Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts

30 August 2012

Gore goes global as Horror Channel serves up A World SINema Season

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Gore goes global as Horror Channel serves up three slices of sinful celluloid in its World SINema Season – three premieres that highlight taboo, terror and blasphemy

Fridays at 22:55 from 7 Sept, 2012

 


The season kicks off on Friday Sept 7, 22:55 with THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE (2001) from Spanish Pan’s Labyrinth director Guillermo Del Torro.  Beautifully shot and immensely creepy the film explores two different types of horror – the very real horror of war and the exploration of horror experienced through a child’s eyes (Carlos), one of ghost’s and the supernatural.

Guillermo has stated this is his favourite work so far, and was a 16 year labour of love. It was influenced by early memories of seeing his uncle come back as a ghost and the creepy spectre that appears to Carlos was based on the pale faced ghosts in Japanese horrors like The Ring.


Next up on Friday Sept 14, 22:55 is THE ANTICHRIST (1974), which delves dangerously deep into the blasphemous aspects of demonic possession.

Ippolita, a young woman wheelchair-bound and sexually frustrated, finds herself under the spell of Satan himself when she becomes victim to an ancestral curse of witchcraft and possession. She starts seducing local men, only to kill them and an exorcism seems to be the only solution to stop the madness

The controversial Satanic orgy scene will certainly have a few tongues wagging with its implication of bestiality


The last in the season on Fri Sept 21, 22:55, is one of the most absurd, gruesome French horrors ever made – BABY BLOOD (1990)

Yanka, a young circus performer, is pregnant but morning sickness and fat ankles are the least of her problems when a new leopard from Africa is delivered to the circus – a beautiful beast hiding a hideous creature within.

And as the months progress, Yanka suffers from an overpowering appetite... for blood. Or rather, her unborn baby is screaming for it. And she is forced to kill and kill again…


TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138

 

10 July 2012

The Shakespeare Collection DVD Review

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★★★★


For those looking for a handy introduction to the televised works of Shakespeare's finest plays with iconic British Thespians, then this collection will certainly deliver. Featuring the Bard's best work including MacBeth, Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night and King Lear.

Many viewers are often aware of the thespian background to many of Britain's most loved character actors like Ian McKellen, Patrick Magee and Judi Dench - but few have been lucky enough to watch these stars performing the plays that helped them make their names. The Shakespeare Collection gives viewers a glimpse into these performances, showcasing the undeniable talent of all involved.

MacBeth stars Sir Ian McKellen and Dame Judi Dench in the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, in this haunting tale of ambition, deception and twisted prophecy. Trevor Nunn stages this 1979 Philip Casson TV adaptation, which has often been cited as the perfect adaptation of MacBeth. Steeped in brooding atmosphere and championed by strikingly emotive performances from McKellen and Dench, this is bare bones MacBeth, stripped back to its core - a truly unforgettable production.

Also included is a 1976 adaptation of Romeo & Juliet starring Christopher Neame and Ann Hasson, as well as a host of much loved British character actors including Christopher Biggins, Patsy Byrne (Blackadder II's Nursie) and Simon MacCorkindale. The talent of the leads may pale in comparison to the powerhouse performances of McKellen and Dench in MacBeth, but Neame and Hasson both deliver solid performances. Romeo & Juliet focuses more on lavish settings and the adaptation may lack of the emotional punch of Shakespeare's play. However, it is still faithfully carried out and an interesting opportunity for viewers to see the source material carried out so meticulously.

Kenneth Branagh's 1988 adaptation of Twelfth Night is perhaps the most fun of all the adaptations included. This is a farcical tale of mistaken identity and the chaos that ensues from it, set against a backdrop of secrets and desire. Branagh's adaptation has kept the intimacy of a smaller theatrical production, proving to be a warm, amusing and thoroughly engaging watch - masterfully carried out with Branagh's traditional precision and eye for detail.

The final feature included in the collection is Tony Davenall's 1974 adaptation of King Lear starring underrated Irish talent, Patrick Magee. King Lear centres around an ageing monarch who decides to split his estate between two of his three daughters. This tale of spiralling madness grips through Magee's intense and grandiose performance as Lear in this well crafted and Thames Television Production, which also boasts the expected lavish sets and costumes.

The Shakespeare Collection is a thoroughly worthwhile watch for those seeking an introduction to Shakespeare or simply wishing to relive some of the playwright's finest creations. Featuring magnificent performances from some of Britain's most loved acting talents and most respected figures in the world of theatre, The Shakespeare Collection is a near perfect compilation.

Andrew McArthur


Stars: Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, Richard Briers , Patrick Magee
Directors: Phillip Casson, Joan Kemp-Welch, Kenneth Branagh , Tony Davenall
Certificate: PG (UK)
Release: 16th July 2012 (UK DVD)

Still time to enter the competition to win this collection, enter here