Like The Terminator, just when you thought it had taken enough bullets and torture, Movieline's Hollywood Life kept staggering on. Somehow defying gravity, no newsstand to speak of, no buzz to ride on, just fumes. It was the thing that wouldn't die.
Until now.
It's time for your close-up, Hollywood Life.
When it was Movieline, it was one of the finest movie magazines ever, with the best and most clever journalists and writers. As staff left, it became irrelevant, even changing the name made it a prime candidate for the nail salon piles.
Since Magazine Death Pool appeared, Hollywood Life has provoked some of the strongest reactions at the mere mention of its name. We've predicted its demise many times over and the comments inevitably followed.
Tango beat it in a "race to the death." We had it pegged as far back as May 2006, but Premiere made it down here first.
In April 2006, one letter the Reaper published summed it up best: "For years, I subscribed to Movieline magazine. Then, they overhauled it, changed the name to Movieline's Hollywood Life, and totally screwed it up, changing it from a movie lover's magazine to just another fluffy, stupid, fashion & celebrities magazine. I loathed it, and immediately cancelled my subscription."
The letters the Reaper received tonight were practically salivating...
"The website hollywoodlife.net will remain for the time being and Anne will still have here Hollywood Life awards shows/parties. The new owners are re-launching Movieline, but only as a website, with the guys from Defamer."
"FYI, the rag once known as Movieline, later Hollywood Strife - er, Life - has finally ceased publication. Buhbye!"
The Reaper has finally let the credits roll on Hollywood Life. Let the fan comments begin!
P.S. No animals were hurt or injured in the making of this blog post.
I used to work there in 2007. my previous experience was in NY publication for 5 years. relocated back to LA and i heard of a position opening up. My first impression was it was going to be a challenge. I was wrong. It was a complete nightmare. Anne had to have her crooked little fingers in every part of the magazine. Allowing her managing editor over the photo editor, to choose the talent and photographers to shoot for the magazine. People thought that it was my choice to actually commissioned the work but actually I had my hands tied. Anne declared herself the art director.The place was a revolving door of hiring interns with the hopes of a full time position opening just to use them until they got feed up and quit or got let go. I would tell my storied to my NY colleagues and they would think i was lying of the magazines parodical. I was on a sinking ship for 7 months until one of the staffers made a deal with Anne to fire the other staffers and hire his cronies to continue the magazine as quarterly as HL.
I am glad to hear it got what was coming to it.
Posted by: Photo Editor | March 07, 2009 at 02:19 PM
Once, this was a respectable movie mag run by wicked, evil people. It turned into a pandering, fluffy, insipid rag run by wicked, evil people who hired interns as top editors to write advertorial about chick junk to subscribers who could never afford it. I too am glad they all got what was coming....for years!
Posted by: volokhissatan | March 07, 2009 at 03:24 PM
A loss to no one. True crap.
Posted by: Jermo | March 08, 2009 at 02:50 PM
They had it comin'. Oh, did they have it comin'. Karma works in mysterious, wonderful ways.
Posted by: Desiree Blanc | March 09, 2009 at 02:21 PM
Anne still smells like formaldehyde!
Posted by: Deborah | March 09, 2009 at 10:24 PM
Anything another publication could do better, was done better. Sort of like LifeStyle from Time Warner- which could get Kate Winslet, Ms. Oscar Winner, rather than Liv Tyler, waiting for another Lord of the Rings sequel. Coupled with bad juju in the offices and Reaper did his thing.
Posted by: tangerinedream | March 10, 2009 at 02:53 PM
And lo, a new era begins for all of mankind. This surely signals the beginning of an era of enlightenment and wonder for us all. When Satan finally gets what s(he) deserves it’s a sign! At last this complete disaster implodes under the weight of its own insipidness. Raise a glass and toast one to the sad old rag. Let's hope Anne kept that hat, she may need the twenty bucks!
Posted by: Anne Vilecock | March 10, 2009 at 08:03 PM
Well maybe the economic crash isn't so bad after all if it managed to finally take out this wretchid bird-cage liner once and for all! Don't let the door hit ya on the way OUT!
Posted by: Linda Lee | March 10, 2009 at 08:05 PM
Finally the BIG PRICK John Evans gets what he deserves. I can't say enough bad things about him and his girlfriend at work, Mariana. Shame on him for cheating on his wife, being a BIG ASS LIAR, and for general fuckheadedness. Rot in Hell HL..
Posted by: hollywood lifers | April 06, 2009 at 05:44 PM
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