Studiocanal
Blu-ray Review: The Man Between
To say Germany, and in particular Berlin, was a strange and confusing place to be during the post-World War II Allied occupation would be an understatement. Split into four sectors, administered by Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union and the USA, conflicts of interest were rife. As the tension built, Berlin became a microcosm of …
Blu-Ray Review: Indochine
The French’s colonial presence in French Indochina personifies the nation’s haphazard relationship with its colonies. Incorporating the modern territories of three Vietnamese states, Laos and Cambodia, relations within the region were often fraught. With France eying expansion, they came up against China, Japan and Thailand who had aspirations of their own. Régis Wargnier’s epic Indochine …
DVD Review: Tickled
Anyone who’s been to a documentary film festival knows it can often turn into a bit of an endurance event. Whilst mostly fascinating, it’s a genre which can take a lot out of you. So, when a light-hearted film comes along, it can be a blessed relief. That’s what David Farrier and Dylan Reeve thought …
Blu-ray Review: The Small World of Sammy Lee
London was a very different place in the early 1960s. No area more so than Soho. At the beginning of a decade which would put swinging London on the map, Soho had a reputation of being seedy and dangerous. Whilst tame by today’s standards, at the time many of the clubs and shops were considered …
Blu-ray Review: La Grande Vadrouille
It’s fair to say that the Colonial European powers have a long and bloody history of not getting along. Since World War II, this has mainly manifested itself in political bickering. However, there no shortage of gentle ribbing, to all out abuse, in European film and TV fare. From ‘Allo, ‘Allo! to Luc Besson’s Taxi! …
DVD Review: The Man Who Fell to Earth (40th Anniversary Edition)
The death of David Bowie earlier this year brought to an end one of the most iconic and celebrated musical careers of the last century. A master of re-invention and evolution, Bowie was always on the vanguard, and a champion, of progress. Whilst his acting career wasn’t anywhere near as successful, he always brought a …
DVD Review: The Lion in Winter
Tales of kings, queens, princes, and the games of thrones have proved popular across the centuries. Whether it’s Shakespeare writing about Henry V or Richard II, of a rather popular HBO series, we seemingly can’t get enough; particularly in countries who have never had a monarchy. Adapted from a Broadway play by James Goldman, Anthony …
DVD Review: The Evil in Us
Conspiracy theories and political commentary aren’t unusual in horror films. Indeed, it’s a genre which is prime retail for analogies and metaphors. Jacob’s Ladder is the first film to spring to mind but Entity, Rosemary’s Baby and The Tenant are also notable examples. In Jason William Lee’s The Evil In Us he weaves together three …
DVD Review: Creature Designers – The Frankenstein Complex
Kids today may see CGI as the norm, but for those of us who grew up with the fantastical inventions of Ray Harryhausen, this is not the case. Visual effects which were solely based on creature design, stop motion and animatronics awed, terrified and inspired children for generations. Some of the best examples of creature …
Film Review: Sid And Nancy
Punk was one of the most memorable and most distinctive musical movements on the Twentieth Century. Much more than merely a musical genre, it was, and still is, a way of life for many. The punk scene has been successfully immortalised in documentaries such as The Decline of Western Civilisation, Another State of Mind and …