New Town Killers (2008; dir. Richard Jobson)
Jobson here continues his masturbatory fantasies, begun with 16 Years of Alcohol (2003) and continued through films like The Purifiers (2004) – reviewed here – …
05 Mar
Terminator Salvation (2009; dir. McG)
Terminator Salvation (2009; dir. McG)
This is the fourth in a series of high-budget, low-expectation films begun by The Terminator (1984; dir. James Cameron). Helmer McG and his creative team …
19 Feb
The Purifiers (2004; dir. Richard Jobson)
The Purifiers (2004; dir. Richard Jobson)
This British film, co-financed by public money through Scottish Screen, and helmed by former punk singer Jobson, comes across as a shit version of The …
09 Feb
Rescued by Rover (1905; dirs. Lewin Fitzhamon and Cecil M. Hepworth)
Rescued by Rover (1905; dirs. Lewin Fitzhamon and Cecil M. Hepworth)
The attitude toward film-making in this country is, unfortunately, one that panders to the Hollywood style and system. British filmmakers, unlike their foreign contemporaries, are …
03 Jan
The Black Windmill (1974; dir. Don Siegel)
The Black Windmill (1974; dir. Don Siegel)
Siegel’s distant, relaxed compositions and evenly paced editing style here craft a well-intentioned if predictable thriller. This sense of hyper-realism, where actors are allowed to …
28 Nov
Le prix du danger (1983; dir. Yves Boisset)
Le prix du danger (1983; dir. Yves Boisset)
This French co-production is another adaptation of Robert Sheckley’s satirical short story – previously filmed as Das Millionenspiel (1970; dir. Tom Toelle) and reviewed here. Taking …
14 Nov
Das Millionenspiel (1970; dir. Tom Toelle)
Das Millionenspiel (1970; dir. Tom Toelle)
This adaptation of Robert Sheckley’s 1958 short story “The Prize of Peril” perfectly captures the inane and shallow manipulations of television producers and personalities, whilst …
07 Nov
A Prize of Arms (1962; dir. Cliff Owen)
A Prize of Arms (1962; dir. Cliff Owen)
This tense, nervous film succeeds in creating a threatening, silent world where its main protagonists are watched, suspected and hindered in their attempts to steal …
01 Nov
Dark Angel (1990; dir. Craig R. Baxley)
Dark Angel (1990; dir. Craig R. Baxley)
Another variation on the alien-policeman-hunting-quarry-on-Earth hook that also informed The Hidden (1987; dir. Jack Sholder) and TV mini-series Something is Out There (1988; dir. Richard …
23 Oct
Race with the Devil (1975; dir. Jack Starrett)
Race with the Devil (1975; dir. Jack Starrett)
As previously noted on this blog (here), genre is an excuse for poor film theory, and Race with the Devil exemplifies the mindset of producers …
Tag: action