“Drugs, crime, sex and absolute debauchery” said the expectant moviegoer. “Screen 1” replied the dazed usher – a brief interaction that may very well have occurred between 1981 to 1993 just around the corner from King’s Cross station. Why may this have occurred? Well because Scala cinema was the ultimate cinema of sin. Founded by… Continue reading Cinema of the debauched: SCALA!!!
It’s the centenary of the cinema premiere of the German horror film Nosferatu. Now recognised as a classic of the silent era and one of the first examples of cinematic horror, it used elements of Gothic style to present a dark dreamworld. Ripe with undertones that link it not only to contemporary troubles, it also… Continue reading Nosferatu at 102: how the seminal vampire film shaped the horror genre
Renowned director Greta Gerwig has been chosen to lead a new reboot of “The Chronicles of Narnia,” signaling the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the beloved fantasy series. Based on the iconic young adult novels by C.S. Lewis, “The Chronicles of Narnia” takes audiences on an enchanting journey through a world filled with… Continue reading Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia’ Starts Production in August with seven months of shooting
The history of cinema as an art parallels its history as a technology. Ever wondered why the colour in The Wizard of Oz is so saturated? Well, it wasn’t the first technicolor film, but it was the first to effectively advertise MGM’s new 3-strip colour process to a global audience. Why advertise something at half mast?… Continue reading Films made for Netflix look more like TV shows — here’s the technical reason why
The first trailer for “Joker: Folie à Deux,” the musical sequel to the hit film “Joker,” starring Oscar winners Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, has been unveiled. In the sequel, Joaquin Phoenix reprises his role as Arthur Fleck, the aspiring stand-up comedian turned villain, while Lady Gaga portrays Dr. Harleen Quinzel, a psychiatrist assigned to… Continue reading TRAILERWATCH: Joker: Folie à Deux
It’s one of the most famous climactic scenes in film: a tense and shocking denouement that sees a series of brutal assassinations intercut with the central character calmly renouncing Satan as he becomes godfather to his nephew. Considered one of the great classics of American cinema, the triple Oscar-winning Godfather turns 50 on March 14.… Continue reading The Godfather at 52: celebrating the mob saga that raised the bar for gangster films
Fresh from All of Us Strangers(2023), Andrew Scott plays the title role in Netflix’s new series Ripley, a miniseries based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. News publisher Out claimed Scott’s Ripley for gayness. However, Scott’s own aspirations are more ambiguous, saying “he’s a queer character, in the sense that he’s very… Continue reading Is Andrew Scott’s Ripley mesmerising or charmless – exactly as Patricia Highsmith wrote him
The filmmakers behind Love Lies Bleeding (director Rose Glass and her co-writer Weronika Tofilska) are, as Glass describes “obviously … both film nerds”. The film has a broad archive of references ranging from the works of influential queer filmmaker John Waters to The Incredible Hulk (2008). A neo-noir, queer crime thriller, Love Lies Bleeding also… Continue reading Love Lies Bleeding Review: this vengeful queer romance is a visceral cinematic experience
The film, directed by Mark Mylod, known for producing and directing the acclaimed series Succession, satirises the culture of high-end dining. From the perspective of our combined expertise in food and literary studies and sexuality studies, we’re interested in how the film asks us to consider what’s left when even the most fundamental bodily pleasures are turned into… Continue reading The Menu review: delve into foodie snobbery when you’re dying for a cheeseburger
Every genre film is engaged – as self-aware genre pastiches like the Scary Movie (2000) and Scream (1996) franchises cannily acknowledge – in a conversation with its predecessors. The western, the longest-lived of all major genres, has been commenting on and reworking its own traditions since the silent era. Director and screenwriter Pedro Almodóvar’s new… Continue reading Strange Way of Life review: Pedro Almodóvar’s 30-minute queer western is a tender miniature
