Archive for the ‘film fun’ Category

‘Keep Watching the Skies!’

OK, OK, I promise that I am not going to do every genre of film, up to and including 10 Best Films Involving Otters, but such was the pleasing reaction to my previous list, 10 Best Horror Films, I decided that there was still room to include an appreciation of the genre that is (unless, of course, you count comedy) the nearest to the macabre, namely one that frequently produces films, such as Alien (1979) and John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), that can safely be labelled as ‘crossovers’. Fair enough? It might just be me, but I think that this list may produce a few more squabbles than its predecessor. Over to you, Gentle Reader(s)…

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The horror, the horror…

Missed me? Been away for a little while, thought it was only fair to allow Picturenose’s other fair contributors (well, Colin) to have a sojourn in the spotlight. Anyway, Colin’s recent excellent post, 10 Great Final Bows, put me in mind of a list of my own that I have been meaning to do for some time. Regular visitors to this site will be aware that horror is my favourite kind of film and, I hope, will also know that I have, after many, many years of subjecting myself to numerous examples of what passes for the genre, developed a certain sophistication in my appreciation of things that slither by moonlight. So, in reverse order, and to set the record straight once and for all (or, of course, until another example comes along that will neccesitate a rejig), here are the ten films that for me define what horror should be all about – your disagreements, hurrahs and personal favourites that are not on the list are of course more than welcome.

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Some actors just seem to fizzle out, whereas others go with a huge bang. Here’s my personal top ten of actors who finished at the top of their game. It’s in no particular order, and you are welcome to let me know who should have been included and what a crappy film reviewer I must be, etc.

John Wayne – The Shootist (1976)

Probably one of Wayne’s best works. Partially mirroring his own plight, he plays JB Books, a man diagnosed with terminal cancer (although it’s not known for sure whether Wayne knew that he had cancer when the film was made). A gunslinger, famed and feared for killing tens of men, he takes a room in Carson City to live out his last few weeks. He realizes that his natural end will be painful and seeks a way to minimize the pain and die with honour. An amazing performance, a superb cast and more than a touch of the Samurai about his code. A must see.

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A giveaway so good, it’s frightening

The 28th edition of the Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film, BIFFF 2010, will be opening its doors to a bloodthirsty public from 8-20 April at Tour & Taxis this year – of course, Picturenose is in on the act, as you’d expect, with 50 pairs of film tickets to give away to our lucky readers. Read on, but be warned – here there be tygers…

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He was in town to lend his stature and expertise to OffScreen 2010, the Brussels film festival for all lovers of little-seen, bizarre, offbeat and intoxicating cinema. Alex Cox, British film connoisseur and director of gems such as Repo Man (1984), Sid & Nancy (1986) and Walker (1987) was on hand to present several classic Spaghetti Westerns (his favourite genre), hold a Cinema Master Class on 17 March and, of course, speak to Picturenose’s Colin Moors (CM) and James Drew (JD). Much fun was had by all, and it was also a good chance to talk with Cox about his involvement in recent years with ‘MicroFeatures’, which are films made on a budget of less than £100,000. Oh, and Magic Tree Air Fresheners and ‘melon farmers’ featured in the discussion too, natch…

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It’s academic

Following three years of me deriding James and poking him with a big stick on account of his truly average attempts at picking the Oscar winners, he finally snapped and said “if you can do better, please be my guest”. That was the gist of it anyway, but I do remember the sentence being somewhat shorter.

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Ah, wonderful! The eclectic, exciting Brussels film festival season begins in earnest, as it has done twice previously, with OffScreen, the annual rendez-vous for extraordinary cinema enthusiasts. Taking place over three extended weekends from 4-21 March, Brussels’ Cinema Nova, Cinematek, Bozar and RITS Cinema will be buzzing with cult-film screenings, featuring rare cinematic gems including international off-beat features, documentaries and special appearances from renowned independent filmmakers. And Picturenose is joining in the fun, as usual, with a fabulous ticket giveaway for our readers.

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The Master of Suspense’s Top Ten? Tell us if you agree…

1. North by Northwest (1959)
Simply his best outing – the master ratchets up the tension in this classic tale, which starts off with a New York skyscraper as the backdrop to very stylish credits and a roaring Bernard Hermann score.

It is a story of mistaken identity, espionage and stolen kisses on an express train heading North (well, Northwest, actually. The lead is played by Cary Grant, a Hitch favourite, advertising executive Roger O. Thornhill, while his sinister nemesis is the perfectly cast James Mason. Grant’s love interest is Eve Marie Saint, made famous by her appearance in On The Waterfront (1955), and she is a great Hitchcock blonde as the chemistry between her and Grant sizzles, while the dialogue is a witty sparring match between an actor and actress obviously enjoying each other’s company as much as the job in hand.

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He’s back! The splendid Cillian Donnelly returns, he who some time ago presented his first list of 100 Movies To Be Seen Before You Die. Enjoy his latest thrilling installment!

101. Orpheé (1950)
Post-war retelling of the Orpheus legend, featuring a dominatrix Angel of Death, Nazified celestial dispatch riders and poetic fragments broadcast over short-wave radio.

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Two Gentlemen of Lebowski

I really could not let this go by. The entire script of The Big Lebowski (1998) transmogrified magic’ly into the very prose of the Bard himself. Why? More of that later. Is it any good? No – it’s much better than that.

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