Ken Loach’s affable crime movie brings together a group of low-rent, ex-offenders through a community service course in Glasgow. Chief among them is Robbie (Paul Brannigan), a young father who, after barely avoiding a long custodial sentence, finds himself presented with a final chance to turn his faltering life around. Under the guidance of supervisor, Harry (John Henshaw), and with the help of new friends Mo (Jasmin Riggins), Albert (Gary Maitland) and Rhino (William Ruane), Robbie develops a passion for whisky, and with it a chance to escape his troubled past.
Loach has, for the most part, done a decent job of melding the contrasting elements of the down-at-heel kitchen sink drama, with the daft whimsy of a Highlands whisky heist. Brannigan, in particular, is successful in his ability to instil genuine empathy for a character who’s no angel himself. He’s also more than adequately aided by an amusing and largely comprehensible supporting cast, with Maitland standing out as the profoundly dim-witted Albert.
Loach’s ability to temper the comedy with the uglier elements of Robbie’s life, or vice versa, is evident for only two thirds of the story though. As the drink begins settle in the hearts and minds of the audience, Robbie’s past misconducts are conveniently washed-away in a tide of priceless Scotch. It reflects well on Loach and his cast then, that this shift from reality to fancy doesn’t entirely ruin the experience.
There’s more than enough spirit to be found at the bottom of the bottle, to redress the balance of a slightly lopsided story.
Extras on the DVD include a short making-of documentary, featuring interviews with Loach and the cast, who remark on his collaborative approach to filmmaking, as well as Brannigan’s real-life troubles, and his connection to his character.
Hysteria is a Carry On film with ambitions of feminism. As you might imagine, this is problematic, and it’s a problem the film never really solves. This lack of resolution, plus a few other niggles here and there, keeps me from declaring the film a success. But it’s not bad either. Clumsy and didactic the film may be, but its heart is definitely in the right place. What’s more, the spectacle of Victorian high society men confronting the female orgasm, is about as funny as you might expect.
Honestly, I wish I liked it more. The whole issue of hysteria (in essence ‘female emotional behaviour that men don’t understand’ repackaged as a medical condition, that could be cured by orgasm) is one of those pieces of historical silliness that I adore. It seems to me that narrative fiction always has this sombre, respectful, serious approach to history, as if it’s some grand old man whose every pronouncement must be treated with reverence. Whereas, if you actually study history at all, what you quickly find is that the old man is senile. History is composed of the actions of humans, and there is no constant like the silliness of humans. It’s nice to see this aspect of history getting some attention.
But there’s no escaping the fact that the story has problems.
On a basic level, matters work fairly well. Mortimer Granville (Hugh Dancy) is a young doctor of a forward-thinking persuasion, which makes him a pariah in the eyes of the medical establishment. Luckily for him, one Dr. Robert Dalrymple (Jonathan Pryce) requires an assistant. His clinic for the treatment of hysteria is very busy, and he (not to mention his patients) is in need of a helping hand. There Granville meets the Dalrymple daughters: Emily (Felicity Jones) who is the perfect example of Victorian womanhood, and Charlotte (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who is outspoken, passionate and, worst of all, associates with the poor. Granville, being a proper Victorian man, immediately falls for the former and disdains the latter.
So, Hysteria has the standard romance plot. But for all its lack of inspiration, it’s executed rather well. Dancy and Gyllenhaal have some nice adversarial chemistry, the plot is well paced and the characters mostly solidly constructed. A couple of comic reliefs, the (somewhat)ex-prostitute Molly (Sheridan Smith) and the noble sexual deviant Edmund St.John-Smythe (Rupert Everett) aren’t so much characters as walking jokes, as indeed are most of the hysteria patients. But that’s only to be expected. This is after all a funny film. The occasional thin character is a usual symptom of comedy.
But where this becomes problematic is with the film’s message. See, this is very much a historical film told through modern eyes, and as such, the heroes of the story are also those with a more ‘modern’ sensibility. This would be fine, if they didn’t keep aggressively flaunting it. Granville and Charlotte all but run around screaming ‘I support woman’s rights, free education, socialism, germ theory, the telephone, electricity- OH GOD I’M SO PROGRESSIVE”, like holding these beliefs is a big thing. But to modern ears, it sounds like a bunch of people crowing about how amazing it is that they think the sky is blue.
Of course, during the 1880s, believing such things was a Big Deal. But that’s because these beliefs were reactions against deeply entrenched social norms. Take woman’s rights for example. The concept that women were inferior to men was, in the 1880s, not some quaint, mockable custom. It was a societal norm that had existed for thousands of years. Challenging it is one of the most remarkable shifts human society has ever undergone. Considering the strength of the opposition, even the vague success of that challenge is incredible.
That is what any treatment of the growth of woman’s rights, or any of the other progressive movements of the 19th century, has to bring across: the image of a slingless David facing down a Goliath with a submachine gun. But Hysteria doesn’t. The film does give some sense of the opposition, don’t get me wrong. It has its fair share of establishment-minded characters. But in playing so many of these establishment viewpoints for laughs, mocking the Victorian men for getting so flustered about sex, laughing at their ‘scientific’ approach to the female orgasm, Hysteria undermines the seriousness of the establishment view. This would be fine, were the film a full comedy, but it also wants to make a serious point. It wants to state the importance of being progressive. Unfortunately it never manages to capture why being progressive so brave and necessary.
That’s not the only difficulty the film has. There’s a few hamfisted moments, where the characters make the classic ‘wild yet accurate’ speculations about what the future will be like, a joke that was already ancient in the 1880s. What’s more, Hysteria contains the worst jump cut I have ever seen. But on the whole, the film’s problem lies in its politics. The humour is grand: filthy, childish, charming stuff. The romance is engaging. But the film’s attempts to be serious are unsuccessful. All of which adds up to: entertaining, but not exactly good.
Based on a true story, King of Devil’s Island follows the hope and friendship of the boys
of Bastøy in the face of adversity
Starring Stellan Skarsgård, Kristoffer Joner, Benjamin Helstad, and Trond Nilssen.
King of Devil’s Island is the latest stunning offering from Scandinavia. Set in 1915 enter the unsettling world of a group of young delinquents banished to the remote prison of Bastøy. King of Devil’s Island is out on DVD and Blu-ray™ from 29th October.
Under the guise of rehabilitation, the boys’ daily regime is dictated by mental and physical abuse at the hands of their wardens. The arrival of new boys Erling (Helstad) and Ivar (Magnus Langlete) sparks a chain of events that ultimately ignite rebellion. King of Devil’s Island explores a sinister moment in Norwegian history that won’t be forgotten. Governor of the institute Håkon played by Stellan Skarsgard (The Avengers, Mamma Mia, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) was praised for his performance, The Guardian said he “gives a wonderfully weighted and authoritative performance”, while The Observer said “There’s an impressive force to the performances and, amid the ice and snow, the film burns with a sense of injustice”. The majority of the cast were unknown and selected based on their authentic appearance to bring the film alive. Novice Trond Nillsen “has proven to be a genuine film talent” (Marius Holst).Winner of Best Film and Best Supporting Actor (Trond Nilssen) at the Norwegian International Film Festival (2011) and Best Feature Film at Lübeck Nordic Film Days (2011), the film stars Stellan Skarsgård (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Angels and Demons, Pirates of the Caribbean, Good Will Hunting), Kirstoffer Joner (Shooting Star), and rising talent Benjamin Helstad (Body Troopers, Angel) make up a strong ensemble cast.
Director Marius Holst (Cross My Heart and Hope to Die, Dragon Fly, Mirush), brilliantly captured the hardship the boys go through in the ice-crescent enclosure. Holst described the story behind the film as a timeless tale of injustice, repression and revolt. He felt this was a story that begged to be made into film, thus exposing the unwanted boys’ destinies.
“The prison uprising is a stirring and thrilling finale” Daily Star Sunday
Set for release on DVD and Blu-Ray in the UK on 29th October, King of Devil’s Islandis a desperate attempt to overthrow a brutal regime in the name of freedom.
Pre-Order/Buy The King Of Devil's Island: DVD / Blu-ray
This month Jennifer Lawrence will make her Horror début in House At The End Of The Street (21st September) In 2013 Hollywood's other it girl Jessica Chastain dawns a new look to appear in her own mandatory horror flick debut in Mamaand check out the new trailer!
"What Jessica Chastain has Gone Black?!!" I'm sure that raised a few eyebrows, I'm afraid it's not a headline about the in demand actress but the new look (or wig) she has for this film, a film which is been presented by Guillermo Del Toro. Mama sees the Spanish scare master as executive producer as well as mentor for first time director Andres Muschiettiwhom the film is on his short film from a few years ago. Mama tells the tale of Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Annabel (Chastain) his girlfriend who end becoming surrogate parents To Lucas' nieces who were left alone in the forest after the death of their parents though they might have not been alone after all!
Mama we first heard about a few years back thanks to cinehouse and we were impressed then as we are now for this film version. When Del Toro offers new film makers his mentor skills he does seem to get the best out of those under his wings(most of the time), Mama looks a creepy film which has Del Toro's trademark style. This type of film may not been anything original but when it's well made film fans and horror-philes will appreciate what their watching here's hoping this one is alot better than his last produced film Don't be Afraid of the Dark, and on first evidence this one looks an vast improvement.
Mama doesn't have an official UK release date but American horror fans can catch this one on 18th January 2013.
Guillermo del Toro presents Mama, a supernatural thriller that tells the haunting tale of two little girls who disappeared into the woods the day that their parents were killed. When they are rescued years later and begin a new life, they find that someone or something still wants to come tuck them in at night.
Five years ago, sisters Victoria and Lilly vanished from their suburban neighborhood without a trace. Since then, their Uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend, Annabel (Jessica Chastain), have been madly searching for them. But when, incredibly, the kids are found alive in a decrepit cabin, the couple wonders if the girls are the only guests they have welcomed into their home.
As Annabel tries to introduce the children to a normal life, she grows convinced of an evil presence in their house. Are the sisters experiencing traumatic stress, or is a ghost coming to visit them? How did the broken girls survive those years all alone? As she answers these disturbing questions, the new mother will find that the whispers she hears at bedtime are coming from the lips of a deadly presence.
Legends never dies, but sometimes you wish they would but seven films
been and gone an horror legend is about to return for an 8th time the
sulking son from hell Leatherface has riffled up the chainsaw for Texas Chainsaw 3D and the official first trailer has arrived!
Just when you thought it was safe to say The infamous Sawyer family
all perished in vigilante killings by locals away back in 1974 after the
original incident 38 years on the mask and chainsaw are ready for
terrorize a new generation. A young woman called Heather discovers she
has inherited land thanks to an unheard relative together with her
friends the embark on the road trip to visit the land to find a new
house has been built.The first steps into the house just might be their
last as an unwelcome guest awaits in the basement.
In the era of remake, reboots, prequels are all the range Texas Chainsaw 3D
isn’t a remake of the original nor the 186 follow up this one does
seem to take a slight direction away. This feels more a straight up
slasher though the intensity, scares and to some extent some of the
familiar traits from the franchise are there.
How good will this be? This will be a film only true hardcore fans of
franchise and Horrorphiles can truly answer. When you bring 3D
gimmickry into the equation you ask yourself did they remake or reboot
this to benefit the franchise or just the sole purpose to $$$ nothing
more? I am a horror fan I do love the Texas Chainsaw but I smell a dead
rat here though if this film does help introduce Horror to a new
generation of fans then Texas Chainsaw 3D will bring me some
satisfaction.
Lionsgate’s TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D continues the legendary story of the
homicidal Sawyer family, picking up where Tobe Hooper’s 1974 horror
classic left off in Newt, Texas, where for decades people went missing
without a trace. The townspeople long suspected the Sawyer family,
owners of a local barbeque pit, were somehow responsible. Their
suspicions were finally confirmed one hot summer day when a young woman
escaped the Sawyer house following the brutal murders of her four
friends. Word around the small town quickly spread, and a vigilante mob
of enraged locals surrounded the Sawyer stronghold, burning it to the
ground and killing every last member of the family – or so they thought.
Decades later and hundreds of miles away from the original massacre, a
young woman named Heather learns that she has inherited a Texas estate
from a grandmother she never knew she had. After embarking on a road
trip with friends to uncover her roots, she finds she is the sole owner
of a lavish, isolated Victorian mansion. But her newfound wealth comes
at a price as she stumbles upon a horror that awaits her in the
mansion’s dank cellars.
Texas Chainsaw 3D will be splattering its way into UK& Irish cinemas on 4th January 2013. The film stars Alexandra Daddario, Scott Eastwood, Bill Moseley and Dan Yeager.
is the first non-War film Andrzej Wajda did coming soon after his
much-celebrated War Trilogy in the 1950s and the much lesser known Lotna (which is also a war film). It was
a radical departure from his previous WW2 films, it was then contemporary film
about young people in Warsaw.
The
film tells the story of a young mod (in the original sense, young person who
listens to Modern Jazz) called Andrzej (played by
Tadeusz Łomnicki)who is a physician who is a bit of playboy. He plays drums
in a jazz band on the side. He is getting fed up of his film sexual successes.
He meets a lovely young girl and they spend the night at his place talking, it
has obvious sexual tension though out the night.
The film was
supposedly more the brainchild of the screenwriter Jerzy Skolimowski much more
so they Wajda. It’s very much a part of the overall 60s new wave of cinema,
every country pretty much had their own and Poland certainly had it’s with most
famously Roman Polanski (who has a bit part), Wajda and others.
It’s a “room film”
where 2 people talk for 84 minutes about life. It’s a perfectly good “room” film;
I just wish something slightly more dramatic happends. They play a stripping
game and have a very long mundane conversation over the night. The stripping
scene is very played but the most exciting scenes are of Andrzej hanging around
with his band mates and friends talking crap. You can understand why he enamoured
with the girl but besides the brilliant tension of the stripping scene, it’s
rather bland.
The performances are
good, it’s well shot but I kinda left me cold. It also features a small role
from Zbigniew Cybulski who was the star of his film Ashes & Diamonds and was the Polish James Dean. I did like it
but compared to something like the masterful aforementioned Ashes & Diamonds it’s much a lesser
work. It’s an interesting film to watch it comparison to other countries’
attempt at doing a very similar thing but The French did it a lot better. It
has been beautifully restored by Second Run, it’s available separately or part
of the Polish Cinema Classics boxset.
Since its release, The Human Centipede (First Sequence) has become a worldwide cultural phenomenon. Inspired by a conversation over what punishment would be appropriate for convicted paedophiles, Tom Six’s bizarre biological horror film has the distinction of being 100% medically accurate. The film went on to win more than 10 international awards including the awards for "Best Horror Film" and "Best Actor" at Fantastic Fest 2009, "Best Picture" at the 2009 Scream Fest and "Most Memorable Mutilation" at the 2010 Scream Awards.
The highly anticipated follow up, The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) premiered in 2011 as the opening film at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas and made instant worldwide headlines when the BBFC banned the film outright in the UK claiming the film could potentially harm viewers. The controversy led to worldwide debates and major articles across the world press. After nearly four months of detailed discussion and debate, an agreement with the BBFC was reached and a viable cut of the film that did not compromise the level of horror, was released theatrically and on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK.
The Human Centipede films broke the mould, set a new standard in the horror genre and in the process went on to become major cult hits. Now for the very first time, both films will be released together by Monster Pictures as a collectable Four-disc Special Limited Edition Dual Format (Blu-ray &DVD) SteelBook, available from 29 October 2012.
Special Features
The HumanCentipede 2 (Full Sequence)
·DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound
·Interview with director Tom Six
·Behind the scenes
·Foley session
·Deleted scene
·EXCLUSIVE Martin Speaks An Interview with Laurence R. Harvey & Tom Six filmed at UK Premiere of The HumanCentipede 2
·EXCLUSIVE Cast Interview, filmed at UK Premiere
·EXCLUSIVE Special Edition launch trailer
·EXCLUSIVE 2011 Teaser Trailer
Four-disc Special Limited Edition Dual Format (Blu-ray & DVD) SteelBook (including new EXCLUSIVE Special Features)
This follow-up to Tom Six's cult horror smash hit of 2010 ups the ante with a brute force unparalleled in film today. The iconic Dr. Heiter has inspired a real-life protégé, the sickly, mentally disturbed car park attendant -- Martin -- who takes his gory inspiration from the original film to horrific new extremes!
A loner, Martin (Laurence R. Harvey) lives with his nagging mother on a bleak London council estate, where loud neighbours and squalid living conditions threaten to plunge this victim of sexual and psychological abuse over the edge. Working the night shift as an attendant at an underground car park, he indulges his obsession with The Human Centipede, and decides to emulate his hero, by creating his own 12-person human centipede.
What follows is one of the most harrowing and terrifying films ever conceived, featuring a central character that makes Dr. Heiter seem tame in comparison. The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) is a triumph in biological horror by one of the new masters of the horror film
The HumanCentipede (First Sequence)
·Full length commentary with director Tom Six
·Q&A with director Tom Six and actor Dieter Laser
·Two interviews with director Tom Six
·Original theatrical trailer
When their car breaks down in rural Germany on a road trip across Europe, two young American girls go in search of help. Finding an isolated house, the owner Dr. Heiter (Dieter Laser), a retired surgeon, offers to call them a taxi.
With the promise of a drink and dry place to wait, the girls soon discover that there is something not quite right about the formidable Dr. Heiter. Plunged into the middle of a surgical nightmare that make the experiments of Dr. Moreau seem humane, they soon realize they are to become a lot closer to each other than they ever wanted to be, thus bringing to life the Doctor’s sick lifetime fantasy, "The Human Centipede".
If your a big fan of this cult horror franchise you'll love the news that Producer of the Centipede Series, Ilona Six, confirmed today recent tweets by Tom Six with the following statement about The Human Centipede 3.
“For all you fans of the Centipede Sequence Series, Principal photography on Human Centipede 3 will take place in the Southern states of the U.S and Writer-director Tom Six himself will play a supporting role in the film. The American finale will be 100% politically incorrect and will answer questions left lingering from the first films. The Human Centipede 3 will have a 500+ person pede. XXXXL American style!”.
KILLZOMBIE! is one of the most highly anticipated horror films of the year
- a blood-thirsty, super-sharp zombie romp that genre fans are going to devour.
When a
Russian Space station crash lands on a city, a deadly virus spreads,
turning the inhabitants into psychopathic flesh eaters.
After
spending the night safely locked up in a jail cell, two brothers and two
crazy criminals emerge to find their hometown devastated, and at the
centre of a zombie outbreak. When one of the
brothers receives a cry for help from a survivor, they join forces with
the local police officer and embark on a reluctant rescue mission,
pitting their wits, and risking their lives against these mutant
killers.
The film is a visual feast from start to finish. Expect limbs to fly in this explosive bloody battle between good and evil!
Own it on DVD 17 September.
We have 3 Copies of the film to give away on DVD to win a copy please answer the following question:
Q. Name The Tobe Hooper 1985 film which Space Vampires turned the Human Population into zombie type creatures? Send your answer, name, address, postcode to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com (email subject 'zombie') Deadline for The competition is 30th September 2012 (2359hrs), Aged 18 or over to enter. Terms and conditions
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The Prize is to win the Kill Zombie on DVD, 3 Winners
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Anton Corbjin : Inside Out is a recent doc that seems to have went straight to dvd about the brilliant photographer and sometimes film director Anton Corbjin. Anton Corbijn is probably most famous for his work with Joy Division, U2 and Depeche Mode. He also directed the films Control (biopic about Ian Curtis of Joy Division) and The American (with George Clooney).
The film is basically a snapshot about Anton’s transition from famed photographer to film director and his lifestyle in the last few years. He is very much a loner who travels the world photographing the rich and famous. It’s deals with his small family with his sisters, and aging mother.
The film could have used a bit more input from his friends talking more about his work. It also features quite a bit of making of footage from The American but a bit of making of footage from Control would have been nice. It does features quite a lot of photography and his music video work but still could have used a bit more. However it does tell you a about his why he started photographing musicians and why a lot of his work has religious imagery, because his father was a pastor in his native Holland.
It’s overall a insightful documentary on the best rock photographer since Mick Rock. As previously said a little more input from friends about his work would be good and less scenes of him looking bored in a hotel room. It does leave much to be desired about explaining his motive into making feature films. It is certainly worth watching especially since it’s a grand total of 80 minutes.
Dutch zombie horror Kill Zombie (original title Zombibi)tackles the horror genre with a ballsy understanding of its fan base and a quick sense of humour. Unfortunately its up against stiff opposition; Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Juan of the Dead (2011) are two stellar zombie features that handle the apocalypse in a similar bro-mantic black comedy style, still the film does well at holding its own.
Cutting straight to the action, Kill Zombie proves it’s for genre fans, no real exploration of the apocalypse and not too much focus on the concept of Armageddon as a social issue, Kill Zombie rolls up its sleeves and dives headfirst into the gory glory with a good sense of where its going and who its playing to. The film follows two brothers who after spending a night in jail, awake to find their city ravaged by zombie invasion. Joining forces with a police officer and two crazy criminals the group set off on a reluctant rescue mission through the deadly gore-splashed streets of Amsterdam.
Kill Zombie has some fantastic set pieces showing off a creative flair that lacks in many run-of-the-mill zombie features: a mini-gun sequence that’s grotesquely satisfying and a play park defence to name a couple. The more striking action sequences seem connected by typical zombie stock, but it’s incredibly tricky for a zombie film to maintain originality when so much has gone before. Even Romero seems to have lost some innovation. A key strength of the film is its comic timing and the skill with which its cast carry off the genuinely funny scenes. Kill
Zombie is a prime example of what a good cast can do for a smaller production.
Though it looks good and has plenty of fun, Kill Zombie still lacks the heart of Juan or Shuan, heart that helped push those movies up past your bog-standard zombie massacre. And even though there’s a welcome and sometime innovative aspect to the design of the film, some things just don’t gel. The use of Tekken style fighting sequences is a marmite decision that threatens the integrity of the film, seeming just a little too unrealised and amateur.
Kill Zombie is for genre fans specifically, its lack of plot around the main characters stops it hitting the emotional impact of other mainstream cult black comedies but it does a good job of entertaining and showing off some really cool zombie action sequences. Its also one of few horror comedies that actually gets its comedy fairly spot-on.
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