tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85728716674238908882024-02-18T22:12:20.344-05:00Direct Cinemamusings on the vast world of cinemaR.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-36258232487107356472010-10-11T09:30:00.004-04:002010-10-11T09:45:44.659-04:00Vampyres (Larraz, 1974)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi090YxbKndp7ZSLnQqPnF340LgI3-P2_eE-_GS81ySyPR6H6bMuHO9jHhkjnoub85VR6SgU7uzmnpp_fEM97rEutb367diLwxAVCRH3IFUcjRtq0YZ0WJXKEgIYgSHnX9CWGyKbqksYzuH/s1600/1277826541_ce72018943.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi090YxbKndp7ZSLnQqPnF340LgI3-P2_eE-_GS81ySyPR6H6bMuHO9jHhkjnoub85VR6SgU7uzmnpp_fEM97rEutb367diLwxAVCRH3IFUcjRtq0YZ0WJXKEgIYgSHnX9CWGyKbqksYzuH/s320/1277826541_ce72018943.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526782550499820162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"They shared the pleasures of the flesh, and the horrors of the grave!" </span><br /><br />A drab attempt at horror eroticism. There's an interesting patina of decay over Larraz's film, particularly evident in the production design and cinematography, which captures a sort of baroque decadence left to rot, but the rest of the film is so amateur that one can't really call this a worthwhile film, even as historical document.R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-25006564747290509002010-10-05T08:49:00.005-04:002010-10-05T09:01:27.391-04:00Deepstar Six (Cunningham, 1989)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfJPRb_vVUzIw6PES4N_uBbIVUHiVSf31ruQeBGGD4J7o-rrrhA4-BV8sPOrtzcY9IPyka9pzyYIGzeCldx2pcmhriJtXHCy5WHAlnPz_ENSuL_HB6L3Rt84uhFQ7Ng0HMHaEagEFN4Z_/s1600/deepstarsix.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfJPRb_vVUzIw6PES4N_uBbIVUHiVSf31ruQeBGGD4J7o-rrrhA4-BV8sPOrtzcY9IPyka9pzyYIGzeCldx2pcmhriJtXHCy5WHAlnPz_ENSuL_HB6L3Rt84uhFQ7Ng0HMHaEagEFN4Z_/s320/deepstarsix.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524543614980815074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"Save Your Last Breath... To Scream."</span><br /><br />The least of the aquatic horror films that sprung up around The Abyss. Far worse than Leviathan (which I still maintain isn't a terrible film). I can remember seeing the box for <span style="font-style: italic;">Deepstar Six</span> countless times at the local video store when I was growing up and always being intrigued but unfortunately, this fits squarely into that (very 80's) horror category of films that utterly fail to deliver on the promise of their incredible VHS box art. The characters are all stock, the dialogue is atrocious, the creature is poorly designed and executed, and the narrative is cliche and lazy. The are only very minor pleasures to be had here and you really have to look for them - set design, the deep sea setting - but even those are more a case of the viewer really seeking out something from which to derive worth.R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-75434615380996509152010-10-05T08:40:00.003-04:002010-10-05T08:44:18.282-04:00Let Me In (Reeves, 2010)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6FpWquhGQHbXYJifkLUN07_RXueyJ13Axp0LFMQQU1vQxm_8TMbuzWhHbx4UrJI-EG5o4JCNj1D2D9RoKkKJ-aTgWvAZab5G8PQFbb-GxLScZQG6kOmwhv5BNOcsq9f73imUid3A5aQ9/s1600/letmein.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6FpWquhGQHbXYJifkLUN07_RXueyJ13Axp0LFMQQU1vQxm_8TMbuzWhHbx4UrJI-EG5o4JCNj1D2D9RoKkKJ-aTgWvAZab5G8PQFbb-GxLScZQG6kOmwhv5BNOcsq9f73imUid3A5aQ9/s320/letmein.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524540966785612434" border="0" /></a>A very curious remake. I'm not entirely sure where I stand on this. Taken on it's own merits, Reeves's film is very, very good. And he does add a few new visual elements, including an incredible, visceral sequence towards the middle of the film. But the bulk of the reason that this film is so good is because it is essentially and undeniably <span style="font-style: italic;">Let The Right One In</span>.R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-44421554855064686532010-10-05T08:18:00.004-04:002010-10-05T08:36:15.709-04:00Dark Night Of The Scarecrow (De Felitta, 1981)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQO3wWQ9p2bP2UIfEID_oKxrCqhvAdc8KOFvo5Ap4qg0ejbVev_XAKbdA9tA1sgzDENHikfFtjhKfrrmJmOtdPN23Tub7tVMQmjrD2dUBGSMpxCFtXveOWgEgG6V67ZFmfCMcbB0mlqHbL/s1600/DNOTS.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQO3wWQ9p2bP2UIfEID_oKxrCqhvAdc8KOFvo5Ap4qg0ejbVev_XAKbdA9tA1sgzDENHikfFtjhKfrrmJmOtdPN23Tub7tVMQmjrD2dUBGSMpxCFtXveOWgEgG6V67ZFmfCMcbB0mlqHbL/s320/DNOTS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524537292497782978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"Bubba didn't tell you that, Bubba didn't tell you anything. Bubba's dead."<br /><br />"I Know." </span><br /><br />An earnest, solid, workmanlike effort that attempts to scare with sound and suggestion rather than the violence we are so accustomed to seeing today. Durning commits himself completely to his villain role, and I can see why many people who caught this made-for-TV film back in 1981 remember it fondly, as it has a rather nostalgic quality about it, regardless of whether you've seen it before or not. Keep in mind that much of the popular opinion of this film is most likely inflated by memory, but still, watching this reminds one that there was a time when horror films were allowed to take their time and build up an atmosphere.R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-71498443255289382562010-10-05T07:53:00.014-04:002010-10-20T09:20:36.961-04:00The 2nd Annual Shocktober Horrorfest!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0u89x4AohHeOmz14WH6CKZgGD0xBEnYQeYNMII3QTBhS2jO1Ya9szinc_f-qF8FBYzZA8d2CkeNLe5zbSHGz4rqZH7fGbLHyhROWOHCiiEUEZYqI9UNlF0A4QkPKCzo-LBhxS-knSgytO/s1600/inferno.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0u89x4AohHeOmz14WH6CKZgGD0xBEnYQeYNMII3QTBhS2jO1Ya9szinc_f-qF8FBYzZA8d2CkeNLe5zbSHGz4rqZH7fGbLHyhROWOHCiiEUEZYqI9UNlF0A4QkPKCzo-LBhxS-knSgytO/s320/inferno.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524531680031211522" border="0" /></a>Welcome to the sophomore edition of the Shocktober Horrorfest! It's something I do every year (or try to do), but the last time I blogged about it was way back in 2007. The concept is simple - Every day, from October 1st until Halloween night, I'll be watching and commenting on at least one horror film, culminating in a big marathon on the 31st. The comments will range from brief impressions to longer, in-depth studies, depending on how the film strikes me. As I did with <a href="http://directcinema.blogspot.com/2007/10/1st-annual-shocktober-horrorfest.html">Horrorfest no. 1</a>, I'll be putting up a Horrorfest sidebar with easy access to every review in the series right here below this post. This is one of the great pleasures of the year in terms of film for me, and it is my hope that those of you who read my blog will discover hidden gems, rediscover and revisit old classics, and if you don't already, come to appreciate horror films (even the bad ones).<br /><br />As always, please feel free to comment and discuss, and if anyone has any suggestions for horror films they'd like to see reviewed, send them my way. Enjoy!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Shocktober Horrorfest '10:</span><br />10/1:<br /><a href="http://directcinema.blogspot.com/2010/10/dark-night-of-scarecrow-de-felitta-1981.html">Dark Night of the Scarecrow</a><br />10/2:<br /><a href="http://directcinema.blogspot.com/2010/10/let-me-in-reeves-2010.html">Let Me In</a><br />10/3:<br /><a href="http://directcinema.blogspot.com/2010/10/deepstar-six-cunningham-1989.html">Deepstar Six</a><br />10/4:<br /><a href="http://directcinema.blogspot.com/2010/10/vampyres-larraz-1974.html">Vampyres</a><br />10/5:<br />Scarecrows<br />10/6:<br />Wrong Turn 2: Dead End<br />10/7:<br />Tombs of the Blind Dead<br />10/8:<br />The Church<br />10/9:<br />The Fly II<br />10/10:<br />Critters<br />10/11:<br />Hereafter<br />10/12:<br />Pet Sematary II<br />10/13:<br />The Dunwich Horror<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></div>R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-34107494816735294352010-10-05T07:30:00.006-04:002010-10-05T07:52:52.843-04:00Back Again, or If A Blog Restarts In A Forest And There's No One Around To Read It....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimP_xrFgaLKPGIHCSgrsPMe8fsKqQDh9MN3pL5ANGuZ952Dk9rbOaOTxUvx40L8FZnQ6tpdHaYeBENpd0bNuODaMR5iKy9qD6AFEY3lhqbK0xqBg6CKnZrg8guuU7l1mIC2iTgcEkWWTmy/s1600/videodrome.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimP_xrFgaLKPGIHCSgrsPMe8fsKqQDh9MN3pL5ANGuZ952Dk9rbOaOTxUvx40L8FZnQ6tpdHaYeBENpd0bNuODaMR5iKy9qD6AFEY3lhqbK0xqBg6CKnZrg8guuU7l1mIC2iTgcEkWWTmy/s320/videodrome.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524527154363101426" border="0" /></a><br />Hey everyone. I doubt anyone is still actively following Direct Cinema anymore, after I proclaimed the blog to be back last year, and subsequently managed a grand total of two posts. But I'm stubborn, and I've decided that my annual October tradition of "31 Days of Horror," is a great reason/excuse to start posting once again and get this blog up and running once more. This entire month, I'll be watching (or trying to watch) a horror film every single day, culminating in a marathon on Halloween night. I try to select a healthy mix of horror films from different eras and sub-genres, and usually throw in a few I've already seen for good measure. Because of time constraints, a lot of the posts probably won't be full pieces but rather brief thoughts/impressions, or even just a way to keep track of the films I'm watching, but some posts will be lengthier... I just can't promise which ones or when. The goal now is to just get the ball rolling, and in due time, get this blog back on it's feet. If anyone out there is still reading, I sincerely encourage you to follow along, get the most out of your October, and try to watch as much horror as you can. Enjoy!R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-33132310145685228932009-06-14T23:40:00.008-04:002009-06-15T01:22:00.985-04:00Brief Impressions: The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (Scott, 2009)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWA-7r92Gj4n6Bg5JkKMhhHYZpkkpkNs0yRxot1FerHysDE3r7dgt-sarKTweEpIzEe5tJdoPRx3rcz62NQeFZdsS7Va2HAeiG1UTlx0cwdAY5yO8tynxOZw5eb0mx7BoOw6YNwIHzNFS7/s1600-h/pelham1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWA-7r92Gj4n6Bg5JkKMhhHYZpkkpkNs0yRxot1FerHysDE3r7dgt-sarKTweEpIzEe5tJdoPRx3rcz62NQeFZdsS7Va2HAeiG1UTlx0cwdAY5yO8tynxOZw5eb0mx7BoOw6YNwIHzNFS7/s320/pelham1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347418689147836034" border="0" /></a><br />Days before the release of Tony Scott's <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1111422/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3</span></a>, I came across a handful of early reviews touting this third adaptation of John Godey's 1973 crime novel as being the best and most satisfying of the lot. As a great admirer of Joseph Sargent's <a href="http://directcinema.blogspot.com/2007/04/taking-of-pelham-one-two-three-sargent.html">1974 adaptation</a>, an underrated and under seen gem (and seminal "New York City" film), I struggled to understand how this could be possible, but nevertheless, my interest was piqued.<br /><br />Having seen Scott's film, my immediate reaction is this: Anyone who champions this film as superior to Sargent's is immediately calling into question their cinematic taste. That is not to say this latest rendition of Pelham is a terrible film. Though Scott once again gives in to his typical directorial excess where a workmanlike, direct style would be more appropriate (see Sargent's film), he benefits from committed performances and a script from Brian Helgeland that adds some interesting depth to the main characters. But Scott's film isn't the portrait of a city and its inhabitants that Sargent's film was, and grit and personality are sacrificed at the altar of empty style. The end result: A solid, though unremarkable, surface-level thriller. And the last time I checked, the gap between unremarkable and classic was a fairly wide one.R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-87162204677193032752009-06-13T13:39:00.004-04:002009-06-13T17:54:40.551-04:00A Random Thought: The 36th Chamber of Shaolin<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTmWbyvMAkqQcClwXzSu5Y0Kv4YFOziErO8tW0YlWAyrwm8UTfreRInJZGus2fHi33Aa7X6Jikvk1o0mHprF06UKguNPpN_FDB_kqucmvZck0fcRLjyRnn0Uu5GV6Qo04asUjnLTdlG_u/s1600-h/177036OP.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTmWbyvMAkqQcClwXzSu5Y0Kv4YFOziErO8tW0YlWAyrwm8UTfreRInJZGus2fHi33Aa7X6Jikvk1o0mHprF06UKguNPpN_FDB_kqucmvZck0fcRLjyRnn0Uu5GV6Qo04asUjnLTdlG_u/s320/177036OP.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346874675244097954" border="0" /></a>It fascinates me how movies of this particular genus are simultaneously crude - rough, unpolished, simple - dramatically (i.e. in terms of performance, narrative, thematics), and absolutely sophisticated in terms of technique. It goes without saying that the fight choreography is first rate, but what really caught me off guard was the cinematography, particularly the way director Chia-Liang Liu and dp Yeh-tai Huang move the camera around the action. There is a brutal, fluid elegance to the camerawork. The raw kineticism of the fights is breathtaking. The camera covers the carnage at intelligible distances for long stretches at a time, and Liu knows exactly when to cut. Over 30 years later, it's a wonder that the modern action film still hasn't learned.R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-71543754533733995592009-06-13T13:17:00.004-04:002009-06-13T18:02:23.654-04:00Direct Cinema is back online... Again!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh655FC75MSHRrt1mZN_8v9y7N7Wvysj8My5i5Bs9yhEUhIVMkIN-94V5x1PWkq5kxqb8S2OZZQx5GrLDUo8sS-4Y-4Jfjww6S_wp4jGMkiS3qL4nfXufqUgVNhomxdxxHr0q0A5fkudoq6/s1600-h/lastyearm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh655FC75MSHRrt1mZN_8v9y7N7Wvysj8My5i5Bs9yhEUhIVMkIN-94V5x1PWkq5kxqb8S2OZZQx5GrLDUo8sS-4Y-4Jfjww6S_wp4jGMkiS3qL4nfXufqUgVNhomxdxxHr0q0A5fkudoq6/s320/lastyearm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346866861066245522" border="0" /></a><br />It's hard to believe that it has been over an entire year (15 months to be exact!) since my last blog post. It seems like only yesterday that I even decided to start up a film blog. In the interim, my life has drastically changed for sure, and really, the main reason why I stopped posting was simply because I didn't have the time or the inclination. But enough of that. The purpose of this blog is and always will be film, pure and simple, and now that I have settled into my new environs, my 'hankering' if you will, for blogging, has returned, along with another necessary component - time. So if the three of you who used to read this blog (excluding family) still do, thank you. The posts will probably start small and build up as I get back into the groove. As before, I encourage you all to post responses. After all, I started this blog as a means for sharing my passion for the cinema and generating intelligent discussions about it. But enough rambling... For the <s>second</s> third time, welcome to <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Direct Cinema</span>. Enjoy!<br /><br />-<span style="font-style: italic;">R.A. Naing</span>R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-34498942888235259562008-03-13T16:52:00.005-04:002009-06-13T18:03:13.944-04:00Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (Rothemund, 2005)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Ef4fB5Iq6DIKZVjMEV-VzQ3PJnCq2xf8t4SzPd14FlrnvJTb6f0nvQbhmwf-eLwWqczDpFkb7jwfdQdXDk-PsDeH09Wflkhh3IKQ-y4VePzyj2O3W025s6SatQWRprs7vRohTzeV8XSN/s1600-h/sophiescholl.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Ef4fB5Iq6DIKZVjMEV-VzQ3PJnCq2xf8t4SzPd14FlrnvJTb6f0nvQbhmwf-eLwWqczDpFkb7jwfdQdXDk-PsDeH09Wflkhh3IKQ-y4VePzyj2O3W025s6SatQWRprs7vRohTzeV8XSN/s320/sophiescholl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5177354455184282386" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sophie Scholl: The Final Days</span> belongs with the class of refined, pedigreed historical cinema that Europe seems to churn out to such a degree that it has become a "brand" of sorts here in the United States, patronized by art-house theaters from coast to coast. And though it attempts nothing radical within the confines of this particular type of film, it is nevertheless a potent, artful achievement. Culled from testimonies and long-buried historical documents, it is an examination of the last six days in the life of the German anti-Nazi heroine. And though the action (in this case not quite the appropriate word) is confined mostly to a handful of rooms and a couple of characters, it is a gripping example of cinema as historical document, as well as a showcase for a handful of fantastic, carefully calibrated performances (especially Julia Jentsch, who plays Sophie). Rothemund has crafted a work of powerful restraint that manages to be staid and verbose without ever being tedious, a work that derives considerable emotional momentum not from moments of unbridled fury, but from moments of quiet control. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426578/">IMDb listing</a>. <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-1864476726696366562008-03-11T18:37:00.006-04:002008-12-11T00:00:41.161-05:00The Ten Best Films Of 2007<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAyrJbyPH4aH33hXRUSZ0pzc_FfUcmJf9ksLuIdjNtFPimiocooPEguRE3WTiZJf4BWQkvdR5gBWdp5lPaCrbuul7OqmK7Oz5KJC37eRUWq91dKigHdQD92DMq6Rg2b9RDNBTfv1jVdzp/s1600-h/TWBB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAyrJbyPH4aH33hXRUSZ0pzc_FfUcmJf9ksLuIdjNtFPimiocooPEguRE3WTiZJf4BWQkvdR5gBWdp5lPaCrbuul7OqmK7Oz5KJC37eRUWq91dKigHdQD92DMq6Rg2b9RDNBTfv1jVdzp/s320/TWBB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5176617322832171778" border="0" /></a><br />1. <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0469494/"><span style="font-style: italic;">There Will Be Blood</span></a> (Paul Thomas Anderson, United States)<br />2. <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0443680/">The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford</a> (Andrew Dominik, United States)<br />3. <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0477348/"><span style="font-style: italic;">No Country For Old Men</span></a> (Ethan Coen & Joel Coen, United States)<br />4. <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0841925/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Silent Light</span></a> (Carlos Reygadas, Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany)<br />5. <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0368794/">I'm Not There</a> (Todd Haynes, United States/Germany)<br />6. <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0443706/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Zodiac</span></a> (David Fincher, United States)<br />7. <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0401383/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Diving Bell And The Butterfly</span></a> (Julian Schnabel, France/United States)<br />8. <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0758758/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Into The Wild</span></a> (Sean Penn, United States)<br />9. <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0842929/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Paranoid Park</span></a> (Gus Van Sant, United States/France)<br />10. <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0415127/"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Man From London</span></a> (Béla Tarr, Hungary/France/Germany)R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-89111002370764195532008-02-21T16:23:00.006-05:002009-06-13T17:59:25.337-04:00The Molly Maguires (Ritt, 1970)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBckGJjmIgpdGCSaHMPAme-2MM-UGAA144SHTPRss0XLQK4G2hzwU-Y6ex7ZqgRqUdhyH9dm-iFWisRsR8FiepVFfDzxJ5jwJZxeDqfDdihuZlhaiWUBNQTyVk_5qc2mfhbBADYu6KEoAT/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4301275.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBckGJjmIgpdGCSaHMPAme-2MM-UGAA144SHTPRss0XLQK4G2hzwU-Y6ex7ZqgRqUdhyH9dm-iFWisRsR8FiepVFfDzxJ5jwJZxeDqfDdihuZlhaiWUBNQTyVk_5qc2mfhbBADYu6KEoAT/s320/vlcsnap-4301275.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169547668803343362" border="0" /></a><br />Ritt's bleak portrait of working class immigrants chasing liberty and the American dream belongs to the golden age of American cinema that began with <span style="font-style: italic;">Bonnie & Clyde</span>, and is far more intelligent and artfully crafted than it is given credit for. James Wong Howe's incredible scope photography of the coal mines and Tambi Larsen & Darrell Silvera's Oscar nominated art direction lend the film a sooty authenticity, and the wordless nearly 15-minute long opening sequence immediately calls to mind P.T. Anderson's <span style="font-style: italic;">There Will Be Blood</span>. As in his best work, Ritt doesn't allow his fondness for tackling social problems to overpower the narrative. A film in serious need of critical reappraisal. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066090/">IMDb listing</a>.R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-34592928215432201152008-02-20T18:23:00.010-05:002009-06-13T17:59:43.211-04:00Killer's Kiss (Kubrick, 1955)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vCQBxiEKLFqgbj8lmCoTQKbRWvB3_P8rDRfr7vsibJEo9C0h7MXnUCUBXKXfZQj6LwD6vTefqFoRJ6Lu-GxK6dDxZl5vEiqpV1v2vSvR29DD-hlGtjTMQqmYrUghw_QJKA69yEAxFMfi/s1600-h/killerskiss.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vCQBxiEKLFqgbj8lmCoTQKbRWvB3_P8rDRfr7vsibJEo9C0h7MXnUCUBXKXfZQj6LwD6vTefqFoRJ6Lu-GxK6dDxZl5vEiqpV1v2vSvR29DD-hlGtjTMQqmYrUghw_QJKA69yEAxFMfi/s320/killerskiss.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169211746526221298" border="0" /></a><br />Stanley Kubrick's lean B noir, only his second feature length film, provides a revealing glimpse of his emerging personal style. And though <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048254/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Killer's Kiss</span></a> is a relatively simple exercise, running a trim 67 minutes, it is fascinating how Kubrick chooses to tell this pulpy story of <span style="font-style: italic;">l'amour fou</span> with images rather than dialogue. The final chase sequence is a thing of beauty.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span>R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-10065522334026654972008-02-19T23:44:00.006-05:002008-12-11T00:00:41.850-05:00Flash Point (Yip, 2007)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7o8qeGsiqUpoXeOWvXUoCAB2zx3G-nbzWyQh3ccg2bQ2vd66NC6d7G9lFJyzWB3lfPVl0KIe7QriXVpPr6kx8_K20NL1TgKjJKFwRlIgYKIh0CD9fjURS9pj30GeSKe4n5PrRtGABnjf/s1600-h/flashpoint.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7o8qeGsiqUpoXeOWvXUoCAB2zx3G-nbzWyQh3ccg2bQ2vd66NC6d7G9lFJyzWB3lfPVl0KIe7QriXVpPr6kx8_K20NL1TgKjJKFwRlIgYKIh0CD9fjURS9pj30GeSKe4n5PrRtGABnjf/s320/flashpoint.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168918761037157346" border="0" /></a><br />The cinema of Hong Kong has always been defined primarily (at least in an international sense) in terms of its action films. From the martial arts films of the Shaw Brothers in the 60’s and 70’s (<span style="font-style: italic;">Come Drink With Me</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Five Deadly Venoms</span>), to the pioneering work of Jackie Chan (<span style="font-style: italic;">Police Story</span>) and John Woo (<span style="font-style: italic;">Hard Boiled</span>) in the 80’s and 90’s (to name but a few, the list could go on and on…), Hong Kong has often been at the vanguard of action cinema, constantly innovating and redefining the look and feel of the genre and just as constantly being imitated.<br /><br />With <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0992911/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Flash Point</span></a>, director Wilson Yip and star/fight choreographer Donnie Yen once again attempt to push the action genre to more extreme heights, though the results are quite mixed. From a narrative standpoint, the film is rather perfunctory. Taking place in 1996, just before the return of Hong Kong to Chinese rule, it deals with the efforts of a police operation, headed by Yen’s Inspector Ma, to take down a Vietnamese crime family. All of the requisite beats one would expect from such a plot are present. And though Yip broaches the interesting theme of “returning home” – many characters comment on their migrant status – it isn’t developed beyond a superficial level. Anyone even remotely acquainted with Hong Kong policiers will find themselves on familiar ground.<br /><br />Given this, it would be quite understandable to dismiss Yip and Yen’s film as yet another formulaic entry from a stagnating contemporary Hong Kong film industry, though such an assessment wouldn’t be completely fair. Yes, the plot is hackneyed, the acting is exaggerated, and the dialogue is mechanical and sometimes nonsensical (though I assume something was lost in translation), but to judge this film predominantly on these elements would be to miss the point almost entirely. For though it grinds to a halt in its quieter moments, Flash Point positively explodes during its louder ones, especially when Yen is in the spotlight.<br /><br />At its core, Flash Point is an outlet for Donnie Yen’s continuing obsession with MMA (mixed martial arts), something he utilized to great effect in his first collaboration with Yip, <span style="font-style: italic;">Sha Po Lang</span>. This particular approach (which blends styles as diverse as Muay Thai and submission grappling) would seem to be a direct reaction to the graceful bloodletting of Woo’s <span style="font-style: italic;">The Killer</span>, or the wire-fu spectacles <span style="font-style: italic;">Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Hero</span>. The action feels organic, the fights gritty, brutal, and unpredictable. Every punch is felt. In the current homogeneous action film landscape, Yip and Yen have created something fierce and angry, something that feels like the logical next step.<br /><br />There is far too much banality in <span style="font-style: italic;">Flash Point</span> for it to be considered a complete success, yet for all of its shortcomings, it still succeeds as a pure adrenaline rush. This is the action film as performance art, pushed to an almost abstract level, where the emphasis is on the technical beauty of the action, regardless of plot and characterization, and pleasure is derived from the sounds of bones crunching, and above all else the athletic prowess on display.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-36988700281648811652008-02-19T12:23:00.006-05:002008-12-11T00:00:42.095-05:00Direct Cinema Is Back!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwk57vg3QojqEVgphpRQT_bYp8TheTPvmf3E7OnJ8tUgV2eflP90XTZRSdx1V5xVDM9y4wdYotb0zy8BS72EJMpOu7ARxP1Zs5WYoQW92ZETUNVL5GH-iKIqrzhO-3JdXmmlXfG-pi_h_/s1600-h/thumbsup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwk57vg3QojqEVgphpRQT_bYp8TheTPvmf3E7OnJ8tUgV2eflP90XTZRSdx1V5xVDM9y4wdYotb0zy8BS72EJMpOu7ARxP1Zs5WYoQW92ZETUNVL5GH-iKIqrzhO-3JdXmmlXfG-pi_h_/s320/thumbsup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168747430496752546" border="0" /></a><br />...not that it was ever really gone, but... you get my point.<br /><br />Hello to all of my readers. I realize that it has been quite a while since I last updated my blog, and longer since I last updated it regularly, and trust me, it wasn't without reason. I have been quite busy with other things for the past couple of months, but I just wanted to let all of you who have been reading know how much I appreciate your support, and also how much I love running this blog. Film is something I wake up for in the morning. It is something I breathe, something I bleed. And I wanted to use this post to state that starting today, Direct Cinema will return to being a regularly updated blog.<br /><br />I just finished folding the reviews I did for last year's 1st annual "Shocktober Horrorfest" into my regular review directory, so there won't be a Shocktober sidebar anymore. Anyone looking for those reviews, you can find them all under the general "reviews" sidebar. October '07 is past and I felt I needed to do some cleaning and maintenance of the blog so, that's that.<br /><br />Anyways, all of the old columns (The Trailer Compendium, the Best of Lists) will be back, along with film news and of course my reviews, and I have some ideas for a couple of new weekly/monthly columns. I'm aiming to have my Best Of list for 2007 up before the Oscars. I hope that you all continue to check out Direct Cinema, and again, please leave comments! I love reading them and having critical discussions about the film's I highlight is one of the reasons that I do this, so don't be shy. Also, if you enjoy the blog, spread the word!<br /><br />-R.A. NaingR.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-48963335887275461832008-01-15T12:42:00.001-05:002008-12-11T00:00:42.455-05:00Bob le Flambeur (Melville, 1956)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQQFjhJVeN7d1lqTlq12XNJSaxfDGs294RCyyIkOy2VMXzv-ploD7PySj_gKf4c_4gL_9OIxZRzUZmV_TGFC0nIgWhN5tvidtwlaxPUprvL25iRF8drF8pqHLjSh_RMxUpsR4-Ps0w8iD/s1600-h/bobleflambeur.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQQFjhJVeN7d1lqTlq12XNJSaxfDGs294RCyyIkOy2VMXzv-ploD7PySj_gKf4c_4gL_9OIxZRzUZmV_TGFC0nIgWhN5tvidtwlaxPUprvL25iRF8drF8pqHLjSh_RMxUpsR4-Ps0w8iD/s320/bobleflambeur.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156613652392292946" border="0" /></a><br />A quiet fatalism runs throughout <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047892/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Bob le Flambeur</span></a>, slowly revealing itself in the rain slicked streets, the nightly routine of boozing and gambling, the overcast dawns, and especially Bob Montagné's face, his furrowed brow, muscles constantly contracted, always staring down. The rain, try as it might, can't seem to wash away the sins of the many who roam Paris by night, and fate, no matter how much one might try, cannot be altered. And so Bob goes about, losing his money, over and over again.<br /><br />An undeniable stylistic precursor to the Nouvelle Vague, Melville's film is the type that will always seem modern and fresh, no matter how many decades pass. There is a languid vitality to the film that is impossible to do justice to through words alone. This is a film that must be seen.R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-35650004202302551432008-01-11T11:00:00.000-05:002008-12-11T00:00:42.520-05:00Juno (Reitman, 2007)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkakHzvYDVxjsZvcQPkXv6fNzMgofdao9RcJ3SAzfMjJrJ_75wujns1FycZE9aB73-PsQkKc3rAe7zTDRY1zzufEYnRBviQBaoB4CGJFP_V3CV6aGmjSRZYAbOHKy2aoQmct-2Shp3GOG9/s1600-h/juno.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkakHzvYDVxjsZvcQPkXv6fNzMgofdao9RcJ3SAzfMjJrJ_75wujns1FycZE9aB73-PsQkKc3rAe7zTDRY1zzufEYnRBviQBaoB4CGJFP_V3CV6aGmjSRZYAbOHKy2aoQmct-2Shp3GOG9/s320/juno.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154249758227149378" border="0" /></a><br />This year's <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0449059/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Little Miss Sunshine</span></a>. That seems to be the label of choice for all of the award season pundits when discussing <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467406/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Juno</span></a>. And though the comparisons are apt to a certain degree (this sort of hip, colorful, American indie filmmaking has become a genre unto itself) <span style="font-style: italic;">Juno</span> does a remarkable job of toeing the line. On occasion, it comes close, but director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody never quite allow the film to implode into the realm of cloying quirkiness. Juno's cheekiness may be annoying at times, but it feels quite true to her emotional and physical maturity. Ellen Page is sure to be the beneficiary of much praise, but the performance to savor is J.K. Simmons, who imbues his role as Juno's father with humor and a wonderfully confused but unwavering love. Certainly not the year's best, but funnier, if quite a bit lighter, than last year's indie sensation.R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-5255719190277844282008-01-09T11:06:00.001-05:002008-12-11T00:00:42.753-05:00Charlie Wilson's War (Nichols, 2007)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUENOBMa0xOx0i_LQmdDUXifAi5lNUWWLuxEa8SrPnWpPlJfzdLckC4F2LSJbiK3JhGX-LWHp2RHXuzC4TgbX0Zgr-6fwnjDVtvyxTO-DFFQ_oPssFjiT__bYVrgqdeoZ7SKPgjRFh8Np/s1600-h/charliewilson1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUENOBMa0xOx0i_LQmdDUXifAi5lNUWWLuxEa8SrPnWpPlJfzdLckC4F2LSJbiK3JhGX-LWHp2RHXuzC4TgbX0Zgr-6fwnjDVtvyxTO-DFFQ_oPssFjiT__bYVrgqdeoZ7SKPgjRFh8Np/s320/charliewilson1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153529006880305682" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472062/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Charlie Wilson's War</span></a> is a product that looks like an Oscar contender, smells like and Oscar contender, and has the pedigree of an Oscar contender, but once finally revealed, is nothing more than nicely polished fluff. Let me clarify that in no way do I abhor Mike Nichols' film. It's just that any talk of this film as one of the year's best is quite baffling to me. There is certainly much to enjoy. Yet, there is something about Nichols' film, its inherent simplicity, the pandering nature of the entire exercise, that I can't quite get past.<br /><br />This is pop history, nothing more, nothing less. A simplistic exploration of a complex period of recent US history that nevertheless feels strangely pretend. Too refined to be considered proper farce, the film also lacks the subversiveness and vitriolic energy that the best satire requires. And Nichols' filmmaking, while polished and professional, feels strangely hollow. Gone is his feel for the contours of human behavior, and the vitality, that marked much of his early work. So while Sorkin's script crackles and pops in all the right places (done exceptional service by Hoffman's perfectly mannered and hilarious turn as CIA man Gust Avrakotos), it does so in the service of nothing particularly meaningful. Unless of course, you are the type who would confuse lazy, obvious, finger-pointing, for something clever and meaningful.<br /><br />In the end, when the entire aftermath of Wilson's clandestine campaign is reduced to a single minutes long scene in a conference room (and capped by a punchline quote), it becomes clear what Nichols' real intentions are. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472062/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Charlie Wilson's War</span></a> is a breezy comedy that one can enjoy for a brisk 97 minutes and forget nearly as quickly. For truly inspired satire, check out Nichols' <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065528/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Catch-22</span></a> instead.R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-71973176618126692142007-12-19T19:47:00.001-05:002008-12-11T00:00:42.951-05:00Gabrielle (Chéreau, 2005)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1gPBXyf-erJq7jy5AvAg3Q4IpGlOx-f3tIWLCYbWhxqHbmnrvI2MRrfSm2BmB4JSmzwPyaemJFyXcWCSq7Fk_ZXF_a5v5MbHNen9o-9MWV4AEidFppW7R9LhWA9CvEsyoph1lhoeonZp/s1600-h/gabrielle7.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1gPBXyf-erJq7jy5AvAg3Q4IpGlOx-f3tIWLCYbWhxqHbmnrvI2MRrfSm2BmB4JSmzwPyaemJFyXcWCSq7Fk_ZXF_a5v5MbHNen9o-9MWV4AEidFppW7R9LhWA9CvEsyoph1lhoeonZp/s320/gabrielle7.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153530084917097010" border="0" /></a><br />In Joseph Conrad's short story <span style="font-style: italic;">The Return</span> (of which the author himself remarked "I hate it"), Patrice Cheréau finds the basis for this potent chamber drama, an outwardly staid, inwardly powerful tale of marital strife. There is much to savor here; in the note perfect performances of Huppert as the titular Gabrielle, and especially Pascal Greggory as the confused cuckold; in Cheréau's carefully stylized direction; in Eric Gautier's stunningly polished images; in a score by Fabio Vacchi that manages to be both melodramatic and elegant. On top of all of these things, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435479/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Gabrielle</span></a> also manages to illuminate the communicative space between cinema and the theater. Cheréau's film is a masterpiece in a minor key.<span style="font-style: italic;"></span>R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-35138418771129927922007-11-14T12:58:00.001-05:002008-12-11T00:00:43.226-05:00The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen (Gilliam, 1988)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvb6YzDBBp5k4SE8qeKyfRCvCzAwMx28kyb4CpLn8iH9EKjOPIH21kZ4gJaFU-ISwMdbLiNlWBtrLh_757tyLpaJaMlNV5thqr4oM-oCUe_bqkRwW0pNU0sw61ngGywDGxJ8d6uWCPFTF/s1600-h/vlcsnap-4667299.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvb6YzDBBp5k4SE8qeKyfRCvCzAwMx28kyb4CpLn8iH9EKjOPIH21kZ4gJaFU-ISwMdbLiNlWBtrLh_757tyLpaJaMlNV5thqr4oM-oCUe_bqkRwW0pNU0sw61ngGywDGxJ8d6uWCPFTF/s320/vlcsnap-4667299.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132757209530192002" border="0" /></a><br />Terry Gilliam's fantastically baroque visual sense and his childlike playfulness are on full display in this oft overlooked film, a surprisingly potent examination of the creative soul and its place in an exceedingly rational world. It is rather unfortunate that a regime change at Columbia Pictures, the film's backer and distributor, and the ensuing behind the scenes power struggles, kept this film from reaching a larger audience and the acclaim it most certainly deserves. One of Gilliam's finest. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096764/">IMDb listing</a>.R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-62115817230085430842007-10-31T17:10:00.000-04:002008-12-11T00:00:43.560-05:00All The Colors Of The Dark (Martino, 1972)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1h1vO3OBnr4PQYe6oCfuVUPabgc7uxMRIcRhZjPz4EBtlo1EO63LjsKvUn0e8eDAPjvnhTwz0O7M8WHRO74KJQwDb4ZqXZEz1gYzUCPdj9SYELu2D-qO6w-EVOWqPuDx7po2O5NAKvC9v/s1600-h/atcotd.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1h1vO3OBnr4PQYe6oCfuVUPabgc7uxMRIcRhZjPz4EBtlo1EO63LjsKvUn0e8eDAPjvnhTwz0O7M8WHRO74KJQwDb4ZqXZEz1gYzUCPdj9SYELu2D-qO6w-EVOWqPuDx7po2O5NAKvC9v/s320/atcotd.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127611535188773394" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"They exist. They bear the mark of the devil inside them. They may be your neighbors. They may be your wife, husband, sweetheart. They may even be your children. Their time has come."</span><br /><br />Sergio Martino's dizzyingly stylistic film - deeply influenced by <span style="font-style: italic;">Rosemary's Baby</span> - with its mounting, omnipresent paranoia and its evil cult, belongs near the top of the giallo heap. Gialli have always been about style and aesthetics first and foremost, and not only does <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069390/"><span style="font-style: italic;">All the Colors of the Dark</span></a> have ample amounts of both - including one of the most stunningly audacious opening scenes I have ever seen - it also fares admirably in a department which is usually lacking in this sub-genre (acting), with Edwige Fenech giving a committed performance as the film's troubled protagonist.<br /><br />Film Rating: B+/A-<br />Scare Factor: C<br /><br />View Date: 10/31<br />Shocktober Horrorfest View Date: #31R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-21574998325183396052007-10-31T12:19:00.000-04:002008-12-11T00:00:43.798-05:0031 Flicks That Give You The Willies!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHv-yyrUXCtxRkgTsGKQPvf9lI-8zGs9SVXeLoMPFxVXfaxmNO2eli38iR7X3jC5404HaMVHSLGyyypmFBz358X5K_b5eoKwsQGKHti9weqAVxRcCbDqBKj1RF1boLicEHBgWUZUclNfC/s1600-h/willies.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHv-yyrUXCtxRkgTsGKQPvf9lI-8zGs9SVXeLoMPFxVXfaxmNO2eli38iR7X3jC5404HaMVHSLGyyypmFBz358X5K_b5eoKwsQGKHti9weqAVxRcCbDqBKj1RF1boLicEHBgWUZUclNfC/s320/willies.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127543236618832386" border="0" /></a><br />Ed Hardy, Jr., of the fantastic film blog <a href="http://shoottheprojectionist.blogspot.com/">Shoot the Projectionist</a>, had the brilliant idea to query bloggers and readers regarding the films that scared them the most. Well, the response was huge, and <a href="http://shoottheprojectionist.blogspot.com/2007/10/official-nominees-for-31-flicks-that.html">183 films</a> were nominated, many of which one wouldn't typically see on most "best-of-horror" lists. A second round of voting whittled that unwieldy list down to 31 films, one for each day of October. The end result is the first ever "Willies" list, something that I am sure will become an annual tradition.<br /><br />I think the idea of a "communal" list is a wonderful spin on list making, and though I certainly disagree with some of the films that made the cut, I have absolutely no problem with the film that sits proudly at #1. I won't give it away here, so as not to spoil the fun of reading the list yourself, suffice it to say that I share Ed's high opinion of it completely. So if you're looking for another source of horror filled inspiration on Halloween, head on over to Shoot the Projectionist and check out:<br /><br /><a href="http://shoottheprojectionist.blogspot.com/2007/10/31-flicks-that-give-you-willies.html">31 Flicks That Give You The Willies!</a><br /><a href="http://shoottheprojectionist.blogspot.com/2007/10/31-flicks-that-give-you-willies.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></a>R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-28878619613628905932007-10-31T11:38:00.001-04:002008-12-11T00:00:44.138-05:00Day Of The Dead (Romero, 1985)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBA9GHipjiPXn8MrF3nahw9hVEXcc5TgLkBkaabksIsaPLekUpU9rM6EWvW5HnebuwAEPguj_AkaA64xsQQuLKn79wE7tutNcJtlOtKvyUQHTJpBzMN_y-u6ImT2SBcCuptX4InwZSgRX/s1600-h/dayofthedead.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBA9GHipjiPXn8MrF3nahw9hVEXcc5TgLkBkaabksIsaPLekUpU9rM6EWvW5HnebuwAEPguj_AkaA64xsQQuLKn79wE7tutNcJtlOtKvyUQHTJpBzMN_y-u6ImT2SBcCuptX4InwZSgRX/s320/dayofthedead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127525811936512498" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"The darkest day of horror the world has ever known."</span><br /><br />I was simply unprepared for just how good <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088993/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Day of the Dead</span></a> is. It was the only "Dead" film I hadn't seen before, and its reputation lagged far behind that of <span style="font-style: italic;">Night of the Living Dead</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Dawn of the Dead</span>, so i had always written it off as the least of Romero's "Dead" trilogy. But watching it immediately following a repeat viewing of <span style="font-style: italic;">Dawn</span>... If this film isn't the equal of those first two masterpieces, it isn't that far behind. Since its disastrous release in 1985, <span style="font-style: italic;">Day of the Dead</span> has been picking up steam, and a strong critical following. Let me assure you, this isn't simply wishful revisionism, it is happening for a reason.<br /><br />Film Rating: A-<br />Scare Factor: C+<br /><br />View Date: 10/30<br />Shocktober Horror Film Count: #30R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-73655333359951522452007-10-31T11:11:00.001-04:002008-12-11T00:00:44.281-05:00Dawn Of The Dead (Romero, 1978)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulOZOA_TT8QMW6Futytc0kQYNMnTTU6zHf0yhOM21sRUi8jlt2yrs0kor4ZqLjLaJkDpYcB1DANckcw0WOAusd6Dnzrj0MhjYmrXSrvwlyhHdzlFr2nzE7pdnaoRDk_ItE4x-DW7IWMYJ/s1600-h/dawnofthedead.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulOZOA_TT8QMW6Futytc0kQYNMnTTU6zHf0yhOM21sRUi8jlt2yrs0kor4ZqLjLaJkDpYcB1DANckcw0WOAusd6Dnzrj0MhjYmrXSrvwlyhHdzlFr2nzE7pdnaoRDk_ItE4x-DW7IWMYJ/s320/dawnofthedead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127520108219943394" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"When there's no more room in HELL, the dead will walk the EARTH."</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077402/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Dawn of the Dead</span></a>, the second, and certainly most popular installment in Romero's "Dead" series is another masterpiece of horror, every bit the equal of Night of the Living Dead. There's something about the aesthetics of the film, the late 70's style evidenced in the Monroeville mall's cavernous interior (both vast and claustrophobic at the same time), that I really love. And amidst the horror and sadness, there is a playful quality to Romero's film that is absent in every other "Dead" film. Another enduring classic.<br /><br />Film Rating: A+<br />Scare Factor: C<br /><br />View Date: 10/30<br />Shocktober Horror Film Count: #29R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8572871667423890888.post-46032796138999124612007-10-30T12:27:00.001-04:002008-12-11T00:00:44.453-05:00The Eye (Pang Brothers, 2002)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGaBIoyImSUM24R0-3QKfj08UkaVjgmqYhplTNmACFTHQK5uKBrThaOuDxmlsmpKvIx2u0p29-3VWzlL9LP8rVM9AHBtPG_jv0Qr-6HPZpVakc7VMeiC_-XOLxd8pSahTq3pMebOfImfN/s1600-h/vlcsnap-8969931.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGaBIoyImSUM24R0-3QKfj08UkaVjgmqYhplTNmACFTHQK5uKBrThaOuDxmlsmpKvIx2u0p29-3VWzlL9LP8rVM9AHBtPG_jv0Qr-6HPZpVakc7VMeiC_-XOLxd8pSahTq3pMebOfImfN/s320/vlcsnap-8969931.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127168109880232386" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Some things are better left unseen."<span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span><br /><br />The Pang Brothers' film, a sensation in Asia upon its release, and the recipient of quite a bit of praise here in the States, doesn't live up to its hefty reputation. Quite scary and atmospheric at times, but the brothers Pang have neither the control, nor the refinement to keep <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325655/">The Eye</a> on the rails for its duration.<br /><br />Film Rating: C+/B-<br />Scare Factor: B<br /><br />View Date: 10/29<br />Shocktober Horror Film Count: #28<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>R.A. Nainghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07245566036308128404noreply@blogger.com0