A contest launched by Canadian distributor Unobstructed View has spurred me once again to take a look at my own movie collection … another reminder that I have a seriously out-of-control habit!
Collecting in the time of plague
Author: Kenneth George Godwin
Poetic noir from Criterion
Although separated by fifteen years, the Depression and World War Two, Stephen Roberts’ The Story of Temple Drake (1933) and Frank Borzage’s Moonrise (1948) have quite a bit in common, stylistically and thematically; each centres on an outsider character brought low by guilt, who ultimately finds redemption through self-knowledge, and each uses richly Expressionistic black-and-white photography to create a feverishly claustrophobic atmosphere to trap its protagonist in a seemingly hopeless situation.
Camp Losey
In the middle of a career striving for artistic seriousness, Joseph Losey took a diversion into camp with three movies in the late 1960s. Gorgeously photographed and rife with scenery-chewing, one s a dud, one a great Gothic psychodrama and the third … well, it’s simply unclassifiable.
Trawling the Internet
With a little time and patience, it’s possible to dig up obscure and interesting movies on the Internet – some public domain, others no doubt illegitimate, some in pretty poor shape, others looking just fine. Here’s a collection of ones I recently discovered and generally enjoyed.
Lynch in print
I’m proud to announce that my two books about David Lynch, Eraserhead and Dune have now been released in print editions by BearManor Media, available now from the publisher and Amazon.
Catching up, part two
Continuing my notes on recently watched movies which I haven’t written about in depth …
Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Teorema (1968): Criterion Blu-ray review
Criterion has released Teorema (1968), one of Pier Paolo Pasolini’s most engaging yet enigmatic films, in an excellent Blu-ray edition, featuring a 4K restoration, a commentary and several interview featurettes which tackle the film’s ambiguous allegory of Capitalism and religion.
Catching up
A quick survey of movies I watched recently which I haven’t already commented on …
Smart Sci-Fi
Quiet, contemplative character-based science fiction movies feel like a refreshing oasis in a desert of big, loud, empty franchise blockbusters. James Gray’s Ad Astra (2019), Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja’s Ad Astra (2018), Sion Sono’s The Whispering Star (2015) and Alex Rivera’s Sleep Dealer (2008) provide satisfaction on many levels.
Three Fantastic Journeys by Karel Zeman:
Criterion Blu-ray review
A new three-disk Blu-ray from Criterion showcases three fantasies by the great Czech animator Karel Zeman, whose unique, inventive style creates a child-like sense of wonder in even the most jaded viewer. The superb restorations provided by the Karel Zeman Museum in Prague are supplemented with some terrific extras, including an excellent feature-length documentary about Zeman’s career and four of his early short films.
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