Depending on your taste, the idea of Nicolas Cage playing himself either sounds like a self-indulgent disaster or the most fun you’ve had at a movie in years. Fortunately, even the most Cage-ambivalent will have to admit “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is solidly the latter. The meta-comedy sees the fictional movie star Nic Cage working with the CIA to solve a political kidnapping by the Spanish mafia, all while having a cinephile bromance with a mega-fan played by Pedro Pascal. Though movie references and Cage quotes abound, there’s something for everyone in “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.” It’s .
Directed by Tom Gormican from a script he wrote with Kevin Etten, the zippy meta-comedy plays like a fan letter to Cage from someone who’s not only seen a lot of movies, but has good taste. Toggling between Hollywood insider comedy to spy thriller to bromance,...
Directed by Tom Gormican from a script he wrote with Kevin Etten, the zippy meta-comedy plays like a fan letter to Cage from someone who’s not only seen a lot of movies, but has good taste. Toggling between Hollywood insider comedy to spy thriller to bromance,...
- 3/13/2022
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
By Jacob Oller
Director Robert Wiene explores inner and outer self in one of the first horror films. hen we think of psychological horror, we may be thrust into the debate between “true horror” and “psychological thriller”. That distinction is rather arbitrary and dismantles a genre built upon the psychology of self. One of the first horror films, […]
The article Opening the Mind-Bending Cabinet of Dr. Caligari appeared first on Film School Rejects.
Director Robert Wiene explores inner and outer self in one of the first horror films. hen we think of psychological horror, we may be thrust into the debate between “true horror” and “psychological thriller”. That distinction is rather arbitrary and dismantles a genre built upon the psychology of self. One of the first horror films, […]
The article Opening the Mind-Bending Cabinet of Dr. Caligari appeared first on Film School Rejects.
- 11/29/2017
- by Jacob Oller
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
It’s a badge of honor for movies: Rotten Tomatoes’ 100-Percent Fresh rating. A movie that wins it needs to garner only positive reviews from the aggregate site, and that’s no easy thing to accomplish. Even some of the best movies in history don’t have a 100-percent rating. Here are 17 that do, with a few that might be unexpected. “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920) A silent, creepy German horror film, “Dr. Caligari” is full of strange expressionist imagery. The story of a hypnotist who uses his gift to force a man to commit murders is considered a classic.
- 11/28/2017
- by Phil Hornshaw
- The Wrap
It’s a badge of honor for movies: Rotten Tomatoes’ 100-Percent Fresh rating. A movie that wins it needs to garner only positive reviews from the aggregate site, and that’s no easy thing to accomplish. Even some of the best movies in history don’t have a 100-percent rating. Here are 17 that do, with a few that might be unexpected. “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920) A silent, creepy German horror film, “Dr. Caligari” is full of strange expressionist imagery. The story of a hypnotist who uses his gift to force a man to commit murders is considered a classic.
- 2/28/2017
- by Phil Hornshaw
- The Wrap
A year ago it was announced that The Witch director Robert Eggers would be directing a remake of the classic 1922 vampire film Nosferatu. I'd normally be upset about this kind of remake news, but I was so impressed by what Eggers did with The Witch that I think he could actually direct an incredible Nosferatu film.
When the project was first announced it was described as "a visceral adaptation of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent film masterpiece that brings the horrific vampire of Eastern European folklore back to the screen." We now have some additional details on the film from Eggers.
In a recent interview with IndieWire, the director talked about how when he first saw a picture of actor Max Schreck as Count Orlok in a book in his elementary school he lost his mind. He made his mom drive him to the mall to buy him a VHS copy of the film.
When the project was first announced it was described as "a visceral adaptation of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent film masterpiece that brings the horrific vampire of Eastern European folklore back to the screen." We now have some additional details on the film from Eggers.
In a recent interview with IndieWire, the director talked about how when he first saw a picture of actor Max Schreck as Count Orlok in a book in his elementary school he lost his mind. He made his mom drive him to the mall to buy him a VHS copy of the film.
- 11/15/2016
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Sometimes in life, you just win. The stars align, your hard work pays off, and suddenly you're face-to-face with a dream come true. That's how Robert Eggers seems to feel about his next project, a remake of Nosferatu. The Witch director took some time to chat with Indie Wire recently, where he gushed about how his next movie came together.
"[It’s shocking] to me,” Eggers told Iw. “It feels ugly and blasphemous and egomaniacal and disgusting for a filmmaker in my place to do ‘Nosferatu’ next. I was really planning on waiting a while, but that’s how fate shook out."
The Witch reportedly cost a mere $3 million to make, and ended up making $40.4 million worldwide while also notching a stellar 91% on Rotten Tomatoes- a rare feat for horror films. So when you have a film that sees that kind of success, great opportunities are bound to land on your lap.
"I...
"[It’s shocking] to me,” Eggers told Iw. “It feels ugly and blasphemous and egomaniacal and disgusting for a filmmaker in my place to do ‘Nosferatu’ next. I was really planning on waiting a while, but that’s how fate shook out."
The Witch reportedly cost a mere $3 million to make, and ended up making $40.4 million worldwide while also notching a stellar 91% on Rotten Tomatoes- a rare feat for horror films. So when you have a film that sees that kind of success, great opportunities are bound to land on your lap.
"I...
- 11/14/2016
- by Mario-Francisco Robles
- LRMonline.com
Robert Eggers, the writer/director behind the indie horror hit “The Witch,” confirmed with IndieWire that his next film will be the remake of “Nosferatu” for former Warner Bros. President Jeff Robinov’s Studio 8. While a guest on IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast, Eggers said he never intended for his next film to be a remake of the 1922 iconic horror classic by the legendary German director F. W. Murnau.
Read More: Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast: Paul Verhoeven Refuses to Let Himself Be Censored By Critics (Episode 12)
“[It’s shocking] to me,” said Eggers. “It feels ugly and blasphemous and egomaniacal and disgusting for a filmmaker in my place to do ‘Nosferatu’ next. I was really planning on waiting a while, but that’s how fate shook out.”
Eggers’ history with the vampire story of Count Orlok, played by Max Schreck, goes back a long way. Growing up, he was hooked on classic horror...
Read More: Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast: Paul Verhoeven Refuses to Let Himself Be Censored By Critics (Episode 12)
“[It’s shocking] to me,” said Eggers. “It feels ugly and blasphemous and egomaniacal and disgusting for a filmmaker in my place to do ‘Nosferatu’ next. I was really planning on waiting a while, but that’s how fate shook out.”
Eggers’ history with the vampire story of Count Orlok, played by Max Schreck, goes back a long way. Growing up, he was hooked on classic horror...
- 11/11/2016
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
“We’ll remember you forever, Eddie / Through the sacrifice you made / We can’t believe the price you paid / For love”
After a brief, eerie opening voiceover from Rod Serling, Brian De Palma’s biting 1974 Phantom of the Paradise opens with these lyrics from The Juicy Fruits — a literally named bubblegum nostalgia pop outfit — that combine the easily digestible with the macabre. The song’s musician subject exploits the American cult of celebrity, becoming an overnight sensation by strategically committing suicide for chart success. This mesh of exploitation and idealism peaks as ghoulish producer Swan (Paul Williams) and aspiring singer Winslow Leach (William Finley) do Faustian battle over the fate of music and their souls. In De Palma’s first big-budget film — relatively: it was twice the cost of 1973’s Sisters — the money went to making the biggest, flashiest middle finger to creative industry you could ask for while cementing his meta-fascination with death.
After a brief, eerie opening voiceover from Rod Serling, Brian De Palma’s biting 1974 Phantom of the Paradise opens with these lyrics from The Juicy Fruits — a literally named bubblegum nostalgia pop outfit — that combine the easily digestible with the macabre. The song’s musician subject exploits the American cult of celebrity, becoming an overnight sensation by strategically committing suicide for chart success. This mesh of exploitation and idealism peaks as ghoulish producer Swan (Paul Williams) and aspiring singer Winslow Leach (William Finley) do Faustian battle over the fate of music and their souls. In De Palma’s first big-budget film — relatively: it was twice the cost of 1973’s Sisters — the money went to making the biggest, flashiest middle finger to creative industry you could ask for while cementing his meta-fascination with death.
- 6/29/2016
- by Jacob Oller
- The Film Stage
Rushes collects news, articles, images, videos and more for a weekly roundup of essential items from the world of film.News"Once upon a time, two people met.A woman, a man… Their memory has almost been erased.All that’s left is a picture… torn, faded, almost gone.Cinema is not eternal but it does sometimes escape oblivion. And it is possible to restore a picture.And what will there be then between these two characters who perhaps stepped out of an English or Italian comedy or an Éric Rohmer film?When you see a poster like this, your imagination fills in the blanks, just like it does at the movies."—Édouard Waintrop, Artistic Director of the Directors’ Fortnight, about its 2016 posterSpeaking of Cannes, the festival has revealed its Opening Night Film, Woody Allen's Café Society, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, and shot by the great Vittorio Storaro.
- 3/30/2016
- by Notebook
- MUBI
Long before he wrote the wild, dramatic score for Batman and the twisted song cycle that runs through the beloved Nightmare Before Christmas, Danny Elfman's original claim to cinematic fame was far quirkier than anything he'd ever dream up for Tim Burton: He portrayed Satan, dressed in a long-tail white tux, conducting an orchestra of goblins in a run-through of every "hidey-hidey-hidey-ho" in Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher." The episode, in the campy 1980 cult hit Forbidden Zone, found the redheaded composer wiggling, shimmying and writhing as he...
- 11/6/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Magnolia Pictures
By Sam Moffitt
If you were asked to participate in a behavioral science study, and got paid for it, and the study involved torturing and possibly killing another human being, would you see the study through to its end? Would you continue to administer electric shocks to a complete stranger, a person who has already said they have a heart condition?
Now, you cannot see the other person, as you administer the electric shocks from another room, but you can hear them beg for mercy, hear them ask to stop the experiment, and then finally grow silent, possibly unconscious or maybe even dead.
Would you continue the experiment? Especially if there were an ”authority figure” wearing a gray lab coat who insisted that you had to continue the experiment, no matter what. Especially that you had to continue even if you thought you were killing the other test subject,...
By Sam Moffitt
If you were asked to participate in a behavioral science study, and got paid for it, and the study involved torturing and possibly killing another human being, would you see the study through to its end? Would you continue to administer electric shocks to a complete stranger, a person who has already said they have a heart condition?
Now, you cannot see the other person, as you administer the electric shocks from another room, but you can hear them beg for mercy, hear them ask to stop the experiment, and then finally grow silent, possibly unconscious or maybe even dead.
Would you continue the experiment? Especially if there were an ”authority figure” wearing a gray lab coat who insisted that you had to continue the experiment, no matter what. Especially that you had to continue even if you thought you were killing the other test subject,...
- 11/3/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
It’s the most uncomfortable type of horror scene, but if done correctly, can pack a gut punch. The violation scene is the moment when the character’s vulnerability is betrayed and our empathy immerses us deeper into their dreadful ordeal. The young child possessed by an evil spirit. The unlucky bystander assaulted in a tunnel. The crazed woman submitting to a creature of non human origin. The violation scene can be emotional or it can be exploitative, but it’s almost always guaranteed to get us talking.
*****
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919)- Cesare abducting Jane
Even though it was one of the originators of German Expressionist film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is often regarded as the pinnacle for the movement. Two of the movement’s basic tenets were distorted lines and shapes and overly theatrical movements from the actors, and both are well on display in this creepy scene.
*****
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919)- Cesare abducting Jane
Even though it was one of the originators of German Expressionist film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is often regarded as the pinnacle for the movement. Two of the movement’s basic tenets were distorted lines and shapes and overly theatrical movements from the actors, and both are well on display in this creepy scene.
- 10/2/2015
- by Staff
- SoundOnSight
For the third week of July, genre fans have quite a few Blu-ray and DVD titles to look forward to as we’ve got a great selection of horror and sci-fi films making their home entertainment bow on the 21st. Kino Lorber is keeping themselves busy this Tuesday with a pair of cult classics—Black Sabbath and Madhouse—that are getting an HD overhaul and the fine folks over at Scream Factory are releasing Tibor Takács' I, Madman on Blu as well. The critically-acclaimed horror comedy What We Do in the Shadows also arrives on both formats this week and for those of you kids at heart out there, Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery, is also coming home on DVD and Blu-ray.
What We Do in the Shadows (Paramount, Blu-ray & DVD)
Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav are vampires who are finding that modern life has them struggling with the mundane—like paying rent,...
What We Do in the Shadows (Paramount, Blu-ray & DVD)
Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav are vampires who are finding that modern life has them struggling with the mundane—like paying rent,...
- 7/21/2015
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
After bringing demons onscreen in The Gate, Tibor Takács directed I, Madman, featuring a killer straight out of a horror novel. Scream Factory's releasing I, Madman to Blu-ray on July 21st, and we have a look at the cover art and list of special features:
Press Release -- "After a spine-tingling paperback catches the imagination of bookstore clerk Virginia, she seeks out the author's second book, I, Madman. But once she opens the cover, its eerie tale of obsessive love comes to life, catapulting a disfigured, scalpel-wielding killer from the world of fiction onto the streets of Hollywood with one demented goal: to win Virginia's love, one murder at a time! Directed cult filmmaker Tibor Takacs (The Gate), I, Madman stars Jenny Wright (Near Dark, The Lawnmower Man), Clayton Rohner (April Fool’s Day, The Human Centipede III) and three-time Academy Award® winner Randall William Cook (Dr. Caligari) as the mysterious and frightening Malcolm Brand.
Press Release -- "After a spine-tingling paperback catches the imagination of bookstore clerk Virginia, she seeks out the author's second book, I, Madman. But once she opens the cover, its eerie tale of obsessive love comes to life, catapulting a disfigured, scalpel-wielding killer from the world of fiction onto the streets of Hollywood with one demented goal: to win Virginia's love, one murder at a time! Directed cult filmmaker Tibor Takacs (The Gate), I, Madman stars Jenny Wright (Near Dark, The Lawnmower Man), Clayton Rohner (April Fool’s Day, The Human Centipede III) and three-time Academy Award® winner Randall William Cook (Dr. Caligari) as the mysterious and frightening Malcolm Brand.
- 5/20/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Kino Classics refurbishes Robert Weine’s 1920 landmark title The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, the film that marked the birth of German Expressionism as well as the flagship of the horror film genre. Tempered by bookends meant to diminish interpretations of parallelism between insanity and authority, its stark, jagged angles and ingenious uses of shadows predates the dark beauty of film noir, featuring fantastic set designs that still rival the ability of contemporary film. Eerie, carnivalesque, and as arresting as ever, it’s a title worthy of this remastered revisit.
The story of Caligari, developed by Carl Mayer (responsible for Murnau’s Sunrise and The Last Laugh) and Hans Janowitz, is incredibly simple. Basically, the eponymous doctor happens to have control of a sleepwalker that does nefarious deeds for his master, namely murdering inhabitants of the small hamlet late at night. There is a slight twist to the proceedings, though it...
The story of Caligari, developed by Carl Mayer (responsible for Murnau’s Sunrise and The Last Laugh) and Hans Janowitz, is incredibly simple. Basically, the eponymous doctor happens to have control of a sleepwalker that does nefarious deeds for his master, namely murdering inhabitants of the small hamlet late at night. There is a slight twist to the proceedings, though it...
- 11/25/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Directed by Robert Wiene
Written by Carl Mayer and Hans Janowitz
Germany, 1920
In the period of Germany’s Weimar Republic, a unique and volatile pre- and post-war era within a window of less than 20 years, the German people were experiencing a torrent of new ideological, social, and political shifts. What was once traditional and normal was giving way to the modern and unusual. What was typically viewed as quintessentially German was now being inundated by outside influences, by strange and foreign people and their imported cultural baggage. Whether or not these elements were as directly and obviously portrayed in movies as some like Siegfreid Kracauer and Lotte Eisner would argue (quite convincingly in many ways), there can be little doubt that film was influenced to one degree or another by this state of the German populous. The times were surely changing, and in no film...
Directed by Robert Wiene
Written by Carl Mayer and Hans Janowitz
Germany, 1920
In the period of Germany’s Weimar Republic, a unique and volatile pre- and post-war era within a window of less than 20 years, the German people were experiencing a torrent of new ideological, social, and political shifts. What was once traditional and normal was giving way to the modern and unusual. What was typically viewed as quintessentially German was now being inundated by outside influences, by strange and foreign people and their imported cultural baggage. Whether or not these elements were as directly and obviously portrayed in movies as some like Siegfreid Kracauer and Lotte Eisner would argue (quite convincingly in many ways), there can be little doubt that film was influenced to one degree or another by this state of the German populous. The times were surely changing, and in no film...
- 11/22/2014
- by Jeremy Carr
- SoundOnSight
A bunch of new releases are coming out this week including some very sought after titles. Here are the new releases for November 18th, 2014.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. United States. Kino Video. 1920.
Francis recalls in his memory the horrible experiences he and his fiancée Jane recently went through. Francis and his friend Alan visit The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, an exhibit where the mysterious doctor shows the somnambulist Cesare, and awakens him for some moments from his death-like sleep. When Alan asks Cesare about his future, Cesare answers that he will die before dawn. The next morning Alan is found dead. Francis suspects Cesare of being the murderer, and starts spying on him and Dr. Caligari. The following night Cesare is going to stab Jane in her bed, but softens when he sees the beautiful woman, and instead of committing another murder, he abducts her. Francis pursues the fleeing Dr. Caligari,...
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. United States. Kino Video. 1920.
Francis recalls in his memory the horrible experiences he and his fiancée Jane recently went through. Francis and his friend Alan visit The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, an exhibit where the mysterious doctor shows the somnambulist Cesare, and awakens him for some moments from his death-like sleep. When Alan asks Cesare about his future, Cesare answers that he will die before dawn. The next morning Alan is found dead. Francis suspects Cesare of being the murderer, and starts spying on him and Dr. Caligari. The following night Cesare is going to stab Jane in her bed, but softens when he sees the beautiful woman, and instead of committing another murder, he abducts her. Francis pursues the fleeing Dr. Caligari,...
- 11/19/2014
- by Sarah Skidmore
- Destroy the Brain
It Happened One Night (Criterion Collection) Blu-ray It's a busy week for new releases of 2014 movies, but I have to start with the one new release this week I hope all of you at least give a brief moment of your time. I've watched Criterion's new Blu-ray release of It Happened One Night and gone through half of the special features and it's a great release, well worth your money and with Barnes & Noble having their half-price event right now you can save $8 compared to the Amazon price, just click here.
22 Jump Street For whatever reason I thought this had already been released, but I guess not. Nevertheless, here's the sequel to 21 Jump Street, a movie that's filled with jokes about how it's a sequel to 21 Jump Street. Go ahead, buy it, I'm sure those jokes will never get old.
The Dark Half I already reviewed this Blu-ray (read that...
22 Jump Street For whatever reason I thought this had already been released, but I guess not. Nevertheless, here's the sequel to 21 Jump Street, a movie that's filled with jokes about how it's a sequel to 21 Jump Street. Go ahead, buy it, I'm sure those jokes will never get old.
The Dark Half I already reviewed this Blu-ray (read that...
- 11/18/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The Festival of German Films in China is showing cinema from Germany this year for the second time. 16 internationally successful and award-winning films will be presented to the public and industry in the four Chinese cities of Peking, Chengdu , Shenzhen and Hangzhou in this important film market. Director Doris Dörrie is the event's patron, actor Florian Stetter and director Georg Maas will also be guests. German Films is organising the Festival of German Films in China together with the Goethe-Institut.
The festival will be opened on 14 November 2014 in Peking with a gala and the screening of "Stations of the Cross" (Ufa Fiction, cine plus Filmproduktion) in the presence of the lead actor Florian Stetter and the patron Doris Dörrie at the Broadway Cinema. The film by Dietrich Brüggemann will also open the festival in Hangzhou . "Suck Me Shakespeer" by Bora Dagtekin (Ratpack Filmproduktion, Constantin Film Produktion) will be the opening film in Chengdu and Shenzhen.
Doris Dörrie will be honored in Peking with a retrospective which will open on 15 November 2014 with "Bliss." The film-maker will then travel to Shenzhen to participate in a workshop discussion with the Chinese documentary film-makers Andrew Lone and Zhao Dayo.
Director Georg Maas will be presenting his film "Two Lives" (De/No, Zinnober Film, B&T Film), last year's German Oscar® candidate, in Chengdu , Shenzhen and Hangzhou as well as Peking .
Apart from new German productions, the Peking program will also include a newly restored version of the silent film classic
"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" by Robert Wiene with musical accompaniment by the Aljoscha Zimmermann ensemble. An accompanying program at the film archive in Peking aims to promote an exchange of views and experiences between Chinese and German film-makers.Christiane von Wahlert, the managing director of Spio, will speak here with Chinese industry representatives about the age rating for feature films, and Stefan Drößler, the director of Munich 's Film Museum , will talk about the digital restoration of films.
All of the films in the program of the Festival of German Films in China :
Peking (14 – 20 November 2014 ) Broadway Cinema:
"Stations of the Cross" (Kreuzweg) by Dietrich Brüggemann (Ufa Fiction, cine plus Filmproduktion) (opening film)
"Home from Home" (Die Andere Heimat) by Edgar Reitz (De/Fr, Edgar Reitz Filmproduktion)
"Suck Me Shakespeer" (Fack Ju Gohte) von Bora Dagtekin (Rat Pack Filmproduktion, Constantin Film Produktion)
"The Woman Who Dares" (Die Frau Die Sich Traut) by Marc Rensing (Zum Goldenen Lamm Filmproduktion)
"Hanna's Journey" (Hannas Reise) by Julia von Heinz (2 Pilots Filmproduction, Kings&Queens Filmproduktion)
"Master of the Universe" by Marc Bauder (De/At, bauderfilm)
"Broken Glass Park" (Scherbenpark) by Bettina Blümner (Eyeworks Film Gemini)
"Two Lives" (Zwei Leben) by Georg Maas (De/No, Zinnober Film, B&T Film)
"Inbetween Worlds" (Zwischen Welten) by Feo Aladag (Independent Artists Filmproduktion, Geißendorfer Film- und Fernsehproduktion)
German School - Peking : Doris Dörrie retrospective:
"The Whole Shebang" (Alles Inklusive) by Doris Dörrie (Olga Film)
"The Hairdresser" (Die Friseuse) by Doris Dörrie (Collina Filmproduktion)
"Bliss" (Gluck) by Doris Dörrie (Constantin Film Produktion, Rainer Curdt Filmproduktion)
"Cherry Blossoms" (Kirschbluten- Hanami) by Doris Dörrie (Olga Film)
German Embassy:
"Beloved Sisters" (Die Geliebten Schwestern) by Dominik Graf (De/At, Bavariafilmverleih- und Produktion, Senator Film, Kiddinx Filmproduktion)
"West" (Westen) by Christian Schwochow (zero one film, Terz Film, öFilm, Senator Film)
Peking Film Archive:
"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" ( Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari) by Robert Wiene (Decla-Film)
-Chengdu (November 16 – 23, 2014) / Shenzhen (November 18 – 25, 2014):
"Suck Me Shakespeer" (Fack Ju Gohte, opening film) von Bora Dagtekin (Rat Pack Filmproduktion, Constantin Film Produktion)
"Home from Home" (Die Andere Heimat) by Edgar Reitz (De/Fr, Edgar Reitz Filmproduktion)
"The Woman Who Dares" (Die Frau Die Sich Traut) by Marc Rensing (Zum Goldenen Lamm Filmproduktion)
"Hanna's Journey" (Hannas Reise) by Julia von Heinz (2 Pilots Filmproduction, Kings&Queens Filmproduktion)
"Master of the Universe" by Marc Bauder (De/At, bauderfilm)
"Two Lives" (Zwei Leben) by Georg Maas (De/No, Zinnober Film, B&T Film)
"Inbetween Worlds" (Zwischen Welten)) by Feo Aladag (Independent Artists Filmproduktion, Geißendorfer Film- und Fernsehproduktion)
-Hangzhou (20. – 29. November 2014 ):
"Stations of the Cross" by Dietrich Brüggemann (Ufa Fiction, cine plus Filmproduktion) (opening film)
"Home from Home" (Die Andere Heimat) by Edgar Reitz (De/Fr, Edgar Reitz Filmproduktion)
"Suck Me Shakespeer" (Fack Ju Gohte) by Bora Dagtekin (Rat Pack Filmproduktion, Constantin Film Produktion)
"The Woman Who Dares" (Die Frau Die Sich Traut) by Marc Rensing (Zum Goldenen Lamm Filmproduktion)
"Hanna's Journey" (Hannas Reise) by Julia von Heinz (2 Pilots Filmproduction, Kings&Queens Filmproduktion)
"Master of the Universe" by Marc Bauder (De/At, bauderfilm)
"Two Lives" (Zwei Leben) by Georg Maas (De/No, Zinnober Film, B&T Film)
"Inbetween Worlds" (Zwischen Welten) by Feo Aladag (Independent Artists Filmproduktion, Geißendorfer Film- und Fernsehproduktion)
Further information about the festival can be found at www.festivalofgermancinema.com and in the festival brochure .
The Festival of German Films in China is supported by the German Embassy in Peking .
Sponsors of German Films and the Goethe Institut at the festival are: Audi, Kempinski Hotels, Lufthansa Center and Arri
The festival's partners are: The Art Gallery of Sichuan University, Beijing Film Academy , China Film Archive, Bookworm, the German Embassy School , EU Film Festival, Labor Berlin, Oca, Ucat and the Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Foundation
Media partners: MTime, Movie and Ent Qq
Cinema partners: Palace, Moma, Broadway and IMAX
China is a promising film market with an enormous potential for growth. German Films has been active in the Middle Kingdom for 11 years and is represented there in all affairs by Anke Redl. Apart from the Focus Germany at the Shanghai International Film Festival, German Films also regularly supports the presence of German films at the Shanghai TV Festival.
Further information about China 's film market in the German Films market study.
On German Films:
German Films Service + Marketing is the national information and advisory center for the international distribution of German films. The aim of German Films' activities is to raise the level of awareness for German cinema abroad via information services, lobbying, PR and marketing measures and to make it visible in the international media arena.
Website: www.german-films.de
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/German-Films
Twitter: https://twitter.com/German_Films
Instagram: http://instagram.com/germanfilms...
The festival will be opened on 14 November 2014 in Peking with a gala and the screening of "Stations of the Cross" (Ufa Fiction, cine plus Filmproduktion) in the presence of the lead actor Florian Stetter and the patron Doris Dörrie at the Broadway Cinema. The film by Dietrich Brüggemann will also open the festival in Hangzhou . "Suck Me Shakespeer" by Bora Dagtekin (Ratpack Filmproduktion, Constantin Film Produktion) will be the opening film in Chengdu and Shenzhen.
Doris Dörrie will be honored in Peking with a retrospective which will open on 15 November 2014 with "Bliss." The film-maker will then travel to Shenzhen to participate in a workshop discussion with the Chinese documentary film-makers Andrew Lone and Zhao Dayo.
Director Georg Maas will be presenting his film "Two Lives" (De/No, Zinnober Film, B&T Film), last year's German Oscar® candidate, in Chengdu , Shenzhen and Hangzhou as well as Peking .
Apart from new German productions, the Peking program will also include a newly restored version of the silent film classic
"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" by Robert Wiene with musical accompaniment by the Aljoscha Zimmermann ensemble. An accompanying program at the film archive in Peking aims to promote an exchange of views and experiences between Chinese and German film-makers.Christiane von Wahlert, the managing director of Spio, will speak here with Chinese industry representatives about the age rating for feature films, and Stefan Drößler, the director of Munich 's Film Museum , will talk about the digital restoration of films.
All of the films in the program of the Festival of German Films in China :
Peking (14 – 20 November 2014 ) Broadway Cinema:
"Stations of the Cross" (Kreuzweg) by Dietrich Brüggemann (Ufa Fiction, cine plus Filmproduktion) (opening film)
"Home from Home" (Die Andere Heimat) by Edgar Reitz (De/Fr, Edgar Reitz Filmproduktion)
"Suck Me Shakespeer" (Fack Ju Gohte) von Bora Dagtekin (Rat Pack Filmproduktion, Constantin Film Produktion)
"The Woman Who Dares" (Die Frau Die Sich Traut) by Marc Rensing (Zum Goldenen Lamm Filmproduktion)
"Hanna's Journey" (Hannas Reise) by Julia von Heinz (2 Pilots Filmproduction, Kings&Queens Filmproduktion)
"Master of the Universe" by Marc Bauder (De/At, bauderfilm)
"Broken Glass Park" (Scherbenpark) by Bettina Blümner (Eyeworks Film Gemini)
"Two Lives" (Zwei Leben) by Georg Maas (De/No, Zinnober Film, B&T Film)
"Inbetween Worlds" (Zwischen Welten) by Feo Aladag (Independent Artists Filmproduktion, Geißendorfer Film- und Fernsehproduktion)
German School - Peking : Doris Dörrie retrospective:
"The Whole Shebang" (Alles Inklusive) by Doris Dörrie (Olga Film)
"The Hairdresser" (Die Friseuse) by Doris Dörrie (Collina Filmproduktion)
"Bliss" (Gluck) by Doris Dörrie (Constantin Film Produktion, Rainer Curdt Filmproduktion)
"Cherry Blossoms" (Kirschbluten- Hanami) by Doris Dörrie (Olga Film)
German Embassy:
"Beloved Sisters" (Die Geliebten Schwestern) by Dominik Graf (De/At, Bavariafilmverleih- und Produktion, Senator Film, Kiddinx Filmproduktion)
"West" (Westen) by Christian Schwochow (zero one film, Terz Film, öFilm, Senator Film)
Peking Film Archive:
"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" ( Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari) by Robert Wiene (Decla-Film)
-Chengdu (November 16 – 23, 2014) / Shenzhen (November 18 – 25, 2014):
"Suck Me Shakespeer" (Fack Ju Gohte, opening film) von Bora Dagtekin (Rat Pack Filmproduktion, Constantin Film Produktion)
"Home from Home" (Die Andere Heimat) by Edgar Reitz (De/Fr, Edgar Reitz Filmproduktion)
"The Woman Who Dares" (Die Frau Die Sich Traut) by Marc Rensing (Zum Goldenen Lamm Filmproduktion)
"Hanna's Journey" (Hannas Reise) by Julia von Heinz (2 Pilots Filmproduction, Kings&Queens Filmproduktion)
"Master of the Universe" by Marc Bauder (De/At, bauderfilm)
"Two Lives" (Zwei Leben) by Georg Maas (De/No, Zinnober Film, B&T Film)
"Inbetween Worlds" (Zwischen Welten)) by Feo Aladag (Independent Artists Filmproduktion, Geißendorfer Film- und Fernsehproduktion)
-Hangzhou (20. – 29. November 2014 ):
"Stations of the Cross" by Dietrich Brüggemann (Ufa Fiction, cine plus Filmproduktion) (opening film)
"Home from Home" (Die Andere Heimat) by Edgar Reitz (De/Fr, Edgar Reitz Filmproduktion)
"Suck Me Shakespeer" (Fack Ju Gohte) by Bora Dagtekin (Rat Pack Filmproduktion, Constantin Film Produktion)
"The Woman Who Dares" (Die Frau Die Sich Traut) by Marc Rensing (Zum Goldenen Lamm Filmproduktion)
"Hanna's Journey" (Hannas Reise) by Julia von Heinz (2 Pilots Filmproduction, Kings&Queens Filmproduktion)
"Master of the Universe" by Marc Bauder (De/At, bauderfilm)
"Two Lives" (Zwei Leben) by Georg Maas (De/No, Zinnober Film, B&T Film)
"Inbetween Worlds" (Zwischen Welten) by Feo Aladag (Independent Artists Filmproduktion, Geißendorfer Film- und Fernsehproduktion)
Further information about the festival can be found at www.festivalofgermancinema.com and in the festival brochure .
The Festival of German Films in China is supported by the German Embassy in Peking .
Sponsors of German Films and the Goethe Institut at the festival are: Audi, Kempinski Hotels, Lufthansa Center and Arri
The festival's partners are: The Art Gallery of Sichuan University, Beijing Film Academy , China Film Archive, Bookworm, the German Embassy School , EU Film Festival, Labor Berlin, Oca, Ucat and the Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Foundation
Media partners: MTime, Movie and Ent Qq
Cinema partners: Palace, Moma, Broadway and IMAX
China is a promising film market with an enormous potential for growth. German Films has been active in the Middle Kingdom for 11 years and is represented there in all affairs by Anke Redl. Apart from the Focus Germany at the Shanghai International Film Festival, German Films also regularly supports the presence of German films at the Shanghai TV Festival.
Further information about China 's film market in the German Films market study.
On German Films:
German Films Service + Marketing is the national information and advisory center for the international distribution of German films. The aim of German Films' activities is to raise the level of awareness for German cinema abroad via information services, lobbying, PR and marketing measures and to make it visible in the international media arena.
Website: www.german-films.de
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/German-Films
Twitter: https://twitter.com/German_Films
Instagram: http://instagram.com/germanfilms...
- 11/16/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Top 100 horror movies of all time: Chicago Film Critics' choices (photo: Sigourney Weaver and Alien creature show us that life is less horrific if you don't hold grudges) See previous post: A look at the Chicago Film Critics Association's Scariest Movies Ever Made. Below is the list of the Chicago Film Critics's Top 100 Horror Movies of All Time, including their directors and key cast members. Note: this list was first published in October 2006. (See also: Fay Wray, Lee Patrick, and Mary Philbin among the "Top Ten Scream Queens.") 1. Psycho (1960) Alfred Hitchcock; with Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam. 2. The Exorcist (1973) William Friedkin; with Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Jason Miller, Max von Sydow (and the voice of Mercedes McCambridge). 3. Halloween (1978) John Carpenter; with Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Tony Moran. 4. Alien (1979) Ridley Scott; with Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt. 5. Night of the Living Dead (1968) George A. Romero; with Marilyn Eastman,...
- 10/31/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
With so many films released on the run up to Halloween it’s been hard to keep up with reviews, so we’re going to play catch-up with another review round-up looking at some recent releases in brief. This time round we have reviews of Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari, Saints & Soldiers: The Void, The Island of Doctor Moreau, and The Pigman Murders.
Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari
Stars: Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Feher, Lil Dagover, Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, Rudolf Lettinger | Directed by Robert Weine
Synopsis: At a local carnival in a small German town, hypnotist Dr. Caligari presents the somnambulist Cesare, who can purportedly predict the future of curious fairgoers. But at night, the doctor wakes Cesare from his sleep to enact his evil bidding…
My thoughts: Along with Last Year in Marienbad and The 400 Blows, Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari was one of those “important” films that I,...
Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari
Stars: Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Feher, Lil Dagover, Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, Rudolf Lettinger | Directed by Robert Weine
Synopsis: At a local carnival in a small German town, hypnotist Dr. Caligari presents the somnambulist Cesare, who can purportedly predict the future of curious fairgoers. But at night, the doctor wakes Cesare from his sleep to enact his evil bidding…
My thoughts: Along with Last Year in Marienbad and The 400 Blows, Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari was one of those “important” films that I,...
- 10/18/2014
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Fandor, the leading curated subscription streaming service for film enthusiasts, will debut Kino Lorber’s new 4K restoration of Robert Wiene’s classic horror thriller The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari exclusively on the site beginning Halloween.
In addition, the restored film will have a limited theatrical run in select cities also commencing on October 31st through Kino Lorber.
The restoration was overseen by the Murnau Foundation and is a co-production of Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung and Zdf in collaboration with Arte., with mastering by L’immagine Ritrovata, Cineteca di Bologna in Italy.
The post 4K Restoration of Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Heads to Fandor appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.
In addition, the restored film will have a limited theatrical run in select cities also commencing on October 31st through Kino Lorber.
The restoration was overseen by the Murnau Foundation and is a co-production of Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung and Zdf in collaboration with Arte., with mastering by L’immagine Ritrovata, Cineteca di Bologna in Italy.
The post 4K Restoration of Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Heads to Fandor appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.
- 10/6/2014
- by Ryan Turek
- shocktillyoudrop.com
★★★★★To speak of cinema without The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) would be to speak of filmmaking without Thomas Edison's invention of the light bulb. Today's dramas, horrors, noirs and thrillers have undoubtedly supplied from the infinite mastery of Robert Wiene's staple showpiece. Approaching one hundred years since its inception, this work of art debunks its historic sell-by-date. Its recent digital restoration is a testament to its inability to age. Many regard Wiene's feat as boasting the beginnings of the horror genre and the introduction of the twist ending. What is undeniable is that the classic Cabinet of Dr. Caligari perfectly captures German Expressionism in its most tentative and visionary mode.
- 9/29/2014
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
The late, great film critic Roger Ebert once wrote that The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari could very well be “the first true horror film.” Us audiences will soon be able to experience the sinister actions of hypnotist Dr. Caligari and the sleepwalking Cesare in a 4k transfer of the legendary 1920 silent film that’s hitting shelves in November, and we have a look at the Blu-ray cover art and special features.
From Kino Video, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Blu-ray will be available beginning November 18th. In February, the restored version of the film showed at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival, the same city it premiered in 94 years earlier.
The 4k transfer of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was recently re-released to select theaters in England and will come out on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK on September 29th. We have the synopsis, special features, and making-of restoration...
From Kino Video, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Blu-ray will be available beginning November 18th. In February, the restored version of the film showed at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival, the same city it premiered in 94 years earlier.
The 4k transfer of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was recently re-released to select theaters in England and will come out on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK on September 29th. We have the synopsis, special features, and making-of restoration...
- 9/13/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Moviefone's Top DVD of the Week
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier"
What's It About? Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America (Chris Evans) is still getting used to life in the 21st century, but before he gets too comfortable he's enlisted by S.H.I.E.L.D. to help stop another big bad. Captain American partners with Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) for a lot of action and awesomeness in their mission to stop the Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie co-stars as Falcon.
Why We're In: The "Avengers" series just keeps getting better and better. Plus, "Winter Soldier" gives us even more of Black Widow's bad-assery, proving once again that it's high time we get a stand-alone for this fantastic character.
Moviefone's Top Blu-ray of the Week
"The Great Race"
What's It About? Blake Edwards directs Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood in this slapstick comedy about a globe-trotting car race.
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier"
What's It About? Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America (Chris Evans) is still getting used to life in the 21st century, but before he gets too comfortable he's enlisted by S.H.I.E.L.D. to help stop another big bad. Captain American partners with Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) for a lot of action and awesomeness in their mission to stop the Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie co-stars as Falcon.
Why We're In: The "Avengers" series just keeps getting better and better. Plus, "Winter Soldier" gives us even more of Black Widow's bad-assery, proving once again that it's high time we get a stand-alone for this fantastic character.
Moviefone's Top Blu-ray of the Week
"The Great Race"
What's It About? Blake Edwards directs Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood in this slapstick comedy about a globe-trotting car race.
- 9/9/2014
- by Jenni Miller
- Moviefone
As the spindly figure of Cesare ambles along with a damsel in distress slung over his shoulder, hunted by the law on a pathway that defies all architectural sense, a few things are being born into the popular cinema vernacular. Not only do you realise that this is Expressionism functioning at its highest, but you get the feeling that every psychological thriller, gothic fable and crime noir is being formed in an early, embryonic state, over the course of a mere seventy-seven minutes.
Sitting on a bench, a man by the name of Francis relates a tale to an elderly companion. It’s a tale of woe, of murder, of foreboding horror; cutting back in time to the town of Holstenwall, an ominous new attraction rolls into the annual fair – with an even more ominous figure at the helm. Dr. Caligari presents Cesare the Somnambulist, a sleepwalking near-zombie who can...
Sitting on a bench, a man by the name of Francis relates a tale to an elderly companion. It’s a tale of woe, of murder, of foreboding horror; cutting back in time to the town of Holstenwall, an ominous new attraction rolls into the annual fair – with an even more ominous figure at the helm. Dr. Caligari presents Cesare the Somnambulist, a sleepwalking near-zombie who can...
- 8/29/2014
- by Gary Green
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The Giver
Written for the screen by Michael Mitnick and Robert B. Weide
Directed by Phillip Noyce
USA, 2014
The Giver doesn’t want people thinking too much about its heavier themes, so it answers any nagging questions with the Hollywood truism, “Love conquers all.” That’s fine… if the love story works. Sadly, this adaptation of Lois Lowry’s iconic novel focuses so much on the past that there’s no time to care about the present. Despite an interesting premise and some lovely visuals, a clunky script dooms The Giver to the ever-expanding list of tedious ‘young adult’ adaptations.
At its heart, The Giver is a story about the power of subjective memory. More specifically, how recollections from the past can influence our thoughts, emotions and actions in the future. Our young hero, Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), along with his best friends, Fiona (Odeya Rush) and Asher (Cameron Monaghan), live...
Written for the screen by Michael Mitnick and Robert B. Weide
Directed by Phillip Noyce
USA, 2014
The Giver doesn’t want people thinking too much about its heavier themes, so it answers any nagging questions with the Hollywood truism, “Love conquers all.” That’s fine… if the love story works. Sadly, this adaptation of Lois Lowry’s iconic novel focuses so much on the past that there’s no time to care about the present. Despite an interesting premise and some lovely visuals, a clunky script dooms The Giver to the ever-expanding list of tedious ‘young adult’ adaptations.
At its heart, The Giver is a story about the power of subjective memory. More specifically, how recollections from the past can influence our thoughts, emotions and actions in the future. Our young hero, Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), along with his best friends, Fiona (Odeya Rush) and Asher (Cameron Monaghan), live...
- 8/15/2014
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
Widely regarded as the world's first true horror film, Robert Wiene's 1920 classic Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari should need no large introduction. Rather, the good news is that thanks to Eureka! Entertainment in the UK, it's getting the full restoration and re-release royalty treatment later this year. Let's open this up and see what's inside, shall we?
Synopsis:
One of the most iconic masterpieces in cinema history, Robert Wiene's Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari shook filmgoers worldwide and changed the direction of the art form. Now presented in a definitive restoration, the film’s chilling, radically expressionist vision is set to grip viewers again.
At a local carnival in a small German town, hypnotist Dr. Caligari presents the somnambulist Cesare, who can purportedly predict the future of curious fairgoers. But at night the doctor wakes Cesare from his sleep to enact his evil bidding...
Incalculably influential, the film’s nightmarishly jagged sets,...
Synopsis:
One of the most iconic masterpieces in cinema history, Robert Wiene's Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari shook filmgoers worldwide and changed the direction of the art form. Now presented in a definitive restoration, the film’s chilling, radically expressionist vision is set to grip viewers again.
At a local carnival in a small German town, hypnotist Dr. Caligari presents the somnambulist Cesare, who can purportedly predict the future of curious fairgoers. But at night the doctor wakes Cesare from his sleep to enact his evil bidding...
Incalculably influential, the film’s nightmarishly jagged sets,...
- 6/9/2014
- by Gareth Jones
- DreadCentral.com
The late, great film critic Roger Ebert once wrote that The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari could very well be “the first true horror film.” Modern audiences will soon be able to experience the legendary 1920 silent film like never before, as Eureka! Entertainment has announced that the 4K restoration of the classic horror tale will play in select theaters in England before coming to Blu-ray and DVD in the UK this fall.
Also known as Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari, director Robert Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is being re-released in theaters and coming to Blu-ray and DVD as part of Eureka! Entertainment’s Masters of Cinema Series. The limited theatrical run will begin on August 29th at London’s BFI Southbank and other select cinemas throughout England. The UK Dual Format Blu-ray and DVD release will be available beginning on September 29th. Here are more details from Eureka!
Also known as Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari, director Robert Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is being re-released in theaters and coming to Blu-ray and DVD as part of Eureka! Entertainment’s Masters of Cinema Series. The limited theatrical run will begin on August 29th at London’s BFI Southbank and other select cinemas throughout England. The UK Dual Format Blu-ray and DVD release will be available beginning on September 29th. Here are more details from Eureka!
- 6/6/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Have you met Dr. Caligari? A trailer has debuted for the restored re-release of the 1920 German silent film classic The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, from filmmaker Robert Wiene. The film, with its jagged sets and "sinister atmospheric and psychological emphasis", has been restored to full 4K quality and is headed back to theaters again later this summer, almost 100 years after its initial release in 1920. It's only a teaser and it doesn't show much (then again, it doesn't need to!) but I'm still happy to feature it. If you are a fan of this film, then here's a reminder that it's being restored and re-released (on Amazon Instant already). If you've never heard of it before, well, now you have and maybe you can start a lesson in silent film with this. Enjoy! The re-release trailer for Robert Wiene's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, on YouTube (via The Film Stage...
- 6/5/2014
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Some images Nsfw:
Dr. Caligari had always been the stuff of legend for me. I had heard many discuss this odd little porn-ish film full of cranial craziness, but I had never been able to get my hands on a copy. I finally stumbled across this film at an aging video rental store in North Hollywood, California. Eddie Brandt’s Saturday Matinee may very well be one of the last great video rental stores in existence. Their shelves are always packed with endless obscure titles, and it’s rare that I journey to the shop and not leave with some strangely enthralling and possibly extinct monster of a horror gem. Dr. Caligari is one such find.
Back in 1982, porn director Stephen Sayadian tried to bridge porn into the mainstream film industry with a sci-fi infused flick called Café Flesh. Café Flesh (which is equally difficult to locate) was far too...
Dr. Caligari had always been the stuff of legend for me. I had heard many discuss this odd little porn-ish film full of cranial craziness, but I had never been able to get my hands on a copy. I finally stumbled across this film at an aging video rental store in North Hollywood, California. Eddie Brandt’s Saturday Matinee may very well be one of the last great video rental stores in existence. Their shelves are always packed with endless obscure titles, and it’s rare that I journey to the shop and not leave with some strangely enthralling and possibly extinct monster of a horror gem. Dr. Caligari is one such find.
Back in 1982, porn director Stephen Sayadian tried to bridge porn into the mainstream film industry with a sci-fi infused flick called Café Flesh. Café Flesh (which is equally difficult to locate) was far too...
- 3/5/2014
- by Rebekah McKendry
- FEARnet
Stephen Sayadian is just one of those 'Guys'. A born provocateur. A gregarious storyteller. A genre unto himself. He's been everywhere and met everyone. He may not be a household name, but name one in front of him and chances are he'll have a few stories about them.The genre he created, dominated and left behind could best be described, I suppose, as surrealist nightmare art-porn. But, funny. With Nightdreams, Cafe Flesh and Dr. Caligari, Sayadian lifts from experimental theatre (where he has also worked extensively), silent cinema and absurdist comedy to create X-rated films that are anything but erotic, hallucinations that stick with you long after the leads have pulled out. And after making three of the very strangest films I, or anyone else, has ever or...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 9/21/2013
- Screen Anarchy
Tiff’s Midnight Madness program turned 25 this year, and for two and half decades, the hardworking programers have gathered some of the strangest, most terrifying, wild, intriguing and downright entertaining films from around the world. From dark comedies to Japanese gore-fests and indie horror gems, the Midnight Madness program hasn’t lost its edge as one the leading showcases of genre cinema. In its 25-year history, Midnight Madness has introduced adventurous late-night moviegoers to such cult faves as Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused and Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. But what separates Midnight Madness from, say, Montreal’s three and half week long genre festival Fantasia, is that Tiff selects only ten films to make the cut. In other words, these programmers don’t mess around. Last week I decided that I would post reviews of my personal favourite films that screened in past years. And just like the Tiff programmers,...
- 9/18/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Crazy science is so embedded in movie-making that it’s been with us since the very conception of film with such classics as Frankenstein and Dr. Caligari. While the best stuff was almost exclusively from the time of black and white – the 1980s and beyond have seen their formidable share of folks with PhDs in crazy. See for yourself…a lot of mad doctorates have been handed out recently. 14. Doctor Finklestein in The Nightmare Before Christmas In the living world, Finklestein could very well be the most insane doctor of them all – however in a town focused on Halloween, the only strange thing about the guy is his unwillingness to sing along like all the other demonic song and dance folk inhabiting his neighborhood. Who knew that the stuff of our nightmares could carry a tune so well? 13. The Inventor in Edward Scissorhands Maybe it’s the tone, but a mad scientist always seems considerably less mad...
- 8/15/2013
- by David Christopher Bell
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Netflix has a healthy streaming selection of T.V. and film from the most established genres to indie and foreign films. Today we’ll be looking at 10 gems you can stream on Netflix now. I decided not to include TV or documentaries, as those should be in a list of their own. Some films that were to be on this list had to be removed due to their streaming status being changed as of April, 30th. Dr. No, Adaptation, and Mulholland Dr. were three that were removed but will be streaming until May 1st.
So, what makes a gem? For the purposes of this list a gem is a film that stands out among other films of the same genre, and often becomes a work that other subsequent works are, in one way or another, measured against, or compared to. A film gem can be a film that has stood the test of time,...
So, what makes a gem? For the purposes of this list a gem is a film that stands out among other films of the same genre, and often becomes a work that other subsequent works are, in one way or another, measured against, or compared to. A film gem can be a film that has stood the test of time,...
- 4/30/2013
- by Frank Espinoza
- Obsessed with Film
In Robert Wiene’s 1920 dreamlike horror classic, veteran German actor Werner Krauss plays the mysterious Dr. Caligari, the apparent force behind a creepy somnambulist named Cesare and played by Conrad Veidt, who abducts beautiful Lil Dagover. The finale in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari has inspired tons of movies and television shows, from Fritz Lang's 1944 film noir The Woman in the Window to the last episode of the TV series St. Elsewhere. In addition, the film shares some key elements in common (suppposedly as a result of a mere coincidence) with Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's 2011 thriller Shutter Island. The 1920 crime melodrama Outside the Law is not in any way related to Rachid Bouchareb's 2010 political drama. Instead, the Tod Browning-directed movie is a well-made entry in the gangster genre (long before the explosion a decade later). Browning, best known for his early '30s efforts Dracula and Freaks,...
- 4/1/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Review by Sam Moffitt
I love silent films! I have to say that from the beginning I have been fascinated with the silent years of film making. When I was growing up in the St. Louis area in the sixties there was a syndicated show called Who’s The Funnyman? Hosted by Cliff Norton this was a kid’s show which presented silent slapstick comedies, Hal Roach, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harry Langdon, Harold Lloyd, The Keystone Cops. These were short versions, cut to fit a Saturday morning time slot and with voice over by Mr. Norton. He would always introduce the films as a record of his family members, cousins, uncles, brothers, sisters, and describe the predicaments we could see being acted out on camera.
How I loved that show! It made me want to see the complete films, I could tell they had been edited just as Channel...
I love silent films! I have to say that from the beginning I have been fascinated with the silent years of film making. When I was growing up in the St. Louis area in the sixties there was a syndicated show called Who’s The Funnyman? Hosted by Cliff Norton this was a kid’s show which presented silent slapstick comedies, Hal Roach, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harry Langdon, Harold Lloyd, The Keystone Cops. These were short versions, cut to fit a Saturday morning time slot and with voice over by Mr. Norton. He would always introduce the films as a record of his family members, cousins, uncles, brothers, sisters, and describe the predicaments we could see being acted out on camera.
How I loved that show! It made me want to see the complete films, I could tell they had been edited just as Channel...
- 2/19/2013
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Horror is a very curious genre in modern cinema. Some people downright revile it, while others claim it as their favorite. It’s easy to see why some would hate it, what with all the horrible remakes, but you don’t have to look much further than Psycho to see that horror is, indeed, a genre to hold in high esteem. Of course, there are bad horror films just like in every other genre, but every now and again a truly groundbreaking film will emerge from the realms of horror.
This brings me to Psycho. Psycho is not only Alfred Hitchcock’s most successful film (even if Vertigo is his undisputed best), it’s also the most influential horror film of the last 50 years. Psycho opened the possibilities for violence in film to the likes that were never seen before – it also set new standards for sexuality in cinema without showing any nudity.
This brings me to Psycho. Psycho is not only Alfred Hitchcock’s most successful film (even if Vertigo is his undisputed best), it’s also the most influential horror film of the last 50 years. Psycho opened the possibilities for violence in film to the likes that were never seen before – it also set new standards for sexuality in cinema without showing any nudity.
- 2/13/2013
- by Dolan Reynolds
- Obsessed with Film
Los Angeles — Susan Sarandon reported for work on "Cloud Atlas" midway through the shoot, in time to see a collection of far-flung film scenes that the cast and crew were viewing.
There were bits of a 19th century sea voyage, a 1930s period drama, a 1970s thriller, a contemporary comic adventure, a 22nd century tale of rebellion and a 24th century post-apocalyptic saga.
"I just thought, my God, this looks like the trailer for every film a studio is doing for the entire season," Sarandon recalled.
Yet it was just one film: "Cloud Atlas," an epic of shifting genres and intersecting souls that features Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant, Hugo Weaving, Ben Whishaw, Jim Sturgess, James D'Arcy, Doona Bae, Keith David, Sarandon and others in multiple roles spanning centuries.
That diverse cast is a great selling point for distributor Warner Bros., which opens "Cloud Atlas" in U.
There were bits of a 19th century sea voyage, a 1930s period drama, a 1970s thriller, a contemporary comic adventure, a 22nd century tale of rebellion and a 24th century post-apocalyptic saga.
"I just thought, my God, this looks like the trailer for every film a studio is doing for the entire season," Sarandon recalled.
Yet it was just one film: "Cloud Atlas," an epic of shifting genres and intersecting souls that features Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant, Hugo Weaving, Ben Whishaw, Jim Sturgess, James D'Arcy, Doona Bae, Keith David, Sarandon and others in multiple roles spanning centuries.
That diverse cast is a great selling point for distributor Warner Bros., which opens "Cloud Atlas" in U.
- 10/17/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
We recently reported on a small zombie fast food restaurant and a number of readers suggested that we run a story on Zombie Burger + Drink Lab, located in Des Moines, Iowa. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the restaurant, this isn’t a small operation. They are known for their gourmet burgers, just recently served their 250,000th patty, and have a selection of over 130 beers.
I recently got in touch with the restaurant’s creator and chef, George Formaro, who told me all about the restaurant, from its early concepts to its famous burgers and shakes:
Can you tell our readers your background as a chef in Des Moines and some of your other business ventures?
George Formaro: I started as a chef in the 80′s and left my job to open an artisan bakery. From there, we felt that we should have a sandwich shop, so we...
I recently got in touch with the restaurant’s creator and chef, George Formaro, who told me all about the restaurant, from its early concepts to its famous burgers and shakes:
Can you tell our readers your background as a chef in Des Moines and some of your other business ventures?
George Formaro: I started as a chef in the 80′s and left my job to open an artisan bakery. From there, we felt that we should have a sandwich shop, so we...
- 8/8/2012
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
The first in a series of articles in which I select my favourite horror movie from each of the last ten decades, providing some context and history and a look at (some) of the other great horrors of each. It is in no way meant to be a comprehensive history. Some articles are expanded upon from a list I wrote last year.
Few filmmakers in the first two decades of movie-making seemed explicitly interested in frightening the audience, though perhaps the audience soon let the filmmakers know what it craved. There is the famous story of the first screening of The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station (1896), directed by the Lumière brothers, with reports of fleeing, terrified audience members as a train approached the screen. That this never actually happened is almost irrelevant; there is a reason some apocryphal tales persist.
One of the most often adapted horror texts of all time,...
Few filmmakers in the first two decades of movie-making seemed explicitly interested in frightening the audience, though perhaps the audience soon let the filmmakers know what it craved. There is the famous story of the first screening of The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station (1896), directed by the Lumière brothers, with reports of fleeing, terrified audience members as a train approached the screen. That this never actually happened is almost irrelevant; there is a reason some apocryphal tales persist.
One of the most often adapted horror texts of all time,...
- 10/15/2011
- by Adam Whyte
- Obsessed with Film
Horror has had a rough year in 2011, both in cinemas and on our DVD shelves. As late into the year as October (the month in which horror is god) the only effective genre films have been those that merged together horror with comedy (Attack the Block and Tucker & Dale versus Evil for instance). Everything else has been shown on the festival circuit, which means they won’t see the light of public consumption until 2012. Failing that the peak of horror has potentially been saved for the final months of the year. Now instead of picking fault with the poor films that have been released thus far this year, let us travel back to the origins of the genre and to Germany where three select films were made that proved to be intrinsic in the development of the genre. Those three films are Robert Weine’s The Cabinet of Dr Caligari,...
- 10/10/2011
- by Robert Simpson
- SoundOnSight
Happy Early Halloween: Turner Classic Movies launches a month-long series of Monday night horror marathons with the special A Night at the Movies: The Horrors of Stephen King (8/7c), an enjoyable survey of the genre by one who knows. "Terror is something that lives in the head whereas the reaction we have to horror is ... visceral," the prolific author explains during a discussion of The Exorcist, one of many seminal movies featured here, including the original Cat People, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Night of the Living Dead and, of course, Halloween. Bela Lugosi's Dracula, however, never impressed the King: "To me, he looked like some kind of wacked-out concert pianist." Tonight's lineup of spooky classics includes the original 1931 Frankenstein and the notorious Freaks, plus in the wee hours the silent masterpieces Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu and Lon Chaney's Phantom of the Opera.
Want more fall TV news?...
Want more fall TV news?...
- 10/3/2011
- by Matt Roush
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Conrad Veidt is Turner Classic Movies' "Summer Under the Stars" performer of the day. An international star since the 1920s, Veidt worked in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Hollywood — twice. [Conrad Veidt Movie Schedule.] In the late '20s, Veidt was the star of unusual Hollywood fare such as Paul Leni's The Man Who Laughs (1928), in the title role as a man with a grin-like scar where his mouth should be, and Paul Fejos' The Last Performance (1929), as a magician in love with pretty Mary Philbin — a Universal star who also happened to be Veidt's leading lady in The Man Who Laughs. With the arrival of talking pictures, Veidt returned to Germany, but with the ascent of the Nazis he fled first to England and later to the United States. In the Hollywood of the early '40s, Veidt became everybody's favorite Nazi in movies such as Nazi Agent, Escape, and Casablanca.
- 8/24/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
The first trailer for As Darkness Falls, a 30-minute horror radio anthology series in the tradition of such classic old-time radio fare as Inner Sanctum, Lights Out!, and CBS Radio Mystery Theater, is now available from Blue Hours Productions.
Says John C. Alsedek of Blue Hours, “It’s not easy to do a video trailer for a radio program, but I think it really captures the spirit of the thing. Very stark and stylish, with spot-on acting performances and haunting music.”
The show consists entirely of original scripts written by Alsedek and his Blue Hours partner Dana Hayes, and it features an outstanding cast of voice actors. “We are truly fortunate to have such talent to work with”, notes Hayes. “They never cease to amaze me with their ability to instantly get into character!”
The As Darkness Falls crew is comprised of an eclectic bunch:
Adrienne Wilkinson is best known...
Says John C. Alsedek of Blue Hours, “It’s not easy to do a video trailer for a radio program, but I think it really captures the spirit of the thing. Very stark and stylish, with spot-on acting performances and haunting music.”
The show consists entirely of original scripts written by Alsedek and his Blue Hours partner Dana Hayes, and it features an outstanding cast of voice actors. “We are truly fortunate to have such talent to work with”, notes Hayes. “They never cease to amaze me with their ability to instantly get into character!”
The As Darkness Falls crew is comprised of an eclectic bunch:
Adrienne Wilkinson is best known...
- 6/22/2011
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
You may remember from back in November, 2009 an anthology series called As Darkness Falls created by John Alsedek. It has been picked up for distribution by publisher Speaking Volumes, but that's just the beginning. Now Alsedek is taking aim at the TV market with three different series currently being pitched, all of which would be filmed in high contrast black & white.
From the Press Release:
During the ‘Golden Age of Television’, fans of the horror, sci-fi & fantasy genres were treated to a cavalcade of programs that would go on to become legends. "The Twilight Zone", "The Outer Limits", and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", as well as lesser-known shows such as Boris Karloff’s "Thriller" (named by Stephen King as “the best horror series ever on TV”), left millions of viewers in utter awe on a weekly basis…and a great deal of the reason for that was because the programs were filmed in black & white.
From the Press Release:
During the ‘Golden Age of Television’, fans of the horror, sci-fi & fantasy genres were treated to a cavalcade of programs that would go on to become legends. "The Twilight Zone", "The Outer Limits", and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", as well as lesser-known shows such as Boris Karloff’s "Thriller" (named by Stephen King as “the best horror series ever on TV”), left millions of viewers in utter awe on a weekly basis…and a great deal of the reason for that was because the programs were filmed in black & white.
- 4/19/2011
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
The kids return with the second of their Listener Appreciation shows, wherein three movies suggested by the listeners are examined.
First up, we take a look at the Canadian Heavy Metal, "Rock & Rule," an animated rock & roll story about weird mouse people caught in a Faustian plot from 1983. The flick features music by Lou Reed, Debbie Harry and Iggy Pop.
Then we get caught up in a journey to Lost Vegas in the retro, post-apocalyptic "Six-String Samurai," starring an annoying little kid and The Red Elvises, from 1998.
Finally, everything gets really weird and erotic in 1989's surreal, expressionist "Dr. Caligari," from the team of Stephen Sayadian (a.k.a. porn director Rinse Dream) and Jerry Stahl (Permanent Midnight, Alf, Night Dreams).
MP3 Download...
First up, we take a look at the Canadian Heavy Metal, "Rock & Rule," an animated rock & roll story about weird mouse people caught in a Faustian plot from 1983. The flick features music by Lou Reed, Debbie Harry and Iggy Pop.
Then we get caught up in a journey to Lost Vegas in the retro, post-apocalyptic "Six-String Samurai," starring an annoying little kid and The Red Elvises, from 1998.
Finally, everything gets really weird and erotic in 1989's surreal, expressionist "Dr. Caligari," from the team of Stephen Sayadian (a.k.a. porn director Rinse Dream) and Jerry Stahl (Permanent Midnight, Alf, Night Dreams).
MP3 Download...
- 4/17/2011
- by noreply@blogger.com (Kevin, Mark & Parker)
The Film:
A multi-layered retelling of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan is the type of film Dario Argento use to make during his supernatural cycle. A common reference is to his Suspiria, but I see traces in Argento’s last great film, The Stendhal Syndrome here and there. But mostly these references are in style and tone, as Aronofsky is given material and a script than Argento has never got. Black Swan is a resounding piece of film, tickling the fine line of arthouse and B-movie intentions. It’s an odd line to walk, especially for Aronofsky who is defined by his themes, instead of genre efforts, but Black Swan is perhaps the best widely received “horror” film since Silence of the Lambs.
The fun trick of the film is given to the audience early on. “We all know the story. Virginal girl, pure and sweet,...
A multi-layered retelling of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan is the type of film Dario Argento use to make during his supernatural cycle. A common reference is to his Suspiria, but I see traces in Argento’s last great film, The Stendhal Syndrome here and there. But mostly these references are in style and tone, as Aronofsky is given material and a script than Argento has never got. Black Swan is a resounding piece of film, tickling the fine line of arthouse and B-movie intentions. It’s an odd line to walk, especially for Aronofsky who is defined by his themes, instead of genre efforts, but Black Swan is perhaps the best widely received “horror” film since Silence of the Lambs.
The fun trick of the film is given to the audience early on. “We all know the story. Virginal girl, pure and sweet,...
- 3/28/2011
- by Jon Peters
- Killer Films
Robert here, with my series Distant Relatives, where we look at two films, (one classic, one modern) related through a common theme and ask what their similarities and differences can tell us about the evolution of cinema. This week since both films deal with a twist ending, be warned there are definitely Spoilers Ahead
Madness
Audiences don’t much like engaging with a film, its characters, its plot and anticipating its outcome for two hours only to be told that the entire thing was untrue, a dream, the story of a crazy man, an elaborate roleplay. The two films we’re looking at today, though made ninety years apart do that exact thing. Clearly this is a cinematic convention that has stood the test of time.
In the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a young man named Francis relates the story of a visiting carnival which brings the evil Dr. Caligari...
Madness
Audiences don’t much like engaging with a film, its characters, its plot and anticipating its outcome for two hours only to be told that the entire thing was untrue, a dream, the story of a crazy man, an elaborate roleplay. The two films we’re looking at today, though made ninety years apart do that exact thing. Clearly this is a cinematic convention that has stood the test of time.
In the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a young man named Francis relates the story of a visiting carnival which brings the evil Dr. Caligari...
- 3/25/2011
- by Robert
- FilmExperience
Kanye West, Rihanna and more clock in for 17 through 11.
By James Montgomery
Lady Gaga
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
On Thursday, MTV News began our countdown of the Top 25 Songs of 2010, revealing our picks for 25 through 18. On Friday (December 3), we're unveiling 17 through 11, a list that includes heavy-hitters like Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and B.o.B.
And if seeing those kinds of names outside the top 10 shocks you, well, you're not alone. But in a year with so many really great songs, some tough decisions had to be made — and MTV News staffers were the ones making the calls. Over the past month, we asked them to come up with their own lists of their 25 favorite songs of 2010; they didn't have to be singles and, really, they didn't even have to be released in 2010. We were looking for any song that made an impact this year, be it commercially,...
By James Montgomery
Lady Gaga
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
On Thursday, MTV News began our countdown of the Top 25 Songs of 2010, revealing our picks for 25 through 18. On Friday (December 3), we're unveiling 17 through 11, a list that includes heavy-hitters like Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and B.o.B.
And if seeing those kinds of names outside the top 10 shocks you, well, you're not alone. But in a year with so many really great songs, some tough decisions had to be made — and MTV News staffers were the ones making the calls. Over the past month, we asked them to come up with their own lists of their 25 favorite songs of 2010; they didn't have to be singles and, really, they didn't even have to be released in 2010. We were looking for any song that made an impact this year, be it commercially,...
- 12/3/2010
- MTV Music News
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