Francis Ford Coppola, 'Ted Lasso' Tourism, and $100 Hot Dogs

Francis Ford Coppola is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. He's considered one of the most influential and innovative filmmakers of the 20th century, often credited with ushering in a new era for Hollywood in which the director became the principal creative force of a film.

> B-movie king Roger Corman mentored many of the star directors of 1970s Hollywood, including Coppola. (Watch)
> The "Movie Brats"—the nickname given to directors like Coppola, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and others—redefined Hollywood as a place for the counterculture. (Read)

His 1972 film "The Godfather" was a major commercial and critical success despite its unorthodox approaches and established the young filmmaker as a visionary. 1979's "Apocalypse Now" reimagined Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" as a Vietnam War story and was praised as a masterpiece, though its production was marred by problems: Coppola went millions of dollars over budget, manipulated actors, and threatened suicide.

> Coppola was far from Paramount Pictures' first choice for director of "The Godfather." (Read)

> The production behind "Apocalypse Now" was one of the most notorious in film history, something Eleanor Coppola captured in a critically acclaimed documentary. (Watch)

> "Star Wars" sequel "The Empire Strikes Back" was influenced by "Apocalypse Now," a movie George Lucas was originally supposed to direct. (Read)

Coppola has been awarded six Oscars and is one of just nine directors to win two Palme d'Or prizes, the top honor at the Cannes Film Festival. One of those was for "Apocalypse Now."

> The Coppola family tree has many branches in Hollywood, including actors Nicolas Cage and Jason Schwartzman. (Read)

> Throughout the '80s and '90s, the director took on several low-quality films in order to pay off debt from a 1981 movie musical. (Read)

Discover more: 

> Watch Coppola's debut feature film, the low-budget horror movie "Dementia 13." (Watch)

> Coppola began working on "The Godfather" to bail his production company out of dire financial straits. (Watch)

> He spent years trying to adapt Jack Kerouac's Beat Generation novel "On the Road" but ultimately handed it off to another filmmaker. (Read)

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Behind the News 

1440 brings you the knowledge behind the week's stories:

The Booker Prize announces its longlist for the best novels of the year. (More)

> Writer DH Lawrence argued that the novel is the height of literary expression.

> Explore the Guardian's list of the 100 best novels of all time.

"Ted Lasso" sparks tourism in West London suburb. (More, free w/email)

> The Apple TV show began as a series of promotional videos for NBC.

> Soccer was already gaining ground in the US before the show premiered.

$100 hot dogs raise eyebrows and empty wallets at Miami events. (More)

> "Hot dog" likely evolved from the late-1800s insult "dachshund sausage."

> The annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest has primarily been dominated by two titans: Joey "Jaws" Chestnut and Miki Sudo.

"The Wizard of Oz" premiered in Hollywood on this day in 1939. (More)

> Judy Garland's body double wore a sepia dress to create the illusion of moving from Kansas to Oz.

> Now considered a classic, the film was initially panned by some critics.

Cultural Context

Beyond our weekly deep dives, we love finding great takes on the culture currently shaping our lives. Here are some of the best reactions, profiles, and think pieces we encountered this week.

The Lost Civic Life of Movie Rental Stores

MIT Press Reader | Joshua M. Greenberg. Netflix, Hulu, and the many other streaming platforms may be more convenient than Blockbuster and its late fees, but Greenberg argues the store and its many mom-and-pop competitors were valuable social meeting places. (Read)

> Contrary to popular belief, Netflix didn't kill Blockbuster, though it did intentionally position itself as an alternative to the movie-rental store.

> A "third place" is a sociological term for a communal space that isn't a home or workplace.

The Soul Set

Victory Journal | Sam Hockley-Smith. Calli Gilchrist took to wrestling as a kid, undeterred by often being one of the few girls in the gym. Now that she's in college, she's continuing to blaze a path in the sport by helping to build a program at Brown University. (Read)

> Title IX increased female participation in sports, as well as the number of American women winning Olympic medals.

Jackmaxxing

NY Times | John Hendrickson. The singer-songwriter-surfer Jack Johnson is unexpectedly back in the cultural conversation, thanks to a documentary ("SURFILMUSIC") and younger fans drawn to his easygoing aesthetic. Hendrickson unpacks the phenomenon in this revealing profile. (Read, free w/email)

> Mark Twain was one of the first writers to cover surfing.

1440's Newest Show: 'Hidden Within'

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 Etcetera 

> Henry David Thoreau was inspired by the philosophical ideas of yoga.

> Carole King wrote—and later regretted—a song she now believes excuses domestic violence.

> Robert Louis Stevenson wrote the entire first draft of "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" in a frantic three days, only to burn it out of disgust.

> "Shuffle Along," a 1921 Broadway show, brought jazz to American musical theater.

> The US paperbacks of JRR Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" series transformed fantasy from a fringe literary genre to a mainstream form.

> Bob Dylan once reimagined himself as the front man of a punk band for a late-night TV performance.

> Norman Rockwell, one of the most recognizable American artists in history, considered himself an "illustrator" rather than a "painter."
 

> Before it was a drink, coffee was used for handwashing.

> Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs' "Stay" is the shortest song to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
 

> The romantic comedy genre has waned in popularity in the US, but it's surging elsewhere.

> The 1971 film "Harold and Maude" was turned into a cult classic by a one-screen theater in Minnesota.

> Explore the maps of literary journeys, the origins of toasting, and why sushi rolls use rice at 1440's Society & Culture hub.