The Trailer Compendium: Vol. 11

I have made mention before on this blog of my love for the cinema of Nicolas Roeg. He is a true visionary, one of the few filmmakers who seems to understand completely the immense visual power of cinema. For the second installment of the Shocktober edition of the Trailer Compendium, I present his stunning, impressionistic exercise in terror, Don't Look Now, quite simply one of the best horror films ever made and possibly the most hauntingly beautiful one. If you haven't seen it yet, do so as soon as possible.

Don't Look Now (1973):

The Trailer Compendium: Vol. 10

In keeping with the first annual Shocktober Horrorfest, every Trailer Compendium this month will showcase a different horror film (or two, or three) ranging from horror staples to lesser known sleepers. Also, in a first for the Trailer Compendium series, I thought it would be fun to run each film's original theatrical poster along with it's trailer. So without further ado, I present to you one of my favorite "haunted house" chillers of all time, featuring a screenplay by the great Richard Matheson, John Hough's The Legend Of Hell House. Enjoy!

The Legend of Hell House (1973):

Pitt's Jesse James Gets A Full Trailer In HD

A new, high-definition trailer for Andrew Dominik's gloriously titled western The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford recently went up at Moviefone.com and it is a real thing of beauty. The film stars Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck in the titular roles, and some who have seen the film in its myriad early forms have touted this film as a real breakthrough for Affleck, considering his performance Oscar worthy.


More interesting though, are the reports of the post-production difficulties Warner Brothers has had with Dominik's film, which was first slated for a winter 2006 release, pushed back to an early 2007 release, and pushed back once more to it's current winter 2007 release. The initial cut reportedly ran over three hours long, with Dominik attempting a more languidly paced, visually poetic, Terrence Malick styled western. Since then, the film has gone through various permutations, with some preview screening cuts running around two hours long. According to the official website of the 64th Venice Film Festival, where the film is slated to play in competition, the final run time is 155 minutes. Hopefully Dominik and Warner Brothers were able to find a happy medium between the extreme variations in runtime that have been reported. The film opens in limited release on September 21.

The Trailer Compendium: Vol. 9

Two of the finest films based upon the tale of King Arthur and his knights, Robert Bresson's Lancelot du Lac and John Boorman's Excalibur exemplify one of the most pleasurable qualities of cinema, the ability for a single subject to be approached and examined in vastly divergent ways. Bresson's film is a spare and brutal dismantling of the Arthurian legend, while Boorman's film is an epic, fantastical exaltation of it. And though these two films surely occupy opposite ends of the cinematic spectrum, they are, odd as it may seem, wonderful companion pieces, illuminating both each other and the vast communicative space of cinema. Enjoy!

Lancelot du Lac (1974):


Excalibur (1981):

Cronenberg's "Eastern Promises" Trailer In HD

The cinema of David Cronenberg has always fascinated me. There is a boldness and a wholly anomalous sensibility to his films that continues to strike a chord with me. The trailer for his latest film, Eastern Promises, has just recently been released, and again, I am fascinated.

According to IMDb, the film "follows the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), who is tied to one of London's most notorious organized crime families. His carefully maintained existence is jarred when he crosses paths with Anna (Naomi Watts), an innocent midwife trying to right a wrong, who accidentally uncovers potential evidence against the family. Now Nikolai must put into motion a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution."

From the looks of it, Cronenberg has once again abandoned the overt, visceral surrealism of his earlier forays into "body horror" in favor of a more psychological, realistic approach. This, along with the return of Mortensen, lends to the feeling that Eastern Promises will be an interesting companion piece to A History of Violence.

High Definition Trailer @ Yahoo! (Quicktime)

First Trailer For "Margot At The Wedding"

My introduction to Noah Baumbach's directorial work came at the 2005 New York Film Festival, where his film The Squid and the Whale became not only one of my favorite films at the festival, but also one of my favorite films of that year. I have been anticipating his follow up ever since, and today Moviefone has posted the exclusive first look at his next film, Margot at the Wedding. The cast is quite interesting, with Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, an unusually restrained Jack Black, and John Turturro. And the involvement of cinematographer and Gus Van Sant favorite Harris Savides (Gerry) guarantees a beautiful looking film. It seems that Baumbach has fashioned another intelligent, low-key look at familial dysfunction. The film is set for a limited release on October 12.

Margot at the Wedding Trailer @ Moviefone

The Trailer Compendium: Vol. 8

Upon first glance, Nicolas Roeg's Bad Timing and Richard Lester's Petulia might seem to be strange bedfellows. Roeg's film is a perverse exploration of sexuality and obsession. Lester's film (for which Roeg served as cinematographer) is study of crumbling lives wrapped in a brilliant observation of 1960's America. What makes these films quite suitable companion pieces however, isn't their respective narrative contents, but rather their beautifully nonlinear narrative forms (due in large part I'm sure, to Roeg's involvement). Enjoy!

Bad Timing (1980):


Petulia (1968):

The Trailer Compendium: Vol. 7

Peter Yates's film is a minor masterpiece of its genre, a gritty, street-level crime film filled with fantastic dialogue, and performances to match (especially Robert Mitchum). I am constantly amazed that a film as good as this one still hasn't been given a proper DVD release. A bootleg DVD exists (from a VHS source) and although the quality is poor, if you can find this film, watch it!

The Friends Of Eddie Coyle (1973):

The Trailer Compendium: Vol. 6

The 60th Cannes Film Festival kicked off on Wednesday, and in celebration, I present to you three films that have played at past festivals. Lindsay Anderson's if... won the Palme d'Or in 1969. The Strawberry Statement won the Prix du Jury in 1970, although that year, half of the jury felt the film deserved the Palme d'Or. And finally, proving the statement that the most interesting films aren't always the winners, Dennis Hopper's Out of the Blue was nominated for the Palme d'Or in 1980, and although it is mostly forgotten today, it remains one of the best examinations of the punk ethos. So, happy 60th Cannes! Enjoy!

if... (1968):


The Strawberry Statement (1970):


Out Of The Blue (1980):

Lee Marvin Retro At The Lincoln Center!

Lee Marvin is an actor so cool, that a secret society called "The Sons of Lee Marvin" exists in his honor, founded no less by maverick director Jim Jarmusch. The Film Society of Lincoln Center is currently paying tribute to Marvin with a 22 film retrospective that runs May 11-24. Highlights include a brand-new 35mm print of The Dirty Dozen, and a couple of in-person appearances by director and Marvin collaborator John Boorman. If you are in the NYC area I strongly urge you to check out a couple of these films. The absolute must-see of the entire retro is Point Blank. (If you can't make it out to the Lincoln Center, Point Blank is also available on a great looking DVD from Warner Bros.)

Lee Marvin: The Coolest Lethal Weapon @ The Lincoln Center

Point Blank:

The Trailer Compendium: Vol. 5

Two of the toughest, most suspenseful films you are likely to see. Clouzot's The Wages of Fear is an established classic. Friedkin's Sorcerer is a forgotten classic, and in my opinion, one of the greatest remakes of all-time.

The Wages Of Fear (1953):


Sorcerer (1977):

The Trailer Compendium: Vol. 4

Gonin, Takashi Ishii's violent, urban neo-noir is one of the forgotten masterpieces of the Asian crime genre. You won't find a tougher, more beautifully stylized gangster film anywhere else. And what other film features 'Beat' Takeshi as a gay, one-eyed contract killer? Watch this film!

Gonin (1995):

Greenaway's "Nightwatching"

Peter Greenaway is one of those rare directors who's work I would enjoy even with the sound off. He is a visual genius with an incredible talent for composition. If you don't believe me, watch any 10 seconds of The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (on my shortlist of the most beautiful films ever made). It seems that Greenaway is putting his painterly eye to appropriate use with his next film Nightwatching, which explores the life of Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn, and the mystery behind his famous work "The Night Watch." Martin Freeman, of BBC's The Office and the recent The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, plays Rembrandt.

Promotional Trailer (possible spoilers).

The Trailer Compendium: Vol. 3

Although the American perception of animation is predominantly one-dimensional, it is an art form of staggering possibility, as evidenced by these two ambitious, challenging works. If you can find either of these films in any form, check them out. Ralph Bakshi's subversive Coonskin in particular merits a second look. Enjoy!

Coonskin (1975):


Felidae (1994):

The Trailer Compendium: Vol. 2

In memory of Jean-Pierre Cassel (1932-2007), who passed away on April 19, at the age of 74. One of his lesser known films, a Belgian surrealist horror, also featuring Orson Welles.

Malpertuis (1971):

Takeshi Kitano's Kantoku: Banzai! - Trailer

The full trailer for Takeshi Kitano's next film, Kantoku: Banzai! is online, and words can't do justice to the absurdity on display. The film looks to be in the same vein as Takeshis', the director's previous film, in which he took a humorous look at his persona. The thing I love about Kitano is his willingness to experiment and with this new film it seems he is doing just that.

Trailer at Official Website.

Tekkon Kinkreet At The MOMA!

A couple of years ago, I caught a film called Mind Game at the New York Asian Film Festival. To this day, it remains unlike any anime I have ever seen. The film has a kinetic quality that is spellbinding, blending 2-d and 3-d animation, live action, and a brilliant use of color to create an amazing mishmash of insanity. There is nothing like it. Well, at least until next week. Beginning April 25, the New York Museum of Modern Art will be premiering Studio 4°C's follow up effort, Tekkon Kinkreet. If it's anything like Mind Game (and from the looks of it, it is), I can assure you it will be an amazing experience. Even if you don't typically watch anime, you should certainly consider it.

Trailer in Quicktime.
Official Website [in Japanese]
IMDb Listing

MOMA schedule:

Tekkon Kinkreet. 2006. Japan. Directed by Michael Arias. Screenplay by Anthony Weintraub, based on Taiyo Matsumoto's manga. Music by Plaid (Andy Turner and Ed Handley). Produced by Studio 4°C. North American premiere. 111 min.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007, 8:30 p.m., Theater 1, T1
Thursday, April 26, 2007, 8:30 p.m., Theater 2, T2
Friday, April 27, 2007, 8:30 p.m., Theater 2, T2
Saturday, April 28, 2007, 2:00 p.m., Theater 2, T2
Sunday, April 29, 2007, 2:00 p.m., Theater 2, T2
Monday, April 30, 2007, 8:30 p.m., Theater 2, T2

The Trailer Compendium: Vol. 1

Reading about film is great, but sometimes you've just gotta see something about a film to really pique your interest. After all, film is a visual medium. With that in mind, I thought I would introduce an ongoing column I call The Trailer Compendium. Here, with a modicum of words, I'll present movie trailers. Sometimes I'll focus on a particular theme or genre, and sometimes I won't. The important thing is that all the films are deserving of a first look. I've already said too much, so without further ado... Spaghetti Westerns! Enjoy!

Keoma (1976):


A Bullet For The General (1966):