Showing posts with label Classic Screening. Show all posts

It's about time! The scoop on all the 40th Anniversary celebrations for the restored re release of Nicolas Roeg's The Man Who Fell To Earth in London (walking tours, special screenings, books & music releases) - UPCOMING EVENTS

The Man Who Fell To Earth 40th Anniversary Events When it comes to sublime storytelling there are few that can match master auteur and eternal outsider Nicolas Roeg for vision, originality or technical knowledge. 

     I am a huge fan of his work, always original, always more about art surreally reflecting; nuances of story, broader life, social context, creating mood and mind states, than a linear story arc, always surprising and always drawing out incredible performances from his cast for his films. 

     It would appear that the 40th Anniversary of Nicolas Roeg's The Man Who Fell to Earth is going to be a big year with The Man Who Fell to Earth released into cinemas from September 9th, Special screenings with introductions from Mr Danny Boyle and The Man Who Fell To Earth Costume Designer May Routh, walks, books and of course the 40th Anniversary 4K restored home re-release will be be available from October 24th in varying formats. Upcoming events include the below list which is expanded upon further below:

27 August - The official, definitive making of The Man Who Fell To Earth book is available for preorder!
9 September: Nicolas Roeg's The Man Who Fell To Earth will be launched into UK cinemas!
9 September: Hackney Picturehouse Special Event - The Man Who Fell To Earth with introduction from Danny Boyle and after party!
9 September: Curzon Soho David Bowie Day - Walking tour and The Man Who Fell To Earth Screening with introduction from Costume Designer May Routh  #savecurzonsoho
9 September & 28th October: The Original Soundtrack for The Man Who Fell To Earth will be available on CD & vinyl for the first time!
24 October: The Man Who Fell To Earth Home Release is launched!
25 October: David Bowie's The Man Who Fell To Earth play - Lazarus starring Michael C. Hall lands in London!

The Man Who Fell To Earth 40th Anniversary re-release The Man Who Fell To Earth Original Soundtrack The Man Who Fell To Earth Book
40th Anniversary re-release The Man Who Fell To Earth Original Soundtrack The Man Who Fell To Earth Book [enlarge]

The Nomad Cinema presents Prince's Purple Rain at St Paul's Cathedral - UPCOMING CULT SCREENING

The Nomad Cinema Purple Rain St Paul's London in the summer time is truly something to behold just ask the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and this summer certainly seems to be carrying the flag of Great British Summers. So much so that there just doesn't seem to be enough time to fit everything in during the daylight hours. Now more can be made of  your time as the growth of spectacular outdoor pop up cinemas continues steadily and makes the most of the London Summer.  No doubt your days were packed but oh oh the summer nights. 

     One of the better outdoor pop up cinemas, not only in terms of: attention to detail, comfort, variety, consistently stunning architectural backdrops for their screenings, entertainment and social consciousness is without doubt - The Nomad Cinema. Get ready for Prince's Purple Rain as you have never experienced before!

NOMADIST: intrepid, bold, adventurous, film-lover

The Nomad Cinema is the roaming pop-up that gives back: since 2010, The Nomad has earned the reputation as ‘London’s best outdoor cinema’ [Evening Standard], popping up at an inspiring range of beautiful, unique and intriguing screening locations across London and beyond.

The Nomad is about community: our sister cinema is the acclaimed and much-loved independent boutique cinema The Lexi in Kensal Rise, London NW10. Both cinemas are partly run by dedicated volunteers and have developed partnerships with a diverse range of kindred cultural organisations, ethical companies and fairtrade suppliers.

Cinesthesia presents Nicolas Roeg's WALKABOUT and Live Soundtrack by Orchestra Elastique - UPCOMING CLASSIC SCREENING

Cinesthesia presents Nicolas Roeg's WALKABOUT Live Orchestra Elastique I am a huge fan of Nicolas Roeg. His talent as an auteur is immeasurable, to this day his oeuvre of films are just as impactful, engaging and influential as they were on release. I have a particular obsession with his debut feature film (as co-director) Performance starring James Fox, Mick Jagger and Anita Pallenberg. I doubt there will ever be a similar type of film that could possibly outdo Performance, as with his stranded alien on Earth tale - The Man Who Fell to Earth starring David Bowie and his grief filled horror Don't Look Now starring Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland.

These films were part of a movement that defined not only progressive British cinema of the time but Britain in the 70s. I say Performance was his debut feature film (as co-director) as Roeg was a in demand Cinematographer man before shifting to directing. Coincidentally the original Far from the Madding Crowd has just been restored and re-released by StudioCanal - which Roeg worked on as cinematographer & cameraman and features a scene with Roeg's hallmark camera and editing style which he became known for with his own features.

The re-release of Far from the Madding Crowd is brilliant restoration starring some of Britain's finest talent making their mark including; Julie Christie, Peter Finch, Alan Bates and of course Terence Stamp but sadly lacks in decent extras, apart from a rather insightful chat with Terence Stamp who recollects the making of Far from the Madding Crowd.

Nicolas Roeg's second feature as director, Walkabout is a beautifully shot tale of a young brother and sister played by Jenny Agutter & Roeg's own son, Luc Roeg and their local companion played by ubiquitous Australian performer David Gulpilil - has gone on to become the quintessential lost, coming of age, existential "road" man and nature film.
Is it a parable about noble savages and the crushed spirits of city dwellers? That's what the film's surface suggests, but I think it's about something deeper and more elusive: the mystery of communication.”
- Quote from Roger Ebert from The Criterion Collection release of Walkabout by Nicolas Roeg by, 17 February 2008

Which is why I'm stoked that Cinesthesia are bringing Nicolas Roeg's Walkabout back to the big screen for a special screening at the end of July with a Live Soundtrack from Orchestra Elastique. Listening to Orchestra Elastique's live version of John Barry's Walkabout score is worth the price of admission alone.

Walkabout

A Two young siblings are stranded in the Australian Outback and are forced to cope on their own. They meet an Australian boy on "walkabout": a ritual separation from his tribe.

Director:
Nicolas Roeg

 Writer:
Edward Bond & James Vance Marshall

 Stars:
Jenny Agutter, David Gulpilil, Luc Roeg
Cinesthesia presents Nicolas Roeg's Walkabout
Cinesthesia presents Nicolas Roeg's Walkabout (ZOOM)

FILMPHONICS presents King Kong and Live Score Screening - UPCOMING CLASSIC SCREENING

FILMPHONICS presents King Kong Orchestra Elastique As I have been rammer jammer the last couple of months I haven't really had a chance to update as much as I would like and I have missed a ton of stuff including what the Hackney Attic has been up to at the Hackney Picturehouse. But when an alert about their latest exciting screening to kick off their monthly live score and audio visual night up in the Hackney Attic landed in my inbox I had to get an APB up.

This February to celebrate the incredible relationship between live music and the moving image. Hackney Attic and FILMPHONICS will be hosting a screening of the classic 1933 (and original version) of King Kong with a live re-score by Orchestra Elastique.

FILMPHONICS presents King Kong Orchestra Elastique
FILMPHONICS presents King Kong Orchestra Elastique ZOOM

The cast of The Servant reunite for its 50th Anniversary Restoration screening & QA with James Fox, Wendy Craig and Sarah Miles hosted by Richard Ayoade

the servant screeningThe Servant is one of my favourite and most memorable films of its time. It is as dark and twisted as it is unique, an upstairs downstairs tale that takes a dark psychological turn in swinging 60s London, as agendas are revealed and the balance of power between two men cruelly shifts.

The Servant is a timeless classic and the first of three films born out of a great cinematic partnership - with Joseph Losey directing and Harold Pinter writing. In terms of talent it rarely gets as great at The Servant -  Losey directing a screenplay written by Pinter adapting a book by Robin Maugham with James Fox, Dirk Bogarde and Sarah Miles in lead roles. After The Servant, Losey and Pinter went on to make Accident and The Go-Between as well as Pinter contributed to Losey's 1966 comedic Modesty Blaise.

the-servant-film-poster
The Servant Film Poster

Upcoming: Midnight Screening of Joe Dante's GREMLINS

Relive the classic 80s Joe Dante creature feature as it is shown on the big screen where it belongs again.

Future Cinema presents a special Midnight screening of Gremlins this Friday 17 December at the Rio Cinema Dalston.

"Tell me something, Billy. How come a cute little guy like this can turn into a thousand ugly monsters?"


There's three simple rules you need to know...
  1. Keep away from bright light
  2. No feeding after midnight
  3. Never, ever, get wet
Little does Billy know that when accidents occur things get ugly… really ugly.



Director: Joe Dante
Starring: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates and Hoyt Axton

Midnight Screening of Joe Dante's GREMLINS

Where:
The Rio, 107 Kingsland High Street E8 (corner John Campbell Road)

When:
Midnight, Fri 17 December, 2010

Tickets:
Available here

Dress:
Big 80s

Remember:
Bring a torch.

The Establishing Shot: Upcoming - Leslie Nielson's Classic Airplane! & Zucker Brothers QA

Airplane!On Thursday 9 December to celebrate it's 30th Anniversary the Prince Charles Cinema (Home of Cult) will be hosting a special screening of the hillarious Airplane!

But that's not all Special Guests the Zucker Brothers David Zucker and Jerry Zucker, the writer/director/producers of Airplane! will be coming along to participate in a QA.

Timeous as the star of the film the great Leslie Nielson passed away recently.

I saw what may be the same print of Airplane! a couple of months ago at special screening hosted by Jameson and can say that although the print may be dated (it really adds to the charm) the humour is still fresh and hilarious.


Ted Striker (Robert Hays), who's developed a fear of flying due to wartime trauma, boards a jumbo jet in an attempt to woo back his stewardess girlfriend (Julie Hagerty). Food poisoning decimates the passengers and crew, leaving it up to Striker to land the plane, with the help of a glue-sniffing air traffic controller (Lloyd Bridges) and Striker's vengeful former captain (Robert Stack), who must both talk him down.

Along the way, we meet a clutch of stock disaster movie passengers like the guitar-strumming nun, a sick little girl, a frightened old lady, and two African-American travelers whose "jive" has to be subtitled.

Leslie Nielsen portrays the plane's doctor, launching a new phase of the actor's career that carried him through the next two decades in several similarly comedic roles. Join the Loco Film Festival in celebrating this iconic comedy movie, along with a Q+A with the writer/director/producers, the Zucker brothers.

Director: David & Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams
Starring: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Lloyd Bridges, Leslie Nielsen

Leslie Nielson's Classic Airplane! & Zucker Brothers Q&A

Where:
The Prince Charles Cinema, 7 Leicester Place, WC2

When:
8pm, Thursday 9 December, 2010

More info:
Over at the Prince Charles Cinema website

The Establishing Shot: Upcoming - Shhh.... Secret Cinema is back this November

Secret Cinema the daddy of immersive cinema is back. And this November is seems as though they have pulled out all the stops.

I have been following their movements as closely as I can in the run up to their November screenings and I have to say that their November campaign is one of the most intricate and well thought out experiences yet. Top viral marketeers (I'm talking to you Dark Knight, Tron, etc.) could learn a thing or two from this month's campaign.

I've been sworn to secrecy, well it is Secret Cinema after all - but I can now let you know the following..

SECRET CINEMA CREATE A VIRTUAL WORLD

11TH – 21st NOVEMBER 2010

In Partnership with Windows® Phone

Secret Cinema is back. For this month’s immersive cinema
experience over 50,000 people join a virtual world. Visit the New Well
Being Foundation website, listen to the Wellbeing radio or call the
Wellbeing telephone line.

The journey begins here…

Please log onto:

www.thenewwellbeingfoundation.com


To get you into the mood I have lifted the following clips from their Facebook page here






Previously I have taken pleasure in guessing what the screenings are going to be and I have some guesses on what this months film could be, but in the spirit of Secret Cinema I'm telling no one.

Shhh.... Secret Cinema is back this November

Where:
It's a secret

When:
Yea, that's a secret too

More info:
All is revealed at http://www.secretcinema.org/

QA Michael Moorcock & The Final Programme screening

Pulp novelist, sci-fi pioneer and sometime member of Hawkwind, Michael Moorcock has written scores of subversive, groundbreaking cult books.

The BFI are screening a rare example of a big screen adaptation – don't miss this chance to The Final Programme.

Jon Finch is terrific as hip, party-hungry adventurer Jerry Cornelius, troubled by the recent passing of his father but reluctantly on the hunt for the mysterious 'Final Programme': dad’s design for the perfect self-replicating human. Meanwhile, his sister is missing and his drugged-up brother holds fierce dominion over the house where the missing microfilm is supposedly located. Somehow Jerry has to get his head together, and deal with gorgeous, icily seductive Miss Bruner (Jenny Runacre) – who's also after the design. Terrific performances all round in this fast-moving, futuristic update of the thrilling adventure tales of yesteryear, with an unmissable supporting turn from a cigar-chomping Sterling Hayden.



Director: Robert Fuest
Starring: Jon Finch, Jenny Runacre, Hugh Griffith, Patrick Magee, Sterling Hayden
USA, 1973, 2009, 81 mins

QA Michael Moorcock & The Final Programme screening

Where:
BFI Southbank,Belvedere Road, London, England SE1 8XT


When:
9:00pm, Tues 10 Aug, 2010

More info:
Over at the BFI website

Upcoming: QA Director Marc Caro & The City of Lost Children

Intricate producton design (by Caro and Jean Rabasse), a battery of special effects, Jean-Paul Gaultier costumes and a richly atmospheric score by Angelo Badalamenti all combine to create a dazzlingly surreal, post-apocalyptic world that frames the hunt for a kidnapped boy after a circus strongman's little brother goes missing. Not only creators of their own universe, Caro and Jeunet are also storytellers who inspire some beautifully shaded performances from a distinctive cast.

A dazzlingly surreal post-apocalyptic world frames the hunt for a kidnapped boy.



Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Marc Caro
Starring: Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon
France-Germany-Spain, 1995, 112 mins

QA Director Marc Caro & The City of Lost Children

Where:
BFI Southbank,Belvedere Road, London, England SE1 8XT

When:
8:10pm, Thurs 5 Aug, 2010

More info:
Over at the BFI website

Upcoming: ZULU Exhibition opens at The London Film Museum

"If 1200 men couldn't hold a defensive position this morning, what chance have we with 100?"

From - http://www.londonfilmmuseum.com/zulu.htm

On Saturday 24th July, the London Film Museum is proud to present the first exhibition dedicated to the classic British film, ZULU.


Starring Michael Caine, Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins and Ulla Jacobsson, the film was produced by Joseph E. Levine, directed by Cy Endfield, and was released worldwide in 1964.

The exhibition will include many items seen in public for the first time, including the original colour storyboards, scripts, and unpublished photographs taken by the director on set in Natal, South Africa. Also on display will be Chief Cetewayo's shield and throne tusks, and Assegais (spears) used in the film as well as some from the original battle.

The storyboards were discovered in Natal last year a few miles from where the film was shot, and illustrate the "Attack on the Hospital". Dr Sheldon Hall, author of the definitive book on the making of the film, says "Until recently it was thought that no original storyboards had survived from the production of ZULU, or even existed in the first place. The recent discovery in South Africa of an extremely rare set of storyboard sketches for one key sequence is a major find for anyone interested in the film."

"Contributions to the exhibition have come from right across the country and collectors have been generous in providing us with original material" says Henry Coleman from ZuluFilmStore.com, who has helped in curating the exhibition.

The exhibition will be at the museum until June 2011 when it will travel to South Africa to go on display.

Opening day events will include a free screening of the film, as well as a Q&A with Maureen Endfield and a lecture by Dr Sheldon Hall.

As part of the opening day we shall also be collecting for Help for Heroes in recognition of the people still involved in conflict around the world.

ZULU Exhibition opens at The London Film Museum

Where:
The London Film Museum, 1st Floor, Riverside Building, County Hall, London SE1 7PB

When:
Sat 24 July 2010 - June 2011

More info:
Over at the The London Film Museum website

Breathless: 50th Anniversary release

Breathless (A Bout De Souffle), has been digitally restored and is being re-released in cinemas by Optimum Releasing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of it's original release.

The film debut of Jean Luc Godard started the French new wave of filmmaking -recognised as one of the most stylish and influential movements in film history.

Cigarettes, hats, sunglasses and determined unconformity make Michel Poiccard (Belmondo) a true cinematic icon. Playing against the stunning Jean Seberg he smokes his way through a series of sexy gallic exchanges in the ultra cool Paris of the 1960's.



Celebrating 50 years of cool, Jean-Luc Godard’s BREATHLESS premiered at Berlin before receiving a digital re-release in UK cinemas June 25th. With Godard still going strong and about to release a new film: Socialisme, we celebrate where it all began, with Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg effortlessly stylish and in love in Paris: he a petty criminal on the run from the police, she a wide-eyed American student selling the New York Tribune on the Champs-Elysées.

BREATHLESS: 50th Anniversary will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on 13th September 2010.

Director: Jean Luc Godard
Starring: Jean Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg

France 1960, 87 mins, French with English subtitles

Breathless: 50th Anniversary release

When:
In cinemas June 25th 2010

Jason and the Argonauts Introduced by Ray Harryhausen

The mythological themes of many of Harryhausen’s films reappear as Jason sets sail with a band of Greek heroes, his argonauts. If succesful in their quest to find the Golden Fleece, Jason will secure his rightful place as the king of Thessaly. First they face many dangers, including an army of skeletons that grow from the teeth of the dreaded seven- headed hydra. The skeleton sequence remains one of the most memorable of all of Harryhausen’s creations with its complex technique to ensure the free flowing, stop-motion movement of the different body parts.



Director: Don Chaffey
Starring: Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Gary Raymond,Laurence Naismith

USA 1963, 86 mins, English

Jason and the Argonauts Introduced by Ray Harryhausen

Where:
BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, London, England SE1 8XT

When:
2:00pm, Sun 20 Jun, 2010

More info:
Over at the BFI website

Seven Samurai: Masterclass with Mamoun Hassan

Explore Seven Samurai, Kurosawa’s most famous, enduring and internationally acclaimed film in a collaborative workshop with Mamoun Hassan, former Head of BFI Production.



Hassan, who will lead a scene-by-scene exploration of what we see and hear and facilitate discussion about the wider significance of what occurs on screen, was responsible for devising and producing the acclaimed C4 series Movie Masterclass and his particular approach to the work of the director has been widely praised by audiences for its ability to alter the way in which they experience cinema. This participatory seminar will require prior viewing of Seven Samurai and tickets are available as stand-alone or in conjunction with any screening of the film, playing as part of the season devoted to Kurosawa and His Influence.

Seven Samurai: Masterclass with Mamoun Hassan

Director:Catherine CorsiniStarring:Yvan Attal, Sergi Lopez, Kristin Scott ThomasFrance 2009, 86 mins, French with English subtitles

Where:
BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, London, England SE1 8XT

When:
6:20pm, Weds 23 Jun, 2010

More info:
Over at the BFI website

Film4 Summer Screen returns for 2010

Film4 Summer Screen returns to the glorious Somerset House for 2010. A highlight of the summer calendar, the series features everything from special previews to cult classics, all showing on a state-of-the-art screen with full surround-sound.

There’s more than just the movies. Arrive early; come and picnic in the magnificent Edmond J. Safra courtyard while DJs play or attend one of the companion events in Behind the Screen.



Fri 30 July
Kill Bill Vol. 1 (18) /Enter the Dragon (18)
The Somerset House courtyard becomes an arena for savage stand-offs, kung fu carnage and martial-arts mayhem.

Sat 31 July
Team America: World Police (15) / Special Preview: A Town Called Panic (PG)
Outrageous humour from the South Park gang, followed by a special preview of a brilliantly bonkers new toy story.

Sun 1 August
Manhattan (12A)
Woody Allen’s rapturous love letter to New York: romance, heartbreak and fireworks in luminous black-and-white.

Mon 2 August
Goldfinger (PG)
The 007 series at its best, as Sean Connery’s Bond mixes it up with memorable characters Oddjob and Pussy Galore.

Tues 3 August
Black Narcissus (U)
Powell & Pressburger‘s beautiful tale of a convent’s descent into madness, deep in the Himalayas.


Wed 4 August
Paths of Glory (PG)
Stanley Kubrick's riveting and emotional wartime drama, powerful enough to bring any audience together in awestruck silence.

Thu 5 August
Cabaret (15)
Liza Minnelli steps into the spotlight for high drama, dazzling set-pieces and the decadence of 1930s Berlin.

Fri 6 August
Mulholland Drive (15)
Mystery, magic, fear and desire swirl together in David Lynch’s intoxicating and troubling adult fairytale.

Sat 7 Aug
Let the Right One In (15) / The Lost Boys (15)
A moody modern masterpiece of Swedish-style bloodsucking, followed by cool Californian creatures of the night.

Sun 8 August
Master and Commander
Russell Crowe stars as Captain Jack Aubrey in this stirring tale of naval warfare and spectacular high-seas adventure.

Film4 Summer Screen returns for 2010

Where:
Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA

When:
Tues 29 July - Mon 9 Aug, 2010

More info:
Over at the Somerset House website or book tickets directly at Ticketmaster

Upcoming: Battleship Potemkin with Zombie Zombie Live

French duo Zombie Zombie have gained worldwide attention since their debut album A Land For Renegades in 2008, both as a formidable live band and as music producers of the highest calibre. Through their use of vintage analogue synthesizers the band create intensely atmospheric music that has oft drawn comparison with the soundtracks of John Carpenter, the scores by Goblin for the films of Dario Argento and, notably, Gil Melle's soundtrack for The Andromeda Strain.


Such references would not seem to lead obviously to working on Battleship Potemkin, yet the band's passionate re-imagining of Eisenstein's silent classic has been heralded as a triumph since its debut performance in Paris at the end of 2009. The BFI are delighted to present the UK Premiere of this re-score.

Premiere: Battleship Potemkin with Zombie Zombie Live

Where:
BFI Southbank
Belvedere Road, London, England SE1 8XT

When:
6:30pm, Fri 28 May, 2010

More info:Over at the BFI website

The African Queen Premiere & QA with Anjelica Huston and Angela Allen

The BFI are delighted to welcome Anjelica Huston and Angela Allen (Script supervisor/Continuity on The African Queen) to the BFI Southbank stage for the London premiere of the new restoration of John Huston's classic Oscar-winning adventure The African Queen.



The saga of filming CS Forrester's tale of an unlikely couple who join forces on an African riverboat to sink a German warship looms almost larger than Huston's film, with everyone involved – including Cardiff – recalling the illness and dangers that beset them in Congo and Uganda. But much ingenuity was also needed to link material shot in Turkey, London and LA for this classic adventure that brought Bogart his only Oscar.

London Premiere: The African Queen + Q&A with Anjelica Huston and Angela Allenci

Where:
BFI Southbank
Belvedere Road, London, England SE1 8XT

When:
6:20pm, Sat 27 May, 2010

More info:
Over at the BFI website

The Usual Suspects A Magnum Gold Carpet Screening

The Usual Suspects A Magnum Gold Carpet ScreeningGlittering, precious and dangerously irresistible, New Magnum Gold?! is a priceless indulgence which Benicio Del Toro goes to extreme lengths to get his hands on in the new Magnum ads, directed by Bryan Singer.

Zulu + introduction by Stephen Woolley

Renowned and prolific British producer Stephen Woolley (Made in Dagenham, Perrier's Bounty, How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, Stoned, The Good Thief, The End of the Affair , B. Monkey, The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles, Dust Devil, Hardware, Scandal, Mona Lisa, Absolute Beginners, The Company of Wolves, etc.) joins the BFI to introduce Zulu the film that inspired him.



An epic account of the true story of under-strength British forces defending an isolated African mission at Rorke's Drift against hordes of Zulu warriors. Stanley Baker (who also co-produced with director Cy Endfield) impresses as the officer in charge, whilst a then scarcely known Michael Caine adopts an upper-class accent. The spectacular second half of the film is almost totally taken up with the battle, as the Zulus look to overpower the mission and reclaim their land. The stirring music score is by John Barry, the narration by Richard Burton.

In Woolley's words, Zulu is "a terrific adventure film" and this is a rare chance to catch it on the big screen

British producer Stephen Woolley will join the BFI for their latest instalment of their new strand, Screen Epiphanies, to introduce this classic tale. Starring Michael Caine and Stanley Baker, Zulu, a "terrific adventure film" in Woolley's words, is a spellbinding account of the Battle of Rorke's Drift between the British Army and the Zulus in January 1879.


Zulu + introduction by Stephen Woolley

Where
BFI Southbank
Belvedere Road, London, England SE1 8XT

When
8:40pm, Tues 6 Apr, 2010

For more info & tickets head over to the BFI

Dead Man Running + QA with Tamer Hassan & Ashley Walters

Urban Screen, the film club supported by Film London's Cultural Exhibition Fund and dedicated to showcasing new talent, is showing Dead Man Running at the Albany on 7 April.

Tamer Hassan (Kick-Ass, Eastern Promises) and Ashley Walters (Hustle, Life and Lyrics) will be making a special appearance.


24 hours, 100 grand to pay, where you gonna run?

The world's favourite gangster duo is back on breathtaking form in the year's most explosive, high-octane blockbuster

The clock is ticking and the boys, Danny Dyer (Doghouse, The Business) and Tamer Hassan (Eastern Promises, The Business), have just 24 hours to raise $100,000 in cash to pay back bloodthirsty New York kingpin, Mr Thigo (Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson). Fail and everyone dies.

Get ready for an adrenaline-fuelled thrill-ride as our heroes take desperate measures - from cage fighting to armed robbery - to come up with the cash in time.

What would you be willing to risk if you were a Dead Man Running?
Dead Man Running is available on DVD now.

Short films also screening include Rebecca Johnson's Top Girl and Ahmet Husseyin's We're Not Blood.

Top Girl




We're Not Blood.





Dead Man Running + QA with Tamer Hassan & Ashley Walters

Where
The Albany
Douglas Way, Deptford, London, SE8 4AG

When
7:00pm, Weds 7 Apr, 2010

More info over and tickets over at The Albany

Upcoming: Michael Palin in conversation & American Friends Screening

Michael Palin a Patron of The Phoenix Cinema, will be appearing at a Phoenix Restoration Fundraising event. He'll be screening his 1991 film, American Friends, and then host a Q&A session.


This will be a rare chance to hear the extraordinary and witty Michael Palin talk about his travels, work and career.

American Friends
Francis Ashby (Michael Palin) a middle-aged Oxford tutor on a hiking trip in Switzerland in 1861. There he meets the American Caroline Hartley (Connie Booth) and her 18-year old ward Elinor (Trini Alvarado). Ashby is drawn to them both, particularly Elinor, but is rather surprised when they arrive in Oxford and rent a house. Women are not allowed in the College, nor are Fellows allowed to marry, which puts him in an embarrassing situation. Ashby's rival for the post of College President, Oliver Syme, takes full advantage of this to try and discredit Ashby. However the situation is finally resolved and Ashby and Elinor are finally married.

The plot was based on a real-life incident involving Palin's great-grandfather, Edward Palin



Tickets are £25 (£23 concs) with a £2 discount for Friends. Tickets are sure to sell fast, so book online now to ensure a good seat. All ticket sales benefit the Phoenix Centenary Restoration Project.

Michael Palin in conversation + American Friends Screening

Where
Phoenix Cinema
52 High Road, East Finchley, London, N2 9PJ

When
6:45pm, Thurs 8 April, 2010

For more info & to book tickets head over to the Phoenix Cinema

March UK Film Releases

March is a bumper month with a good variety of releases. The full list and dates of the UK's March cinema releases can be found here. Our top picks are as follows:


This months top choice will have to be Peter Greenway’s Nightwatching. Completed in 2007 it’s finally getting a general release and promises a return to earlier form for the Master of cinema Peter Greenway.

The film is centred on the creation of The Night Watch, Rembrandt's most famous work, depicting civilian militiamen who wanted to be celebrated in a group portrait. The film posits a conspiracy to murder within the musketeer regiment of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch, and suggests that Rembrandt may have immortalized a conspiracy theory using subtle allegory in his group portrait of the regiment, subverting what was to have been a highly prestigious commission for both painter and subject.

The film also depicts Rembrandt's personal life, and suggests he suffered serious consequences in later life as a result of the accusation contained in his most famous painting.

Nightwatching
Director: Peter Greenaway
Starring: Martin Freeman, Sarah Polley, Minnie Driver



Expectations are also running high for Scorsese and DiCaprio's fourth chilling outing Shutter Island.

Shutter Island
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer



Superb acting and (Oscar winning) performances lift the touching on mediocre Crazy Heart to greatness. Jeff Bridges is always excellent, Maggie Gyllenhaal still developing leaving Colin Farrell to almost steal the story of a former country and Western star (Jeff Bridges) at the end of his career.

Crazy Heart
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell



Both moving and meaningful the French The Father Of My Children will hit a nerve in these financially stormy times.

The Father Of My Children
Director: Mia Hansen-Løve
Starring: Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Chiara Caselli, Alice de Lencquesaing



If you are a fan of good music the revelatory No One Knows About Persian Cats by Negar Shaghaghi is not to be missed. (Full review up soon). Persian Cats follows a pair of young musicians, on a mission to take their rock band to Europe. Forbidden by the authorities to play in Iran, they plan their escape abroad with a fast—talking music promoter.

No One Knows About Persian Cats
Director: Negar Shaghaghi
Starring: Bahman Ghobadi, Ashkan Koshanejad, Hamed Behdad



In the psycho sexual department Bernard Rose's The Kreutzer Sonata with the increasingly compelling Danny Huston make for good viewing.

The Kreutzer Sonata
Director: Bernard Rose
Starring: Danny Huston, Elisabeth Röhm, Matthew Yang King



Documentaries that shine this month are Banksy's cringe worthy Exit through the gift shop. Has to been to be believed.

Exit through the gift shop
Director: Banksy



Hard hitting dramas that make the grade are hardcore prisoner drama Lion's Den and the gripping war crimes trial film Storm.

Lion's Den
Director: Pablo Trapero
Starring: Martina Gusman, Elli Medeiros, Rodrigo Santoro



Storm
Director: Hans-Christian Schmid
Starring: Kerry Fox, Anamaria Marinca, Stephen Dillane



Two small films with big hearts are also worth noting. Ondine, the enchanting story of Syracuse, a lonely fisherman who one day pulls a beautiful woman named Ondine out of the sea in his nets. His young daughter Annie is convinced that she is a "selkie" —a creature from Irish folklore much like a mermaid. Syracuse has his doubts, but as Ondine brings some luck and joy to his otherwise downcast life, he starts to come around as well. Ondine deftly blends romance and fantasy with the realism of modern life in an Irish seaside town.

Ondine
Director: Neil Jordan
Starring: Colin Farrell, Alicja Bachleda, Stephen Rea



Perrier's Bounty
Director: Ian Fitzgibbon
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Jim Broadbent, Brendan Gleeson



Lock and load high action efforts include:

Damon and Greengrass team up again for Green Zone a Middle Eastern military actioner continuing their Bourne theme.

Green Zone
Director: Paul Greengrass
Starring: Matt Damon, Amy Ryan, Greg Kinnear



If the trailer is anything to go by Takers looks like it may be a blast.

Takers
Director: John Luessenhop
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Idris Elba, Matt Dillon



Nicolas Winding Refn’s previous effort Bronson was highly entertaining and Valhalla Rising looks to up his game. It centers on a mute warrior and his ally who escape the imprisonment of an evil chieftain and embark on a series of dark adventures.

Valhalla Rising
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Maarten Steven, Jamie Sives



British futuristic gang war fare in a dystopian London. Looks like Class of 1984 mixed in with Kidhulthood as directed by Guy Ritchie

Shank
Director: Mo Ali
Starring: Kedar Williams-Stirling, Ashley Thomas, Michael Socha



Chills from the superior Scandinavian The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and very spookyThe House of the Devil.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Starring: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace




The House of the Devil
Director: Ti West
Starring: Jocelin Donahue, Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov



The guy behind Office Space is back with Extract and his observations of work & mid life scenarios is sure to tickle your funny bone.

Extract
Director: Mike Judge
Starring: Kristen Wiig, Mike Judge, Jason Bateman



From the mainstream we have

Alice In Wonderland
Tim Burton and Johnny Depp continue there successful collaboration with the 3D extravaganza that is Alice In Wonderland. Top notch effects and cast make this a good Saturday kids matinee viewing.

Alice In Wonderland
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Anne Hathaway, Johnny Depp

Nice to Uma Thurman in mainstream role that she can get her teeth into as the put upon lead in the very entertaining Motherhood.

Motherhood
Starring: Minnie Driver, Uma Thurman

I love a good sword and scorcery tale and hope that Season of the Witch manages to maintain the promise of the trailer, even though it does look like a complete rip off of Solomon Kane.

Season of the Witch
Director: Dominic Sena
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Stephen Graham

The big budget Precious The Blindside is surprisingly good and hits all the right emotional notes. But I’m not sure if it’s Oscar good though?

The Blindside
Director: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Kathy Bates

Vintage Jim Carrey in I Love You Phillip Morris is sure to have people in stitches.

I Love You Phillip Morris
Director: John Requa
Starring: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann

Marie Claire & ICA Secret Oscars Screening

Calling all film buffs! The ICA & Marie Claire are holding a special secret screening on Oscar night and you're invited!

Over the past few weeks, you've been voting for the best woman-directed film of the year. The great news is that you can now get your hands your very own tickets for the super-secret screening, with an introduction from amazing Hollywood actress Gillian Anderson.

And that's not all. You'll get to join Marie Claire for drinks in the ICA bar, where there will also be stylists on hand for glam Oscar-style makeovers.

Marie Claire & ICA Secret Oscars Screening

Where
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Mall, London, SW1Y 5AH

When
5:30pm, Sun 7 March, 2010

for more info or tickets head over to the ICA website

February UK Film Releases

February 2010 sees the release of some highly anticipated films as well as some that are sure to be classics. The full list of the UK's February cinema releases can be found here.



Astro Boy
Loosely based on the very popular Japanese TV show from the 60s. Astro Boy is set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist in the image of the son he has lost. Unable to fulfill the grieving man's expectations, our hero embarks on a journey in search of acceptance, experiencing betrayal and a netherworld of robot gladiators, before he returns to save Metro City and reconcile with the father who had rejected him



Sure to enthrall kids & older kids alike. Astro Boy features the vocal talents of luminaries; Kristen Bell, Nicolas Cage, Charlize Theron, Samuel L. Jackson, Bill Nighy and Donald Sutherland.

Invictus
Invictus is a biographical drama film based on Nelson Mandela's life during the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa. Directed by Clint Eastwood, the film stars Morgan Freeman as South African President Mandela, and Matt Damon as François Pienaar, the South African team captain. The film is based on the John Carlin book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation. A top notch cast and film however I found the film oddly flat compared to Eastwood's previous efforts. Especially given the emotional times and subject of the film. A second screening may be needed.



Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
As the Harry Potter series comes to an end. Studios are keen to replace the impending void with a new successful fantasy series and so far 2 time directory of Harry potter films Chris Columbus's Percy Jackson seems to be the most likely contender. A cast that includes Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Kevin McKidd, Rosario Dawson, Catherine Keener, Steve Coogan and Joe Pantoliano can't hurt either.

It's the 21st century, but the gods of Mount Olympus and assorted monsters have walked out of the pages of high school student Percy Jackson's Greek mythology texts and into his life. And they're not happy: Zeus' lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Even more troubling is the sudden disappearance of Percy's mother. As Percy finds himself caught between angry and battling gods, he and his friends embark on a cross-country adventure to catch the true lightning thief, save Percy's mom, and unravel a mystery more powerful than the gods themselves.



Ponyo on the Cliff
Hayao Miyazaki (Japan's equivalent of Walt Disney) latest offering Ponyo on the Cliff is sure to satisfy all fans of Japanese animation.

The son of a sailor, 5-year old Sosuke lives a quiet life on an oceanside cliff with his mother Lisa. One fateful day, he finds a beautiful goldfish trapped in a bottle on the beach and upon rescuing her, names her Ponyo. But she is no ordinary goldfish. The daughter of a masterful wizard and a sea goddess, Ponyo uses her father's magic to transform herself into a young girl and quickly falls in love with Sosuke, but the use of such powerful sorcery causes a dangerous imbalance in the world. As the moon steadily draws nearer to the earth and Ponyo's father sends the ocean's mighty waves to find his daughter, the two children embark on an adventure of a lifetime to save the world and fulfill Ponyo's dreams of becoming human.




Crazy Heart
Having being already nominated and winning a whack of awards as well as being earmarked for Jeff Bridges greatest performance yet - Crazy Heart is the story of Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who's had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician.




Shutter Island
Scorsese is back! With Shutter Island based on a Dennis Lehane's (Mystic River, Gone, Baby, Gone) dark novel and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer, Michelle Williams, Max von Sydow and Jackie Earle Haley. This is sure to be a must see.

It's 1954, and up-and-coming U.S. marshal Teddy Daniels is assigned to investigate the disappearance of a patient from Boston's Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital. He's been pushing for an assignment on the island for personal reasons, but before long he wonders whether he hasn't been brought there as part of a twisted plot by hospital doctors whose radical treatments range from unethical to illegal to downright sinister. Teddy's shrewd investigating skills soon provide a promising lead, but the hospital refuses him access to records he suspects would break the case wide open. As a hurricane cuts off communication with the mainland, more dangerous criminals "escape" in the confusion, and the puzzling, improbable clues multiply, Teddy begins to doubt everything - his memory, his partner, even his own sanity.

If you need any more convincing behold - the trailer below.




The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones based on Alice Sebold's best selling novel is the bitter sweet tale of of a 14-year-old girl from suburban Pennsylvania who is murdered. She tells the story from limbo, showing the lives of the people around her and how they have changed all while coming to terms with her death. I'm a fan of Jackson's work particularly his earlier stuff so anticipation was high even though the subject matter was not that compelling to me. I was a little disappointed as I thought that their was some incongruous between the emotional heart of the film and the CG. Although the effects were good it felt like the CG took me out of the story. Still stand out performance all round from Saoirse Ronan, Stanley Tucci, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon.




The Wolfman
After several delays Joe Johnston's (Hidalgo, Jurassic Park III, October Sky, Jumanji, The Rocketeer) The Wolfman has finally come to the screen. The trailer certainly engages and has a real feel of Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula to it. With an outstanding cast that includes Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Hugo Weaving, Geraldine Chaplin, Elizabeth Croft and Art Malik. I'm looking forward to this and hope it doesn't turn out to be another League of Extraordinary Gentlemen or Van Helsing.




A Couple of Dicks/ Cop Out
Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Cop buddy film. Should be enough- but with Kevin Smith's direction Cop Out is sure to marvel. It is a sharp comedy about two cops whose adventures include locating a stolen baseball card, rescuing a woman, and dealing with gangsters and their laundered money.




Micmacs
Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the man behind Amelie and The City of the Lost Children, is bringing us a new slice of original madness in MicMacs. The story of Bazil who is accidentally shot in the head and finds his whole life turned upside down. Homeless, he ends up being taken in by a group of eccentrics, and starts to plot with them to take down the source of all his woes: the weapons manufacturers responsible for the bullets that hit him and killed his father years before.



If anything, Jeunet is consistently fun, original and inventive so Micmacs is sure to be on a par with his previous works.

The Crazies
Not for eveyone, the update of George A. Romero's classic horror. The American Dream goes horribly wrong when the residents of a small Mid-Western town start succumbing to an uncontrollable urge for violence. As the horrific bloodshed escalates into anarchy, the military attempts to contain the epidemic, using deadly force to seal off the town. This means that the few healthy citizens who remain are trapped in a hellish scenario where depraved killers lurk in the shadows. Sheriff David Dutton, his pregnant wife Judy, medical assistant Becca and Dutton's deputy Russell find themselves trapped in a once-idyllic town they can no longer recognise. Unable to trust former neighbours and friends, deserted by the authorities and terrified of contracting the illness themselves, they are forced to band together in a desperate and bloody struggle for survival.




Other notables from February's releases are:

The Last Station
A historical drama that illustrates Russian author Leo Tolstoy's struggle to balance fame and wealth with his commitment to a life devoid of material things.



Malice in Sunderland
A modern take on the classic fairytale, Alice in Wonderland, set in the North East of England.




From Paris With Love
In Paris, a young employee in the office of the US Ambassador hooks up with an American spy looking to stop a terrorist attack in the city.
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