Above: French grande for Capricious Summer. Artist: F. Dervanore.As the 56th New York Film Festival winds down this weekend, I wanted to look back half a century to the 6th edition of the festival. Uppermost in everyone’s minds in September 1968 was Czechoslovakia, which, after a brief seven months of liberation known as the Prague Spring, had been invaded less than a month before the festival began, by Warsaw Pact tanks and troops intended to suppress reforms. Whether it had been planned before the Soviet invasion, the 6th New York Film Festival notably opened and closed with Czech films: Jiri Menzel’s Capricious Summer and Milos Forman’s The Firemen’s Ball. It also featured Jan Nemec’s previously banned 1966 film A Report on the Party and the Guests which had been released in ’68 under the reformist president Alexander Dubček and shown as a special event on Czech national...
- 10/13/2018
- MUBI
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
American Honey (Andrea Arnold)
European directors have often faltered when crossing the Atlantic. Billy Wilder and Wim Wenders found things to say where Paolo Sorrentino could not. American Honey is certainly the former. Based on a 2007 article from the New York Times, it’s a backwater American road movie directed by an Englishwoman, Andrea Arnold, and shot by Irishman Robbie Ryan. We spot a few cowboys and gas stations and even the Grand Canyon,...
American Honey (Andrea Arnold)
European directors have often faltered when crossing the Atlantic. Billy Wilder and Wim Wenders found things to say where Paolo Sorrentino could not. American Honey is certainly the former. Based on a 2007 article from the New York Times, it’s a backwater American road movie directed by an Englishwoman, Andrea Arnold, and shot by Irishman Robbie Ryan. We spot a few cowboys and gas stations and even the Grand Canyon,...
- 12/16/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
David’s Quick Take for the tl;dr Media Consumer:
Head is a 90 minute psychedelic film festival, an anthology of trippy surrealistic sketches featuring the Monkees in what was anticipated to be a career-ending blaze of whimsical, anarchic glory. Their TV show had just been canceled, the boys in the band were ready to move on to other things, and the programmers behind the group put all their chips on the table in pulling this movie together. Director Bob Rafelson wasn’t sure what, if anything, he would do again in showbiz, so he went for broke, concocting a frenetic, seemingly random romp through a half-century’s worth of Hollywood cliches, loaded up with wacky cameos, narrative non-sequiturs aimed at amusing an audience of culturally hip stoners and a generous sampling of catchy tunes that nicely cover the pop music spectrum of its time.
Some first-time viewers will instantly love it,...
Head is a 90 minute psychedelic film festival, an anthology of trippy surrealistic sketches featuring the Monkees in what was anticipated to be a career-ending blaze of whimsical, anarchic glory. Their TV show had just been canceled, the boys in the band were ready to move on to other things, and the programmers behind the group put all their chips on the table in pulling this movie together. Director Bob Rafelson wasn’t sure what, if anything, he would do again in showbiz, so he went for broke, concocting a frenetic, seemingly random romp through a half-century’s worth of Hollywood cliches, loaded up with wacky cameos, narrative non-sequiturs aimed at amusing an audience of culturally hip stoners and a generous sampling of catchy tunes that nicely cover the pop music spectrum of its time.
Some first-time viewers will instantly love it,...
- 11/20/2016
- by David Blakeslee
- CriterionCast
David’s Quick Take for the tl;dr Media Consumer:
In posting this review, I might be giving more time and thought to the merits of Beyond The Law, Norman Mailer’s second venture in pursuit of auteurist credibility, than went into the film’s original conception and construction. As the middle installment of three films that Mailer churned out in a brief dabble as a director, we have a companion piece, maybe even an evil twin, to his first effort Wild 90. That film, released in early 1967, records the imaginary, sloppily performed interplay of three seriously drunk gangsters evading the cops as they’re holed up in a dingy Brooklyn apartment. A few months later, over two nights in October ’67, Mailer and the same pals he recruited for Wild 90 (Buzz Farber and Mickey Knox) show up again for another foray into experiential improv performance art, this time as...
In posting this review, I might be giving more time and thought to the merits of Beyond The Law, Norman Mailer’s second venture in pursuit of auteurist credibility, than went into the film’s original conception and construction. As the middle installment of three films that Mailer churned out in a brief dabble as a director, we have a companion piece, maybe even an evil twin, to his first effort Wild 90. That film, released in early 1967, records the imaginary, sloppily performed interplay of three seriously drunk gangsters evading the cops as they’re holed up in a dingy Brooklyn apartment. A few months later, over two nights in October ’67, Mailer and the same pals he recruited for Wild 90 (Buzz Farber and Mickey Knox) show up again for another foray into experiential improv performance art, this time as...
- 9/11/2016
- by David Blakeslee
- CriterionCast
David’s Quick Take for the tl;dr Media Consumer:
L’enfance nue (translated into English, “Naked Childhood”) consists of a series of sharply observed and well-chosen moments in the troubled life of Francois Fournier, a ten-year old ward of the French foster care system. Director Maurice Pialat made his feature debut, with the support and assistance of Francois Truffaut and Claude Berri, among others, presenting a story that some might find reminiscent of The 400 Blows but without the romantic charm and lovable mischief we associate with Antoine Doinel. (There are no picturesque romps through the streets of Paris or heroic-epic pilgrimages to the ocean in this one, though there is a mad dash tracking shot of a kid nursing a sprained wrist after he’s tossed to the ground following his assault of one of his peers.) Here, the cast is populated by ordinary people in the most quotidian situations,...
L’enfance nue (translated into English, “Naked Childhood”) consists of a series of sharply observed and well-chosen moments in the troubled life of Francois Fournier, a ten-year old ward of the French foster care system. Director Maurice Pialat made his feature debut, with the support and assistance of Francois Truffaut and Claude Berri, among others, presenting a story that some might find reminiscent of The 400 Blows but without the romantic charm and lovable mischief we associate with Antoine Doinel. (There are no picturesque romps through the streets of Paris or heroic-epic pilgrimages to the ocean in this one, though there is a mad dash tracking shot of a kid nursing a sprained wrist after he’s tossed to the ground following his assault of one of his peers.) Here, the cast is populated by ordinary people in the most quotidian situations,...
- 9/5/2016
- by David Blakeslee
- CriterionCast
Olive Films is killing it this year. So many bucket list Blu-ray releases in such a short amount of time. My exposure to Olive prior to a few months ago was minimal. I had a few Blu-ray discs I had purchased, mostly their horror output, and for the most part I have been satisfied with what I have seen. There have been one or two missteps along the way, but mostly what they release is pretty acceptable. This time Olive have released another personal favorite from adolescence, in Stone Cold starring Brian Bosworth.
The Movie:
Though sometimes my memory confuses Stone Cold with Charlie Sheen’s similar film Beyond The Law, it remains a favorite of mine from childhood. Some thought Stone Cold would skyrocket Brian Bosworth towards action film legend. While that didn’t exactly happen, it still turned out to be memorable Eighties action fare. Brian Bosworth is...
The Movie:
Though sometimes my memory confuses Stone Cold with Charlie Sheen’s similar film Beyond The Law, it remains a favorite of mine from childhood. Some thought Stone Cold would skyrocket Brian Bosworth towards action film legend. While that didn’t exactly happen, it still turned out to be memorable Eighties action fare. Brian Bosworth is...
- 7/8/2015
- by Shawn Savage
- The Liberal Dead
The "Ron Asheton Tribute Concert with Iggy & the Stooges + Special Guests", dedicated to the late Stooges guitarist, recorded live at Detroit's Michigan Theater, will be available on DVD in North America, June 4, 2013 :
"...this heartfelt tribute/celebration of Stooges' guitarist Ron Asheton's life and music features 'Iggy and the Stooges', Henry Rollins and guest guitarist Deniz Tek.
"All profits from this DVD sale will go to the 'Ron Asheton Foundation' which supports animal welfare and music.
"Before 1700 fans, Iggy performs a full-on 'Stooges' performance with co-founder, drummer Scott Asheton, 'Raw Power' guitarist James Williamson, saxophonist Steve Mackay and bassist Mike Watt.
"Shirtless and manic as always, even two days before his 64th birthday, it didn't take Iggy long to turn the theater to bedlam.
"Following pulverizing renditions of 'Raw Power','Search and Destroy' and 'Gimme Danger', Iggy brought fans up on stage for 'Shake Appeal', followed by 'Beyond the Law',...
"...this heartfelt tribute/celebration of Stooges' guitarist Ron Asheton's life and music features 'Iggy and the Stooges', Henry Rollins and guest guitarist Deniz Tek.
"All profits from this DVD sale will go to the 'Ron Asheton Foundation' which supports animal welfare and music.
"Before 1700 fans, Iggy performs a full-on 'Stooges' performance with co-founder, drummer Scott Asheton, 'Raw Power' guitarist James Williamson, saxophonist Steve Mackay and bassist Mike Watt.
"Shirtless and manic as always, even two days before his 64th birthday, it didn't take Iggy long to turn the theater to bedlam.
"Following pulverizing renditions of 'Raw Power','Search and Destroy' and 'Gimme Danger', Iggy brought fans up on stage for 'Shake Appeal', followed by 'Beyond the Law',...
- 2/27/2013
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
DVD Release Date: Aug. 28, 2012
Price: DVD $39.95
Studio: Criterion
Norman Mailer (l.) and Rip Torn go at it in Maidstone.
Eclipse Series 35: Maidstone and Other Films by Norman Mailer puts Mailer’s novels, essays, articles, activism and ego aside and chronicles a largely forgotten chapter of his life: His his late-1960s, headlong, kamikaze-style plunge into making experimental films.
Mailer’s rough-hewn, self-financed, largely improvised cult works all star Norman himself and feature technical assistance from cinema verité trailblazers D. A. Pennebaker and Richard Leacock.
The fullest realization of his directorial efforts is undoubtedly 1970’s blustering Maidstone, wherein Mailer plays a filmmaker and presidential candidate who may be the target of an assassination attempt.
As is the case with all of Criterion’s Eclipse releases, there are no bonus features included in the collection.
Here’s a look at Maidstone and the other two movies that comprise the two-disc set:
Maidstone (1970)
Over a booze-fueled,...
Price: DVD $39.95
Studio: Criterion
Norman Mailer (l.) and Rip Torn go at it in Maidstone.
Eclipse Series 35: Maidstone and Other Films by Norman Mailer puts Mailer’s novels, essays, articles, activism and ego aside and chronicles a largely forgotten chapter of his life: His his late-1960s, headlong, kamikaze-style plunge into making experimental films.
Mailer’s rough-hewn, self-financed, largely improvised cult works all star Norman himself and feature technical assistance from cinema verité trailblazers D. A. Pennebaker and Richard Leacock.
The fullest realization of his directorial efforts is undoubtedly 1970’s blustering Maidstone, wherein Mailer plays a filmmaker and presidential candidate who may be the target of an assassination attempt.
As is the case with all of Criterion’s Eclipse releases, there are no bonus features included in the collection.
Here’s a look at Maidstone and the other two movies that comprise the two-disc set:
Maidstone (1970)
Over a booze-fueled,...
- 6/18/2012
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
Well, this week is kind of a wash when it comes to the home entertainment shelves. While there are some releases that might interest you, this is one of barest weeks yet….then again, we are only in the second week of 2012. There are a few Mill Creek releases, including a Spaghetti Western collection and even a Synapse Films release!
All descriptions are from Amazon.com unless otherwise noted. We have included buttons for you to order that product which not only makes it easy on you but also helps us pay the bills around here.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The greatest mysteries of the world’s most recognized sleuth!
The legacy of the investigative mastermind Sherlock Holmes has transcended through three centuries and appeared in books, television series, films and so much more. This deluxe 4 DVD collection includes 4 feature films and the entire 39 episode American television series featuring...
All descriptions are from Amazon.com unless otherwise noted. We have included buttons for you to order that product which not only makes it easy on you but also helps us pay the bills around here.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The greatest mysteries of the world’s most recognized sleuth!
The legacy of the investigative mastermind Sherlock Holmes has transcended through three centuries and appeared in books, television series, films and so much more. This deluxe 4 DVD collection includes 4 feature films and the entire 39 episode American television series featuring...
- 1/11/2012
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
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