rock Film Festival closed Sunday night with a riverboat cruise and an awards gala at the Clinton Presidential Center.
Growth epic for film festival
posted: 05/16/2013 4:56 a.m. Discuss
Since the first Little Rock Film Festival in 2007, attendance has grown from 5,000 to more than 25,000. Organizers hope that this year’s biggest change, dividing events between downtown and Argenta, will lead to greater economic impact and community involvement.
You saw it here first
posted: 05/12/2013 3:12 a.m. Discuss
The lineup for the seventh Little Rock Film Festival, which opens Wednesday and continues through Sunday, reads like a musing in the Hollywood Reporter on independent Oscar contenders.
Panelists will discuss nonfiction storytelling
posted: 05/12/2013 3:04 a.m. Discuss
Brent Renaud, award-winning documentary filmmaker and festival founder and programmer, pays particular attention to character-driven films.
Wolf with a warm heart
posted: 05/01/2013 3:03 a.m. Discuss
Rocky Ridge Refuge — home to media-darling Cheesecake, the capybara who mothers canines — is just outside of Mountain Home.
Arkansas poetry, chapter and verse
posted: 04/28/2013 3:36 a.m. Discuss
Hot Springs’ snowy main drag reflects the glow of a near-full moon. The restaurants are dark, the usually bustling street deserted. Or is it?
Film’s creator lobbied hard to do shoot in Natural State
posted: 04/26/2013 2:55 a.m. Discuss
Little Rock native Jeff Nichols’ third film, Mud, inspired an 18-minute standing ovation at its Cannes Film Festival premiere in May.
