Phase IV is the one and only feature film directed by Saul Bass, the man who basically invented the opening credits. It came out in 1974, and was not a successful movie because it’s a strange film that the studio struggled to market. It’s basically an art movie, but was sold as a ‘giant ant’ … Continue reading Blu-Ray Review – Phase IV
The French Lieutenant's Woman is one of the dullest films I've ever seen, and that's saying something. Karel Reisz directs--Reisz was a decent director in the '70s, with The Gambler and Who'll Stop the Rain, but is probably best remembered in the UK for the '60s British kitchen-sink drama Saturday Night and Sunday Morning. This film is based on the novel … Continue reading Blu-Ray Review – The French Lieutenant’s Woman
Magic is a atypical film amongst director Richard Attenborough's work, because it's essentially a psychological horror movie. Attenborough was better known as a director of prestige awards-friendly films like Gandhi, Chaplin and A Bridge Too Far, and he was a notable actor for years as well. It's based off a novel by William Goldman, who … Continue reading Blu-Ray Review – Magic (1978)
The latest Hammer box set from Indicator should come with a warning: if your favourite Hammer movies are the horror/science fiction ones, this isn’t for you. This serves up a taste of the swashbuckling adventure movies they did. All four fit the mould of films rooted in England’s last gasp as a colonial power, with … Continue reading Blu-Ray Review – Hammer Volume Five: Death & Deceit
This is the second volume of Buster Keaton features from Masters of Cinema, which also released a very comprehensive set of Keaton’s shorts a couple years ago. It’s a collection of films in which he was starred and directed, from the definitive period of his work in feature filmmaking. These were made in between the … Continue reading Blu-Ray Review – The Navigator / Seven Chances / Battling Butler
