The '90s was a strange period in Paul Schrader's career, following on from its early heights in the '70s through to his magnum opus Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters. The New Hollywood was long dead by the time that Schrader got back from his adventure in Japan while making that film, which he followed … Continue reading Light Sleeper – Blu-Ray Review →

Erik the Viking is one of the films that Terry Jones of Monty Python directed solo, and it gives you a clue as to why Terry Gilliam ended up being the more prolific director. Jones, who recently passed away, was best known for being the ‘British Terry’ in the comedy group. The two Terries made Monty Python and the Holy Grail together. When Life … Continue reading Erik the Viking – Blu-Ray Review →

Curse of the Golden Flower is a Chinese film directed by Zhang Yimou, who also did House of Flying Daggers and Hero. It’s based on an old play from the 1930s called Thunderstorm, by Cao Yu, although very clearly the story is basically King Lear. Thunderstorm has been adapted many times previously, including as a … Continue reading Curse of the Golden Flower – Blu-Ray Review →

Robert Bresson made Mouchette a year after Au hasard Balthazar. It’s about a young girl , the Mouchette of the title, her miserable life and all the shitty stuff that happens to her. Made in his typical minimalistic style, the cast features mainly non-professional actors. It’s deeply depressing, ad has a slightly religious aspect as … Continue reading Mouchette – Blu-Ray Review →

Somehow this film has spawned a massive franchise over the years, with five direct-to-video sequels, a DTV prequel, a TV show in 1993, and a TV pilot by Vincenzo Natali that never made it to the air, including the most recent sequel coming out just a few weeks ago. Which is kind of bizarre because … Continue reading Tremors – Blu-Ray Review →