BFI To Release Jean Rouch's Chronicle Of A Summer This Month on Dual Play

On 27 May 2013 the BFI releases the hugely influential French documentary Chronicle of a Summer, newly restored, on Blu-ray and DVD (in a Dual Format Edition) for the first time in the UK.

Shot in Paris during the summer of 1960 and released the following year, Chronicle of a Summer is the compelling result of a collaboration between anthropologist filmmaker Jean Rouch and sociologist Edgar Morin.

Jean Rouch (Moi, un noir, Les maîtres fous) and Edgar Morin set out to chronicle the everyday lives of Parisians using a mixture of intimate interviews, debates and observation. Artists, factory workers, office employees, students and others open up to the camera to share their experiences, fears and aspirations. The film became one of the most influential of the sixties, and redefined the documentary form with its use of handheld cameras and observational techniques.

Rouch, whose work inspired the likes of Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Rivette and Roberto Rossellini, trained his ethnographic lens on the metropolis, recording a series of extraordinary sequences, including a French survivor’s Holocaust testimony, to reveal the political underlying the personal in a society struggling into the post-colonial era.

The film questions the level of reality and truth in documentary filmmaking, and offers a fascinating insight into 1960’s Parisian society.



Special Features:
• Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition
• Brand new restoration
• Un été + 50 (Florence Daumon, 2011, 75 mins): documentary on the making of Chronicle of a Summer featuring new interviews with the participants including Edgar Morin and Régis Debray
• Jean Rouch at the NFT (1978, 55 mins): audio recording of a lecture delivered by Jean Rouch on Dziga Vertov and Robert Flaherty's influence on his work and that of his peers
• Illustrated booklet with newly commissioned essays by Professor Ginette Vincendeau

Pre-order /Buy: Chronicle of a Summer (DVD + Blu-ray)

Fasten Seat Belts Almodovar's I'm So Excited Has 'Exciting' Important Message For You

In preparation of the release of Perdo Almodovar's I'm So Excited, out in cinemas on 3rd May, we have a fantastic comical info graphic celebrating some of the cheekier elements of the film.

I'm So Excited is set upon a doomed flight heading to Mexico City. The flight attendants and the chief steward are atypical, baroque charactes whom in the face of danger, try to forget their own personal problems and devote themselves body and soul to the task of making the flight as enjoyable as possible for the passengers, while they wait for a solution. Life in the clouds is as complicated as it is at ground level, and for the same reasons, which could summarised in two: sex and death.

Follow the @PeninsulaCrew on Twitter and check out this great little in-flight-style guide to celebrate the release! The question should you be excited? Read our review here and go check out I'm So Excited when it's released in UK&Ireland 3rd May.

SPARTACUS: WAR OF THE DAMNED DVD

Rome, as they say, wasn't built in a day, and neither was the epic television drama series Spartacus which reaches its climax with the third season Spartacus: War of the Damned, newly released on DVD and Blu-ray this week. The series which has won legions of fans since it premiered with Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010) and continued with Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (2011) and Spartacus: Vengeance (2012), is a show which is definitely not for the faint hearted. It will take those with nerves of steel to endure both the length and sheer violence of a show which brings graphic onscreen brutality and sex to a whole new level.

The fight against Rome and her oppressive regime, headed by rebel leader Spartacus (Liam McIntyre) and his bloodthirsty generals, reaches a bloody climax when he leads his army into a final battle against the empire in the form of Roman military officer Marcus Crassus (Simon Merrells) and his men. In the ensuing confrontation there can only be one victor in a battle of epic proportions.

It's always hard to be subjective if you are coming to an established television series fresh. Many shows take time to grow on you, with the characters becoming as familiar to fans as their own family and friends, with the story-lines progressing over weeks and years. Which might explain why, if this is the first time you will have seen (or in my case) heard of the Spartacus television series, you may not really get it. Having now watched the show, I have to say that I can't work out for the life of me who it's aimed at.

The show's advertising and promotional campaign makes no bones about the fact that it isn't selling itself as anything other than a drama focusing around war and sex - on which basis it is probably a pretty accurate portrayal of the pass-times of much of the Roman Empire at the time. Following the lives and intertwined relationships of Spartacus and his arch enemy Marcus Crassus, the show is a modern, high-tech take on the old Hollywood sword and sandal epic, albeit with a much grittier edge.

However, authenticity (which the show admittedly has in spades) aside, it's not long before each hour long episode starts feeling like a battle to get through. Full-frontal, man on woman, man on man and woman on woman sex which leaves very little to the imagination, as well as gory, visceral violence (including beheadings, disembowelment and crucifixion) that you wouldn't expect to see outside a video nasty, makes for tough viewing, unless you're a prepubescent teenage schoolboy who gets kicks from watching something he knows he shouldn't. The dialogue by Steven S. DeKnight also grates with a stiltedness which is clearly meant to invoke a period feel, but quickly becomes arduous for the viewer to decipher or comprehend. As for the overuse of the 'f' word which litters the character's vocabulary at every opportunity - one is simply left weary by the end.

I genuinely wish I'd got the show, as it clearly has something of interest for a lot of people. However for this critic it was a particularly unpleasant experience of epic proportions and, like the period of time it depicts, better consigned to the annals of ancient history.

★★☆☆☆

Cleaver Patterson

Rating:18
DVD/BD Release Date: 29th April 2013 (UK)
Director:Steven S. DeKnight
Cast: Manu Bennett, Daniel Feuerriegel, Lucy Lawless, Peter Mensah, Liam McIntyre
Buy Spartacus : War Of Damned:Blu-ray / DVD
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The Collection DVD Review

Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton finally unleash the slick killer sequel to their 2009 torture porn Slasher The Collector, and it’s entirely worth the wait. Picking up from where the first film left off, we find Arkin (Josh Stewart) captured by the masked madman known as The Collector, a serial killer who employs vicious traps to dispose of his many victims. This time, Arkin is dragged back into The Collector’s house of mayhem with a team of mercenaries hell-bent on saving their employer’s daughter.

Considering the fact Melton and Dunstan are responsible for the later - more schlocky - Saw sequels, it’s impossible not to draw comparisons, but that’s not exactly detrimental either because The Collection is simply a great piece of entertainment horror. Dare I, a devout Saw fan, say it’s worth your time more than Saw’s 4, 5, 6, and 7? Well...yes. The directing duo has put aside a penchant for crap scripting to construct a bombastically shameless thriller with a decent story and a terrific pace.

After a brutal nightclub set-piece, the action flips over to The Collector’s lair where he’s got enough tricks and traps to put Jigsaw to shame. Special award for fucked-up defence systems goes to the brainless junkie zombies for outright macabre, but the true prize of the whole film is the actual collection. It makes a great poster for the film, but I can’t help thinking it would have been better to keep that wee trick up the sleeve. The story sees the team split up, tortured, disposed of, and hounded through a fun house like you’ve never seen, with Arkin questioning again and again how the hell he got dragged into all this for a second time. It is gruelling and action packed, the sets are a pleasure to watch for any horror fan, and more often than not you’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat. This sort of energy is hard to find in modern horror (even Hostel has dried up) so you have to be grateful when you find it.

Keeping the fantastic Josh Stewart involved is a sure-fire way to maintain some continuity and at least attempt a bad-ass protagonist. Too often horror chucks its male heroes away in some blood-drenched sweetheart farewell that leaves the whole affair wrought with soppy after tones.  Special note goes to Lee Tergesen who lends a hand to be the other cool guy, the Cpl. Hicks to Stewart’s Ripley. The villain of the piece isn’t too shabby either, being entirely formidable, totally deranged, and genuinely mysterious. Brownie points have to be awarded for having the gall to keep the killer’s mask on, so there’s genuine potential for The Collector to get inducted into the Horror icons catalogue. With its cliff-hanger finale, Interest has been tickled.

A superior slice of fun that shamelessly flaunts a love of all things B-movie, Slasher, and gore-drenched, The Collection is a superior sequel to a dismissible first attempt. At this rate the third will be something to really look forward to.

★★★★☆

Scott Clark

Rating: 18
UK DVD/BD Release Date: 29th April 2013 (UK)
Directed By: Marcus Dunstan

Cast: Josh Stewart,Emma Fitzpatrick,Christopher McDonald

Win The Collection On DVD : Cinehouse / The Peopesmovies

Buy: The Collection On DVD

Give People What They Want In New Only God Forgives Clips

Here comes the pain in the shape of Ryan Gosling in 3 new clips for Cannes bound Only God Forgives. The new clips continue the momentum of what we've seen before, that Nicholas Winding Refn's new film will emulate Drive, likely to outdo it. Neon clad striking visuals, hyper violent, intense to the core Only God Forgive looks like it'll provide us with that substance with the expected Solid Gosling performance thing look extra spicy with Kristin Scott Thomas performance who looks like she'll the scene a few time. In these clips we do see her shine in her moment, acid tongued, intimidating, menacing urging her boy (Gosling) to seek revenge of his dead brother.

Only God Forgives has no confirmed UK release date just yet but in a few weeks at Cannes Film Festival (22nd May) things may change. USA  release date is 19th July 2013.


Only God Forgives (Solo Dio perdona) - Estratto... by SpaggyPalermo


Only God Forgives (Solo Dio perdona) - Estratto... by SpaggyPalermo


Only God Forgives (Solo Dio perdona) - Estratto... by SpaggyPalermo

source:Collider

Sundance London 2013: Blood Brother Review

Sweeping up the documentary awards at the American Sundance, Blood Brother is director Steve Hooper’s tale of his best friends journey to India that quickly became more than the gap-year soul searching experience he intended.

Rocky Braat’s move from Pittsburgh was born out of that nagging existential crisis that at times can plague us all. Desperate to fill the void in his life and aware of the possibilities that lay past the barriers of routine American life, he ditched his career as a graphic designer, booked his ticket and embarked on the road well travelled to the world’s spiritual Mecca. What followed was a life-changing experience not often shared by those passing through to grab a slice of ‘finding themselves’ before strapping on their backpack and covering themselves in neon paint to puke their new found selves’ guts out on a beach in Thailand.

The change was as whimsical as it was dramatic. At a loose end, Rocky agreed to take in a local centre for children suffering with HIV expecting to feel sad for an allotted amount of time before departing for an adventure elsewhere around the country. His usual ambivalence to children was instantly shattered by what he saw, children who not only had nothing but also suffered from this most deadly of diseases yet wore the smiles of stage children, brimming with constant enthusiasm and unabashed happiness.

Knowing then where his future lay, he cancelled the rest of his trip to stay with the children and when his visa ran out returned to the US only to sell all of his possessions and raise funds for a return trip. Quickly becoming known as Rocky Anna (meaning brother), his affection for these children was the catalyst for friend Hoover to join him overseas and document his experience.

We’ve become slightly numb to these sights, grown cynical of those white faces on Comic Relief, dipping their toe in poverty before fleeing on first-class plane tickets, our British sense of level-headedness and famed stiff upper lip often getting in the way of fully embracing projects like these. However, there’s a lack of pretence with Rocky who seems as sincere and genuine in his mission as anyone can be, making it difficult to throw some of this cynicism his way. Immersing himself completely in village life he’s able to gain the trust of the adults after they witness the rapport and affection he has forged with their children.

Along the way we see the emotional, physical and mental burden faced by Rocky that makes his an even more worthy cause. His warmth and care for the children is that most overused and derided of words – heart-warming which, apparent on screen, only adds to the sadness when one is taken ill or silently passes away in the middle of the night.

It’s often difficult to watch these kinds of films/images without a certain level of scepticism – do-gooder American saves poor third world problem – but in Blood Brother that slowly gets wiped away. Rocky has worn us down, our cynicism faded, stiff upper lip softened and faith in human kindness partially restored. Who would’ve thought it would take an American slacker to do that?

★★★★☆

Matthew Walsh

Rating: NR
Festival Date:27th/28th April 2013
Director: Steve Hoover
Cast: Rocky Braat, Steve Hoover

Sundance London 2013: Sleepwalk With Me Review

Mike Birbiglia’s journey to the silver screen isn’t your average one. A stand-up comedian by trade, he then branched out into theatre performing a one-man show based on his real-life battle with a sleeping disorder. The success of the show caught the attention of producer Ira Glass who invited Birbiglia onto his podcast ‘The Moth’ where he would become a regular contributor until eventually the two set about turning that autobiographical tale into Sleepwalk With Me – not only his first acting gig but also his debut in the directors chair.

All this may come as something of a surprise when watching this festival winning film (2012 Sundance NEXT Award) as Birbiglia seems so effortlessly natural on screen, easing us into his world with an address to camera, “This is a true story”. The need to justify its truth is an understandable one – you can imagine similar stories being dreamt up in a screenwriting lab in Hollywood furiously work shopped into an Adam Sandler vehicle. The fact that it wasn’t and these were, at one time, real events suffered by Birbiglia is no doubt the reason for it’s complete success in achieving the notes of authenticity apparent on screen.

Birbiglia stars as alter-ego Matt Pandamiglio, an aspiring stand-up who’s minutes behind the mic pale in comparison to the ones he spends serving drinks and mopping toilets at the local comedy club. Coupled with a relationship with girlfriend Abby (Six Feet Under’s Lauren Ambrose) that is coming under the scrutiny one suffers after 8 years and no proposal and the pressure facing Matt starts to take it’s toll, manifesting in bouts of sleepwalking which occur with increasing severity.

These aren’t your average zombie-walking eyes closed affairs you often catch on screen, these nocturnal activities resemble the hallucinations of a drunk, all slurry vocals and imagined scenes which are both hilarious and dangerous. Pestered by his physician dad into examining his behaviour, Matt is diagnosed with REM sleep behaving disorder – a condition that involves the sufferer acting out his dreams, something not suited to the life on the road he stumbles upon after a chance meeting with an agent.

As his set becomes more in tune with his mounting problems his jokes finally start to hit the mark with audiences lapping up his truthful tales of a stuttering relationship and bizarre sleep patterns. The new found attention means more time away from home as Matt struggles to find the right balance of caring boyfriend and successful comic.

Balance is one thing Birbiglia doesn’t find as challenging as his on-screen persona, striking a chord with his delicate marriage of laughs and heart in a film you struggle to believe is a debut. His wry observations are incredibly well-observed and ring true of the commitment issues that plague a generation of young males unable to articulate their thoughts. It’s an incredibly honest look at modern relationships handled with originality and moments of hilarity and, while comparisons with Woody Allen are unfair at this point, Birbiglia makes a case for his to be the next career to succeed with inward-looking analysis and laugh out loud jokes. An exceptionally promising debut.

★★★★½

Matthew Walsh

Rating: 15
Festival Date: 27th/28th April 2013
Director: Mike Birbiglia, Seth Barrish
Cast:  Mike Birbiglia, Lauren Ambrose, James Rebhorn

I'm So Excited (Los amantes pasajeros) Review

A Everyman Cinema has opened in Leeds and the first in the North. It’s a nice digital cinema in the new Trinity shopping complex in the city centre of Leeds. The first week of it’s opening has had many Q&As and special showings. The first of 2 I went to was a preview of Pedro Almodóvar’s new film I’m So Excited.

I’m So Excited is the first pure comedy since his international sensation Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown in 1988. That film broke his strange brand of filmmaking into the public consciousness. He has tend to move away from comedy since then and has moved more into Douglas Sirk inspired melodramas and Hitchcockian thrillers. All his films feature his strange brand of kitschy humour, transsexual or cross-dressing characters and normally but not always a strong female lead character. I tend to prefer his more serious films like Law of Desire, Bad Education and the recent The Skin I Live In.

I’m So Excited is basically a classic sex comedy but with a twist. It’s all set on a plane (for the most part) and they having problems with the landing gear and have to keep flying in circles. The film revolves mainly about the exploits of the 3 gay stewards on the plane. They drink like fish and do plenty of drugs. While they face possible death they have to entertain and serve the passengers as well as they can. However nothing quite goes well and life is as complicated in the clouds as it is on the ground.

It’s a self-described “very light comedy” and it’s fine but serviceable. It has it moments especially when they make the Valencia cocktail spiked with mescaline However it is lacking any of the real substance his finest films have or the classic absurdity of Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. It perfectly fine but of a man who has such a solid body of work reaching back to the early 80s I can’t help but feel slightly disappointed.

★★★☆☆

Ian Schultz

Stars: Javier Cámara, Hugo Silva , Cecillia Roth,Pepa Charro, Lola Dueñas
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Release: 3rd of May 2013
Certificate: 15 (UK)

Win The Collection On DVD

From the writers of Saw IV, V, VI and 3D comes the thrilling sequel to The Collector that works just as well as a standalone film. Tense, terrifying and packed full of action The Collection will have you on the edge of your seat - or hiding behind it! It's like Aliens to The Collector's Alien with a team of badasses hunting down the mysterious serial killer and a helluva lot more nasties to be found in his lair.

It's out on DVD 29 April and to celebrate we have a copy to give away!

When Elena (Fitzpatrick) is talked into attending an underground warehouse party with her friends, she finds herself caught in a nightmarish trap where the revelers are mowed, sliced and crushed to death by a macabre series of contraptions operated by a masked psychopath. When the grisly massacre is over, Elena is the only survivor. But before she can escape, she is locked in a trunk and transported to an unknown location.

Fortunately for Elena, one man— Arkin (Stewart) —knows exactly where she’s headed, having just escaped from there with his life and sanity barely intact. Going back is the last thing on Arkin’s mind, but Elena’s wealthy father (McDonald) hires a crack team of mercenaries to force Arkin to lead them to the killer’s lair. But even these hardened warriors are not prepared for what they encounter: an abandoned hotel-turned-torture-chamber, rigged with deadly traps and filled with mangled corpses. Can Arkin and the team get to Elena before she too becomes part of his gruesome “collection”?

To be in for a chance to Win The Collection On DVD please answer the following question:

Q.The Collection star Josh Stewart Has appeared in another recent film about a masked protagonist that's just finished a trilogy name that film?

Send Your Name, Address, Postcode and answer to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com (label your email 'the collection')You must 18 or older to enter. Deadline for competition is Sunday 19th May 2013 (11.59pm)

Double your chances follow us at Facebook! (you will get double entry every counts, if your already following us please share the post on facebook)

Terms &Conditions: 1.This prize is non transferable.No cash alternatives apply.UK &Irish entries only.2.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse and eOne  have the right to alter, delay or cancel this competition without any notice 3.The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse, eOne employees 4.This competition is promoted on behalf of eOne 5. If this prize becomes unavailable we have the right to offer an alternative prize instead 6.To enter this competition you must send in your answer, name, address only, Deadline 19th May 2013 (2359hrs)7.Will only accept entries sent to the correct email (winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com), any other entry via any other email will be void.8.If the above form fails please send the information required from the form email it to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com  (label the collection) If any info required from the form is not sent in the email your entry will be void, 9.automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned.10.Failure to complete the above form (i.e full name or address) will result your entry been void 11.If you are friend or like us at facebook for every competition you enter you get double entry, but you must stay stay friend/like us all the time,or future entries maybe considered one entry if you are liking us share the post on facebook and re-tweet the post.12.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes 13.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control14.The competition is opened to Aged 18 and over.15. Majority of the prizes on offer will come from representatives of the distributor, no The People’s Movies &Cinehouse, when we do have the prizes we will inform you.16. Unless Stated Please Do Not Include Telephone Numbers, we don’t need them and if you include your telephone number Cinehouse and The People’s Movies are not responsible for the security of the number 17.The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email or announced via facebook, sometimes we are unable to confirm winners.18.This competition i bound by the rules of Scotland,England & Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland.19.By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

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The Best Father-Daughter Relationships in Film (The Look Of Love)

The Look of Love documents the life of Soho’s king, Paul Raymond – the one time richest man in Britain, self made millionaire, property owner, publisher, nightclub order, husband, lover and father. Raymond’s reputation as a ladies’ man may precede him, but despite his flaws it is undeniable that relationship with his daughter Debbie was the most important aspect of his multifaceted life. She was not only his heir and undoubtedly the apple of his eye, and his motivation. The Look of Love stars Steve Coogan, Anna Friel and Imogen Poots and to mark it’s release, here’s a countdown of the best father-daughter relationships on the big screen.

Matt King in The Descendants (2012)

George Clooney plays a father whose wife is left in a coma after an accident. Although he had never been hands-on dad, he is left to take care of his two young daughters, the eldest of which is a rebellious teenager. When shocking secrets about his wife’s life come to light, the family are forced to pull together, re-examining the past and embracing their new future together whilst Matt has to make the difficult decision regarding his family’s ancestral land.

Doctor Poulain in Amelie (2001)

Amelie was never close to her father. A stern army doctor, the only time she was ever close to him was during her annual check up – something so exciting that it caused her heart to pound and led her perents to believe that she has a defect! A recluse since the death of Amelie’s mother, he spent his autumn years collecting garden ornaments and making shrines to his wife, until, in a bid to bring some colour into his life, Amelie secretly gives her father’s favourite gnome to her air hostess, who takes him on her travels, sending back pictures of the cheery fellow in various exotic locations, to his bemusement.

George Banks in Father of The Bride (1991)

Steve Martin plays a father struggling with the idea of giving his daughter away, wracked with the idea that her future husband is now taking the place of the most important man in her life. However, in the end he realises that she is always going to need him, and that he will always be there for her no matter what.

Daddy Warbucks in Annie (1982)

Oliver ‘Daddy’ Wharbucks was a self-proclaimed bachelor – he never wanted children or anyone to share his millions with. That was until Annie, the feisty red-headed orphan came into her life. Initially she was nothing more than a photo opportunity for Wharbucks, staying in his mansion for a week in a bid to boost his image. However, he is soon won over by her charm and intelligence, rescuing her from the orphanage and adopting her as his own.

Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

The southern lawyer is a single father who brings his daughters up with compassion and kindness, teaching his children to treat all people with equality and respect – valuable life lessons with gems such as: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

Wink in Beasts of the Southern Wild (2013)

The young hushpuppy’s relationship with her hot-headed father is strained at times, but when melting ice-claps flood her ramshackle community ‘The Bathtub’ and unleash ancient creatures, Wink goes to extreme efforts to solidify his daughter’s independence despite his ailing health.

Mose in Paper Moon (1973)

When travelling con-man stumbles across a funeral, the striking resemblance between himself and the orphaned child of the dead woman means that he is reluctantly persuaded that the pair are somehow related, and he is charged with delivering the her back to her aunt’s in Missouri. The intelligent Addie soon realises that Mose is not the wandering preacher that he professes himself to be, and the pair become a fantastic team – making money in every dishonest way imaginable, meeting a variety of colourful characters along the way.

Jean Valjean in Les Miserables (2013)

Fantine, a worker in Valjean’s factory is unceremoniously cast into the street on the discovery that she has an illegitimate child, and subsequently forced into a life of prostitution in order to provide for her, which leads to her death. On discovering this, Valjean is wracked with guilt and vows to become little Cosette’s protector, rescuing her from her abusive step-parents and treating her like a daughter – she becomes the centre of his world.


The Look of Love comes is out now in UK cinemas Read our review

Sundance London 2013:The Look Of Love Review

Scorcese had DeNiro, Tim Burton has Johnny Depp and back in blighty Michal Winterbottom has Steve Coogan. The Look of Love is the pair’s fourth collaborative piece having stumbled upon a beneficial creative partnership on the set of 24 Hour Party People back in 2002. Coogan however will always be tied to a far greater partner, one that infects a number of his roles with or without his directorial mentor – Alan Partridge. We’ll have to wait until August to see his alter-ego’s first foray into the film world but the shadow of Norfolk’s number one DJ looms large over his incarnation of notorious Soho sex-industry king, Paul Raymond.

It’s a criticism often levelled at Coogan and one that can equally be taken as a compliment. So invested was he with his comic creation that he carries the traits, mannerisms and quirks into much of his own life, often spilling out onto screen. Fortunately here it is more appropriate than usual – Paul Raymond shared Partridge’s fondness for an innuendo, an inappropriate remark and a certain pronunciation.

We meet him towards the end of his life, facing questions from the assembled press outside an inquest for daughter Debbie’s fatal overdose in 1992. From there we travel back through Raymond’s ‘world of erotica’, taking in the humble beginnings of a lion taming/ strip show hybrid and knickers removed by dolphins, winding up at the acquisition of the Soho Revue Bar.

Endlessly pushing the boundaries of acceptability, his empire grew to encompass magazines – Men Only, Escort, Mayfair – venues, and no small number of Soho property establishing him as Britain’s wealthiest man. Peering through the glitter curtain, we bear witness to Raymond’s natural charisma - a born entertainer able to hold court with all comers, proving handy with the press and the fairer sex.

The camera invites us to glimpse the coming and goings of various partners, all approved by his understanding wife Jean (ably portrayed by Anna Friel) and his inevitable dalliance with class A’s – a habit he passes on to his much loved daughter, perfectly played by Imogen Poots, breathing life into her poor little rich girl role.

There are familiar faces everywhere, all sourced from the television comedy world; David Walliams as a seedy priest, his comedic partner Matt Lucas as a stage performer, the geeky one from The Inbetweners not exactly stretching himself as Debbie’s boyfriend and The Thick of It’s Chris Addison playing Raymond’s long-standing business partner.

The script itself comes from more British talent, Control scribe Matt Greenhalgh who overreaches in his ambition, stretching the 100 minute running time to take in 50 years of action, meaning years pass in montage form and details are lost in a blur of cocaine and orgies. A keener edit may’ve ironed out some of the slack and delivered a tighter, more focused finish to this tale of hedonism and dubious familial values.

As it is we are offered an interesting look at London through the ages, held up by a commanding performance by Coogan hinting at man at times plagued by, and indebted to his working class roots in equal measure. It’s a tale tailor made for the screen and with Winterbottom at the helm is one that should have soared. Sadly it didn’t, delivering a worthy but unspectacular biopic of a man and an industry who defined a neighbourhood.

★★★☆☆

Matthew Walsh

Rating: 15
UK Release Date: 26th April 2013 (festival date 25th April 2013)
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Steve Coogan, Anna Friel, Imogen Poots, Stephen Fry, Tamsin Egerton

Terracotta Film Club presents Wong Kar Wai's Days Of Being Wild This May

Terracotta Film Club will present DAYS OF BEING WILD for its May edition at the Prince Charles Cinema.

Terracotta organisers are proud to showcase one of the most acclaimed masterpieces of modern cinema from one of Hong Kong’s finest auteur directors, Wong Kar Wai.

DAYS OF BEING WILD features an outstanding ensemble cast including Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu Wai and more, involved in a roundabout of fleeting emotions and unrealised relationships.

It also marks the first in a long collaboration between Wong Kar Wai and acclaimed cinematographer Christopher Doyle.

Wong Kar Wai's second film relates the story of a vain, amoral young playboy (Leslie Cheung) drifting through a series of casual friendships and affairs.

Christopher Doyle's exquisite cinematography and a lush, dreamy soundtrack, perfectly capture the mood of youth’s endless boredom over a long, hot summer in 1960's Hong Kong.

This screening is part of the Terracotta Festival’s IN MEMORY OF: Leslie Cheung & Anita Mui section. It will take place on Wednesday 29 May, prior to the official launch of the festival on Thursday 06 June.

Synopsis

An outstanding ensemble cast are involved in a roundabout of fleeting emotions and unrealised relationships.In the sweltering heat of a 1960’s Hong Kong summer, a layabout playboy Yuddy (Leslie Cheung), exercises his pastime of drawing women close to him then callously drops them at the last minute, under the emotional shadow of not knowing who his real mother is.The narrative moves from one character to the next; from one of Yuddy’s lovers (Maggie Cheung) to the new attention of her affections, a beat cop (Andy Lau) and back again to Yuddy and his latest squeeze. All the while, maintaining an incredibly visually detailed recreation of that era.Exquisite cinematography by Christopher Doyle and a lush, dreamy soundtrack, perfectly captures the mood of youth’s endless boredom over a long, hot summer.

Courtesy of Palisades Tartan

The New Trailer For UK Horror In Fear Reminds You To Drive Carefully

If your attending Sundance London over the weekend you  maybe checking out UK Horror In Fear promising to take home invasion to another level a car! Indie horror promises to bring back some of those scares we've been missing in some films recently and now we on the eve of it's festival's premiere we have the film's first official trailer.

Directed by Jeremy Lovering In Fear  tells the tale of an young couple heading to a country retreat to attend  a music festival only  find themselves targets of an unknown terror.

Despite the poor Imdb rating, the film has been grabbing some positive reviews especially from it's debut back in January at Sundance in USA. The film's premise makes this one an interesting film to check out and when the main cast themselves  don't know the outcome (director dripfed the cast the script) it builds up for an intriguing film.

Studiocanal are releasing this film in UK&Ireland on 30th August, no word on USA release just yet. In Fear stars Alice Englert and Iain Decaestecker.



source:Empire

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Michael Winterbottom Retrospective (The Look Of Love)

This indisputably underestimated Blackburn-born filmmaker has packed in a lot in a fifteen-year career. Looking at Michael Winterbottom’s folio, no genre goes uncharted: spanning everything from spoof documentary, eerie thriller to engaging realism.

In UK cinemas on 26th April, The Look of Love sees Winterbottom collaborating with Steve Coogan yet again, this time in a irreverent look at the life of Paul Raymond, controversial entrepreneur, nightclub owner and one-time richest man in Britain. The film co-stars Anna Friel, Tamsin Egerton and Imogen Poots, along with Stephen Fry and David Walliams.

To mark the release of the newest addition to his oeuvre, here’s a look at some of his best work…

Trishna (2011)

With Trishna, Winterbottom took Hardy’s Tess of d’Urbevilles and embedded it in modern India, using the narrative to document the tragic relationship between the son of a property developer and the daughter of a rickshaw owner. The story was shot in the Indian cities of Jaipur and Mumbai and stars the beautiful Freida Pinto and Riz Ahmed as its leads.

The Killer Inside Me (2010)

Based on a 1952 novel by Jim Thompson, the film follows the pillor of a small community, Deputy Sheriff Lou Ford, beneath whose calm and rational exterior is a violent sociopath harbouring a dark past. Despite scenes of extreme violence shocking audiences, the film is a stylishly shot and a gripping, intelligent take on classic film noir, starring Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba.

The Trip (2012)

Winterbottom created an improvised six-episode comedy series filmed in the Lake District, in which a dissatisfied actor agrees to write a series of reviews for the Observer newspaper in order to impress his girlfriend, who unceremoniously dumps him at the start of the series. The episodes take place over a sequence of gourmet meals and stars Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan in a ferociously hilarious double act.

Genova (2008)

This little known gem is impeccably acted and full of subtle moments of beauty. The story is about a father (played by Colin Firth), who, following the death of his wife decides to start anew, moving to Italy to teach English at Geneva University, accompanied by his two adolescent daughters. Crammed together in a cosy but chaotic flat, the family of three learn lessons about love, life, death and family through the events which ensue, all set against the beautiful backdrop of the beautiful streets of Geneva.

A Mighty Hart (2007)

The brilliant, suspense filled docu-drama was based on the memoirs of Mariane Pearl and produced by Brad Pitt. It documents Marlene, played by Angelina Jolie, on the frantic search to locate her husband, missing journalist Daniel Pearle, who was kidnapped and murdered whist on an assignment in Pakistan. Jolie was critically acclaimed for her emotionally charged performance.

The Road To Guantanamo (2006)

This British docu-drama focuses on the Tipton Three, a trio of British Muslims who were captured in Afghanistan and held in Guantanamo Bay for two years until they were released without charge. The reception to the film was mixed due to the controversial subject matter and it’s portrayal of interrogation and torture techniques used the US Army. Nevertheless, Winterbottom won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 56th Berlin International Film Festival, and the film won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature at the Sundance Film Festival.

A Cock and Bull Story (2005)

Winterbottom’s adaptation of Laurence Sterne’s 18th century novel, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy is a film-within-a-film. It features Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon playing themselves as egotistical actors during the making of a screen adaptation of the novel. The book is about a man unable to write a novel, and the film quite aptly mirrors this in the men’s inability to make a film.

9 Songs (2004)

9 Songs revisits sex and rock n’ roll – two of Winterbottom’s favourite themes. The film charts the extremely full on, sexual relationship between an American college student and a British glaciologist, which sees the two lovers attending rock concerts in-between their intense physical encounters.

24 Hour Party People (2002)

This classic mock-u-mentary documents the 90’s ‘Madchester’ music scene. The narrative follows the career of Tony Wilson (played by Steve Coogan), a news reporter for Granada and head of Factory records. The film dramatises a combination of real events, rumours and urban legends to hilarious result, and features a fantastic Brit rock soundtrack featuring The Sex Pistols, Happy Mondays and Joy Division.

Jude (1996)

Featuring pre-Titanic Kate Winslet alongside the also relatively unknown Christopher Ecclestone. The film is another adaptation of a much loved Hardy novel, Jude the Obscure which is the well known tale of a working class man who dreams of becoming an academic, scandalising his small west country village by leaving his wife for his beautiful cousin. Critically acclaimed as an amazingly powerful and dark film.



The Look of Love opens in UK cinemas Today, 26th April

Sundance London: The Kings Of Summer Review

Oh for a teenage summer. Those long months that roll on forever, answering to no teacher, endlessly outside and bargaining new bedtimes. Remember those? Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts certainly does, and hopes you do too, recalling them with the misty-eyed nostalgia inflected in his coming-of-age comedy The Kings of Summer.

Set in the midst of a hazy summer holiday, his debut feature focuses on Joe Toy (Nick Robinson) – a high-school student dogged by parental rules and longing for the freedom adulthood brings. He’s not alone, best friend Patrick (The Big C’s Gabriel Baso) is similarly plagued by the incessant nagging and banal conversation a life under the parental home can bring. Breaking point is reached when Joe’s bitingly snarky dad, Frank (Nick Offerman) humiliates and grounds him (those two cardinal sins of teenage-hood) for the final time. With little persuading he enlists the help of Patrick, he too convinced an escape from the nonsensical questions from clueless parents is needed. A plan is hatched, an old-fashioned breakout. Not just any breakout though, theirs holds loftier ambitions.

Utilising their suspect DT skills, the pair set about building a house of their own, tucked away in the woods where, crucially, “nobody will find them”. A rule-free summer is on the cards with nothing to answer to other than their own whims.

Joining them is stock kook Biaggio – a bug-eyed curiosity the two are unable to shake off. Heavily indebted to Zach Galifianakis’ role in the Hangover films, his off-the-wall, zany oddball is plastered on a bit too thick and heightens the somewhat uneasy tone of the film. Is Vogt-Roberts going for laughs, or something a little deeper? There is of course nothing wrong with aiming for both but here there’s a distinct mismatch. Dreamy, Mallick inspired shots of nature sit uncomfortably side-by-side with strained, random one-liners thrown in at will and jarring with any established lightness of touch.

The coming-of-age film isn’t complete without a fight and we get one here, emerging over quarrels of the heart, with shared affection for female interest Kelly (Erin Moriarty). The ensuing tension gets twisted with the odd pacing of the film, characters changing drastically and far quicker than anything attributed to teenage hormones, with Joe suddenly resembling a Colonel Kurtz-esque wild man of the land.

True to adolescence, parents are an after-thought but the majority of sharp lines are saved for Offerman as the Parks and Recreation actor steals much of the limelight from the younger co-stars and box-ticking characters around him.

The criticism to be found lies with the pacing and tone, switching from one to another too quickly, leaving an at times somewhat confused effect, begging the question of what Vogt-Roberts was reaching for. Whatever it is, and despite moments of genuine promise, Kings of Summer falls just short.

★★½☆☆

Matthew Walsh

Rating: 15
Festival date: 25th April 2013
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Cast: Nick Offerman, Moises Arias, Nick Robinson, Alison Brie

Sundance London: Peaches Does Herself Review

An 80 year-old woman stands onstage, topless, clutching a dildo, and singing a song called ‘I love dick’. Welcome to the world of Peaches, and what an eye-opening world it is, full of breasts, genitalia, transsexuals, and orgies. The German singer and survivor of flash-in-the-pan, early noughties electroclash genre brings this collection of all things racy to the big screen in her debut film Peaches Does Herself, celebrating 10 years in the music industry.

Confined to an extravagant stage show, Peaches brings us a sexually charged piece of musical theatre loosely explaining how she came to be, from bedroom artist to the empowered stage-savvy queen of all things fetish. The mentioned nude geriatric is Sandy Kane, a former hooker, friend of Peaches and self-proclaimed oldest sex entertainer in the business who re-appears to perform an act that involves attaching matchsticks to her nipples and lighting them in a grotesque showing of her hardcore credentials. This comes as she battles our singing star for the affection of transsexual Danni Daniels – another member of Peaches ragtag gang able to perform both parts of her Shake Your Dicks, Shake Your Tits song. It’s that kind of show.

It’s not he first time a musical artist has gone down this road, Madonna, Prince and, most recently Vanessa Hudgeons have all flirted with sexual imagery for varying reasons. With Peaches however, you sense it’s far more genuine and there’s certainly nothing as coy as flirting going on here. Throughout her career, Peaches has embraced the seedier side of life and done so with a touch of humour and no lack of good songs, indeed she describes this project as a gift to herself to commemorate her decade of dirty pop. But perhaps that’s the problem with it as a film. There seems to be no filter process in this anything (and everything) goes production, tailored to Peaches’ own distinctive taste. The mooted narrative is slight at best and it’s in danger of resembling little more than a well soundtracked vanity project.

Dancers come and go without offering anything distinctive in the way of choreography, the sets aim to add an organic, home-made feel but come across as slightly cheap looking and nothing to worry Michel Gondry, while performances resemble over-the-top amateur dramatics.

Fans curious to see what she’s concocted will appreciate the musical breaks, the booming electronics and feverish guitars certainly benefit from the lush cinematic sound quality and the performances are the most exciting part of this project. At 70 minutes however, they may be better off just revisiting those albums and spare themselves some of the sights on show here.

★☆☆☆☆

Matthew Walsh

Rating: 18
Festival Release Date: 26th April 2013
Director: Peaches
Cast: Dannii Daniels, Sandy Kane, Peaches
Buy Tickets: Peaches Does Herself

Enjoy The UK Trailer For Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing

When your filmography is steeped in comic book movies and vampire hunting college girls, cabins in woods it's intriguing to see how they would cope with adapting William Shakespeare play to big the screen. Joss Whedon achieved this when in 12 days when he created Much Ado About Nothing and ahead of it's UK release a UK Trailer has been released.

Using the original sources text Much Ado About Nothing tells a chaotic tale of lovers and their journey to find that love together, a journey of wit and deception. When it came to High school English the Great bard was always on the agenda bringing boredom but also enjoyment to those who could appreciate his work with great effect. But put aside the academic feel to the movie and Much Ado About Nothing is actually a delightfully funny film. With the contemporary setting the film has a nice tone it and using a group of his friends some who have experience in similar production others first time look like they have delivered something refreshingly entertaining.

Much Ado About Nothing will arrive in UK&Ireland on 14th June (USA 7th) and stars Amy Acker, Emma Bates, Spencer Treat Clark, Alexis Denisof, Reed Diamond, Nathan Fillion, and Clark Gregg.

The Look Of Love Review

Whether recounting the autobiographical tale of a renowned public figure in 24 Hour Party People (Tony Wilson) or adapting the supposedly unfilmable novel which charts the life of a fictional character in A Cock and Bull Story, director Michael Winterbottom and actor Steve Coogan are a formidable partnership when it comes to regaling an audience with what can easily be considered quintessentially British films. Winterbottom's latest offering, The Look of Love, marks their fourth collaboration and documents the life of Paul Raymond, a controversial entrepreneur who shot to fame in 60's Soho with his chain of strip clubs and adult publications, and his impressive rise throughout the 70's to the position of Britain's richest man.

Instead of focusing solely on the exploits that made Raymond infamous, The look of Love is an in depth character study that doesn't shy away from his roles as a father and husband, which appear far more demanding to Raymond than working in a profession associated with scantily clad ladies and readily available drugs. There are moments of bleakness throughout the screenplay (such as a stand out scene where Raymond meets his estranged son) but for the most part the decadence of the era, which is shown through the glamour and excess of Raymond and his associates, lightens the mood enough for Winterbottom's film to be an enjoyable diversion whether audiences are familiar with the story or not.

Alan Partridge aside, Coogan has never seemed more at home in a character than in his portrayal of Paul Raymond. Sleazy yet charismatic, Coogan is perfectly cast in the leading role and it is impressive to see him handle the more tender and heartfelt moments of this drama with an emotional depth rarely seen in his acting career. Throughout his life Raymond's obsession with women is ever prevalent;  his wife (Anna Friel) and his lover, Amber (Tamsin Egerton), both have a huge impact on him but none more so than the daughter he dotes on. Debbie (Imogen Poots) appears to be the only girl he cannot bear to be without and Poots displays a wonderful naivety when Debbie is plunged into her father's world of adult entertainment at a young age. Despite this it is Egerton's alluring performance that stands out, and as Amber seduces Raymond, the audience will inevitably follow suit.

As is often the case with Winterbottom's films, appearances by British comedy stalwarts such as Stephen Fry, David Walliams and Dara O'Briain provide welcome comic relief even if their screen time is limited, and in some cases it is disappointing that their characters are not utilised more.

Whilst The Look of Love is not quite as accomplished as Winterbottom's previous autobiographical efforts, it is still nonetheless a captivating study of the man fondly remembered by many as the King of Soho. Not all of the emotional notes will strike a chord with the audience but those that do will linger, and the relationship between Paul Raymond and his carefree daughter Debbie is a joy to behold. The Look of Love may struggle to find an audience but those who seek it out will be rewarded with a surprisingly moving autobiography that showcases Steve Coogan at his best.

★★★½☆

Tom Bielby

Rating: 15
UK Release Date: 26th April 2013
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Steve Coogan, Anna Friel, Imogen Poots, Stephen Fry, Tamsin Egerton

Joy Of Six To Host Live Google Hangout

New British Cinema Quarterly (NBCQ) in association with Shooting People, are pleased to announce that they will be hosting a live Google Hangout with a selection of the very talented directors of The Joy of Six.
The Joy of Six is a carefully curated package of six short films directed by emerging British talent and featuring an array of established stars, such as Dame Judi Dench, Peter Mullan and Tim Healy, as well as marking the directorial debut of Romola Garai..

The Google Hangout will be taking place on Monday 29th April with the following directors taking part; Douglas Hart (Long Distance Information) Dan Sully (The Ellington Kid), Chris Foggin (Friend Request Pending) and Romola Garai (Scrubber). In the week running up to the event, users will be able to submit their questions to the directors on Facebook.com/NewBritishCinema and on Twitter @NBCQ using the hashtag #JoyOfSix.

This is a unique opportunity for first time directors, University graduates and film fans to get a true insight to the world of short film making, providing the very rare opportunity to consult, ask for advice and be inspired by the attending directors.

Marking the countdown to the Hangout, five of the six films will be released for an exclusive 24 hour period on their Facebook page.

The Joy Of Six full programme: Long Distance Information (Douglas Hart), Man in Fear (Will Jewell), A Gun for George (Matthew Holness), Scrubber (Romola Garai), The Ellington Kid (Dan Sully) and Friend Request Pending (Chris Foggin).

THE JOY OF SIX now available on iTunes and DVD and here is the film's trailer....

BFI To Release Carlos Saura's Hauntingly brilliant Cría cuervos This May

One of cinema’s most hauntingly vivid depictions of a child’s fantasy-imbued reality, Cría cuervos is a darkly unsettling and deeply touching film which stands as a landmark of Spanish cinema. Released for the first time in the UK, on 27 May 2013, this BFI Dual Format Edition (DVD and Blu-ray discs) also contains an hour-long portrait of Carlos Saura (Carmen, Blood Wedding) and an on-stage interview with the director.

Shot in the summer of 1975 as General Franco lay dying, Saura's masterpiece takes its title from a sinister Spanish proverb: Raise ravens and they'll pluck out your eyes.

Eight-year-old Ana (the spellbinding Ana Torrent from The Spirit of the Beehive) lives in a mysterious mansion in central Madrid, cut off from the roaring traffic and urban bustle by a high-walled garden. Recently orphaned, she believes herself to have poisoned her cold, authoritarian father (Héctor Alterio), a high-ranking military man whom she blames for the death of her much adored, musically gifted mother (Geraldine Chaplin in a performance of exquisite tenderness). Now cared for, along with her two sisters, by her uptight, scolding Aunt Paulina (Mónica Randall), Ana has ample opportunity to observe the frustrations – emotional, sexual, and professional – of her adult female relatives. This is a world of secrets and lies in which only the family maid Rosa (Florinda Chico) will respond frankly to questions about sex or the Spanish Civil War.

Cría cuervos was nominated for a Golden Globe and won the Grand Prize at Cannes in 1977. It enjoyed a highly successful BFI theatrical release in June 2011 when it received 5 star reviews.

Special Features

• Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition;
• Portrait of Carlos Saura (José Luis López-Linares, 2004, 63 mins, DVD only)
• On-stage interview with Carlos Saura (2012, 23 mins, DVD only)
• Optional alternative English language soundtrack;
• Original theatrical trailers;
• Illustrated booklet featuring new essays and notes from Maria Delgado, Mar Diestro-Dópido and Michael Brooke.


Pre-Order/Buy Cria Cuervos:Dual Format Edition [DVD + Blu-ray] [1976]

Emma Watson Goes Full Bad Girl In Trailer For Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring

You want the fame, lifestyle of the rich and famous but cant afford it? Envy in what they've got? You just need to steal it like Emma Watson does in The Bling Ring, watch the new trailer!

Based on the 'true story' The Bling Ring follows a group of Los Angeles based teens who robbed from the rich and famous between 2008 until 2009. They track their "victims" via social media before stealing their loot from Paris Hilton to Orlando Bloom.

The Bling Ring really enhances the extreme levels of obsession some people especially teenagers go to these days. Its an culture that's controlling a lot of people's lives, ruining them too giving nobodies 15 minutes of fame before they disappear off the face of the earth. Sofia Coppola captures the anxiety, but if your thinking Spring Breakers with style The Bling Ring looks a lot more sophisticated,satirical,than anything L'Enfant terrible could ever do in a heartbeat.

Your mind sort of wonders if Sofia Coppola will glamorize crime with The Bling Ring however if your a fan of the filmmaker's work you'll know this film will be more than celebrity obsession and teenage angst. The Bling Ring co-stars Leslie Mann, Taissa Farmiga, Claire Julien, Israel Broussard, Katie Chang, Georgia Rock, and Gavin Rossdale. The film will arrive in UK& Ireland 5th July (USA 14th June).



source: Yahoo!

The Lords of Salem DVD Review

I’m going to say something really controversial, and I don’t want to shock you so yeh… you’ve been warned. What I have to say is thus: Rob Zombie is the Tarantino of horror.

Zombie’s brand of heavy metal horror first came to light in the brutal, if faulted, House of a Thousand Corpses, where he introduced his highly dysfunctional Firefly family, a group of sadistic killers so twisted it put Zombie on the map as a shock maestro. After that he cleaned up his act, sharpened his script, and unleashed the epic sequel The Devil’s Rejects which affirmed him as a horror talent with more to offer than just blood and guts. His Halloween reimagining was a fun thrill ride that lacked the creative flare of Rejects, but for his Halloween 2 he broke out the big guns and showed us he had the capacity to merge startling art-house imagery with ruthless violence. Take this along with his witty dialogue, retro tastes in music and special effects and you can start to see what I’m talking about. Zombie’s latest film The Lords of Salem has been splitting audiences whilst garnering some truly marmite reviews.

In the town of Salem, Massachusetts, former junkie, Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie) works as a late night rock DJ at a local radio station. One night after broadcast she receives a wooden box containing a vinyl record, assuming it’s from an ambitious band she takes it home and listens to it. Immediately weird flashbacks and visions plague her and when she plays the record live on air, the visions grow even more bizarre and intense.

The new film is probably a step too far into the art-house arena, Zombie masterfully orchestrates the look and feel of the film but at points it seems to dance on its own grave with just a little too much enthusiasm. There’s not enough whollop in the script to ensure a steady and attention grabbing pace, instead Zombie relies a little too heavily on the performance of Sheri Moon and the impact of the visuals. Unfortunately the trailer compacts most of the intriguing imagery into an espresso you’ll probably wish you hadn’t taken. Some of the most grand and striking scenes seem flat once their initial pow is nicked through over exposure. Also on the down side is Sheri Moon’s performance, as support she’s great, just look at Devils Rejects, but in the lead it’s a bit of a slog, there’s just not enough depth to her, or her character, to allow any real dynamic between Hiedi and the audience.

On the other hand there are some truly fantastic turns from Judy Geeson, Patricia Quinn, and Dee Wallace who channel charming old biddy/serial nutter with absolute glee. Geeson in particular is a dab hand at flipping the old ‘everything’s fine/ fuck that, I’m going to kill you’ thing. Meg Foster utterly transforms herself for a descent into madness, leading Zombie’s pack of ravenous Mansonesque bitch-witches like some manky emaciated ring master. Ken Foree and Jeff Daniel Phillips pop up as Hiedi’s fellow DJs whilst Bruce Davison shines as Heidi’s only help. Apart from Foree and Phillips (and some tiny scenes with Sid Haig and Michael Berryman) there’s a disappointing lack of Zombie regulars.

The Lords of Salem is a really beautiful horror film that can easily be likened to The Shining thanks to that Grande Gothic use of space and colour. Brownie points go to Zombie for being this ambitious and maintaining his general aesthetic. Even if some of the film feels like he’s throwing a big ‘fuck you’ to anyone who might have doubted he could go down the high-art route, rather than actually ensuring it all fits together. With repeated viewing you’ll grow to understand and enjoy it more, but it does have an element of hard work to its viewing.

A mind-fucking psyche-terror descent into madness, helmed by a man with a distinct sense of visual style, The Lords of Salem is horrifyingly beautiful, well-performed for the most part, and the most innovative and intriguing witch film for a long time. It will challenge some viewer’s patience and probably alienate some old-school Zombie fans, but it’s all worth it for the second act reveals.

★★★★☆

Scott Clark

Rating:18
DVD Release Date: 22nd April 2013 (UK)
Director: Rob Zombie
Cast:  Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davison, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Meg Foster, Dee Wallace

Win The Lords Of Salem: The Peoples Movies / cinehouse

Buy:The Lords of Salem On DVD