It’s the dawn of the 1980s, and the upper-class hippie holdouts of Marin County, California are snarking and screwing their way through life, certain that health foods and open marriages will save their souls while blissfully unaware that they’re emotionally and psychologically adrift.
Fantômas, a series of five films by Louis Feuillade released in 1913 and 1914, follows the eponymous criminal as he steals, seduces and murders his way through Paris. Based on a popular pulp novel series of the same name…
Thanks to some surgery-induced downtime, I had a chance to catch up on quite a few films from the They Shoot Pictures, Don’t They top 1000 films list.
Darling Lili is a beautiful film, with some fine aerial shots during the battle scenes, some truly fantastic costuming, plus gorgeous sets and lighting.
To modern eyes, Hustle tries way too hard to be edgy, though it’s all in the service of creating a gritty take on films noir and early police dramas.
Phase IV is a slow, moody kind of film, with a decidedly trippy early 70s aesthetic and a synth music score that anticipates the indie horror trend just around the corner.
The best moments of The Deadly Bees (1966), the confused and tepid British horror flick, come when Ralph and Mary hurl barbs at each other a la Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, only with less booze and fewer swears.
Murder, My Sweet is frequently considered to be second-tier film noir (when it’s not being forgotten entirely), and that’s a shame, as it’s a fine example of the film noir cycle. Influential and entertaining, this psychological thriller is a must-see for classic film fans.
Prick Up Your Ears does well in the details, especially when it comes to the collage that Halliwell covers their tiny apartment walls with, but the film also tends to skim the surface of lives that were fascinating and complicated…
She Blogged By Night celebrates its 8th anniversary today, something that is alternately awesome and horrifying. Thank you to those who have stuck around this long!
