Fear pries at the beautifully illustrated characters within this Zbyněk Brynych feature. …And the Fifth Horseman is Fear contemplates the agony and unilateral terror present in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. There is no respite for the glum halls, the dark and brooding cinematography makes sure of that. This 1960s Brynych piece contemplates the impact […]
Reviews
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976) Playing Ball With Motown Productions (Review)
When we think of Motown, we inevitably think of that glorious back catalogue of music – the mainstay of many a party or get together. What we don’t think of, is cinema. Nevertheless, Motown supremo Berry Gordy Jr launched Motown Productions in 1968, hopeful that he could corner the market […]
Cat O Nine Tails (1971) Dario Argento’s Grizzly Americanised Giallo (Review)
In 1970, Dario Argento came flying out of the gates with one of the best genre debuts you’re likely to see. Bird with the Crystal Plumage not only made a lot of money on the international box-office, it also made Argento a name on the international scene. He followed that […]
PTU (2003) The work of a heroic bloodshed artist (Review)
Hong Kong Action, when you hear that term, a few things come to mind – first will be one of the biggest movie stars of the past 40 years, Jackie Chan. Second is balletic shootouts, thanks to John Woo, Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam and their stunningly choreographed movies that […]
All About Eve (1950) fasten your seatbelts, it’s a double-disc Criterion (Review)
Every era has one or two filmmakers who are so fashionable and so beloved that they introduce a whole generation to classic cinema just through name-dropping films in interviews. For my generation, it was the Coen brothers (and Quentin Tarantino, but since we’re not reviewing a 1970s rape-revenge film we’ll […]
Jagged Edge (1985) The’80s Neo-Noir that Pre-empts Basic Instinct (Review)
The 1980s saw the return of noir in Hollywood. Heralded as the neo-noir, these films revelled in their adult thriller status, creating sub-genres such as the yuppie in peril movie and the erotic thriller. It was arguably Lawrence Kasdan’s 1981 movie Body Heat that kickstarted the whole revival, making stars […]
Blow Out (1981) Travolta & De Palma’s Masterpiece (Review)
Getting right to it, the 1981 movie, Blow Out, is Brian De Palma’s masterpiece – with Carrie a close second. The Philadelphia shot movie is based on Antonioni’s 1966 classic, Blow-Up, albeit with all the danger and purpose of the New Hollywood era and a focus on the craft of […]
Vengeance Trails (1966-70) Four Classic Westerns (Review)
Westerns have always been one of the more troubling genres for me, not because of any traits or questionable standards, on the contrary, I love martial arts cinema which is far more problematic on that level. My problem with westerns is that I am not a fan, and from the […]
Classic Film Kid: The Hands of Orlac (1924)(Review)
Hello everyone, the Classic Film Kid is back! I have now left school after some final exams, and after some time to breathe, why not review a couple of classic films and TV shows before I start sixth form? I’ll start with another recent release on Blu-Ray, and a recommendation […]
The Psychic (1977) Style, legacy, and Lucio Fulci’s Halloween 3 (Review)
Lucio Fulci, there’s a name from horror cinema that has a unique legacy. Known for the like of The Beyond, City of the Living Dead and Zombie Flesh Eaters – his filmography is one of over the top gore and nightmare logic, well, logic is a strong word, his films […]