In the late 1950s, Britain was a country in transition. The destruction caused by two world wars remained evident but the economy was booming and unemployment was at an all-time low. Popular music was bringing diverse groups of individuals together and creating a sense of unity among the youth. Despite the overall prosperity, the stark … Continue reading ANGRY CINEMA: THE BRITISH NEW WAVE
REIMAGINING A CLASSIC: WERNER HERZOG’S NOSFERATU
We live in the age of remakes and prequels. Every month Hollywood rolls out an easily recognizable title that’s been repackaged and recast with a plot that’s all too familiar. The horror and science fiction genre has been hit the hardest by these reimagined movies that all too often fall extremely short of the original … Continue reading REIMAGINING A CLASSIC: WERNER HERZOG’S NOSFERATU
Surrealist Cinema: PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN (1951)
“There was more surrealism rampant in Hollywood than all the surrealists could invent in a lifetime.” – Man Ray In 1940, Man Ray fled war-torn France and arrived in Hollywood. The acclaimed surrealist, who was born in the United States but relocated to Paris in 1921, spent the next eleven years in California making … Continue reading Surrealist Cinema: PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN (1951)
Favorite Film Books of 2017
With the holidays fast approaching I thought I would recommend an eclectic selection of my favorite film books released in 2017 in case you’re looking for gifts to please the cinephiles in your life. My picks include a variety of reading material for all budgets and tastes including many titles that are closely linked to … Continue reading Favorite Film Books of 2017
Looking for Fellini: HOW STRANGE TO BE NAMED FEDERICO (2013)
Ettore Scola might not be as renowned as his lifelong friend and fellow filmmaker Federico Fellini but before he died in 2016, Scola’s work had earned him ample critical acclaim and numerous Academy Award nominations for Best Foreign Language Film. Four of Scola’s films are currently streaming on FilmStruck including UGLY, DIRTY AND BAD (’76), … Continue reading Looking for Fellini: HOW STRANGE TO BE NAMED FEDERICO (2013)
RIP Ted V. Mikels 1929-2016
Heartbroken to learn that Ted V. Mikels has died. I loved his work, warts and all, and have written about my appreciation for the man in the past. He was an incredibly colorful character and one of Hollywood's last real showmen. I had the opportunity to exchange brief notes with him once and he was … Continue reading RIP Ted V. Mikels 1929-2016
Celebrating Gay Pride
As a film journalist I have often tried to focus my attention on underappreciated films, actors and directors. Unsurprisingly, this has led me to write about a number of gay/LGBT films as well as gay/LGBT filmmakers and actors. So in celebration of Gay Pride weekend and the Supreme Court decision that now makes gay-marriage a … Continue reading Celebrating Gay Pride
August & September at the Movie Morlocks
The last couple of months have been extremely difficult. In between doctor's appointments while dealing with some eye problems I suffered a major shake up in the Napa earthquake, which did a lot of damage to my home & neighborhood. Naturally this impaired my writing but I still managed to compile a few articles for … Continue reading August & September at the Movie Morlocks
June & July at the Movie Morlocks
I haven't been online much the last few months for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I've been having some medical problems with my left eye and spending lots of time on my computer reading, watching vids and writing can often be problematic. My eyes get easily irritated and I'm prone to headaches, etc. … Continue reading June & July at the Movie Morlocks
Alain Resnais 1922-2014
“When men die, they enter history. When statues die, they enter art. This botany of death is what we call culture.” - (STATUES ALSO DIE; 1953) I was deeply saddened to wake up to the news that director Alain Resnais has died at age 91. Resnais has continued to make movies into his 90s and … Continue reading Alain Resnais 1922-2014
Oh dear! What can the matter be?
“Oh dear! What can the matter be? Dear! Dear! What can the matter be? Oh Dear! What can the matter be? Johnny’s so long at the fair.” – Author unknown, 1793 British director Terence Fisher is best known for his work with Hammer Films but before he started making movies for the studio that dripped … Continue reading Oh dear! What can the matter be?
Ken Russell 1927-2011
The news about Ken Russell’s death hit me hard. Just last week the great man actually took the time to befriend me on Twitter (I’d been following him there for a year or more). I exchanged a brief note with him and got the opportunity to tell him I was honored that he had taken the time to follow me. And I hope that he knew he was one of my favorite directors.
