Tag Archives: Classic film

Film Review: The Seventh Seal (1957)

A classic film which I- to my shame- finally caught for the first time last night, Ingmar Bergman’s film, meditating on death, life, spiritual emptiness, creation and purpose, sounds like an example of European doom on paper. But it’s multifaceted, with bawdy humour, lovely monochrome expressionism -inspired cinematography from Gunnar Fischer and a wonderful, livelyContinue reading “Film Review: The Seventh Seal (1957)”

Film Review: Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975)

Peter Weir’s 1975 masterpiece, adapted from the novel by Joan Lindsay, has baffled successive generations by letting the viewers work out if the story was true for themselves. It definitely wasn’t, but the notion that it could be only added to its everlasting allure. In Valentine’s Day, 1900, three young college girls and their governessContinue reading “Film Review: Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975)”

Overlooked Classic: Hedwig and the Angry Inch

There had been much speculation around the titular character of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Who was she based on? Jayne County was mooted, and indeed she herself , having seen the premise, thought the story was hers. Indeed, other lesser known artists also saw themselves in Hedwig. But according to the film’s creator andContinue reading “Overlooked Classic: Hedwig and the Angry Inch”

Vintage Film Review: Quadrophenia (1979)

“We are the mods, we are the mods, we are, we are, we are the mods”. Few chants are as iconic in British cinema as Franc Roddam’s peerless Quadrophenia. With a star- making turn from Phil “Park life!” Daniels as frustrated “face” Jimmy, plus brilliant support from the likes of Jamie Winstone, Sting, Leslie Ash,Continue reading “Vintage Film Review: Quadrophenia (1979)”

Margo Channing Was Badass

Has there ever been such a brutal takedown of Hollywood- and the agency and ageing process of actresses- as Joseph L Mankiewicz’ peerless 1950 classic All About Eve? Margo Channing, portrayed by the immortal Bette Davis, is usurped in her signature theatre role by her most ardent fan, Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) a passive-aggressive andContinue reading “Margo Channing Was Badass”

Vintage Film Review: A Place In The Sun

George Stevens’ 1951 film eschews his usual screwball comedy genre for a melodrama focusing on an extremely toxic love triangle. Montgomery Clift is George Eastman, a social climber who dates Alice Tripp (Shelley Winters) a dowdy co-worker in a local factory. But when he discovers the beautiful Angela Vickers (Elizabeth Taylor) a society lady, heContinue reading “Vintage Film Review: A Place In The Sun”

Disney Villains

Ever since I was a child, I found Snow White and the like pretty insipid. They just seemed to waft around waiting for things to happen, they had little to no agency. Good girls and boys were boring. I liked the villains., or the creepy ones. Cruella DeVil is a style icon, albeit one thatContinue reading “Disney Villains”

30 Years Of Baz Luhrmann’s “Star Cross’d Lovers”

As Valentine’s Day doth approacheth, I take a look at the enduring classic, as reimagined by Australian director Baz Luhrmann. I bloody HATED Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet when I first saw it at the cinema in 1996. I felt that transposing the Shakespeare classic to Venice Beach and bringing in nineties slackers in HawaiianContinue reading “30 Years Of Baz Luhrmann’s “Star Cross’d Lovers””

Fallen To Earth, Low But Not Down

“It’s very, very sad… Very romantic” , David Bowie explained to a bemused Russell Harty in one of their many infamous awkward chatshow exchanges, after of course the pompous host remained fixated on the aesthetics and not substance, yet again. He was of course referring to The Man Who Fall To Earth. Low, the albumContinue reading “Fallen To Earth, Low But Not Down”