Super Bitch DVD Review

Massimo Dallamano's latest film to be re-released, Super Bitch, takes us down a different route to the previously reissued, The Night Child. Instead of religious horror, the cinematographer turned director takes us on a tale chock-full of espionage, blackmail and sexual depravity. It is likely to have its fans, but to a casual viewer, it's difficult to understand the point of Super Bitch.

Undercover police inspector Ivan Rassimov attempts to expose an escort agency that has been blackmailing high profile clients into smuggling drugs over the border.

 Super Bitch begins like a trashy James Bond film/Euro-Crime thriller opening with crime honcho, Mama (Patricia Hayes), in a ruined Middle-Eastern city arranging drug deals with a mysterious stranger. It's not long until this stranger is wiped out by a skulking undercover cop, Cliff (Rassimov) soon resulting in a high octane car chase. Super Bitch begins feeling focused, however, things then seem to take an unfocussed turn with the plot soon verging on softcore erotica meets crude comedy. It all simply feels a bit disjointed and unclear.
The title Super Bitch (used for the film's 1980s reissue, to cash in on Stephanie Beacham's fame as Sable Colby in Dynasty and The Colbys), does not feel hugely appropriate - it gives the impression Dallamano's film is like The Stud or The Bitch. The original Blue Movie Blackmail is probably a more fitting title.

Beacham does bring her traditional feisty sex appeal to the role and as ever is a complete pleasure to watch as Joanne, the escort sleeping with high profile clients. Ivan Rassimov brings a sense of sleazy gravitas to the role of Inspector Cliff, playing the part of the Dirty Harry-esque cop well. 

There is also a funky trumpet infused score from Riz Ortolani (that screams cult film), used to fit the ever shifting tone of Super Bitch. Cult film enthusiasts are likely to enjoy the madness and incoherency of this feature, as well as its trashy charm. Where else would you see a high profile politician dressed as a rabbit being fed carrots by a half naked Stephanie Beacham or Patricia Hayes driving a convertible filled with oddball Italians singing songs about her?

If in the mood for something madcap, and slightly different you could do a lot worse than Super Bitch. However, if you are look for a solid story and sense of focus, Super Bitch is one to miss.
As always, Arrow Video have restored the print to a stellar quality and included a selection of interesting special features, including short documentary, 'Bullets, Babes and Blood'.

Andrew McArthur 

★★1/2☆☆

Stars: Stephanie Beacham, Ivan Rassimov , Patricia Hayes
Director: Massimo Dallamano
Release: 29th October 2012
Certificate: 15 (UK)
Buy Super Bitch:DVD

Excision Review

90210's AnnaLynne McCord leads the cast of Excision, a dark, visually rich tale, filled with stirring horror and tinges of black comedy. The unique style and self-awareness that fills Richard Bates Jr.'s film helps assert it as one of the finest features of 2012.

Pauline (AnnaLynne McCord) is a teenage outcast, infatuated with the idea of performing surgery. Her sinister behaviour alienates her from her image-conscious parents, Phyllis (Traci Lords) and Bob (Roger Bart) as well as her bitchy classmates and judgemental teachers. Only Pauline's young sister (Ariel Winter) who suffers from cystic fibrosis understands her, resulting in the young outcast attempting to perform life-saving surgery on her sibling.

Bates Jr. does not hold back in any way, fully transporting us into the mind of a twisted teenage outcast. Excision captures the gore-filled fantasies that clog Pauline's psyche with a trippy visual originality. This is paralleled by the cynical glistening sheen of middle class suburbia, a world that tries its best to subdue Pauline's warped fantasies. This idea of crude madness in suburbia gives vibes of the iconic work of John Waters (think modern day Polyester or Serial Mom), who has clearly been an influence on the young filmmaker. The teenage outcast theme in Excision also feels slightly reminiscent of the likes of Carrie, whilst the elements of body horror have David Cronenberg written all over them. It is essentially the best elements of many classic horrors and cult films finely crafted into one feature.

Part of the pleasure of Excision comes from the perfect elements of self-aware, dark comedy layered throughout the feature. From Pauline's no holds barred attitude with her parents and classmates to the frequent cynical looks at suburban life, Excision hits a perfect balance between horror and comedy.

Excision's cast is also likely to delight fans of camp and cult cinema. AnnaLynne McCord (90210) is completely unrecognisable in this dark role, managing to make us sympathetic to a highly unlikeable character. Pauline may be completely demented and her actions repulsive, but McCord's performance still connects with viewers - primarily when seeing Pauline bonding with younger sister, Grace. Roger Bart (The Stepford Wives) excels as Pauline's tired Father, whilst Ariel Winter's (Modern Family) pitch-perfect turn is likely to tug at your heartstrings.

The performance of the year, however, goes to the magnificent Traci Lords as Phyllis, Pauline's mother. Phyllis appears as a harsh, controlling figure to begin with - we see her judging her family every morning at the breakfast table, yet we still connect through Lords' stellar performance. We gradually see that Phyllis is a flawed character who simply wants the best for her children, however this is hindered by Pauline's actions slowly breaking her family apart. Lords is a revelation.

Excision also features an amusing appearance from John Waters' as a minister who counsels Pauline. Seeing the Pope of Trash as a devout representative of God is just another element of Bates Jr.'s clever, self-aware screenplay. Malcolm McDowell adds further star quality as a frustrated teacher, whilst Ray Wise and Marlee Matlin bring some further fun to the cast .

Excision is a must see for fans of cult cinema - it is the finest horror of the year.

Andrew McArthur 

★★★★★

Stars: AnnaLynne McCord, Traci Lords and Roger Bart  
Director: Richard Bates Jr.
Certificate: 18 (UK)
Ltd. Theatrical Release: 2nd November 2012
DVD/BR Release: 12th November 2012
Pre-Order/Buy Excision:DVD / BLU-RAY

London: The Modern Babylon DVD Review

With 2012, Diamond Jubilee, Para-Olympics, Olympic Games and all, placing London under the gaze of the world’s media; London: The Modern Babylon gives the capital city another chance to take centre-stage.

Julien Temple’s kaleidoscopic ode to London mixes archive footage with interviews, film and television clips, documenting its history throughout the Twentieth Century up to the present day, from idyllic Edwardian summers, through war, immigration, rock and roll, and boom and bust. Temple mixes his footage, juxtaposing his images to create a fluid tableau of events covering the last hundred years or so. Early Twentieth Century immigrants appear alongside their modern day counterparts, suffragettes and Mary Jane’s Mishap, accounts of racial tension and class divides with the voyeuristic first-person filter of Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom. From 1905 to 2012 it’s a glimpse at a city which has changed immeasurably over the decades, but still retains an enduring sense of identity.

As is to be expected from the man who helmed such films as The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle and Oil City Confidential, music plays a pivotal role in the creation of this two hour, London-centric collage. Footage of bombed-out terraces and air-raid shelters roll along to the beat of Mr Churchill Says, while riots and anti-war demos (not surprisingly) dance to the tune of Street Fighting Man. The result is an entrancing amalgam of sights and sounds that feels immensely substantial, pertinent and raw, even if so much of this trip down memory lane might really be old news.

The stars of the show are without question the city’s inhabitants. Tony Benn, and the late Malcolm McLaren pop up to wax lyrical about their home town, along with numerous commoners who have made the city their home over the years. It’s an intriguing and expressive way of reinforcing the notion that an organisation is only as good as its people.

London may receive an inordinate amount of exposure in comparison to this nation’s other cities of note, but Temple’s ability to weave and create such an alluring, musical, rhythmic tribute should be of interest to even those who hail from very distant towns.

Chris Banks (@Chris_in_2D)

★★★★☆

Rating:15
UK DVD Release Date:29th October 2012
Directed by: Julien Temple
Cast: Michael Gambon, Hetty Bower , Miss Marsh , Tony Benn
Buy:London: The Modern BabylonOn DVD

Hammer Films DVD Special Edition Reviews: Rasputin, The Mummy's Shroud, The Devil Rides Out

The Hammer vaults flaunt perhaps the world’s greatest collection of classic horror.  Sure, the Universal monsters have garnered legendary status and are perhaps a little more dependable for production value, but for cult status and cast, the British titan has no real adversaries. Perhaps due to the company’s recent revival and the commencing of its film production (last years The Woman in Black starring Daniel Radcliffe was new-wave Hammer produce) classic Hammer films have been re-mastered and reissued on DVD and Blu Ray, making now the best time to own an integral part of cinema history.

Rasputin (1966)

Rasputin, a holy man with the power to heal the sick, slowly makes his way through pre-revolution Russia towards St Petersburg with the sole intent of working his way towards the Tsars, his ruthless pursuit of wealth and power mark him as a danger to all those who stand in his way.

                One of Hammer’s many historical-epics-on-a-tight-budget, Rasputin starring Christopher Lee as the infamous holy man-cum-mad-man is handled with diligent care and mindfulness to its capabilities. In less skilled hands the film could have appeared over-reaching, but with a solid cast and careful scripting it keeps its focus on character.

                It’s important that the film be labelled as a historic drama with a dark side (what history doesn’t have a dark side?) as opposed to Hammer’s typical horror, to label this a horror movie feels somewhat criminal and dismissive. The thing that constantly amazes is Lee’s wonderful performance as the boisterous, brutish, subtle, and manipulative Rasputin.  Never before, and possibly after, has Lee achieved that range of character; his ability to slip between the mad monk’s many faces is the prize of the feature and the staple that holds it together.  The film does unfortunately waver at points, losing its focus or drifting into less arresting grounds, but on the whole it’s an enjoyable a and unwholesome affair.

Directed By: Don Sharp  Cast:Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley , Richard Pasco

★★★☆☆

The Mummy’s Shroud (1967)

The Mummy’s Shroud is perhaps the most bipolar in terms of quality out the three releases, at its best points it appears quant, romantic even, adventurous, and unsettling, yet on the other hand it can seem amateur and messy.  The third of Hammer’s Mummy films, Shroud allows itself to become victim to tedious writing, the typical story of “archaeologists warned against their escapades, unleash terror on themselves”, seems the basis for just about every Mummy film in existence. If you ignore the recycled narrative then the film can still thrill.

                Once the Mummy is awakened the film breathes new life into itself picking up pace. The Mummy scenes are actually quite vicious; Eddie Powell’s (Christopher Lee’s regular stunt double) slow cumbersome movements and the brutality of his Mummy’s attacks foresee a time when monsters like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees would rule the screens. A fantastic climax leaves the film in good standing, but one can’t help but wish the rest of the film achieved that level of excitement.

                There are glimpses of style and suspense but too few to mark the film out, this along with the fact the feature is mostly a few tense scenes strung together with a lack of real grit, lure the film into a middle ground of average horror.
Directed by: John Gilling Cast: André Morell, John Phillips , David Buck

★★☆☆☆

The Devil Rides Out (1968)

One of the truly great Hammer contributions to cinema, The Devil Rides Out is an exercise in perfect occult horror. Adapted by Richard Matheson from a Dennis Wheatley novel, the film follows two old friends, The Duc de Richleau (Christopher Lee) and Rex Van Ryn(Leon Greene) as they try to rescue a deceased friend’s’ son from the clutches of a satanic cult. The cult, led by the diabolic Mocata (Charles Gray), will stop at nothing to retrieve the young man and punish those who crossed them.

                Jumping straight to the point is a key factor in the films’ success; the story keeps the characters moving and never takes a dull or pointless turn. A stellar performance from Lee (one of his very best, and personal favourites) ensures that the plot is guided carefully around any possibly ridiculous devices. One of the key strengths of the piece is Lee’s polar relationship to Gray’s equally mesmerising Mocata, the two play out a battle of wits whilst rarely sharing any actual screen time.  The action is kept in check, the plot is gripping, the Wicker man vibe is strong and helps put a stamp of purely British terror on the feature, plus there are more than a few genuinely unnerving scenes.     
The film is frequently criticised for its disappointing visual effects, but apart from a dodgy spider gag the effects work pretty damn well.  The appearance of the actual Devil is a terrifying visitation thanks to some brutally unattractive make-up, as is the appearance of the Angel of Death, things that out of context could seem dated, but given the sharpness of the script and Terence Fisher’s tight direction pulls off smoothly.

                Few Hammer films achieve the crisp and startling quality of this piece after all these years, and even fewer are almost faultless. The Devil Rides Out is not just a fantastic example of Hammer’s capabilities, but a perfect alignment of those qualities that evade most horror productions; a stellar script, perfect cast, and genuine thrills.

Directed by: Terence Fisher Cast:Christopher Lee, Charles Gray , Nike Arrighi

★★★★★

SCOTT CLARK

Your Sister's Sister Blu-Ray Review

Any one who says love isn't complicated must be reading too many Mills 'n' Boon novels need to get a grip of reality. Life is complicated but is also beautiful in it's simplest form just like relationships, so introduce Lynn Shelton the director of Humpaday to the mix. Take those simple conventions of life make them complex going on farcical but most of all situations become truly believable resulting in the charming Your Sister's Sister.

Lost in emotional slump for the past year due to his brothers death Jack (Mark Duplass) takes the advice of his best friend Iris (Emily Blunt) to spend a week at her family's remote island retreat for a week of solitude and reflection. Upon arrival at the house Jack discovers some one is already there, Hannah (Rose Marie De Witt) Iris Sister who is also there for reflection with the end result the pair spending an awkward night together. The following morning the pair get an unexpected guest when Iris arrives at their front door setting off boundless revelations, complicated secrets and emotionally twisted tale of siblings and best friends, loyalty and love.

When you have a film that has improvisation or even improvisation in any form it can be a risky move. In Your Sister's Sister what we get is something that's brutally honest most of all very sincere.Everything is kept believable thanks to the characters who are likeable as well as creating a nice chemistry between the three leads which never feels forced. To highlight how natural and flowing things where Shelton captures the moment with scenes were shot in one shot which is a rarity these days.

Your Sister's Sister isn't a laugh out loud a minute film nor a romantic comedy in the same description as the Romcoms we get these days a dime a dozen. I would go as far as calling this more a sitcom as it's all in the dialogue and the rapport of the characters, also we don't get bombarded with long winding info on each character just enough to know she was with him, he is a slacker, she was with her then with him and Bob is your uncle.

Everything seems to work thanks to the performances of the cast. Mark Duplass despite the one been lumbered at times with the films 'awkward moments' handles Jack's part masterfully balancing his character's mischievous buffoonery with endless insecurities. His handling of the character probably thanks to him been one of the founders of Mumblecore sub-genre, so if Duplass is Ying Rose Marie De Witt must be Yang. As Hannah she is cheekily manipulative , homewrecker of sorts but also a fragile troubled soul too.Emily Blunt as Iris delivers a safe performance and been the bigger name of the three cast members credit goes to her as she proves she has the ability to improvise an area many other bigger names have either tried and failed miserably or don't even go near. You may also ask how come Iris and Hannah are sisters whilst one is American the other British? Don't have to Sherlock Holmes to figure it out but I won't spoil the moment as it's a funny scene but it gives the film an extra dimension. With De Witt been a late replacement for Rachel Weisz you wonder if this film would have worked with 2 British female leads?

In words of a former Colleague Your Sisters Sister is also a film that will be enjoyed 'by dudes' just as much as women.There's no fantasy fairytale scenarios just 3 normal fragile souls in need of some 'me time' but now finding themselves in a rather crowded retreat,a crowed house that leads to some farcical results. For all it's charms Your Sisters Sister does at times fell a little stretched , even flat at times but thanks to the simplicity of the plot and great performances from the cast it keeps the film interesting but most of all entertaining. The end scene may frustrate some of you but as improvisation is the name of the game here Lynn Shelton leaves this point of the film for you to improvise.

Paul Devine

★★★1/2☆

Rating:15 (UK)
DVD/BD Release Date: 29th October 2012
Directed By: Lynn Shelton
Cast: Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt , Rosemarie DeWitt
Buy/Pre-Order Your Sister's Sister:DVD / Blu-ray

Lords of Salem Trailer

 At last we have the first trailer for Rob Zombie's latest film; The Lords of Salem. Zombie's film film career started back in 2003 with House of a Thousand Corpses two years later saw the release of the sequel:The Devil's Rejects, a significantly more grown-up film that really showed off Zombie's talents behind the camera. He rebooted the Halloween franchise, made a part two that was just as stylish and visceral, visited the world of the animated in The Haunted World of El Superbeasto. So far Zombie has garnered a significant amount of praise marking him out as one of the more interesting directors indulging in macabre cinema today, his latest film looks like it could be his most inventive, haunting, beautiful, and art-house flick.

Directed and Written by: Rob Zombie
Starring: Sheri-Moon Zombie, Ken Foree, Bruce Davison, Patricia Quinn, Jeff Daniel Phillips

Synopsis: The town of Salem is visited by a 300 year-old coven of witches, after a local DJ plays a record sent to her mysteriously by unknown persons.

SCOTT CLARK

Watch The Fantastic Portrait Of A Projectionist Short

When we go to the cinema we do seem to take things for granted and when changes happen we only seem to comment what we see in front of us if you like to say 'shop floor'. The ticket prices, snack prices, atmosphere of the cinema screen, quality of the film but everytime we do this we do forget probably the most important person....The projectionist. He or she is responsible of setting up the magic we pay to watch enfold in front of us but if your a lover of film (or cinephile as we call them at Cine and The People's Movies) they are also going through drastic changes thanks to the digital age.

35mm is dying been replaced by digital films, you could say it's the end of film, as many old films are too fragile to be transferred, you may not know if your local cinema has changed but where is 35mm film still running? Good question, Ridwaan Fridie, a projectionist from South Africa still is living the dream and he is the subject of Philip Bloom's fantastic short film documentary Portrait Of A Projectionist.

Portrait of Ridwaan Fridie. A film projectionist in the Labia theatre in Cape Town, South Africa for the past 24 years but with big changes on the horizon where does that leave Ridwaan?

If you love film in every way this short doc will go down a treat.

Portrait of a projectionist from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

source:Firstshowing

The Night Child DVD Review

Chances are, The Night Child is not a title that most viewers will easily recognise. Fortunately, this little-known Italian horror from  1975 receives its UK DVD release from Arrow Video this month, much to the delight of many genre fans. Boasting chills similar to Don't Look Now, Who Saw Her Die? and Suspiria, The Night Child is not to be missed.

Massimo Dallamano (the renowned cinematographer of A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More) directs this tale of a documentary maker (played by Richard Johnson) exploring the world of Italian Satanic art for a BBC television program. After gifting his daughter (Nicoletta Elmi)  an ancient medallion, she simultaneously begins to develop violent tendencies - surely that has nothing to do with the fact that this medallion belonged to a notorious young murderess.

Dallamano is a master of crafting atmosphere and tension with The Night Child blurring the lines between the horror film and an art piece. Alongside Dallamano's brooding and utterly unsettling direction, this feature also boasts the stunning cinematography of Franco Delli Colli (The Last Man On Earth). With these two major creative talents involved, The Night Child guarantees some beautifully crafted set-pieces and some truly unique scares. 

Credit must go to Dallamano for not simply falling into the trap of writing a rehash of The Exorcist. The director fills the film with religious iconography, tailored to the atmospheric Italian setting, as well as the use of flashbacks showing the dark history of the medallion. Thankfully instead of relying on dated make-up effects (like we see in so many possession features), The Night Child leaves the work to the stellar acting talents of child star, Nicoletta Elmi (Who Saw Her Die?), who dominates the screen as the possessed young Emily. There are some real moments of cool Italian charm here - you would never see Linda Blair's Regan MacNeil smoking a cigarette and giving her nanny an icy stare, like we see Elmi do in The Night Child.

Staples of the genre do feature, some handled with a campy charm - mainly a scene stealing turn from Lila Kedrova as a tarot-card obsessed confidant of Johnson's character.  For all the avid croquet fans reading (queue tumbleweed), you are unlikely to want to play by a cliffside after witnessing the fate of one of Emily's victims. This scene in-particular is one of the standouts of The Night Child, showing Emily's nanny sent tumbling down the cliff into a barren river is likely to send a shiver down your spine. Other moments, including one sequence which looks like an early version of The Omen glass sheet decapitation scene, helpfully remind us that The Night Child is a film way ahead of its time. 

Once again, this feature has been lovingly restored by Arrow Video, with stellar picture quality and an insightful  short documentary on the Italian possession film.

The Night Child is a stunning piece of Italian horror. Dallamano's visually rich direction and unique scares show that this is by no means a cheap imitation of The Exorcist - in my opinion it is equally as enjoyable.

Andrew McArthur 

★★★★☆

Stars: Richard Johnson, Nicoletta Elmi , Lisa Kedrova
Director: Massimo Dallamano
DVD Release: 25th October 2012
Certificate: 15 (UK)

Beast Of Southern Wild Review

Having spent the majority of 2012 hovering up accolades at numerous worldwide festivals, Beasts of the Southern Wild arrives in blighty to compete for yet another award at the London Film Festival (the Sutherland award for first feature) before its general release on Friday. Seen as one of the trending ‘green issue’ films when it premiered at Sundance in January, Benh Zeitlin’s is a startlingly assured debut and one that will mark him out for bigger projects and budgets.

His take on the environmental issue is not littered with numbers or facts choosing instead to go for the emotional jugular, hitting his mark with a near folkloric tale of 6 year-old Hushpuppy and her sick yet strong father Wink…yes the names are a bit much. The two live in ‘the bathtub’; a flood risk plain of the southern delta of America and home to a drinking rabble of idealists, drop-outs and elderly couples all instilled with a joire de vive that allows them to celebrate rather than fear their unusual homeland.

Zeitlin plunges us into the mud, dirt and maggots of the bathtub and all its creatures – human, farmyard and sea, unafraid of getting our fingers dirty. This living, breathing squalor lies alone, cut off from the mainland by a great barrier allowing Zeitlin to create an almost mythical community detached from the worries of ours and fill it instead with a world of magical realism and no little style.

Hushpuppy’s near Buddhist take on the Universe being a finely balanced place dependent on ‘everything fitting together jus right’ creates a heartbeat for the film – one made overt with the throbbing pulses of the many creatures held to Hushpuppy’s ear. It’s when a storm threatens to ruin her homeland for good that the earths impact starts to turn her zen like view into a tale of survival. The weather turns, water rises and Hushpuppy is quickly forced to make the most of the skills her ailing father has taught her. Brought with it are the beasts of the title; pre-historic giant boars set free from their ice-capped tombs and free to plunder all before them.

The inevitable backlash may already be underway – the vague, poetic one-line musing narration, elements of poverty porn and the music video qualities of the pre-credit sequence all feeling the ire of some but there is far too much wonder in the whole to focus on the minute. The sense of community in the bathtub may not ring particularly true but it’s one conjured up with real affection. Beautifully lit and photographed, this rough and ready backdrop becomes a character of its own as, aided by his own score, Zeitlin successfully creates a tone unseen in American cinema away from a Terrence Malick film.

Much of the plaudits are coming the way of 8 year old star Quavenzhane Wallis, with talk already turning to a possible Oscar nod – an understandable if slightly knee-jerk reaction to the capabilities of a minor holding her own in such an inventive film. Surely, however, much of the praise must be attributed to Zeitlin himself. He has crafted a visionary, rich and warm feature that belies his relative novice and, in the shadow of Katrina’s clouds, forced an issue as important as environmental concerns almost subliminally into screens around the globe.

Matthew Walsh

★★★★½

Rating: 12A
Release Date: 19th October 2012 (UK&Ireland)
Directed by: Benh Zeitlin
Cast: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly

Park Row (Masters Of Cinema) DVD Review

Park Row is a key film in Samuel Fuller’s always captivating and idiosyncratic career. It’s always one of his very best up they’re with such classics as Shock Corridor, The Big Red One and The Naked Kiss. It’s one of his earliest films which was made after a succession of War films and a couple westerns such as his extremely successful The Steel Helmet and it’s companion film Fixed Bayonets! and the still radical interpretation of the Jesse James story I Shot Jesse James.

Sam said his favourite of all of films he made was Park Row. It was a passion project and a very nostalgic look at the time of headline grabbing journalism. Sam was a journalist himself in the 1920s and 1930s (a copyboy at the age of 12) till he joined the army during WW2. It was a truly independent film which Sam financed sorely by himself, it was roughly $200,000 + his $1000 fee which was for liquor and fine cigars. He was offered a big budget film, which Gregory Peck after the success of The Steel Helmet but turned it down in favour of his own project.

The film is set in 1886 and it’s about a reporter Phineas Mitchell (Gene Evans) who is fired from his job at newspaper The Star. He goes to a bar to drown his sorrows but a man called Steve Brodie rushes in claiming to have jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge. Phineas tells him he has lost his job. A friend of Phineas called Charles A. Leach (Forrest Taylor) also in the bar tells him his dreams of starting his own newspaper.

They decided to start the newspaper that night and Charles has the printing press, offices and money necessary to do so. They hire all their newspaper pals in the bar on the spot. A policeman comes into the bar to find Steve Brodie for jumping off the bridge and now they have a FRONT PAGE STORY for the first issue of their paper The Globe. The Globe becomes a sensation, which it’s headlines and it’s multiple daily copies with only the front page changed! Phineas’ ex boss (of newspaper The Star) the femme fatale like Charity Hackett (Mary Welch) is getting jealous of the success of the paper and her superior decide to kill The Globe with many tactics including stopping supplies of ink and paper and later violence.

The film has wonderful cast full of bit players who only got their due in this probably due to the film’s budgetary constraints. It’s was all filmed on one set for similar reasons. It’s wonderfully written almost screwbally at times which reminds me of the legendary script of His Girl Friday. However it’s not a comedy but more in the way of the dialogue in spoken, it’s stylistic. It is also a very contemporary film a way cause it’s partly about the corporate money coming into journalism, which diminished the type of journalism Fuller loved. It’s a remarkable 8 reeler, which should be rediscovered over and over again.

Ian Schultz 

★★★★★

Rating:12A
UK Re-Release Date: 22nd October 2012
Directed By: Samuel Fuller
Cast: Gene Evans, Mary Welch , Bela Kovacs
Buy:PARK ROW (Masters of Cinema) (DVD) [1952]

Monstro! DVD Review

Rarely do we get a chance to see shameless grind-house features hell bent on fast paced schlock and rip-roaring fun, and it’s on those grounds that Australian independent flick Monstro! delivers. Written and directed by Stuart Simpson and put together Guerrilla-style by a small crew of obviously dedicated individuals this is probably the underdog Indy cult event of the year.

              
Three deranged killers, Beretta, Blondie, and Snowball, hole up in a small beachside community after their murderous actions attract the wrong kind of attention. But not all is as it seems in this small town. A few of the locals try desperately to warn them of the dangers of going into the water but the crazy vixens listen to no one. However, their seaside frolic awakens a horrifying beast from the depths of the ocean and it isn’t long before the girls are hip-deep in trouble, facing the fight of their lives against the terrifying Kraken.

              

The story is put together with a loving knowledge of all things exploitation, think Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! with Evil Dead gore and a monster reminiscent of Ray Harryhausen. It ventures back in time to explore what’s so wonderful about the female exploitation genre; proving we don’t need good girls, Hell we don’t even need bad girls, as long as they’re able to fight a sea monster they can make gripping viewing. The three vixens that parade the screen-time are endearing to watch, beautiful yet no-nonsense, OTT and bound together by a hatred of conventional life, rebels and patriots to their own dastardly cause. Simpson has done a great job of replicating a 60s and 70s-esque trio of terrible sirens, and the girls have done a great job at embodying them.

             
 For a film of its ilk, Monstro! is surprisingly well put together, the camera work and editing jump miles ahead of many other films with a significantly bigger budget, but that’s the brilliant thing about cult films, you can get away with some really outlandish finishing touches. Some scenes prove over-stylised, detracting from the flow of the narrative, but a sometimes brilliant (often cheesy) self-referential angle indulges the cult quality to the point of decadence. And there’s nothing more enjoyable than pure decadence, even if it sometimes strays the mark. The soundtrack too is perfect and strides hand-in-hand with the style of the film, a sexy sassy Tarantino sound that brings the film a classy aspect it does its utmost to dodge through visuals.

              
Sure, the film’s not perfect. This grindhouse feature loses itself at points through taking its foot off the peddle to expand a narrative that doesn’t really need too much depth. And sure there’s some hefty bits of overacting but that can be ignored when considered as part of a film whose sole purpose is to show off the reckless and outrageous charm of B-movies. Movies like this have to be gauged in terms of their niche

              
A film for cult fans made by cult fans; dripping with love, elbow-grease, sex-appeal, and gore. Exploitation at its filthy best and an impressive second feature-length film, Monstro! is a must in this year’s top B-movies for sheer balls and total immersion, extra credit is most definitely awarded for fantastic monster-effects. Besides it’s probably the best “Outlaw Babes vs. Sea Monster” flick you’ll see this year. Probably.

SCOTT CLARK

★★★★☆

UK Rating:18
DVD Release Date: 22nd October 2012
Director: Stuart Simpson
Cast: Norman Yemm, Nelli Scarlet, Kyrie Capri 
Buy:MONSTRO! (Monster Pictures) (DVD)

Win We Are The Night, Apartment 143 & Woman In Black Goodies

All this cool stuff could be yours!

Celebrate this Halloween with an amazing supply of horror goodies including three fantastic Momentum Pictures films: The Woman In Black, Apartment 143 and We are the Night!

You can watch all these great films complete with your own Woman in Black T-shirt, mug and torch (for when you're hiding under the covers!

We are the Night and Apartment 143 come to DVD from 15th October.

We Are The Night:When she unknowingly picks the pocket of a man one night on the streets of Berlin, small-time crook Lena attracts the unwanted attention of Inspector Tom Serner, a young police detective involved in ongoing investigations into Lena’s victim, a known Russian mobster. Although she manages to escape Tom’s clutches, Lena’s personal situation becomes even more complicated when she later visits an underground nightclub and meets Louise, the club’s owner and the leader of a trio of female vampires that also includes “young” party girl and DJ Nora and former 1920s silent film star Charlotte. Louise immediately falls in love with Lena and decides to transform her, introducing her to a glamorous existence of non-stop partying, fast cars, limitless night-time shopping sprees and eternal life. But it all comes at a price. As Lena struggles to come to terms with the endless killings and attempts to fend off Louise’s Sapphic advances, the bloodthirsty quartet’s murderous activities draw Tom and his police colleagues ever closer.

Apartment 143:Following the tragic death of his wife, Alan White and his two children find themselves plagued by a series of inexplicable events that eventually force them to leave their home and move into an apartment building in the city. Worryingly, within a week of moving, they once again begin to experience the strange phenomena that threaten to tear apart what is left of their family.Desperate for answers and, hopefully, a release from what he is beginning to believe is a haunting, Alan requests the help of a small team of parapsychologists experienced in investigating and explaining such incidents. Armed with an arsenal of state-of-the-art technology, the team members set up their equipment and begin a vigil during which they will attempt to solve the mystery. But what they uncover proves to be unlike anything they have ever encountered before.

Woman In Black:Based on the classic ghost story, THE WOMAN IN BLACK tells the tale of Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a lawyer who is forced to leave his young son and travel to a remote village to attend to the affairs of the recently deceased owner of Eel Marsh House.Working alone in the old mansion, Kipps begins to uncover the town’s tragic and tortured secrets and his fears escalate when he discovers that local children have been disappearing under mysterious circumstances. When those closest to him become threatened by the vengeful woman in black, Kipps must find a way to break the cycle of terror.
To win The Spooktastic prize please answer the following question:

Q.Recently The Woman In Black sequel was given its official title, what is that title?

a.The Woman In Black:Angel Of The North

b. The Woman In Black :Angel Of Death

c.The Woman In Black:Angel Of Doom

Deadline is 4th November 2012 (2359hrs), Must 15 years or older to enter
To enter send your answer, name, address, postcode only to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com
Label emails 'We are the night'

Terms & Conditions:1.This prize is non transferable.No cash alternatives apply.UK & Irish entries only.2.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse and Momentum Pictures have the right to alter, delay or cancel this competition without any notice3.The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse,Momentum Pictures employees 4.This competition is promoted on behalf of Momentum Pictures 5. If this prize becomes unavailable we have the right to offer an alternative prize instead 6.To enter this competition you must send in your answer, name, address only, Deadline November 4th, 2012 (2359hrs)7.Will only accept entries sent to the correct email (winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com), any other entry via any other email will be void.8.If the above form fails please send the information required from the form email it to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com  (label we are the night) If any info required from the form is not sent in the email your entry will be void9.automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned.10.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes 11.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control 12.The competition is opened to Aged 15  and over.13. Majority of the prizes on offer will come from representatives of the distributor, no The People’s Movies &Cinehouse, when we do have the prizes we will inform you.14. Unless Stated Please  Do Not Include Telephone Numbers, we don’t need them and if you include your telephone number Cinehouse and The People’s Movies are not responsible for the security of the number15.The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email or announced via facebook, sometimes we are unable to confirm winners.16.This competition is bound by the rules of Scotland,England & Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland.17.By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.
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MARTIN KEMP STALKS HORROR CHANNEL

Martin Kemp, the famed actor/musician has turned his hand to horror, bringing us his impressive directorial debut STALKER.  It’s 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.

Kemp talks about being a horror fan, why he prefers directing to acting and compares his experience in the Celebrity Big Brother House to ‘The Thing’.

You wrote the screenplay for Stalker, where did the inspiration for the story come from?

Jonathan Sothcott, the producer, came to me asking me to rewrite the seventies movie ‘The House On Straw Hill’, but after looking at it I decided to just take a seed from it and send it on to a different journey, but the basic principle is still there. 

Are you a big horror fan?

Love horror, from the moment I saw Boris Karloff in the Mummy, to The Omen... They keep me on the edge of my seat.

How did you go about casting the movie or did you have people in mind whilst writing?

Casting was easy as we always knew we wanted Jane March and it was a matter of fitting the other parts around her.

Did you have a large budget to play with?

LARGE! I wish. This was tiny even compared to tiny budgets.....but we made the most of what we had.

The film has a gothic chill to it and a bloody climax, are you happy the way the film turned out? 

As happy as you can be! always when you make anything you wished you could go back and shoot it again, or paint or make it again...its only natural!

Did you have to cut any scenes due to time or budget restrictions?

We cut the most expensive scene as it goes because it ended up looking to Dr Who rather than gothic horror!

What was the atmosphere like on set?

The atmosphere was great, but it has to be on low budget, everyone has to chip in....it’s the only way!

Stalker is getting its UK TV premiere on the Horror Channel, how do you feel about that?

Thrilled it’s on the Horror Channel....it’s the home of all great horrors!

Where are you at your happiest when working? Is it acting, playing on stage, writing or directing?

I am by far at my happiest directing....it encompasses everything I love...Music, drama, photography and people!

If you were given the chance would you like to tackle a remake of a classic horror? If so which one would you choose and why?

A remake of a classic Horror...I would love to make ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ – a great mix of horror and romance.

Will you be directing more horror movies in the future and what projects are you working on at the moment?

There is a fantastic project I’m working on at the moment, but you know what it’s like ....I will tell you about it when it’s signed and sealed

You’ve recently come out of the Big Brother house, that must have been a bizarre experience? Did this give you any inspiration for a movie?

A couple of times it was like being on the set of The Thing..... it was fun.

Martin Kemp, thank you

A pleasure.

Stalker premieres on the Horror Channel Oct 19 at 10.55pm

We Are The Night DVD Review

German Vampire flick ‘We are the Night’ does exactly what is says on the tin. In an era where vampire movies are a dime a dozen, it’s difficult to supply something original to the genre, and unfortunately director Dennis Gansel’s take on the creatures is nothing but another high action, gluttonous movie to add to the pile.

That’s not to say it’s not enjoyable, however. It’s shot well, it’s got enough fight scenes, special effects and fake blood to satisfy and action fan - with particular reference to the final sequence involving two very attractive woman and a lot of bending the rules of physics - and there’s plenty of typical vampire behavior to keep the lifestyle enviable. However, the problem is that this is the perfect word to describe the movie itself - typical.

Telling the tale of young criminal Lena (Karoline Herfurth) as she unwittingly falls into the hands of long time vampire lesbian Louise (Nina Hoss) and her band of vampire babes - party girl Nora (Anna Fischer) and 1920’s silent film star Charlotte (Jennifer Ulrich). Naturally there’s a handsome hero, coming in the form of police inspector Tom Serner (played by Max Riemelt - who looks suspiciously like a German Garret Hedlung) and it all follows a likely story arc; there’s some vampire fun - shopping, partying etc. - before our heroine has trouble coming to terms with all the murder and bloodshed, and her hero gets caught up in the whole bloody mess.

To hold your attention, there are car chases, aeroplane crashes, bikini-wearing-blood-soaked-females, some high budget special effects, and an attractive cast for you to oggle, just don’t expect to have your perspective on the age old monster completely re-vamped (pardon the pun).

The special features offer up some nice additional content, with your usual behind the scenes and VFX features. Also worth a watch are the additional scenes and alternate endings - just as well, as the final edit has an ending which feels lacking.

In summation, it’s nothing groundbreaking. It’s exactly the type of vampire movie you’d expect for a True Blood generation, which is fine… if you’re into that kind of thing.

Jo Heinemeier 

★★1/2☆☆

Certificate: 15
Release Date: 15th October 2012
Director: Dennis Gansel
Starring: Karoline Herfurth, Nina Hoss, Jennifer Ulrich, Anna Fischer, Max Riemelt

Watch The Teaser & Full Trailer For Confession Of Murder

Meeting someone face to face who says he's the killer of the unsolved murders who where investigating many years ago is someone you want to meet at a police station not at a book signing. In Jeong Byeong-gil  Confession Of Murder Jung Jae-young  plays an hardened cop Choi who comes face to face with a baby faced suave 'killer' Lee (played by Park Shi-hoo)who claims to be the killer of those unsolved murders 17 years previously, they meet each other at the book signing of 'I Am The Killer'. Thanks to a rule of the statute of limitations Choi cannot not touch Lee but is determined this time he'll get his killer.

Been an avid fan of Korean thrillers anything remotely dark, twisted even intense I'm a sucker for them and Confession of Murder certainly looks to have the credentials to be at least intense. Park Shi-Hoo looks creepy and his sinister smile/stare does suggest behind the babyface there's something ice cold evil behind it.

Confession of Murder is released in Korea November, check out the official teaser and full trailers below.

Confession of Murder - Teaser Eng Subbed

Director Jeong Byeong-gil made his debut with action documentary "Action Boys" (2008), a film about stunt men who dream of becoming action stars. He is now moving onto feature films for the first time. This action thriller, with his stable performance, Jeong Jae- yeong takes on the roll of detective Choi Hyung-gu and popular TV drama star Park Si-hoo plays Lee Du-seok. After the statute of limitation expires on the murders he has committed, Lee Du-seok publishes an autobiography describing all his murders in great detail. Detective Choi, who investigated Lee's murders 15 years ago starts the chase once again and Han Ji-soo, who lost her daughter to Lee, pledges vengeance. Meanwhile, another killer appears, casting doubt to whether Lee is the real serial killer. The key here is how well the story juggles the truth and how solid the description of the characters' tangled relationships is. The film began production in January, and is scheduled to be released during the second half of the year.

source: Hancinema / Film Smash

Watch The Awesome Stephan Zlotescu's True Skin Short

Who said short film makers don't have talent? I've heard a few people say that in the past however quite a few feature films  of the past 20 plus years have stemmed from an short film idea and Stephan Zlotescu's True Skin could be the next short film to get the feature length treatment. The film has sparked a bidding war from the studios for the rights the full 6 minute short has been released online for your full enjoyment before one of the big studios destroy thr film integrity with a mediocrity version.

TRUE SKIN from H1 on Vimeo.


True Skin is set in a future where augmented humans and robots co-exist together with humans. Kaye buys a prototype robot that not only sees him fighting his own humanity but also something much larger. Incredible looking stuff a big Blade Runner feels to the film which was shot in Bangkok Thailand.

Source :FirstShowing

Uwe Boll's Zombie Massacre Trailer

He's the filmmaker many love to hate and for numerous reasons you can see why they hate him but whatever you think he has a cult following and as long that fanbase is around Uwe Boll will keep making those films.  His latest film though this time only as producer Zombie Massacre a full trailer has landed online with Eaters duo Marco Ristori and Luca Boni directing. Based on a 1998 video game which has similarities to Doom but with the undead roaming the lands which look like the same location as Eaters but this Italian duo are experts at low budget flicks so absorb your resources!

It's bog standard stuff however with so many zombie films on the market now we can easily say Zombie Massacre looks like one of the better ones which has Uwe Boll even starring in it as the President of United States!!! No word on the UK&Irish release date just yet but expect it either before the end of this year early next year. Zombie Massacre also stars Tara Cardinal, Mike Mitchell, Jon Campling, Christian Boeving, Gerry Shanahan, Daniel Vivian and Carl Wharton.

A bacteriological weapon developed by the US Government to create a super soldier - spreads an epidemic in a quiet little town in the middle of Eastern Europe. All citizens have been turned into infected zombies. The plan is to bring an atomic bomb into the city's nuclear plant to pretend a terrible accident occurred. No one has to know the truth. A team of mercenaries is hired to complete the mission. The battle is on. Hordes of monsters against the team.

source: DreadCentral

Yasujirō Ozu's Floating Weeds Getting Masters Of Cinema Treatment

FLOATING WEEDS [UKIGUSA] will be released in DUAL FORMAT (BLU-RAY & DVD) & DVD editions as part of the Masters of Cinema Series on 3 December 2012.

Eureka Entertainment have announced that they will be releasing a gorgeous new HD restoration (undertaken exclusively for this release) of  FLOATING WEEDS [UKIGUSA], one of the most acclaimed films by Japanese legend Yasujirō Ozu (Tokyo Story; Late Spring; Early Summer; An Autumn Afternoon; Good Morning). Starring iconic Japanese actors Chishū Ryū (Tokyo Story; Red Beard), Machiko Kyō (Ugetsu monogatari; Gate of Hell), and Haruko Sugimura (Kwaidan; Late Spring), the Dual Format (Blu-ray + DVD) edition, available on Blu-ray for the very first time anywhere in the world, will be released alongside a DVD-only edition on 3 December 2012.

“A thoroughly absorbing affair” – Total Film

“Ozu's familiar combination of melancholy regret and buoyant comic gaiety is beguilingly in evidence.” – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

“A poignant tale of everyday folk; their lives, loves and losses, rendered with exquisite care, compassion and no small measure of humanity by one of the masters of Japanese cinema.” – Film 4

“Floating Weeds'' (1959) is like a familiar piece of music that I can turn to for reassurance and consolation. It is so atmospheric--so evocative of a quiet fishing village during a hot and muggy summer--that it envelops me.” - Roger Ebert

Towards the end of his career, Japanese master Yasujirō Ozu (Tokyo Story; Late Spring; Early Summer; An Autumn Afternoon; Good Morning) returned to a story he had made some 25 years earlier as a silent, Ukigusa monogatari [A Story of Floating Weeds], for a magnificent colour reworking, photographed by legendary cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa (Rashomon, Ugetsu monogatari).

When a travelling theatre troupe brings their show to a seaside port, Komajurō (Ganjirō Nakamura), an ageing actor, is reunited with his former lover, sake bar owner Oyoshi (Haruko Sugimura), and his illegitimate son Kiyoshi (Hiroshi Kawaguchi), to the distress of his current mistress Sumiko (Machiko Kyō).

From this simple scenario, Ozu builds, one exquisite image at a time, a saga of profound humanity and rich understanding. Encompassing a novelistic range of emotions and tones with the utmost delicacy, Floating Weeds stands tall even amidst a body of work as extraordinary as Ozu's. Making its worldwide Blu-ray debut, The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Floating Weeds in a beautiful new high-definition restoration, released as a Dual Format (DVD & Blu-ray) edition and a DVD edition on 3 December 2012.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Exclusively restored high-definition master presented in the film's original aspect ratio, in 1080p on the Blu-ray

• Newly translated optional English subtitles

• Original Japanese theatrical trailer

• Illustrated booklet featuring the words of Ozu, rare archival imagery, and more

• Further details to be announced nearer the release date!
Pre-Order/Buy:FLOATING WEEDS [UKIGUSA](Masters of Cinema) (DVD) [1959] / DVD (&BLU-RAY DUAL FORMAT)