On Thursday I will post all the movies opening over the weekend that I feel like are worthy of mentioning. Still thinking of a clever title for this feature.
Breathless Jean-luc Godard - Angelika Dallas
If you are visiting this blog I have a feeling you are all ready familiar with this, the poster child for the French New-Wave. This is the fiftith anniversary of the film with an all new restoration. The film will be released on Blu-ray via Criterion later next month. Highly recommended you check this out in the theater, it probably won't be here very long...
Jean Micheal Basquiat: The Radiant Child Tamra Davis - Angelika Dallas
I'll have a review of this one up by the end of the weekend.
Cairo Time
Rubba Nadda - Angelika Plano and Dallas
Winnebago Man
Ben Steinhauer - Angelika Dallas
The Switch
Josh Gordon and Will Speck - Angelika Dallas and Plano
Now I know that this may seem a little out of place here but I thought I would include it because it has the potential of being a decent movie that is being packaged as a light rom-com to help spur ticket sales. Other than the likeable and taltented B-list cast, the script is based on a short story by Jeffrey Eugenides, author one of the greatest modern novels, Middlesex and one successful film adaptation (Virgin Suicides). This might suck but it might be an under the radar gem.
This is a feature called (l)ost where I will post out of print soundtracks that you can listen to in the comfort of your own home. Unlike the Tuesday and Thursday new movie post these will be sporadic but hopefully frequent. If you are looking for a soundtrack and want me to put my best men on the team email at frankphosphate@gmail.com and I'll see what I can do.
OST - The Sun of Dracula
1972 - Harry Nilsson/Ringo Starr
The early 70's were a wild and wacky time in cinema as the independent visions of auteurs were defining the standard for independent cinema for years to come. There were also numerous celebrities/musicians begging to burn out from years of drug abuse and made the financial decision to breach into the world of cinema. One of the many gems to come out during this wave was Son Of Dracula starring Nilsson as the young Dracula who longs to be a human capable of love and Ringo Starr as Merlin the Magician. The soundtrack is essentially a rehashing of songs from Harry's albums "Nilsson Schmilsson" and "Son of Schmilsson" with dialog interludes from the movie. There is one original song on the album, Daybreak, which is a typically delightful take on the highs and lows of vampire life. Surprisingly the musical selections and clips flow well into one another making for a fairly cohesive re-telling of the story. The film was directed by respected 60's B-Movie horror director and two time Oscar winning (Glory 89'/Sons and Lovers 60') cinematographer Freddie Francis.
Despite the chops of the personnel and the world's never ending love of vampire movies, this one has remained out of print for the past 25 years. So much like the rest of the world I have not had the chance to see this movie, there is a VHS release out there but is extremely hard to find. If anyone has the hookup let me know. While it's hard not to be interested in a vampire movie starring Harry Nilsson, the dialog from the movie - while fascinating - sounds pretty drug addled and non-nonsensical. Of course this doesn't have to be a bad thing. I'm just not expecting something of the caliber of The Point, Nilsson's more highly regarded foray into film. If you really want to see Ringo Star in a decent movie from this time check out Ken Russell's Lisztomania one of the finest pop art films of the early seventies, and another soundtrack I will be posting in the future.
Tuesday is the great day when new digital video disc and blu-ray disc are released. Sometimes they are good. Sometimes they are terrible. My job is to inform the greater North Texas movie freaks on all the releases YOU should be aware of if you truly want to be a film snob. Now remember truly being a film snob means that you have to know about everything that is going on in alternative cinema, not just what you think is cool. So you might have to open your minds up a bit.The name/format of this and all features in the coming days might change, if you have suggestions please leave a comment. We are in beta max here people. Not a very exciting week this week as far as releases go, hopefully next week will be better. So for August 17th the day of our lord 2010 the following films are not shit and available for consumption. They will be sorted by new, re-issue music and television.
NEW
The City of Your Final Destination
2010 - Director : James Ivory
The Merchant of Merchant and Ivory may have kicked the bucket a couple years ago but that hasn't stopped James Ivory from turning out ultra high brow adult dramas all by himself. The movie features Charollete Gainsbourg fresh off her clitoral mutilating performance in Anti-Christ. Some times these movies can be snooze fest but for the most part James Ivory films have an air of superiority about them that any film lover should appreciate.
Four Seasons Lodge
2008 - Andrew Jacobs
This documentary chronicles a group of wrinkly old holocaust survivors as they have their yearly get away in the cat skills. The cinematographer for this film is no other than Albert Mayles who has become an icon of filmster cool with such cinéma vérité classics as Gimmie Shelter and Grey Gardens.
RE-ISSUE
Orlando
1992 - Dir: Sally Potter
Now you may not win too many cool points with Titanic bad boy Billy Zane in the cast but the presence of a young Tilda Swinton more than makes up for it. Interesting adaptation of a Virgina Woolfe novel with some great visuals. This one has been out of print for awhile with copies going upwards of 100 bones on EBAY. I don't have any idea about the integrity of this release but hopefully it has a nice transfer and some bonus features.
Black Orpheus
1959 - Marcel Camus
Beautiful film both visually and spiritually (in the Atheist sense of course) that just received a remaster and lucky for us a Blu-ray release thanks to the good people at the Criterion Collection. I will be talking alot about Blu-rays on here because they are the only way to REALLY get the true cinematic experience of a film in the comfort of your own home. I'll have a post explaining why sometime.
MUSIC
Slayer - Live Intrusion
1995 - Live
One of the most heralded VHS tapes in many metal circles, this is documentary/behind the scenes journal Live Intrusion featuring Slayer at the tail end of their epic run as kings of extreme metal. The documentary features some great performance footage and some Heavy Metal Parking Lot moments featuring their devoted, flesh mutilating followers. You can watch the full thing here but I am looking forward to checking this out remastered sound on the DVD.Crank it.
TELEVISION
Friday Night Light Season 4
2010 - Peter Weir/NBC
I get shit all thetime for my love of this series but I don't care because it is one of the most satisfying TV dramas ever created, especially for network television. It appears on the surface to be a fluffy teen drama but at FNL's core is a web of dynamic characters struggling against a society that is always working against them. It is The Wire of small town Texas. The show is filmed all around the Austin area so by supporting the show you are not only supporting fine art but local filmmakers as well. The show receives terrible ratings and glowing reviews, much like most of indie cinema. Unfortunately the lack of Emmy nods, horrible promotion, lame time slot and the stupidity of the American Television Viewer all contribute to this show not receiving the credit it deserves. I'll be writing more about this series in the future. I know that TV is not film but fuck you I am going to be writing about it anyways.
