It may have been loved by the mainstream critics however The Pact has been a hit with the Horror critics, fans and this Monday 1st October the film will be released on DVD, Blu-Ray. To get you into that spooktastic feeling for the release we have a couple clips which hopefully give you a few shivers. First clip entitled 'Psychic Terror' shows psychic Stevie (Haley Hudson) under the influence of supernatural forces as she investigates the mysterious goings-on in Annie's (Caity Lotz) late mother's house. The second clip is called ' Hotel Terror' showcases one of The Pact's more grisly moments. It's not exactly NSFW but it's certainly creepy! It follows Annie as she very sensibly decides to leave her haunted house and stay the night in a motel. But will the haunted house leave her quite so easily…?
The Pact also stars Casper Van Dien, Agnes Bruckner and Kathleen Rose Perkins . The Pact will be arriving in UK&Ireland on DVD, Blu-ray courtesy of eOne Entertainment on October 1st.
'who's that behind you?' add the scares to the film we have a new motion poster, check out below, all I'll say is I don't want to be at the bus stop when this one plays!
Malik Bendjelloul’s revelatory and compelling
Searching for Sugar Man (USA/UK/Sweden) is a
documentary about the Mexican-American singer-songwriter
Rodriguez, who was momentarily
hailed in 1970 as the finest recording artist of his generation, and
then disappeared into oblivion – only to rise again
from the ashes in a completely different context, a continent away. Searching for Sugar Man
is a film about hope, inspiration and the resonating power of music.
In
the late ‘60s, a musician was discovered in a Detroit bar by two
celebrated producers who were struck by his soulful melodies and
prophetic lyrics. They recorded an album
that they believed was going to secure his reputation as one of the
greatest recording artists of his generation. In fact, the album bombed
and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a gruesome
on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording found
its way into apartheid South Africa and, over the next two decades, it
became a phenomenon. Two South African fans then set out to find out
what really happened to their hero. Their investigation led them to a
story more extraordinary than any of the existing
myths about the artist known as Rodriguez.
It’s a film about hope, inspiration and the resonating power of music, and that music can be heard on the
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, available now through Sony Legacy Recordings and Light In The Attic Records.
Comprising tracks from Cold Fact and its 1971 follow-up Coming From
Reality (reissued to critical acclaim in 2008 and 2009, respectively),
the soundtrack begins with the otherworldly Sugar Man and acts as a
primer to this long-overlooked musician’s fusion of gritty funk,
political poetry and blissful psych-folk.
Rodriguez’s recently rediscovered back catalogue is packed with social commentary, brilliant tunes and, in the case of his 1970
album Cold Fact - a genuine psychedelic classic. To see these songs
performed by the man himself, catch a rare performance this winter as part of the
Rodriguez full UK Tour Winter 2012.
Rodriguez UK tour dates:
Fri 16 Nov - The Roundhouse, London
Sat 17 Nov - The Royal Festival Hall
Sun 18 Nov - The Roundhouse
Thu 22 Nov - The Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
Sat 24 Nov - The Sage Gateshead
Sun 25 Nov - The Usher Hall, Edinburgh
Tue 27 Nov - The Button Factory, Dublin
Wed 28 Nov - The Empire Music Hall, Belfast
Fri 30 Nov - The Dome, Brighton
Sat 1 Dec - The Colston Hall, Bristol
Sun 2 Dec - The Academy, Manchester
Horror Channel will be slicing its way through our TV schedules every Friday night throughout October as it celebrates slasher films, both classic and contemporary, From Oct 5 there will be four double-bills, headed up by four UK TV premieres. Seen as the most controversial of horror film sub-genres, the slasher film has delighted fans for over 30 years with its iconic psychopaths, trend-setting special effects, horny teenagers and outrageous plotlines. From ‘Psycho to the hilarious Scream
franchise, these endearing films forever changed the face and fortunes of horror
cinema.
Fri Oct 5 @ 22:55
The season kicks off with the premiere of GOING TO PIECES: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SLASHER FILM (2006) a documentary which features a host of genre legends including Wes Craven, Rob Zombie & John Carpenter, who take us on a journey to the darkest recesses of cinematic shock. This is followed at 00:40 by BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974). Bob Clark’s Sorority House
horror classic, which stars Olivia Hussy, influenced such spine-chilling greats as Halloween and Scream.
Fri Oct 12 @ 22.55
Next up is the premiere of the bone-crunching WRECKAGE (2010) directed byJohn MalloryAsherin which four friends head to a scrap yard
to look for spare parts – but soon realise the only spare parts they’ll be
getting their hands on are their own!. This is followed at 00:40 by
high-school slasher favourite PROM NIGHT (1980), starring the original
scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis and Leslie Nielson. There is also an actress in
the film called Liz Stalker-Mason.
Fri Oct 19 @ 22.55
Martin Kemp, the
famed actor/musician has turned his hand to horror, bringing us his impressive
directorial debut STALKER (2010).
Its not often that a woman stalks another woman in this genre and
here Jane March, who found fame in ‘The Lover’, plays the part of a psychotic
female to chilling perfection. This is double-billed at 00:25 with HAPPY
BIRTHDAY TO ME (1981) starring Melissa Sue Anderson as a high school senior whose
birthday party guests are being killed off one by one…
Fri Oct 26 @
22:55
The last
double-bill of the season features the TV premiere of THE TORTURED
(2010), directed by Robert Lieberman, in which a desperate mother and father
(played by Jesse
Metcalfe & Elise Landry)decide
to take the law into their own hands after the kidnapper and killer of their son
receives a light sentence. .
Concluding the series at 00:30 is cult classic MANIAC COP(1988) written by Larry Cohen and starring Bruce Campbell as the
suspected cop who goes in search of the real killer.
TV: Sky
319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse was Fritz Lang’s last film in his native Germany. Soon after his completion of the film he fled Germany because of his Jewish ancestry and the fact the Nazi head of propaganda banned his film and also because he went Lang to make films for them. It is a sequel to his previous film in the Dr. Mabuse series but having not seen the earlier film will not diminish the effect of the sequel.
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse opens with disgraced Detective Hofmeister who escapes from his criminal attackers. He phones his former superior inspector Karl Lohmann and frantically tells him he has discovered a huge criminal conspiracy. Before he can discloses the identity of the responsible criminal, shots and fired and he goes mad and institutionalized at Prof. Baum’s mental institute.
Baum introduces the case of Dr. Mabuse who went bad and crazy 10 year previously. Mabuse writes detailed plans for crimes and is the head of the crime syndicate. A colleague of Baum’s is shot and killed by Mabuse’s execution squad. There is clue scratched on a window. Lohmann suspects Mabuse but it’s revealed Mabuse died that morning. The rest of the film is Lohmann’s investigate in the crime syndicate.
The film is a complex endlessly fascination crime sage with a strange supernatural twist to it. Fritz Lang later regretted the supernatural element but it’s ads this wonderful off kilter aspect to the crime film. The film is one of the last grasps of German expressionism but is shot in a much realistic style than most German expressionism. It’s not quite up to the beauty of Lang’s Metropolis or M. It’s a near masterpiece with some slight pacing issues but saying that the previous Mabuse film was over 4 hours long (I haven’t seen it yet).
The Nazis banned the film because according to Joseph Goebbels “showed that a extremely dedicated group of people are perfectly capable of overthrowing any state with violence”. It is a very cynical look at the government/officials who are rather useless in the film and can’t do anything about the syndicate.
The film is wonderfully photographed and has enough twist and turns to keep you guessing. It’s not as good as some of Lang’s previous masterpiece but what are? Not many films. It’s a wonderfully offbeat mix of cop drama, mystery and horror and it’s a wonderful piece of proto-noir. It has been lovingly restored by Eureka for Masters of Cinema on blu-ray.
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (2011) is like Marmite - you’ll either love it or hate it. Those who fall into the latter category will, in all likelihood, not understand what all the fuss is about and find the woman at the centre of this documentary sharp, obnoxious and hard to swallow - much like the aforementioned savory spread. Those on the other hand who revere Mrs Vreeland as one of the supreme ‘Queens of Fashion’ - up there along side Vogue’s Anna Wintour and Harper’s Bazaar’s late Liz Tilberis - will let every morsel of this tangy documentary cocktail linger tantilisingly on their palate.
Watching this 86 minute film, directed and written by Lisa Immordino Vreeland, Brent-Jorgen Perlmutt and Frédéric Tcheng, feels like a fast flick through one of the glossy magazines Vreeland became famous for editing. Spliced with archive interview footage of the woman herself discoursing on her colourful life and career - from her early Parisian childhood at the opening of the 20th century to her life in New York and career first at Bazaar and then its arch rival Vogue, before her rebirth as the doyenne of fashion historians at The Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute - this film is a fascinating insight into one of the true legends of fashion.
However it is also a mesmerising photo-album of many of the defining moments and images which shaped culture in the 20th century and beyond. As the stars who contribute memories to the film - from Ali McGraw, Angelica Huston and Penelope Tree to David Bailey and Richard Avedon - testify, Vreeland may have been a nightmare to work for but she had an uncanny ability to capture the essence of the moment and put her finger on the pulse of style. In the recent documentary The September Issue (2009) that other fashion legend Grace Coddington grudgingly admits that her boss at Vogue, Anna Wintour, was right when she started the trend of putting celebrities on the cover of the magazine. However after watching Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (2011) you will see that it was Vreeland who went one better by discovering (and creating) the celebrities, such as Lauren Bacall, in the first place.
Like many famous people, particularly those who become defined by their jobs, their families often take second place and suffer as a result. Though she clearly adored her husband Thomas Reed Vreeland, her sons Tim and Frecky, who contribute to the film, appear to have had a distant relationship with their mother - most likely due to the fact that she virtually lived for her job. Nonetheless those, including her sons, who are interviewed, all remember Vreeland with the affection and respect one would have for an eccentric yet beloved old aunt.
Some years ago I studied fashion journalism in London, and though my writing career took a different path, films like Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (2011) and its vibrant and colourful subject, remind me why I, like many, will always have a hankering after the world of glossy fashion magazines and the exotic lifestyles of those who create them.
Having emerged from the most pivotal Sci-Fi films ever to grace our
screen, Michael Biehn takes to the Director’s chair to gain ownership of
the grindhouse genre having already channelled his onscreen vivacity in
Robert Rodriguez's “Planet Terror” and having learnt the modus operandi
from a directing mastermind in James Cameron.
To celebrate the release of Anchor Bay's ‘The Victim’ on DVD and
Blu-ray on 24th September, we have some amazing posters and Blu-rays to
give away!
During a social outing deep in the quiet woodland with close friend
Mary, Annie’s life is put in jeopardy when she is witness to a violent
act at the hands of two Sheriff’s Deputies. Fleeing from the attackers
she stumbles across Kyle, a shady recluse living in a cabin the middle
of the woods. The rugged loner stays far from civilisation, which is
until a knock on the door throws his solitary life into chaos. Having
been affected by Mary’s desperate bid for her life, Kyle bravely decides
to take Sheriff’s law into his own hands. Two worlds collide in this
psychological thriller that will make you question your trust in
mankind. Who is The Victim?
To win this prize please answer the following question:
Q. What recent British film festival did The Victim make it's UK premier at?
Send your Answer, Name, Address, Postcode and answer to 25+25-5= email it to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com, Deadline: Sunday 14th October 2012 (2359hrs).Aged 18 or over to enter
Terms and conditions
This prize is non transferable.
No cash alternatives apply.
UK & Irish entries only
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The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse,Anchor Bay UKemployees
This competition is promoted on behalf of Anchor Bay UK
If this prize becomes unavailable we have the right to offer an alternative prize instead.
The Prize is to win the The Victim Blu-Ray&Posters
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Will only accept entries sent to the correct email (winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com), any other entry via any other email will be void.
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By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.
Michael Biehn continues to surprise viewers thirty-five years into his career: after rising to fame in the likes of The Terminator and Aliens, Biehn still remains a relevant and much-loved face in the movie world - continuing to impress in cult hits Planet Terror and The Divide. Now the veteran star writes, directs and stars in his debut feature film, The Victim, alongside Jennifer Blanc and horror favourite, Danielle Harris.
The Victim, a horror-infused thriller, follows the unlikely pairing of a shady recluse, Kyle (Biehn), and a young woman (Blanc) who find themselves on a cat and mouse chase from two corrupt cops.
Biehn's debut is a challenging one - it seems to have been labelled as a grindhouse film (one just needs to look at the DVD cover featuring Biehn holding an axe behind a blood-soaked V sign), however, this is not the case. The Victim is far more of a straight-forward thriller with the odd moment of sex or violence thrown in to generate some excitement. Whilst Biehn does deliver a completely competent debut, it proves to be little else than competent, despite some glimpses of potential.
The Victim will prove to be an entertaining way to spend eighty minutes for audiences with an open mind or Biehn fans - with the actor's debut boasting solid performances and tense, unsettling direction. Biehn excels as a man thrust into a deadly chase between corrupt cops and a victimised young woman, Annie. The growing relationship between Kyle and Annie proves to be of some interest, despite the lack of build up it receives - the recluse and the victim sleep together within ten minutes of meeting which seems to come out of the blue. Although, credit is due to Jennifer Blanc, who manages to make a morally questionable character completely likeable. Danielle Harris also makes a welcome appearance in the film's opening as Annie's carefree, floozy friend who is accidentally killed by one of the corrupt officers (leading to Annie escaping and the ensuing chase).
The Victim is filled with moments that could have been far more impressive if carried out with slightly more precision. One such moments sees Annie running through the woods - we are shown the character running but not what is chasing her - with a couple of simple shots of the cops tailing Annie, Biehn could have made the scene far more gripping. This could all come down to Biehn's lack of experience behind the camera or simply due to the shortage of time available on the shoot.
Another issue with The Victim is the film's uneven tone. It lacks the fun, gritty charm that a B-Movie/grindhouse film should have but at the same time does not feel realistic enough to be a serious thriller. Had Biehn's script had a little more fun or moments of grindhouse violence or exploitation then it would have been a far more memorable, vibrant film.
The Victim is a respectable debut for Michael Biehn, who does a solid job as director and star. It proves to be a reasonably enjoyable way to spend eighty minutes, although would have fared far better had it taken itself less seriously and embraced the fun of the grindhouse genre.
Andrew McArthur
Stars: Michael Biehn, Danielle Harris , Jennifer Blanc Director: Michael Biehn Release: 24th September 2012 Certificate: 15 (UK)
One of the most acclaimed films by Danish legend Carl Theodor Dreyer, The Passion Of Joan Of Arc [LA PASSION DE JEANNE D'ARC / JEANNE D'ARC'S LIDELSE OG DØD]is
to be released in the UK on Blu-ray, DVD & Limited Edition Dual
Format (DVD & Blu-ray) SteelBook as part of Eureka Entertainment’s
MASTERS OF CINEMA Series on 19 November 2012
One of the most emotional film experiences of any era, Carl Theodor Dreyer's 1928 The Passion of Joan of Arc is
a miracle of the cinema, an enigmatic and profoundly moving work that
merges the worlds of the viewer and of saintly Joan herself into one
shared experience of hushed delirium.
Dreyer's
film charts the final days of Joan of Arc as she undergoes the
degradation that accompanies her trial for charges of heresy – through
her imprisonment and execution at the stake.
The
portrayal of Joan by Renée Maria Falconetti is frequently heralded as
the all-time finest performance in the history of film, and Dreyer's
unusual and virtuosic method, in seeming to render the very soul of his
actress, vaulted the director decisively into the ranks of the art
form's supreme geniuses.
Recently voted one of the Top 10 Greatest Films of All-Time by Sight & Sound magazine, the Masters of Cinema
Series is proud to present The Passion of Joan of Arc in its worldwide
Blu-ray première, in an exclusive new restoration, presented in both
20fps and 24fps playback speeds, and featuring Dreyer's own original
Danish-language intertitles, available in THREE formats—Blu-ray, DVD,
and Ltd Edition Dual Format (DVD & Blu-ray) SteelBook editions,
released in the UK on 19 November 2012.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
• Exclusively restored high-definition master presented in the film's original aspect ratio, in 1080p on the Blu-ray • Presented in both 20fps and 24fps playback speeds • Optional audio tracks: a piano score performed by Japanese silent film composer Mie Yanashita (for the 20fps option), and a radical accompaniment by esteemed American avant-garde musician Loren Connors (for the 24fps option) • Newly translated optional English subtitles for Dreyer's original Danish intertitles •
The complete "Lo Duca" version of the film – the version (featuring an
alternate edit and soundtrack) that circulated in France and around the
world for decades before the rediscovery of Dreyer's "director's cut" • Extended illustrated booklet featuring the words of Dreyer, rare archival imagery, and more • Further details to be announced nearer the release date!
Don Quixote is obviously an adaptation of Miguel de Cervantes’ mammoth novel of the same name. It was the first adaptation to be shot in colour and widescreen but the first Quixote adaptation was over a century ago in 1906. It was also a Russian production and was entered into the Cannes film festival where it left empty handed. It was directed by noted Russian director Grigori Kozintsev, who starting working in film back in the days of Eisenstein. Kozintsev who like Eisenstein was also a member modernist avant-garde movement “Eccentricism”. After Quixote he did some Shakespeare adaptations of King Lear and Hamlet. The actor who plays Quixote Nikolai Cherkasov also starred in some Eisenstein films.
★★★★☆
The adaptation of Quixote is supposedly relatively faithful to the novel according to some reviews (I haven’t read the novel). It however chronologically changes the order of adventures is changed drastically. Don Quixote de la Mancha is a aging old gentleman who’s real name is Alonso Quixano. He reads many books of chivalry and starting believing he is a knight. He meets with his trusty squire Sancho Panza. They have adventures, Quixote falls in love the possibly imaginary Lady Dulcinea, they however treated like fools but their humour and dreams help them along.
The film is a really well done adaptation; it’s a relatively short 100 minutes or so. The film is beautifully shot and I wish the dvd release wasn’t letterbox but a anamorphic widescreen transfer which would really show the beauty of the photography. I am however happy a film this obscure is even released in the UK. The best scene for me was the scene when you actually see what Quixote sees and it’s done very surreally and will stick in my mind for a time. The film is a somewhat more serious version of the story than some adaptations, which is partly in tone with the 2nd half of the novel but it does have the expected humour of Quixote. It will be probably the best film of Don Quixite till Terry Gilliam does his.
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