Posted by Notcot on Dec 24, 2012 in
Cult Film 
Now over twenty years old, the original edition of Nightmare Movies has retained its place as a true classic of cult film criticism. In this new edition, Kim Newman brings his seminal work completely up to date, both reassessing his earlier evaluations and adding a second part that analyses the last two decades of horror films with all the wit, intelligence and insight for which he is known. Since the publication of the first edition, horror has been on a gradual upswing and has gained a new and stronger hold over the film industry. Newman negotiates his way through a vast back catalogue of horror and charts the on-screen progress of our collective fears and bogeymen, from the low-budget slasher movies of the 1960s, through to the slick releases of the 2000s. Nightmare Movies is an invaluable companion that not only provides a newly updated history of the darker side of film but also acts as a truly entertaining guide with which to explore the less well-trodden paths of horror and rediscover the classics with a newly instructed eye.
Price : £ 24
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Tags: back catalogue, bogeymen, classic, companion, Cult Film, darker side, date, Edition, eye, film criticism, film industry, Guide, horror films, industry, insight, invaluable companion, Kim Newman, low budget, movies of the 1960s, new edition, Nightmare, place, progress, seminal work, side, true classic, upswing, way, wit
Posted by Notcot on Jul 6, 2012 in
Cult Film
Now over twenty years old, the original edition of Nightmare Movies has retained its place as a true classic of cult film criticism. In this new edition, Kim Newman brings his seminal work completely up to date, both reassessing his earlier evaluations and adding a second part that analyses the last two decades of horror films with all the wit, intelligence and insight for which he is known. Since the publication of the first edition, horror has been on a gradual upswing and has gained a new and stronger hold over the film industry. Newman negotiates his way through a vast back catalogue of horror and charts the on-screen progress of our collective fears and bogeymen, from the low-budget slasher movies of the 1960s, through to the slick releases of the 2000s. Nightmare Movies is an invaluable companion that not only provides a newly updated history of the darker side of film but also acts as a truly entertaining guide with which to explore the less well-trodden paths of horror and rediscover the classics with a newly instructed eye.
Price : £ 21.1
Read more…
Tags: back catalogue, bogeymen, classic, companion, Cult Film, darker side, date, Edition, eye, film criticism, film industry, Guide, horror films, industry, insight, invaluable companion, Kim Newman, low budget, movies of the 1960s, new edition, Nightmare, place, progress, seminal work, side, true classic, upswing, way, wit
Posted by Notcot on Dec 31, 2010 in
Noir 
More than half a century after its release in 1950, Sunset Boulevard is still the most pungently unflattering portrait of Hollywood ever committed to celluloid. Billy Wilder, unequalled at combining a literate, sulphurous script with taut direction, hits his target relentlessly. The humour–and the film is rich in this, Wilder’s most abundant commodity–is black indeed. Sunset Boulevard is viciously and endlessly clever. William Holden’s opportunistic scriptwriter Joe Gillis, whose sellout proves fatal, is from the top drawer of film noir. Gloria Swanson’s monstrously deluded Norma Desmond, the benchmark for washed-up divas, transcends parody. And her literal descent down the staircase to madness is one of the all-time great silver-screen moments.
Sunset Boulevard isn’t without pathos, most notably in Erich von Stroheim’s protective butler who wants only to shield his mistress from the stark truths that are massing against her. But its view of human beings at work in a ruthlessly cannibalistic industry is bleak indeed. Nobody, not even Nancy Olson’s sparkily ambitious writer Betty Schaefer, is untainted. And neither are we, “those wonderful people out there in the dark”. Norma might be ready for her close-up, but it’s really Hollywood that’s in the frame. No wonder Wilder incurred the charge of treachery from his peers. It’s cinematic perfection.
On the DVD: Sunset Boulevard lends itself effortlessly to a collector’s edition of this quality. The film itself is presented in full-frame aspect ratio from an excellent print and the quality of the mono soundtrack is faultless: the silver screen comes to life in your living room. The extras are superb, including a commentary from film historian Ed Sikov and a making-of documentary which includes the memories of Nancy Olson. Interactive features such as the Hollywood location map add to the fun. –Piers Ford
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Buy Now for [wpramaprice asin=”B00007KFOF”] (Best Price)
Tags: ambitious writer, billy wilder, butler, celluloid, Collector, direction, drawer, ed sikov, Edition, erich von stroheim, film historian, gloria swanson, hollywood location, industry, joe gillis, life, mono soundtrack, nancy olson, nobody, Noir, norma desmond, parody, perfection, sellout, sunset boulevard, target, unflattering portrait, william holden, Wonder, Writer