Johnny Depp recently visited a London school as his pirate alter-ego Jack Sparrow after a pupil wrote to him asking to stage a ‘mutiny’ against the teachers.
The actor is currently filming the new Pirates of the Caribbean film in Greenwich and he stopped by the school as Captain Jack Sparrow to address the pupils of the Meridian Primary School.
Nine-year-old pupil Beatrice Delap wrote the letter to Depp after learning he was filming nearby at the Old Naval College.
It said:
“Captain Jack Sparrow, at Meridian primary school we are a bunch of budding young pirates. Normally we’re a right handful but we’re having trouble mutinying against the teachers. We’d love it if you could come and help. From Beatrice Delap, aged nine, a budding pirate.”
Yesterday, the school called a special assembly at the end of the day, saying there had been ‘incidents’ in the playground.
Then Johnny Depp walked in dressed as Captain Jack to address the pupils, which someone filmed on a mobile phone:
Depp produced Beatrice’s letter and performed for 15 minutes but said a mutiny might be unwise as the police were outside.
Sam Raimi’s low budget horror debut The Evil Dead is getting re-released on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK.
Shot on 16mm in the backwoods of Tennessee for just $350,000, it established the young director and led to a slew of imitators down the years (e.g Cabin Fever) which never matched the original’s energy and style.
The story involves five students on a break from college – Ash (Bruce Campbell), his girlfriend Linda (Betsy Baker), and their classmates Scott (Hal Delrich), Shelly (Sarah York) and Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss) – who spend the night at a remote mountain cabin.
After discovering a strange looking book and a reel-to-reel tape recorder, the group starts getting possessed by evil spirits, which leads to a frantic and blood-filled evening.
Despite the low budget production values, the energy and pace of the film are striking reminders of Raimi’s early talent as a director, with the wild camera work and clever sound design adding to the atmosphere.
The unsettling mix of genuine scares and black humour is also something many lesser horror directors have since failed to emulate.
After considerable word of mouth (and an endorsement from horror author Stephen King), the film became a major cult hit on home video, especially after it was banned in Britain during the hysteria of the “Video Nasties” campaign.
Compared to the jokier sequels, it remains one for the genuine horror purist, and apart from one notorious scene involving trees, is relatively restrained by today’s standards.
If you are already a fan, you will be wondering if it is worth the upgrade to Blu-ray from DVD.
The answer to that is yes, mainly because of the improved picture and sound, along with some new extras (alongside several others included on previous DVD releases of the film).
The additional features break down like this:
1080P 1.85:1 Widescreen: The original film was shot on 16mm, which means that the picture quality has some limitations despite being remastered for Blu-ray. Despite that the image still holds pretty well throughout.
All New Commentary with Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell: This commentary was recorded in 2009 and is a highly imformative discussion of the production as they discuss a wide range of things from casting, make-up, effects and how the film was distributed. It is one of those commentaries that tends not to directly discuss what we are seeing on screen, but for anyone new to the film, it is a great introduction.
Picture-in-Picture: Join us! The Undying Legacy of The Evil Dead: This is the visual equivalent of an audio commentary and allows you to watch the film as different directors (including David Slade, Alexandre Aja and Brian Yuzna) comment on the film and specific scenes.
One By One We Will Take You: The Untold Saga of the Evil Dead (54 mins): An excellent making of documentary from the previous DVD version, featuring interviews with key cast and crew about how the film got made and its influence.
Treasures from the Cutting Room Floor (59 mins): A lengthy deleted scenes reel that includes a lot of alternate takes and shots.
At the Drive-In (12 mins): A Q & A featuring Tilly, Sandweiss, Baker, DeManincor, Campbell, Ted Raimi and Tom Sullivan from August 2005 at a drive-in presentation in Chicago.
Discovering Evil Dead (13 mins): A short featurette which Stephen Woolley and Nik Powell talking about how they discovered The Evil Dead and were instrumental in distributing it in the UK, where they released it simultaneously in cinemas and on video. Bill Warren, author of The Evil Dead Companion, also talks about the background to the release.
Make-Up Test (1 min): Short make up test featuring the fake blood and make up of a face melting.
The film still holds up well today and along with being a key horror of the 1980s, also ranks as one the most influential low-budget productions in the history of cinema.
The Evil Dead is out on DVD and Blu-ray from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on Monday 11th October
The Social Network topped the US box office this weekend, grossing an estimated $23 million on around 3,800 screens at 2,771 locations.
Over the last week, the big question was whether the subject matter (the founding and conflicts over Facebook) could appeal to older males and females.
Exit polls indicated 53% of the audience was female and 55% were over 25.
With great reviews and a lot of media buzz, this was a decent opening but perhaps a more interesting indicator will be how it holds next week.
Memento (Pathe/20th Century Fox Home Ent.): The classic 2000 thriller with an ingenious flashback structure about a man suffering from a memoray condition (Guy Pearce) trying to find out who killed his wife with the aid of a police officer (Joe Pantoliano) and a bartender (Carrie-Anne Moss) who may or may not be out to help him.
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, it firmly established him as a major talent with its clever narrative structure: one happens in reverse chronological order whilst the other shows Leonard in a hotel room on the phone as he explains more about his condition.
Although on first viewing the structure can be disorientating, the effect puts us in the position of the protagonist and also – like much of Nolan’s work – repays repeated viewing.
But aside from the cleverness of the construction, the film isn’t just a technical exercise and is a compelling tale of death, grief memory and revenge.
For only his second feature, after the low budget noir Following (1998), it was filled with technical expertise. Wally Pfister‘s cinematography created a distinctive blanc-noir look, Dody Dorn‘s editing made the fractured narrative run smoothly and David Julyan’s synth-heavy score established a moving sense of loss.
It is easy to forget just how good the performances are: Guy Pearce is outstanding in the tricky lead role, painting a riveting portrait of a haunted man adrift in a sea information he can’t process; Carrie-Anne Moss is a convincing femme-fatale with a twist, whilst Joe Pantiolano is wonderfully smarmy as the cop who may or may not be trusted.
A major independent hit that crossed over into the mainstream, it firmly established Nolan as a talent to watch before he went on to bigger Hollywood blockbusters such as The Dark Knight (2008) and Inception (2010).
The special features on the Blu-ray include extras from previous DVD versions but add a few more (most notably the Anatomy of a Scene and the Memento Mori video):
Audio Commentary by Christopher Nolan
IFC Interview with Christopher Nolan
Interview with Guy Pearce
Anatomy of a Scene Featurette
Shooting Script to Film Comparison
Memento Mori video narrated by Writer Jonathan Nolan
International Trailer
Production Skills and Sketches
Props Gallery
International Poster Art
Production Journal
Blogs
Tattoo Gallery
Easter Egg: The Beginning of the End
It is notable how well the film still stands up ten years on, with Nolan’s attention to detail apparent in both the script and visuals.
A film almost designed for repeated viewing, despite a lot of articles purporting to explain the conclusion (e.g. this Salon article), there is something tantalising out of reach about the climactic revelations, as though Nolan wanted us to be like the central character: confused and grasping about small details.
Despite all of Nolan’s Hollywood success since, this remains his most fascinating film and ranks amongst the very best of the decade.
Seven (Warner Home Video): One of the landmark thrillers of the 1990s, Seven was a dark and uncomprimising serial killer film that also turned out to be an unlikely box office hit.
Set in unnamed modern city where it is perpetually raining, Det. William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), a veteran about to retire has to solve one last case with a rookie partner, David Mills (Brad Pitt).
Mills is ambitious and has come to the city with his reluctant wife, Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow), to solve important cases, but his first is a puzzling and gruesome one involving a killer who chooses his victims according to the seven deadly sins.
Brilliantly scripted by Andrew Kevin Walker, it not only reinvigorated the serial killer genre but also established David Fincher as a great visual director, after the misfire of his debut on Alien 3 (largely due to studio interference).
He cranks up the tension wonderfully and paints a hellish picture of a modern city infected by evil, indifference and corruption.
Darius Khondji’s cinematopgraphy was also first rate, creating a dark and moody look which accentuated the films themes and subject matter.
A lot of the violence is implied rather than shown, although this actually has the effect of making the film more sinister as it slowly reaches its bold and unusual final act.
Although bleak and disturbing for a mainstream release, it became a major hit and ended up earning $327 million worldwide.
The special features are terrific and include the following:
The Stars: David Fincher, Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman Audio Commentary
The Story: Richard Dyer, Andrew Kevin Walker, Richard Francis-Bruce, Michael De Luca, and David Fincher Audio Commentary
The Picture: Darius Khondji, Arthur Max, Richard Francis-Bruce, Richard Dyer, and David Fincher Audio Commentary
The Sound: Ren Klyce, Howard Shore, Richard Dyer, and David Fincher Audio Commentary
Exploration of the Opening Title Sequence
Deleted Scenes
Alternate Ending
Production Design Featurette
Stills Gallery
The Notebooks
Theatrical EPK
Theatrical Trailer
Mastering for the Home Theatre: Audio, Video, Colour Correction & Telecine Gallery
Original Opening
Seven is exactly the kind of well-crafted film that looks fantastic in HD, with Fincher’s visuals and the production design benefiting from the Blu-ray format.
This disc duplicates a lot of the extras from the DVD, which is welcome since they were excellent, but it is still an essential purchase for any true cinephile.
Se7en (Warner Home Video): This dark and uncompromising serial killer film became one of the landmark thrillers of the 1990s. Set in a rainy, unnamed US city, Det. William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), a veteran about to retire, has to solve one last case with a rookie partner, David Mills (Brad Pitt).
Greenberg (Universal Pictures): A comedy-drama about a forty-something man, Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller), who decides to housesit for his brother in LA, where he meets an old friend (Rhys Ifans) and a younger woman (Greta Gerwig). Directed by Noah Baumbach.
Although Noah Baumbach’s films can suffer from heavy doses of smug, metropolitan misanthropy this is one of his more successful attempts to depict the downsides of modern life. [Read the full review here] [Buy it on Blu-ray or DVD at Amazon UK]
Memento (Pathe/20th Century Fox Home Ent.): Classic 2000 thriller with an ingenious flashback structure about a man suffering from a memoray condition (Guy Pearce) trying to find out who killed his wife with the aid of a police officer (Joe Pantoliano) and a bartender (Carrie-Anne Moss) who may or may not be out to help him.
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, it firmly established him as a major talent with its clever narrative structure which inter-cuts two narrative threads. Although on first viewing the structure can be disorientating, the effect puts us in the position of the protagonist and also – like much of Nolan’s work – repays repeated viewing. [Read the full review] [Buy it on Blu-ray from Amazon UK]
ALSO OUT
4.3.2.1 (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray / Normal] Alice in Wonderland – Animated (Jef Films) [Blu-ray / Normal] Anchorman – The Legend of Ron Burgundy (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Band of Brothers (Warner Home Video/HBO) [Blu-ray / Tin Case] Bubba Ho-Tep / My Name Is Bruce / I Sell the Dead (Anchor Bay Entertainment UK) [Blu-ray / Box Set] By the Will of Ghengis Khan (Manga Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Cats and Dogs (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / Normal] Confucius (Showbox Media Group) [Blu-ray / Normal] Fanboys (Anchor Bay Entertainment UK) [Blu-ray / Normal] Forbidden Planet (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / Normal] Gremlins (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / Normal] Happy Feet (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / Normal] Heroes: The Complete Series 4 (Universal/Playback) [Blu-ray / Normal] Higanjima – Escape from Vampire Island (Manga Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Letters to Juliet (E1 Entertainment UK) [Blu-ray / Normal] Objectified (Plexi Film) [Blu-ray / Normal] Shane Meadows Collection (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Blair Witch Project (Lionsgate UK) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Brothers Bloom (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Disappearance of Alice Creed (Icon Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Heavy (Lionsgate UK) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Human Centipede – First Sequence (Eureka) [Blu-ray / Normal] The Loved Ones (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal] Zombie Collection (Optimum Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / Normal]
Back To The Future (R/I) / Universal Bella / Kaleidoscope Entertainment Collapse / Dogwoof Made In Dagenham (15) / Paramount Police, Adjective / Artificial Eye The Secret Of Kells (PG) / Optimum Releasing Takers (12A) / Sony Pictures
WEDNESDAY 6th OCTOBER
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps / 20th Century Fox
Involuntary (15) / Trinity Filmed Entertainment Jackboots In Whitehall / Vertigo Films The Life And Death Of Charlie St. Cloud (12A) / Universal Life As We Know It / Warner Bros. Mr Nice (18) / E1 Entertainment New York, I Love You / The Works Restrepo / Dogwoof A Town Called Panic / Optimum Releasing
Despicable Me (U) (3D) / Universal London Boulevard / Entertainment Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow / Artificial Eye The Social Network / Sony Pictures Vampires Suck / 20th Century Fox
Africa United / Warner Bros/Pathe The Arbor / Verve Pictures Carlos (15) / Optimum Releasing Easy A (15) / Sony Pictures Legend Of The Guardians 3D (previously Guardians Of Gaâhoole) / Warner Bros. Mary & Max / Soda Pictures Ramona And Beezus (U) / 20th Century Fox Red / E1 Entertainment Sequel To Paranormal Activity / Paramount
Burke And Hare / Entertainment Enemies Of The People (D) / Dogwoof Forbidden (R/I) / Park Circus The Hunter (15) / Artificial Eye It Happened One Night (R/I) / Park Circus The Kids Are All Right (15) / Universal Peeping Tom: 50th Anniversary / Optimum Releasing Saw VII (3D) / Lionsgate UK
Keep a look out every Friday for a breakdown of the weekly releases with more detail on each film.
What makes war photographers set out to capture images from some of the most dangerous places on earth?
This is a question that drove director Richard Parry as he followed photo-journalist Robert King in Shooting Robert King.
Using footage shot over a fifteen year period, the documentary chronicles King in the war zones of the former Yugoslavia, Chechnya and Iraq.
The first part sees him as a naive, but determined 24 year old getting his first taste of war in Sarajevo during 1993.
But by the time of Grozny in 1997, he is a more hardened figure who has had photos published on the covers of the world’s top publications including Time and Figaro.
After spells in Afghanistan, Rwanda, Albania and Kosovo he eventually goes to Iraq in 2007, by which time he is married with a family.
In the most recent conflict, he chose (like many others) to be embedded with the US military and it is an eye-opening behind-the-scenes look at how the war was covered.
The footage in the film is often remarkable, providing a fascinating document of the wars, although sensitive viewers should be warned that it is frequently graphic and disturbing.
A compelling portrait of a journalist and his motives for covering war, it also intercuts King talking about his experiences in the relative peace of Tennessee during 2007.
The extras on the DVD include the following:
Audio Commentary by director Richard Parry and producer Vaughn Smith
Opening with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) getting out of jail in 2001, the story quickly moves forward to 2008 where a trader, Jake Moore (Shia LeBeouf), is looking for revenge after his firm is taken over by a ruthless rival, Bretton James (Josh Brolin).
Enter Gekko, the author of a new book warning of the market meltdown. Jake happens to be dating Gekkoâs estranged daughter Winnie (Carey Mulligan) and agrees to help him reconnect with her, in return for information about Jamesâ firm.
Given that 23 years have passed since the original film, it is remembering that its cultural status built over time. Although Douglas won an Oscar, it was not a huge critical or commercial hit and it took time for his phrase âgreed is goodâ to enter the lexicon.
Gekko was loosely based on disgraced figures such Michael Miken and Ivan Boesky, but gradually became a hero over time to a generation of financial workers who helped stoke the boom years under Clinton and Bush Jnr.
LeBeouf noted that for this film, Stone and Douglas were treated like royalty whilst filming on Wall Street because of the impact of the 1987 film – a cautionary parable about greed that ironically inspired a generation keen to emulate the villain.
The new film has a promising concept: what would Gekko himself make of the financial crises of 2008 and the bailout of Wall Street banks by the taxpayer?
On the plus side, the return of Douglas as Gekko is actually the most enjoyable aspect of the film. Not only does he paint a convincing portrait of a disgraced titan looking to get back in the game, but he balances genuine emotion with sly humour.
Where the film is less successful is the way in which it crams in too much domestic drama alongside the Gekko narrative.
The screenplay by Allan Loeb and Stephen Schiff is weaker when it comes the emotional conflicts of Jake and Winnie, which feels stodgy and undercooked, and it never really nails the extraordinary events of the last 2 years.
Although Le Beouf is agreeable in the role, his characterâs passion for green technology seems forced and Mulligan is almost completely wasted in a one-dimensional role.
Brolin is suitably menacing as the natural successor and rival to Gekko, but there is a curious lack of drama to scenes involving his bank and a global financial apocalypse.
The actual news bulletins from 2008 felt more exciting than the dull sequences here where bankers gather round tables and spout dialogue like it is some kind of TV reconstruction.
Roderigo Prietoâs visuals are curiously muted and also feature a bizarre amount of old school split-screen effects (some not seen since the early days of MTV) and an overuse of graphics which donât actually explain that much.
At around 130 minutes, it lacks the spark and fizz of the original and by the end credits audiences may be wondering what Stone was thinking as it flounders towards an unsatisfactory conclusion.
The biggest strike against the film is that it doesn’t place the 2008 crash in proper context. Although a few neat lines are offered as explainers, it should have gone deeper in to why the Clinton and Bush years led to the current disaster.
Strangely for the Oliver Stone, there is little of his energetic anger or style, and he seems more concerned with sentimental family drama than the underlying social issues, which must rank as a massive missed opportunity.
Douglas ultimately provides a reason for watching, but it seems like this film will have a much more muted cultural impact than the first, as it fails to form an effective response to the current financial meltdown.
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps opens on Wednesday 6th October
Starring Sally Hawkins, Rosamund Pike, Bob Hoskins and Miranda Richardson, it is directed by Nigel Cole and produced by Stephen Wolley. Paramount are giving this a wide release and will be hoping that it will be a contender for BAFTA and â maybe Oscars â with its mixture of feel-good comedy and social awareness. [Odeon Leicester Square & Nationwide / 15]
Takers (Sony Pictures): A action film about a group of notorious bank robbers (Idris Elba, Paul Walker, T.I., Chris Brown, Hayden Christensen and Michael Ealy) who attempt to pull off one last job (is there any other?) with a hardened detective (Matt Dillon) on their tail.
Directed by John Luessenhop, it comes just seven days after another drama about bank robbers (The Town) and is likely to do well despite less than stellar reviews. [Nationwide / 12A]
Buried (Icon): A Spanish low budget thriller about a US contractor in Iraq (Ryan Reynolds) who is buried alive in a box with only a lighter, a knife and a cellular phone.
Back To The Future (Universal): A re-release for the inventive 1985 hit about a teenager (Michael J Fox) who travels back in time to 1955 and has to make sure his parents get together.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis, this is a short theatrical run for the film which is being released on Blu-ray next month. [Empire West End & Nationwide / PG]
ALSO OUT
Police, Adjective (Artificial Eye): A Romanian drama about a policeman (DragoĆ Bucur) investigating a teenage boy who has been smoking dope, who gradually questions the case. Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu. [Curzons Mayfair, Renoir & Richmond, Ritzy & Key Cities / 12A]
The Secret Of Kells (Optimum Releasing): An animated feature set in the ninth century which was nominated for an Oscar earlier this year. [Ritzy & Key Cities / PG]
Collapse (Dogwoof): Disturbing documentary about a former police officer who believes the world is on the brink of economic and social collapse. Directed by documentarian Christopher Smith. [ICA Cinema & Key Cities]
Anjaana Anjaani (Eros): A Hindi film directed by Siddharth Anand, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Zayed Khan. [C’Worlds Feltham, Ilford, Shaftesbury Ave., Odeon Greenwich & Key Cities / 12A]
Bella (Kaleidoscope Entertainment): A 2006 (!) film about a New York chef who helps a pregnant waitress avoid an abortion. [Key Cities / PG]
The First Movie (Picturehouse Entertainment): A documentary by Mark Cousins about taking cinema to a remote part of Nothern Iraq so the local children can experience a film and also get to make their own with digital cameras. [Gate, Ritzy & Key Cities / 12A] (Scotland from October 15th).
Garfield’s Pet Force 3D (Stealth Media): An animated release involving the famous cat. In 3D. [Selected Key Cities / U]
Little Big Soldier (CineAsia): A Chinese action-comedy starring Jackie Chan and Leehom Wang as the two survivors of a battle in the Warring States Period of Chinese history. [Key Cities / 15]
A US company specialising in bacon products recently commissioned an artist to make a bust of actor Kevin Bacon …made out of bacon.
Artist Mike Lahue carved a styrofoam bust of the actor and then used bacon bits covered by glue and several coats of lacquer as soft, cooked bacon would rot too easily.
The final result is called ‘Bacon Kevin Bacon’ and is being auctioned on eBay in support a nonprofit organization which helps families cope with cancer.
The US remake of the Swedish vampire classic manages to confound expectations by actually improving on the excellence of the original.
For those unfamiliar with the story, it involves a lonely young boy (Kodi-Smit McPhee) struggling at home and school, who befriends a mysterious girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) who moves in next door with a older guardian (Richard Jenkins).
Relocating it to Los Alamos, New Mexico in early 1983, it begins with a police officer (Elias Koteas) investigating a mysterious death which we later find out is just one of many plaguing the area.
Shooting mostly on location, Reeves and cinematographer Greig Fraser have crafted their own visual style which keeps things atmospheric and murky, referencing the original but also defining its own visual palette.
It is no coincidence that we see Regan as a background presence on TV denouncing the Soviet Union as an âevil empireâ and generally contributing to the dark mood throughout.
Reeves doesnât shy away from the darker elements of the material: the school bullies are depicted as unremitting monsters (as they can seem to a child) and the violence hasnât been curbed to get a softer rating.
McPhee and Moretz are excellent in the lead roles and have a rare emotional chemistry for actors of their age. Their relationship is all the more moving because of the danger at the heart of it.
As a horror remake this is light years ahead of the horror junk that has been seeping out of Hollywood recently.
For those unfamiliar with the original, it will be a rare chance to appreciate a well crafted and emotionally effecting horror film.
But how will this play to audiences who have already seen the original Swedish film?
It is a difficult question to answer. Some will see it as redundant, others might even refuse to see it at all.
As a big fan of Tomas Alfredsonâs movie, it seems odd to confess that Reeves has actually made the creepier film.
It doesnât have quite the same mood or crisp visuals and will inevitably be seen by some as the lesser work because it is a remake.
But it feels like Reeves spent a good deal of time going over the original novel, as well as the first film, and worked hard to create something that can stand on its own.
The horror genre has seen too many bad remakes over the last decade, along with films that omit genuine scares for voyeuristic sadism.
Let Me In is a rare exception, a film which builds on the original and makes for an unsettling horror which affects the head and the heart.
Let Me in is out at UK cinemas on Friday 5th October
Born Bernard Schwartz in 1925 to Hungarian-Jewish immigrants in New York, his early life was beset by poverty and family problems (his mother and brother both suffered from schizophrenia).
After serving in the Navy during World War II, where he witnessed the official Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay, he enrolled in acting classes in New York and got a contract with Universal Studios in 1948.
In 1949 he dated Marilyn Monroe before marrying actress Janet Leigh, who he starred alongside in Houdini (1953), but his early years in Hollywood were marred by formulaic supporting roles, despite being an attractive star hugely popular with teens and fan-magazine readers.
His major career breakthrough came in 1957 as a Broadway press agent opposite Burt Lancasterâs Broadway columnist in Alexander Mackendrick’s Sweet Smell of Success.
Finally achieving the critical acclaim that had eluded him, he went on to star in The Vikings (1958) with Kirk Douglas and Stanley Kramer’s social drama The Defiant Ones (1958) alongside Sidney Poitier.
By 1959 he was a major star and that year saw his most famous role in Billy Wilderâs Some Like It Hot, a comedy which cast him and Jack Lemmon as struggling musicians forced to dress in drag whilst fleeing the mob.
His next films, Operation Petticoat (1959) and Spartacus (1960) cemented his success but this golden period was soured by the box office flop of The Outsider (1961) and his divorce from Janet Leigh in 1962, following an affair with the 17-year-old German actress Christine Kaufmann.
In retrospect his career never recovered, and the 1960s saw him appear in a succession of unsuccessful comedies such as Captain Newman M.D. (1963) and the widely panned Wild and Wonderful (1964).
By the late 1960s his career was in severe trouble and an attempt at a more serious role in The Boston Strangler (1968) earned some good reviews, despite being attracted controversy.
Although it never cracked the US market, it is still regularly repeated around the world.
The 1970s saw him crop up in a variety of guest appearances on TV shows, such as Vega$ and by the late 1970s he had seen his daughter Jamie Lee Curtis become a star with the low budget horror Halloween (1978).
His colourful private life had always kept him in the public eye and by the 1990s he was on his sixth marriage and published his autobiography in 1994, with a second volume in 2008.
Two years ago he gave a fascinating interview on the UK show Shrink Rap where he talked to Dr Pamela Connolly about his life in often searing personal detail, discussing his violent mother, his guilt over the death of his brother and his various relationships down the years.
The film charts the origins of Facebook and the disputes that arose between founder Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) and his co-founder and friend Eduardo Severin (Andrew Garfield).
Another key strand of the plot involves the Winklevoss twins (Armie Hammer, who plays both) and their business partner Divya Narendra (Max Minghella) who claimed Zuckerberg stole their idea and made it his own.
In 2004, the two twins rowed in the Final of The Grand Challenge Cup at Henley and Fincher was at the Regatta last summer to recreate the race for the film.
/Film: The tilt/shift isolated focus you employed in the boating sequence. It is unlike anything Iâve ever seen on the big screen before and would love to learn what inspired it.
Fincher: We could only shoot 3 races at the Henley Royal Regatta; We had to shoot 4 days of boat inserts in Eton. The only way to make the date for release was to make the backgrounds as soft as humanly possible. I decided it might be more âsubjectiveâ if the world around the races fell away in focus, leaving the rowers to move into and out of planes of focus to accentuate their piston-like effort.
I guess I was in the right place at the right time along with a bunch of other guys. (…) Itâs like there was this exciting sense. David Fincher the other day was saying it was like âDogtown and Z-Boys.â It was just this moment, particularly at Propaganda and Satellite Films, where you really felt you were part of something going on in the zeitgeist.
And people were culturally, on a global scale, they were paying attention to what you were doing. So if you were making this thing, it would be serviced to 17 countries the next day.
Back then, itâs only 10 years ago or something, they didnât really do movies day-and-date globally. And TV commercials were usually pretty regional. But music videos, if you made a music video, it went out to 22 countries the day you finished the master. Thatâs pretty heady stuff. And to young people, by and large, who are going to have an effect on the culture.
And it was very exciting because I had an office. Spike Jonze had an office next to me, and David Fincher was down the hall, and David Lynch was walking around, and Michel Gondry would come over from France to do a video. And weâd all be at the coffee shop at Propaganda talking shop. It was pretty f–king cool.”
Both directors now have films coming out: Fincher’s The Social Network is out in the UK on October 15th whilst Romanek’s Never Let Me Go is out on January 11th over here.
Film editor Sally Menke passed away on Monday at the age of 56.
Best known for her longtime collaboration with Quentin Tarantino she worked on all of his features: Reservoir Dogs (1991), Pulp Fiction (1994), Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill Vol I & II (2003-04), Death Proof (2007) and Inglourious Basterds (2009).
For Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds she received Oscar nominations.
Here is Tarantino talking about Menke on the DVD for Death Proof, which culminates in a blooper reel where the actors on set say hello to Sally between takes:
The tradition was continued for Inglourious Basterds:
Although the exact cause of death isn’t yet clear, she had gone hiking in Griffith Park, Los Angeles on Monday.
It was an unusually hot day when temperatures reached 113 degrees and her body was found in the parkâs Bronson Canyon section.
The first trailer for the Coen Brothers’Â True Grit has been released and it looks like a more serious adaptation of the Charles Portis novel than the 1969 version with John Wayne.
Werner Herzog’s brilliantly surreal remake (or is it?) of Abel Ferrara’s 1992 film is relocated to New Orleans where a corrupt, drug addled cop (Nicolas Cage) finds himself involved with a drug dealer (Alvin âXzibitâ Joiner) who is suspected of murdering a family of African immigrants.
On top of this he struggles to keep his life in check, which includes his prostitute girlfriend (Eva Mendes); his hot-headed partner (Val Kilmer); a local bookie (Brad Dourif) and all manner of surreal visions.
This sounds like it could be the premise of a conventional crime movie and there are elements of William Finkelsteinâs script that bear the hallmarks of the traditional cop procedural. But filtered through the lens of Herzog, we have something different altogether.
As the story progresses Cageâs character takes gargantuan amounts of drugs (coke, heroin, crack), shakes down clubbers and then screws their girlfriends in front of them, runs up huge debts, threatens old age pensioners and does all this wearing an oversize suit with a funny looking revolver.
But this only scratches the surface, as Herzog adds some wildly surreal touches involving iguanas and alligators shot in extreme hand held close-up, whacky interludes involving dogs, horny traffic cops and hilariously over the top dialogue delivered by Cage in a couple of different accents (my favourite lines being ââShoot him again! His soul is still dancing!â and âto the break of DAWNNNN!!!!â).
Strange, out of control and defiantly off its head, it seems destined for cult status: appealing to cinephiles and late night stoner audiences.
When I first saw it last year I was unsure if it was a crazy joke or surreal genius. Having seen it again I’m sure it is the latter.
Not only does Herzog filter the material through his own unique mind, but Cage arguably gives his greatest performance in years, which is wild and out of control in all the best ways.
The Blu-ray transfer is crisp and sharp – in many ways a better experience than the print I originally saw it on – and in HD one can really appreciate the visual mood created by Herzog and his regular DOP Peter Zeitlinger.
The extras include interviews with the cast and key crew as well as a substantial 30 minute making of featurette which goes behind certain sequences, interviewing the key talent.
Most of it consists of Herzog setting up shots, discussing his creative process and we also get some interesting contributions from the cast and crew.
In years people will wonder how one of Europe’s greatest arthouse directors ended up making a film with Nicolas Cage in New Orleans, but they will be grateful for what is a unusually memorable collaboration.
On top of this he struggles to keep his life in check, which includes his prostitute girlfriend (Eva Mendes); his hot-headed partner (Val Kilmer); a local bookie (Brad Dourif) and all manner of surreal visions. *Read the full review here * [Blu-ray / DVD]
The Killer Inside Me (Icon Home Entertainment): Adapated from Jim Thompsonâs 1952 novel about a deputy sheriff (Casey Affleck) in Texas who is also a secretly depraved sociopath. Directed by Michael Winterbottom and co-starring Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson, the film caused considerable controversy earlier this year due to the graphic violence in certain scenes.
Despite that kerfuffle and some sequences which drag, it manages to effectively convey the dark side of Eisenhower’s America. * Read the full review here * [Blu-ray / DVD]
ALSO OUT
A Nightmare On Elm Street (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / DVD] American – The Bill Hicks Story (2 Entertain) [Blu-ray / DVD] City of Life and Death (High Fliers Video Distribution) [Blu-ray / DVD] Death at a Funeral (Sony Pictures Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / DVD] Fringe: Season 2 (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / DVD] Fringe: Seasons 1 and 2 (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / DVD] House: Season 6 (Universal/Playback) [Blu-ray / DVD] Infernal Affairs (Palisades Tartan) [Blu-ray / DVD] Rush: 2112/Moving Pictures (Eagle Rock Entertainment) [Blu-ray / DVD] She’s Out of My League (Paramount Home Entertainment) [Blu-ray / DVD] Space Chimps 2 – Zartog Strikes Back (EV) [Blu-ray / DVD] Stephen Hawking’s Universe (Demand DVD) [Blu-ray / DVD] StreetDance E1 (Entertainment UK) [Blu-ray / DVD] Tetro (Soda Pictures) [Blu-ray / DVD] The Deep (2 Entertain) [Blu-ray / DVD] Wake Up Sid (UTV) [Blu-ray / DVD] Warren Miller: Dynasty (Demand DVD) [Blu-ray / DVD]
YouTube has several movies you can legally watch for free, but what  are the best of the bunch?
There is obviously a lot of film related content on the world’s largest video site, including a lot of ‘unofficial’ clips and even full length films chopped up into 10 minute chunks.
Recent reports suggest Google (who own the site) have been in talks with Hollywood studios to launch a global pay-per-view video section by the end of this year.
Although it hasn’t got a great deal of press, they already have a dedicated movie section (www.youtube.com/movies) where users can legally stream films.
At the moment, these are often titles which have fallen out of copyright or been sanctioned by their owners.
Because of this, some of the films vary in quality so below is a list of the best ones currently there.
(Just click on the title for the YouTube link).
The General (Dir. Clyde Bruckman & Buster Keaton, 1927): Classic silent comedy starring Buster Keaton as a train engineer during the US Civil War.
Metropolis (Dir. Fritz Lang): The classic German expressionist film set in a futuristic city depicted the tensions between workers and bosses.
Carnival of Souls (Dir. Herk Harvey, 1962): Cult horror film about a woman who is involved in a car accident and becomes drawn to a mysterious, abandoned carnival.
Cathy Come Home (Dir. Ken Loach, 1966): A landmark BBC drama about a family in 1960s Britain struggling to deal with unemployment and homelessness.
Night of the Living Dead (Dir. George A Romero, 1968): The classic independent zombie movie, which influenced a generation of filmmakers.
Salaam Bombay! (Dir. Mira Nair, 1988): A Hindi film which chronicles the life of children living on the streets of Mumbai (then known as Bombay).
Land and Freedom (Dir. Ken Loach, 1995): A drama about a young man from Liverpool (Ian Hart) who goes off to fight facism in the Spanish Civil War.
Undertow (Dir. David Gordon Green, 2004): Indie drama set in Georgia about two bothers (Jamie Bell and Devon Alan) who go on the run from their dangerous uncle (Josh Lucas). Look out for a pre-Twilight Kristen Stewart.
Hannah Takes The Stairs (Dir. Joe Swanberg, 2007): An archetypal ‘mumblecore’ film typical of the genre, featuring regulars like Greta Gerwig, Andrew Bujalski and Mark Duplass.
Rollover didn’t exactly make major waves upon its release, but its depiction of a global financial collapse now seems chilling.
A conspiracy thriller directed by Alan Pakula, it starred Jane Fonda and Kris Kristofferson and is about the chaos unleashed by an Arab firm which decides not to redeposit (or ‘rollover’) their huge investment in a US bank, which sends Wall Street and the global financial system into meltdown.
In truth the film itself is not particularly good and certainly nowhere near the quality of Pakula’s other films like All the President’s Men and The Parallax View.
The Town (Warner Bros.): Ben Affleckâs second film as director is a satisfyingly lean crime drama about bank robbers, set in the Charlestown district of Boston. Adapted from Chuck Hoganâs novel âPrince of Thievesâ, Affleck plays the leader of a gang who play cat and mouse with a local FBI agent (Jon Hamm) keen to bring his crew to justice.
After a heist goes slightly wrong, they fear that a hostage (Rebecca Hall) may have recognised one of them behind their masks. To complicate matters further, Affleckâs character soon falls for her which creates tensions with his fellow gang member and friend (Jeremy Renner).
Whilst not as strong as Affleckâs directorial debut, the quietly brilliant Gone Baby Gone (2007), it establishes him as a confident storyteller who can evoke a strong sense of place (most of it was shot on location in Boston) and a very capable director of actors.
After screening at festivals in Venice and Toronto, it built up momentum and topped the US box office last weekend, scoring great reviews in to the bargain. British critics will probably be cooler on it, but audiences may be keener as word of mouth spreads. Warner Bros may be quietly confident that this could do better than expected and give Eat Pray Love a run for its money. [Nationwide / 15] *Read a longer review here *
Eat Pray Love (Sony Pictures): Adapted from the best selling memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert about a woman (Julia Roberts) who reboots her life by going on a journey around the world, which takes her to Italy, India and Indonesia. Along the way she meets various people, eats food, prays and falls in love (as the title might suggest).
Directed by Ryan Murphy (who is also the creator of Glee), it co-stars Javier Bardem, James Franco, Viola Davis and Richard Jenkins. Aimed firmly at the female cinemagoer, it opened to mixed reviews and respectable box office in the US last month. Sony will be expecting this to top the box office this weekend although it will face competition from The Town. [Nationwide / PG]
The Hole (Entertainment One UK): A thriller about a family who discover a mysterious hole in the basement of their house, which appears to be a scary bottomless pit.
Directed by Joe Dante, this is the directorâs first film since Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003) and stars Teri Polo, Chris Massoglia and Haley Bennett.
This is a rare thing these days, a family-orientated suspense film that touches on the horror genre, with nods to Stephen King and The Twilight Zone. Whether the 3D will help or hinder its box office chances is an open question and the absence of stars might also be a drawback. [Vue West End & Nationwide / 12A]
Ambitious and technically dazzling, it is ultimately a disjointed exploration of life after death. Although at times grandiose and clumsy, generally the level of craft here is something to behold and the sheer visceral assault on the senses is unlike anything in recent memory.
World’s Greatest Dad (The Works): A black comedy about a teacher (Robin Williams) who is also a struggling writer and frustrated father to his teenage son (Daryl Sabara).
When something drastic happens, he finds himself as an unlikely celebrity and gets the attention he always craved. Although the poster might suggest a much more commercial film, this is actually a genuine independent that screened to considerable acclaim back at Sundance in 2009.
Directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, the presence of Williams in the lead role is initially misleading as this is a darkly funny and subversive film, which will probably get a more appreciative audience over time. [Odeon Covent Garden & Key Cities / 15]
Frozen (Momentum Pictures): A horror about college students who encounter some problems at a ski resort. Directed by Adam Green, it stars Emma Bell and Shawn Ashmore. [Empire Leicester Square, Ritzy Brixton, Screen on the Green & Key Cities / 15]
Peepli Live (Artificial Eye): A Hindi satire about farmers’ suicides and the subsequent media and political response starring Omkar Das Manikpuri and written and directed by Anusha Rizvi. [Curzon Renoir, Empire West End, Genesis Mile End & Nationwide / 15]
True Legend (Optimum Releasing): A Chinese-Hong Kong martial arts film about a Qing dynasty general (Man Cheuk Chiu) who retires in order to pursue his dream of a family and his own martial arts school. Directed by Yuen Woo-Ping, it also stars Vincent Zhao, Zhou Xun, and Michelle Yeoh. [Curzon Soho & Nationwide / 15]
The Wildest Dream (Serengeti Ent/National Geographic): A documentary which intersects the stories of George Mallory, the first man to attempt a summit of Mount Everest, and Conrad Anker, the mountaineer who finds Mallory’s frozen remains 75 years later. Directed by Anthony Geffen. [Apollo Piccadilly Circus, BFI IMAX & Nationwide / PG]
Budrus (Dogwoof): Drama about a Palestinian leader who unites Fatah, Hamas and Israelis in an unarmed movement to save his village from destruction. Directed by Julia Bacha. [Empire West Gate, Clapham Picturehouse & Key Cities / 15]
Confucius (CineAsia): A Chinese biographical film directed by Hu Mei, starring Chow Yun-fat as the famous Chinese philosopher. [Key Cities / 15]
Dragon Hunters (Stealth Media): An animated film about two dragon hunters, directed by Guillaume Ivernel and Arthur Qwak. [Selected Key Cities / PG]
From Here To Eternity (Park Circus): A re-release for the 1953 World War II drama, based on the novel by James Jones, which explores the troubles of soldiers in Hawaii before Pearl Harbour. Directed by Fred Zinnemann, it stars Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra, Ernest Borgnine, Deborah Kerr and Donna Reed. [BFI Southbank & Key Cities/ PG]
David Fincher’s new film about the founding of Facebook opens in the US next week and Sony has already started screening it for selected critics in order to build buzz.
Here are a selection of some of the reviews so far:
Continues Fincher’s fascinating transition from genre filmmaker extraordinaire to indelible chronicler of our times – Justin Chang, Variety
A mesmerizing, bewildering and infuriating protagonist makes this movie about Facebook’s creation a must-see – Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter
On a first viewing, it seems almost indecently smart, funny and sexy. The second time around… half the time I sat there marveling at the similarities of the story, themes and structure to Citizen Kane. – Todd McCarthy, indieWIRE
Itâs the finest film in many years to open the New York Film Festival – Lou Lumenick, New York Post
David Fincher’s The Social Network is Zodiac’s younger, geekier, greedier brother. That means it’s good, as in really good. It’s the strongest Best Picture contender I’ve seen so far this year – Jeffrey Wells, Hollywood Elsewhere
…the most culturally relevant film Scott Rudin has produced since 1998âČs âThe Truman Show.â But while that film was a potent forecast of where we were heading as an entertainment-hungry society, this one is no less significant for its depiction of the here and now. – Kris Tapley, In Contention
At the moment it has 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 100 score on Metacritic, but this will obviously change once more reviews are published.
However, this is a good start for Sony and the team positioning this for a shot at the Oscars. The most interesting question is how much awareness there is amongst the broader public.
Amongst film and tech geeks on the web it is eagerly anticipated, but how many of Facebook’s estimated 500 million users are actually going to see this?
The marketing campaign has been slick and clever but it will be fascinating to see how mainstream this film actually goes.
The early contenders for this year’s awards season have emerged with films about King George V, Facebook and a mountain climber amongst the front runners.
How does a film end up winning an Oscar? In simple terms, Academy voters see a bunch of films in a given year and then vote for the pictures and performances they like best.
But the road to Oscar recognition is obviously a larger and more complicated affair. It really begins when a studio or production company greenlights a project which they think could have a shot at awards recognition.
Once completed, films are often ‘positioned’ for a run at a major film festival in order to gauge buzz, critical reaction and its chances in the autumn awards season.
Things really come in to focus in late August and early September when Oscar hopefuls screen at Telluride, Venice and Toronto.
Telluride in Colorado is the smallest of the festivals but eagerly watched for buzz (Slumdog Millionaire began its run to Oscar glory there back in 2008).
Venice is the second largest European festival and often a launchpad for contenders, whilst Toronto is the most important festival in North America.
Aside being a big marketplace where independent films are acquired, Toronto is also where many Oscar hopefuls are deemed worthy by the buzz from critics and audiences. Out of these festivals a general picture of what films have heat gradually emerges.
The other factor to bear in mind at this point is the cost of a campaign: consultants, marketing, screenings and parties for voters can get expensive, so the studios want to be sure they have at least a shot at getting nominated.
The dynamic slightly changed last year when the Academy increased the Best Picture slots from five to ten. This was intended to include more commercial fare, but also means that more left field choices can sneak in to.
So with the proviso that things can always change, who are the big winners in this first phase of the awards race?
THE EARLY FRONTRUNNERS
The King’s Speech (Dir. Tom Hooper): This historical drama about King George VI (Colin Firth) and speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) went down a storm at Telluride and Toronto. Directed by Tom Hooper (who previously directed The Damned United and the HBO series John Adams), it got great reviews, won the People’s Choice Award and seems like it will appeal to traditional Oscar voters and a broader audience. The Weinstein Company will be hoping the word-of-mouth continues
The Social Network (Dir. David Fincher): It might seem an unlikely subject for an Oscar hopeful, but the creation of Facebook by Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) and resulting conflicts that followed has been scoring rave early reviews. The talent behind the camera (Fincher, producer Scott Rudin and writer Aaron Sorkin) is A-grade and it has already led to a flurry of articles about the film, Facebook and how close it is to the truth. Whether it will prove a turn off for older voters remains to be seen.
127 Hours (Dir. Danny Boyle): After the success of Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle has attempted another challenging subject: the story of  of Aron Ralston, the American mountain climber who was trapped by a boulder in Utah in 2003. Re-teaming with the key players behind his previous film – screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, producer Christian Colson and DP Anthony Dod Mantle – it made an impact at Telluride and Toronto despite the tough subject matter.
ALSO IN THE RUNNING
The Kids Are Alright (Dir. Lisa Cholodenko): This comedy-drama about a lesbian couple (played by Julianne Moore and Annette Bening), who each gave birth to a child using the same anonymous sperm donor, opened in the summer to universal critical acclaim. Moore and Benning seem dead certs in the acting categories and it would seem likely to get a Best Picture slot too.
Another Year (Dir. Mike Leigh): After a very positive reception at Cannes the latest drama from Mike Leigh explores a collection of friends and families over the course of the year. To some  US viewers it might seem like parochial material, but it could repeat the crossover success of Secrets and Lies, which scored multiple nominations back in 1996-97.
Black Swan (Dir. Darren Aronofsky): This psychological drama about a New York ballerina (Natalie Portman) under intense pressure was very well received at Venice and Cannes, with many tipping Portman for Best Actress. Like The Wrestler, some have expressed the concern that it is too dark and modern for Oscar voters but with ten slots seems like it could make an impact in the major categories.
Never Let Me Go (Dir. Mark Romanek): This adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel about three young people (Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley) leaving a mysterious boarding school seemed like a heavyweight going in to Telluride and Toronto. However, the decidedly mixed reactions to the film will have given Fox Searchlight pause for thought. That said, they might ride out the storm and see how things go over the next month or two.
Made in Dagenham (Dir. Nigel Cole): Based on the real life tale of striking female workers at the Ford plant in Dagenham, this British drama might emerge as a plucky underdog that makes a serious point with charm and wit (like The Full Monty did back in 1997). Starring Sally Hawkins, Miranda Richardson and Bob Hoskins it was well received in Toronto and seems likely to feature in the broader race.
Toy Story 3 (Dir. Lee Unkrich): One of the outcomes of expanding the slots for Best Picture was that a heavyweight animated film would likely feature in the category as well as in the dedicated slot for animation. Last year Pixar’s Up bagged it and given the enormous critical and commercial love for the final Toy Story film, this is a dead cert to get a Best Picture nomination.
Inception (Dir. Christopher Nolan): Some speculated that the exclusion of The Dark Knight from the Best Picture nominations in 2008 was a factor in it rising to ten and Christopher Nolan’s latest film seems highly likely to feature this year. It got great reviews, made a lot of money for an original blockbuster and is almost certain to feature in the screenplay and technical categories.
POSSIBLE LATE RUNNERS
True Grit (Dir. The Coen Brothers): Adapted from the Charles Portis novel (previously filmed in 1969 with John Wayne), this promises to be a more faithful adaptation from the Coen Brothers. The story involves a 14-year old girl (Hailee Steinfeld) who persuades a drunken lawman (Jeff Bridges) to pursue the man who murdered her father. With Matt Damon and Josh Brolin rounding out a stellar array of acting talent, this could feature if the Coen Brothers deliver the goods. It doesn’t open until Christmas Day, so will presumably start screening in the next month or two.
The Fighter (Dir. David O’Russell): This boxing drama about a fighter named “Irish” Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and his older brother Dickie (Christian Bale) has an alarmingly conventional trailer. But if the talent, which includes Amy Adams in a supporting role, is on form then this could have a shot, and provide some kind of redemption for O’Russell after the bizarre situation surrounding his unfinished film Nailed.
As ever, there are bound to be surprises over the next few months as the different guilds and critics associations vote for their favourites.
Once the marketing campaigns and further reactions really bed in, the overall picture will change. But first impressions can also linger until the end of the awards season.
The nominations are announced on Tuesday 25th January and Oscar night is on Sunday 27th February.
The first two are benchmark sci-fi horror films, whilst the third and fourth had various production problems which led to a significant drop off in quality (we’ll politely ignore the mediocre irrelevance of the AVP franchise).
But given that Alien 3 (or AlienÂł as it was styled) was the feature debut of Fincher and it is interesting to re-examine where it stands in relation to his other work.
The World at War: The Ultimate Restored Edition (Fremantle Home Entertainment): The landmark documentary series about World War II is rightly regarded as one of the greatest in the history of television. It took four years to produce the 26 episodes which were produced by Jeremy Isaacs and narrated by Laurence Olivier.
The range of material is breathtaking, featuring a broad spectrum of people involved in the war including civilians, soliders, officers and politicians.
Key interviewees include Albert Speer, James Stewart, Curtis LeMay, Lord Mountbatten of Burma, Alger Hiss, Paul Tibbets, Anthony Eden and Traudl Junge.
Originally screened in the UK on ITV between October 1973 and May 1974, it has subsequently become a staple of history channels around the world.
This new version has undergone a painstaking restoration process with the audio enhanced and a new widescreen presentation. The decision to convert the aspect ratio from the original 4:3 to 16:9 meant that restored masters were created for multiple use (for Blu-ray, DVD and broadcast).
The aspect ratio conversion was done by going back to the original materials and then using a special pan and scan process which was set to strict guidelines.
The ten hours of special features include:
Brand new – Restoring the World at War – narrated by Sir Jeremy Isaacs, this feature explores every element of the restoration process
11 features including the making of the original series
The Ghost (Optimum Home Entertainment): Adapted by Robert Harris from his own novel, the story sees a journalist (Ewan McGregor) agree to ghost write the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister, Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan), who bears a striking similarity to Tony Blair.
When the writer sets to work at the PMâs residence in Marthaâs Vineyard, he finds out that his predecessor has mysteriously drowned as well as some other unnerving things.
Lang could be guilty of war crimes, specifically colluding with the US on torturing terrorist suspects, and after talking to his wife Ruth (Olivia Williams) and assistant Amelia (Kim Cattrall) he uncovers murky inconsistencies about the political leaderâs background.
The first and most obvious aspect of The Ghost is the quality of the film making. Although it isnât up there with his best work (Repulsion, Rosemaryâs Baby, Chinatown and The Pianist) it is a highly absorbing and technically proficient thriller.
Its stately pace and considered approach are so old fashioned as to be positively revolutionary in these times, but it is a reminder that a veteran European director can still make a relevant and accessible film about contemporary issues.
The extras on this version include:
The Ghost Writer: Fiction or Reality? (10:46 in HD)
The Cast of The Ghost Writer (11:48 in HD)
World Premiere in Berlin (1:52)
Press Conference to Berlinale (36:33 in HD)
Interviews with McGregor (2:11), Brosnan (2:53), Harris (3:58), Olivia Williams (3:23), Polanski (8:33 in HD)
The Special Relationship (Optimum Home Entertainment): The third film to explore the career of Tony Blair is a well staged drama about his political relationship with Bill Clinton. Screenwriter Peter Morgan previously dramatised key periods in the career of the former British Prime Minister in The Deal (2003) and The Queen (2006), both of which were directed by Stephen Frears.
The latest charts Blairâs relations with Clinton in the 1990s as he sought to form an alliance with a political soul mate who could package âthird-wayâ liberal politics to an electorate that had fallen for Thatcher and Regan.
The bulk of it deals with Blair (Michael Sheen) and Clinton (Dennis Quaid) debating various issues in the late 1990s, whilst Cherie Blair (Helen McCrory) and Hilary Clinton (Hope Davis) look on and provide commentary on this transatlantic relationship.
As in his previous works depicting modern history, Morgan offers some sharp insights into Blair’s political journey from a Prime Minister dazzled by the trappings of power, to one who soon becomes too enamoured with spin and military intervention.
Clinton comes across as some kind of unlikely soothsayer, but director Richard Longcraine puts things together with a good deal of technical skill – despite having a TV premiere it has the feel of a feature film – and it will provide a lot of talking points for people in a month which has seen the real life Blair issue his memoirs.
The extras aren’t exactly extensive on this one, featuring the following:
Mother (Optimum Home Entertainment): After the success of his 2005 monster film The Host, director Bong Joon Ho has returned with this strange but compelling thriller set in rural Korea about a devoted mother (Kim Hye Ja) who goes to desperate extremes to protect her mentally disabled son (Won Bin).
A mixture of psychological thriller, mystery and domestic drama, it features an outstanding central performance from Kim Hye Ja, several satisfying twists, some killer editing and a vaguely unsettling sense that mad things will happen at any moment.
Arn – Knight Templar (High Fliers Video Distribution) [Blu-ray / DVD] Camp Rock 2 – The Final Jam (Extended Edition) Walt Disney Studios Home Ent. [Blu-ray / DVD] Cop Out (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / DVD] Death Note (4Digital Asia) [Blu-ray / with DVD] Forbidden Planet (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / DVD] I Spit On Your Grave (101 Films) [Blu-ray / DVD] Lang Lang: Live in Vienna (Sony Classics) [Blu-ray / DVD] Mars Attacks! (Warner Home Video) [Blu-ray / DVD] Robin Hood (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray / DVD / Limited Edition] The Back-up Plan (Sony Pictures Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / DVD] The Hannibal Lecter Trilogy (Universal Pictures) [Blu-ray / DVD] The Sword With No Name (Showbox Media Group) [Blu-ray / DVD] Tooth Fairy (20th Century Fox Home Ent.) [Blu-ray / DVD] [Rec] (E1 Entertainment UK) [Blu-ray / DVD] [Rec] 2 (E1 Entertainment UK) [Blu-ray / DVD]
The third film to explore the career of Tony Blair is a well staged drama about his political relationship with Bill Clinton.
Screenwriter Peter Morgan previously dramatised key periods in the career of the former British Prime Minister in The Deal (2003) and The Queen (2006), both of which were directed by Stephen Frears.
The latest film charts Blairâs relations with Clinton in the 1990s as he sought to form an alliance with a political soul mate who could package âthird-wayâ liberal politics to an electorate that had fallen for Thatcher and Regan.
The bulk of it deals with Blair (Michael Sheen) and Clinton (Dennis Quaid) debating  various issues in the late 1990s, whilst Cherie Blair (Helen McCrory) and Hilary Clinton (Hope Davis) look on and provide commentary on this transatlantic relationship.
The two major issues at this time were the Monica Lewinsky scandal which engulfed Clinton’s presidency and the Kosovo conflict in which Blair pressed his politically weakened US ally into military intervention.
Sheen can now do Blair blindfolded, so it is no surprise that he gives a convincing portrayal of the period when the former PM began to become enamoured with power and military intervention.
Quaid offers an impressive take on Clinton, which goes beyond surface mannerisms to suggest that, for all his flaws, he was a shrewd observer of political minefields.
Davis also manages to convey the cadences and mannerisms of Hilary Clinton with enough skill and class to suggest that she could have her own biopic.
But aside from offering accurate depictions of famous politicians, what is this film actually saying?
Essentially, it is a cautionary tale written from a post-Iraq perspective.
The energetic Blair, in his rush to war, is meant to mirror the later version that joined forces with George W Bush for the war which would ultimately wreck his legacy.
Although this means there is plenty of dramatic irony, often it feels a bit too cute. Clintonâs soothsaying speeches imbue him with an improbable amount of foresight and the scriptâs episodic nature means it occasionally feels like a current affairs checklist.
Technically, director Richard Loncraine handles everything with a good deal of assurance and the performances, production design, costumes and visuals all give it an authentic feel.
Compared to the previous films in which Sheen has played Blair, it comfortably fits into the trajectory Morgan has scripted. But as to how these films will age is another point.
This year has seen Blair loom large again after standing down in 2007. Just last month he released his unapologetic political memoirs and back in the spring Roman Polanski directed The Ghost, which offered a fictionalised version of Blair played by Pierce Brosnan.
This vision is perhaps the darkest Morgan has yet painted, offering a political figure convinced of his own righteousness and the need to see the world in black and white.
As such it foreshadows his determination to invade Iraq after 9/11. But whether this film fully sells this idea is open to question.
Would Blair have done it had 9/11 not happened? Morgan seems to suggest that is the case but it is certainly debatable issue right at the heart of the drama.
The end result is polished, but it seems to suggest ideas and conclusions which are shaky and speculative, to say the least.
One scene towards the end stretches credibility in terms of dialogue, as though everything is being tailored to fit a preconceived framework.
Whether you buy some of the notions in the film depends how how planned political power actually is – I tend to opt for the view that it may be more fluid and messy than The Special Relationship suggests.
However, this is still a film that contains much to enjoy. Although this political sub-genre Morgan helped to kick-start has lost some of its novelty, it is still a pleasure to see recent history examined on screen in an era of big-budget tentpoles and teen dramas about vampires.
Given the theatrical success and Oscar recognition of The Queen, you might wonder why has this film hasnât opened in cinemas.
It looks to all intents and purposes like a proper theatrical production, shot in widescreen with expensive production values, so why no cinema release?
As an HBO and BBC co-production, it premiÚred on HBO back in May and was initially scheduled for a UK theatrical opening that month, which was then cancelled.
Presumably, the distributors weren’t confident that a theatrical run was worth the cost and that a TV premiere was a better platform on which to launch the film.
It says a lot about the present commercial climate that the makers werenât confident of opening a more serious political drama like this at cinemas, despite all the talent involved.
The Special Relationship the UK will screen on BBC Two tonight (Saturday 18th) and will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday 20th September.
A six-minute video showing transmission workers climbing a pylon has become a huge viral hit on the web.
Called Stairway to Heaven (Climbing Towers) it was shot using a helmet camera and follows two engineers as they scale a 1,768ft pylon, which is taller than the largest skyscraper in the US.
The effect of the helmet cam gives the perspective of the climbers and also highlights how they have to make do without a safety harness, whilst also carrying a tool bag weighing up to 30lbs.
The video was originally posted on an industry website TheOnlineEngineer.org, before surfacing on YouTube.
Different versions have been removed due to a copyright claim, although the popularity is such that it has been reposted many times.
(If the above video doesn’t work, you can watch it at Sky News here).
Ben Affleckâs second film as director is a satisfyingly lean crime drama about bank robbers in Boston.
The town of the title refers to the Charlestown district of Boston which provides the setting and, as an opening title informs us, has produced generations of thieves.
Adapted from Chuck Hogan’s novel âPrince of Thievesâ, the story sees Affleck plays the leader of a gang who play cat and mouse with a local FBI agent (Jon Hamm) keen to bring them to justice.
After a heist goes slightly wrong, they fear that a hostage (Rebecca Hall) may have recognised one of them behind their masks. To complicate matters further, Affleckâs character soon falls for her which creates tensions with his fellow gang member and friend (Jeremy Renner).
Whilst not as strong as Affleckâs first outing as director, the quietly brilliant Gone Baby Gone, it nonetheless establishes him as a confident storyteller who can get draw compelling performances from his actors.
Affleckâs acting performance is also solid, cutting a likeable but anguished figure in the lead role whilst Renner has a scene-stealing supporting turn as an unpleasant, edgy sidekick.
Hamm is good value as the driven FBI agent. Even though at times his character feels a little too close to his Mad Men persona, he gives his role here a sense of gravitas and bite as he pursues Affleckâs gang.
The female parts are a little undercooked, as is often the case in male dominated crime dramas, although Hall does her best in an underwritten role and Blake Lively manages a major transformation for those that know her from the television show Gossip Girl.
The script â co-written by Affleck, Aaron Stockard and Peter Craig – feels like it has been forged in a good deal of research.
The local slang the characters frequently use and the little details of the robberies all add help to paint a convincing world, even if a couple of major plot points stretch that credibility.
Affleck has also cannily recruited some first-rate talent behind the camera: cinematographer Robert Elswit shoots contemporary Boston with a gritty but vibrant look, whilst editor Dylan Tichenor gives the pacing an extra snap and crackle during the set pieces (it is worth noting that both regularly work with Paul Thomas Anderson).
The score by Harry Gregson-Williams and David Buckley also adds to the overall mood, with the strings and piano giving certain scenes an extra emotional kick and at times it is reminiscent of the excellent Gone Baby Gone score.
When it comes to the fundamentals, The Town is a highly watchable and pleasingly old-fashioned piece of work. There is no CGI, no pandering to the geek crowd and the characters, dialogue and action are all executed without bluster or excess.
That said, this is very familiar territory for anyone who has seen crime dramas such as The Departed (2006) and Heat (1995).
In fact the parallels with Michael Mannâs film are striking to the point of distraction: a head to head battle between a cop and a thief; bank robberies involving automatic weapons; romantic entanglements; a protagonist struggling to escape his past; and the now-familiar âone last jobâ.
It doesnât detract from the overall qualities on display, but for viewers familiar with Mannâs film, it lingers like a ghost over stretches of the material.
That said The Town still has many qualities to admire. Even if it isnât especially groundbreaking, it holds the attention and is packaged with skill and efficiency.
Affleck has certainly had his fair share of ups and downs as an actor, but on the evidence of his first two films, he is quickly maturing in to a very fine director.
The Town opens in the US today and in the UK on Friday 24th September
The Other Guys (Sony Pictures): An action-comedy directed by Adam McKay, which stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg as two average detectives who get the chance to prove they can do more than push pencils.
Co-starring Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson and Steve Coogan, it is the latest team up of McKay and Ferrell after Anchorman (2004), Talladega Nights (2006) and Step Brothers (2008). Like those films it did good business and scored warm reviews, although UK critics are likely to be less enthusiastic than their US counterparts. Despite that, this looks to be the favourite for the top spot this weekend. [Nationwide / 12A]
Devil (Universal): The latest film from âthe mind of M. Night Shyamalanâ (which means he wrote the story) is a supernatural thriller about five strangers trapped in an elevator, who realize the Devil is amongst them.
Directed by John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle, it features a cast of relative unknowns and was shot on a low budget (reportedly $10 million). Given the critical disasters Shyamalan has been involved over the last few years this one has been kept under wraps, but should ultimately prove profitable even if the critics get their knives out. [Vue West End & Nationwide / 15]
I’m Still Here (Optimum Releasing): A spoof documentary about the supposed career meltdown of Joaquin Phoenix, which goes ‘behind the scenes’ of the actorâs life as he tries to forge a career in hip-hop.
Directed by Casey Affleck, it is an extended hoax which cleverly blends real life with all kinds of pranks, which may or may not be staged. We see Phoenix attempt to hook up with Sean âDiddyâ Combes, berate Ben Stiller about the script of Greenberg, get life advice from Edward James Olmos, rap at a hotel in Miami, take copious amounts of drugs, abuse his assistants and generally act like a delusional celebrity ogre.
It is frequently hilarious and fiendishly clever, although a bit too similar in places to the work of Sacha Baron Cohen. Many in the media appear to have missed the joke and taken it all a bit too seriously. Despite all the press coverage it is likely to remain a cult comedy with a more appreciative audience beyond its run at cinemas. [Curzon Soho & Key Cities / 15]
Just Wright (20th Century Fox): A romantic comedy starring and Queen Latifah a physical therapist (Common) who falls in love with a pro basketball player (Common). Directed by Sanaa Hamri, it received fairly dire reviews on its US release and meagre box office. [Nationwide / PG]
ALSO OUT
Winter’s Bone (Artificial Eye): One of the genuine breakout performances of the year from Jennifer Lawrence is the highlight of this gritty drama about a teenage girl trying to track down her father in the Ozarks.
Directed by Debra Granik, this is a whodunit wrapped up inside a realist drama, with strong supporting performances from John Hawkes, Lauren Sweetser, Garret Dillahunt and Dale Dickey. A hit at Sundance back in January, where it won the Grand Jury Prize, it is also likely to get Oscar recognition for Lawrence who is terrific in the lead role. The bleak setting and scenes of rural poverty might be a turn off for some, but given positive reviews and Oscar buzz, it might do decent arthouse business. [Curzon Soho, Curzon Renoir, Curzon Richmond & Nationwide / 15]
Grease Sing-A-Long (Paramount): A karaoke re-release for the 1978 musical which is having an exclusively run at Vue Cinemas. [Vue West End / PG]
The Kid (Revolver Entertainment): A British biopic based on the the life of Kevin Lewis, who grew up in a violent, abusive family on a council estate in the 1980s. Directed by Nick Moran, it stars Rupert Friend, Natascha McElhone, Ioan Gruffudd and David O’Hara. [Natiowide / 15]
Night Of The Demons (Kaleidoscope Entertainment): A remake of the 1988 cult horror, directed by Adam Gierasch and starring Shannon Elizabeth, Edward Furlong and Diora Baird. [Selected Key Cities / 18]
The Horde (Momentum Pictures): A French horror film about a group of policemen who storm a housing complex in Paris, only to discover something sinister inside. Directed by Yannick Dahan and Benjamin Rocher, it stars Jean-Pierre Martins, Eriq Ebouaney and Doudou Masta. [Empire Leicester Square & Key Cities / 18]
F (Optimum Releasing): A British film about a group of teachers who have to defend themselves from a gang of murderous kids when their school comes under siege. Directed by Johannes Roberts. [Curzon Soho & Key Cities / 18]
Release (Parasol Pictures): A prison drama directed by Darren Flaxstone and Christian Martin about a priest convicted for a serious crime.
Ik Kudi Panjab Di (Kornerstone Films Ltd): A Punjabi film directed by Manmohan Singh about a girl challenging her male-dominated society. [Nationwide]
Using the audio from a recent press Q&A for My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?, it also references the bearded version of Joaquin Phoenix from I’m Still Here, even though the incident took place back in 2006.
For some reason, which I can’t fully explain, my favourite bit is when Herzog ‘confiscates’ the cigarette lighter.
A skilful blend of performance art, documentary and elaborate hoax, Iâm Still Here is a clever and frequently hilarious deconstruction of Hollywood celebrity.
Iâm Not There is the end result, a spoof in the vein of Borat and Bruno, that goes behind the scenes of Phoenixâs supposed life and blends it with media coverage from the time.
Beginning with some intriguing home movie footage of Phoenixâs childhood, it is essentially a raucous fly-on-the-wall document of Phoenixâs apparent ‘career suicide’ over the last two years.
The actor has clearly put a great deal of effort into creating a sublimely horrible alter-ego.
He has grown a beard, put on weight and not been afraid to perform this role in public, which gives the film an extra post-modern flavour.
We see him meeting with his publicist and agent, attempt to hook up with Sean âDiddyâ Combes, berate Ben Stiller about the script of Greenberg, get life advice from Edward James Olmos, rap at a hotel in Miami, take copious amounts of drugs, abuse his assistants and generally act like a delusional celebrity ogre.
The film gets really meta when it incorporates the very idea that this whole project as a hoax.
Phoenix gets paranoid that his assistant ‘Anton’ has been leaking information to the media, which leads to a particularly messy confrontation.
Throughout Phoenix arguably gives the performance of his career in playing this twisted version of himself, in which he toys with the audienceâs expectations of who and what he is. It is compelling and ludicrous in equal measure.
When this fake Joaquin is placed in real situations such as concerts, press junkets, airports filled with paparazzi and TV chat shows, the results are hilariously awkward.
But unlike Borat or Bruno, in which we know Baron Cohen is playing a role, this has the added dimension of Phoenix playing a version of himself, which has led to a debate about the authenticity of the film.
It seems absolutely clear, to me at least, that this whole project is an elaborate joke in which reality has been cunningly blended into the overall mix.
But does anyone actually believe that he wanted to give up acting to become a hip-hop star?
The idea that journalists and critics are actually taking this idea seriously seems like a joke in itself.
Certain sequences, especially the one with Stiller, seem staged and the parts with Diddy are also debatable.
The rapper was either duped or has impeccable comic timing. One line in which he declares an Affleck film (possibly Gone Baby Gone) to be âwhackâ is priceless.
But there are certain scenes where the mask of the film drops (perhaps intentionally?).
At one point his publicist is caught grinning backstage at the infamous Letterman taping, another features a seemingly scripted gag about Revolutionary Road and there is one piece of dialogue that seems to have been dubbed in post-production.
The conceit of the film is cunning as it plays around with our perceptions of who, or what, a celebrity is and gets added spice from Phoenix continuing his performance in areas where other actors wouldnât normally dare.
Certain moments hold a brilliantly awkward mirror up to modern celebrity: concerts featuring audiences filming everything on their phones, DIY paparazzi posting commentary on the web and a press junket for Two Lovers where Phoenix is âoffendedâ by journalists.
The bit where Phoenix announces his retirement to an entertainment reporter from Extra is pitch perfect, as it cuts the TV footage which ran that night with Affleckâs footage from a different angle.
This is almost the film in microcosm. By contrasting the nonsense world of showbiz journalism with the fake world of the documentary, Affleck has created a hall of mirrors in which one reflects the other.
By feeding the media machine deliberately confusing information during the making of the film, it seems like some outlets have been unable to process the overall joke, as part of the narrative involves their own reporting. Bamboozled? That was probably Affleck’s intention.
The director himself has been supremely coy about all this â his interviews at Venice were brilliantly evasive – and Iâm not sure how far they are going to take the concept now that the film is out in the U.S., albeit in limited release.
Iâm Still Here could be a performance art experiment where even the filmmakers have lost track of the monster they have created.
Phoenix is apparently going to return to Letterman next week, so Iâm sure that the debate will rumble on (even if he does or doesn’t turn up).
Either way, the nature of the material has given what is a fairly low-budget film a lot of free publicity.
The chatter will no doubt continue, especially amongst audiences, but the bottom line is that this is still one of the funniest portrayals of celebrity in recent memory.
