How do I frame Paddington? Do I talk anecdotally about my history with Michael Bond's much loved bear? Or do I jump in with the James Bond like reboot (also starring Ben Whishaw) of the Peruvian Ursidae? Well bear with me here.
A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of going along to a sneak peek of Director Paul King's Paddington. That is Paul King - the same man who directed the incredibly imaginative Mighty Boosh TV series (& live tour) and 2009's Bunny and the Bull. I don't want to labour it - but The Mighty Boosh is one of the most ingenious shows we have had on TV in a good long time and some of the credit must go to Paul King's dynamic and clever direction making budget obstacles springboards for creativity.
I have a particular soft spot for Paddington as like him I left my homeland to settle in the UK. Coming from a country that used to have a rather blunt approach to culture, more so to childhood culture - granted there were always a lot of other issues that were more pressing. I have always been fond of the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens and of course the Paddington Bear statue in Paddington Station - they represent Britishness for me as well as something beyond that. Someone took the time to create a monument to childhood dreams with (arguably) no immediate financial return (creator of Peter Pan, JM Barrie gave all the rights to Peter Pan to the Great Ormond Street Hospital) and Paddington Bear has a teamed up with the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) with the Paddington Bear Trail. This type of goodwill was recently extended to Kings Cross Station where you can find Harry Potter's Platform 9.5 - they are touchstones for generations of children to enjoy - something I have always felt was the sign of a great nation.
Not only that, but Paddington's dress sense has always personified the travellers maxim for me - Be prepared. Besides which for a long time I commuted from Reading into London, Paddington Station to be exact and many a late night was spent waiting for the express train homewards with Paddington keeping me company
The Establishing Shot: PADDINGTON STATUE - PADDINGTON STATION LONDON
So I was understandably very keen to see what Paul King had done with Michael Bond's much loved Paddington and I eagerly made my way into Central London for a taste of Paddington hosted by Hugh Bonneville who took some time out of his schedule to introduce four clips from Paddington to us.
E arlier this week I was fortunate to go along with several Establishing Shot readers to a gala screening of Anton Corbijn's latest (and third) film, an adaptation of John le Carré's 21st novel A Most Wanted Man. At a certain point in the film I was unexpectedly shocked - it felt like the cinematic version of a cold slap or a punch in the gut. This would not have been possible had Corbijn not carefully and meticulously seduced me into the world of his lead character Günther Bachmann, masterfully played by Philip Seymour Hoffman.
A Most Wanted Man puts a human face to politicking in our post 9/11 world a world that has sadly become closer to the vision that the engineers and perpetrators of heinous terrorism would like, a world in which decency slowly ebbs away as it becomes more polarised with punitive cookie cutter solutions being attempted to address dynamic and nebulous issues.
If you read the Establishing Shot you will no doubt be aware that I am a fan of master of the spy genre John le Carré's works and that I have been eagerly awaiting Anton Corbijn's version of A Most Wanted Man.
So going along to the screening and introduction by Anton Corbijn was a real treat, as was briefly chatting with one of the stars of A Most Wanted Man - Daniel Brühl whose performance as Niki Lauda in Ron Howard's Rush absolutely blew me away and is up there in one of the most outstanding and electric performances in recent years and made Rush one of my top 10 films of last year.
A Chechen Muslim illegally immigrates to Hamburg, where he gets caught in the international war on terror.
Director: Anton Corbijn Writers: Andrew Bovell & John le Carré Stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Daniel Brühl, Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe, Robin Wright
But A Most Wanted Man is very much Philip Seymour Hoffman's film as he breathes life into the complex character of Günther Bachmann the sharp, slightly broken, cynical but ever hopeful head of a non existent anti terrorist organisation based in Hamburg. A city that the 9/11 attacks were planned in and hawkishly makes sure that it never happens again.
But as this is a John le Carré tale, a man who worked for several years in the British Intelligence service and is loosely based on actual events - nothing is straightforward or black and white - even our heroes employ questionable tactics to get the job done as the net from internal governmental competition, politics and larger external forces draws tighter on them.
This is the world in which Issa Karpov (Grigoriy Dobrygin) along with the audience are dragged into as the young Muslim, a suspected Chechen terrorist climbs out of the Elbe river and into the Hamburg shadow world.
I believe to truly appreciate A Most Wanted Man you have to go in knowing nothing, unless you have read the book in which case you know what to expect, and even then Corbijn's approach needs much thought or at least a second viewing to catch up with events portrayed – as A Most Wanted Man shares much with Tomas Alfredson's earlier adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and eschews the Hollywood mainstream emotional touchstone tropes of sex, violence, nudity, expository flashbacks and the obligatory romance to lure us into the story.
A Most Wanted Man is a pot boiler as Günther Bachmann's detective work slowly reveals each piece of the puzzle and builds to its conclusion.
And whilst some of the dialogue may seem a bit stilted and reactions arbitrary, when contrasted with the clever or witty Don Draper like intelligence we have come to expect from our self referential culture – the characters in A Most Wanted Man are more like authentic people caught in a fraught filled world where there is a constant threat of sorts at their heels and they think and react more like real people without some grand master plan that is going to save the day (apart from Günther Bachmann that is) and are in genuine fear of consequences.
Anyway that is a long way around of saying don't read the synopsis below or even watch the trailer just go see the film and let the the story roll out for you.
Below is a clip of Anton Corbijn introducing A Most Wanted Man and explaining why this film was important for him on the evening.
The Establishing Shot: DIRECTOR ANTON CORBIJN INTRODUCES A MOST WANTED MAN
Hamburg, the present day. The city - where the 9/11 bombers lived and plotted - remains on high alert. When a brutally tortured immigrant, identified by Interpol as a possible terror suspect, turns up and lays claim to his father's ill-gotten fortune, he attracts the interest of a secretive anti-terror unit headed by Gunter Bachmann (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Working with the CIA and forming an uneasy alliance with spy Martha Sullivan (Robin Wright), Bachmann must uncover the truth about the man's identity and his possible connections to high level terrorists. As the clock ticks down and the stakes rise, the race is on to establish this most wanted man's true motives – is he an oppressed victim or a militant jihadist bent on destruction? Based on the novel by the master of the spy genre, John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man is a gripping espionage thriller that prickles with tension right through to its last heart-stopping scene.
There are further similarities to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy as the central character Gunter Bachmann is pivotal to the narrative, as is the charismatic performance needed to bring him to life in this world and Philip Seymour Hoffman is absolutely mesmerising in the role. So much so that I wondered what the characters life was like when not on screen, thankfully we see glimpses of this life as well. Bachmann rivals George Smiley's esoteric knowledge and sparkles with intelligence but has one up on him as he lives in our post modern world - I can only marvel at the possibilities of how Philip Seymour Hoffman would have brought him to screen in further tales - that in my opinion are very much needed.
As with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy the cast is made of a formidable talent in smaller roles most notably Robin Wright and Willem Dafoe. Sadly I feel that whilst Robin Wright shines in her role as US diplomat Martha Sullivan, Dafoe isn't given enough to set his banker Tommy Brue, a critical role, apart with his customary aplomb. Possibly I was hoping for so much more as Dafoe crackles with an energy that needs more space and could have fleshed out Brue into one of, if not the most interesting character of the film.
A Most Wanted Man is a film about issues, ideologies and personalities in a post 9/11 world and should at the very least make us think about the world we live in, if not spark debate on where we are going as a people.
The Establishing Shot: A MOST WANTED MAN UK TRAILER - 12 SEP 2013
The A Most Wanted Man cast is led by Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master, Capote), Rachel McAdams (Sherlock Holmes, Midnight In Paris), Willem Dafoe (Shadow of the Vampire, Platoon) and Robin Wright (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Moneyball).
A Most Wanted Man is in UK cinemas from 12 September 2014.
For more information about A Most Wanted Man head over to their Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/MostWantedManUK or Twitter here: @MostWantedManUK information about John le novel can be found on his site here!
Slideshow: A Most Wanted Man
The Establishing Shot: ANTON CORBIJN INTRODUCES A MOST WANTED MAN AND DISCUSSES WHY IT WAS AN IMPORTANT FILM FOR HIM - EVENT REPORT
Craig is a retired superhero, an obsessive hobbyist, comics fan, gadget lover, flâneur & epicurean who knows an unhealthy amount about Ian Fleming's James Bond. When not watching or making films he takes pictures, eats, drinks, dives, tries to connect to nature whilst mentally storyboarding the greatest film ever made. He also sometimes utilises owl-themed gadgets to fight crime. A list of his 132 favourite films can be found here! If you would still like to contact Craig please use any of the buttons below:
So on Monday night my wife & I went off to a special screening of funny man Nick Frost's new film Cuban Fury. I have to say that ever since Frost's stand out performance in Edgar Wright's The World's EndI have quietly been anticipating Cuban Fury. It turned out to be so special because the man himself came along to introduce Cuban Fury and I have to say that the evening turned out to be the best that I have had this year so far.
we were greeted with Chilli Salsa dips as well as Spicy Salsa dancing before heading into the screening itself. Sadly I can't say much about the Cuban Fury as yet but please do keep an eye out for my thoughts which I'll post soon. Cuban Fury is out on Valentine's Day 14 February 2014.
Cuban Fury
A former salsa prodigy attempts a comeback years after his career was ruined..
Director: James Griffiths
Writer: Jon Brown
Stars: Nick Frost, Rashida Jones, Ian McShane, Chris O'DowdOlivia Colman, Rory Kinnear, Kayvan Novak, Steve Oram
UK Release Date:
14 February 2014
Another bonus of the evening is that I got to see the full Robocop trailer on the big screen and that was an experience in itself and very quickly I made a U-turn on my initial thoughts of the film and I'm really looking forward to it now. Liam Neeson's airplane actioneer Non-Stop also looked pretty good with much of the focus seeming to be on the drama of the plot not just the action elements.
Anyway here are some pictures and video taken with my phone of the evening.
If you read The Establishing Shot you will know that I have been looking forward to seeing the Designing 007 – Fifty Years Of Bond Style exhibit for months now - last week I shot up to the Barbican to view the collection in the very first session.
Bear in mind that I have visited almost every James Bond related exhibition that has taken place over the last couple of years in London (not BOND IN MOTION as yet) and I may have been spoilt. I wasn't sure what to expect as intentionally avoided any bits prior to my visit to enjoy any surprises if you wish to do the same stop reading now and head over to the Barbican. The Designing 007 – Fifty Years Of Bond Style is exactly what is says on the tin -an exhibition dedicated to the elements of Bondology that have made James Bond such an enduring legacy (& longest running franchise) - the iconic look and style of Bond.
Designing 007 – Fifty Years Of Bond Style goes behind the curtains and looks at some Bond’s most iconic elements and the work and creative processes that goes into making them as memorable as they are. The exhibit looks at the design of the sets, outfits, characters, gadgets, look and feel of James Bond.
Last night we were lucky enough to be invited along to the Premiere of Resistance at the jam packed Curzon Mayfair. We have not actually seen the film yet, but would be doing so by the time you read this. At the Premiere we were fortunate enough to be able to chat with some of the dapper and very talented talented team that made the film as well as get some exclusive behind the scenes photos from the Resistance Premiere.
Resistance is the new British film set in 1944, in an alternative reality, were Britain lost the second World War and Nazi forces occupy the UK.Set in a Welsh village the ladies of the community come to terms with their husbands having mysteriously disappeared and the German forces taking over their town.
Some of the heavyweight talent attending the Premiere last, ahead of the Royal Welsh screening this evening were Author and screenwriter of Resistance Owen Sheers, Director Amit Gupta and actors George Taylor, Sharon Morgan, Alexander Doetsch, Iwan Rheon, Tom Wlaschiha, Andrea Riseborough, Michael Sheen and Rachel McAdams (who we did not actually see). We did not get to chat with the entire team on hand but were quite stoked that Mr Michael Sheen was in the room as he is actually in the middle of a run, performing at Hamlet at the Young Vic. So we did not get an update on potential Tron 2 developments or his current as yet untitled Terrence Malick project.
My review as well as talent interviews should be up soon but in the meantime here are some pictures from the Resistance Premiere at Curzon Mayfair last night.
I have just got back from the Film Distributors Association (FDA) Autumn Films Preview event, held at the very chichi (and white) Vanilla Club in central London. Described by host Alex Zane as Great Tichfield’s answer to heaven.
W ith the brilliant slow burning spy thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy having just been released into cinemas this weekend and the news this morning that Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy delivered STUDIOCANAL’s biggest ever UK & Ireland opening weekend ever.
I bring you our follow up our Premiere report with exclusive photos over here! we bring you some exclusive albethey too brief video chats with the extremely talented team behind Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor. We caught up with the stars and filmmakers as they walked the Red Carpet at the UK Premiere of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy at the London BFI last week. We were very fortunate to be able to chat with a treachery of spies (the closest the Internet could come up with for a collective noun for spies) including; Tomasz Kowalski, Konstantin Khabenskiy, Simon McBurney, David Dencik, Stephen Graham, Mr. John Hurt and George Smiley himself Mr. Gary Oldman.
We also managed to get a few words from Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Producer & Working Title Working Title co-chairman Tim Bevan, film writer Peter Straughan and Director Tomas Alfredson.
As well as once inside the BFI we exclusively managed to document some heartfelt insight into the making of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy during the introduction to one of the premier screenings from Author Mr. John le Carré, Producer Tim Bevan, Director Tomas Alfredson and Mr. Gary Oldman. Apologies for the shoddy camera work I had to rush into the screening.
S o last night I was invited along to the UK Premiere of the most anticipated film of the year Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. So whilst the Lady was quaffing champagne with the stars I was lucky enough to be granted Red Carpet access to chat with the cast and team behind the film, as well as managed to wangle exclusive access to inside the BFI behind the scenes as and if that wasn't enough - I got to see see Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy for a second time.
While I'm sorting out video interviews and still buzzing from the premiere I thought I would get some pics up from the evening as well as outline my thoughts on Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy after a second viewing.
I took my seat; well it wasn't really my seat, it was just a random very well placed seat in the large cinema that I decided would offer a great view of the proceedings. Also I didn't actually take the seat anywhere I just sat in it.
The New Universal Pictures Showcase started off strong with a Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy presentation. But first we were greeted by Gary Oldman, sadly only via video but cool nevertheless. He greeted us, apologized for not being at BIG SCREEN but was busy working on Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises.
He hoped that we enjoyed Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - as it was a labour of love for everyone involved. He also spoke a little about what drew him to the film:
- The opportunity to work with Director Tomas Alfredson
- The incredible cast, naming checking most of the actors
- And he got to be George Smiley a British Icon.
He enjoyed working on it with a great team and that he hoped we enjoyed the clips we were about to see.
The other night I went along to what is the most fun film I have seen this year - 30 Minutes or Less. Before the screening we were treated to Pizza and refreshments in the Odeon West End's lounge. Whilst I was in the rather large crowd I noticed a young couple, something about the female of the pair struck me as familiar - slowly it dawned on me that she was a Cosplay Phoenix and in one of my most viewed pictures from Kapow! Comic Con her other half was a Ghosbuster. It felt a bit weird, like seeing a super hero in their regular civilian clothes.
That combined with my recent experience of the Empire BIG SCREEN convention I thought I would share my most popular photos from the Kapow! Comic Con. Predictably many of them are Cosplay pics.
No. 10 - Kapow! Comic Con : Cosplay - Lyra from Eternal Descent
A fter the Industrial Light & Magic Presentation For Star Wars™ I made my way back to the press room to check for updates, another coffee and pastry. Sadly I had missed the Robert Sellers and JAKe (Hellraisers Live) panel at this point.
Hellraisers Live
In October, Self Made Hero will release a truly unique graphic novel, HELLRAISERS. An illustrated version of Empire contributor, Robert Sellers' book about the legendary antics of Burton, O'Toole, Harris and Reed, it's a must-read. And a truly unique graphic novel deserves a truly unique event. To kick off COMIC BOOK WORLD, Sellers and Hellraisers artist, JAKe, will perform a reading from the graphic novel, with JAKe drawing new and exclusive art LIVE on stage. Don't miss this amazing one-off to hear some hilarious tales of drunken derring-do and see magic happen before your eyes!
Which was a real shame as this was one of the highlights of BIG SCREENfor me and I was really looking forward to gaining insight into the seemingly daredevil lives of the last great British Hellraisers; Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, Richard Harris and Oliver Reed.
Sadly since Peter O'Toole has gone behind closed doors and Colin Farrel, who had a good innings, got out of the Hellraising game and back into acting - we have had rather lean pickings on the Great British Hellraiser front and Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, Richard Harris and Oliver Reed are still the last of the greats.
I also missed the Stuart Conran Special Effects Make Up Demo
Stuart Conran Special Effects Make Up Demo
Stuart Conran, makeup artist on Shaun Of The Dead, The Descent and Attack The Block, gives a live demonstration
But on Sunday saw some of Stuart Conran’s handy work when a blogger volunteered for a makeover before coming along to chat with Monsters Director Gareth Edwards. He was made up like this for the entire chat:
Hot on the heels of directing Lucrezia Borgia an opera for the ENO; Filmmaker, Professor, Photographer, Composer, Patron of the Arts and Trumpeter Mike Figgis is putting on an exhibition of his photography.
The Establishing Shot: THE LITTLE BLACK GALLERY - MIKE FIGGIS: KATE & OTHER WOMEN EXHIBITION
The exhibition entitled Kate & Other Women is a series of images focussing mainly on Kate Moss and other women and takes up most of the two stories of The Little Black Gallery.
The Establishing Shot: THE LITTLE BLACK GALLERY - MIKE FIGGIS: KATE & OTHER WOMEN - KATE MOSS, BETWEEN THE EYES
Upstairs the majority of the walls are covered in photos of Kate Moss taken as part of an Agent Provocateur campaign, there is some heart stoppingly gorgeous Eva Green and several shots of several anonymous women. All the imagery is sensual and highlight the female form as seductress.
The Establishing Shot: THE LITTLE BLACK GALLERY - MIKE FIGGIS: KATE & OTHER WOMEN - KATE MOSS, EYES WIDE SHUT
It's hard to make a film. Harder to make a film with low budget, even harder still to make it look easy. But the Jack team clearly has the passion and drive that it takes to take an idea and get it in front of an audience.
You may not have heard of the Jack Trilogy; they are local guys on a local budget and yet they have managed to pull together an extraordinary pool of talent to make Jack Falls the third and biggest film in the Jack series so far.
Jack started as a Frank Miller influenced graphic novel by Paul Tanter. Who with a small team made their first film in 2008 based on the comic - Jack Says.
Jack Says Poster
Jack Says
“Waking up in London with amnesia next to a dead body, Jack Adleth has just enough time and sense to disappear before the police arrive. In an attempt to lay low, he heads to Paris to visit an ex girlfriend he can't remember. But a guy like Jack attracts trouble, and an encounter with the mysterious Girl X draws him and the woman he loves back into a world he s trying hard to avoid... and to remember.
Jack Says is a gritty British gangster film shot in the contrary sophistication of a classic film noir. Simon Phillips plays Jack Adleth, a Scottish man who wakes up in London next to a dead body, but with no recollection of how he got there. On the run from the police, he ends up in Paris only to find that all his problems (including those he couldn't remember he had) have followed him there.
Jack Says is a contemporary film noir thriller and stars Simon Phillips, Rita Ramnani, Aurelie Amblard, Daniel Roberts with Rula Lenska, Mike Reid and Eric Cantona.”
Although directed by Bob Phillips, Paul Tanter was very hands on throughout the making of Jack Says.
The team returned with the slightly bigger budget in 2009 and brought some more well known actors with them for Jack Said.
Jack Said Poster
Jack Said
“Jack Adleth is leading a double life. As an undercover cop infiltrating a notorious gang of criminals, he’s walking through the shadows of no man’s land. His task is to bring down The Guv’nor, but there are a few things he didn’t see coming. Like his friendship with gang member Nathan blurring the line between ally and enemy. Or that Nathan’s beautiful sister would turn his life upside down. Or that The Guv’nor’s psychotic daughter Natalie would have a dangerous agenda of her own. Suddenly Jack finds himself in the midst of a perilous and volatile situation, one which threatens to explode into disaster at any moment.
Starring Danny Dyer, Terry Stone, David O'Hara, Jimmy White and Simon Phillips, this non-stop action thriller takes the viewer on an adrenaline-filled journey through the darkest underbelly of London’s gangland culture.”
Not content with sitting back and leaving well enough alone the Jack team came back this year with their most ambitious project yet - Jack Falls
Jack Falls Poster
Jack Falls
“Following on from the events of Jack Said, Simon Phillips reprises the role of Jack Adleth, the undercover policeman who returns to London after surviving an attempt on his life in Amsterdam.
A who’s who of British hardmen (including Tamer Hassan, Martin Kemp and Snatch's Alan Ford) co-star in this cracking underworld thriller.
Jack Falls stars: Tamer Hassan, Simon Phillips, Olivia Hallinan, Jason Flemying, Dexter Fletcher”
This time round the Jack team have enough backing to bring on board a cast that reads like the who's who of the London cinematic underworld and shoot Jack Falls in the noir with splashes of colour style that they had always envisioned but Paul Tanter takes up the directorial reigns along with fellow first timer Alexander Williams.
This evening Bradley Cooper suprised a London audience at a special preview screening of Limitless when he made a guest appearance to introduce the film.
Our review of Limitless will be up soon is here but in the meantime here are some video & pictures from the event below.
How do I frame Paddington? Do I talk anecdotally about my history with Michael Bond's much loved bear? Or do I jump in with the James Bond like reboot (also starring Ben Whishaw) of the Peruvian Ursidae? Well bear with me here.
