TV News: Horror Channel goes down under for season of outback slashers

Horror Channel presents an OZploitation season on Fridays @ 22:55 from Jan 4 2014, featuring a dark collection of the best of Australian contemporary horror, Grisly with a capital ‘G’.Plus, there are network premieres for Victor Salva’s box office smash JEEPERS CREEPERS, HALLOWEEN 2 and Steven Spielberg’s TV cult classic SOMETHING EVIL

Fri 3 Jan @ 22:55 – STORM WARNING (2007)

On a weekend boating trip a couple become lost in a heavy storm and end up in a desolate swamp. They come across a decrepit house and discover a large crop of marijuana, suggesting the owners might not welcome their accidental arrival.

Fri 10 Jan @ 22:55 – SAVAGES CROSSING (2011)

When a flood rages around them, a group of strangers are forced to take shelter in an outback roadhouse. But the danger lurking within is far greater than the threat from outside. As the water level rises, so does the tension, as the line between the hunter and the hunted starts to blur.

Fri 17 Jan @ 22:55 – ROAD TRAIN (2010)

Four young people are on a camping trip in the outback. Nina and Craig are enjoying a close relationship, but there's tension between Marcus, and Liz Out of the blue, the quartet find themselves menaced by a road train that runs them off the road.

Fri 24 Jan @ 22:55 – CRAWL (2011)

Claustrophobic heat and brooding tension seep from the screen in this chiller set in an unknown rural town. Seedy bar owner Slim Walding hires a mysterious Croatian hit man to murder a local garage owner. but the plan backfire when an innocent waitress becomes involved.(Read our review)

Fri 31 Jan @ 22:55 – WOLF CREEK (2005)

The Ozploitation season finishes with director Greg McLean’s much acclaimed debut feature – a pulsating, stomach-churning tale based on the true story of the ‘Back Packer Killer’ who held the outback in a grip of early 90s terror. Stars John Jarratt, Cassandra Macgraph and Kestie Morassi. Watch out for the sequel in 2014

Wed 22 Jan @ 16:00 –SOMETHING EVIL (1972)

Considered a cult TV classic, Spielberg showed early signs of his cinematic genius in this possession story of a married couple with two young children whose farmhouse turns out to be inhabited by demons. The oldest child becomes possessed and begins to torment his family and their friends. When the mother begins to sense that something may be wrong with her son, her husband and friends think she is going insane.

Sat 11 Jan @ 22:50 – JEEPERS CREEPERS (2001)

Writer/director Victor Salva came up trumps with this smash-hit teen-slasher flick, produced by Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope studio. Trish and Darry are road tripping home from college across the U.S. After being menaced by a trucker, they see a man dumping a human body into a drainage pipe. Investigating, they become the intended prey of an indestructible, supernatural creature hell-bent on eating them.

Sat 25 Jan @ 22: 45 – HALLOWEEN 2 (1981)

Certainly gorier than the original, Halloween II is the second instalment in the Halloween series and is a sequel to Carpenter's Halloween, picking up where it had left off, set on the same night of Oct 31, 1978 as the seemingly unkillable Michael Myers continues to follow Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) to a nearby hospital while Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) is still in pursuit of his patient.


TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138
www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel

Blu-Ray Review: Cinema Paradiso 25th Anniversary Edition (1988)

Genre:
World Cinema, Drama
Distributor:
Arrow Films
Rating:
15
BD Release Date:
16th December 2013 (UK)
Director:
Giuseppe Tornatore
Cast:
Enzo Cannavale, jacques perrin,Philippe Noiret, Salvatore Cascio,
Buy:Cinema Paradiso 25th Anniversary Remastered Edition [Blu-ray]
When you look back to history of cinema there is very few films that bridge the gap between mainstream film, arthouse and world cinema loved worldwide.The Artist is probably the last film to bridge that gap, in 1998 a little unknown Italian film, Guiseppe Trnatore's Cinema Paradiso closed that gap delivering  that charm and 25 years on that film is returning. Now fully restored Paradiso is unleashing it's nostalgic charm on a new generation of film fans not forgetting those who embraced it 25 years previously.

Set (& filmed) in the director's hometown in the Sicilian hills, Salvatore (Jacques Perrin) a successful film director who returns home due to a friend but most of all mentor's funeral. That man was Alfredo (Philippe Noiret) who was the town's projectionist at the 'Cinema Paradiso' which was the centre if Salvatore's imagination when he was a child. It's not just Salvatore's memories as the child he reminiscences on everything that shaped his life including his first love Elena (Agneso Nano) helping him reconnect to the people he left 30 years earlier.

When you look at cinemas nowdays it's hard to believe decades before the theatres played an integral part of peoples lives and like in Paradiso its was the townsfolk main source of entertainment.It brought the community together during a turbulent period of time (war), no arguing on what to watch, just pure escapism which is still relative these days. However it seems nowdays it's all about how expensive ticket, popcirn prices are, empty screens, a love affair many cinephiles will tell the relationship is stale.

Like I mention time and time again these reviews for old films are like that age old malt whiskey your Dad have gathering dust in your drinks cabinet. You may not appreciate the taste when you buy the bottle but give it time to mature the quality will come and 25 years on Cinema Paradiso is that fine malt that people are now cherishing. Winning the Best foreign feature in 1989 along with a host of other awards it was a sign this was a special film ironically it's to understand why the film was a box office flop when it was released.

Paradiso's power is it's ability to capture the power of film whilst celebrating the coming of age of Salvatore with great nostalgia. This is a fantasy film not in Slavatore's life but fantasy which captures the magic of film, mesmerizes you, gripping you into a magical adventure of escapism and why millions have a great affection for the silver screen.The first part of Paradiso  is all about Salvatore's childhood years on how he discovers the magic that unravels in front of him on the big screen. It's also the introduction of Alfredo, who becomes the father figure that's been missing from Salvatore's life (his on father a soldier in the war).

Whilst capturing te friendship between Alfredo and Salvatore Paradiso gives us an insight into community togetherness during troubled times. We even get some funny moments and the influence the church had on peoples lives when they attempted to stop a film and what they got instead was a montage of kisses on the big screen. If only they where alive today they would probably suffer multiple heart attacks. From the innocence of childhood to the reality of becoming an adult nostalgia becomes reflection, Tornatore establishes himself a master storyteller something many of today's filmmakers seem to have forgotten about.

Cinema Paradiso  maybe considered by some to over melodramatic but with good reasons, a simple sentimental whimsical journey of life, examining friendship and the romance of film. Life is hard , however the feelgood nature of the film reminds us the importance of community spirit and its escapism from lives troubles. With a fantastic score from Ennio morricone, glorious cinematography Cinema Paradiso is that love letter to film that you'll treasure in your heart until the end of days.

★★★★☆

Paul Devine

Blu-Ray Review - Big Trouble In Little China (1986)

Genre:
Fantasy, adventure, comedy
Distributor:
Arrow Video
Rating:
12
BD Release Date:
16th December 2013
Director:
John Carpenter
Cast:
Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, James hong
Buy Big Trouble In Little China: Steelbook Blu-ray or Blu-ray [Amazon]
Big Trouble in Little China was made John Carpenter when some Hollywood success had came his way with Christine and Starman. Carpenter had redeemed himself in the eyes of Hollywood after the financial disaster of the now acknowledged modern classic The Thing. Carpenter was allowed to make the mad cap Big Trouble and in many ways he paid for it. It was dumbed by the studio in question 20th Century Fox and was a flop but as usual with Carpenter has became something of a cult classic in the following years.

Big Trouble stars Carpenter’s alter ego Kurt Russell as Jack Burton, a sort of an absurdist John Wayne type character. He meets old friend Wang and wins a card match against him. Wang doesn’t have the money and needs to pick him his fiancée from the airport but she is kidnapped for her green eyes and is selected to be a Chinese sorcerer David Lo Pan who is over thousand years old. They must rescue her before it’s too late.

It’s one of Carpenter’s most bizarre films, which is partly due to W. D. Richter’s re-write who was the director of the equally madcap The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. It was originally a western set in 1880s but Richter totally rewrote it only using the original idea of the sorcerer. It’s just truly ridiculous from the beginning to the end and that’s a lot of the appeal. It’s not trying to be serious and knows it’s stupid and ridiculous but that’s what appealed to Russell and Carpenter in the first place.

It’s a really fun film but John Carpenter would follow it with his anarchist masterpiece They Live! which becomes more and more relevant as the years pass. Kurt Russell gives a very fine almost screwball comedy esq. performance in the vein of Cary Grant in Howard Hawks’ films. The real star however is Dennis Dun as Wang who carries the film.

As usual with Arrow Video it boosts a fantastic transfer along with new interviews with Carpenter, Russell along with the cinematographer, producer Larry Franco and even a stuntman. It also includes the commentary, vintage featurette, deleted scenes and music video that were on the previous release.

★★★★☆

Ian Schultz

Robert Redford Career Highlights (All Is Lost Feature)

Robert Redford is one of the few actors in Hollywood that has had contestant involved in Hollywood for the duration of his career. Embarking on his 77th birthday Redford has spent 53 of those years in the spotlight for his participation in front or behind the camera. Starting as a Hollywood heartthrob in the 60s, becoming a top-box office actor in the mid 70s, director in the 80s, producer in the 1990 and philanthropist in the turn of the century, it’s safe to say Redford has made the most of his career. Robert has been recognized for his talent by receiving two Oscars; one in 1981 for Best Director and another for the Lifetime Achievement in 2002. In addition, he was awarded French Knighthood in the Legion d’Honneur in 2010. Although he has always been involved in Hollywood, Redford experienced, as any actor does, ups and down. However, riding the wave of success, this winter, Robert Redford is being thrust into the award season storm curtest of his new film, All Is Lost. In anticipation of the upcoming film, we are taking a look back at Robert Redford’s successful career. However, while participating in over 68 productions as an actor, 10 as a director and 35 as a producer, it’s impossible to cover all the bases, so we are specifically taking a look at his career highlights.

Inside Daisy Clover (1965)

Roberts Redford stars in his third Hollywood film, Inside Daisy Clover as he portrays the role of the homosexual Wade Lewis. Redford’s handlers cautioned him against taking the role in the film, but despite their warnings, Redford accepted and the film served his first important role of his career. Redford’s performance earned him excellent reviews and won him a Golden Globe award as a “Star of the Future.” After this role, Redford’s career was secure; he was seen as a talented actor offered a multitude of different roles after the movie was finished.

Downhill Racer (1969)

Given the opportunity to carry his own, Robert Redford starred in the motion picture Downhill Race. Playing a small-town Colorado arrogant athlete given the chance of glory on the U.S Olympic Ski team, he gives a convincing, self-destructive performance. In a review for the Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert stated Downhill Racer is “the best movie ever made about sports—without really being about sports at all.” The received critical acclaim as Redford proved himself and the extent of his talent.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Reaching success, Redford was worried he had been type-casted in Hollywood as a blond male stereotype. In retaliation, he turned down numerous offers as he waited for the right role to present himself. In 1969, he found the role he was looking for in George Roy Hill’s western classic, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The film follows Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and his partner Harry Longabaugh, the “Sundance Kid” (Redford), as they migrate to Bolivia on the run from the law in search of more criminal opportunities. The film marked the first collaboration between Newman and Redford, and moulded their famous friendship. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, received monumental critical acclaim. The film earned 7 Oscar nominations, winning 4. As well as three Golden Globe nominations, winning Best Original Score. Redford received a BAFTA Award for Best Actor. In 2003, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. The film reinforced Redford’s acting talents and made him a major bankable star, cementing his screen image as an intelligent, reliable, sometimes sardonic good guy.

The Candidate (1972)

The Candidate is an American political satire film starring Robert Redford, written by Jeremy Larner, a speech writer for Senator Eugene J. McCarthy during the 1968 Democratic Presidential nomination. Redford portrays a young liberal lawyer who tries to hold onto his ideals as he campaign to defeat a conservative senator. As the campaign continues, the candidate loses his way, and Redford’s skilful performance suggests just how aware he is of his failure. The film received critical acclaim as it was nominated for two Academy Awards, winning Best Writing, Story and Screenplay Based on Factual Material or Material Not Previously Published or Produced.

The Way We Were (1973)

Regarded as his most successful romantic drama, Robert Redford stars in The Way We Were with co-star Barbra Streisand. The film depicts two desperate people who embark on a wonderful romance, but their political views and convictions drive them apart. As a box office success, the film was nominated for a multitude of awards and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. With the release of the film, Redford became a worldwide heartthrob.

The Sting (1973)

George Roy Hill, director of “Butch Cassidy”, brought Newman and Redford together again for this tricky story about a few con men who team up and target a mob boss in 1930 Chicago. The film was received 10 Oscar nominations, winning seven, including Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Film Editing. The Sting became one of the top 20 highest grossing movies of all time and provided Robert Radford with his first and only Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

All the President’s Men (1976)

This Academy Award-winning political thriller, All the Presidents, tells the non-fiction story about the two journalists (Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman) investigating the Watergate scandal for The Washington Post. The dedication these journalists put into the story lead to a nationally shocking discovery. The film received numerous good mentions including 4 Academy Awards – and further secured legendary status for the two lead actors: Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman.

Ordinary People (1980)

The 1970s marked Redford as Hollywood’s top box-office name, he continued to act in many mainstream films. However, in the 1980s Redford obtained a newfound focus on directing. The first film he directed, Ordinary People, depicted the dramatic story of the disintegration of an upper-middle class family in Illinois, following the death of one of their sons in a boating accident. Ordinary People showed audience and critics that Redford was as good of a director as actor. The film reached critical and commercial success, winning four Oscars including the Academy Award for Best Picture and a monumental win for Redford as he won Best Director.

Out of Africa (1985)

In one of his most recognized roles of his career, Robert Redford co-stars with Meryl Streep in the Award winning film, Out of Africa. The story follows a Danish baroness/platioation owner in 20th century colonial Kenya, and her passionate love affair with a free-spirited game hunter. The film reached momumental success, winning seven Oscars out of 11 nominations.

Quiz Show (1994)

Regarded as Redford’s finest movie as director, Quiz Show is an American historical drama film based on the Richard N. Goodwin memoir Remembering America. The film follows the Twenty One quiz show scandal of the 1950s, the rise and fall of popular contestant Charles Van Doren, played by Ralph Fiennes, and the Congressional investigator Richard Goodwin (Rob Morrow) subsequent search for the truth. The film was nominated for four Oscars including Best Director and Best picture. The film, to this day, holds a 96% rating from Rotten Tomatoes.

All Is Lost (2013)

In the 2000’s Redford participated in acting, directing, and producing, but was more interested in his role as a philanthropist. Robert accepted the role in the upcoming film, All Is Lost, bringing him back into the spotlight. Redford depicts an unnamed man in a solo voyage in the Indian Ocean, waking up to find his 39-foot yacht taking on water after a collision with a shipping container left floating on the high seas. With his navigation equipment and radio disabled, the man sails unknowingly into the path of a violent storm. Despite his success in patching the breached hull, his mariner’s intuition, and a strength that belies his age, the man barely survives the tempest. Introducing himself to an audience of a different generation, Redford has had high reviews and has had critics awaiting the release of the new film.

All Is Lost arrives in UK&Irish cinemas 26th December.

Blu-Ray Review - The Long Goodbye (1973)

Genre:
Crime, Thriller, Drama
Distributor:
Arrow Video
Rating:
18
BD Release Date:
16th December 2013 (UK)
Director:
Robert Altman
Cast:
Elliott Gould, Nina van Pallandt, Sterling Hayden
Buy The Long Goodbye: Blu-ray [Amazon]

One of the films Robert Altman followed up his revisionist western McCabe &Mrs. Miller with was perhaps his most savage genre revision of a career of many with The Long Goodbye. It was his return to Hollywood after he made his more European flavoured psychological thriller Images in Ireland.

One night Terry Lennox askes for a lift down to Tijuana on the US/Mexico border when he visits Marlowe. He obliges and drives him but the next morning he is met by cops when he wakes him informing him Terry Lennox has committed suicide and murdered his wife. It starts a chain of events involving Marlowe tracking done a writer after being hired by his wife and being involved with some local L.A gangsters. As usual when it comes to these tales there is more than meets the eye.

The film is extremely loosely based on Raymond Chandler’s novel of the same title. The source novel featured his most famous creation the Private investigator Philip Marlowe most famously played by Humphrey Bogart in Howard Hawks’ adaptation of The Big Sleep. The screenwriter Leigh Brackett was responsible for both adaptations but they couldn’t be more different and Robert Altman had a lot of input in the final script. Altman’s radical approach to the storytelling was crystalized in the fact he never actually read the entire book and actually was more inspired by Raymond Chandler Speaking, which was a collection of letters and essays.

Elliot Gould plays Philip Marlowe and the case could be made he gives the gives the finest portrayal of Marlowe even though in many ways different from the source character. His portrayal was a clear inspiration for The Dude in The Big Lebowski which itself is a radical homage to Chandler. Marlowe during the famous cat-feeding scene he comes off a bit stoned to say the least that draws parallels to The Dude. He pulls the mumbling wise cracking of Marlowe to a t without it ever seeming false. Gould’s portrayed left such an imprint on Chandler’s estate he was later hired many times to read Chandler’s work on tape.

The Long Goodbye is one of Altman’s more contained films than the more ensemble satirical dramas he is more known for like Nashville, Short Cuts and M*A*S*H. The 70s was clearly the decade the majority of his great work came out even though he had some phenomenal work in the early 90s.

It’s a radical reworking of a much-celebrated author; the British critics were particularly harsh on the film because it wasn’t the Bogart take on Marlowe. It’s one of the few films he made with a clearly defined lead character and it helps the film in many ways and the fact it’s Elliot Gould in his personal favourite performance doesn’t harm the proceedings.

The film was a financial flop on its initial release but has since became a critical and fan favourite. It’s one of the last great neo-noirs of the 1970s along with Chinatown and Night Moves. It was last decade till recently that because of the current Political climates these stories seemed timely and not out of date. Arrow Video has released one of their finest Blu-Rays with a wealth of material including an hour-long doc on Robert Altman, an hour-long conversation with Elliot Gould, old features from the region 1 dvd along with new interviews with specialists on Altman, Chandler and Hard-Boiled Fiction.

It’s ok with me.

★★★★★

Ian Schultz

Win UK Documentary Jaywick Escapes On DVD

Jaywick Escapes is a candid portrait of life in the enigmatic seaside town of Jaywick - the unknown, decaying ‘edgeland’ of Essex - just a 90-minute drive from London’s Olympic Park yet as far from its ambition and dreams as it could possibly be. Jaywick Escapes is an Somewhere Film production out on DVD 16th December and we have copies to give away.

Officially now England’s most deprived place, Jaywick is the last refuge for many for whom life hasn’t quite worked out - a bargain sea view where you can vanish, at least for a while. Jaywick Escapes sensitively follows a handful of newcomers to the town, revealing their humanity and rejecting more familiar stereotypical portrayals of Britain’s underclass.

Pope & Guthrie started working in Jaywick in 2009, as part of a creative consultancy to identify ways to improve the public spaces in and around this unique town. Drawing on their wide experience of producing collaborative projects within challenging contexts, they engaged local people, gaining the confidence of both the young and old. The result of these relationships is the Jaywick Escapes film, shot across a period of 18 months in 2010/11.

We have 3 copies of Jaywick Escapes on DVD to giveaway and to enter please answer the following question:

Q.What English county connects Jaywick with Joey from TOWIE?

Deadline is 5th January 2013 (23:59pm),If you haven’t done already Like us and stay with us at our Facebook page (if you are already liking us just share this post on twitter and facebook). Must be 15or older to enter.

Terms&Conditions:
1.The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse, Somehwere Film  employees who have the right to alter, change or offer alternative prize without any notice.2.All The Peoples Movies entries must be done via contact form. deadline Sunday 5th January 2013 (23:59pm) 15 years or older to enter 3.Failure to include any information required to enter could result in your entry been void.  4.automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned, DO NOT INCLUDE telephone numbers as for security reason your entry will be deleted.5.If you are friend or like us at facebook for every competition you enter you get double entry, but you must 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.6.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes 7.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control so please do not complain 8.The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email for postal details and will be announced via facebook, sometimes we are unable to confirm winners. Uk & Irish entries only.
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Feature - A New Wave in New Queer Cinema

Spurred on by the AIDS crisis, the social exclusion of homosexual men during the 1980s induced fear and anger from both sides of the gender boundaries. Wanting to break away from various pithy representations at the start of a new decade, UK and US based gay filmmakers such as Gregg Araki (The Living End), Todd Haynes (Poison) and the late Derek Jarman (Blue) sought to create films which were expressionistic and upfront in their frustration towards heteronormative boundaries and relationships. They represented a new way of belonging within a gay community, a stronger acceptance of a grounded identity where there was pride in being different. Knowing these films were completely unlike anything else, film critic B Ruby Rich classed this wave of filmmaking as ‘New Queer Cinema’ in a 1992 issue of Sight & Sound. Yet, as the 90s continued and breakthroughs with AIDS treatments progressed, homosexual identities became more politically recognised and accepted. As a result, the central gay character grew to be more present within mainstream (Philadelphia) and populist Indie (Beautiful Thing) film throughout the decade. Following the standard template of having an identity problem with being gay or living with AIDS, these forms of conflict seemed the only way of making a story interesting or crucial in forcing a statement.

However, by the end of the 90s, the activist force of ‘New Queer Cinema’ seemed to fizzle out as gay equality within Western society became stronger and more widely accepted than ever before. As a result, the representation of the triumphantly well adjusted homosexual man took over most narratives. In Hollywood, popular centralised gay storylines (Brokeback Mountain, Milk) still centred on weepy ideals, set within a certain time period, where central characters were martyrs to highlight just how significantly times had changed. As for the some of the original ‘New Queer Cinema’ filmmakers, after having said everything they needed to, they moved on to different styles and forms of storytelling, either within mainstream or independent productions. Since the popularity behind the politics resulted in a move into the ordinary, many of the early gay activists and filmmakers – who thrived in their difference from the hetero norms – would argue that the war for recognition, acceptance and equality is over. However, the lack of fluidity within the structure of gay narratives still created dissatisfaction with a few younger directors. Rather than portray the direct anxiety that can be faced with homosexuality or have gay characters completely represent the community, directors Andrew Haigh, Travis Mathews and Ira Sachs have created stories where this identity is a mere factor towards a more universal story. In their films, characters are already well adjusted with their identity. They lead a standard suburban life where the issues of death or coming out are not important. Most importantly, they do not fall into a perception of a gay community. Although these characters may struggle with issues of their identity, they are subtlety handled by these filmmakers, making their connection with other characters or their community resonate. It is a sudden and unique shift within ‘Queer Cinema’, but also a welcome one.

Haigh’s Weekend, released in 2011, proved to be a surprise hit for the filmmaker. The small production, detailing a brief - yet passionate - weekend between two very different personalities, earned consistent critical praise and box-office success (earning the second highest screen average on its opening week in the UK, behind Speilberg’s TinTin). Similarly, Matthew’s acclaimed 2013 film, I Want Your Love, charts the various sexual encounters of a local mid-twenties San Francisco hipster within his social circle of friends. Finally, Sach’s Keep the Lights On, follows a relationship set over a decade, from its amusingly awkward beginnings through to its tribulations with addiction. Although these stories may be different, the characters within them reveal various personalities and situations which are relatable to both homosexual and heterosexual audiences. With dialogue and performances that feel improvised and stylised hand-held cinematography, the naturalistic qualities of these works present how social boundaries within more everyday settings have been abolished. Rather than smack various issues over the viewer, these films treat their audiences with respect in regards to their intelligence and own experiences. Speaking exclusively to Mathews, he says ‘I don’t want to take someone’s hand and say ‘‘we are about to go somewhere gay and this is what you need to understand.’’ It is what it is.’

The existence of this new wave of film came from frustration. Before these filmmakers, there was merely a desire of wish fulfilment in seeing fully adjusted, happy, gay men within the media. For Haigh, films and television displayed a sense of contemporary gay life which he himself knew nothing about. However, Sachs was confused at why the subject of troublesome long-term relationships was never an issue, after experiencing one himself. Such was the popularity and importance of ‘positive’ representations within the media that Mathews believes that he and his peers are making progress in depicting the lives of gay men; ‘Not all of us are living perfectly well adjusted lives and I personally don’t want to shy away from something that could be seen as a bad portrayal. We can be just as flawed and interesting as the next guy and we [Mathews, Haigh and Sachs] want to show that.’

In showing the honesty and flaws within their characters’ lifestyle, each filmmaker relies on addressing the thorny issue of sex. Previously, the depiction of gay sex usually proved unjustified or a crass ‘will-they-won’t-they’ plot device. It provided cheap thrills or was thrown in for the sake or liberation of being able to show it. Yet, for these filmmakers, sex is integral in showing the normality within the everyday of a developing relationship. Unfortunately, this is an area which immediately classifies a direct demographic within these universal storylines. Unlike the works of Lars Von Trier and Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine), who approach the topic of sex within heterosexual relationships to drive their stories, the subject of gay sex can still divide an audience. As the character of Glen says in Weekend – when speaking about his personal art project – ‘straights won’t care because it’s not about their world.’ However, as many highbrow critics have noted, this is where the appeal of these three films lie. The topic of sex displays a generational experience within many contemporary works of rooting your identity and displaying who you are. With the ideas depicted within these films evidently crossing over the lines that have divided sexuality, the characters become more resonant purely because the story takes place within the relationship of two men. Yet, one might wonder that whilst the barriers of cultural sexual rigidity still remain slightly profound and – especially in this case – can divide an audience, would these characters ever be fully appreciated?

The reason Mathews wrote I Want Your Love was through bafflement over the void left within cinema where sex between two characters revealed an extension to their personality. However, what puts Mathews above the rest in his depiction of intercourse is that he had his actors perform live sex in front of the camera; ‘When two people try to or have sex, there is a lot of information exchanged and I didn’t want to shy away from it when telling my story. I could not present the intimacy with my characters without showing sex. I just feel like we’re in a place in time where the stories we’re telling about ourselves can be a bit more complicated and modern.’ Haigh, however, was more reserved. Developing his two characters before showing any intimacy, he takes an empathetic eye, allowing his scenes to feel more meaningful and personal for his two leads. In his own words, he says, ‘it was very important for me not to just shoehorn the sex into my film. I wanted to present the effect of the first encounter and have the audience understand the characters before revealing more. By the end of the film, you want them to enjoy the sex they have in their final moments together.’ As with Keep the Lights On, critics in the UK and US have applauded the portrayal of sex being naturally integrated and included in people’s everyday contemporary lives, rather than separated from it.

Within the context of these individual works, the depiction of intimacy provides a level of character development which is rare to find in a lot of cinema but progressive in how narrative forms are changing.
There is a sense of satisfaction that comes from watching these films. Not only are you witnessing a change in the norms of representing homosexuality, but they are making progression with the identity by setting it within contemporary urban landscapes. In moving gay identities to the background and having other facets contribute more towards these flawed characters, it injects a much needed sense of realism in depicting the lives of these people. Rather than hammer you over the head with the issues raised in these films - ideas such as muted homophobia in Weekend, faithfulness within relationships in Keep the Lights On, or the importance of a small community within a culture in I Want Your Love – they linger through their lack of force. In going underneath the larger issues and executing them with empathy and intelligence, it allows the universal appeal to open up which is liberating. It is invigorating seeing filmmakers embrace how much of a mess life can be sometimes.

David Darley

Mad Fat Dairies, Make Up, Music To Manga, Glasgow Youth Film Festival Announces 2014 Line Up

Standard GYFF ticket price is £8.00/ £6.50 concession and £5 for under 14s (with proof of age).
Special events may have different prices. GFT’s free Youth Card scheme offers standard tickets at the reduced price of £4.50. Info at www.glasgowfilm.org/youthcard
All workshop places are limited and must be booked in advance through gyff@glasgowfilm.org. Tickets and further information available www.glasgowfilm.org/gyff or www.facebook.com/glasgowyouth
Beginning with teenage punks and ending with a band night, the raucous, attitude-laden and hormonally-charged programme for the sixth annual Glasgow Youth Film Festival, the only film event in Europe curated entirely by 15-17 year olds  was launched this morning.

Teenage life has fascinated filmmakers all over the world for years, offering endless possibilities for stories about outsiders, liminal spaces, first love and good (kids) versus evil (adults). This year’s GYFF programme takes its cue from Matt Wolf’s absorbing new documentary Teenage, which charts the historical creation of the teenager over the course of the twentieth century, to bring together films exploring adolescence all over the world. There’s also a whole lot of noise happening: the Festival opens with Lukas Moodysson’s latest film We Are The Best!, following a band of thirteen year old punks, and closes with the UK Premiere of I Feel Like Disco, about a disco-loving German teen exploring his sexuality, and a band night featuring young and emerging musicians from across the city alongside a live VJ set from an upcoming young filmmaker. GYFF is also delighted to host the UK premieres of a number of highly anticipated films, including Slamdance Festival jury prize-winner The Dirties.

A series of special events take the theme beyond the screen to involve the audience even further. Sharon Rooney, star of E4 smash hit series My Mad Fat Diary, leads a special panel event looking at the making of the show; the audience can try out the newest innovations by young game designers at the Game Jam, or get hands-on experience experimenting with film-quality zombie makeup ahead of a screening of ParaNorman. Following the success of last year’s Red Carpet Cosplay Parade, young movie-geeks will again be invited to dress up as their favourite comic book, computer game, film or manga characters ahead of the UK premiere of a mystery anime film. The programme also includes discussions around issues raised by certain films, and a string of workshops and masterclasses offering professional advice and development in everything from poster design and documentary skills to comedy writing from people already working in the industry

There are events for younger brothers and sisters too, starting with the popular annual Family Gala a first-look screening of the newest Dreamworks animation Mr Peabody and Sherman.

We will be attending the Glasgow Film Festival which Glasgow Youth Festival is part off, we hope to cover as much of the festival as we can. We're excited that Hayao Miyazaki's Wind Rises will be playing as we're fans of the animation maestro and know this won't disappoint.

Glasgow Youth Film Festival Scotland's most innovative film festival will take place from 2nd until 12th February 2014.

Opening Gala: We Are the Best!
Monday 3 February (18.15), GFT
Thirteen-year-old anarchists Bobo and Klara decide to form their own punk band and do battle with the more straight-laced teenagers at their school. A tribute to non-conformists everywhere and the power of music to change lives. Directed by versatile Swedish filmmaker Lukas Moodysson (Show Me Love, Lilya 4-Ever).
Dir: Lukas Moodysson/ Sweden 2013/ 1h42m/ subtitles/N/C+15


Closing Gala: I Feel Like Disco **UK PREMIERE**
Florian is an average German teenager with an obsession with famous crooner Christian Steiffen and a bedroom full of disco balls. He develops a crush on his father’s diving student, Radu, who isn’t best pleased about being labelled gay. The UK premiere of rising star Axel Ranisch’s first feature film.
Dir. Axel Ranisch/ Germany 2013/1h38m/subtitles/N/C 12+


Family Gala: Mr Peabody and Sherman 3D
Sunday 2 February (15.30), GFT
Mr. Peabody is a talking dog and the smartest being in the world. Using an ingenious invention, he travels back in time with his ‘pet’ boy, Sherman, experiencing world-changing historical events first hand.
Dir. Rob Minkoff/ USA 2014/ Time TBC/N/ C 5+
Preceded by short film The News +Weather (13mins), devised by children in Glasgow and Falkirk and produced by Starcatchers and Toad’s Caravan.

Eureka! To Give First Oscar Winning Film Wings The Master Of Cinema Treatment

Genre:
Drama, Romance, War
Distributor:
Eureka! Entertainment
DVD/BD Release Date:
27th January 2014 (UK)
Pre-order/Buy Wings:
WINGS (Masters of Cinema) (Dual Format Blu-ray &DVD)

Eureka! Entertainment have announced the release of the first-ever Best Picture Academy Award (Oscar) winner, Wings starring the exquisite early-Hollywood actress Clara Bow and from the director of such golden-era classics as The Public Enemy, Beau Geste, and Track of the Cat, William A. Wellman. This thrilling effects-laden melodrama of World War I aerial combat will be released in a Dual Format (Bluray &a DVD) edition as part of Eureka! Entertainment's award-winning The Masters of Cinema Series on 27 January 2014.

Forever granted a place in cinematic history by winning the first ever Academy Award for Best Picture in 1927 and the only silent film to do so, William Wellman’s silent epic Wings is more than an Oscar winner, but an epic story of friendship with the type of thrilling action only practical effects can imagine…

Hometown best friends Jack (Charles "Buddy" Rogers) and David (Richard Arlen) compete for the affection of a gorgeous dame (Jobyna Ralston), though Jack doesn't realise that girl next door Mary Preston (Clara Bow) has eyes for him as well. But World War I is soon upon them, so the boys are off to France to fight against the Germans. Meanwhile, Mary follows Jack into enemy lines as a nurse.

Wellman's epic drama combines the most spectacular of stunts with the most classical of melodrama, along with one of Bow's greatest performances and the screen debut of Gary Cooper. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present this American classic in a beautiful new restoration on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK as part of a Dual Format (Blu-ray & DVD) edition.

Watch this fantastic clip from Wings


SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Gorgeous newly restored 1080p transfer
• Video documentary Wings: Grandeur in the Sky
• Video documentary Restoring the Power and Beauty of Wings
• Video piece Dogfight!
• 40-PAGE BOOKLET featuring a new essay on the film by critic Gina Telaroli; excerpts from a vintage interview with Wellman; a 1930 profile of stuntmen from the film; a vintage piece on the production of the film; personal anecdotes from Wellman; rare archival imagery; and more!

Fellini's Landmark Roma Getting Master Of Cinema Blu-Ray Release This February

Eureka! Entertainment have announced the home video release of Roma, one of the most famous international hits by Federico Fellini, the most popular Italian director of all time (the director La strada, 8-1/2, Satyricon, and much more). Roma is a landmark film in the history of '70s art-film, and one of Fellini's best known-films to this day. Released on Blu-ray as part of Eureka! Entertainment's award-winning The Masters of Cinema Series on 17 February 2014.

One of the maestro Federico Fellini's greatest '70s works (between Satyricon and The Clowns and Amarcord), Roma [Rome] erupts volcanically as a state-of-the-world pronouncement on what was not only happening within Rome at the tide of the hippies' organic birth and the post-Boom-set that made up his characters of the 1960s films, but also where, and how, his city would move feverishly forward into one of potential futures.

As Fellini himself travels with his crew to document the ring-road circling Rome, with all the natural diversions that might inherently divert a traditional film shoot, we move into episodes that chart the wartime difficulties of Roman life across those fleeting times that chronicle love and life within the modern-day Rome-time, themselves pitted against the archaelogical vestiges of the great city, — and the Catholic church rears its dominance, and we come into a midpoint that positions itself, indeed, between the memory-cinema of Satyricon and Amarcord.

One of the great and bountiful colour-spectacles of Fellini's cinema, almost leapt off toward from the moment of Giulietta of the Spirits, Fellini's Roma remains a passionate testament both to the city that finally claimed him as its son after he left small Rimini, and to the final stage of cinema that he himself would work till the day he died. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Fellini's Roma in a Blu-ray edition for the first time in the UK.



SPECIAL FEATURES

• Gorgeous restored 1080p HD transfer of the film
• Outtakes from the film
• More to be announced closer to the release date
• 36-PAGE BOOKLET featuring the words of Fellini, and more!

We will be reviewing Fellini's Roma nearer the time and time will be 17th Febraury 2014.