MADELEINE BRAND, Host:
For lovers of independent film, it's been a big week for two reasons. First, the Sundance Film Festival, but also yesterday brought the end of an era. The New York and L.A. offices of Miramax Films closed their doors.
The company was founded in 1979 by brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein, and named for their parents Miriam and Max. The Weinsteins and Miramax turned out a string of low-budget hits before joining Disney in 1993, where they made many of their best and best-known movies. Here's a quick refresher.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "THE ENGLISH PATIENT")
RALPH FIENNES: (as Count Laszlo de Almasy) Let me tell you about winds.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE")
LAURA SAN GIACOMO: (as Cynthia Patrice Bishop) Why do these tapes all have women's names on them.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "GOOD WILL HUNTING")
MATT DAMON: (as Will Hunting) Do you like apples? Well, I got her number. How do you like them apples?
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "THE CIDER HOUSE RULES")
MICHAEL CAINE: (as Dr. Wilbur Larch) Goodnight, you princes of Maine, you kings of New England.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "SWINGERS")
VINCE VAUGHN: (as Trent) Baby, look at me, look at me. You're money, and you know what else? You're a big winner tonight.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "GARDEN STATE")
NATALIE PORTMAN: (as Sam) You got to hear this one song, it will change your life I swear.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "CHICAGO")
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "ALL THAT JAZZ")
CATHERINE ZETA: (as Velma Kelly) All that jazz...
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "PULP FICTION")
SAMUEL L: (as Jules Winnfield) And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "THERE WILL BE BLOOD")
DANIEL DAY: (as Daniel Plainview) I drink your milkshake.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "CLERKS")
JASON MEWES: (as Jay) Pack o'wraps, my brother man, time to kick back, drink some beers and smoke some weed.
(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "TRAINSPOTTING")
EWAN MCGREGOR: (as Renton) Now I'm cleaning up and I'm moving on, going straight and choosing life. I'm looking forward to it already.
BRAND: That was "Trainspotting," "The English Patient", "Sex, Lies, and Videotape," "Good Will Hunting," "The Cider House Rules," "Swingers," "Garden State," "Chicago," "Pulp Fiction," "There Will Be blood," and "Clerks." Miramax, it turns out, is not completely dead. Disney says over the next two years, it still plans to release at least half a dozen films under the Miramax name.