Classic Cinema
Blu-Ray Review: Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte
Bette Davis was an indomitable presence on screen. In a career which spanned over sixty years she became one of the most recognisable faces of cinema. She is undoubtedly one of the Hollywood greats and an actress who is still celebrated today. Her formidable talent was rewarded with a raft of awards including two Oscars …
Blu-Ray Review: Khartoum
In retrospect, the British Empire wasn’t exactly a glowing success story given the toll it has taken on the countries we conquered. The same could be said for the actions of almost all colonial nations. Sudan is a country no stranger to subjugation and itself once held power in the region under the Kush. In …
Blu-ray Review: Invention for Destruction
Whilst Karel Zeman may have only made six full length ‘live action’ films, every one of them is a meticulously crafted work of art. Between 1955 and 1970, emancipated by the imagination of Jules Verne and his fantastical worlds, he melded his masterpieces with animation to create tales which thrill and beguile. He inspired the …
Blu-Ray Review: Night of the Demon
The occult has played a pivotal role in the evolution and development of genre cinema. The essence of evil, broken down into its component parts. The idea of demons, witches and magic has been prevalent in different societies around the world for hundreds and thousands of years. Films which focus on the dark arts (Rosemary’s …
Blu-ray Review: Daisies
I’m a miserable bastard when it comes down to it but one film which will always make me a little giddy is Daisies. Věra Chytilová’s punk masterpiece is brimming with verve, creativity and panache. It also never fails to make me feel incredibly hungry. A genuine pioneer, she was one of the leading lights of …
DVD Review: Eye of the Needle
As well as being very personable and rather charming, Donald Sutherland is a consistently impressive actor. He’s now 83 and has been going strong since the 1960s. It’s mind-blowing to think that he’s never even been nominated for an Oscar (although the Academy have awarded him an honorary gong). Given his performances in films such …
Blu-Ray Review: The Collector
Whilst his name may not be as familiar today as some of his contemporaries, there’s absolutely no doubt that you’ll know many of William Wyler’s films. Whether it’s a blockbuster (Ben-Hur), romance (Roman Holiday), drama (The Best Years of our Lives), musical comedy (Funny Girl) or Western (The Big Country). In his 1965 film The …
Blu-ray Review: Who Killed Teddy Bear?
Whilst the last century has seen a whirlwind of scientific, technological and medical advances, human ‘evolution’ has been much more sluggish. The recent outing of predators like Harvey Weinstein and Louis C.K., along with the #metoo movement, have shown that when it comes to misogyny and everyday sexism we still live in a distinctly patriarchal …
Blu-Ray Review: The Nun
Whilst there will never be a consensus regarding who was the most important or influential director of the French New Wave, there’s no debate about who was the leading lady. Anna Karina is best-known for her work with Jean-Luc Godard. She became his muse, starring in many of his films including Alphaville, A Woman is …
Blu-Ray Review: Last Year in Marienbad
Very occasionally, a film will come along which defies expectations and logic. A film which plays with the very texture of film and storytelling to create something which is simultaneously ambiguous, perplexing and profound. Between 1959 and 1963 Alain Resnais made three films which all dealt with fragmented memories and clouded history. Whilst both Hiroshima …