|
Post by morrisondylanfan on Nov 5, 2018 21:33:31 GMT
Hi all,I hope everyone had a good weekend,and I've recently seen: Night of the Demon (1957) 10 Filling every inch of the two Blu-Ray's with special features and a detailed book, Indicator present an impeachable transfer of the US/Euro cuts, (both with choices of two different aspect ratios for both versions)with the image quality being pristine, and the soundtrack being clear and crisp. Creating an adaptation of M.R. James story Casting the Runes which continues to inspire Horror cinema, the screenplay by Charles Bennett/ Hal E. Chester and Cy Endfield intelligently use the countdown to Holden facing the demon to ignite a Film Noir ticking time bomb, ringing with sceptical loner Holden crossing the dark side in the hope of escaping an impending doom, and believer Joanna Harrington (a very good, playful Peggy Cummins) encouraging Holden to find a page of survival. Vocal over his dislike of the demon (which was mentioned in the original script as appearing fully visible on screen-and now has a handmade charm) director Jacques Tourneur follows dad Maurice's Devil's Hand (which shares a number of similarities) by closely working with cinematographer Edward Scaife and creating a transfixing Gothic Noir atmosphere. Making Holden feel each day gets closer to the impending night,Tourneur drops him in a pit of Film Noir hell, fired up by ultra-stylised low-lighting over Karswell (played with devilish relish by Niall MacGinnis) conjuring the curse onto him, and icy panning shots following the paper trail to the underworld. Losing his doubts and becoming drenched in sweat,Dana Andrews gives a fantastic, haunted performance as Holden, who Andrews keeps held in a grip of terror over finding himself outside on the night of the demon. Ju-on 2 (2000)5 Appearing to be slapped together after the success of the first Ju -on on video,writer/ director Takashi Shimizu brings this Grudge to the cinema, by recalling the likes of Silent Night, Deadly Night 2 (1987) (minus the trashy humour) in stuffing the first 35 minutes with re-used footage from the first Ju-on. Reeking of a disinterested attitude, Shimizu stamps the point down by covering the film in over-saturated colours and out of focus shots, which dent attempts for a creepy mood from the striking images in the second to last tale. Continuing the episodic set-up of the first, the screenplay by Shimizu finds some new room to expand on the tale of J-Horror's long black haired poster girl Kayako, but they lack the care of building a mystery around the house of the original, and finishing on an ill-judged comedic ending which turns this grudge into a joke. An observational good review (as usual) of Night of the Demon, it's a personal fave, but seeing your image pic once again has me hating the fact they chose to show the goofy demon!! Review to back you up > You know, the devil has something here. Very pleasant.Dr. John Holden arrives in England to attend a paranormal convention where the recently deceased Professor Harrington had intended to expose Dr. Julian Karswell as being the leader of satanic cult. Upon learning of Harrington's death, Holden finds that the only link to the mysterious death and Karswell's alleged cult is an accused murderer called Rand Hobart, who is currently in a catatonic state. While Harrington's niece Joanna is convinced her uncle was felled by supernatural forces, Holden sets about debunking it all as pure hogwash. Something that may yet prove to be fatal to his well being? Prior to 1957, director Jacques Tourneur could boast on his résumé psychological horror classics I Walked With A Zombie & Cat People, the simmering pot boiling Western Canyon Passage and the rightly heralded film-noir piece that is Out Of The Past. He was in short the perfect choice to direct this loose adaptation of M.R. James' story "Casting the Runes". Why then? That producer Hal E. Chester chose to interfere and not let Tourneur have full rein to deliver a supernatural picture that is more about what you don't see is actually what scares you? Is open for scornful debate. The problem, and the source of much discussion over the years, concerns the demon of the title. Goofy looking and at once taking away the quizzical factor for the audience, Chester had the demon appear both at the beginning and the end of the piece. It was also featured heavily in the film's advertising material (it's on the poster for instance), which quite frankly killed off the minuscule chance the less than scary vision had of shocking the audience. It's now all the years later considered across the board that it would have been better to not have seen the demon at all, certainly at the least to not see it at the beginning of the film. Thankfully though, and with much credit to Tourneur, his team and the cast, Night Of The Demon is still a nerve pulling piece of work that shines bright today as a true classic horror picture. After the demon has shown its unremarkable face, we follow Holden (a knowingly effective and stoic turn from Dana Andrews) as he delves deeper into murky waters that he's convinced do not exist. Only to realise he's in a devilish trap laid by the creepy Karswell (Niall MacGinnis), a trap from which he must escape or face the dire consequence. The tension has been built up beautifully by Tourneur, tension given an added dimension by Ken Adam's spookily adroit set designs. So come the glorious train station finale, nobody can be quite sure what will happen, and this in spite of us knowing the existence of the said demon thanks to the appearance of "it" at the beginning. The film was cut by 12 minutes and retitled Curse Of the Demon for the American market, but both versions have readily been available in disc form in the US. Odd then that in the country where the film is proudly called one of its own better horror entries, it had to wait till 2010 for a home disc release! That is almost as criminal as Chester's insistence on the demon appearing at the start of the film. Only almost mind you. 9/10 Give Ju-on 2 a miss then! Thanks for sharing your really interesting review on Demon Spike! With you being such a fan, I highly recommend the upgrade,which is coming out again on Nov 26th (minus the book in the limited edition) and contains: DISC ONE: Night of the Demon the original full-length pre-release version (96 mins) Curse of the Demon the US reissue version (96 mins) 2K BFI restoration presentations at 1.75:1 High Definition remaster presentations at 1.66:1 Original mono audio Audio commentary with film historian Tony Earnshaw, author of Beating the Devil: The Making of Night of the Demon DISC TWO: Night of the Demon the original UK theatrical cut (82 mins) Curse of the Demon the original US theatrical cut (82 mins) High Definition remasters at 1.66:1 Original mono audio Speak of the Devil: The Making of Night of the Demon (2007, 20 mins): a documentary featuring actor Peggy Cummins and production designer Ken Adam Cloven in Two (2018, 23 mins): a video essay exploring the different versions Hal E Chester at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films (1996, 51 mins): a rare archival video interview with the producer Dana Andrews on Night of the Demon (1972, 10 mins): a rare audio interview with the actor conducted by film historian and preservationist Scott MacQueen The Devil s in the Detail (2018, 36 mins): Christopher Frayling discusses the film and Ken Adam Horrors Unseen (2018, 27 mins): an interview with Chris Fujiwara, author of Jacques Tourneur: The Cinema of Nightfall Sinister Signs (2018, 21 mins): an analysis by Kim Newman, author of Nightmare Movies Under the Spell (2018, 19 mins): a personal appreciation by horror writer Ramsey Campbell The Devil Gets His Due (2018, 23 mins): Scott MacQueen details the film's release history The Truth of Alchemy (2018, 22 mins): a discussion of M R James by author Roger Clarke The Devil in Music (2018, 11 mins): David Huckvale on composer Clifton Parker A Note of Fear (2018, 10 mins): Scott MacQueen discusses aspects of the film's score Casting the Runes (1984, 53 mins): an audio recording of Michael Hordern reading M R James original story Escape: Casting the Runes (1947, 30 mins): a radio adaptation of the story Super 8 version (7 mins): original cut-down home cinema presentation Isolated music & effects track Original theatrical trailer Image gallery: promotional and production material www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Demon-Blu-ray-Dana-Andrews/dp/B07JVF7L8GOn Ju-On/The Grudge, the second is sadly not a match for the first, which is a very good, creepy slice of J-Horror. Full flick with Eng Subs:
|
|
|
Post by OldAussie on Nov 5, 2018 23:01:43 GMT
hitchcockthelegend Thanks so much for the Vertigo review. It is my favorite Hitchcock and my second favorite film of all time - coming in just a few hundreds of a decimal point under Kurosawa's Ikiru. It is both fun and forehead-slapping to read some of the contemporary reviews. The Time Magazine critic must have thought he was being especially clever when he came up with "a Hitchcock and bull story." Kids growing up in the ‘50s didn’t get the street education that most young people get these days. There was a kind of goofy innocence about it that, in many ways, I am glad is gone. Vertigo was the first truly “adult” movie I ever saw (and at the drive-in no less). Even though I am still plumbing its depths, “Vertigo,” on my first viewing, opened a world of sex, love, and obsession that I never knew existed before seeing this film. Scottie forcing/cajoling Judy to turn herself into Madeleine was my first “creep-out.” I’ve never forgotten the impact. I'm afraid this was where my family's opinion and mine diverged - they simply couldn't accept Jimmy Stewart as a creep. I'll suggest it is one of his very best performances - in a career overflowing with quality.
|
|
|
Post by marianne48 on Nov 6, 2018 0:18:28 GMT
No classics, but two from this year: Won't You Be My Neighbor?--Excellent biography of Fred Rogers and his work. For those who loved this documentary, there is an earlier documentary, Fred Rogers: America's Favorite Neighbor (2004), which has a longer running time and covers much of the same material seen in the later film. But you might as well watch 'em both, as you can't get enough of Mister Rogers, and his philosophy is sorely needed these days. And for Halloween week, a horror movie: Book Club--a while back, I posted about actors who play roles too young for them, and mentioned how few films there are with actresses who do the same thing. This film is one of those few. Four older women get together for regular discussions on books they've read for their private book club. They decide to choose the Fifty Shades series, and their lives are-- changed forever! They're all so blown away by the daring sensuality of these books that they all experience some kind of revelation about their relationships with men in their lives! No. First of all, anyone who's wasted time in reading any of the Fifty Shades books is aware that the most noteworthy literary achievement about them is that they succeed in making kinky erotica tedious, which is quite a feat. Even one of those romance paperbacks that used to be sold on the racks of drugstores next to the word search puzzle books has more thrills than this ponderous trilogy. The fact that this is the subject of this group's book discussion should be a giveaway that these women are going to be the usual dullards found in too many modern romantic comedies (I guess that's why they need all that wine; a large part of these movies tends to revolve around people lounging on sofas and drinking wine out of enormous wine glasses). Candice Bergen plays a divorced judge whose husband ran off with a much younger woman; her adventures in the world of internet dating seem promising. If the movie had stuck with her story, it might have made for a nice little rom-com. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie deals with the romantic exploits of the other three. Mary Steenburgen is disappointed in her lack of a sex life with her husband of many years; this leads to a slew of Viagra jokes. Okay, a bit stale, but the worst is yet to come. Diane Keaton's character suggests "Annie Hall meets Miss Havisham"--the hair, the slouch, and the girlish goofiness of the Hall character, uncomfortably transferred to a woman in her seventies. This odd look is apparently irresistible to Andy Garcia, a handsome, sexy, charming, wealthy airline pilot who can easily attract hordes of women in their thirties yet chooses to chase after a woman ten years his senior here (well, she admits to five years). The most terrifying of all is Jane Fonda, who here sports a disturbing resemblance to Skeletor. Her eyes seem to be so tight that she has trouble blinking, she seems to be constantly sucking in her cheeks, and the veins in her arms seem larger than the arms themselves. The premise of all this is that she is some kind of vixen, who endlessly boasts about having a "roster of men," which is why she can't get involved with Don Johnson. Because, again, Don Johnson can't find any woman besides this pickled self-described femme fatale a decade older than he is. Watch this only if you have the occasional yen for bad movies. Hadn't even heard of Book Club, which prolly says volumes! I take it Don Johnson not your cup of tea? One to avoid, then, shame with that cast. I don't have a problem with Don Johnson; I just can't accept the story line of Johnson and Fonda having a serious relationship 40 years earlier, when he was still in his 20s and she would be past 40.
|
|
|
Post by hitchcockthelegend on Nov 6, 2018 15:27:53 GMT
hitchcockthelegend Thanks so much for the Vertigo review. It is my favorite Hitchcock and my second favorite film of all time - coming in just a few hundreds of a decimal point under Kurosawa's Ikiru. It is both fun and forehead-slapping to read some of the contemporary reviews. The Time Magazine critic must have thought he was being especially clever when he came up with "a Hitchcock and bull story." Kids growing up in the ‘50s didn’t get the street education that most young people get these days. There was a kind of goofy innocence about it that, in many ways, I am glad is gone. Vertigo was the first truly “adult” movie I ever saw (and at the drive-in no less). Even though I am still plumbing its depths, “Vertigo,” on my first viewing, opened a world of sex, love, and obsession that I never knew existed before seeing this film. Scottie forcing/cajoling Judy to turn herself into Madeleine was my first “creep-out.” I’ve never forgotten the impact. Thanks for taking the time to read it mate, while it's always great to meet other fans of Hitch's mischievous magic. I guess at least contemporary critics and film fans are at least giving it a chance, well you like to think they give it a fair chance anyway. Not for everyone for sure, but I'l stick by my assertion that it begs to be examined and delved into quite thoroughly to reach its rewards - if we can call the desperate unease of dark human fallibility a reward of course...
|
|
|
Post by hitchcockthelegend on Nov 6, 2018 15:30:24 GMT
I'm afraid this was where my family's opinion and mine diverged - they simply couldn't accept Jimmy Stewart as a creep. I'll suggest it is one of his very best performances - in a career overflowing with quality. Like I say, it's brilliant to see him away from the home comforts of Americana portrayals. A true great befitting the title of an acting legend.
|
|
|
Post by hitchcockthelegend on Nov 6, 2018 15:42:46 GMT
An observational good review (as usual) of Night of the Demon, it's a personal fave, but seeing your image pic once again has me hating the fact they chose to show the goofy demon!! Review to back you up > You know, the devil has something here. Very pleasant.Dr. John Holden arrives in England to attend a paranormal convention where the recently deceased Professor Harrington had intended to expose Dr. Julian Karswell as being the leader of satanic cult. Upon learning of Harrington's death, Holden finds that the only link to the mysterious death and Karswell's alleged cult is an accused murderer called Rand Hobart, who is currently in a catatonic state. While Harrington's niece Joanna is convinced her uncle was felled by supernatural forces, Holden sets about debunking it all as pure hogwash. Something that may yet prove to be fatal to his well being? Prior to 1957, director Jacques Tourneur could boast on his résumé psychological horror classics I Walked With A Zombie & Cat People, the simmering pot boiling Western Canyon Passage and the rightly heralded film-noir piece that is Out Of The Past. He was in short the perfect choice to direct this loose adaptation of M.R. James' story "Casting the Runes". Why then? That producer Hal E. Chester chose to interfere and not let Tourneur have full rein to deliver a supernatural picture that is more about what you don't see is actually what scares you? Is open for scornful debate. The problem, and the source of much discussion over the years, concerns the demon of the title. Goofy looking and at once taking away the quizzical factor for the audience, Chester had the demon appear both at the beginning and the end of the piece. It was also featured heavily in the film's advertising material (it's on the poster for instance), which quite frankly killed off the minuscule chance the less than scary vision had of shocking the audience. It's now all the years later considered across the board that it would have been better to not have seen the demon at all, certainly at the least to not see it at the beginning of the film. Thankfully though, and with much credit to Tourneur, his team and the cast, Night Of The Demon is still a nerve pulling piece of work that shines bright today as a true classic horror picture. After the demon has shown its unremarkable face, we follow Holden (a knowingly effective and stoic turn from Dana Andrews) as he delves deeper into murky waters that he's convinced do not exist. Only to realise he's in a devilish trap laid by the creepy Karswell (Niall MacGinnis), a trap from which he must escape or face the dire consequence. The tension has been built up beautifully by Tourneur, tension given an added dimension by Ken Adam's spookily adroit set designs. So come the glorious train station finale, nobody can be quite sure what will happen, and this in spite of us knowing the existence of the said demon thanks to the appearance of "it" at the beginning. The film was cut by 12 minutes and retitled Curse Of the Demon for the American market, but both versions have readily been available in disc form in the US. Odd then that in the country where the film is proudly called one of its own better horror entries, it had to wait till 2010 for a home disc release! That is almost as criminal as Chester's insistence on the demon appearing at the start of the film. Only almost mind you. 9/10 Give Ju-on 2 a miss then! Thanks for sharing your really interesting review on Demon Spike! With you being such a fan, I highly recommend the upgrade,which is coming out again on Nov 26th (minus the book in the limited edition) and contains: DISC ONE: Night of the Demon the original full-length pre-release version (96 mins) Curse of the Demon the US reissue version (96 mins) 2K BFI restoration presentations at 1.75:1 High Definition remaster presentations at 1.66:1 Original mono audio Audio commentary with film historian Tony Earnshaw, author of Beating the Devil: The Making of Night of the Demon DISC TWO: Night of the Demon the original UK theatrical cut (82 mins) Curse of the Demon the original US theatrical cut (82 mins) High Definition remasters at 1.66:1 Original mono audio Speak of the Devil: The Making of Night of the Demon (2007, 20 mins): a documentary featuring actor Peggy Cummins and production designer Ken Adam Cloven in Two (2018, 23 mins): a video essay exploring the different versions Hal E Chester at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films (1996, 51 mins): a rare archival video interview with the producer Dana Andrews on Night of the Demon (1972, 10 mins): a rare audio interview with the actor conducted by film historian and preservationist Scott MacQueen The Devil s in the Detail (2018, 36 mins): Christopher Frayling discusses the film and Ken Adam Horrors Unseen (2018, 27 mins): an interview with Chris Fujiwara, author of Jacques Tourneur: The Cinema of Nightfall Sinister Signs (2018, 21 mins): an analysis by Kim Newman, author of Nightmare Movies Under the Spell (2018, 19 mins): a personal appreciation by horror writer Ramsey Campbell The Devil Gets His Due (2018, 23 mins): Scott MacQueen details the film's release history The Truth of Alchemy (2018, 22 mins): a discussion of M R James by author Roger Clarke The Devil in Music (2018, 11 mins): David Huckvale on composer Clifton Parker A Note of Fear (2018, 10 mins): Scott MacQueen discusses aspects of the film's score Casting the Runes (1984, 53 mins): an audio recording of Michael Hordern reading M R James original story Escape: Casting the Runes (1947, 30 mins): a radio adaptation of the story Super 8 version (7 mins): original cut-down home cinema presentation Isolated music & effects track Original theatrical trailer Image gallery: promotional and production material www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Demon-Blu-ray-Dana-Andrews/dp/B07JVF7L8GOn Ju-On/The Grudge, the second is sadly not a match for the first, which is a very good, creepy slice of J-Horror. Full flick with Eng Subs: Thanks for that mate, I have always been happy with my remastered MediumRare DVD which has the American edited cut option as well as a super 24 page booklet. But having the 4 versions on Blu and the extras make this well worth a double dip.
|
|
|
Post by amyghost on Nov 10, 2018 14:23:29 GMT
Shadow of a Doubt, first time ever for me seeing it on a large screen, instead of the telly. In a gorgeous old restored movie palace, no less. Ravishing.
|
|