Category: FILM REVIEWS
De-Berlinification, Petzold-style
It’s very strange to watch a series of films set in Berlin with characters living in the city or its suburbs, and yet there’s no effort by the director whatsoever to identify the city. How can you shoot a film in one of the oldest cities in Europe and transform it into a nondescript and rather blah metropolis?
Berlin – Traces of a Once-Divided City
October of 2009 will mark the 20th anniversary when East Germans were allowed to travel to West Germany after a lengthy ban, reinforced by the infamous Berlin Wall that was built by the communist regime to stop the flow of immigration into the West, as well as those escaping after the border was closed in 1961…
Sweet Little Grace
Much like Anchor Bay’s DVD for Adam Green’s Hatchet (2006), Grace (2009) is another superb release with extras that dissect and map out alternative steps to working one’s way towards completing a feature length film – not in the sense of guaranteeing success, but by inspiring some forward-thinking, creative planning, and being persistent in a […]
Reflecting Inwards
Making the news this morning was Michael Ignatieff’s speech to the Liberal caucus of his intention to call a fall election which, if it happens, will be the fourth election within a five year period.
There are many ways one can read this tactic – needy power grab, moral grand-standing against the villainous Harper and…
Early Technicolor Films: Part 2
In his immensely informative commentary track to The Black Pirate (1926), film historian Rudy Behlmer cites the cautious steps produce/co-writer/star Douglas Fairbanks took in making sure the new 2-strip Technicolor format was worth the cost and extra planning for his next film.
Culture Clashes of a 3rd Kind
Interview with District 9 composer Clinton Shorter, film review of District 9, YouTube links, and human-alien culture clashes in film and TV.
Early Technicolor Films: Part 1
Back in July, Universal released Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936). The film is an important stepping stone in the history of colour cinema because it marked the first time a feature-length movie was shot on location with Technicolor’s new (and very big) 3-strip cameras.
Fall Canadian DVD & Blu-ray announcements
J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek will street Nov. 17, and Paramount will spread the film out on single disc and 2-disc standard DVD editions, as well as a 3-disc Blu-ray release, the latter featuring what’s billed as “plot-based deleted scenes,” a new phrase that’s rather baffling, given most deleted scenes were originally conceived to advance plotting, if […]
Music From The Movies DVD Column: Archived, and Good to Go
Why bother archiving old columns for DVD releases with unique film music content from years ago? Is it ego? Or just the cold hard fact that words written – good, bad, or blatherish – can vanish when a site folds? If one comes from a print background, the discomfort is when the physical medium of one’s work is no longer in print, and the content can’t be…
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