In recent decades both film scholars and fans of vintage cinema have championed two unique film movements. One of these is the so-called “pre-code” school of films, pictures created before the censorship guidelines caused movies to become much more circumspect. The other movement, which has been of great public interest much longer than “pre-code”, would […]
Popularly referred to as “hagsploitation” or “psycho-biddy” cinema, the genre of the Grande Dame Guignol was born, unintentionally, in 1962 by horror film director Robert Aldrich. After his sensational hit, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, starring screen legends Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, a string of “older women in peril” films rushed into production, […]
It’s easy to point to a director and pinpoint their prime output to the span of a decade or two. Many directors have a fiery, potent period of energy and rage that burns brightly and then explodes (for directors who die young, or who ceremoniously renounce the field) or fade away (for those who continue […]
2014 has undoubtedly been an incredible year for cinema. From satirical comedies to engrossing thrillers to thematically heart-wrenching tales, independent films flourished this year and have portrayed some of the best performances and most original storylines we have seen in years. Whether you’re looking for a laugh, a scare, or an intellectually stimulating experience, it […]
Crazy, wild eyed, off the wall are just a few terms people would use to describe Nicolas Cage. His style of performance is like no other actor on this planet. He says lines that are just plain normal yet they make you question why he’s said them in that way. An actor that has divided […]
Myth, legend and folklore constitute the bedrock of world culture. Strange, then, that they have been so poorly served by the English-speaking cinema community. For every great film such as a Jason and the Argonauts (1963, Chaffey) or an Excalibur (1981, Boorman), there’s a Troy (2004, Petersen), a Clash of the Titans (2010, Leterrier), a […]