THR found nine of the best holiday gifts that will impress any guy, including a portable wood-fire oven and a seriously stunning Santos de Cartier watch with green dial. (Click here to see THR’s holiday gift guide for women.)
Donald Robertson’s Sofa King Great is the upcoming book by the artist known as “Drawbertson” and the “Andy Warhol of Instagram,” whose subjects include Harry Styles and Ina Garten and whose iconic wallpaper graces the bathrooms at Sunset Tower; $300 preorder (ships in February), donalddrawbertson.com
Donald Robertson
Made-to-order 500-gram tin of Roe’s sustainably farmed white sturgeon caviar is a perfect indulgence for the person who has everything; $1,640, roecaviar.com
Portable wood-fire DeliVita oven with a clay and stone interior to BBQ, roast, smoke, bake or grill (comes with a pizza peel and dough scraper, plus Jon Finch and Ben Merrington’s Fired cookbook); $3,000, nickeykehoe.com
Unisex reversible varsity...
Donald Robertson’s Sofa King Great is the upcoming book by the artist known as “Drawbertson” and the “Andy Warhol of Instagram,” whose subjects include Harry Styles and Ina Garten and whose iconic wallpaper graces the bathrooms at Sunset Tower; $300 preorder (ships in February), donalddrawbertson.com
Donald Robertson
Made-to-order 500-gram tin of Roe’s sustainably farmed white sturgeon caviar is a perfect indulgence for the person who has everything; $1,640, roecaviar.com
Portable wood-fire DeliVita oven with a clay and stone interior to BBQ, roast, smoke, bake or grill (comes with a pizza peel and dough scraper, plus Jon Finch and Ben Merrington’s Fired cookbook); $3,000, nickeykehoe.com
Unisex reversible varsity...
- 11/19/2023
- by Carol McColgin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It's easy to take for granted the weirdness and shocking nature of the extraterrestrial's lifecycle in Ridley Scott's seminal 1979 horror film "Alien."
In "Alien," John Hurt plays Kane, a crew member of the futuristic space tug Nostromo who finds an outsize, leathery egg while exploring a mysterious alien vessel. The egg opens, and a strange monster -- part lobster, part bladder -- leaps out and grabs his face. He immediately goes comatose. Later, it is discovered that the monster, while still attached to his face, has inserted an unsettling biological tube down his throat. Kane's crewmates are unable to remove the monster from his face; when they pull on it, it begins to strangle Kane with its tail, and when they cut it, it bleeds acid that can eat through metal.
After a spell, the monster drops off Kane's face of its own volition and dies. What happened? It's...
In "Alien," John Hurt plays Kane, a crew member of the futuristic space tug Nostromo who finds an outsize, leathery egg while exploring a mysterious alien vessel. The egg opens, and a strange monster -- part lobster, part bladder -- leaps out and grabs his face. He immediately goes comatose. Later, it is discovered that the monster, while still attached to his face, has inserted an unsettling biological tube down his throat. Kane's crewmates are unable to remove the monster from his face; when they pull on it, it begins to strangle Kane with its tail, and when they cut it, it bleeds acid that can eat through metal.
After a spell, the monster drops off Kane's face of its own volition and dies. What happened? It's...
- 11/11/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection: Volume 3 4K Uhd Box Set from Universal
Five more Alfred Hitchcock movies are coming to 4K Ultra HD: Rope, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Torn Curtain, Topaz, and Frenzy. They’ll be available both individually ($19.99) and together in the third volume of The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection box set ($69.98) on October 31 via Universal.
1948’s Rope stars James Stewart, John Dall, and Farley Granger. 1956’s The Man Who Knew Too Much stars James Stewart and Doris Day. 1966’s Torn Curtain stars Paul Newman and Julie Andrews. 1969’s Topaz stars Frederick Stafford, Dany Robin, and John Forsythe. 1972’s Frenzy stars Jon Finch, Alec McCowen, and Barry Foster.
All five thrillers have...
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection: Volume 3 4K Uhd Box Set from Universal
Five more Alfred Hitchcock movies are coming to 4K Ultra HD: Rope, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Torn Curtain, Topaz, and Frenzy. They’ll be available both individually ($19.99) and together in the third volume of The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection box set ($69.98) on October 31 via Universal.
1948’s Rope stars James Stewart, John Dall, and Farley Granger. 1956’s The Man Who Knew Too Much stars James Stewart and Doris Day. 1966’s Torn Curtain stars Paul Newman and Julie Andrews. 1969’s Topaz stars Frederick Stafford, Dany Robin, and John Forsythe. 1972’s Frenzy stars Jon Finch, Alec McCowen, and Barry Foster.
All five thrillers have...
- 9/22/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
In the working draft, the green script, it appears on page 51. "Kane's face screws into a mask of agony," read the terse, throb-like description. "A red stain, a smear of blood, blossoms on his chest. The fabric on his shirt rips open and a small head, the size of a fist, punches out…"
Jump-cut to Dallas in the spring of 1979, the second test screening of Alien. The first, in St. Louis, had been unconvincing: the sound had been out, the audience restless and the effect muted. In Dallas, the tentative Fox execs were to find out what they had on their hands.
As is now so familiar, it built slowly: 45 minutes, as Ridley Scott_); the dead ship (dubbed the "Derelict" by modelmakers); the haunting Space Jockey, a black rupture in its fossilised chest; and the Egg, gently pulsating before it peels open with a squelch – like sucking milkshake… "We were at the back,...
Jump-cut to Dallas in the spring of 1979, the second test screening of Alien. The first, in St. Louis, had been unconvincing: the sound had been out, the audience restless and the effect muted. In Dallas, the tentative Fox execs were to find out what they had on their hands.
As is now so familiar, it built slowly: 45 minutes, as Ridley Scott_); the dead ship (dubbed the "Derelict" by modelmakers); the haunting Space Jockey, a black rupture in its fossilised chest; and the Egg, gently pulsating before it peels open with a squelch – like sucking milkshake… "We were at the back,...
- 4/26/2023
- by Ian Nathan
- Empire - Movies
To mark the release of The Final Programme on 20th February, we’ve been given Blu-ray copies to give away to 2 winners.
In a far-off future, mankind is in a state of decay. But a group of scientists believe they have found the means to move humanity on to its next level in the creation of an ideal, self-replicating – and thus immortal – human being. Jerry Cornelius (Jon Finch), Nobel Prize-winning physicist and playboy adventurer, is vital to the project’s success: his recently deceased father devised the formula of this ‘final programme’. However, the formula is captured on a microfilm hidden in the vaults of the family’s mansion, and jealously guarded by Jerry’s drug-addicted, psychopathic brother, Frank…
Please note: This competition is open to UK residents only
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The Small Print
Open to UK residents only The competition will close 2nd March 2023 at 23.59 GMT The winner...
In a far-off future, mankind is in a state of decay. But a group of scientists believe they have found the means to move humanity on to its next level in the creation of an ideal, self-replicating – and thus immortal – human being. Jerry Cornelius (Jon Finch), Nobel Prize-winning physicist and playboy adventurer, is vital to the project’s success: his recently deceased father devised the formula of this ‘final programme’. However, the formula is captured on a microfilm hidden in the vaults of the family’s mansion, and jealously guarded by Jerry’s drug-addicted, psychopathic brother, Frank…
Please note: This competition is open to UK residents only
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The Small Print
Open to UK residents only The competition will close 2nd March 2023 at 23.59 GMT The winner...
- 2/19/2023
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Something wicked this way comes to theaters on Christmas Day: Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”. The latest interpretation of Shakespeare’s 1606 Scottish play stars Oscar-winners Denzel Washington as Macbeth, a brave general who hears a prophecy from a trio of witches that he will become king, and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth, the general’s ambitious wife, who goads him into killing the King.
It’s the first film the Oscar-winning Coen has done without his brother Ethan. Coen directed his wife McDormand (they married in 1984) to the first of her three Oscars with 1996’s “Fargo.’ Could this film bag her a 4th?
Even though the play is considered “cursed” that hasn’t stopped directors and actors from tackling the powerful tragedy. The last screen version starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard and directed by Justin Kurzel was released in 2015. Reviews were generally good; the box office wasn’t.
It’s the first film the Oscar-winning Coen has done without his brother Ethan. Coen directed his wife McDormand (they married in 1984) to the first of her three Oscars with 1996’s “Fargo.’ Could this film bag her a 4th?
Even though the play is considered “cursed” that hasn’t stopped directors and actors from tackling the powerful tragedy. The last screen version starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard and directed by Justin Kurzel was released in 2015. Reviews were generally good; the box office wasn’t.
- 12/5/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
The extraordinary Jonathan Ross discusses his favorite movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Kick-Ass (2010)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015) – Dennis Cozzalio’s 2015 year-end list
The Woman in Black (2012)
Stardust (2007)
The Green Knight (2021) – Our podcast interview with director David Lowery, Dennis Cozzalio’s best-of-2021-so-far list
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
The Astro-Zombies (1968) – Dennis Cozzalio’s drive-in director list
The Corpse Grinders (1971) – Dennis Cozzalio’s drive-in director list
Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living And Became Zombies (1964) – Dennis Cozzalio’s drive-in director list
Blood Feast (1963) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
The Wizard of Gore (1970)
Police Story (1985) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989)
Re-Animator (1985) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
Society (1989)
Eraserhead (1977) – Karyn Kusama’s Blu-ray review
Faster Pussycat Kill Kill (1965) – Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls (1970) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Randy...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Kick-Ass (2010)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015) – Dennis Cozzalio’s 2015 year-end list
The Woman in Black (2012)
Stardust (2007)
The Green Knight (2021) – Our podcast interview with director David Lowery, Dennis Cozzalio’s best-of-2021-so-far list
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
The Astro-Zombies (1968) – Dennis Cozzalio’s drive-in director list
The Corpse Grinders (1971) – Dennis Cozzalio’s drive-in director list
Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living And Became Zombies (1964) – Dennis Cozzalio’s drive-in director list
Blood Feast (1963) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
The Wizard of Gore (1970)
Police Story (1985) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989)
Re-Animator (1985) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
Society (1989)
Eraserhead (1977) – Karyn Kusama’s Blu-ray review
Faster Pussycat Kill Kill (1965) – Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls (1970) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Randy...
- 10/5/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Orson Welles was 33 when he cast himself as Macbeth in his 1948 screen adaptation, Jeannette Nolan 37 as Lady Macbeth. Jon Finch is 28 in Roman Polanski’s version, Francesca Annis 26. The point being that Joel Coen’s casting of Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand in the titular roles, 66 and 64 respectively, is a decision that lands with timely force and intention. In Coen’s hands, Shakespeare’s plot of murderous usurpation seems almost a pretext, a backdrop against which this adaptation’s most poignant aspects emerge: its pervasive sense of dread, the feeling that we are living in the middle of something in its final throes. From his first scene with the Weird Sisters, Washington’s Macbeth looks worn, hunched, heavyset—his face seems to have the look of a very modern anxiety. He takes in the Weird Sister’s prophecy as a burden. Joel Coen, for whom the Tragedy of Macbeth is...
- 10/5/2021
- MUBI
Alfred Hitchcock celebrates his 119th birthday on August 13. Born in 1899, the director has long been revered as one of the most influential filmmakers of all time. He also holds the unfortunate distinction of being one of Oscar’s biggest losers, with five Best Director nominations and no wins. Still, who needs an Oscar when you’ve impacted world cinema as significantly as “Hitch” has? In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked from worst to best.
Known as “the Master of Suspense,” Hitchcock cut his teeth directing silent movies in his native England. With films like “The Lodger” (1927), he gained a reputation for helming tense and stylish psychological thrillers. With the invention of sound came an added element to Hitchcock’s work: a sly sense of humor.
He moved to America in 1940 to direct two films that earned Best Picture nominations: “Foreign Correspondent” and “Rebecca,...
Known as “the Master of Suspense,” Hitchcock cut his teeth directing silent movies in his native England. With films like “The Lodger” (1927), he gained a reputation for helming tense and stylish psychological thrillers. With the invention of sound came an added element to Hitchcock’s work: a sly sense of humor.
He moved to America in 1940 to direct two films that earned Best Picture nominations: “Foreign Correspondent” and “Rebecca,...
- 8/13/2018
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, and Tom Stockman
Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo screens at St. Louis’ fabulous Hi-Pointe Theater this weekend as part of their Classic Film Series. It’s Saturday, March 11th at 10:30am at the Hi-Pointe located at 1005 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, Mo 63117. The film will be introduced by Harry Hamm, movie reviewer for Kmox. Admission is only $5
This gives us a perfect excuse to re-run this top ten list so here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are Alfred Hitchcock’s ten best films:
Frenzy
Frenzy, Hitchcock’s next to last feature film from 1972, represented a homecoming of sorts since it was the first film completely shot in his native England since his silents and early ” talkies ” in the 1930’s. By dipping into the then somewhat new territory of serial killers, he took full advantage of the new cinema freedoms and truly earned his ‘ R ‘ MPAA rating.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo screens at St. Louis’ fabulous Hi-Pointe Theater this weekend as part of their Classic Film Series. It’s Saturday, March 11th at 10:30am at the Hi-Pointe located at 1005 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, Mo 63117. The film will be introduced by Harry Hamm, movie reviewer for Kmox. Admission is only $5
This gives us a perfect excuse to re-run this top ten list so here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are Alfred Hitchcock’s ten best films:
Frenzy
Frenzy, Hitchcock’s next to last feature film from 1972, represented a homecoming of sorts since it was the first film completely shot in his native England since his silents and early ” talkies ” in the 1930’s. By dipping into the then somewhat new territory of serial killers, he took full advantage of the new cinema freedoms and truly earned his ‘ R ‘ MPAA rating.
- 3/8/2017
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Alec McCowan (right) with Vivien Merchant and Jon Finch in Alfred Hitchcock's "Frenzy".
Alec McCowen, acclaimed British actor of stage and screen, has passed away at age 91. Theater was McCowan's first love and his one-man adaptation of the New Testament formed the basis for his critically-praised show, "St. Mark's Gospel". He would receive three Tony nominations throughout his career. He was classically trained as an actor and appeared in many high profile stage productions around the world. McCowen made occasional appearances in high profile films. His best-remembered role was as the London detective in Alfred Hitchcock's 1972 classic "Frenzy". In the part, McCowen had to track down a serial rapist and murderer who is terrorizing the city. He played the role with wry humor especially in scenes in which his doting wife, played by Vivien Merchant, insists on cooking him elaborately prepared dinners of barely edible food. McCowen also...
Alec McCowen, acclaimed British actor of stage and screen, has passed away at age 91. Theater was McCowan's first love and his one-man adaptation of the New Testament formed the basis for his critically-praised show, "St. Mark's Gospel". He would receive three Tony nominations throughout his career. He was classically trained as an actor and appeared in many high profile stage productions around the world. McCowen made occasional appearances in high profile films. His best-remembered role was as the London detective in Alfred Hitchcock's 1972 classic "Frenzy". In the part, McCowen had to track down a serial rapist and murderer who is terrorizing the city. He played the role with wry humor especially in scenes in which his doting wife, played by Vivien Merchant, insists on cooking him elaborately prepared dinners of barely edible food. McCowen also...
- 2/9/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Mark Harrison Oct 14, 2016
With the question of who's playing James Bond in James Bond 25 unresolved, we look back at the casting conundrums 007 has faced before.
Since 1962, fewer men have played James Bond than have walked on the moon. Despite the relatively long turnaround of the role, the subject of who might follow in the footsteps of Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig in the future has fuelled many column inches and tabloid splashes.
It feels as if speculation about the seventh 007 in Eon Productions' long-lived spy franchise has been at fever pitch since this time last year, when Craig was doing the promotional rounds for Spectre and commented that he would rather “slash [his] wrists” than play Bond again. It's only after a year of constant reports on the subject that his far more optimistic comments at last weekend's New Yorker Festival...
With the question of who's playing James Bond in James Bond 25 unresolved, we look back at the casting conundrums 007 has faced before.
Since 1962, fewer men have played James Bond than have walked on the moon. Despite the relatively long turnaround of the role, the subject of who might follow in the footsteps of Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig in the future has fuelled many column inches and tabloid splashes.
It feels as if speculation about the seventh 007 in Eon Productions' long-lived spy franchise has been at fever pitch since this time last year, when Craig was doing the promotional rounds for Spectre and commented that he would rather “slash [his] wrists” than play Bond again. It's only after a year of constant reports on the subject that his far more optimistic comments at last weekend's New Yorker Festival...
- 10/12/2016
- Den of Geek
Shudder will take viewers to the place that's "not as brightly lit" this Halloween season, as the 1980s anthology series Tales From the Darkside will be available to watch in its entirety on the horror streaming service beginning October 1st:
Press Release: New York, New York – September 26, 2016 – The AMC-backed streaming service, Shudder, is The entertainment destination for everything you need to watch this Halloween season. Whether you’re a hardcore horror fan or simply looking for the scariest films to celebrate this time of year, Shudder has something for everyone in its sweeping library, carefully curated by some of the top horror experts in the world.
As Halloween approaches, Shudder is expanding its database with a variety of new titles including cult favorites, blockbuster hits, and classic thrillers. Additionally, for the first time ever, Shudder will be offering horror TV series to complement its expansive film library.
Premiering October 20th...
Press Release: New York, New York – September 26, 2016 – The AMC-backed streaming service, Shudder, is The entertainment destination for everything you need to watch this Halloween season. Whether you’re a hardcore horror fan or simply looking for the scariest films to celebrate this time of year, Shudder has something for everyone in its sweeping library, carefully curated by some of the top horror experts in the world.
As Halloween approaches, Shudder is expanding its database with a variety of new titles including cult favorites, blockbuster hits, and classic thrillers. Additionally, for the first time ever, Shudder will be offering horror TV series to complement its expansive film library.
Premiering October 20th...
- 9/28/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Roman Polanski’s adaptation of Macbeth, co-scripted by Kenneth Tynan and starring Jon Finch and Francesca Annis, is arguably the most bloodsoaked one ever – made in the aftermath of his wife Sharon Tate’s murder by the Manson ‘family’. In this clip, we see Finch’s Macbeth fight Macduff (Terence Bayler) in the celebrated ‘untimely ripp’d’ climactic scene. The Tragedy of Macbeth (Criterion Collection) is available now on Blu-Ray
Read Judge John Deeds star Martin Shaw’s account of working on the film
Continue reading...
Read Judge John Deeds star Martin Shaw’s account of working on the film
Continue reading...
- 5/5/2016
- by Guardian Staff
- The Guardian - Film News
Roman Polanski’s adaptation of Macbeth, co-scripted by Kenneth Tynan and starring Jon Finch and Francesca Annis, is arguably the most bloodsoaked one ever – made in the aftermath of his wife Sharon Tate’s murder by the Manson ‘family’. In this clip, we see Finch’s Macbeth fight Macduff (Terence Bayler) in the celebrated ‘untimely ripp’d’ climactic scene. The Tragedy of Macbeth (Criterion Collection) is available now on Blu-Ray
Read Judge John Deeds star Martin Shaw’s account of working on the film
Continue reading...
Read Judge John Deeds star Martin Shaw’s account of working on the film
Continue reading...
- 5/5/2016
- by Guardian Staff
- The Guardian - Film News
Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard as the Macbeths: It seemed to be perfect casting. Which is what makes this adaptation of William Shakespeare’s bloody tale of ambition spun out of control all the more disappointing. The latest film adaptation of the Scottish play, which premiered at Cannes this year and opened in U.S. theaters last weekend, boasts plenty of smart choices. It’s gorgeously shot, with the mud-soaked battles and the moody fog of the Highlands setting just the right foreboding tone. Director Justin Kurzel delivers a striking new take on Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane that thankfully avoids the inevitably silly image of soldiers approaching a castle whilst hiding behind tree branches. But (you knew there was a ‘but’ coming, didn’t you?) the approach to the lead performances, especially Fassbender’s, is misguided. This is a very quiet “Macbeth,” one without the sound and fury the text demands.
- 12/9/2015
- by Emily Rome
- Hitfix
#Redcarpet MacBeth by Justin Kurzel #Cannes2015 pic.twitter.com/Lwz4dMT3Wc
— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) May 23, 2015
Of all of William Shakespeare’s classic works, Macbeth must surely be amongst his most famous.
Certainly, in the more than 400 years since its first publication, it has been one of the most frequently adapted; revived regularly on stage and re-envisioned time and again in the age of cinema and television.
Now comes a bold and daring version starring Academy-Award nominee Michael Fassbender (12 Years A Slave) and Academy-Award winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose).
Directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown), MacBeth had its World Premiere at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and was the final movie to screen in Competition.
In his review, Guy Lodge (Variety) praises the director’s “thrillingly elemental new adaptation. Fearsomely visceral and impeccably performed, it’s a brisk, bracing update, even as it remains exquisitely in period.”
The...
— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) May 23, 2015
Of all of William Shakespeare’s classic works, Macbeth must surely be amongst his most famous.
Certainly, in the more than 400 years since its first publication, it has been one of the most frequently adapted; revived regularly on stage and re-envisioned time and again in the age of cinema and television.
Now comes a bold and daring version starring Academy-Award nominee Michael Fassbender (12 Years A Slave) and Academy-Award winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose).
Directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown), MacBeth had its World Premiere at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and was the final movie to screen in Competition.
In his review, Guy Lodge (Variety) praises the director’s “thrillingly elemental new adaptation. Fearsomely visceral and impeccably performed, it’s a brisk, bracing update, even as it remains exquisitely in period.”
The...
- 5/23/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, and Tom Stockman
The Birds screens at Schlafly Bottleworks (7260 Southwest Ave.- at Manchester – Maplewood, Mo 63143) Thursday, April 2nd at 7pm. It is a benefit for Helping Kids Together (more details about this event can be found Here)
This gives us a perfect excuse to re-run this top ten list from March of 2012. Alfred Hitchcock directed 54 feature films between 1925 and 1976, and here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are his ten best:
Frenzy
Frenzy, Hitchcock’s next to last feature film from 1972, represented a homecoming of sorts since it was the first film completely shot in his native England since his silents and early ” talkies ” in the 1930’s. By dipping into the then somewhat new territory of serial killers, he took full advantage of the new cinema freedoms and truly earned his ‘ R ‘ MPAA rating. Perhaps ole’ ” Hitch ” wanted to give those young up-and-coming...
The Birds screens at Schlafly Bottleworks (7260 Southwest Ave.- at Manchester – Maplewood, Mo 63143) Thursday, April 2nd at 7pm. It is a benefit for Helping Kids Together (more details about this event can be found Here)
This gives us a perfect excuse to re-run this top ten list from March of 2012. Alfred Hitchcock directed 54 feature films between 1925 and 1976, and here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are his ten best:
Frenzy
Frenzy, Hitchcock’s next to last feature film from 1972, represented a homecoming of sorts since it was the first film completely shot in his native England since his silents and early ” talkies ” in the 1930’s. By dipping into the then somewhat new territory of serial killers, he took full advantage of the new cinema freedoms and truly earned his ‘ R ‘ MPAA rating. Perhaps ole’ ” Hitch ” wanted to give those young up-and-coming...
- 3/30/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Callan McAuliffe, Andy McPhee, Arthur Angel and John Orcsik have joined the cast of writer-director Matthew Holmes. The Legend of Ben Hall, which started shooting on Sunday in regional Victoria. The plot follow the last six turbulent months of the life of the notorious bushranger (newcomer Jack Martin), whose gang pulled off the largest gold heist in the British Empire, and the circumstances surrounding his controversial execution by police in 1865.
Martin played the character in Holmes. Kickstarter-funded short film, footage from which is being incorporated in the feature. The cast includes Joanne Dobbin as his ex-wife Biddy, Adam Willson as Mick Coneley, who harboured Hall, Jamie Coffa and William Lee as fellow gang members, Angus Pilakui as an Aboriginal tracker, Jordan Fraser-Trumble as Inspector Davidson and Gregory Quinn as Sergeant Condell.
The La-based McAuliffe (The Great Gatsby, Robot Overlords) and McPhee (Animal Kingdom, Sons of Anarchy) are playing members of the gang.
Martin played the character in Holmes. Kickstarter-funded short film, footage from which is being incorporated in the feature. The cast includes Joanne Dobbin as his ex-wife Biddy, Adam Willson as Mick Coneley, who harboured Hall, Jamie Coffa and William Lee as fellow gang members, Angus Pilakui as an Aboriginal tracker, Jordan Fraser-Trumble as Inspector Davidson and Gregory Quinn as Sergeant Condell.
The La-based McAuliffe (The Great Gatsby, Robot Overlords) and McPhee (Animal Kingdom, Sons of Anarchy) are playing members of the gang.
- 3/29/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Macbeth was the first film Roman Polanski made following the murder of his wife, Sharon Tate, and friends at the hands of the Manson family. At the time he'd been working on the sci-fi thriller The Day of the Dolphin, which would later be made by Mike Nichols. It was during a skiing trip arranged by Victor Lownes, a subsequent producer of the film, Polanski made the decision Macbeth would be his next film. It was a decision he made feeling his next film "should be something serious, not a comedy... something with some depth." Polanski would team with Kenneth Tynan to write the screenplay and, thanks to urging from Lownes, Hugh Hefner and Playboy would eventually serve as the film's producer after no one else would touch it. As Polanski notes in an included 60-minute documentary on this new Criterion Blu-ray release, to that point there had only been...
- 10/15/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Polanski wrought "Macbeth" out of deep despair and psychological depression two years after Sharon Tate was murdered. And this very dark and downbeat version of the Shakespeare tragedy shows us what he was going through. A new Blu-ray of the 1971 film is out now from Criterion, which has excerpted a piece of the making-of doc "Toil and Trouble" in the video below. Watch as Polanski talks the freedom he found in mounting Shakespeare -- and how he casted against type to heighten the film's menacing mood. Actors also talk the late Jon Finch, who plays the title king. Next year we'll see Justin Kurzel's take on the film, with Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard in the leading roles.
- 10/7/2014
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
Macbeth
Written by Roman Polanski and Kenneth Tynan
Directed by Roman Polanski
UK, 1971
Following the success of Rosemary’s Baby in 1968, and prior to what is arguably still his greatest film, Chinatown (1974), Roman Polanski made three curious filmmaking choices. One was the international coproduction and rarely discussed What? (1972), one was the racing documentary Weekend of a Champion (1972), and the third, which actually came before these two, was Macbeth (1971). It is obviously not that a Shakespearean adaptation in itself is unusual, but rather that it so seemingly diverted from the films that were garnering the young Polanski his worldwide acclaim: taut thrillers like The Knife in the Water (1962), Repulsion (1965), Cul-De-Sac (1966), and Rosemary’s Baby. Yet in Macbeth, there are a number of characteristic Polanski touches — in story and style — harkening back to these previous works and in many ways pointing toward those to come.
Don’t be fooled by the Playboy...
Written by Roman Polanski and Kenneth Tynan
Directed by Roman Polanski
UK, 1971
Following the success of Rosemary’s Baby in 1968, and prior to what is arguably still his greatest film, Chinatown (1974), Roman Polanski made three curious filmmaking choices. One was the international coproduction and rarely discussed What? (1972), one was the racing documentary Weekend of a Champion (1972), and the third, which actually came before these two, was Macbeth (1971). It is obviously not that a Shakespearean adaptation in itself is unusual, but rather that it so seemingly diverted from the films that were garnering the young Polanski his worldwide acclaim: taut thrillers like The Knife in the Water (1962), Repulsion (1965), Cul-De-Sac (1966), and Rosemary’s Baby. Yet in Macbeth, there are a number of characteristic Polanski touches — in story and style — harkening back to these previous works and in many ways pointing toward those to come.
Don’t be fooled by the Playboy...
- 9/30/2014
- by Jeremy Carr
- SoundOnSight
Tomorrow, more than a year after its Cannes Competition premiere, Roman Polanski's "Venus in Fur" finally opens in Us theaters. It's the 20th narrative feature of a career that now spans six decades, so a list themed around the Oscar-winning director's work seemed in order. Given that "Venus in Fur" -- Polanski's third film, after "Death and the Maiden" and "Carnage," to replicate the scale and pace of an intimate stage production -- is based so explicitly around notions of performance, and the push-pull relationship between actor and director, a selection of his most successful actorly collaborations seemed the obvious way to go. Like so many auteurs celebrated for their own idiosyncratic style, Polanski's facility with actors isn't discussed as frequently as his formal abilities and preoccupations, yet he's always had the knack for drawing surprising work out of established stars and newcomers alike -- often casting actors intriguingly out of their element,...
- 6/19/2014
- by Guy Lodge
- Hitfix
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Sept. 23, 2014
Price: DVD $29.95, Blu-ray $39.95
Studio: Criterion
Jon Finch is Macbeth
In Macbeth, Roman Polanski (Rosemary’s Baby) imbues his unflinchingly violent adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy of ruthless ambition and murder in medieval Scotland with grit and dramatic intensity.
Jon Finch (Frenzy) and Francesca Annis (Dune) are charged with fury and sex appeal as a decorated warrior rising in the ranks and his driven wife, scheming together to take the throne by any means.
Co-adapted by Polanski and the great theater critic and dramaturge Kenneth Tynan, and shot against a series of stunning, stark British Isle landscapes, this version of Macbeth is among the most atmospheric and authentic of all Shakespeare films.
Criterion’s DVD and Blu-ray editions of Macbeth contain the following features:
• New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed stereo soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• New documentary about the making of the film, featuring interviews with director Roman Polanski,...
Price: DVD $29.95, Blu-ray $39.95
Studio: Criterion
Jon Finch is Macbeth
In Macbeth, Roman Polanski (Rosemary’s Baby) imbues his unflinchingly violent adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy of ruthless ambition and murder in medieval Scotland with grit and dramatic intensity.
Jon Finch (Frenzy) and Francesca Annis (Dune) are charged with fury and sex appeal as a decorated warrior rising in the ranks and his driven wife, scheming together to take the throne by any means.
Co-adapted by Polanski and the great theater critic and dramaturge Kenneth Tynan, and shot against a series of stunning, stark British Isle landscapes, this version of Macbeth is among the most atmospheric and authentic of all Shakespeare films.
Criterion’s DVD and Blu-ray editions of Macbeth contain the following features:
• New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed stereo soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• New documentary about the making of the film, featuring interviews with director Roman Polanski,...
- 6/18/2014
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
The Judge John Deed star remembers the 60s at the Royal Court, and being discovered by the great auteur
By 1969 I'd done a few roles for Sidney Bernstein's Granada Television, which was the place for new, dangerous drama, and a couple of plays at the Royal Court. I was in their first revival of Look Back in Anger. John Osborne came along to rehearsals a lot – he was shocked at how gritty and visceral we'd made the production. It was an incredibly exciting time – I felt part of a movement of dissent. I did the premiere of David Storey's The Contractor, with the great Lindsay Anderson, and then I did a play called Cancer, which was later renamed Moonchildren.
Cancer was based on the experiences of its writer, Michael Weller. It's about a group of students who rent a flat. It's a very funny and very realistic play,...
By 1969 I'd done a few roles for Sidney Bernstein's Granada Television, which was the place for new, dangerous drama, and a couple of plays at the Royal Court. I was in their first revival of Look Back in Anger. John Osborne came along to rehearsals a lot – he was shocked at how gritty and visceral we'd made the production. It was an incredibly exciting time – I felt part of a movement of dissent. I did the premiere of David Storey's The Contractor, with the great Lindsay Anderson, and then I did a play called Cancer, which was later renamed Moonchildren.
Cancer was based on the experiences of its writer, Michael Weller. It's about a group of students who rent a flat. It's a very funny and very realistic play,...
- 2/17/2014
- by Martin Shaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Frenzy
Written by Anthony Shaffer
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
UK, 1972
Family Plot
Written by Ernest Lehman
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
USA, 1976
There are some who opt for Alfred Hitchcock’s British years as his finest, taking into account his earliest silent features through Jamaica Inn in 1939. On the other hand, many regard the peak years in America as the Master of Suspense’s finest era, with films from Rebecca in 1940 to Marnie in 1964. Both have valid points to make and there are unquestionably several great works during each phase of the filmmaker’s career. Few, however, would rank Hitchcock’s final four films among his best. In a way, this is unfair, their lowly stature no doubt due to the masterworks that preceded them; with the films Hitchcock made before, the bar was set unassailably high. Taken apart from the imposing excellence of these earlier classics, these concluding films are solid movies.
Written by Anthony Shaffer
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
UK, 1972
Family Plot
Written by Ernest Lehman
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
USA, 1976
There are some who opt for Alfred Hitchcock’s British years as his finest, taking into account his earliest silent features through Jamaica Inn in 1939. On the other hand, many regard the peak years in America as the Master of Suspense’s finest era, with films from Rebecca in 1940 to Marnie in 1964. Both have valid points to make and there are unquestionably several great works during each phase of the filmmaker’s career. Few, however, would rank Hitchcock’s final four films among his best. In a way, this is unfair, their lowly stature no doubt due to the masterworks that preceded them; with the films Hitchcock made before, the bar was set unassailably high. Taken apart from the imposing excellence of these earlier classics, these concluding films are solid movies.
- 12/13/2013
- by Jeremy Carr
- SoundOnSight
Following its release in North America last year, director Julian Richards' debut horror feature, Darklands, is finally now available on DVD in the UK as well courtesy of Metrodome Distribution. Check out its impressive new cover art.
From the Press Release:
Starring Craig Fairbrass (Cliffhanger), Jon Finch (Frenzy), and Rowena King (Wild Saragossa Sea), Darklands is frequently compared to Robin Hardy’s 1970’s cult classic The Wicker Man, but the writer/director also acknowledges a debt to Roman Polanski’s Rosemary's Baby.
Darklands, which won the Melies D’Argent for Best European Fantasy Film in 1997, launched the directing career of Julian Richards, who went on to helm Silent Cry, The Last Horror Movie, Summer Scars, and Shiver, whilst producer Paul Brooks produced Shadow of the Vampire, White Noise, and Haunting in Connecticut.
"Darklands was the first British film to combine horror with social realism, a genre watershed which paved...
From the Press Release:
Starring Craig Fairbrass (Cliffhanger), Jon Finch (Frenzy), and Rowena King (Wild Saragossa Sea), Darklands is frequently compared to Robin Hardy’s 1970’s cult classic The Wicker Man, but the writer/director also acknowledges a debt to Roman Polanski’s Rosemary's Baby.
Darklands, which won the Melies D’Argent for Best European Fantasy Film in 1997, launched the directing career of Julian Richards, who went on to helm Silent Cry, The Last Horror Movie, Summer Scars, and Shiver, whilst producer Paul Brooks produced Shadow of the Vampire, White Noise, and Haunting in Connecticut.
"Darklands was the first British film to combine horror with social realism, a genre watershed which paved...
- 12/9/2013
- by Debi Moore
- DreadCentral.com
The Final Programme | Scandal - Season 1 | Sharknado | Battlestar Galactica | Much Ado About Nothing
The Final Programme
Reading this on mobile? Click here to view
Adapted from the novel by fantasy writer (and Hawkwind collaborator) Michael Moorcock, this 1973 British comedy thriller may not have much respect for its source material but it does gloriously capture the satirical humour and pop-art stylings of the time. It's also a great example of the peculiar strand of highly artistic British cinema of that era. Jon Finch cuts a dashing figure as playboy physicist and secret agent Jerry Cornelius, who becomes involved in a quest for a messiah for the technological age. The human race is dying out, our genes are falling apart and the world is in disarray; Trafalgar Square is piled high with derelict cars and the Vatican has gone. The secret to humanity's survival is coded on a microfilm hidden somewhere in...
The Final Programme
Reading this on mobile? Click here to view
Adapted from the novel by fantasy writer (and Hawkwind collaborator) Michael Moorcock, this 1973 British comedy thriller may not have much respect for its source material but it does gloriously capture the satirical humour and pop-art stylings of the time. It's also a great example of the peculiar strand of highly artistic British cinema of that era. Jon Finch cuts a dashing figure as playboy physicist and secret agent Jerry Cornelius, who becomes involved in a quest for a messiah for the technological age. The human race is dying out, our genes are falling apart and the world is in disarray; Trafalgar Square is piled high with derelict cars and the Vatican has gone. The secret to humanity's survival is coded on a microfilm hidden somewhere in...
- 10/5/2013
- by Phelim O'Neill
- The Guardian - Film News
Chicago – As much as our love for Netflix continues to grow on a daily basis as the company expands its grip on the streaming empire by offering brilliant programming like “Orange is the New Black” and “House of Cards,” the interface, both on computer and iOS can be a little overwhelming. How do you find something worth watching?
Some of the personalized recommendations are good. Some are horrendous. Let us be your guide. On the first Tuesday of every month (and likely more often as the library of this service continues to grow), we’ll give you ten interesting movies to add to your queue. We’ll shoot for a mix of new and old, a variety of genres, major films and minor ones — the “something for everyone” aspect that Netflix uses so well. We’ll be brief — ten movies, ten Netflix descriptions, our brief reasons as to why these flicks made the cut,...
Some of the personalized recommendations are good. Some are horrendous. Let us be your guide. On the first Tuesday of every month (and likely more often as the library of this service continues to grow), we’ll give you ten interesting movies to add to your queue. We’ll shoot for a mix of new and old, a variety of genres, major films and minor ones — the “something for everyone” aspect that Netflix uses so well. We’ll be brief — ten movies, ten Netflix descriptions, our brief reasons as to why these flicks made the cut,...
- 9/4/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
I’ve passed a fair bit of time this year re-acquainting myself with various screen adaptations of Macbeth, from Welles to Polanski to Thames Television’s famed 1976 RSC production, as well as Kurosawa’s Throne Of Blood and the 2010 TV movie with Patrick Stewart. There are more besides. It seemed a fairly random resurgence of interest at the beginning, a rekindled love affair with a favourite work.
The initial announcement contained the dreaded word ‘updated’. Fans of screen adaptations of the Scottish Play know that this means at least one of two things: inadequate budget and/or minimal faith in the target audience to appreciate the subtleties and quality of the original text. Follow-up announcements clarified that the movie will be ‘a visceral approach to the story including significant battle scenes’ (i.e. it will be sounding out the MPAA’s ratings board with potential graphic violence) - and, more importantly,...
The initial announcement contained the dreaded word ‘updated’. Fans of screen adaptations of the Scottish Play know that this means at least one of two things: inadequate budget and/or minimal faith in the target audience to appreciate the subtleties and quality of the original text. Follow-up announcements clarified that the movie will be ‘a visceral approach to the story including significant battle scenes’ (i.e. it will be sounding out the MPAA’s ratings board with potential graphic violence) - and, more importantly,...
- 7/20/2013
- Shadowlocked
• Michael Fassbender (Shame) is attached to play the title role in a film update of Macbeth, William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy about a scheming nobleman intent on ruling Scotland. The play has been adapted for the big screen a number of times, including Orson Welles’ 1948 version in which he also played the character of Macbeth, and Roman Polanski’s 1971 version which starred Jon Finch. Justin Kurzel (The Snowtown Murders) will direct the Fassbender update which will reportedly use the original language. The part of Lady Macbeth has not been cast yet. [Screen Daily]
• Jamie Foxx is in talks to star in Will Gluck...
• Jamie Foxx is in talks to star in Will Gluck...
- 4/30/2013
- by Lindsey Bahr
- EW - Inside Movies
Roman Polanski is as famous for the events of his tumultuous life as he is for his often brilliant, highly influential body of work.
Born in Paris in 1933 to Polish parents who unfortunately returned to Poland in 1937, Polanski survived the Nazi extermination of the inhabitants of Krakow’s Jewish ghetto (although his mother died in Auschwitz). He roamed the countryside struggling to survive for the remainder of the war, at times being sheltered by sympathetic families but also witnessing atrocities that seem likely to have influenced his choice of material and portrayal of violence on screen.
Polanski met actress Sharon Tate while making The Fearless Vampire Killers, and they were married in January 1968. In August 1969, while Polanski was in Europe, the pregnant Tate and four of their friends were murdered at their La residence at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon by the followers of Charles Manson, a crime that has...
Born in Paris in 1933 to Polish parents who unfortunately returned to Poland in 1937, Polanski survived the Nazi extermination of the inhabitants of Krakow’s Jewish ghetto (although his mother died in Auschwitz). He roamed the countryside struggling to survive for the remainder of the war, at times being sheltered by sympathetic families but also witnessing atrocities that seem likely to have influenced his choice of material and portrayal of violence on screen.
Polanski met actress Sharon Tate while making The Fearless Vampire Killers, and they were married in January 1968. In August 1969, while Polanski was in Europe, the pregnant Tate and four of their friends were murdered at their La residence at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon by the followers of Charles Manson, a crime that has...
- 2/6/2013
- by Ian Gilchrist
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Charismatic star of Polanski's Macbeth and Hitchcock's Frenzy
In the 1970s, it seemed a sure bet that the actor Jon Finch, who has died aged 71, would become a durable film star of some magnitude. He had the dark good looks, the voice, the charisma and the opportunities. At the beginning of his film career, he played the title role in Roman Polanski's The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971) and starred in Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy (1972). Around the same time he was offered the chance to replace Sean Connery as James Bond in Live and Let Die (1973). The fact that Finch turned the part down stupefied many commentators.
That Finch never achieved the level of stardom that was anticipated may be attributed to his dislike of the kind of media publicity that goes with it and his self-proclaimed lack of ambition. "I never wanted to be a big star," Finch once said.
In the 1970s, it seemed a sure bet that the actor Jon Finch, who has died aged 71, would become a durable film star of some magnitude. He had the dark good looks, the voice, the charisma and the opportunities. At the beginning of his film career, he played the title role in Roman Polanski's The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971) and starred in Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy (1972). Around the same time he was offered the chance to replace Sean Connery as James Bond in Live and Let Die (1973). The fact that Finch turned the part down stupefied many commentators.
That Finch never achieved the level of stardom that was anticipated may be attributed to his dislike of the kind of media publicity that goes with it and his self-proclaimed lack of ambition. "I never wanted to be a big star," Finch once said.
- 1/14/2013
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
His two most famous film roles were as the man wrongly accused of being the ‘necktie strangler’ in Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy (1972), the director’s last great film, and the title role in Roman Polanski’s MacBeth in 1971. He may be best known for the role he turned down: that of James Bond when Cubby Broccoli was looking for a handsome British actor to replace Sean Connery for 1973′s Live And Let Die. Earlier in his career, actor Jon Finch had appeared in the Hammer horror films The Vampire Lovers and The Horror Of Frankenstein. He also starred in the end-of-the-world sci-fi saga The Last Days Of Man On Earth (1973) from cult director Robert Fuest (The Abominable Dr. Phibes). He was married for several years to Catrinoa MacColl, who worked regularly with director Lucio Fulci in films including The Beyond and House By The Cemetery. Finch’s final role was...
- 1/12/2013
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
From Universal Pictures (UK) comes14 iconic thrillers from The Master of Suspense together for the first time ever as Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection – Super Premium Edition comes to Blu-ray on November 12th, 2012 for a limited time only.
We have one copy of the Blu-ray box set to give away to our readers.
Digitally restored from high-quality film elements and presented in perfect high-definition picture and sound, Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection brings the Master of Suspense’s best work to home audiences as it’s never been seen before. This Super Premium Edition features 13 films previously unavailable on Blu-ray,Tm a collectible 16 page exclusive hardback book and additional collectibles including storyboards, costume sketches, correspondence, photographs, beautiful art cards and much more. Plus a treasure trove of over 15 hours of documentaries, filmmaker commentaries, interviews, screen tests, trailers and more, including a new documentary “The Birds, Hitchcock’s Monster Movie,...
We have one copy of the Blu-ray box set to give away to our readers.
Digitally restored from high-quality film elements and presented in perfect high-definition picture and sound, Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection brings the Master of Suspense’s best work to home audiences as it’s never been seen before. This Super Premium Edition features 13 films previously unavailable on Blu-ray,Tm a collectible 16 page exclusive hardback book and additional collectibles including storyboards, costume sketches, correspondence, photographs, beautiful art cards and much more. Plus a treasure trove of over 15 hours of documentaries, filmmaker commentaries, interviews, screen tests, trailers and more, including a new documentary “The Birds, Hitchcock’s Monster Movie,...
- 11/13/2012
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
Universal released Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection this week, which includes fifteen of his films in one Blu-ray set. If you’d like to learn more about the release, we have a breakdown of all that is included in the collection, plus a set of clips:
Fifteen of the most acclaimed films by legendary director Alfred Hitchcock come together on Blu-rayTM for the first time ever when Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection is released on October 30, 2012 for a limited time only. Digitally restored from high-quality film elements and presented in perfect high-definition picture and sound, Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection brings the Master of Suspense’s best work to home audiences as it’s never been seen before. This ultimate collector’s set features 13 films previously unavailable on Blu-ray,Tm a collectible 50-page book featuring storyboards, costume sketches, correspondence, photographs, and much more. Plus a treasure trove of over 15 hours of documentaries,...
Fifteen of the most acclaimed films by legendary director Alfred Hitchcock come together on Blu-rayTM for the first time ever when Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection is released on October 30, 2012 for a limited time only. Digitally restored from high-quality film elements and presented in perfect high-definition picture and sound, Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection brings the Master of Suspense’s best work to home audiences as it’s never been seen before. This ultimate collector’s set features 13 films previously unavailable on Blu-ray,Tm a collectible 50-page book featuring storyboards, costume sketches, correspondence, photographs, and much more. Plus a treasure trove of over 15 hours of documentaries,...
- 10/31/2012
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Back in September we learned that Darklands, the debut feature of director Julian Richards (The Last Horror Movie), will finally be released on November 20th; and a new clip from the occult shocker has arrived!
Richland says the clip was inspired by a pagan ritual he attended in Scotland whilst researching the screenplay. The event, known as The Beltane Fire, takes place in Edinburgh on April 30th, which is an important date in the pagan calender celebrating the coming of spring.
"Rituals such as Beltane (Walpurgis Night) and Samhain (Halloween) are based around the seasons and celebrate the success or failure of the harvest," explains Richards. "Records suggest that in the event of a bad harvest human sacrifices were made, but some historians believe this to be a myth propagated by Roman imperialists to portray themselves as a civilizing force."
Darklands presents a contemporary spin on these themes by setting the story in South Wales,...
Richland says the clip was inspired by a pagan ritual he attended in Scotland whilst researching the screenplay. The event, known as The Beltane Fire, takes place in Edinburgh on April 30th, which is an important date in the pagan calender celebrating the coming of spring.
"Rituals such as Beltane (Walpurgis Night) and Samhain (Halloween) are based around the seasons and celebrate the success or failure of the harvest," explains Richards. "Records suggest that in the event of a bad harvest human sacrifices were made, but some historians believe this to be a myth propagated by Roman imperialists to portray themselves as a civilizing force."
Darklands presents a contemporary spin on these themes by setting the story in South Wales,...
- 10/18/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
Legendary UK film studio Hammer didn't only dabble in films; Hammer also created thirteen one-hour shorts to be shown on television as Hammer House of Horror. These episodes aired on ITV during the fall of 1980.
I watched Witching Time to get a feel for the release as well as the series. It's a funny thing to pop in a DVD of a made-for-tv series and find the episode shows full nudity before the credits even roll, as is what happens in Witching Time. The UK has always been more open about such things than the supposed 'Land of the Free', and this was certainly true in 1980. That's not to say the nudity shown in Witching Time is overtly lascivious - it's fairly restrained, actually - but it is a reminder how lamely conservative our own "oh please, think of the children" television is.
Witching Time tells the story...
I watched Witching Time to get a feel for the release as well as the series. It's a funny thing to pop in a DVD of a made-for-tv series and find the episode shows full nudity before the credits even roll, as is what happens in Witching Time. The UK has always been more open about such things than the supposed 'Land of the Free', and this was certainly true in 1980. That's not to say the nudity shown in Witching Time is overtly lascivious - it's fairly restrained, actually - but it is a reminder how lamely conservative our own "oh please, think of the children" television is.
Witching Time tells the story...
- 9/15/2012
- by Tristan Sinns
- Planet Fury
Thought to be lost, or at least tied up in legal limbo, Darklands, the debut feature of director Julian Richards (The Last Horror Movie), will finally be released in the Us and Canada by Mvd Distribution with a street date set for November 20th, 2012.
From the Press Release:
Darklands, which has been cited by UK critics as laying the foundation of the British horror revival, follows a newspaper reporter investigating the death of a steelworker killed in an industrial accident who uncovers a conspiracy involving paganism, witchcraft and human sacrifice. Starring Craig Fairbrass (Cliffhanger), Jon Finch (Frenzy) and Rowena King (Wild Saragossa Sea), Darklands is frequently compared to Robin Hardy’s 1970’s cult classic The Wicker Man, but the writer/director also acknowledges a debt to Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’S Baby.
Darklands, which won the Melies d’Argent for Best European Fantasy Film in 1997, launched the directing career of Julian Richards,...
From the Press Release:
Darklands, which has been cited by UK critics as laying the foundation of the British horror revival, follows a newspaper reporter investigating the death of a steelworker killed in an industrial accident who uncovers a conspiracy involving paganism, witchcraft and human sacrifice. Starring Craig Fairbrass (Cliffhanger), Jon Finch (Frenzy) and Rowena King (Wild Saragossa Sea), Darklands is frequently compared to Robin Hardy’s 1970’s cult classic The Wicker Man, but the writer/director also acknowledges a debt to Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’S Baby.
Darklands, which won the Melies d’Argent for Best European Fantasy Film in 1997, launched the directing career of Julian Richards,...
- 9/8/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
The Last Horror Movie director, Julian Richards, debut feature will finally be released in the Us and Canada by Mvd Distribution with a street date set for November 20th 2012.
Here at TheMoviePool we like to talk about all aspects of filmmaking and movie news. To that end, we now have Indie Beat where we'll highlight some of the latest news, trailers, and PR releases from the indie filmmaker scene. So if you're an independent filmmaker and want some coverage on our site, be sure to drop us a line at jordan@themoviepool.com. Now onto the news!
Darklands, which has been sited by UK critics as laying the foundation of the British horror revival follows a newspaper reporter investigating the death of a steelworker killed in an industrial accident who uncovers a conspiracy involving paganism, witchcraft and human sacrifice.
Starring Craig Fairbrass (Cliffhanger), Jon Finch (Frenzy) and Rowena King (Wild...
Here at TheMoviePool we like to talk about all aspects of filmmaking and movie news. To that end, we now have Indie Beat where we'll highlight some of the latest news, trailers, and PR releases from the indie filmmaker scene. So if you're an independent filmmaker and want some coverage on our site, be sure to drop us a line at jordan@themoviepool.com. Now onto the news!
Darklands, which has been sited by UK critics as laying the foundation of the British horror revival follows a newspaper reporter investigating the death of a steelworker killed in an industrial accident who uncovers a conspiracy involving paganism, witchcraft and human sacrifice.
Starring Craig Fairbrass (Cliffhanger), Jon Finch (Frenzy) and Rowena King (Wild...
- 9/7/2012
- by feeds@themoviepool.com (Jordan Maison)
- Cinelinx
The Last Horror Movie director Julian Richards' debut film, Darklands, will finally be released in the U.S. and Canada by Mvd Distribution on November 20th.
The film, which has been sited by UK critics as laying the foundation of the British horror revival follows a newspaper reporter investigating the death of a steelworker killed in an industrial accident who uncovers a conspiracy involving paganism, witchcraft and human sacrifice.
Starring Craig Fairbrass, Jon Finch and Rowena King, "has been compared to Robin Hardy’s 1970’s cult classic The Wicker Man but the writer/director also acknowledges a debt to Roman Polanski’s Rosemary's Baby."
Read more...
The film, which has been sited by UK critics as laying the foundation of the British horror revival follows a newspaper reporter investigating the death of a steelworker killed in an industrial accident who uncovers a conspiracy involving paganism, witchcraft and human sacrifice.
Starring Craig Fairbrass, Jon Finch and Rowena King, "has been compared to Robin Hardy’s 1970’s cult classic The Wicker Man but the writer/director also acknowledges a debt to Roman Polanski’s Rosemary's Baby."
Read more...
- 9/6/2012
- shocktillyoudrop.com
We asked members of the guardian.co.uk/film community to tell us about their preferred films from the master of suspense. Today's contribution is from Nia Jones, a freelance writer
Ron Goodwin's musical score beats proudly during Frenzy's opening credits, as an aerial shot takes us over London and towards Tower Bridge. Hitch gets his trademark cameo in early, sporting a black suit and a bowler hat, poised in the crowd as Sir George (John Boxer) delivers a speech to a riverside crowd.
The naked body of a woman is soon seen floating in the Thames, a tie knotted around her throat. "The Necktie Murderer" is at large, and Scotland Yard has the crimes pinned on innocent man Richard Blaney (Jon Finch). Finding the actual murderer and exacting revenge is Blaney's only path to salvation.
Based on Arthur La Bern's novel Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Square,...
Ron Goodwin's musical score beats proudly during Frenzy's opening credits, as an aerial shot takes us over London and towards Tower Bridge. Hitch gets his trademark cameo in early, sporting a black suit and a bowler hat, poised in the crowd as Sir George (John Boxer) delivers a speech to a riverside crowd.
The naked body of a woman is soon seen floating in the Thames, a tie knotted around her throat. "The Necktie Murderer" is at large, and Scotland Yard has the crimes pinned on innocent man Richard Blaney (Jon Finch). Finding the actual murderer and exacting revenge is Blaney's only path to salvation.
Based on Arthur La Bern's novel Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Square,...
- 8/17/2012
- by Guardian readers
- The Guardian - Film News
Fifteen of the most acclaimed films by legendary director Alfred Hitchcock come together on Blu-ray. for the first time ever when Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection is released on September 25, 2012 for a limited time only. Digitally restored from high-quality film elements and presented in perfect high-definition picture and sound, Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection brings the Master of Suspense’s best work to home audiences as it’s never been seen before. This ultimate collector’s set features 13 films previously unavailable on Blu-ray., a collectible 50-page book featuring storyboards, costume sketches, correspondence, photographs, and much more. Plus a treasure trove of over 15 hours of documentaries, filmmaker commentaries, interviews, screen tests, trailers and a new documentary “The Birds, Hitchcock’s Monster Movie,” enough to satisfy even the most ardent Hitchcock fan.
Spanning three-and-a-half decades of the director’s prolific career, Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection includes the classic thrillers Psycho,...
Spanning three-and-a-half decades of the director’s prolific career, Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection includes the classic thrillers Psycho,...
- 6/22/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The success of "Star Wars" changed everything. While "2001" had been a giant hit a decade ago, most put it down to a fluke, but George Lucas' film suddenly proved that science fiction wasn't just for B-movies, but could be a licence to print money. Every studio in town were chasing the genre, but 20th Century Fox, who had distributed "Star Wars" had a head-start: they already had another space-set script in development, "Alien," by Dan O'Bannon, Ronald Shusett, Walter Hill and David Giler. They swiftly attached new helmer Ridley Scott to the project, and production got underway in the summer of 1978.
The result, released exactly two years after "Star Wars," on May 25th, 1979 (thirty-three years ago to the day) was an enduring classic, which serves as a high watermark of the both the sci-fi and horror genres, and launched Scott's career. Next week, the director will return to where...
The result, released exactly two years after "Star Wars," on May 25th, 1979 (thirty-three years ago to the day) was an enduring classic, which serves as a high watermark of the both the sci-fi and horror genres, and launched Scott's career. Next week, the director will return to where...
- 5/25/2012
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
He could have been another Brad Pitt. Instead he's doing one-man stage shows. Is it time for a rescue plan?
For some time now, I have belonged to a secret society known as the League of Rueful Val Kilmer Enthusiasts. It consists of men of a certain age who adore Tombstone and Heat, and who also have a soft spot for The Doors and The Ghost and the Darkness. And, of course, Top Gun. What unites the members of the league is our affection for the actor himself, mingled with regret that Kilmer did not become the intergalactically famous star we wanted him to be. We also resent the fact that he did not make more movies like Heat while he was young and athletic enough to pull it off.
Because now it is too late. Kilmer has reached the point in his career where he is performing in a one-man show called Citizen Twain,...
For some time now, I have belonged to a secret society known as the League of Rueful Val Kilmer Enthusiasts. It consists of men of a certain age who adore Tombstone and Heat, and who also have a soft spot for The Doors and The Ghost and the Darkness. And, of course, Top Gun. What unites the members of the league is our affection for the actor himself, mingled with regret that Kilmer did not become the intergalactically famous star we wanted him to be. We also resent the fact that he did not make more movies like Heat while he was young and athletic enough to pull it off.
Because now it is too late. Kilmer has reached the point in his career where he is performing in a one-man show called Citizen Twain,...
- 5/11/2012
- by Joe Queenan
- The Guardian - Film News
Director who blended sophistication and sickness in the horror film The Abominable Dr Phibes
With its mix of pop art, sophisticated humour, pulp science fiction and English eccentricity, the television series The Avengers was among the most influential and significant products of "swinging London" in the 1960s. Robert Fuest, who has died aged 84, cut his teeth on the series under the aegis of the writer-producer Brian Clemens, initially as a production designer when the show was produced "as live" in the studio in black and white and co-starred Honor Blackman with Patrick MacNee, then as director when the series had moved on to colour, film and Linda Thorson.
As designer and director, Fuest learned how to achieve style on a budget – making a great deal of the show's famously minimalist aesthetic – and he carried this over into his best-known works as a film director, the two Dr Phibes horror movies of the early 1970s,...
With its mix of pop art, sophisticated humour, pulp science fiction and English eccentricity, the television series The Avengers was among the most influential and significant products of "swinging London" in the 1960s. Robert Fuest, who has died aged 84, cut his teeth on the series under the aegis of the writer-producer Brian Clemens, initially as a production designer when the show was produced "as live" in the studio in black and white and co-starred Honor Blackman with Patrick MacNee, then as director when the series had moved on to colour, film and Linda Thorson.
As designer and director, Fuest learned how to achieve style on a budget – making a great deal of the show's famously minimalist aesthetic – and he carried this over into his best-known works as a film director, the two Dr Phibes horror movies of the early 1970s,...
- 3/27/2012
- by Kim Newman
- The Guardian - Film News
It’s always a good time to read about director Alfred Hitchcock and expect a lot of attention on the Master of Suspense in the upcoming months as there are two films currently in production about him. Alfred Hitchcock And The Making Of Psycho (expect a title change on that one) based in the book by Steve Rebello, is in pre-production with Sacha Gervasi (Anvil! The Story Of Anvil) directing and an outstanding cast attached. Anthony Hopkins has signed on to play Hitch, Scarlett Johansson is cast as Janet Leigh, Jessica Biel will be playing Vera Miles, British actor James D’Arcy is Tony Perkins, and Helen Mirren will play Alma Reville (Mrs Hitchcock). The other Hitchcock film in the works is The Girl produced by The BBC that will premiere later this year on HBO. The Girl focuses on the love/hate relationship between Hitchcock (played by Toby Jones...
- 3/27/2012
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Toby Jones/Sienna Miller = Alfred Hitchcock/Tippi Hedren? [Photo: Tippi Hedren / The Birds publicity shot.] Tippi Hedren once told The Times of London that Alfred Hitchcock — for whom she starred in The Birds (1963) and Marnie (1964), and with whom she had an exclusive contract — "kept me under contract, kept paying me every week for almost two years to do nothing" after she refused his sexual advances. "I admired Hitch tremendously for his great talent and still do," Hedren told London's Daily Mail. "Yet, at the same time, I loathed him for his off-set behavior and the way he came on to me sexually. He was a great director – and he destroyed it all by his behavior when he got me alone." Hedren had no luck after she rid herself of her Hitchcock ties. She had a small supporting role in Charles Chaplin's box-office and critical flop A Countess from Hong Kong (1967), starring Marlon Brando and Sophia Loren,...
- 3/21/2012
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
AMC will air a special premiere presentation of director Ridley Scott's 'directors cut' of the 2005 feature, "Kingdom Of Heaven", Sunday, January 22, 2012.
Written by William Monahan, set during the Crusades of the 12th Century, "Kingdom Of Heaven" stars Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Marton Csokas, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McKidd, Alexander Siddig, Ghassan Massoud, Edward Norton, Jon Finch and Michael Sheen :
"...a French village blacksmith goes to aid the city of Jerusalem in its defense against the kurdish leader 'Saladin', who is battling to reclaim the city from the Christians leading to the 'Battle of Hattin'..."
Location filming included Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou in Morocco, where Scott had also filmed Oscar-winner "Gladiator" and "Black Hawk Down", with a replica of medieval Jerusalem constructed in the desert. Filming also took place in Spain, at the Loarre Castle, Segovia, Ávila, Palma del Río and Casa de Pilatos in Sevilla.
Written by William Monahan, set during the Crusades of the 12th Century, "Kingdom Of Heaven" stars Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Marton Csokas, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McKidd, Alexander Siddig, Ghassan Massoud, Edward Norton, Jon Finch and Michael Sheen :
"...a French village blacksmith goes to aid the city of Jerusalem in its defense against the kurdish leader 'Saladin', who is battling to reclaim the city from the Christians leading to the 'Battle of Hattin'..."
Location filming included Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou in Morocco, where Scott had also filmed Oscar-winner "Gladiator" and "Black Hawk Down", with a replica of medieval Jerusalem constructed in the desert. Filming also took place in Spain, at the Loarre Castle, Segovia, Ávila, Palma del Río and Casa de Pilatos in Sevilla.
- 1/22/2012
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
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Cast a Giant Shadow: can young Ben Whishaw overcome Desmond Llewelyn's indelible portrayal of Q?
I don't care if Ben Whishaw is considered one of the best young English actors of his generation; he is all wrong for the part of Q precisely because he is too young and handsome. I'm not expecting a clone of Desmond Llewelyn or John Cleese or Alec McCowen to reprise the role of Bond's sarcastic old gadget provider in Skyfall, but Whishaw's delicate features and tousled hair are more suited to decadent poets and rock and roll stars (you may remember his young Keith Richards in Stoned/2005). Whishaw would also make an excellent Dr. Who. (I think 70-year-old Jon Finch – once considered to play James Bond – would have been an interesting choice for Q.) I have a bad feeling about Whishaw's taking on the role.
Cast a Giant Shadow: can young Ben Whishaw overcome Desmond Llewelyn's indelible portrayal of Q?
I don't care if Ben Whishaw is considered one of the best young English actors of his generation; he is all wrong for the part of Q precisely because he is too young and handsome. I'm not expecting a clone of Desmond Llewelyn or John Cleese or Alec McCowen to reprise the role of Bond's sarcastic old gadget provider in Skyfall, but Whishaw's delicate features and tousled hair are more suited to decadent poets and rock and roll stars (you may remember his young Keith Richards in Stoned/2005). Whishaw would also make an excellent Dr. Who. (I think 70-year-old Jon Finch – once considered to play James Bond – would have been an interesting choice for Q.) I have a bad feeling about Whishaw's taking on the role.
- 12/2/2011
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
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