One of my favourite films scenes is in Wim Wenders’ immaculate Wings Of Desire. Crime and the City Solution are playing a gig in Berlin, and the beautiful Marion, played by Solveig Dommartin, dances, freed from her circus job, arms flailing. An angel, Damiel, played by Bruno Ganz , has fallen in love with her.Continue reading “A Perfect Scene”
Category Archives: Film
Overlooked Classic: Dazed and Confused
Richard Linklater had already ensnared me with ‘Slacker’ (more of which,later) but ‘Dazed and Confused ‘, named of course after the Led Zep track, really cemented his storytelling process. Essentially, it’s a simple enough premise: a group of kids are looking for a beer keg party at the end of school. It focuses on theContinue reading “Overlooked Classic: Dazed and Confused”
Lost In Music: Pulp- Mile End
As Trainspotting turned 30 this year, I choose Pulp. This is Jarvis at his bleakest and most acerbic, This Is Hardcore aside. This deceptively rinky dinky sounding song appeared at the end of the soundtrack, taking in lyrics about poverty, terrible housing, paedophiles and casual violence. “I guess you have to go right down/ BeforeContinue reading “Lost In Music: Pulp- Mile End”
Do Give Up The Day Job?
When it comes to being a triple threat, many people excel. They’re all-rounders, who can turn their hands to everything. Then.. there are some of the greatest actors in the world, who fancied having a go at becoming singers. Take these three. Admittedly, Bette Davis knew she couldn’t sing, but the others, hmmm. Nonetheless, theseContinue reading “Do Give Up The Day Job?”
My Most Overlooked Classic: Les Amants du Pont Neuf
Often, I think this may be my favourite film of all time. It’s between this and ‘Paris,Texas’ because of the way the mood resonates. ‘Wings Of Desire’ is another example. Leos Carax has the reputation for being an opaque, somewhat self-indulgent director. ‘Holy Motors’, for example, is batshit crazy and experimental to almost the pointContinue reading “My Most Overlooked Classic: Les Amants du Pont Neuf”
Film Review: Gene Kelly-An American In Hollywood
Claudia Collao’s exuberant documentary on the great actor, dancer and film maker Gene Kelly looks at his rise to stardom, quest for innovation in all that he did, and above all, his egalitarian attitude that dance should be accessible to everyone, no matter where they came from. As someone who had grown up in hard-scrabbleContinue reading “Film Review: Gene Kelly-An American In Hollywood”
Film Review: God Bless Ozzy Osbourne
Mike Piscitelli and Mike Fleiss spent a few years on the road with the late Brummie rock legend Ozzy Osbourne while filming this excellent documentary. The insights they gleaned are eye-opening, to say the least, from vocal warm-ups and rituals, to paparazzi intrusion to the complete excess of a stadium band who created the blueprintContinue reading “Film Review: God Bless Ozzy Osbourne”
Overlooked Classic: Plan 9 From Outer Space
Ah, pity poor misunderstood Ed Wood Jr. He was a man with a dream, a love of pink angora, and a movie camera. No matter that he barely scraped a storyboard together: in his head IT ALL MADE SENSE. Let’s ignore his dreadful nudie cutie film nonsense and zoom in on his masterwork, For thereContinue reading “Overlooked Classic: Plan 9 From Outer Space”
Film Review: Misericordia (2024)
When Jeremie (Felix Kysl) comes to pay his respects to his now deceased boss, for whom he once had a thing, it seems he may now have designs on the widow, Martine ,(Catherine Frot) too. He’s a strange presence, Jeremie, with darting eyes and a twisting mouth. Later, he gets drunk and pursues the slobbish,Continue reading “Film Review: Misericordia (2024)”
Lost In Music: Deerhoof Plays Music Of ‘The Shining’
Who better to cover some of the incredible soundtrack from Stanley Kubrick ‘s timeless psychological horror than San Francisco’s experimental genius Deerhoof? The two digitally released tracks, the eerie theme by Wendy Carlos and the jazz tune ‘Midnight, The Stars and You’ made popular by Al Bowly, show the duality of the band’s sound, withContinue reading “Lost In Music: Deerhoof Plays Music Of ‘The Shining’”
