Category: EDITOR’S BLOG
Berlin's Cold War Heat
Back in September, I posted reviews of Robert Siodmak’s Escape from East Berlin (1962) and the documentary/travel video Mauerflug (‘flight over the Berlin Wall’) as the first in a series tied to the giant reverse-chastity belt that was designed to prevent East Germans from penetrating the west.
Here in Part Two…
The Spectre of Royalty
Hey! What about me? With 2009 marking the 20th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution that ousted the Shah and replaced the monarchy with a theocratic regime, it’s fitting Mongrel Media released Queen and I, The / Drottningen och jag this month, Nahid Persson Sarvestani’s 2008 documentary on Empress Farah, Iran’s exiled Queen, now living in Paris, […]
Flowing Through Nostalgic Horror
I’ve been sick with a wretched head cold for the past few days, hence the delay, but the time in bed (and dizzy spells) allowed me to gather a handful of films for this update which collectively illustrate the levels of originality, imitation, and nostalgia in contemporary horror. That’s a big statement, but it can be distilled into something very simple, if not streamlined.
Rocket Robin Hood, Vol. 1, & More Canadian Release Dates
Originally announced about 2 years ago from Warner Bros. Canada for a Nov. 27, 2007 DVD release, the 2-volume set of Rocket Robin Hood was pulled due to ‘issues with the French language track’ on some episodes, so while fans of this cult series had hopes the label would release the series as reported in the spring of 2008, nothing materialized…
Soundtracks Highlights This Week
Recently uploaded is an interview with composer Daniel Pemberton, whose music from the British-U.S. co-production Monster Moves (aka Huge Moves, Impossible Moves, and Mega Moves) is out as a downloadable album (which I also reviewed).
Why screenwriters should always ask "Why?"
One of the toughest nuts for screenwriters and directors to crack is making a story set in a post-apocalyptic world work. It sounds relatively easy: you start the tale when the landscape is eerily peaceful, and a handful of normal human survivors have decided to wander out into the open because they’re bored, some need companionship, a few have run out of food, or have acclimatized themselves to running around with a shotgun and extra ammo with a new daily goal of some sort.
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?
Canadian DVD and Blu-ray Fall Release Dates – Part 2
Yes, there’s more.
Alliance will release Jim Jarmusch’s Limits of Control and Park Chan-Wook’s Thirst on Nov. 17th, as well as Don’t You Forget About Me: A Tribute to John Hughes on Nov. 3rd…
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…
Canadian DVD and Blu-ray Fall Release Dates – Part 1
Phase 4 Films will release Flashpoint, Season 1 Oct. 13th on DVD ($64.99) and Blu-ray ($74.99). Extras will include “Behind the Scenes of Flashpoint” and “The Human Cost of Heroism” featurettes, and director commentary on pilot episode. Season 2 will be released in 2010. The label will also release The Tudors, Season 3 Nov. 11th.
Connect
Connect with us on the following social media platforms.