Horror Channel To Premier Chillerama & Penumbra On UK Television

Adrian Garcia Bogliano’s creepy thriller PENUMBRA and the US horror fantasy anthology CHILLERAMA will receive their UK TV premieres on Horror Channel - which is a treat for genre fans as the films are not currently available on DVD in the UK.

Here are the transmission details:

PENUMBRA (2011) - Sat Mar 23 @ 22:55

From Adrián García Bogliano, director of unique chiller COLD SWEAT, comes a bold experiment into creeping paranoia with a nasty twist. Marga, an arrogant businesswoman from Spain is on a business assignment in Buenos Aires - she must find a new tenant for her family’s decrepit apartment. But what’s behind the décor signals a startling fate worse than death. PENUMBRA is a superbly realized horror entry from the Argentine talent rapidly becoming a genre powerhouse all to himself.


CHILLERAMA (2011) – Sat Mar 30 @ 22.55 (UK Premiere)

From the depraved minds of US directors Adam Rifkin, Tim Sullivan, Adam Green, and Joe Lynch, a horror fantasy anthology which is a celebration of the golden age of B movies. There’s something for everyone’s bad taste in this quartet of schlock featuring the monster mania rampage WADZILLA, the gay Beach Party musical I WAS A TEENAGE WEREBEAR, the black-and-white insanity THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANKENSTEIN and the creeping fleshy ZOM-B-MOVIE.


Plus…there is a season of crazy-creature double-bills...

MONSTER MASH! -Fridays from March 8 @ 21:00

This fun season of double-billers celebrating Monster Mayhem kicks off with a desert dwelling shapeshifter THE BONE SNATCHER versus a three headed ravenous alien in the 80’s classic THE DEADLY SPAWN.

Then on Mar 15 get ready to quake in your boots as a prehistoric crocodile is resurrected in DINOCROC. This is billed with an 80’s classic as we go back into deep space for the alien possession movie INSEMINOID.

On Mar 22, things start to get slippery when a creature made of plant and flesh devours anyone who dares dip a toe in his beloved swamp in the comic book creature feature MAN-THING! And who could forget the godfather of gothic horror and monstrous mayhem – it’s THE LAST LOVECRAFT.

The final fear fiesta on Mar 29 boasts a beast of Olympic proportions - the OGRE. and a supernatural demon as Lance Henriksen invokes the unstoppable rage of PUMPKINHEAD to avenge his son’s death.

TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138

 www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel

GFF 2013 Review: Stoker

If you can avoid the trailer, then for God’s sake do because here’s a film that benefits from going in blind. Park Chan Wook’s Stoker is a thing of undeniable beauty; a carefully crafted piece of art, and there’s a word I don’t go throwing around too often. Essentially it’s a story about sexual awakening against a backdrop of dysfunctional family politics, but as with most great films, it’s not in the idea: it’s the execution.

The first half hour may strain patience, but it’s worth it. Wook takes time to set up his near epic tales, but after that slow start the film starts winding tighter and tighter, releasing brief flurries of energy whilst maintaining the illusion of a melodrama.  Here is a film horrific and deeply unsettling, without giving itself over to the horror genre.  Early scenes of India in the basement are thick with suspense, and moments of mystery call up Hitchcockian influences.You’ll spend a lot of time wondering just what in buggery is going on until finally Wook delivers a fantastic phone-box realisation scene and the film, rather than falling into place, lifts.

Important to the horror aspect is Mathew Goode’s electrifying performance as India’s estranged uncle, a man who appears just after her father’s death and upsets the balance of the household. To be fair I had expected Goode would be on top form, but this is something different.  There’s so much going on under the surface, so many silent and manipulative glances that you need a second viewing to catch the subtlety, Goode’s performance is the prize of the piece. Wasikowska’s India is something of gothic beauty also, shifting from what could have been a tired Burton character to a solid Angela Carter heroine.  We should be hearing a lot more from her in the future if this is anything to go by.

As with every Clint Mansell soundtrack Stoker is a thing to behold, furthering those Hitchcock influences with epic strings whilst digging deeper into India’s slowly dawning mind state with heartfelt piano.

Wook’s keen sense of style and image are fantastic , perhaps even a career best. The Gothic grandeur of the colonial house is captured with apparent ease, every frame looks like a painting, every image is a goldmine, there’s enough symbolism here to fill a hundred books. Repetition and explanation of certain details allows Wook’s film to achieve a bizarre nostalgic quality. This works hand-in-hand with the vicious and cold quality of the night time sequences allowing the horror to take shape.

Kidman’s performance fits in somewhere here; as a detail. And a fine one.  Just as important as India or Charlie, Kidman’s performance is seductive, pathetic, and heart-breaking: her’s is the damaged thread that winds throughout, adding the most pure strain of heart-ache to Stoker.

Macabre, erotic, visually seductive, perfectly cast and performed, and flaunting a plot so thick with mystery and meaning you’ll feel your brain swell. Stoker may just be a genuine masterpiece from a genuine master.

Scott Clark

★★★★★

Rating:18
Release Date: 1st March 2013
Director: Chan-wook Park
Cast:  Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, Alden Ehrenreich

Pedro Almodóvar Invites You On board To Watch First uk Trailer I'm So Excited

 If someone was to describe to you Pedro Almodovar's unique style Woody Allen meets John Waters you probably disagree until you see the UK Trailer For I'm So Excited, it's camp all the way!

The Skin I Live In  director goes all camp for his follow up film with a colourful over the top comedy about a  a group of travellers onboard a flight towards Mexico City who find themselves in a life threatening situation. So what's the best remedy to save everyone? Get the all singing, dancing male attendants to belt out an disco classic pointer sisters 'it's so excited' which ironically is the film's name!

There was another trailer just before christmas but this new trailer has some funny new footage and explains the actually plot a little better. If you are a fan of Almodovar  you know expect the unexpected and It's so excited will have a ray of unexpectedness about it but that's why we love the Spanish Auteur so much!

I'm so excited will be released in UK on 3rd May and stars Javier Cámara, Pepa Charro, Cecilia Roth with cameo appearances from Almodovar regulars  Penelope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, paz vega.

Synopsis

A technical failure has endangered the lives of the people on board Peninsula Flight 2549. The pilots are striving, along with their colleagues in the Control Center, to find a solution. The flight attendants and the chief steward are atypical, baroque characters who, 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 be summarized in two: sex and death.

source: Total Film

UK Trailer, TV Spots And Featurette For Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers

If there's one perfect way to lose your squeaky Clean Disney image star in Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers will do the trick. Skimpy, sexualised, drug fuelled, all out batshit crazy, Don't knock the hustle and watch Spring Breakers UK Trailer.

Spring Breakers  stars Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, and Rachel Korine 4 college girl friends  who'll do anything to extended their Spring Break. After been arrested the girls get their wish when they encounter  Alien (James Franco)a local drug dealer who bails them out of trouble. The new trailer does provide some new snippets as do the 2 TV Spots and featurettes giving us a  a good sense of the debauchery that curtails in the film along with an interesting look at the making of it too.

Spring Breakers is a coming of age story for its one time Disney stars Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens even Ashley Benson from her Nickelodeon days. These girls are certainly grown up now they want to party if you love those programmes that follow holiday reps in clubbing hotspots around Mediterranean tenfold that throw in some guns , James Franco been gangsta you'll have an idea what you can expect when this one arrives. Spring Breakers is certainly going to keep cinephiles talking, some walking out of screens, others loving the controversial film when  last week the film made it's UK premier at Glasgow Film Festival. If you where eagled eyed following my Tweets when I shared my after thoughts and all I say is I described the film as 'Like been locked in a room forced to watch Jack & Jill on a 24 hour loop....painful'. In the film's defence the demographic of the film the visual feel the score will go down a treat.

You can read my  Spring Breakers review closer to the film's UK release on 5th April, USA 22nd March (limited release) 29 March (full release).

Brit, Candy, Cotty, and Faith have been best friends since grade school. They live together in a boring college dorm and are hungry for adventure. All they have to do is save enough money for spring break to get their shot at having some real fun. A serendipitous encounter with rapper “Alien” promises to provide the girls with all the thrill and excitement they could hope for. With the encouragement of their new friend, it soon becomes unclear how far the girls are willing to go to experience a spring break they will never forget.

source:MSNUK

TV Spots




Featurette

-->

Best Of Richard Gere (Arbitrage Feature)

You will be forgiven for forgetting just how eclectic Richard Gere’s career has been;  with the release of Arbitrage (this Friday 1st March,) let’s take a look back at how Gere hit the big time and sustained his star status within Hollywood – still a major player three decades later.

Arbitrage (2012)

Richard Gere received a Golden Globe nomination for his latest role in Arbitrage, a drama that follows magnate Robert Miller who must turn to an unlikely figure when he makes an error in an attempt to complete the sale of his trading empire. Critically-acclaimed, Arbitrage is being deemed a gripping mature watch from first-time director Nicholas Jarecki, boasting an impressive cast with Susan Sarandon and Tim Roth starring alongside Gere.

Days of Heaven (1978)

An early film role, Gere’s appearance in Days of Heaven was the ball-roller in terms of sparking off his illustrious career; appearing in Terrence Malick’s romantic art film was an unprecedented huge move (with only Badlands to his name, Malick wasn’t perceived to be the auteur he is today.) Not received well upon release, the film has evolved as something of a classic, with Gere’s role opening doors to the key roles he is associated with today.

American Gigolo (1980)

Richard Gere became a superstar upon the release of American Gigolo, a crime drama directed by Paul Schrader. Gere plays Julian Kaye, a male escort residing in L.A who fears he is being framed when one of his clients is murdered. Gere, who took the role when Christopher Reeve and John Travolta turned it down, has openly stated he took the role so he could immerse himself into a character he didn’t understand (the notorious full-frontal nudity scenes were not scripted, but a ‘natural process’).

An officer and a Gentleman (1982)

One of Gere’s most memorable roles, here he plays Zack  Mayo, a U.S. Navy aviation officer candidate  who locks heads with his drill Sergeant and falls in love with Debra Winger’s Paula. The film was a huge success worldwide, and Gere – strangely beating out Christopher Reeve and John Travolta to the part again – gained worldwide acclaim as a Hollywood heartthrob. He also gained a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor.

Internal Affairs (1990)

After a string of duds, including an ill-fated remake of Jean-Luc Godard’s classic Breathless, Gere reclaimed status as a Hollywood player with two roles in 1990 – one of which was in Internal Affairs, a thriller about a fresh-faced addition to the Internal Affairs Department of the LA police who begins suspecting Gere’s Dennis Peck of shady activity. Gere plays Peck’s womanising manipulator well, his role fitting in successfully in an enjoyable thriller.

Pretty Woman (1990)

The second role in 1990 not only assisted in reclaiming his status, but provided the world with a role in a film that rewrote the romantic comedy genre. It has been claimed that Pretty Woman is one of the most loved films of all time, with no rom-com matching its success in terms of box office receipts, critical reception and award recognition.  Gere plays Edward Lewis, a rich businessman who collides with Julia Robert’s kind-hearted prostitute, Vivian – a role for which he received a second Golden Globe nomination.

Sommersby (1993)

Set during the Civil War, Jodie Foster’s Laurel manages to work the farm without he husband – when he returns and appeals to have changed somewhat, causing many to believe him to be an imposter. Sommersby, for all of its mixed reviews, is a notable entry from Gere’s career for the on-screen chemistry between the two leads carries the film, causing it to linger in the memory – Gere further proving he is a dependable male lead.

Runaway Bride (1999)

Directed by Pretty Woman’s Garry Marshall, and re-teaming Richard Gere with Julia Roberts, was always going to be a tough gig following the unprecedented success of the daddy of all romantic comedies. Runaway Bride didn’t match the latter’s success, but was still an enjoyable watch with Gere showing his comedy ability after a slew of more serious roles. Here, he plays a reporter who writes an article on Robert’s serial ‘runaway bride’ – when the two meet, an attraction is sparked.

Chicago (2002)

A psychological horror and a drama later (The Mothman Prophecies and Unfaithful, respectively,) what followed was a high-profile role as hotshot lawyer Billy Flynn in the 2002 film version of hit musical Chicago. Starring alongside Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta Jones, he dodged critic’s bullets by showcasing his musicality successfully on-screen for the first time, whilst deploying a likeable charm in the process. For this, he received a Golden Globe win - but his Oscar nomination never came.

I’m Not There (2007)

One of the more interesting additions to the actor’s back catalogue, Gere was one of many actors – Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Cate Blanchett - to portray different facets of Bob Dylan in Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There.  Richard Gere portrays Billy the Kid (referring to Dylan’s role in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid,) with his scenes mirroring the ways in which Dylan tried to evade the spotlight. Gere’s presence marks the film out as one to be seen.



Arbitrage will be out in UK&Irish cinemas from This Friday 1st March, Read our review.

Crawl Blu-Ray Review

When you witness an audience that has a reputation of been very vocal sit in silence mesmerized in what their watching you know your watching something truly special. That audience is the world famous Film4 Frightfesters who love to show their appreciation, the venue was 2012 Film 4 Frightfest at Glasgow Film Festival, the film is The China Brother's directorial début Crawl. One year one it's your chance to relive the suspense of the festival favourite in the comfort of your own home.

Seedy bar owner Slim Walding (Paul Holmes) hires a mysterious Croatian hitman (George Shevtov) to murder local garage owner over a shady business deal gone bad. The stone faced stranger planned a double-crossing which backfired when barmaid Marilyn (Georgina Haig) becomes involved. Eagerly waiting at home waiting for the return of her sweetheart Travis (Andy Barclay) as Marilyn believes this is the night he'll propose however that romantic turns into a night of survival as the single dark road outside her house the psychopathic Croatian and Travis paths have intersected leading the killer to take Marilyn hostage in her own home.

The legacy of the masters of cinema is alive and well in Crawl serving a nice homage  especially to the Coen Brothers. This may not be exactly be Blood Simple but the China Brothers (Paul & Ben) do show why the Coens are such an inspiration to them with even a bit of No Country For Old Men thrown in for good measure too further inspiring them to create a film that packs so much punch for its 80 minute running time.

Whilst the brothers heroes mould the film's backbone, the film's methodical pace is a reminder of an era when things where simple  and effective playing at a pace that let you appreciate what you where watching. Crawl may not be blessed with non stop action but what it does do is make up that up with unnerving tension, atmosphere and suspense that even the master of suspense himself Alfred Hitchcock would be proud of.

What really stands out in this film is the silence. So if you thought Silent but deadly was just another crude way of saying you broke wind think again as Crawl utilises the minimal dialogue to great effect. It makes you feel as if you are taking every step with Marilyn (whose character surname is Burns another homage this time to Texas Chainsaw Massacre), visually as well auditory. I've also said time after time music plays a vital part of the film and in Crawl Christopher Gordon's Bernard Hermann style score plays it's part adding an extra dimension of tensions, suspense working harmoniously with the atmospheric parts of the movie too.

Crawl may not be the finished article but the China brothers have created something truly remarkable. a chilling piece of genre cinema  delivering a nice balance of suspense and even dark humour, even more is the fact they create a film whose story is the main focus not the CGI or who is in the cast. Those little niggling flaws over time will be sorted out  and we can look forward to see some fantastic films from these brothers in the near future.

Paul Devine

★★★★☆

Rating:18
BD/DVD Release Date: 25th February 2013  (UK0
Director: Paul China
Cast: Andy Barclay, Georgina Haig, Paul Holmes, George Shevtsov
Buy Crawl:Blu-ray / DVD

21 Days: The Heineken Kidnapping DVD Review

In 1983 the Netherlands was shocked by the kidnapping of one of its most renowned industrialists, Freddy Heineken; president of the famous brewery. More famous than the kidnapping, perhaps, is Heineken’s lengthy and vengeful court escapades to have his kidnappers brought to justice after his rescue just 21 days after his abduction. 21 Days, directed by Maarten Treurniet, tells the story of Heineken’s ordeal

                In order to tell a story like this, before, during, and after the kidnap, the pace has to match the length, the 118 minutes of screen time has to be balanced and, most of all, watchable. Unfortunately the timing of the piece halts its progress as a thriller at various points, allowing it to meander where it should stride through. Clarity is not always present either and most importantly in the scenes where a quicker pace is attempted, for example how the young team of petty thieves is delivered the ransom is a ridiculously short moment of “what was that all about?” The film feels like it stops and starts again too many times and the viewer can’t help but wait for TV adverts. A story like this deserves a more visceral, or at least focused, execution.

                That’s not to say it totally flops since there are more than enough good moments and the casting allows a group of hot-headed young men to be more watchable than they probably should be.  Unsurprisingly Hauer lends a star quality to an otherwise mediocre affair, ensuring all his scenes are handled with suitable duress and defiance. Unfortunately there are not enough scenes allowing him to dive into the fractured psyche of a man kidnapped, so a lot of those sequences which should let him prove his worth, end up falling flat.

                Obviously this film is aiming for the vibe of the recent wave of Euro-thrillers (which started with Nesbo adaptations) and even though it achieves that visually, it’s just too long and too boring to pull off the same gripping narrative  It does however pick up in its last half, carefully orchestrating a court-drama and ensuing fallout that results in a successful climax. The final scenes may seem, for some, far beyond the reach of the rest of the film.

For Euro enthusiasts this could go either way, for everyone else it’s a tedious expedition into the heist genre. However the second half transforms the film into an enjoyable faster-paced court-drama which seems much more comfortable work for Treurniet.  Overall I can’t help feel this could have been a pretty impressive TV movie.

Scott Clark

★★☆☆☆

Rating: 15
DVD Release date: 11th March 2013 (UK)
Directed By: Maarten Treurniet
Cast: Rutger Hauer, Ton Kas, Marcel Hensema
Pre-Order/Buy: 21 Days: The Heineken Kidnapping [DVD]

GFF 2013: Arbitrage Review

Richard Gere is known for being particularly selective over his roles in recent years. One cannot deny that it is a tactic that works - the past ten years have seen some of his strongest work from The Hoax to gritty cop thriller, Brooklyn's Finest. Gere's latest leading role in feature-film newcomer, Nicholas Jarecki's Arbitrage, maintains this high standard.

Arbitrage sees successful businessman Robert Miller (Gere) attempt to cover up fraudulent business activities and personal secrets from his associates and family. However, this grows increasingly difficult after Miller flees the scene of a car-crash that kills his lover, Julie (Laetitia Casta).

Both directed and written by Jarecki, Arbitrage proves to be a punchy, fast-paced thriller, remaining tense and gripping throughout. Seeing all facets of Miller's life gradually spiral out of control, as the businessman continually tries to wind them back in makes for a thoroughly engaging central narrative. As a result of his dishonest behaviour we see his family life crumble - particularly his relationship with his wife (Susan Sarandon), the future of his business come under fire and the eventual death of his lover. Who knew that life in the corporate world could be so exciting?

After the death of Julie, Arbitrage becomes an almost cat and mouse like thriller, as the police try and pin the car-crash on Miller. This further amps up the gripping tension and unease that courses through Arbitrage - with the viewer never quite sure if Miller will be caught or convicted. Unfortunately, the narrative power slackens towards the conclusion - with many integral questions going unanswered in a somewhat lazy finale.

The role of the troubled Miller allows for Gere to deliver one of his strongest performances in recent years. Seeing the actor as a man out of his depth, yet never willing to accept defeat - even if it means more dishonesty, is one of the endearing qualities of Arbitrage. Gere carries the central narrative with ease, continually reminding us of just how strong an actor he actually is.

Susan Sarandon also manages to shine with the smaller supporting role of Ellen, Miller's wife. Sarandon tackles the role with a subtle emotional power, bringing a sense of dignity and life to the the wife who knows more than she lets on. Further gravitas is added through Tim Roth's role as Detective Bryer, the man hoping to bring Miller to justice over his crimes.

Arbitrage is a taut thriller that holds the viewer in its vice-like grip from the onset with much debt to Richard Gere's magnificent central performance. Jarecki's screenplay and direction are largely excellent, even if the conclusion does feel somewhat dissatisfying.

Andrew McArthur

★★★★☆

Stars: Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Brit Marling,Tim Roth
Director: Nicholas Jarecki
Certificate: 15 (UK)
Release:18th February 2013 (Glasgow Film Festival) 1st March 2013 (UK)

GFF 2013: In The House (Dans La Maison) Review

In the House, François Ozon's first directorial feature since the magnificent, Potiche, sees him once again team-up with Fabrice Luchini for equally strong results.

Germain (Luchini), a literature teacher receives essays from student, Claude Garcia (Ernst Umhauer), confessing his desire to visit the perfect family home of one of his classmates. As these essays grow more troubling, Germaine is unable to distinguish between fiction and reality, suspecting the motivations of the manipulative Claude.

Part of the pleasure of Ozon's feature comes from the ever-shifting tones, with In the House blurring the lines between psychological thriller, drama and comedy seamlessly. Every genre that the director delves into is handled with the utmost confidence, making the many twists and turns that Ozon's rich screenplay (based on Juan Mayorga's stage play) takes us on, all the more thrilling.

Using the dual narrative of Claude's stories and real life allows for Ozon to have a lot of fun. Watching Germain's paranoia as he grows continually more infatuated with Garcia's stories, so much so that he begins to lose his grip on reality, makes for thrilling viewing. The audience eventually becomes like Germain and Claude, voyeurs looking into the Artole Family home, where we discover that despite Claude's first thoughts, they are very far from the perfect family. There's a sinister energy generated by this voyeurism, mainly sourcing from Claude's fantasies surrounding the Artole Matriarch, Esther (Emmanuelle Seigner), culminating in an almost Gothic sequence where Claude stays over night at the family home. These dark psychological thrills strike parallels with Ozon's earlier feature, the masterfully unsettling Swimming Pool.

In the House is not a completely dark watch, Ozon gives occasional moments of playful humour. These mainly stem from Fabrice Luchini's staggeringly brilliant performance - Luchini is truly an actor gifted with a great versatility, being equally convincing at both light comic elements and heavier dramatic material. Many of these laughs come from Luchini's scenes with on-screen wife, Kristin Scott Thomas who runs an exhibit at a local art gallery, which Germain dubs "Art for perverts." The actress heads a stellar supporting cast which also includes Emmanuelle Seigner, Denis Ménochet and a wonderfully sinister turn from newcomer, Ernst Umhauer.

In the House is a truly absorbing watch, thanks to an inventive screenplay providing us with a mix of mysterious psychological thrills, well-paced drama and some light comic flourishes. Ozon handles these elements with his ingenuity, wit and competence, allowing for some standout performances from Luchini, Umhauer &Thomas.

Andrew McArthur

★★★★☆

Stars: Fabrice Luchini, Ernst Umhauer, Kristin Scott Thomas , Emmanuelle Seigner
Director: François Ozon
Certificate: 15 (UK)
Release: 21st February 2013 (Glasgow Film Festival)29th March 2013 (UK)

City Of Women Blu-Ray Review (Masters Of Cinema Release)

City of Women was one of the great Federico Fellini’s very last films. It along with most of later work commercially and critically unsuccessful. It premiered at the Cannes film festival in 1980 and was lambasted by the critics and even fellow filmmakers like the great but miserable sod Andrei Tarkovsky who called the film “worthless”. However the film is about as Fellini-esq as you can get and deserves reappraisal.

The film is about the middle age Snàporaz (Marcello Mastroianni) and Snàporaz like all of Mastroianni character’s in Fellini’s films is the director’s alter ego (this is most obvious in 8½ and it’s also his first lead role in a Fellini film since 8½). Snàporaz is on a train going home but he sees a big breasted women and they have brief fling in the bathroom but it’s cut short and the women must get off the train. Snàporaz follows her off the train and eventually finds him at a feminist polyandry conference. The film from that point becomes a bunch of increasing surreal vignettes which include roller skating, druggy lesbian post-punk teenagers who try to kill Snàporaz, attempted rape by a fat women, a court to test his masculinity among others.

The film came out after a difficult time for Fellini after some not entirety successful films he made in the wake of his classic Amarcord. What Fellini does with City of Women is to do a gloriously over the top sex farce with surrealistic touches throughout, there is hilarious sex scene which a women with an enormous ass which is obviously fake. However like Fellini’s work it’s really a film about his love/fear of women. Fellini was interested in feminism but he certainly wasn’t a feminist despite the fact the women in the film he certain sympathies with because they being mistreated by the male population. He certain makes the feminists in the film laughably absurd but Snàporaz is as well and the character Dr. Katzone with his mansion full of sexual art and absurd phallic sculptures.

The film’s centrepiece is the well-known scene after he crawls under his bed he enters a dreamlike slide where he revisits all childhood crushes. Which is beautiful filmed by Giuseppe Rotunno (who later worked with Fellini’s disciple Terry Gilliam) and constructed.

Overall the film is a really fun surrealist romp though the loves and desires of Federico Fellini, it’s not 8½ but what is? It isn’t without it’s flaws however, it’s a bit too long and has some over dubbing ever on a film, most evident in the conference scene in the beginning. Worth checking out especially with Masters of Cinema’s beautiful hd transfer.

Ian Schultz

★★★★☆

Rating: 18
BD/DVD Release Date: 25th February 2013 (UK)
Director:Federico Fellini
Cast: Marcello Mastroianni, Anna Prucnal, Bernice Stegers
Buy City Of Women: DVD / Blu-ray