Bray Studios is at risk of redevelopment as flats, and the existing studio buildings face demolition.
Bray is perhaps best known as the historical home of Hammer films.
Your humble editor isn't prone to these whims, but he feels a campaign is needed to created awareness of the situation. Use the #savebray hashtag on your twitter feed, and check out the Bray Studios blog at www.savebraystudios.com. Please, if you want to contribute articles or ideas, get in touch.
Monday, 19 April 2010
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Film: The Wolfman (2010)
Even a man who is pure in heart
and says his prayers by night
may become a wolf with the wolfsbane blooms
and the moon is full and bright
Variations of that poem are familiar from nearly all of Universal's werewolf pictures, so it seems like a good place to start...
The nature of previewing a film for me means that I can't go into huge levels of depth about the film. Maybe I'll come back to this in a few months for a general werewolf roundup. For now, I'll dispense a few thoughts about the 're-imagining' of the 1941 Universal classic The Wolf Man, and which I've dubbed An American Werewolf In London: The Prequel.
Lawrence Talbot spent most of his life in America with relatives, but is in London with his theatre troup on tour when word reaches him of his brother's disappearance. He returns to the family home at Blackwood on the moors where he soon encounters tales of werewolves and finds himself fighting to put an end to the curse...
Of all of Universal's classic monsters the werewolf is the one which has been taken to least over the years. Unfairly so I feel, but there is something about the werewolf which has largely been out of vogue. Every so often someone brings them back, but cycles like Underworld and Twilight have done nothing for them. I haven't been properly satisfied with a werewolf movie since The Howling and An American Werewolf In London back in the early 1980s. With all the technological advances the team behind The Wolfman must have been very tempted to do something radical.
Thankfully what we get is a perfectly fine advancement of the Universal horrors (with a rather hefty nod to Hammer thrown in). You see, this has all the opulence and American finance of a 1930s Universal horror. But with an upping of the body and gore count to take account of 70 years of changing attitudes. I jumped several times, something which I'm not prone to doing. So for me at least, there were some delightful shocks and just maybe I had an idea of how audiences must have treated the original horror cycles. Even the palate is stripped of most of the colour, giving a bleak slightly tinted version of the cinemascapes of old. The sets are sumptuous - vast spaces with rich decoration, and costumes are perfect.
Danny Elfman's score is not instantly one of his most memorable, but it fortunately feels very different from anything he's done for Tim Burton, allowing an identity of its own to the film. Joe Johnston's direction is okay, though Shelly Johnson's cinematography is deserving of praise along with Rick Heinrich's production design (not a million miles away from his work on Sleepy Hollow). The script is a different matter. Where it follows Curt Siodmak's original storyline it works perfectly well, but some of the dialogue is unutterable, and the narrative is a little hacked. Either there are gaps caused by the need to bring the film into a manageable 2 hour cut or the executives were lazy when they okayed it (like that would be a surprise in Hollywood?!).
[I've subsequently read that the film had to be recut and there was some extensive reshooting, as well as issues with the score... The score I noticed no problems with, but the other problems are far too evident and attempts to satisfy test audiences and movie executives may well have damaged the film irreparably].
The cast is peppered with nice little blink and you miss em parts, but essentially the focus is on four performances. Emily Blunt is wasted as marginal love interest Gwen, a very underwritten part. Hugo Weaving gives a great performance as the inspector assigned to investigate the deaths, a turn which wouldn't be out of place in a Universal or Hammer film. Anthony Hopkins is fairly unlikeable (intentionally) as Lord Talbot, but his entire performance is marred by a meandering accent which deviates from English gent, through Welsh and several lengthy scenes in a notable Irish twang. Hopkins' part should have been overdubbed or the director ought to have kept a better eye on him during shooting.
Benecio Del Toro is a delightful successor to Lon Chaney Jr. as the ill-fated Lawrence Talbot. An inspired choice of casting, Del Toro delivers the whole piece very subtly and seriously rather than delving into the high camp that the film veers to from time to time (Hopkins is decidedly camp). His soft performance echoes that of Chaney Jr, and visually Del Toro inhabits the same appearance. More than that, there were times I found myself looking at the ghost of not only Chaney Jr but Oliver Reed, who of course took on the mantle of werewolf for Hammer in The Curse of the Werewolf (which was also released by Universal). Its a wondrous fusion which keeps this old horror fan happy. I can't be the only one that hopes that a sequel might be forthcoming, that they'll sort out the writing and bring back Del Toro.
You know, its strange that we seem to be having a new wave of British horror which does very much mirror the situation of the 1930s and 1950s. Just a few weeks ago I was watching Sherlock Holmes, a film which inhabits a very similar London landscape. We've got John Landis shooting Burke and Hare at the moment... Victorian gothic is back. Unlike the Universal of the 30s that brought the British talent and settings to an American studio, here the American studio has brought its American lead to a British studio (Pinewood in this instance) - much more like the Hammer films of the 50s and 60s (ironically at a point when the newly revived Hammer seem to have abandoned the UK for all-American productions in Let Me In and The Resident, and not a Victorian gothic in sight!). The debt to Hammer is felt in the colour shocks, the blood-letting, and even the use of the ubiquitous Black Park as a location (I'd recognise that lake anywhere... goodness knows I've been round it enough).
My jibe about this serving as a prequel to John Landis' brilliant An American Werewolf In London not only comes from the sight of the 'American' Lawrence Talbot running around London in werewolf form, but also from the involvement of Rick Baker in the special effects for both. All werewolf pictures since American Werewolf have borrowed from Baker's transformation scenes, and the same is true here, with the familiar bone crunching and painful elongations. But Baker's make-up is much more traditional here. We see the werewolf run like a wolf, but also stand very much like a man. The facial make up is like that of the classic Universal movies - more man than wolf (supporting the reiterated comment throughout the movie about where you draw the line between a beast and a man). It was also important to distance this picture from the contemporary werewolf pictures which are frankly stuck in a vain rut too.
The Wolfman could be a wonderful picture, nostalgic but shocking, traditional but contemporary. Unfortunately a less than perfect performance from one of the leads, and some flag-waving issues with the script mean this is slightly underwhelming. Maybe that's the point? The Bride of Frankenstein aside, I don't think I've ever been totally satisfied with a Universal horror - this fits right in. I wouldn't be against a follow-up either, but things need tightened up.
I can't bring myself to encourage you to go see this one, but its perfectly entertaining and still more satisfying than most of the horrors to come out of Hollywood in recent years. Toss a coin...
directed by Joe Johnston
125 mins
released: 12 February 2010 (UK cert 15; US cert R)
Buy WOLFMAN related merchandise in the UK here
Buy WOLFMAN related merchandise in the US here
Film: Invictus (2009)
South Africa is in a state of unrest following years of racial persecution under apartheid. Nelson Mandela is elected President, and in a bid to unite the people sets about his goal of making the hated South African rugby team the winners of the 1995 Rugby World Cup...
Just in case anyone thinks I'm too full of praise for films in this column I've run up against a string of disappointments lately. The temptation where something doesn't interest me is usually not to write about it at all, but I'll do my duty and put some thoughts down for many of them from here on.
Clint Eastwood's latest effort is one of those films. A perfectly competent film, with a blend of glaring reality and uplifting narrative (the tried and tested underdog story). In fact all of the performances are first class. Matt Damon is perfectly engaging as the leader of the South African team, and Morgan Freeman's turn as Nelson Mandela is a delight, at times completely inhabiting the part so that you couldn't tell them apart.
But the film itself is something of a mixed bag. I couldn't tell if this was a sporting film about rugby, a film about the post-apartheid climate, or indeed a film about Mandela himself - a figure virtually venerated by the international political scene these days. Had the balanced edged slightly more in any one of the direction it would have been a more satisfying beast.
Eastwood also makes some overly sentimental moments in the film which hammer home the 'whites and blacks don't get along, but Mandela will unite them' ethos in a really obvious way. Some cringe-worthy songs are present in the soundtrack - notably the one which follows the arrival of Mandela's helicopter to the team's training ground. Groan.
I'm sure this story resonates well in countries where the racial boundaries have been more obvious. America is only a little ahead of South Africa's apartheid system, and I have no personal experience, but it should have been handled with more tact.
The story can only end one way, and even that is deeply unsatisfying. You see, this wants to be a Mandela/South Africa film. Ultimately its about a rugby tournament. This one is not deserving of the Academy I'm afraid.
directed by Clint Eastwood
133 mins
Released: 11 December 2009 (USA: PG13); 5 February 2010 (UK: 12A)
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
DVD review: Man At The Top - The Complete First Series (Network, R2, 2010)
This has all the potential to be one of what my ex might call my 'old man reviews'. You see once again, I want to extol the virtues of Network for their archive releases of classic British television. Man At The Top has virtually been forgotten - it has remained unreleased on any format since its ITV debut in 1970. Itself a spin off from the 1959 film Room At The Top, it was one of a number of series that Hammer Films adapted for the big screen - and having seen that unusual offering I've been keen to see this for many years.
Man At The Top is all about Joe Lampton (Kenneth Haigh). Described in the press release as an 'anti-hero', he's a hard drinking, womaniser working in his own business as a management consultant in London. He's from the north, and is something of an outsider in the nation's capitol. He has a long-suffering wife (Zena Walker) and two kids.
Something about Lampton never quite rings true, and that's his ability to womanise and bed any beautiful woman he wants. Maybe its just me, but Haigh isn't really attractive enough to pull it off, and management consultancy is hardly an attractive job? But this is the early 1970s. The dress is different. The culture different. Back then everyone works in the pub at lunch. Wining and dining is still very much the done thing. And the amount of drink consumed is tantamount to alcoholism (something I also noticed reviewing Danger Man this week).
Where the appeal lies, is in the craft of the drama. I found myself quickly enjoying the format - the three act structure (made implicit in the advert breaks, a hangover from a more theatrical presentation), the harshness. The strain on the marriage is evident and Lampton quite frankly is a complete bastard. He doesn't love his wife, but he stays with them. I guess this is a kitchen sink drama series with a typically bleak outlook. Its grim up north all right, but its also grim down south. Take 'Too Good For This World' as a fine example of the series - Joe has to investigate one of his neighbours, but also owes him a debt of gratitude after he saves Joe's daughter after she cuts herself on a large knife. All sides are presented, and the episode manages to get in sexual infidelity (a common thread in the series), embezzlement and depression/suicide too. This isn't easy going stuff by any stretch of the imagination.
This first series contains 9 hour long episodes over three discs, and would be a welcome addition to any collection. There's another 14 episodes waiting to be released and I trust Network will do so. Even better would be if they manage to acquire the rights to the Hammer film version too and maybe bundle the whole lot together.
There's nothing really in the way of extra features, but with material this rare that's no big loss.
Quite simply they don't make television like this any more. The pace is so radically different today, scenes are seldom allowed to play out, real moments of tension are a thing or rarity. This isn't theatre either - its snapshots of life. And for many men watching (and it is men that I feel this show was aimed at) what isn't to love about a rogue who looks like a regular 'Joe', and is able to philander and scheme his way to success?
Man At The Top
Released: 18th January 2010, Network DVD
RRP: £29.99
Running time: 500 mins
Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 3
Cert: 12
Buy Man At The Top on DVD here
Film: Edge of Darkness (2010)
Mel Gibson is Thomas Craven, a Boston detective whose life is turned upside down following the brutal murder of his daughter (Bojana Novakovic) on his doorstep. Believing the detective was the target, Craven soon starts digging into his daughter's life and uncovers a frightening conspiracy with international implications...
Praise should also be given to co-star Ray Winstone, who plays the mysterious government operative (a part originally given to Robert De Niro before he walked out - a decision he may come to rue). Winstone reigns in his tough guy persona, playing a much calmer, gentle version, which compliments and contrasts perfectly with Gibson.
Only Danny Huston as the villainous Bennett and Damien Young as the Senator fail - they're too comic-booky as performances. Maybe that's how these people are in the US, but they slightly undermine what is otherwise a great piece of drama.
This is a taught drama, a reworking of one of the most acclaimed British television drama's ever - a 1985 6 episode series produced by the BBC. And that's something you guys out there claiming this is a rip off of Taken should bear in mind. Reworking classic series is always a risky business, and whilst I've yet to see the original myself (I've ordered the dvd after seeing this), viewers can take solace in knowing that this is also a BBC Films production, and that the director of the film - one Martin Campbell (Casino Royale etc.) was in fact the director of the original serial. He's lived with this story for a quarter of a century, and if anyone should reinterpret it, its him.
Frankly it works anyway. Some stark sumptuous photography, realistic violence, several genuinely shocking moments, a restrained film in all the right ways. The plot itself needs little updating from the 1980s. Nuclear technology is still a horrifying and gripping subject, and government conspiracy's always seem relevant. This is much more than a revenger/avenger film, this is a film which takes its characters to the limits of their experiences, and defies expectations by not wrapping everything up neatly either. Its also worth pointing out that this isn't an action film, its a thriller in the best sense. A drama with tension, suspense and real characters.
I loved it.
Edge of Darkness
directed by Martin Campbell
117 mins
released: 29th January 2010 (US cert: R; UK cert: 15)
DVD review: Danger Man - The Complete First Series (Network, R2, 2010)
Undoubtedly the shadow of cult 1960s series The Prisoner starring Patrick McGoohan is still felt looming over television today. US shows like Lost and the recent AMC reimagining of the series bear testament to that. But what of The Prisoner's predecessor? There can be few fans of British television from the 1960s who aren't aware of Danger Man - a stylish drama series about an international troubleshooter called John Drake - which ran intermittently between 1960 and 1968.
This new box set from Network brings together the first series of 39 half-hour episodes on a 6 disc set. Previously available in the UK from Carlton, this new set is supported by a number of extras and a timely release following on from the recent special edition set of The Prisoner. A box set featuring the remaining 50 minute episodes is already available.
Danger Man should be viewed in the context of other similar shows from the era. Initially at least he's almost James Bondian. A man working almost outside of the law, and slightly gung-ho. Significantly he's also American - the later series revised this and made him British. He's not adverse to holding a gun when he has to, although McGoohan's own ideals would become imprinted on the character over time. It also sits alongside The Saint and The Avengers - good grief, you'd think every man in the country was a spy in 1962!
Drake is confident, and prone to providing a narration like some 1940s film noir. Thanks to an ever-changing supporting cast featuring just about anyone who was anyone in British film and television (Patrick Troughton, Warren Mitchell, Honor Blackman, Sarah Lawson, John Le Mesurier, Barbara Shelley etc.) and scripts from the likes of Ian Stuart Black, Michael Pertwee and the great Brian Clemens, there is always something to delight the viewer. Clemens (who basically shaped the unique identity of The Avengers) even penned the pilot episode for Danger Man.
The influences on The Prisoner are also felt very clearly in the early Danger Man episodes with several episodes featuring location work at Portmerion, the Welsh establishment that found fame as 'The Village' in The Prisoner.
The influences on The Prisoner are also felt very clearly in the early Danger Man episodes with several episodes featuring location work at Portmerion, the Welsh establishment that found fame as 'The Village' in The Prisoner.
If I have any criticism at all, its that the 25 minute format just doesn't give the plot time to breathe. Several episodes feel like they've been arbitrarily ended because time ran out ('Time to Kill' for example). Though its small grumbling, and its an immensely watchable, dynamic and exciting series. Time and time again I found myself struck by a production style that wouldn't be too far removed from today's television. These serials are all lean, with no fat.
Presentation on the discs is first class, with the prints looking sumptuous with rich black and white photography. I only had an incomplete set of review discs, so I can't fully evaluate the extra features, but they include image galleries, mute trailers, various PDF materials, and another essential booklet of programme notes from Andrew Pixley - a star feature on many of Network's sets.
A virtually irresistible set.
Released: 25th January 2010, Network DVD
RRP: £59.99Running time: 975 mins
Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 6
Cert: 12Monday, 25 January 2010
DVD review: A Choice of Coward (Network, R2, 2010)
Network are one of the few DVD labels out there that deserve heaps of praise for almost every title they put out. A seemingly bottomless booty of archive television in particular, which wouldn't see the light of day again if it wasn't for the earnest efforts of the guys and gals at the company.
This week sees the release of the 1964 miniseries from the Granada network - A Choice of Coward - four adaptations of Noel Coward's famed plays, produced for television, complete with introductions from the master himself (presumably from his home in Jamaica).
Personally I've never had the pleasure of seeing a Coward play on the stage, and my experiences of the man's talent depend on a few film roles (including the brilliant Italian Job), and numerous records. Undoubtedly a man of great wit and lyrical dexterity, to watch these 70 minute interpretations gives a much better idea as to why his talents are so vaunted. As Coward himself observes in one of the intros, he has forever been associated with the decadent, fast, frivolous and hedonistic lifestyle that was a PART of society in the jazz era. With the subject matter and characterisations on display, its easy to appreciate just why. Drug abuse, parties, and sexual immorality are at the fore.
The four films gathered together are Present Laughter, Blithe Spirit, The Vortex and Design For Living.
The review copy deprived me of the first disc - which promises performances from Peter Wyngarde, James Bolam, , Helen Cherry and Hattie Jacques amongst others, and is sure to be reason enough for many to purchase. The second disc however, has two starkly different and intriguing plays which highlight the rich pickings on offer.
The Vortex is a deceptively dark piece about the chaotic lifestyles of the upper middle classes in the early 20th century. Florence Lancaster plays an woman defying middle age, living the life of a woman twenty years younger. Caught up in a doomed affair with a much younger man (what today would be thought of as a 'MILF' or 'Cougar'), her fragile hold of reality is ripped apart with the return of her son and the announcement of his engagement.
What starts as a rather grotesque and over-bearing character study develops into something much more interesting, and dark. Nightmarish.
Design for Living is in stark contrast. Out of the chaos is a wonderfully witty, buoyant, vivacious narrative. A peculiar (and very modern) relationship between Gilda (Jill Bennett), Otto (John Wood), and Leo (Daniel Masset). Flitting between Paris, London and New York, a hedonistic alternative to traditional 'family values' is thrust upon the viewer. Its hard not to get caught up in their joie de vivre. Comedy buffs might also thrill to spot Carol Cleveland in a supporting part a few years before finding exposure in the Monty Python series.
The picture and sound are clear and sharp, defying the age of the master tapes. Perhaps surprisingly considering many of Network's television discs, the restoration isn't absolute. There is video drop out and minor sound fluctuations - but these are in keeping with the near-live broadcasts and the immediacy of the theatrical presentation, and are perfect in their flawed nature.
It must be said, that the series succeeds brilliantly in giving a flavour of the live staged nature of the source material. The tele-plays allows a real flavour of a theatrical show, with some adept staging and fluid camerawork giving a dynamism which might have been missing in the hands of a lesser director.
A Choice of Coward
Released: 18 January 2010, Network DVD
RRP: £19.99
Running time: 345 mins
Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 2
Cert: PG
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
