Stage to screen adaptations can be a mixed bag, either by playing it too safe with a stripped-back aesthetic that makes the film essentially a recording of a stage show, or by pushing too far with camera trickery and story expansion that means the strengths of the play are lost […]
Reviews
Dogfight (1991): Transcending Misogyny to Make a Very Real Human Connection (Review)
Released to the Criterion Collection this week is Dogfight, Nancy Savoca’s 1991 movie that undoubtedly features one of River Phoenix’s finest performances. In a career that burned fast but brightly, the aptly named Phoenix was cast against type here as a belligerent, foul mouthed jarhead; a role that was arguably […]
Riddle of Fire (2023) One of the Most Authentic Modern Attempts at the 1980s-Style Kids Adventure Movie (Review)
When I think “Vinegar Syndrome”, I don’t necessarily think of a wholesome, feel-good, family-friendly adventure romp – for those not familiar with the iconic U.S.-based Blu-Ray label, you’d be more likely to see them announce a release of The Untold Story (1993) than The Neverending Story (1984), though I wouldn’t […]
All That Money Can Buy (aka The Devil and Daniel Webster)(1941) Reclaiming of a Lost Expressionist Classic (Review)
A full decade after the death of F. W. Murnau, and almost thirteen years after his American film debut with Sunrise (a.k.a. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans), it took a “student” of both him and Max Reinhardt to revive German expressionism in Hollywood. Once again we find not just […]
Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams (1990) – A literal title for a one-of-a-kind film (Review)
Ever since his directorial debut in 1943, legendary director Akira Kurosawa amassed a prolific career which contained some of the greatest features ever made. Dreams was one of the last few films he crafted, which has a unique inspiration of the directors own recurring dreams alongside stories from Japanese folklore. […]
Boy Kills World (2023) Skarsgård Kills Role (Review)
Is there a family dynasty dominating the film industry harder than the Skarsgård clan? Between dad Stellan and children Alexander, Bill, Eija, Gustaf, Kolbjörn, Ossian, Sam and Valter, the towering Swedes have planted their flag in everything from Mamma Mia! to Barbarian (cinematically), and from Vikings to Succession (televisually). One could make an argument for the Australian Hemsworths being […]
The Boss (1973) Misogynistic Mafia Movie (Review)
It’s perhaps more than coincidental that Radiance have followed up March’s release of Duccio Tessari’s 1973 Mafia thriller Tony Arzenta with Fernando Di Leo’s The Boss this week. Not just because of the things that these films have in common – both were made in 1973, both are stories about […]
China O Brien I & II (1990) The Simple Pleasures of the Straight to Video Years(Review)
Having blazed a trail for non-Hong Kong/Chinese actors in such hi-octane action movies as Yes, Madame (1985), Millionaires Express (1986), Righting Wrongs (1986) and going as far getting her own starring feature in the 1989 action/comedy Lady Reporter (aka The Blonde Fury), the time had come for Cynthia Rothrock to […]
The End We Start From (2023) A Very British, Very Woman-Centred Apocalypse (Review)
As you would expect from a contributor to Scarred For Life such as myself, I’ve long enjoyed a good apocalyptic drama. I could never really be doing with zombies all that much in this subgenre however, as I believe the real monsters when our backs are to the wall will […]
Misunderstood (1966) Beautiful and genuine Italian Melodrama (Review)
I love the rich history of classic Italian Cinema. I’ve marvelled over the films of Rossellini, De Sica, Antonioni, Pasolini, Visconti and Fellini. Since their inception Radiance Films have been unearthing hidden gems from Italy and shining a light on some of the country’s best under-watched directors, one of which […]