“A Fear Of Fugues”
By Raymond Benson
The U.S. has finally seen a Blu-ray release of David Lynch’s challenging 1997 feature, Lost Highway (up until now it has been available only on DVD and less-than-ideal-quality imported Blu-ray editions from various countries.) Kino Lorber unleashed this disturbing and surreal work of art from the heir apparent of Luis Buñuel, and it’s a doozy.
Lynch described his 1997 feature, Lost Highway, as a “psychogenic fugue,” which is a fancy term for a dissociative disorder. The story concerns musician Fred Madison (Bill Pullman), who may or may not be having marriage trouble with his beautiful wife, Renee (Patricia Arquette). An outside force seems to be watching and harassing the couple by leaving intimate videotapes of themselves on their doorstep. Throw in some nightmares and the appearance of a “mystery man” (the very creepy Robert Blake) with powers that could only exist as dream logic,...
By Raymond Benson
The U.S. has finally seen a Blu-ray release of David Lynch’s challenging 1997 feature, Lost Highway (up until now it has been available only on DVD and less-than-ideal-quality imported Blu-ray editions from various countries.) Kino Lorber unleashed this disturbing and surreal work of art from the heir apparent of Luis Buñuel, and it’s a doozy.
Lynch described his 1997 feature, Lost Highway, as a “psychogenic fugue,” which is a fancy term for a dissociative disorder. The story concerns musician Fred Madison (Bill Pullman), who may or may not be having marriage trouble with his beautiful wife, Renee (Patricia Arquette). An outside force seems to be watching and harassing the couple by leaving intimate videotapes of themselves on their doorstep. Throw in some nightmares and the appearance of a “mystery man” (the very creepy Robert Blake) with powers that could only exist as dream logic,...
- 7/18/2019
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
“A Mesmerizing Battle Of Wills”
By Raymond Benson
Some say the year 1939 was the “greatest year of cinema,” and, sure, there were many memorable titles released then that remain classics today. I argue, though, that 1962 was even better. Lawrence of Arabia. To Kill a Mockingbird. Dr. No. The Longest Day. The Manchurian Candidate. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. The Music Man. Jules and Jim. And there was also Arthur Penn’s The Miracle Worker.
Based on the stage play by William Gibson (who also wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay), The Miracle Worker contains two of the most astonishing performances ever put on celluloid. Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke both deservedly won Oscars for their roles, respectively, as the teacher Annie Sullivan and the remarkable Helen Keller as a young girl. The pair light up the screen in intimate, physically-demanding scenes that become a mesmerizing battle of wills—which is what...
By Raymond Benson
Some say the year 1939 was the “greatest year of cinema,” and, sure, there were many memorable titles released then that remain classics today. I argue, though, that 1962 was even better. Lawrence of Arabia. To Kill a Mockingbird. Dr. No. The Longest Day. The Manchurian Candidate. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. The Music Man. Jules and Jim. And there was also Arthur Penn’s The Miracle Worker.
Based on the stage play by William Gibson (who also wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay), The Miracle Worker contains two of the most astonishing performances ever put on celluloid. Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke both deservedly won Oscars for their roles, respectively, as the teacher Annie Sullivan and the remarkable Helen Keller as a young girl. The pair light up the screen in intimate, physically-demanding scenes that become a mesmerizing battle of wills—which is what...
- 6/24/2019
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
“Sim Sim Sala Bim!”
By Raymond Benson
If you were a young boy in America in 1964, you were probably glued to the television set on Friday evenings to watch the groundbreaking, imaginative, and superbly entertaining action-adventure science fiction animated prime time series, Jonny Quest. Okay, I’m sure some girls liked the show, too (my next-door neighbors did). Given the shortage of female characters on the show, though, Jonny Quest was a program that I would bet appealed mostly to boys.
Jonny Quest is an 11-year-old all-American boy who has an awesome life. He is the son of Dr. Benton Quest, a brilliant scientist who works for the U.S. government and has a laboratory, home, and compound on an island off the coast of Florida. Their bodyguard is “Race” Bannon, an American equivalent of James Bond, sort of, although he also acts as Jonny’s tutor. Hadji, an Indian boy the same age as Jonny,...
By Raymond Benson
If you were a young boy in America in 1964, you were probably glued to the television set on Friday evenings to watch the groundbreaking, imaginative, and superbly entertaining action-adventure science fiction animated prime time series, Jonny Quest. Okay, I’m sure some girls liked the show, too (my next-door neighbors did). Given the shortage of female characters on the show, though, Jonny Quest was a program that I would bet appealed mostly to boys.
Jonny Quest is an 11-year-old all-American boy who has an awesome life. He is the son of Dr. Benton Quest, a brilliant scientist who works for the U.S. government and has a laboratory, home, and compound on an island off the coast of Florida. Their bodyguard is “Race” Bannon, an American equivalent of James Bond, sort of, although he also acts as Jonny’s tutor. Hadji, an Indian boy the same age as Jonny,...
- 6/21/2019
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
“A Pint Of British Noir”
By Raymond Benson
Film noir wasn’t just relegated to American Hollywood films of the forties and fifties. It was something of an international movement, albeit an unconscious one, for it wasn’t until the late fifties that some critics in France looked back at the past two decades of crime pictures and proclaimed, “Oui! Film noir!”
Britain was doing it, too. Carol Reed’s 1947 Ira-thriller-that-isn’t-an-ira-thriller Odd Man Out is one of the best examples of the style. Robert Krasker’s black and white cinematography pulls in all the essential film noir elements—German expressionism, high contrasts between dark and light, and tons of shadows. Other noir trappings are present, such as stormy weather, night scenes, exterior locations, bars, shabby tenements, a lot of smoking, and a crime. And, for a movie to be “pure noir,” there must not be a happy ending. Odd...
By Raymond Benson
Film noir wasn’t just relegated to American Hollywood films of the forties and fifties. It was something of an international movement, albeit an unconscious one, for it wasn’t until the late fifties that some critics in France looked back at the past two decades of crime pictures and proclaimed, “Oui! Film noir!”
Britain was doing it, too. Carol Reed’s 1947 Ira-thriller-that-isn’t-an-ira-thriller Odd Man Out is one of the best examples of the style. Robert Krasker’s black and white cinematography pulls in all the essential film noir elements—German expressionism, high contrasts between dark and light, and tons of shadows. Other noir trappings are present, such as stormy weather, night scenes, exterior locations, bars, shabby tenements, a lot of smoking, and a crime. And, for a movie to be “pure noir,” there must not be a happy ending. Odd...
- 6/17/2019
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Issue #37 (January 2017)
Steven J. Rubin's 40th anniversary tribute to "Rocky"; extensive coverage On the making of this landmark film with exclusive comments from key members of the cast and crew.
Christopher Weedman celebrates the career of British actress Anne Heywood with insights from the lady herself.
Diane Rodgers' homage to the Monkees' only feature film, "Head"- with a screenplay by Jack Nicholson!
Martin Gainsford diagnoses the problems of bringing Doc Savage to the big screen in the ill-fated 1970s production.
Nick Anez extols the virtues of Sidney Lumet's brilliant but little-scene "The Offence" with a powerhouse performance by Sean Connery.
Tim Greaves examines the creepy-but-neglected chiller "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane" starring young Jodie Foster.
Did Sergio Leone "ghost direct" the cult Italian Western "My Name is Nobody"? Chris Button examines the case for and against this theory.
Raymond Benson works overtime, providing us with...
Steven J. Rubin's 40th anniversary tribute to "Rocky"; extensive coverage On the making of this landmark film with exclusive comments from key members of the cast and crew.
Christopher Weedman celebrates the career of British actress Anne Heywood with insights from the lady herself.
Diane Rodgers' homage to the Monkees' only feature film, "Head"- with a screenplay by Jack Nicholson!
Martin Gainsford diagnoses the problems of bringing Doc Savage to the big screen in the ill-fated 1970s production.
Nick Anez extols the virtues of Sidney Lumet's brilliant but little-scene "The Offence" with a powerhouse performance by Sean Connery.
Tim Greaves examines the creepy-but-neglected chiller "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane" starring young Jodie Foster.
Did Sergio Leone "ghost direct" the cult Italian Western "My Name is Nobody"? Chris Button examines the case for and against this theory.
Raymond Benson works overtime, providing us with...
- 1/5/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
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