Somehow this one slipped by me. Originally released in 1995, Gary Walkow’s indie production of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novella was released on DVD in 2004 but I only recently came across it through a screener, courtesy of Olive Films. Anchored by a riveting performance by Henry Czerny as Underground Man, this is not only an inspired [...]

Hammer Studios, home to vampires, werewolves, mummies, Quatermass Xperiments….and child molesters? In 1959, the British film production company (originally founded in 1934), ventured into decidedly new territory from their usual formulaic mix of horror films, suspense thrillers and costume adventures. NEVER TAKE CANDY FROM A STRANGER (known as Never Take Sweets from a Stranger in [...]

Occasionally a movie comes along that defies easy categorization and doesn’t cater to audience expectations of any kind. And when the director’s intentions and directorial choices are also never made obvious or explicit, it can result in a baffling but memorable viewing experience. Welcome to Serge Bozon’s LA FRANCE (2007), which has been widely praised [...]

Even hardcore fans of the “Man in Black” might not know that back in 1959 the bad boy of country-western music decided to dabble in motion pictures and made his film debut in a low-budget wonder entitled FIVE MINUTES TO LIVE (aka DOOR TO DOOR MANIAC). TCM Underground will unveil this rarely seen “gem” on [...]

Last week I made note of some of the more conspicuous Best Actor Oscar omissions – Lew Ayres for ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930), Charlie Chaplin for CITY LIGHTS (1931), Joseph Cotten for SHADOW OF A DOUBT (1943) – while some of you brought up other favorite shutouts such as James Cagney for [...]

The Best Actor Academy Award. Like every other Oscar category, the idea that there can only be five nominees (or less in some years) is an absurd concept and it’s easy to understand why such actors as Marlon Brando and George C. Scott eventually refused to participate in what the latter called “a goddamn meat [...]

I rarely remember to do birthday blog tributes to favorite film personalities on their designated birth dates but February 13th is one of those days where I feel compelled to call out several people for the major and minor cinematic “moments in time” they have given me. Instead of an editorial tribute though I’d rather [...]

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. This is especially true at my office where people are always discarding CDs, DVDs, books and other collectibles they don’t want anymore. For most, it’s easier to just put stuff out in the hall for the gleaners instead of trying to sell it on eBay. That’s how I [...]

Krzysztof Kieslowski placed it on his Top Ten list for a Sight & Sound magazine poll. Dave Kehr, formerly of the Chicago Reader, called it “one of the finest works of the short-lived Czech New Wave.” The New York Times noted that INTIMATE LIGHTING (1965) was one of those movies that “loses none of its [...]