Masters of Cinema
Blu-Ray Review: Two Rode Together
Whilst the buddy movie may seem like a fairly recent phenomenon, it’s a devise which has cut through genre and era since the early days of cinema. Westerns have seen several famous double-acts over the years. Most famously Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, Wyatt Earp & ‘Doc’ Holliday, ‘Wild Bill’ Hickok & ‘Calamity Jane’ …
Blu-Ray Review: A Man For All Seasons
The past decade has seen a huge resurgence in interest in historical drama. This has manifested itself in the literary world with the likes of Philippa Gregory, C.J. Samson and Hilary Mantel releasing a raft of best-selling novels. Along with award-winning shows such as Victoria and The Crown, many of their works have been successfully …
Blu-Ray Review: Cover Girl
Whilst La La Land may have swept the awards circuit and captivated a generation of people unaccustomed to musicals, at one time they were mainstream Hollywood. Today, there’s the odd one which gains any acclaim, often down to Baz Luhrmann, but these are few and far between. In her day, Rita Hayworth was one of …
Blu-ray Review: Kes (Masters of Cinema)
Along with Mike Leigh, Ken Loach has been the forerunner in British cinema in terms of documenting prevailing social issues and gritty ‘kitchen sink’ realism. His latest film, I, Daniel Blake, won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and is generating fevered social and political commentary about the benefits system. However, his best films are more …
Blu-ray Review: Twilight’s Last Gleaming
It’s hard to believe it now but during the Cold War ordinary people were terrified by the prospect of a nuclear apocalypse. This was especially the case in America. An atmosphere of fear often permeated throughout society in times of high tension. This period has frequently been captured on film, most notably in Dr. Strangelove, …
DVD Review: Fedora
Billy Wilder was one of the greatest directors working during the Hollywood golden age. The list of credits to his name, over a career which spanned fifty years, is mind-boggling. He was such a versatile film-maker and a brilliant screenwriter. Wilder’s credits include Some Like It Hot, Sunset Boulevard, The Apartment, Sabrina and Double Indemnity. …
Blu-Ray Review: Paths of Glory
If there was ever a quintisential anti-war film, it would be Paths of Glory. Stanley Kubrick doesn’t leave much to the imagination, deciding to faithfully adapt Humphrey Cobb’s novel of the same name. Based on a true story of four French soldiers during World War I who were executed as an example to the rest …
Blu-Ray Review: Flight of the Phoenix
Disaster movies are big box office these days. Every summer you’ll see a smattering in your local multiplex. The current vogue is for natural disasters. Big budget Studio films such as The Day After Tomorrow, Twister, Armageddon, The Core and Deep Impact may boast incredible visuals but there’s often less care and attention taken over …
DVD Review: Sweet Bean (Masters of Cinema)
We live in an ageing society, and as the EU referendum demonstrated, you ignore the grey vote at your peril. However, the way societies treat their elderly differs around the world. The same can be said for those with traditionally infectious diseases and disabilities. In Naomi Kawase’s latest film, Sweet Bean, she takes a meditative …
DVD Review: Conversation Piece (Masters of Cinema)
Italy was once the home of some of the greatest film directors in the world. Fellini is arguably up there with the greats, and the likes of Antonioni, Rossellini, Pasolini, Bertolucci, De Sica and Zeffirelli aren’t far behind. However, the crowning glory of Italian cinema is arguably Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard. The milanese made fourteen …