Film News,

The Establishing Shot: Week 51 Film News Round-up

Tuesday, December 27, 2011 Craig Grobler 0 Comments

Film NewsThis week on The Establishing Shot: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Review, Merry Christmas and this year’s must have gifts, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo viral reveals a new clip, Behold! The Bat phone or Un-boxing the Nokia Lumia 800 Dark Knight Rises Bat phone, UK Top 10 Films, This Week's New Releases, Last chance to see Thandie Newton in Death and the Maiden, Ralph Fiennes QA Postponed, The Richard Attenborough UK Regional Film Awards return for their 6th year, The Lady’s Michelle Yeoh visits parliament, Sir David Attenborough’s “The Bachelor King 3d” To Air Exclusively On Sky 3d On New Years Eve 2011, Waterloo Road's Tom Milner supports suicide prevention, Weekend receives 2 London Critics Circle nominations, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Trailer, IMAX Posts Record December Opening Box Office Results with Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol, Sky Movies showing 2012 on New Year’s Day, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey gets it’s first trailer, Daniel Radcliffe Invites You To Vote For Your Favourite Ghost Story From The Woman In Black Youtube Competition, Goon gets a new, NEW, NEW trailer, Watch the Relentless Energy Drink winning Short Stories video & Xavier de le Rue’s new film, Final Destination 5 releases Boxing Day, Dario Argento's lost masterpiece, Four Flies On Grey Velvet gets a January 2012 home release, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy DVD gets a 30 January Release, Yamada Way Of The Samurai, The Front Line, The Big Boss, Game of Death, Game of Death 2, The Shock Of The Blue: The BBFC’s Close Encounters With Foreign Erotica, The Dark Knight Rises Trailer, Theophilus London - Last Name London.

This Week On The Establishing Shot:
The Establishing Shot: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Review David Fincher’s Version
Does the world really need another pointless remake? Probably not - but it needs more films like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo from David Fincher.

Let’s get it out of the way early. My review is not a comparison between Niels Arden Oplev and David Fincher’s work and it is difficult to discuss Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in real depth without giving anything away. But it would be dismissive not to mention that the material that they both base their films on - Stieg Larsson's novel is pretty spectacular tapping into our curiosity of the criminal mind, cultural perceptions, introducing us to the most unlikely anti-hero and as alluded to in the film - it bridges an old darkness that runs some 70 years deep and the new Europe. But it also draws on Stieg Larsson world view - in his own journalism career he investigated corruption, racism, right wing extremism, Nazism and abhorred violence against woman. All themes touched on in the Millennium trilogy.

Read our full review over here! http://www.theestablishingshot.com/2011/12/establishing-shot-girl-with-dragon.html

The Establishing Shot: Merry Christmas and this year’s must have gifts
I just wanted to wish everyone Happy Holidays / Christmas /Hanukkah /  Festivus and thought I would dig out my list of this year’s must have Christmas gifts at the same time.

Originally this list of much coveted items was put together for the fine chaps over at Liiveforfilms.com, but as they are less lifestyle and more film orientated some of the pieces didn’t make the final list. So with only 6 days left till Christmas I thought I would update my list and get it up on the theestablishingshot. If you have any thoughts about other must have items or feedback on any of the items please do leave a comment below.

When Phil asked for us to compile a Christmas list in the run up to year end I naturally whipped out my list of stuff I had either needed or coveted at some point over the last year. A couple of the items will definitely not be in my Christmas stocking this year so it is more of a Christmas wish list. In no particular order:

Read our full post over here! http://www.theestablishingshot.com/2011/12/establishing-shot-this-years-must-have.html

The Establishing Shot: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo viral reveals a new clip
We are having quite a week at The Establishing Shot tower. Yesterday evening after giving Kings Road a much needed boost with some last minute shopping I got in to find a strange package had been delivered. The mystery deepened when I opened the package to find a thin elegant hardcover book. Turning it over - revealed an embossed Golden Dragon on the front. Ahh! It could only be one thing. But no! the book title on the spine is Afterword. Even more curious the initials on the spine are S.L. Surely it must be? Opening the book up revealed it to be Afterword Stieg Larsson: Four Essays and An Exchange Of Emails. More about that later.

Because someone had placed a piece of paper in between the pages as a bookmark.  On the bookmark the following had been handwritten: 72 21 3 Vanger-industries.eu

Read our full post over here! http://www.theestablishingshot.com/2011/12/establishing-shot-girl-with-dragon_22.html

The Establishing Shot: Behold! The Bat phone or Un-boxing the Nokia Lumia 800 Dark Knight Rises Bat phone and some thoughts
You have probably been wondering where I have been & where my analysis of the full Batman trailer is. Well I’ve been spending every free second pouring over the Bat phone! No not Batman’s red retro hotline to Commissioner Gordon, although that is pretty cool though. Rewind! Freeze! Hopefully you had a chance to skim my post the other day regarding my recommendations for this years most wanted gifts. I hope it helped with any last minute shopping you had to squeeze in. Well I know at least one person read that post using his North Pole wireless network.

Read our full post over here! http://www.theestablishingshot.com/2011/12/establishing-shot-he-bat-phone-or-un.html

The Establishing Shot: UK Top 10 Films Friday 16 - Sunday 18 December, 2011 courtesy of Digital Cinema Media
1. Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game Of Shadows
2. Alvin And The Chipmunks 3: Chip-wrecked
3. Arthur Christmas 3D
4. Puss In boots
5. New Year's Eve
6. Hugo 3D
7. Happy Feet 2
8. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1
9. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas
10. My Week with Marilyn

The Establishing Shot: This Week's New Releases: 23 December 2011 courtesy of Movie Preview Guide
The Movie Preview guide is a pretty handy breakdown of this weeks and upcoming releases as well as film news. It arrives a little late to include in my usual news updates but this week I was tardy so could include some info from it head over to http://www.moviepreviewguide.com/ to check it out.

DON 2
Having conquered the Asian underworld, Don now has his sights set on European domination. In his way are the bosses of the existing European underworld and all law enforcement agencies. The action shifts from Kuala Lumpur to Berlin as Don must avoid assassination or arrest, whichever comes first, in order for his plan to succeed.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Hoping to distance himself from the fallout of a libel conviction, journalist Mikael Blomkvist retreats to a remote island in Sweeden's far north where the unsolved murder of a young girl still haunts her industrialist uncle forty years later. Ensconced in a cottage on the island where the killer may still roam, Blomkvist's investigation draws him into the secrets and lies of the rich and powerful, and throws him together with one unlikely ally - tattooed, punk hacker, Lisbeth Salander.

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol
Blamed for the terrorist bombing of the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt is disavowed along with the rest of the agency when the president initiates 'Ghost Protocol'.  Left without any resources or backup, Ethan must find a way to clear his agency's name and prevent another attack. To complicate matters further, Ethan is forced to embark on this mission with a team of fellow IMF fugitives whose personal motives he does not fully know.

The Artist
Hollywood 1927. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a silent movie superstar. The advent of the talkies will sound the death knell for his career and see him fall into oblivion. For young extra Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), it seems the sky's the limit major movie stardom awaits. THE ARTIST tells the story of their interlinked destinies.

Hannah And Her Sisters
Hannah is almost the perfect TV housewife, giving up a promising acting career to raise a family. Even after she begins to suspect her husband of philandering with one of her sisters, she continues to be the perfect wife and mother. When her hypochondriac ex-husband / TV producer shows up, things really begin to happen.

The Lady
The Lady is the extraordinary story of Aung San Suu Kyi (Michelle Yeoh) and her husband, Michael Aris (David Thewlis). It is also the epic story of the peaceful quest of the woman who is at the core of Burma's democratic movement. Despite distance, long separations, and a dangerously hostile regime, their love endures until the very end. A story of devotion and human understanding set against a backdrop of political turmoil that continues today.

Zelig
Mock-documentary profiling Leonard Zelig, a 20's phenomenon known as the 'human chameleon.' Zelig's overwhelming desire to belong is manifested in his ability to take on the facial and vocal characteristics of whomever he happens to be around at the moment. Zelig becomes a celebrity in his own right, inspiring a song, a dance craze and even a Warner Brothers biopic.

The Establishing Shot: For your Calendar

Last chance to see Thandie Newton in Death and the Maiden
Final performances - must end 31 December! Don't miss this exclusive offer to catch Thandie Newton in the final performances of Death and the Maiden.

Buy £15 offer tickets: http://store.ambassadortickets.com/ShowDatesCombo.aspx

Ralph Fiennes QA Postponed

The Phoenix are very disappointed to report that due to last minute filming conflicts Ralph Fiennes is no longer able to be there on Saturday 7 January.  Instead he will be coming Sunday 15 Jan for a Q&A following a 7.30pm show.



The Establishing Shot: Film News
The Richard Attenborough UK Regional Film Awards return for their 6th year
Discover more about Richard Attenborough, in whose name these awards are dedicated, click here.  http://www.filmoftheyear.co.uk/ celebrates top films - as selected by critics and others in their annual awards, and by cinemagoers in their choices at the box-office.

The Lady’s Michelle Yeoh visits parliament
On Thursday 15th December the Speaker, John Bercow, and actress Michelle Yeoh met in the Speaker’s chambers at Westminster. Michelle Yeoh portrays Aung San Suu Kyi in Luc Besson’s upcoming film, The Lady which is released across the UK on 30th December, and Mr Bercow is a long term supporter of democracy and human rights in Burma.

During their discussion about issues in Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi and the upcoming Luc Besson film The Lady, Mr Bercow said: “You won’t be able to keep me away from seeing the film”.

The Lady is the extraordinary story of Aung San Suu Kyi (Michelle Yeoh) and her husband, Michael Aris (David Thewlis). It is also the epic story of the peaceful quest of the woman who is at the core of Burma’s democratic movement. Despite distance, long separations, and a dangerously hostile regime, their love endures until the very end. A story of devotion and human understanding set against a backdrop of political turmoil that continues today, The Lady was written over a period of three years by Rebecca Frayn. Interviews with key figures in Aung San Suu Kyi’s entourage enabled her to reconstruct for the first time the true story of Burma’s national heroine.

Sir David Attenborough’s “The Bachelor King 3d” To Air Exclusively On Sky 3d On New Years Eve 2011
Sky and Atlantic Productions are delighted to announce the 3D TV world premiere of David Attenborough’s ground breaking documentary film The Bachelor King 3D, which airs on Sky 3D on Saturday, 31st December 2011 at 8pm.

New and exclusive to Sky, the film was shot in stunning 3D on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia over a period of five months and follows the extraordinary lives of King Penguins, to imagine what one penguin’s life could be. The Bachelor King 3D is written and presented by multi-award winning natural history broadcaster David Attenborough.

The Bachelor King 3D is the second natural history film commissioned by Sky to air on Sky 3D, which made history in 2010 when it became Europe’s first dedicated 3D TV channel. The BAFTA award-winning Flying Monsters 3D was the first collaboration between Sky, Attenborough and Atlantic Productions, and The Bachelor King 3D will be followed in 2012 by Kingdom of Plants 3D, a look at the life of plants, set in Kew Gardens.

The commissions are part of Sky’s commitment to increase its investment in UK originated content by 50% to £600million a year by 2014, to cement its position as one of the biggest investors in the UK’s creative economy.

David Attenborough added: “I knew it would be mind-blowing, there are a number of extremely dramatic animals in South Georgia that would look particularly astounding in 3D. The difficulties are huge but the rewards are huge too. With 3D you can convey the reality of what’s in front of the camera in a much more powerful way than ever before. To be at the cutting edge, when you know that you are doing something that no one has done before, is exciting and a great privilege. I feel hugely privileged to have started my life on 405 black and white and now to be working in 3D.”

The film will be released theatrically in giant screen theatres and cinemas around the world in 2012 and will return to Sky 3D later in the year.

The Bachelor King 3D
The Bachelor King 3D is the journey of a King Penguin from awkward adolescent to adult.

Stunning 3D cinematography takes us into an extraordinary sub-Antarctic island, home to majestic albatrosses, brawling elephant seals - and six million penguins. Though our hero’s harsh world may be alien to our day-to-day lives, his struggle will be familiar to us all.

Three years ago, The Bachelor King left home. He partied at sea - he adventured, he matured. And now he is returning to the place where he was born and raised: Penguin City. This is one of the most densely-packed, sought-after pieces of real estate in the entire southern hemisphere and somehow he must establish his own place in it. He must find a mate. He wants to be a dad.

His story is often comic, sometimes tragic, and ultimately triumphant: a rite of passage set on one of the earth’s last great wildernesses.

Waterloo Road's Tom Milner supports suicide prevention
Waterloo Road’s Tom Milner supports suicide prevention charity’s New Year message. PAPYRUS, the national charity for prevention of young suicide, is asking all young people to watch out for each other through the Christmas and New Year holiday and festivities.

We all tend to put our problems on the back burner at this time, hoping the break will bring solutions. Yet for anyone who can’t see a future, nothing is resolved and they can sink into despair.

Actor singer Tom Milner (Paul Langley in Waterloo Road) is supporting the charity’s campaign. “I’ve been lucky but many young people are really struggling with so many different pressures right now and if things aren’t working out, the New Year can feel like a massive let down. So keep in touch and be there for each other and if you are worried about a mate, please help them to get help!”

Ged Flynn, PAPYRUS chief executive says, “We don’t want to spoil the fun, but for vulnerable young people this time of year can add to the pressure to be happy all the time and can push them further into a quiet despair. The focus on spending time with others can be difficult for those without close family and friends. For some young people, even being in a crowd with people they love can be a very uncomfortable place because they secretly feel rubbish.

“Alcohol and recreational drugs can add to existing low mood and cause young people who are at risk of suicide to act impulsively on their feelings.

“Our Christmas message is clear. Enjoy yourselves. Relax. But also, look out for yourself this Christmas and look out for each other - especially young people. Don’t be afraid to check out with them to see that they are OK. If you have a concern, you or they, can call the PAPYRUS helpline HOPELineUK 0800 068 41 41. It is open every day during Christmas and New Year - visit www.papyrus-uk.org for opening hours.

“You might be able to save a young life this Christmas.”

You can follow PAPYRUS on Facebook and Twitter

Weekend receives 2 London Critics Circle nominations
Andrew Haigh’s ‘Weekend’ has received two London Critics’ Circle nominations for ‘British Actor Of The Year’ and ‘Breakthrough British Film-maker’

Andrew Haigh’s British breakthrough film, WEEKEND, has scored two nominations at the 32nd London Critics’ Circle Film Awards. The critically-acclaimed film has been nominated in BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH FILM-MAKER for Andrew Haigh and BRITISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR for the film’s lead, Tom Cullen.

The awards will take place on Thursday 19th January 2012 at BFI Southbank.

Weekend
On a Friday night after hanging out with his straight mates, Russell heads out to a nightclub, alone and on the pull. Just before closing time he picks up Glen. Over the next 48 hours, Russell and Glen become inseparable, gradually forming a tight bond that neither of them could have predicted - one that may change their lives forever.

Andrew Haigh’s celebrated WEEKEND depicts an unconventional love story with a raw, edifying honesty, making Haigh a refreshing new voice in British cinema.

WEEKEND is out in UK cinemas now and will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 5th 2012

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Trailer
Nicolas Cage returns as Johnny Blaze in Columbia Pictures' and Hyde Park Entertainment's Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. In the successor to the worldwide hit Ghost Rider, Johnny - still struggling with his curse as the devil's bounty hunter - is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy (Fergus Riordan) from the devil (Ciaran Hinds). At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy - and possibly rid himself of his curse forever. Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. Screenplay by Scott M. Gimple & Seth Hoffman and David S. Goyer. Story by David S. Goyer. Based on the Marvel Comic. Produced by Steven Paul, Ashok Amritraj, Michael De Luca, Avi Arad, and Ari Arad.


IMAX Posts Record December Opening Box Office Results with Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol will also be enjoying an exclusive early release in IMAX in the UK. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, the IMAX experience is set to open in the UK on 21st December 2011, five days earlier that the UK general release on December 26th.

Particular points of interest from the press release are:
Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol has broken record global and domestic results for December.
Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol has grossed $14 Million Globally, and $10.5 Million in the US over the opening weekend in IMAX early release window.
Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol surpassed the previous December opening box office records set by Tron: Legacy.
The IMAX release of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol has been digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology.
The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

Film Breaks Record Global and Domestic Results for December Grossing $14 Million Globally and $10.5 Million Domestically Over Opening Weekend in IMAX Early Release Window

IMAX Corporation and Paramount Pictures announced that Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol The IMAX Experience, earned approximately $14 million at the box office in IMAX® theatres worldwide during its opening weekend. Domestically, the film generated $10.5 million on 300 IMAX screens, for an IMAX per-screen average of $35,000. Internationally, it generated $3.4 million on 89 IMAX screens, for an IMAX per-screen average of $38,200. The film surpassed the previous December opening box office records set by Tron: Legacy. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol The IMAX Experience is set to open on 112 additional IMAX® theatres in various territories, including China and the UK.

“The one-two punch of The IMAX Experience coupled with the passionate filmmaking of Brad Bird, JJ Abrams and Tom Cruise is what differentiates this film from the rest of the pack,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “The more than 30 percent uptick in box office from Friday to Saturday points to the growing momentum of the movie heading into its official opening. Given that this film set December records both domestically and globally for IMAX also shows that whether in 2D or 3D, audiences are drawn to a strong movie that features the IMAX DNA.”

The IMAX release of this fourth installment of Mission: Impossible features approximately 30 minutes of scenes filmed with IMAX cameras. Exclusively in IMAX, these sequences expand to fill the entire screen, and further immerse the audience in the explosive action and vast scope of the film. One featured sequence includes the unbelievable stunt performed by Tom Cruise as he scaled the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai, providing an up-close, you-are-there experience as only IMAX can.

About Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name. No help, no contact, off the grid. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is directed by Brad Bird, in his live action film debut, and written by Josh Appelbaum & Andre Nemec and Christopher McQuarrie. Cruise, who produces the Mission: Impossible films, is joined by producers J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk. The film will be co-financed by Skydance Productions. Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Paul Schwake and Dana Goldberg are the executive producers.

Sky Movies showing 2012 on New Year’s Day
Sky Movies Sci-Fi & Horror/HD wishes you a Happy New Year! And what better way to celebrate the start of 2012 than with Roland Emmerich’s epic action movie 2012 which predicts a series of cataclysmic disasters for this year?

Full schedule below:
New Year's Eve 12 Midnight
New Year's Day 1.25pm
New Year's Day 9pm

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey gets it’s first trailer
Warner Bros. Pictures are pleased to unveil the much anticipated teaser trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first in the two-part epic from director Peter Jackson adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's enduringly popular masterpiece, The Hobbit.

Both films are set in Middle-earth 60 years before The Lord of the Rings, which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.


The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released beginning December 14, 2012. The second film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again is slated for release the following year, beginning December 13, 2013.

Daniel Radcliffe Invites You To Vote For Your Favourite Ghost Story From The Woman In Black Youtube Competition
Daniel Radcliffe, the star of upcoming ghost story chiller, THE WOMAN IN BLACK, invites YouTube users to vote for their favourite ghost story from the ten shortlisted final entries of THE WOMAN IN BLACK ghost story competition.

Launched on Halloween (31st October 2011) the competition challenged budding writers to submit their own original short story to the official YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/thewomaninblackmovie) for a chance to win a trip to attend the Worldwide Premiere of THE WOMAN IN BLACK on 24th January 2012. In addition, the winning entry will be read out by Daniel Radcliffe and included in the bonus features of THE WOMAN IN BLACK DVD.

The competition was a resounding success with a 177 harrowing, haunting tales submitted that have now been whittled down to ten finalists. The stories shortlisted for the final ten were selected on the following judging criteria: creativity, originality and writing style.

Daniel Radcliffe announced the competition closing with a message for all those who took part in the ghost stories initiative. He was particularly impressed with the standard of entries for the competition, adding “I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has submitted their ghost stories over the last few weeks. The quality of the entries has been absolutely amazing.”

The destiny of the winning video will be decided by whichever generates the most votes across YouTube. Daniel encouraged users to vote for their favourite video, asking “This is where I hand it over to you. Take a look at the top ten videos in the voting section and vote for your favourite story.”

Votes for the best video commences from 21st December, with voting closing at 23:59 on January 5th, 2012. The winner will be announced on 6th of January, 2012.

Video links:
To vote for the top 10 finalists visit here:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5FF1EC07C7866496&feature=plcp

A message from Daniel Radcliffe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JYJgd-iKc0

Daniel Radcliffe wants invites you to vote for your favourite ghost story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPO_CEQwGLg

Daniel Radcliffe reads an extract from The Woman in Black:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BEtJ8XBfoo

THE WOMAN IN BLACK is based on the world famous ghost story by Susan Hill. The film follows the fate of Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a lawyer who is forced to leave his young son and travel to a remote village to attend to the affairs of the recently deceased owner of Eel Marsh House.

Working alone in the old mansion, Kipps begins to uncover the town’s tragic and tortured secrets and his fears escalate when he discovers that local children have been disappearing under mysterious circumstances. When those closest to him are threatened, Kipps must find a way to break the cycle of terror.

THE WOMAN IN BLACK also stars Ciaran Hinds (TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY) and Janet McTeer (TUMBLEWEEDS) and was adapted from Susan Hill’s best-selling novel for the screen by Jane Goldman (KICK ASS) and directed by James Watkins (EDEN LAKE).

THE WOMAN IN BLACK will be released across the UK and Ireland by Momentum Pictures, an Alliance Films company, on 10th February 2012.

Goon gets a new, NEW, NEW trailer
Goon [goon]
Noun
1. A hired hoodlum or thug
2. A stupid, foolish or awkward person

Meet Doug Glatt (Seann William Scott). He may not be the sharpest blade on the rink, but he’s got a killer right hook. When his permanently wasted best friend Pat (Jay Baruchel) runs into trouble, Doug’s ability to beat the crap out of everyone and everything impresses a sports coach who signs him up to annihilate the opposition and a feisty female fan (Alison Pill) who digs dangerous sports

Sometimes it takes an unlikely hero to unite a team and soon Doug finds himself recruited by the flailing Halifax Highlanders, who desperately need a goon to protect their screwed up ex-star player, La Flamme. In between packing punches and breaking bones, the team bond and find their place in the big league.

But when Doug comes fist to face with notoriously violent pro player Rhea (Liev Schreiber) who is hell bent on putting on a show for his retirement fight, the gloves are well and truly off….

From the creators of Superbad and Pineapple Express comes an ice cool comedy that proves that it’s not the winning, it’s the taking apart of the other team that counts. From the creators of Superbad and Pineapple Express comes an ice cool comedy that proves that it’s not the winning, it’s the taking apart of the other team that counts.

Goon release date: 6 January, 2012

Watch the Relentless Energy Drink winning Short Stories video & Xavier de le Rue’s new film
After lengthy deliberation from the three judges, up and coming director Richard Forne has been announced as the winner of the Relentless Energy Drink sponsored Short Stories 2011 film competition for his entry Good Morning Gravity, starring brave BMX talent Niki Croft.

Head over here to see the film: http://www.relentlessenergy.com/features/good-morning-gravity-wins-short-stories-2011-niki-croft-richard-forne.html

Forne walks away with the £10,000 prize, and the opportunity to work with Relentless Energy Drink on a brand new piece for 2012, seeing off strong competition from the five other finalists.

The winning film recounted Niki’s terrifying tale of almost losing his life after a severe BMX accident in October 2010, which left him in a coma for several days, and physically and mentally shattered thereafter. More importantly, it highlighted his slow and difficult, but ultimately triumphant, recovery and captured both sides of the tale in a hugely visceral way.

The judges picked the film for its strong narrative flow and stunning cinematography, with film producer, founder of Vertigo Films and judging panelist, Allan Niblo, saying that it offers “the perfect insight into the head of Niki Croft, how his accident affected him and his comeback to riding – all without feeling rushed”.
 trailer


The Establishing Shot: Upcoming Film Releases
Final Destination 5 releases Boxing Day
December 26th sees Death saunter right through your front door with the home entertainment release of Final Destination 5 and Warner Bros. are excited to reveal two new clips to give an insight into the release.  On the DPK below you will find a clip of cast and screenwriter discussing the film being the prequel to the franchise plus a sneak-peak at the bridge collapse special effects extra from the release.

The theatrical release of the film in August saw Final Destination 5 hailed as a return to form for the franchise and applauded for its ingenious use of 3D and soon fans will be able to take the film home on Blu-ray, Triple Play, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and Ultraviolet Digital Download.  HMV are also offering the Triple Play in an exclusive Steel box presentation case

You can read our review here: http://www.theestablishingshot.com/2011/08/final-destination-5-review.html

Dario Argento's lost masterpiece, Four Flies On Grey Velvet gets a January 2012 home release
Forty years after its release and twenty years after the film disappeared from the public eye, Shameless Screen Entertainment is releasing the first ever worldwide Blu-ray of Dario Argento's lost masterpiece, Four Flies On Grey Velvet and, also for the first time ever, in the original version in which it was made. This special 40th Anniversary Edition has been fully re-mastered in HD from the original negative and includes four inserts of previously missing footage known amongst Argento fans as the legendary "missing forty seconds". Additionally, the original pristine English audio has been remastered exclusively for this Shameless release from the original magnetic soundtrack and is being made available for the first time since the film's initial theatrical release in the 1970s.

Described by DVD Times as “essential viewing”, this final instalment in what is unofficially referred to as Argento’s Animal Trilogy (following “The Bird With The Crystal Plumage” and “The Cat O’ Nine Tails”) is a classic of the giallo genre, featuring music by Oscar-winning composer Ennio Morricone (The Untouchables; The Mission; The Good, The Bad And The Ugly) and starring Michael Brandon (Captain America: The First Avenger; Dempsey And Makepeace), Mimsy Farmer (The Black Cat; More), Jean-Pierre Marielle (Micmacs; The Da Vinci Code), Bud Spencer (They Call Me Trinity) and Francine Racette (Au Revoir Les Enfants; The Disappearance).

Four Flies On Grey Velvet
Going about his everyday life of band rehearsals and socialising with his wife, Nina (Farmer), and their hip friends, rock drummer Roberto Tobias (Brandon) notices he is constantly being followed by a strange man dressed in black. He decides to turn the tables on his stalker and follows him into an abandoned theatre, where a confrontation between the two ends with Roberto accidentally stabbing the man, who falls into the orchestra, apparently dead. Suddenly, a flash of light alerts Roberto to a figure in the upper wings of the theatre, where a mysterious person wearing a bizarre puppet mask and brandishing a camera has been taking photos of the fatal struggle. Roberto flees the scene, but the next day receives the dead man’s ID card in the post. Naturally assuming it has been sent by the unknown witness, he becomes immediately concerned by the lack of any blackmail demands and is haunted by the question of what it is the masked figure wants from him. Roberto’s fear and paranoia increase, and the mystery deepens, when his and Nina’s housemaid is found murdered in a local park and it becomes apparent that an intruder has had access to their apartment.

Four Flies On Grey Velvet (cert. 15) will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on 30th January 2012.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy DVD gets a 30 January Release
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is based on the John le Carre Cold War spy novel. Set in the 1970s George Smiley (Oldman THE DARK KNIGHT), a recently retired MI6 agent, is doing his best to adjust to a life outside the secret service. However, when a disgraced agent reappears with information concerning a mole at the heart of the Circus, Smiley is drawn back into the murky field of espionage.

Yamada Way Of The Samurai
Get ready for hard-hitting, hi-impact fight action from the cinematic tradition that brought you Ongbak &The Warrior King

Set in the ancient Kingdom of Ayothaya, this incredible true story brings to life the adventures of Yamada Nagamasa (Seigi Ozeki), a young Japanese Samurai warrior, who gave up his homeland to protect the sovereignty of the Thai people. Betrayed and left for dead by treacherous Japanese forces, he finds a new family in a remote village and masters the devastating fighting art of Muay Boran (Thai boxing). Fearless, he ascends to the royal bodyguard of King Naresuan The Great, but will soon face his greatest ever battle against the elite Japanese warriors he once regarded as brothers…

Starring boxing Olympic gold medalists Somjjiit & Mahnut & Muay Thai Superstars Somluck, Saenchaii,  Annuwat, Yodsanklaii & More

Yamada Way Of The Samurai release date 30 January 2012

The Front Line
In the final decisive battles of The Korean War, the battle-worn armies of North and South Korea face a brutal deadlock on the rugged Aerok Hills. Fears of treachery and collusion with enemy forces trigger an investigation into the men of the South Korean Alligator Company.
A veteran intelligence officer accepts the assignment and discovers mysterious and tragic occurrences surrounding a former comrade he had long thought dead.

In the epic battle for survival that follows, the two men become locked in a deadly battle of wills. One will sacrifice his humanity for the sake of his ‘brothers’; the other will discover compassion in the agonies of war. Ultimately, both will be forced to fight side-by-side, so their loved ones can enjoy freedom for just one more day…

The Front Line release date: 27 February, 2012

Cine Asia Presents Hong Kong Legends Bruce Lee arriving on DVD 23 January, 2012
From 1999 to 2006, Hong Kong Legends brought the biggest films of Asian cinema to DVD in the UK. Now, Cine-Asia the UK’s leading Asian action cinema label is reissuing them under the ‘CINE-ASIA presents HKL’ banner, bringing together the two greatest catalogues of Asian cinema under one ultimate label! This

The Big Boss 2 Disc Ultimate Edition DVD
Witness the movie debut of the greatest action star that ever lived as Bruce Lee tear up the screen in The Big Boss.

Bruce Lee is Cheng, the new boy at an ice factory, which is in fact a front for a drug trafficking ring. Having lost friends and family to this gang, Cheng decides to bring them to justice with his deadly and incredible displays of Wing Chun. However, Cheng is going to have to survive a factory of henchmen before he can even challenge the big boss in a fight to the death. Hong Kong Legends presents this Bruce Lee classic with a new high-definition transfer that showcases the movie like never before. We also explore, through a raft of new special features, how Bruce Lee returned to Hong Kong having failed to crack America, only to become an international star through THE BIG BOSS. This tale of courage, spirit and self-belief is every bit as exciting as the film itself, which represents the birth of a true screen legend.

Game of Death (2 Disc DVD)
Featuring the legendary one-on-one nunchaku battle between Bruce Lee and top Jeet Kune Do Instructor Dan Inosanto.
Directed by Enter the Dragon’s Robert Clouse, the full uncut 1978 version features Bruce Lee as Billy Lo, a martial arts master on the run from a vicious crime syndicate, who will stop at nothing to secure his formidable talents. In addition is an incredible 40 minute edit of the amazing pagoda fight sequence in accordance with Bruce Lee’s original script notes from 1972. Much of the footage featured was lost for over two decades in the vaults of Golden Harvest studios. Packed with over 3 hours of stunning DVD extras and showcasing a brand new restored and digitally re-mastered anamorphic transfer, this definitive Platinum Edition is the most complete tribute to the Game of Death phenomenon available anywhere in the World!

Game of Death 2  
The ultimate fighting tribute to martial arts legend Bruce Lee. From Ng See Yuen, the legendary producer of Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow and Drunken Master, this non-stop martial arts showcase is a dynamic tribute to Bruce Lee and the GAME OF DEATH phenomenon. Travelling to Japan to investigate the mysterious murder of his brother, Bobby Lo (Tong Lung) discovers a secret trail, which leads to the mysterious Tower of Death. A forbidden fortress, buried hundreds of feet under the earth, it’s deadly secret is guarded by elite warriors, each championing a different style of combat. To bring his brother’s killer to justice, and discover the Tower’s secret, Lo must first run the gauntlet of death, from which no-one has ever returned alive! Taking over three years to complete, GAME OF DEATH 2 is choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping, action-director of The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and features the formidable kicking skills of legendary Korean Tae-kwon-do master, Hwang Jang Lee (Drunken Master).
Now restored and re-mastered for the first time ever!

The Establishing Shot: Thought Piece - The Shock Of The Blue: The BBFC’s Close Encounters With Foreign Erotica
In 2011, Sex and Zen 3D broke all box office records in Hong Kong, beating Avatar’s previous opening day milestone by raking in HK$2.78 million. However, around the world, Sex and Zen ran into trouble with censorship bodies, and the distributors released modified versions in a number of territories. The British Board of Film Classification cut almost three minutes from the film, filtering out the most extreme sequences of sexual violence.

While we should probably not be surprised by this – sexual violence remains the BBFC’s chief preoccupation in certificating films today -- there is a common stereotype of British prudishness that underlies the story: foreign films, usually from the continent, shocking buttoned-up Middle England sensibilities with graphic nudity, explicit sex, and unconventional sexual practices.  In fact, one of the most significant factors in the history of film censorship in the UK has been the Obscene Publications Act (OPA), with its rather inscrutable test of a work’s tendency to 'deprave and corrupt' a significant proportion of those likely to see it.  It might surprise some to learn that the OPA, introduced in 1857 and famously enacted in the trial of D.H. Lawrence’s novel Lady Chatterley’s Lover in 1960, did not apply to film until 1977, and it was James Ferman, in charge of the Board from 1975 to 1999, who was instrumental in bringing about the change in legislation; he believed that it would safeguard films he felt were important works of art, such as Pasolini’s parable about fascism, Salo (1975) from prosecution for indecency.  

Tiptoeing around some of the more familiar rogues in the sex-on-film gallery, here are the stories behind five foreign films from the 1960s and 1970s that the BBFC had to wrestle with as it came to terms with shifts in taste, decency, and attitudes to sex amongst British filmgoers.

 Puss & Kramm (Hugs and Kisses, 1968)
In 1968, BBF Secretary John Trevelyan insisted on the removal of a scene from a Swedish film Puss & Kram (released in the UK under the title Hugs and Kisses). The offending sequence featured actress Agneta Ekmanner, who undresses and stands nude in front of a mirror.  Trevelyan demanded the cut in the firm belief that Swedish liberal attitudes were incompatible with those of British audiences. When a number of local authorities passed the film with the offending full-frontal shot intact, to no great public reaction (at all), and after a similar female full-frontal shot in Lindsay Anderson’s If... (1968) was waved through by the censors, the scene was restored.

Last Tango in Paris (1972)
The early years of the 1970s were dominated by a number of British and American films that seemed to open the floodgates on more explicit sex, violence and sexual violence – notably The Devils, Straw Dogs and A Clockwork Orange (all 1971) – but, again, it was a continental director who breached another taboo: Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris had received positive notices from French critics ahead of its submission to the BBFC, and new Board Secretary Stephen Murphy attempted to justify minimal cuts to the film by quoting enthusiastic reviews.  Sadly, this did not stop papers such as The News of the World, the Daily Mail, the Daily Express and the Daily Mirror from concocting headlines about ‘Brando in New Shock Sexy Film’, or from publishing huffing and puffing reviews and opinion pieces after its release, provoked by the scene in which Marlon Brando’s character uses butter to lubricate his lover prior to anal sex.  Mary Whitehouse demanded the resignation of the BBFC’s staff en masse (they didn’t), and another moral campaigner, Edward Shackleton, attempted to bring a private prosecution against the production company under the OPA (Judge Kenneth Jones ruled that the law did not apply to film).  Ironically, when the OPA was modified to include film a few years later, the Board decided to restore the missing ten seconds. New Secretary James Ferman decided that the application of the OPA to this film meant that it could be defended on grounds of artistic value, and that its complete version was in no way obscene. It was subsequently released uncut on home video in 1988.

Emmanuelle (1974)
In an odd quirk of fate – or one might say, in an odd quirk of taste, given Ferman’s decisive role  --  Just Jaeckin’s Emmanuelle, perhaps the most famous soft porn film of all time, went through a bizarre reversal of the same process.  The film had originally been cut by the BBFC by nearly three minutes, primarily in order to reduce the amount of graphic detail in the sex scenes throughout.  A scene in which a woman ‘smokes’ a cigarette with her vagina was deleted entirely, although a rape scene was left largely untouched.  However, under the same change in the law that restored Last Tango to its uncut state, Emmanuelle was hauled back in by James Ferman in 1979: Ferman was particularly intolerant of sexual violence and insisted that the rape scene was potentially in breach of the OPA.  He warned the film’s distributor that if the Board’s requested cut of 61 seconds was ignored, he would inform local authorities that the film was illegal as it stood.  By 1990, the movie’s rape scene was being referred to as a ‘self-evident cut on policy grounds’, and it would not be restored until 2007, by which time the examiners felt that the scene was sufficiently dated to be interpreted as a sign of its misogynistic times.

La Bête (1975)
Walerian Borowczyk's 1975 film was a bizarre retelling of the Beauty and the Beast myth, featuring graphic sex between men and women but also, much more problematically, scenes of bestiality. It was first submitted to the BBFC in March 1977, who refused it a certificate.  The BBFC examiners felt that the explicit treatment of bestiality might be ‘indecent at law’, that the conventional sex scenes went beyond what was currently acceptable anyway, and that the flashbacks and photographs of ‘a stallion’s penis mounting and penetrating a mare in close-up might be found disgusting by the general public’.   It was subsequently given a reduced distribution when a handful of local authorities granted it an ‘X’; it was also screened at a number of private cinema clubs.  A screening at the Prince Charles cinema in the West End prompted members of the public to write directly to Buckingham Palace to alert the heir to the throne to the ‘filth’ being screened in his name.  La Bête was the catalyst for considerable soul-searching and debate at the Board, and between the Board and the Director for Public Prosecutions, on the definition of the Obscene Publication Act’s term ‘deprave and corrupt’. Eventually, a heavily cut version of the film would be granted a home video certification in 1988, with uncut theatrical and video releases following in 2001.

Ai No Corrida (1976)
Our final instalment is Nagisa Oshima’s Ai No Corrida, released in the UK under the title In the Realm of the Senses.  Ferman was reluctant to cut Oshima’s complex tale of sexual obsession, but was equally sure that the sex scenes were far too explicit to be granted a certificate.  His plan was to keep the film in a holding pattern until the planned changes in the OPA passed into law.  The film was subsequently screened in a number of private cinemas without a BBFC certificate, once a particularly sensitive scene, in which a woman tugs a young boy’s penis, was cut, since this was considered likely to be judged an indecent image and so fall foul of the Protection of Children Act. When the film was resubmitted to the Board for a cinema release in 1989, the decision was made to include the offending scene, which was deemed crucial to the narrative: an optical zoom allowed the film, effectively, to tell what was happening without showing it, cutting the woman’s action out of the frame, and the film was passed ‘uncut’ with this delicate modification. Finally, in 2011, considering the film again in its original form without the optical zoom, the Board would finally concede that the scene was unlikely to be judged indecent, occurring as it did outside any sexualised context.  Thirty-five years on, Oshima’s film was ready to face the British viewing public, penis-tug and all.

Written by - Stevie Simkin, 8 December 2011.
Dr. Stevie Simkin is Reader in Drama and Film at the University of Winchester, UK. He is the co-editor of the Controversies series, in-depth studies of key controversial films of the past 40 years. His book about Straw Dogs for the series has been described by Peckinpah biographer Garner Simmons as 'Exceptionally well-written .... needs to be read by anyone interested in understanding Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs as a serious work of cinematic art’.

3D Sex and Zen is out on DVD on 2nd January 2012

http://www.facebook.com/3DSexandZenUK

The Establishing Shot: Trailer of the Week – The Dark Knight Rises Trailer

It seems that the studios are getting into the spirit of the season and released loads of great trailers including; Goon, Ghostrider: Spirit of Vengeance, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and of course The Dark Knight Rises Trailer. Rich with clues and subtext to Christopher Nolan’s finale in his Batman Dark Knight Trilogy it also pretty damn exciting! My full analysis will be up soon but in the meantime enjoy!


Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises” is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy.

Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar® winner Christian Bale (“The Fighter”) again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose”), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake.

In helming the film, Christopher Nolan is utilizing IMAX® cameras even more extensively than he did on “The Dark Knight,” which had marked the first time ever that a major feature film was partially shot with IMAX cameras.

The locations span three continents and include the American cities of Pittsburgh, New York and Los Angeles, as well as sites in India, England and Scotland.

The Dark Knight Rises is released Summer 2012



The Establishing Shot: Music Discovered This Week - Theophilus London - Last Name London
Theophilus London is an MC and singer from Brooklyn, NY, whose genre-bending approach draws from a range of styles, from soul-pop and new wave to electro and contemporary R&B. Citing influences that include Michael Jackson and Prince as well as Kraftwerk and the Smiths, he began working with the New York City-based label Normrex in 2007. He made his label debut with a couple mixtapes, Jam! (2008) and This Charming Mixtape (2009), which circulated freely in the music blogopshere. London made his album debut in 2009 with This Charming Man, a stylistically wide-ranging full-length effort featuring an eclectic cast of vocal guests and production work by Normrex beatmakers Machinedrum, Jimmy Edgar, and Letherette. The follow-up, Timez Are Weird These Days, was released through Reprise in 2011


For more head over to: http://theophiluslondon.net/

This week on The Establishing Shot: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Review, Merry Christmas and this year’s must have gifts, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo viral reveals a new clip, Behold! The Bat phone or Un-boxing the Nokia Lumia 800 Dark Knight Rises Bat phone, UK Top 10 Films, This Week's New Releases, Last chance to see Thandie Newton in Death and the Maiden, Ralph Fiennes QA Postponed, The Richard Attenborough UK Regional Film Awards return for their 6th year, The Lady’s Michelle Yeoh visits parliament, Sir David Attenborough’s “The Bachelor King 3d” To Air Exclusively On Sky 3d On New Years Eve 2011, Waterloo Road's Tom Milner supports suicide prevention, Weekend receives 2 London Critics Circle nominations, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Trailer, IMAX Posts Record December Opening Box Office Results with Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol, Sky Movies showing 2012 on New Year’s Day, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey gets it’s first trailer, Daniel Radcliffe Invites You To Vote For Your Favourite Ghost Story From The Woman In Black Youtube Competition, Goon gets a new, NEW, NEW trailer, Watch the Relentless Energy Drink winning Short Stories video & Xavier de le Rue’s new film, Final Destination 5 releases Boxing Day, Dario Argento's lost masterpiece, Four Flies On Grey Velvet gets a January 2012 home release, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy DVD gets a 30 January Release, Yamada Way Of The Samurai, The Front Line, The Big Boss, Game of Death, Game of Death 2, The Shock Of The Blue: The BBFC’s Close Encounters With Foreign Erotica, The Dark Knight Rises Trailer, Theophilus London - Last Name London

0 comments: