Human Centipede helmer Tom Six joins the 666 Short Cuts To Hell judging panel

Tom Six, currently in the States shooting Human Centipede 3, will help select the winner of the 666 Short Cuts to Hell short film competition, fronted by FrightFest and Movie Mogul, in association with Horror Channel.

Six said today that he was 'delighted' and 'flattered' to be invited to join the panel and was looking forward to hopefully meeting the six finalists winner at this year's FrightFest event in August.

Rosie Fletcher, Total Film Magazine’s genre expert, will make up the ‘6 of the best’ panel, which also includes filmmaker/Special Make-up Effects expert Paul Hyett. Horror Channel presenter Emily Booth, FrightFest director Paul McEvoy and Movie Mogul’s John Shackleton.

The hottest short film competition around challenges aspiring filmmakers to make a short horror film - the best six of which will be shown on Horror Channel and at the 2013 Film4 FrightFest event. The overall winner will receive a prize fund of £6,666 and the opportunity to develop a horror short or feature idea under mentorship from Movie Mogul, for a possible 2014 production.

Entrants will have to follow a series of 'killer' restraints such as a maximum of 6 lines of dialogue, a maximum of 6 cast and crew members and a maximum budget of £666.



Entrants must submit their completed film by 6pm on the 6th June 2013.
Submission guidelines and terms and conditions can be found at www.shortcutstohell.com

The overall winner will be announced at FrightFest 2013 after the six films have been screened.

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

NBCQ To Take Flying Blind Starring Helen McCroy on UK Tour April/May

THE PASSIONATE LOVE STORY OF A WOMAN AND A YOUNGER MUSLIM MAN, IN A WORLD WHERE SECURITY IS PARAMOUNT AND NOTHING IS QUITE WHAT IT SEEMS
Frankie is part of the war-machine, a successful aerospace engineer designing drones for the military. Then she meets Kahil, a French-Algerian student. They embark on a passionate affair and for the first time in her life Frankie utterly, thrillingly, loses control. One morning at work, she’s detained by the security services and told that Kahil may not be quite what he seems. She finds that she has crossed a line into a nightmare world of suspicion and accusation. Realising how little she knows of this man, Frankie determines to find out the truth, only to discover to her cost that betrayal always comes from those closest to us.

Flying Blind is the first feature film by young Polish director Katarzyna Klimkiewicz, whose short film, Hanoi-Warsaw, won the 2010 European Film Award for Best Short. A multinational cast includes Helen McCrory (Hugo, Skyfall, Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince), French-Algerian Najib Oudghiri (Rendition, The Wedding Song), Kenneth Cranham (Hot Fuzz, Valkyrie) and Tristan Gemmell (Casualty). The screenplay credit is shared by Naomi Wallace (Lawn Dogs, The War Boys), Bruce McLeod (The War Boys), and Bristol-based writer Caroline Harrington. Behind the camera is Polish Director of Photography Andrzej Wojciechowski, Klimkiewicz’s long time collaborator, and DoP on Hanoi-Warsaw.



FLYING BLIND will tour through key cities in the UK throughout April including London, Bristol, Cardiff, York, Cambridge, Oxford, Nottingham, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Brighton. Each event will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and/or cast TBC.

Regional tour dates:
Thursday 11th April – Barbican, London (Additional screenings 12th – 18th April)
Saturday 13th April - Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
Sunday 14th April – Watershed, Bristol (Additional screenings 12th – 18th April)
Tuesday 16th April - Greenwich Picturehouse
Wednesday 17th April - York Picturehouse
Saturday 20th April - Cambridge Picturehouse
Monday 22nd April - Ritzy Picturehouse, Brixton
Tuesday 23rd April - Ultimate Picture Palace, Oxford
Wednesday 24th April, Hackney Picturehouse, London
Thursday 25th April – Nottingham Broadway (Additional screenings 26th April – 2nd May)
Friday 26th April – Sheffield Showroom
Saturday 27th April – Edinburgh Filmhouse
Sunday 28th April – Glasgow Film Theatre
Tuesday 30th April – Manchester Cornerhouse
Thursday 2nd May – Brighton Komedia

For a full list of tour dates and tickets go to http://www.flyingblindfilm.com/

Watch UK Trailer For A Hijacking (Kapringen)

When you look at the Scandinavian market for television and cinema you must look back at it with jealousy at the constant level of  quality along with excitement, tension all in engrossing stuff. The latest film that will hit our shores comes from a former director of Borgen a popular TV series shown on BBC channels Tobias Lindholm  who has already directed The Hunt (Mads Mikklesen),now A Hijacking. Courtesy of the good folks at Arrow Films we now have the new UK trailer and poster for your visual entertainment.

Starring Pilou Asbæk (Borgen), Soren Malling (Borgen) in tense drama of a Danish freight ship that finds itself captured by Somalian pirates everyone onboard is taken hostage. What results is all the hostage caught in the middle of a game of cat & mouse between the hostages and shipping directors as they attempt to negotiate a ransom leaving the hostages no clue when or if they'll ever be set free.

I was fortunate to catch this film at last month's Glasgow Film Festival, it was a film I picked randomly but also on back of its reputation from it's film festival circuit especially from London. Its a slow burning burning film full of tension, it is violent on all levels especially psychically and emotionally becoming one of my favourite films of the festival.

I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed A Hijacking and you can enjoy it when the film arrives in UK&Ireland 10th May with the American release coming 14th June.

Synopsis

A tense, chilling drama following the emotional journeys of a ship’s crew as they are taken hostage in the Indian Ocean, A HIJACKING was the stand out film at the London, Venice and Toronto Film Festivals 2012.The cargo ship MV Rozen is heading for harbour when it is hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. Amongst the men on board are the ship’s cook Mikkel (Pilou Asbæk) and the engineer Jan (Roland Møller), who along with the rest of the seamen are taken hostage in a cynical game of life and death. With the demand for a ransom of millions of dollars a psychological drama unfolds between the CEO of the shipping company (Søren Malling) and the Somali pirates

Victor Crowley Is Back Watch Hatchet 3 Teaser Trailer!

Watch your back as Victor Crowley is back!Adam Green's ever popular serial killer returning for a third outing despite his untimely death he's making sure he'll get his Horror icon status returning for another day, but what makes Hatchet so popular? They keep it old school from old school special effects, plenty of gore and keep everything fun!

Hatchet 3 sees Adam Green hand over the directors chair to BJ McDonnell who was in charging of camera for the first two films hence the third been his directoral debut. Danielle Harris returns  along with Kane Hodder (as Victor), they are joined by Zach Galligan (Gremlins), Derek Mears, Caroline Williams, Sean Whalen. No word on a UK release date but the film will get a limited cinema release on 14th June.

Synopsis

The film continues the tale of the now-iconic villain Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder). As a search and recovery team heads into the haunted swamp to pick up the pieces and carnage left behind from the first two films, Marybeth (Danielle Harris) hunts down the true secret to ending the voodoo curse that has left the ghost of Victor Crowley haunting and terrorizing Honey Island Swamp for decades

John Schlesinger’s Billy Liar Restored On Blu-Ray For 50th Anniversary May Release

Tom Courtenay delivers a star-making turn as William Terrence Fisher (‘Billy Liar’) in one of the most memorable and universally acclaimed films of the 60s.

Running from an unsympathetic working-class family, a pair of demanding fiancées and an insecure job at an undertakers, Billy escapes, Walter Mitty-like, into a world of fantasy where he can realize his dream ambitions. As work and family pressures build to new intolerable levels, Liz (an early, charismatic turn from Julie Christie), enters his drab life and offers Billy the one real chance he’ll ever get to leave the past behind.

Scripted by Keith Waterhouse from his own novel, and sensitively directed by John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy), Billy Liar is one of the few comedies of the British ‘New Wave’, marrying visual and verbal wit with a rather poignant rumination on the futility of dreams.

The newly restored version of Billy Liar will also screen as part of this year’s Bradford International Film Festival, hosted by Bradford UNESCO City of Film on Sunday 14 April.

David Wilson, Director of Bradford UNESCO City of Film said, ‘Billy Liar is a key component within Bradford's rich film heritage and formed part of our bid to become the world's first UNESCO City of Film. It is still an important reference within film studies and I am really pleased that the 50th Anniversary edition on DVD/ BLU-RAY will bring the film to whole new audience.'

On Saturday 13 April Tom Courtenay will also be the festival’s guest of honour where he will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. [more details can be found here]

Special Features
• Remembering Billy Liar with Tom Courtenay and Helen Fraser
• Interview with Richard Ayoade
• A look through the Keith Waterhouse Archive with British Library Curator Zoe Wilcox
• Interview with Saint Etienne's Bob Stanley
• Stills Gallery
• Trailer
Pre-order/Buy Billy Liar 50th Anniversary Edition:DVD / Blu-ray

Sightseers Blu-Ray Review

Sightseers is the third film from Ben Wheatley, one of the top British directors working today. It is a dark, twisted comedy about a couple on a caravan holiday who go on a killing spree. Think Badlands but in the Peak District and with far more laughs.

The film is a fantastic advert for Britain, in more ways than one. It shows how we still have the capacity to make great movies and it also shows just how stunning some areas of our country are. Alice Lowe and Steve Oram star as the murderous couple and are simply brilliant. They also wrote the script which, while being bleak, is stunningly funny. I have been a fan of Alice Lowe since seeing her in and I hope that the success of this film will lead to us seeing her more on the big screen and indeed television. Her performance here is quite remarkable as she treads the fine line of looking lost and innocent but being deadly and dangerous at the same time. Oram, as her boyfriend, plays confused and lost to perfection, but when he turns on the menace he is genuinely frightening. Both the leads remind us just how good British comic talent can be, and I do hope that they will continue to write and star in films.

The actors had at one point tried to make the story as a television show and looking at it you could see it working in that format, but with the masterful direction of Wheatley this feels truly cinematic. It's simply gorgeous. There is almost a feeling of Sergio Leone, with intense close-ups mixed with huge landscape shots. As the couple descend more and more into violence and isolation, the locations become more breathtaking. Wheatley directs the comic moments in a wonderfully deadpan way, lingering on the characters and their sad lives; but he is equally adept at directing the violence. It is brutal and shocking but, cleverly, does not show too much.

The editing in Sightseers is very memorable and inventive. Wheatley's use of cutting and his juxtaposing violence with the mundane or odd moments is incredibly successful. His style of editing reminded me of Nicolas Roeg's work, and it is so nice to see someone trying to do something different and unusual and, more impressively, making it work.

Reluctantly, I have to say the film isn't entirely successful, however. While the first two thirds are hilarious and constantly take new turns and developments, the last third is a little more predictable and not quite as funny. Its true though that the story gets darker, therefore the fall in laughs is understandable. It reminded me somewhat of God Bless America, a film about a man and a girl going on a killing rampage in the US. It was directed by Bobcat Goldthwait (in my mind one of the top comedic directors working today) and was quite similar in basic story and structure but while it takes Sightseers a good hour before becoming slightly obvious, God Bless America manages it after about ten minutes. There have been many films about couples going on murder sprees and so to keep us from guessing where it is going to go it really needs to do something remarkably different and in the case of Sightseers this is where it falters.

This is my only problem with the film. Everything else about it is a true delight and I thoroughly recommend seeing it, and on blu ray if possible. It looks great and it is fantastic to see a low budget British film putting its money in all the right places. The blu ray also contains an amusing and informative Making Of, a blooper reel and audio commentaries.

Sightseers is without a doubt one of my favourite films of 2012. Its funny, frightening, and very, very British.

Harry Davenport

★★★★☆

Rating: 15
Release Date: 25th March 2013 (UK)
Directed By: Ben Wheatley
Cast: Alice Lowe, Steve Oram, Eileen Davies, Jonathan Aris

Buy Sightseers: DVD / Blu-ray


Win Sightseers On DVD: Enter Here (ends 7th April 2013)

Win 21 Days: The Heineken Kidnapping On DVD or Blu-Ray

Part thriller, part procedural legal drama, 21 Days: The Heineken Kidnapping is a fascinating and absorbing crime story, which will appeal to fans of the legendary Rutger Hauer and audiences who have also been gripped by the new wave of gritty, realistic euro–crime dramas from Sweden, Denmark and France.based on the sensational true story of the Netherland’s most notorious abduction of Heineken himself in 1983 and courtesy of Arrow Films we've teamed up to give you a chance to win this film on DVD or BluRay.

Rem (Reinout Scholten van Aschat) is an amateur street thug looking for an easy way out of poverty. When he overhears his brother-in-law Cor (Gijs Naber) and associates plotting criminal schemes, Rem wants in on the action. In an effort to impress the others Rem suggests the job to end all jobs - a daring kidnap. The target is Freddy Heineken, the multi-millionaire brewery president. Heineken’s immense wealth is the key attraction but Rem also blames him for his father's failing health due to alcoholism after long years of service as a Heineken salesman.

The gang successfully execute the kidnapping and demand a large ransom, but when the family refuses to give up any kind of money their plan slowly begins to unravel. Rem is drawn deeper and deeper into the worsening situation and his darker impulses are revealed. When he is tasked with monitoring Freddy's cell, Rem seems to enjoy the power he holds over the rich man and cruelly tests his psychological resolve.

After 21 days the ransom is finally paid but the police are already closing in. Two of the gang are arrested but Rem and Cor manage to flee to France. They are apprehended but legal proceedings and extradition issues may give them a chance to evade Dutch justice. Freddy Heineken then begins his own quest for extrajudicial revenge.

To Win one of 3 copies of 21 Days: The Heineken Kidnapping On DVD or BluRay please Answer the following Question:

Q What famous alcoholic beverage made Rutger Hauer a household name in the 1980's with their 'surreal' Television adverts?

Send your answer, name, address, postcode (No telephone Numbers), email titled '21 Days' to winatthecinehouseuk@gmail.com 

Deadline for Comp is Sunday 7th April 2013 (11:59pm).You must be 15 years or older to enter.

Double your chances follow us at Facebook! (you will get double entry every contest)

Read Our Review after you enter / You Buy on Blu-ray / DVD

In event of the above form not working please refer to Terms&Conditions on how to enter

Terms & Conditions:1.This prize is non transferable.No cash alternatives apply.UK & Irish entries only.2.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse and  Arrow Films  have the right to alter, delay or cancel this competition without any notice 3.The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse,  Arrow Films employees 4.This competition is promoted on behalf of  Arrow Films   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 7th April 2013 (2359hrs)7.Will only accept entries sent to the correct email (win [at] thepeoplesmovies [dot] 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 win [at] thepeoplesmovies [dot] com (label 21 days) If any info required from the form is not sent in the email your entry will be void 9.automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned.10.If you are friend or like us at facebook for every competition you enter you get double entry, but you must stay stay friend/like us all the time,or future entries maybe considered one entry.11.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes 12.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control13.The competition is opened to Aged 15 and over.14. 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.15. 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 number 16.The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email or announced via facebook, sometimes we are unable to confirm winners.17.This competition is bound by the rules of Scotland,England & Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland.18.By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

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Game of Throne's Maisie Williams lands 'monster' role

Production Company Movie Mogul Ltd (PANIC BUTTON), has announced today that actress Maisie Williams has signed up to play the lead role of Lorna Thompson in the sci-fi action film WE ARE MONSTERS.

Williams, who shot to fame as Ayra Stark in the HBO hit series GAME OF THRONES said today: “I am really pleased to be involved in We are Monsters and working with John and I can’t wait to bring Lorna to life'

Writer/Director John Shackleton says "Maisie brings a perfect blend of feistiness and vulnerability to this challenging role and I couldn't be more thrilled at the news of her acceptance of our offer."

Producer Gareth I. Davies added: “Maisie, a star in the making, will bring lots of vitality and excitement to the project, and her existing ‘Game of Thrones’ fan following will be delighted to see Maisie embark on her latest lead role – in what promises to be a very special film to hit our cinema screens in 2014”

Also attached to the film, which goes into pre-production later in the year, is actor Doug Jones best known in the UK for his roles in the HELLBOY films and PAN’S LABYRINTH. He plays Lorna’s nemesis, the evil Sir Daniel Southall.

The crew includes monster effects specialist Neill Gorton ( FROM HELL); Stunt Co-ordinator Andy Bennett (THE WOMAN IN BLACK) and Storyboard artist Ben Oliver (JUDGE DREDD, X-MEN).

Tess Blu-Ray Review

Tess was the film Roman Polanski made at the end of quite arguably his great period coming on the tails of The Tenant and Chinatown (his masterpiece). Tess however is a very different kettle of fish to those 2 films, one is homage to film noir and one a rather disturbing psychological thriller. Tess based on novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy. He made Tess in part as a tribute to his wife Sharon Tate who of course was brutally murdered by The Manson family. Sharon gave Roman a copy not long before her untimely death saying “it would make a great film”.

Tess is about a young woman naturally called Tess. Her family the Durbeyfields find out they a part of old noble family. They have fallen on very hard times and her father makes her see their “relatives”. Her father is hoping for some kind hand-out or work. Tess arrives and her Alec d'Urberville falls madly for her and tries to seduce her but Tess isn’t interested. Alec in reality just bought the name to seem more important than he is. He rapes her and impregnates hers but the child soon dies after birth. She starts working on a dairy farm and begins working as a milkmaid and falls in love with Angel Clare. They start a relationship and get married but it does not end well for all parties concerned.

The film is probably most noted for it being the film that propelled Klaus Kinski’s beautiful daughter Nastassja Kinski to worldwide stardom and it’s luscious photography. Nastassja’s accent is patchy at times but it’s more adequate. The supporting cast is very disappointing especially compared to Polanski’s previous work with no real standouts. It’s from all accounts very faithful to the original Thomas Hardy novel (I’ve never read it) and it’s shows cause for such a simple tale, it does drag a bit especially with it’s near 3 hour running time. Despite its flaws it’s absolutely gorgeous to look at and Nastassja Kinski has always being a captivating screen presence.

Tess was the centrepiece of a recent retrospective of Roman Polanski’s work at London’s BFI and it’s no wonder they have re-released it on a blu-ray/dvd double pack. Polanski is better at psychological torment which Tess touches on near the end with it’s unfortunate incident but check out his earlier work before you watch Tess.

Ian Schultz

★★★★☆

Rating: 12
Directed By: Roman Polanski
Cast: Nastassja Kinski, Peter Firth, Leigh Lawson 
Buy:Tess (DVD & Blu-ray) [1979]

The Bay DVD Review

The Bay is one of those films that, for a while, refused to dismount all your favourite horror sites, instead riding a wave of publicity that saw its posters, trailers, and clips trickle down to a (generally) not-too-bothered fan base. Considering the fact that Barry Levinson (Rain Man) is in the director’s chair it’s easy to see why The Bay is getting so much attention.

The Bay takes Jaws, Piranha, our terror for ecological disaster and conspiratorial governments, mixes them up, plants them in an adorable wee fishing town in Maryland then lets everything spiral out of control. Amateur reporter Donna Thompson recalls all this three years later, narrating the patchwork of news coverage, home movie, and CCTV that has been salvaged since the terrible events of July 4th 2009, when a mysterious plague swept through the town.

Levinson tackles the beginnings of the epidemic with ease, carefully constructing a community so idyllic its almost queasy. The initial signs of trouble slip quickly into a fully-fledged plague-like affair but it’s those first moments of panic and terror that are presented in a much more sombre tone to help to set the film’s regretful mood. Unfortunately the last half skips on tension: suddenly everyone is dead and people blowing their brains out on first signs of itchy patches. The film just seems to lose itself in the imagery of chaos, enjoying the sight of panic and eventual silence more than trying to relay that disorientation to the audience.

Cut with all the finesse of a five year old with ADHD, The Bay squanders a nice tense first half by trying to spread itself over too much ground in the last. Jumping between perspectives should have given the story a much needed scope but it doesn’t pull off. ‘From the producers of Insidious and Sinister’ is what you’ll find proudly flaunted close to the film’s title in any publication, notice the pattern of naff third acts emerging here. Hopefully the producers will too.

One of the more interesting found-footage escapades of the past few years, The Bay fails to close the curtain on a successful feature, losing its way after a great set-up. However there are still a good few moments and a squeamish enough creature to sustain some frights.

★★1/2☆☆

Scott Clark

Rating:15
Release Date: 15th March 2013 (UK Cinema) 18th March 2013 (UK DVD)
Director: Barry Levinson
Cast: Will Rogers,Kristen Connolly,Kether Donohue
Buy The Bay:Blu-ray/ DVD

GFF 2013: John Dies at the End Review

When I hear cult-auteur Don Coscarelli is working on a new film I get pretty excited, I read a synopsis and my excitement grows, Angus Scrimm (the Tall Man!) signs on for a cameo and I find out the film is based on a book reputed to be “unfilmable”. I swoon in my soul.

What you’ll notice first is that Coscarelli hasn’t sabotaged his aesthetic in taking his closest step into the main stream; the general look of the film and its cast, which includes the fantastic Paul Giamatti, may scare away some seasoned fans of that garage-feel of his early films. Don’t fret however, there’s plenty of his usual nonsense crammed in John Dies at the End to make up for that.

If there was a genre called fucking with the future, or unravelling the universe, then John Dies would definitely be a perfect example; it aint time travel and it aint really anything else. You just have to see it and try to let it happen. Essentially it’s the story of a new street drug that pushes the boundaries of human physics, and how two friends are dragged into a mess of alien invasion through the drug, but it’s so much more. It’s like a more elaborate Phantasm on acid.

John Dies flaunts Coscarelli’s signature black humour (see Bubba ho-Tep), those tooling-up sequences he deploys in all his films, a general feel of badass at more than a few points, and enough weird to do you the year. However, the film frequently threatens to be too bizarre for its own good and that will distance some viewers, at points it stretches patience especially in the last twenty minutes where any idea of acceptable narrative seems to boil off and leave a multi-coloured, fantastical, and wholly silly residue. If you consider this amidst the context then sure it pulls off. Time travel, supernatural encounters, aliens, and drugs, it’s difficult to criticise a film for being silly when there’s so much going on.

Chase Williamson and Rob Mayes hold their own throughout as Dave and John respectively, a pair of Coscarelli heroes if ever there was. Giamatti is great, as a wry and doubtful journalist, Doug Jones (he plays all your nightmares in del Toro films) pops up as an alien, and Clancy Brown plays an egocentric exorcist. Special mention goes to Glynn Turman as the cynical old-school detective caught up in something he doesn’t understand. Three guesses as to who I sympathise with most.

Earlier I mentioned context: that’s an important word when you consider Coscarelli’s CV. Don’t question his world too deeply, you won’t get answers, don’t pull a ridiculous face when things get crazy, because I promise it will get weirder. Sit back and watch, enjoy, savour every stupid moment courtesy of a sharp script and a director obviously having the time of his life.

The embodiment of the “Marmite Film”, John Dies at the End will polarise audiences and perhaps even Coscarelli fans. It is entirely unforgiving in its embracement of the bizarre, silly at times, hilarious at others, conceptually intriguing, and above all entertaining. Miss it if you dare.

Scott Clark

★★★★☆

Rating: 18
Release Date: 22nd March 2013 (UK)
Directed By: Don Coscarelli
Cast:  Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, Paul Giamatti, Clancy Brown, Doug Jones

BFI Flipside Return With Captured, a restricted film by John Krish

The BFI Flipside Presents Captured, a restricted film by John Krish.

Commissioned by the Army Kinema Corporation in 1959 as a military training film and previously only shown to a highly restricted audience of military officials, Captured is a realistic and sometimes disturbing prisoner of war drama. It demonstrates how British POWs responded to brainwashing and torture techniques during the Korean War, thereby revealing what a soldier could expect if he was ever captured by the communist enemy. It will be released by BFI Flipside on 15 April 2013 in a Dual Format edition (a DVD and Blu-ray disc) with extensive special features.

Written and directed by the acclaimed documentary auteur John Krish (The Elephant Will Never Forget, I Think They Call Him John), with all of his trademark lyricism and humanity, Captured is a haunting lost classic of post-war British cinema. It is presented here with a number of other Krish films all designed to warn, advise and inform. They are all transferred to High Definition from the very best available film materials.

H.M.P. (1976), one of the additional films here, is a riveting look at what it takes to be a prison officer. The Home Office approached the COI for a film that would encourage applicants while also improving wider appreciation of what the prison service offered. The film follows three recruits as they go inside a prison to learn more about the realities of the job, through meeting various members of staff, including the chaplain.

Also included on this release is a new interview with John Krish, in which he talks in-depth about his life and work. John was honoured with an Evening Standard Award for Best Documentary in 2010 for his widely acclaimed quartet of films, A Day in the Life: Four Portraits of Post-war Britain, which is released by the BFI in a Dual Format Edition.

Special Features:
• Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition;
• Sewing Machine (John Krish, 1973, 1 min): hard-hitting road safety 'filler' from the COI;
• Searching (John Krish, 1974, 1 min): shocking fire safety 'filler' from the COI;
• H.M.P. (John Krish, 1976, 52 mins): compelling fly-on-the-wall style recruitment film for the prison service;
• The Finishing Line (John Krish, 1977, 21 mins): violent public safety film intended to discourage children from trespassing on railway lines;
• Shooting the Message: The films of John Krish (2013, 35 mins): an extensive interview with the director about his life and work;
• Illustrated booklet with newly commissioned essays and contributions from James Piers Taylor, Patrick Russell, Stephen Thrower and Alex Davidson, and full credits.



Buy:Captured ( [DVD + Blu-ray]

Dont Drink The Bay, Just Win it! Win Barry Levinson's The Bay On DVD

The “Genuinely scary and effective” (Twitch Film) eco-horror that is being heralded as “Horror for grown-ups” (5* The Guardian) arrives on DVD and Blu-ray March 18th through Momentum Pictures - the superb Barry Levinson-directed ‘The Bay’ (Momentum Pictures).

From Academy Award-winning director Barry Levinson comes a brutal and harrowing creature feature for the 21st century which graphically chronicles the descent of a small town into absolute terror. Focusing on the quaint coastal town of Claridge, Maryland that thrives on the safe, tranquil and abundant waters of Chesapeake Bay, a gruesome plague is unleashed during their annual Independence Day celebrations, quickly infecting the residents and turning them against each other.

To celebrate the release of The Bay, we’re giving away a copy on DVD!

The quaint coastal town of Claridge, Maryland thrives on the safe, tranquil and abundant waters of Chesapeake Bay. During their annual Independence Day celebrations, a gruesome plague is unleashed, quickly infecting the residents and turning them against each other. A brutal and harrowing creature feature for the 21st century, “The Bay” graphically chronicles the descent of a small town into absolute terror.

To Win The Bay on DVD please answer the following Question:

Q.What Good Morning '.....' Did Barry Levinson Direct about in 1987 With Robin Williams ?

Email your answer, name, address, Postcode only (no telephone numbers) winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com Deadline for competition is Sunday 7th April 2013 (23:59pm), You must 15 or older to enter   Double your chances follow us at Facebook! (you will get double entry every contest) Also why not enter The Bay competition at The Peoples Movies to? Enter Here

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 notice 3.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  Studiocanal  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 7th April 2013 (2359hrs)7.Will only accept entries sent to the correct email (win [at] thepeoplesmovies [dot] 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 win [at] thepeoplesmovies [dot] com (label the bay) If any info required from the form is not sent in the email your entry will be void 9.automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned.10.If you are friend or like us at facebook for every competition you enter you get double entry, but you must stay stay friend/like us all the time,or future entries maybe considered one entry.11.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes 12.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control13.The competition is opened to Aged 15 and over.14. 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.15. 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 number 16.The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email or announced via facebook, sometimes we are unable to confirm winners.17.This competition is bound by the rules of Scotland,England & Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland.18.By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………
UK Competitions and Prize Draws at UKwins
Loquax Competitions
Free Competitions
ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions

Supernatural Goes East As Anime Series Seaon 1 Coming To UK

Win Maximum Conviction On Blu-Ray

Maximum Conviction, the action bonanza that marks the triumphant return of the all round American action hero Steven Seagal arrives on DVD and Blu-ray through Studio Canal on 18th March 2013.

Maximum Conviction proves that Steven Seagal is still a serious contender for the crown of the King of Action. He still brings the kind of unadulterated, high-octane thrills and spills to the screen that make you grin like a giddy girl! A real-life Aikido genius, Seagal is a true American action hero and it's our maximum conviction that no one delivers a moody chopdown better than ‘The Great One’!

To celebrate the release of Maximum Conviction, we’re giving away a copy on Blu-ray!

Synopsis

As one final mission before their retirement, former Black Ops soldier Cross (Steven Seagal) and his partner Manning (Steve Austin) are assigned the task of decommissioning an old military prison and safely transport all the detainees to a different site. Before doing so, they must firstly oversee the mysterious arrival of two high-security female prisoners that pose a potential risk to the safe-running of the operation.
Before long an elite force of mercenaries’ descend into the prison in search of the new arrivals and Cross suddenly finds himself thrown into a frenzied fight for survival. A man of strong values who adheres to the completion of all missions he is assigned, Cross assembles a hard-knock team of experts to take down the mercenaries before they get to the female arrivals.
Plagued with the additional threat of the extremely dangerous prisoners that roam the corridors, Cross must utilise the skills he gained during the Special Forces and take down the guerrilla soldiers before it costs him his life. As the true identities of the women are revealed though, Cross realizes he's caught in the middle of something far bigger than he had imagined.

To win Maximum Conviction on Blu Ray please answer the following question:

Q.Steven Austin was known for many years as Stone Cold Steve Austin in WWE what other nickname was he known as?

A.The Viper
B.The Rattlesnake
C.Brahma Bull

Send your answer, name, address, postcode (No Telephone Numbers) winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com
Must be 18 years or older to enter. Deadline is 7th April 2013 (23:59pm)
Double your chances follow us at Facebook! (you will get double entry every contest)

Terms & Conditions:1.This prize is non transferable.No cash alternatives apply.UK &Irish entries only.2.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse and  Studiocanal have the right to alter, delay or cancel this competition without any notice 3.The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse,  Studiocanal employees 4.This competition is promoted on behalf of  Studiocanal  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 7th April 2013 (2359hrs)7.Will only accept entries sent to the correct email (win [at] thepeoplesmovies [dot] 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 win [at] thepeoplesmovies [dot] com (label the bay) If any info required from the form is not sent in the email your entry will be void 9.automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned.10.If you are friend or like us at facebook for every competition you enter you get double entry, but you must stay stay friend/like us all the time,or future entries maybe considered one entry.11.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes 12.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control13.The competition is opened to Aged 15 and over.14. 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.15. 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 number 16.The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email or announced via facebook, sometimes we are unable to confirm winners.17.This competition is bound by the rules of Scotland,England & Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland.18.By sending your entry for this competition you are confirming you have read and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………
UK Competitions and Prize Draws at UKwins
Loquax Competitions
Free Competitions
ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions

Ride To Live, Live To Die George Romero's Knightriders Going Blu-Ray This April

Arrow Video are pleased to announce that George A. Romero’s landmark non-horror offering “Knightriders” will make its UK DVD & Worldwide Blu-ray debuts when released on Monday 22nd April 2013.

Specially restored by Arrow’s acclaimed team of experts, the deluxe editions of “Knightriders” include both DVD and Blu-ray copies of the film along with a host of special features and collector’s items.

Made immediately after the zombie classic “Dawn of the Dead”, George A. Romero’s “Knightriders” is both quite clearly the work of the same director (there are lots of familiar faces from his other films) as well as a marked change of tone. There’s still plenty of mind-melting action, but rather than flesh eating maniacs, its medieval jousters riding modern-day motorcycles who get to have all the fun!

Starring up-and-coming actor Ed Harris in his first ever leading role (Harris who would go on to become a major Hollywood star, nominated for Academy Awards and Golden Globes for his roles in Apollo 13 and The Truman Show), “Knightriders” depicts a troupe of travelling medieval entertainers, led by Harris, trying to live their lives according to the ideals of King Arthur – No easy feat in Reagan’s America, where the outside world and its financial realities constantly encroach on their dreams.

Instead of flesh and bone, the trusty steeds on which these Knights’ ride are made of steel and engine! They have traded the horses of King Arthur’s men for motorcycles.

With the self-adopted title of “King William”, the group’s leader Billy (played by Harris) becomes gradually more unstable, as he blurs the lines between the medieval knight his act portrays, and the realities of everyday life in the 20th century.

With a memorably eccentric cast of characters (including make-up effects genius Tom Savini in a major role, and a cameo from novelist Stephen King) and a complex, nuanced script, “Knightriders” is Romero’s warmest and most personal film to date.

George A Romero’s directing career began in the 1960s when he began shooting short films and commercials. In one of his early commercial films for American children’s television series “Mister Rogers Neighbourhood”, Mister Rogers has his tonsils removed, it is said that the gruesome nature of this scene inspired Romero to go on and make Horror movies.

Since then, Romero has been at the helm of some of the biggest and most important Horror films in history, including Night Of The Living Dead, The Crazies, Season Of The Witch, and Dawn Of The Dead, which in-turn inspired thousands of could-be directors and turned millions of fans onto the genre.

It is a testament to his longevity and continued importance that many of Romero’s classic films have been remade and restored, the latest being Arrow’s highly anticipated Blu-ray edition of “Knightriders”

A real must-have collector’s item, the deluxe edition of “Knightriders” includes the following bonus material and special features:

- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations.
- Uncompressed original Mono 2.0 PCM audio.
- Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
- Audio commentary with George Romero, Tom Savini, John Amplas and Christine Romero.
- ‘The Genesis of a Legend’ – Star Ed Harris remembers his first leading role.
- ‘A Date with Destiny’ – Co-star Tom Savini reflects on the film.
- ‘Medieval Maiden’ – Interview with actress Patricia Tallman.
- Theatrical Trailer.
- TV Spots.
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nat Marsh.
- Collector’s booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by author and critic Brad Stevens, an archival interview with Romero, and a new interview with composer Donald Rubinstein, illustrated with original archive stills and posters.

Pre-Order /Buy: Knightriders On Blu-Ray

GFF 2013 - Welcome to the Punch Review

When he introduced his second feature film, writer/director Eran Creevey commented that Welcome to the Punch was an old fashioned kind of Friday night fun. Though Creevey’s film is indeed visually impressive and slick as Hell, it’s not the action-romp the review snips keep heralding.

                Starting off with a well-executed Dark Knight/Heat heist-turned-chase, the film promises a killer rollercoaster for the audience, a gang of suited criminals carry their payload out of an uber-modern office type space, jump on the back of some motorbikes and speed off into the night with James McAvoy’s hot-headed detective in pursuit. It’s a stellar opening, capturing the potential for London as a metropolis just as suited to cinema as San Fran or Chicago, but without forgetting that it’s not. Unfortunately the rest of the film seems to dwindle itself away on a murky plot, too focused on the politics behind the whole affair rather than truly letting the flow lose itself in spontaneity.

 Though you’ll feel short-changed on action sequences, Creevey is obviously comfortable with them.  There’s a great pace to his action, a streamlined but dangerous quality to the shootouts, which actually makes them believable. It’s incredible how often violence in films can seem so slight (The Dark Knight Rises?)  so it’s a pleasure to watch some well-choreographed ferocity. Saying that, there is one –albeit hilarious- iffy scene of style-over-substance; a shoot-out at one of the robbers granny’s place. You might not see anything as funny as Peter Mullan holding a gun to an old woman’s head this year, but Creevey should have drew the line at slow-mo.

Strong is on top form, every bit the professional criminal and Peter Mullan steals scenes with much needed humour. You can’t help but think this is Strong and Mullan’s show, but Mullan doesn’t get the screen time he deserves. Same could be said for David Morrissey who appears as police chief, a thin character for such a great actor, though he gets to prove his worth by the end. Not to say there’s any issues with McAvoy, but a bizarre move to glorify every step he takes and every word he says ends up making many of his scenes seem melodramatic. That’s not particularly attractive for an action movie.

What’s infuriating about the film is that it regains that action perfection, presented in the opening, for its grand finale, leaving us all thinking why there was so much grey space of political confusion, plotting, and McAvoy sucking gunk out of his manky knee.   Better balance would have left the overall feel of the film in healthier stead. Still, the cinematography is stunning throughout and technically well-conceived (if a little too…blue), and there’s plenty of merit to Creevey’s second feature.

 Although there’s plenty of issues in pace and plot, Welcome to the Punch has the right idea. Good action, great cast, but falls short on being that all-out Friday night fun you might be looking for.

Scott Clark

★★★☆☆

Rating:15
Release Date: 15th March 2013 (UK)
Directed By: Eran Creevy
Cast:James McAvoy, David Morrissey, Mark Strong, Andrea Riseborough

Trailer For Detective In The Bar aka Phonecall To The Bar 2

If you run a business from a bar or a pub that's not running that particular bar people would think twice about, but what about a detective agency?Hajime Hashimoto's Detective In The Bar Yo Oizumi plays a detective In a Sapporo based detecive series (fifth in the series) and follow up to the successful Phonecall To The Bar and We have a new trailer for your visual entertainment.

based on Tantei wa Hitori Bocchi Naomi Azuma novel which sees the Detective (Oizumi) and his partner Takada (Ryuhei Matsuda)who lead an investigation after their gay magician friend Masako-chan (Gori) is murdered.After receiving a tip the pair head off to investigate who the person they may know could be responsible a route that crosses paths with an talented violinist (Machiko Ono) who seems to be following them.

The trailer despite the film's title the film is actually is packed with more action than previous film which is only good news for fans. I don't know if the previous film Phonecall To The Bar has actually found its way to UK&Ireland hopefully it will as we want a piece of the action too!

Detective In The Bar (Tantei Wa Bar Ni Iru 2)will be released in Japan on 19th May.



source:Nipponcinema

Ellipse The Movie Needs Your Help , Film and Science worlds collide at the Royal Observatory

Love Science Fiction? Fancy joining Sci-fi London and help them fund a great little Sci-fi  Project? Yes! Read On!

Following in the steps of the vastly successful projects helped along by Kickstarter, Sponsume (www.sponsume.com) are asking Science and Sci-Fi film fans to help fund the final edits and special effects of movie Ellipse to ensure it achieves its full filmic potential. Filmed at the impressive Royal Observatory, the story aims to inspire and encourage interest in science and the creative arts with emphasis to inspire girls to engage with the science sector.

The film, which premieres at the BFI Southbank on Friday 3rd May 2013 is so extraordinary in its authenticity of scientific representation. Real research sits at the core of the film with data from NASA's Kepler mission and EXOPLANET app. Hanno Rein, from the Institute of Advanced Study at Princeton has chosen several stars with Exoplanets to feature on screen and in the accompanying educational pack for schools written by Dr Lewis Dartnell and Marek Kukula, the Public Astronomer at the Observatory.

Synopsis

Directed by award winning Ilana Rein and produced by Louis Savy, founder of UK’s premiere science fiction event SCI-FI LONDON, the film starts off in 17th century London where Louise de Kérouaille, a mistress of Charles II and keen amateur mathematician, persuades the King to build an observatory in Greenwich. She encounters an unusual character, LEO (Brian Bovell). Centuries later, RO (Deborah Bouchard), a young girl also meets LEO and her interest in astronomy begins. As an astrophysicist in adult life, working with real NASA data, RO can investigate whether we are really alone.

Louis Savy, Festival Director, SCI-FI-LONDON says: “Science fiction film has been a key influence on so many of today’s scientists as film sparked their imaginations when they were kids. I want to contribute to making those sparks for today’s generation. Also, I must have seen over 10,000 sci-fi shorts and features coming through the festival and think it’s about time we made one!”

Award-winning Ilana Rein directs Ellipse. She says: "I love that so many incredibly talented people are on board for Ellipse – it proves to me that people recognize that we are creating a film that will spread inspiration through art. I know that women are vastly underrepresented in the sciences and we hope to help be a part of changing that in the coming generation. Having the Royal Observatory as a location is a filmmaker's dream and the fact that it's a true sci-fi story filmed there adds to the excitement."

Encouraging girls towards following their dreams in science
Women are vastly underrepresented in science, and we need thoughtful, positive strategies to engage young girls in science subjects at school. Ellipse begins with a 10 year old girl in a London park, and shows her successful journey as an astrophysicist, leading a crucial mission to the discovery of life in other solar systems. The female lead and real NASA data used in the film work together: Ellipse encourages girls to believe there is room for women in the sciences.

Crowd-funding films The producers of the film needed to fund this film as cuts to the Observatory's budget wouldn't allow for this type of project. Therefore the film has had to use a crowd funding platform, Sponsume.com, to help finance the project.

The details are here: http://www.sponsume.com/project/ellipse

'Please Yerselves' With Frankie Howerd's The House In Nightmare Park On DVD

Comedy legend Frankie Howerd stars as the victim of sinister shenanigans in this wacky parody of seventies British horror films. From the director of Demons of the Mind and starring Hugh Burden and Oscar winner Ray Milland, THE HOUSE IN NIGHTMARE PARK is finally available in a brand-new transfer from original film elements in its as-exhibited cinema aspect ratio. Own this essential piece of cult UK cinema on 8 April 2013.

Foster Twelvetrees is a struggling tragedian who scrapes a living by giving hammy performances from the classics. He can hardly believe his luck when he’s invited to give a dramatic reading at the country home of a well-off family. But joy soon turns to outraged horror when he discovers dead bodies, foul intentions, lots of snakes and a madwoman in the attic. Can he uncover the hidden family secret before he comes to a terrible end..?

Special Features:

• Full Frame 4:3, as-filmed version of main feature
• Music-only audio track
• original theatrical trailer
• TV spot (mute)
• Image gallery.

Buy The House in Nightmare Park - DVD

Watch New Violent Trailer For Johnnie To's Drug War

Hong Kong cinema has made a name for itself as a worldwide leader in action thrillers, a market that's delivered by the likes of John Woo,Shaw Brothers, Dante Lam, Tsui Hark. Even cinephiles worldwide who may not be overall fans of the genre they can say they have at least 1 hong kong thriller amongst their collections. Johnnie To is another fine Hong Kong based director who has contributed many great films down the years and next month Drug War (Du Zhan) will be released and tonight we have a brand new English subbed trailer.

If your looking for something gritty, violent Drug War will supply your needs. With the film been filmed on mainland China, there was a sense of doubt the violence as well as To's signature style the film would get the certificate due to China's strict regulations however everything has got the thumbs up now! The film was the secret film at the recent Rome Film festival which it left  some great reviews which is probably why now we have a new trailer with English subs! We don't know yet if (or when) Drug War will arrive in UK&Ireland, USA there is a distributor however no release date has been set.

Drug War (Du Zhan) is set for a 2nd April Chinese/Hong Kong Release and stars Sun Honglei, Louis Koo, Honglei Sun, Michelle Ye, and Yi Huang.

Synopsis

Set in Jinshan, China, Timmy Choi, a cold-hearted drug dealer, crashes his car into a convenient store after the exposure of his drug factory. In saving his own life, he locks his wife and brother-in-law inside the factory. Police officer Lei, extremely smart and careful, tries to track down drug criminals by offering an opportunity for Ming to reduce the penalty. Choi helps out by betraying all his brothers, until the last minute when he turns back...

source:Twitch