From author & illustrator Norm Konyu, who we recently covered when he released A Call To Cthulhu, we have the first details and an exclusive look at the cover art from his next book! Available just in time for Halloween and illustrated in Norm's own gorgeous style, Downlands will be available from Titan Comics on October 1st, and the new book is described as a "wonderfully evocative ghost story in the great tradition of M. R. James and Daphne Du Maurier with a contemporary edge."
“Every village has its stories – those of the living – and those of the dead.”
After the sudden death of his twin sister, 14 year old James Reynolds becomes obsessed with her tale of a black hound, a folkloric creature that is regarded as a portent of death. Enlisting the aid of his elderly neighbour, who the local children call ‘The Witch’, he delves into the centuries of village history,...
“Every village has its stories – those of the living – and those of the dead.”
After the sudden death of his twin sister, 14 year old James Reynolds becomes obsessed with her tale of a black hound, a folkloric creature that is regarded as a portent of death. Enlisting the aid of his elderly neighbour, who the local children call ‘The Witch’, he delves into the centuries of village history,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Paul McCartney‘s songs draw influence from numerous things. He has written multiple songs that reference the planet Venus. During an interview, Paul told Taylor Swift how the planet inspired one of those songs. The song in question appeared on one of Paul’s No. 1 albums.
Paul McCartney told Taylor Swift that a book inspired him to write a song about Venus
In a 2020 Rolling Stone article, Paul and Swift interviewed each other. Paul explained his songwriting process. “Sometimes I’ll just be inspired by something,” he said. “I had a little book which was all about the constellations and the stars and the orbits of Venus.”
Swift revealed she knew the song in question. It was “The Kiss of Venus” from the 2020 album McCartney III. Swift must be a big fan of Paul’s if she’s listening to his solo work from the 21st century. Paul didn’t...
Paul McCartney told Taylor Swift that a book inspired him to write a song about Venus
In a 2020 Rolling Stone article, Paul and Swift interviewed each other. Paul explained his songwriting process. “Sometimes I’ll just be inspired by something,” he said. “I had a little book which was all about the constellations and the stars and the orbits of Venus.”
Swift revealed she knew the song in question. It was “The Kiss of Venus” from the 2020 album McCartney III. Swift must be a big fan of Paul’s if she’s listening to his solo work from the 21st century. Paul didn’t...
- 2/16/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
“Nothing is what it seems.” A seemingly offhand remark made early in Don’t Look Now is slowly revealed to be the theme around which the film revolves.
Nicolas Roeg’s directorial efforts may not have always connected with audiences immediately, but his impressionistic approach has aged like fine wine. Don’t Look Now, in particular, was decades ahead of its time upon its release in 1973.
The screenplay — written by Allan Scott and Chris Bryant (The Awakening), based on a 1971 short story by Daphne du Maurier — analyzes the psychological effects of trauma through a horror lens; a motif we’ve seen explored many times over in recent years, from Ari Aster’s filmography to David Gordon Green’s Halloween trilogy.
Following the tragic drowning of their young daughter, architect John Baxter and bereaved wife Laura travel from their English country home to Venice to oversee the restoration of a church. After a...
Nicolas Roeg’s directorial efforts may not have always connected with audiences immediately, but his impressionistic approach has aged like fine wine. Don’t Look Now, in particular, was decades ahead of its time upon its release in 1973.
The screenplay — written by Allan Scott and Chris Bryant (The Awakening), based on a 1971 short story by Daphne du Maurier — analyzes the psychological effects of trauma through a horror lens; a motif we’ve seen explored many times over in recent years, from Ari Aster’s filmography to David Gordon Green’s Halloween trilogy.
Following the tragic drowning of their young daughter, architect John Baxter and bereaved wife Laura travel from their English country home to Venice to oversee the restoration of a church. After a...
- 10/16/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
The acclaimed adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s short story remains a visually immersive descent and a chilling portrayal of loss
In the opening sequence of Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now, a little girl in a red raincoat drowns in a pond in the English countryside, as her parents are nestled comfortably in a nearby estate. Roeg cuts frantically between the girl tooling around the pond in her boots and her father John (Donald Sutherland) at work inside, examining a projected image of an Italian cathedral he intends to restore. The cutting works as suspense, leaving the audience utterly helpless to stop this inevitable tragedy from happening, but it has a much more sophisticated agenda than goosing our emotions. Through color and montage effects, tied to shots like a spill that bleeds over John’s slide, Roeg dramatizes the present and predicts the future all at once, signaling the heartbreak and terror to come.
In the opening sequence of Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now, a little girl in a red raincoat drowns in a pond in the English countryside, as her parents are nestled comfortably in a nearby estate. Roeg cuts frantically between the girl tooling around the pond in her boots and her father John (Donald Sutherland) at work inside, examining a projected image of an Italian cathedral he intends to restore. The cutting works as suspense, leaving the audience utterly helpless to stop this inevitable tragedy from happening, but it has a much more sophisticated agenda than goosing our emotions. Through color and montage effects, tied to shots like a spill that bleeds over John’s slide, Roeg dramatizes the present and predicts the future all at once, signaling the heartbreak and terror to come.
- 10/16/2023
- by Scott Tobias
- The Guardian - Film News
In the first of a new monthly Observer column on his favourite film-makers, Mark Kermode salutes the elliptical vision of the director of Don’t Look Now, Walkabout, Performance and so much more
This month marks 50 years since the release of Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now, a personal touchstone movie (adapted from a story by Daphne du Maurier) that is at once an occult chiller, a poignant portrait of married love, a heartfelt meditation on grief and a shaggy dog story with a grisly sting in its tail. The anniversary offers film fans an excuse to dust off this classic, alongside other hallowed 1973 movies such as Enter the Dragon, The Exorcist and The Wicker Man, which was originally the supporting feature for Don’t Look Now (how’s that for a double bill). It also allows me to kick off my new column, focusing each month on a different director, with...
This month marks 50 years since the release of Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now, a personal touchstone movie (adapted from a story by Daphne du Maurier) that is at once an occult chiller, a poignant portrait of married love, a heartfelt meditation on grief and a shaggy dog story with a grisly sting in its tail. The anniversary offers film fans an excuse to dust off this classic, alongside other hallowed 1973 movies such as Enter the Dragon, The Exorcist and The Wicker Man, which was originally the supporting feature for Don’t Look Now (how’s that for a double bill). It also allows me to kick off my new column, focusing each month on a different director, with...
- 9/30/2023
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
Exclusive: Emerald Fennell likened making Saltburn, her dangerously dark comedy of class and lack of manners, “to taking your clothes off and exposing yourself.”
The filmmaker, who won an Oscar and BAFTAs for her debut feature Promising Young Woman, clarified that the “transgressive” material that she’s interested in working on means “that you have to spend a lot of your time as a director saying, ‘Trust me, I think this how we’re going to do it.’ And so then people watch it, which is so thrilling. But yeah, you are showing yourself. You are taking your clothes off and exposing yourself.”
She added that Saltburn, while made on a big canvas, is a ”very intimate“ movie.
She told me during a long conversation at the Telluride Film Festival, where the film had its world premiere, that this is a film “about needing and wanting and desire and sex.
The filmmaker, who won an Oscar and BAFTAs for her debut feature Promising Young Woman, clarified that the “transgressive” material that she’s interested in working on means “that you have to spend a lot of your time as a director saying, ‘Trust me, I think this how we’re going to do it.’ And so then people watch it, which is so thrilling. But yeah, you are showing yourself. You are taking your clothes off and exposing yourself.”
She added that Saltburn, while made on a big canvas, is a ”very intimate“ movie.
She told me during a long conversation at the Telluride Film Festival, where the film had its world premiere, that this is a film “about needing and wanting and desire and sex.
- 9/2/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Ben Wheatley is one of the most unpredictable filmmakers working today. He impressed with his feature debut, the darkly funny "Down Terrace," but took a huge leap when he decided to blend two quintessential British genres, crime flicks and folk horror, with the terrifyingly brilliant "Kill List." Wheatley could've hightailed it for Hollywood on the strength of the latter, but he had different priorities. He bounced from the psychedelic horror of "A Field in England" to an effective adaptation of J.G. Ballard's dystopian "High-Rise" to the pitch-black shoot-em-up "Free Fire." He subsequently took a crack at Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca," and while he couldn't quite place his distinctive stamp on the material (which Alfred Hitchcock aced with David O. Selznick hanging over his shoulder in his 1940 Best Picture winner), you had to admire his ambition.
Wheatley is an undoubtedly gifted filmmaker, but, film to film, I can't...
Wheatley is an undoubtedly gifted filmmaker, but, film to film, I can't...
- 8/4/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ looks for piece of the action.
Shark sequel Meg 2: The Trench is the first major challenger to the Barbenheimer supremacy, opening in 544 cinemas at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend.
Meg 2 will look to challenge both its Warner Bros stablemate Barbie, and Universal’s Oppenheimer, while benefitting from the surge in audiences those titles have brought in the past fortnight.
The first title, 2018’s The Meg, started with £3.7m also in early August; and ended on a sharp £15.9m.
Jason Statham returns for the sequel, which sees a research team encounter multiple threats...
Shark sequel Meg 2: The Trench is the first major challenger to the Barbenheimer supremacy, opening in 544 cinemas at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend.
Meg 2 will look to challenge both its Warner Bros stablemate Barbie, and Universal’s Oppenheimer, while benefitting from the surge in audiences those titles have brought in the past fortnight.
The first title, 2018’s The Meg, started with £3.7m also in early August; and ended on a sharp £15.9m.
Jason Statham returns for the sequel, which sees a research team encounter multiple threats...
- 8/4/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Fathom Events unearths a creepy lineup of tricks and treats this Halloween season, as Fathom Fright Fest rises again—terrorizing theaters nationwide beginning on Sunday, September 3.
Featured in this year’s event are two upcoming Screambox Original horror movies, the horror-comedy Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls and creature feature Shaky Shivers, which are joined by a pair of classics from horror mastermind John Carpenter plus The Exorcist, House of 1000 Corpses, and Hitchcock’s The Birds!
Tickets for the Fathom Fright Fest films will be available for purchase via the Fathom Events website. Make sure to sign up with your email so you’re alerted when they go up for grabs!
The complete 2023 Fright Fest Lineup is as follows (all times local)…
“They Live” 35th Anniversary
Fathom celebrates 35 years of this poignant classic from renowned director John Carpenter. “They Live” stars wrestling icon Roddy Piper as a...
Featured in this year’s event are two upcoming Screambox Original horror movies, the horror-comedy Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls and creature feature Shaky Shivers, which are joined by a pair of classics from horror mastermind John Carpenter plus The Exorcist, House of 1000 Corpses, and Hitchcock’s The Birds!
Tickets for the Fathom Fright Fest films will be available for purchase via the Fathom Events website. Make sure to sign up with your email so you’re alerted when they go up for grabs!
The complete 2023 Fright Fest Lineup is as follows (all times local)…
“They Live” 35th Anniversary
Fathom celebrates 35 years of this poignant classic from renowned director John Carpenter. “They Live” stars wrestling icon Roddy Piper as a...
- 8/3/2023
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we look at Oscars categories from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winners stand the test of time.)
When we think of great Hollywood directors, we think of names like John Ford, Frank Capra, Billy Wilder, and moving on up to the likes of Steven Spielberg. These are filmmakers who not only had strong artistic and creative instincts and abilities, but they also knew how to translate those skills into making films that appealed to gigantic mass audiences. They made the films that Hollywood always strives to make.
Unquestionably, another filmmaker who belongs on that list is Alfred Hitchcock, the so-dubbed "Master of Suspense." That moniker suits him perfectly, as he was able to craft some of the most tense pictures ever produced in Hollywood. He perfectly understood set-up and payoff. He knew how to ride the line between euphemism and explicitness,...
When we think of great Hollywood directors, we think of names like John Ford, Frank Capra, Billy Wilder, and moving on up to the likes of Steven Spielberg. These are filmmakers who not only had strong artistic and creative instincts and abilities, but they also knew how to translate those skills into making films that appealed to gigantic mass audiences. They made the films that Hollywood always strives to make.
Unquestionably, another filmmaker who belongs on that list is Alfred Hitchcock, the so-dubbed "Master of Suspense." That moniker suits him perfectly, as he was able to craft some of the most tense pictures ever produced in Hollywood. He perfectly understood set-up and payoff. He knew how to ride the line between euphemism and explicitness,...
- 5/28/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
Whether it is because of chemicals in the water, scientific experiments gone wrong, or mother nature taking revenge, animals running amok has provided cinema with an endlessly entertaining series of films over the years. The hilarious hit comedy horror Cocaine Bear, inspired by the true story of a bear going on the rampage in the Chattahoochee National Forest after ingesting a stash of cocaine, might just be the craziest yet.
To celebrate its release on 4K Uhd and Blu-ray on 29th May, here we attempt to round up the best of the beastly genre, from super-powered piranhas and rabid St Bernards to panic-inducing giant alligators at large on the city streets.
Them (1954)
Ants. They can ruin a picnic. Especially if they have been exposed to radiation during atomic testing in New Mexico, then they won’t just carry a sandwich away but the whole family. It might be time to...
To celebrate its release on 4K Uhd and Blu-ray on 29th May, here we attempt to round up the best of the beastly genre, from super-powered piranhas and rabid St Bernards to panic-inducing giant alligators at large on the city streets.
Them (1954)
Ants. They can ruin a picnic. Especially if they have been exposed to radiation during atomic testing in New Mexico, then they won’t just carry a sandwich away but the whole family. It might be time to...
- 5/17/2023
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Lily James, an English actress, has been steadily making a name for herself in the world of acting. Born Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson on April 5, 1989, in Esher, Surrey, England, she adopted the stage name Lily James to honor her late father, James Thomson. This article will explore her career, her most prominent roles, and her rise to fame.
Early Life and Education Lily James. Depostiphotos
Lily James grew up in a family with a strong theatre background. Her father, James Thomson, was a musician, and her mother, Ninette Thomson, was an actress. She has two brothers, Sam and Charlie, who are also involved in the arts. Lily attended the Arts Educational School in Tring, Hertfordshire, before moving on to the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where she graduated in 2010.
The Beginnings of Lily James’ Acting Career
Lily James started her acting career with small roles in television series,...
Early Life and Education Lily James. Depostiphotos
Lily James grew up in a family with a strong theatre background. Her father, James Thomson, was a musician, and her mother, Ninette Thomson, was an actress. She has two brothers, Sam and Charlie, who are also involved in the arts. Lily attended the Arts Educational School in Tring, Hertfordshire, before moving on to the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where she graduated in 2010.
The Beginnings of Lily James’ Acting Career
Lily James started her acting career with small roles in television series,...
- 4/30/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Producer Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes and Universal will remake director Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 'unexplained bird attacks' suspense/horror feature "The Birds", adapting author Daphne du Maurier's 1952 novelette, to be directed by Dutch filmmaker Diederik Van Rooijen ("Penoza"):
"...'Melanie Daniels', a modern rich socialite is part of a jet-set who always gets what she wants. When lawyer 'Mitch Brenner' sees her in a pet shop, he plays something of a practical joke on her, and she decides to return the favor. She drives about an hour north of San Francisco to Bodega Bay, where Mitch spends the weekends with his mother 'Lydia' and younger sister 'Cathy'.
"Soon after her arrival, however, the birds in the area begin to act strangely. A seagull attacks Melanie as she is crossing the bay in a small boat, and then, Lydia finds her neighbor dead, obviously the victim of a bird attack.
"...'Melanie Daniels', a modern rich socialite is part of a jet-set who always gets what she wants. When lawyer 'Mitch Brenner' sees her in a pet shop, he plays something of a practical joke on her, and she decides to return the favor. She drives about an hour north of San Francisco to Bodega Bay, where Mitch spends the weekends with his mother 'Lydia' and younger sister 'Cathy'.
"Soon after her arrival, however, the birds in the area begin to act strangely. A seagull attacks Melanie as she is crossing the bay in a small boat, and then, Lydia finds her neighbor dead, obviously the victim of a bird attack.
- 4/2/2023
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
The Birds officially turns 60 years old in 2023 from its release date on March 28, 1963. It’s an excellent film that blends dramatic stakes with Alfred Hitchcock’s masterful use of suspense, but does it belong in his top five most significant movies? It all depends on how we define that, which is why his longtime fans are only partially right that The Birds is a top-five Hitchcock film.
‘The Birds’ joins Alfred Hitchcock’s top 5 movies Tippi Hedren as Melanie Daniels | Universal Studios/Getty Images
Hitchcock directed The Birds from Evan Hunter’s screenplay based on Daphne Du Maurier’s story. It follows a wealthy San Franciscan named Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) after she happens to meet the handsome Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) in a pet store. She decides to follow him home to a small Northern California town with two love birds in hopes of striking up a romance. Suddenly,...
‘The Birds’ joins Alfred Hitchcock’s top 5 movies Tippi Hedren as Melanie Daniels | Universal Studios/Getty Images
Hitchcock directed The Birds from Evan Hunter’s screenplay based on Daphne Du Maurier’s story. It follows a wealthy San Franciscan named Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) after she happens to meet the handsome Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) in a pet store. She decides to follow him home to a small Northern California town with two love birds in hopes of striking up a romance. Suddenly,...
- 3/28/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After the release of his 1960 masterpiece “Psycho,” Alfred Hitchcock received an irate letter from someone saying his daughter refused to take a bath after seeing Henri Clouzot’s 1955 thriller “Les Diaboliques,” which features a horrifying murder in a bathtub. And now she wouldn’t take a shower because of “Psycho.” What was he to do? Hitchcock wrote back the fuming father in his typical succinct and macabre style telling him to “send her to the dry cleaners.”
Undoubtedly, he received a lot of angry missives who saw his next film, “The Birds,” which celebrates the 60th anniversary of its release on March 28. In what is considered the Master of Suspense’s only horror film, “The Birds” finds feathered friends on the attack for no apparent reason. Let’s face it, six decades later if you see a large flock of birds gathering on a school’s jungle gym or malevolently peering down from trees,...
Undoubtedly, he received a lot of angry missives who saw his next film, “The Birds,” which celebrates the 60th anniversary of its release on March 28. In what is considered the Master of Suspense’s only horror film, “The Birds” finds feathered friends on the attack for no apparent reason. Let’s face it, six decades later if you see a large flock of birds gathering on a school’s jungle gym or malevolently peering down from trees,...
- 3/28/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
It’s Academy Awards weekend, that time of year when the film industry obsesses over who will win what, and why.
But there’s more going on than just the Oscars. The Independent has compiled a guide to the best cultural activities and events taking place over the next few days, for our weekly Arts Agenda. Critics and editors recommend a diverse range of options from the worlds of art, literature, film, music, stage and TV.
Arts editor Jessie Thompson heralds an exciting new project from feminist publisher Virago, and discusses the divisive Bake Off musical currently storming the West End. Features editor Adam White has good things to say about the new Scream film, which features Wednesday star Jenna Ortega. Chief art critic Mark Hudson urges everyone to go and check out the Cézanne exhibition while there’s still a chance, and features writer Annabel Nugent walks us through...
But there’s more going on than just the Oscars. The Independent has compiled a guide to the best cultural activities and events taking place over the next few days, for our weekly Arts Agenda. Critics and editors recommend a diverse range of options from the worlds of art, literature, film, music, stage and TV.
Arts editor Jessie Thompson heralds an exciting new project from feminist publisher Virago, and discusses the divisive Bake Off musical currently storming the West End. Features editor Adam White has good things to say about the new Scream film, which features Wednesday star Jenna Ortega. Chief art critic Mark Hudson urges everyone to go and check out the Cézanne exhibition while there’s still a chance, and features writer Annabel Nugent walks us through...
- 3/10/2023
- by Culture Staff
- The Independent - TV
Gabrielle Beaumont, who may have directed more primetime hours of television than any other women in history, died peacefully on October 8th at her home in Spain, her brother Christopher Toyne confirmed to Deadline.
Beaumont was the first woman director on many ’80s and ’90s TV hits. Her resume includes stints on Hill Street Blues, The Waltons, Miami Vice, Cagney & Lacy, M*A*S*H, L.A. Law, Baywatch, Archie Bunker’s Place, Remington Steele, The Dukes of Hazard, Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman, Doogie Howser, M.D., Touched by an Angel and three different iterations of Star Trek.
Her big break came when she landed a meeting with Aaron Spelling, who was under pressure to hire women and other minorities behind the camera. According to Beaumont’s brother, actor-producer Christopher Toyne, Spelling didn’t bother to look at any of the footage she had brought along. He asked Beaumont, “Can you goddamn direct?...
Beaumont was the first woman director on many ’80s and ’90s TV hits. Her resume includes stints on Hill Street Blues, The Waltons, Miami Vice, Cagney & Lacy, M*A*S*H, L.A. Law, Baywatch, Archie Bunker’s Place, Remington Steele, The Dukes of Hazard, Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman, Doogie Howser, M.D., Touched by an Angel and three different iterations of Star Trek.
Her big break came when she landed a meeting with Aaron Spelling, who was under pressure to hire women and other minorities behind the camera. According to Beaumont’s brother, actor-producer Christopher Toyne, Spelling didn’t bother to look at any of the footage she had brought along. He asked Beaumont, “Can you goddamn direct?...
- 12/16/2022
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Gabrielle Beaumont, the British director who broke ground for women in Hollywood by helming episodes of series including M*A*S*H, The Waltons, Hill Street Blues and Dynasty during her five-decade career, has died. She was 80.
Beaumont died peacefully Oct. 8 at her home in Fornalutx, Mallorca, Spain, her brother, actor-producer Christopher Toyne, announced Wednesday.
As one of the most prolific female directors in the history of primetime television, the Emmy-nominated Beaumont also handled installments of Knots Landing, The Dukes of Hazzard, Miami Vice, Cagney & Lacey, Doogie Howser, M.D., L.A. Law, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Law & Order and three Star Trek series, among many other shows.
After her British horror film The Godsend (1980) opened in the U.S., Beaumont came to Hollywood seeking work and got a meeting with Aaron Spelling, bringing with her two cans of films that she had worked on.
Gabrielle Beaumont, the British director who broke ground for women in Hollywood by helming episodes of series including M*A*S*H, The Waltons, Hill Street Blues and Dynasty during her five-decade career, has died. She was 80.
Beaumont died peacefully Oct. 8 at her home in Fornalutx, Mallorca, Spain, her brother, actor-producer Christopher Toyne, announced Wednesday.
As one of the most prolific female directors in the history of primetime television, the Emmy-nominated Beaumont also handled installments of Knots Landing, The Dukes of Hazzard, Miami Vice, Cagney & Lacey, Doogie Howser, M.D., L.A. Law, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Law & Order and three Star Trek series, among many other shows.
After her British horror film The Godsend (1980) opened in the U.S., Beaumont came to Hollywood seeking work and got a meeting with Aaron Spelling, bringing with her two cans of films that she had worked on.
- 12/14/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Itvx is the new name for ITV Hub, and with that name change, we get a whole new batch of streaming content. The Confessions of Frannie Langton, an adaptation of Sara Collins’ 2019 novel of the same name, tells the tragic story of a former slave who is sent from Jamaica to London and ends up working for a wealthy couple, where she falls in love with her mistress.
Set in Georgian London, the show is a beautiful, painful and queer story. It’s a British period drama which puts a Black woman at the helm – while defying the stereotypical former slave figure often painted in period dramas. Frannie (Karla-Simone Spence) is educated, well-read and outspoken, but more importantly, she has the ability to fall in love.
When we meet Frannie , she is being dragged from her lover’s bed and arrested for the murder of the Benhams – her master and...
Set in Georgian London, the show is a beautiful, painful and queer story. It’s a British period drama which puts a Black woman at the helm – while defying the stereotypical former slave figure often painted in period dramas. Frannie (Karla-Simone Spence) is educated, well-read and outspoken, but more importantly, she has the ability to fall in love.
When we meet Frannie , she is being dragged from her lover’s bed and arrested for the murder of the Benhams – her master and...
- 12/12/2022
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Until recently, the literary pedigree of a motion picture could clear a path to an Oscar nomination and often a win. Best Picture champs such as “No Country for Old Men” (2007), “Million Dollar Baby” (2004) and “The English Patient” (1996) all began their lives on the page in works by Cormac McCarthy, F.X. Toole and Michael Ondaatje, respectively. This year, “White Noise,” Noah Baumbach‘s Netflix film based on Don DeLillo’s 1985 novel, is angling for such a Best Picture nomination.
The tradition dates back to the earliest days of the Academy Awards when classic novels were regularly adapted for the screen. The 1930s saw “All Quiet on the Western Front” (by Erich Maria Remarque), “Mutiny on the Bounty” (by Charles Nordoff and James Norman Hall) and “Gone With the Wind” (by Margaret Mitchell) walk off with the top prize. The subsequent decade was also fortunate for novelists, as adaptations of “Rebecca...
The tradition dates back to the earliest days of the Academy Awards when classic novels were regularly adapted for the screen. The 1930s saw “All Quiet on the Western Front” (by Erich Maria Remarque), “Mutiny on the Bounty” (by Charles Nordoff and James Norman Hall) and “Gone With the Wind” (by Margaret Mitchell) walk off with the top prize. The subsequent decade was also fortunate for novelists, as adaptations of “Rebecca...
- 11/30/2022
- by Robert Rorke
- Gold Derby
Producer Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes and Universal will remake director Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 'unexplained bird attacks' suspense/horror feature "The Birds", adapting author Daphne du Maurier's 1952 novelette, to be directed by Dutch filmmaker Diederik Van Rooijen ("Penoza"):
"...'Melanie Daniels', a modern rich socialite is part of a jet-set who always gets what she wants. When lawyer 'Mitch Brenner' sees her in a pet shop, he plays something of a practical joke on her, and she decides to return the favor. She drives about an hour north of San Francisco to Bodega Bay, where Mitch spends the weekends with his mother 'Lydia' and younger sister 'Cathy'.
"Soon after her arrival, however, the birds in the area begin to act strangely. A seagull attacks Melanie as she is crossing the bay in a small boat, and then, Lydia finds her neighbor dead, obviously the victim of a bird attack.
"...'Melanie Daniels', a modern rich socialite is part of a jet-set who always gets what she wants. When lawyer 'Mitch Brenner' sees her in a pet shop, he plays something of a practical joke on her, and she decides to return the favor. She drives about an hour north of San Francisco to Bodega Bay, where Mitch spends the weekends with his mother 'Lydia' and younger sister 'Cathy'.
"Soon after her arrival, however, the birds in the area begin to act strangely. A seagull attacks Melanie as she is crossing the bay in a small boat, and then, Lydia finds her neighbor dead, obviously the victim of a bird attack.
- 11/22/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
It’s never a bad time for a scary movie. And Amazon Prime Video has some of the very best scary movies to watch. Whether it’s a serial killer thriller like “The Silence of the Lambs,” a zombie epic like “World War Z” or an oddball cult favorite like “C.H.U.D.” or “Jennifer’s Body,” Prime Video has a surprisingly robust selection of all your favorites on streaming.
Below, we run down some of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime Video right now.
The Silence of the Lambs Orion Pictures
Jonathan Demme’s Oscar-sweeping masterpiece is just as potent and terrifying today as it was in 1991. In this adaptation of Thomas Harris’ best-selling novel, Jodie Foster plays Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee who is recruited to interface with Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a serial killer who holds vital clues to a new case involving the abduction of a senator’s daughter.
Below, we run down some of the best horror movies on Amazon Prime Video right now.
The Silence of the Lambs Orion Pictures
Jonathan Demme’s Oscar-sweeping masterpiece is just as potent and terrifying today as it was in 1991. In this adaptation of Thomas Harris’ best-selling novel, Jodie Foster plays Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee who is recruited to interface with Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a serial killer who holds vital clues to a new case involving the abduction of a senator’s daughter.
- 10/29/2022
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
The horror genre can feel overwhelming for some — it’s full of classics, sure, but also schlock-fests, perfectly average genre exercises and, frankly, more than a few extremely bad knock-offs. But if you’re looking to catch up the essential horror bona fides, we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ve put together a list of 25 horror classics that every serious film fan should see, providing a wide range of influential films from 1920 all the way up to 2017.
This is by no means a complete list — there are so many more great horror films to check out. But if you want an entry point to the best of the best, start here.
“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920) Decla-Film
Robert Weine’s “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” has been touted as the first true horror film that helped to shape the horror and film noir genre through its dark visual style.
This is by no means a complete list — there are so many more great horror films to check out. But if you want an entry point to the best of the best, start here.
“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920) Decla-Film
Robert Weine’s “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” has been touted as the first true horror film that helped to shape the horror and film noir genre through its dark visual style.
- 10/28/2022
- by Loree Seitz, Harper Lambert, Haleigh Foutch and Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Loosely based on Daphne du Maurier's classic horror story, "The Birds" remains one of Alfred Hitchcock's most popular films. The manic action scenes are still a visual feast for modern audiences that have mostly been raised on Michael Bay explosions and the CGI-heavy fight choreography of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When hundreds of bloodthirsty birds attack the small Northern California town of Bodega Bay, it looks and feels truly terrorizing. Hitchcock famously used real birds that actually attacked the actors in an effort to make a fairly ridiculous natural phenomenon appear a little more believable to the movie-going audiences of 1963.
The abuse that lead actress Tippi Hedren endured has become the stuff of Hollywood legend. In the past, the starlet has had no qualms about calling out Hitchcock for his mistreatment. Nor should she. As the main performer on the call sheet, Hedren was expected to interact with actors Rod Taylor,...
The abuse that lead actress Tippi Hedren endured has become the stuff of Hollywood legend. In the past, the starlet has had no qualms about calling out Hitchcock for his mistreatment. Nor should she. As the main performer on the call sheet, Hedren was expected to interact with actors Rod Taylor,...
- 10/12/2022
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
Producer Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes and Universal will remake director Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 'unexplained bird attacks' suspense/horror feature "The Birds", adapting author Daphne du Maurier's 1952 novelette, to be directed by Dutch filmmaker Diederik Van Rooijen ("Penoza"):
"...'Melanie Daniels', a modern rich socialite is part of a jet-set who always gets what she wants. When lawyer 'Mitch Brenner' sees her in a pet shop, he plays something of a practical joke on her, and she decides to return the favor. She drives about an hour north of San Francisco to Bodega Bay, where Mitch spends the weekends with his mother 'Lydia' and younger sister 'Cathy'.
"Soon after her arrival, however, the birds in the area begin to act strangely. A seagull attacks Melanie as she is crossing the bay in a small boat, and then, Lydia finds her neighbor dead, obviously the victim of a bird attack.
"...'Melanie Daniels', a modern rich socialite is part of a jet-set who always gets what she wants. When lawyer 'Mitch Brenner' sees her in a pet shop, he plays something of a practical joke on her, and she decides to return the favor. She drives about an hour north of San Francisco to Bodega Bay, where Mitch spends the weekends with his mother 'Lydia' and younger sister 'Cathy'.
"Soon after her arrival, however, the birds in the area begin to act strangely. A seagull attacks Melanie as she is crossing the bay in a small boat, and then, Lydia finds her neighbor dead, obviously the victim of a bird attack.
- 8/22/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
One of Alfred Hitchcock's most beloved films also happens to be one of the most technically challenging productions; in the days before CGI, orchestrating a creature feature was a daunting task — but not too daunting for a filmmaker known for pioneering storytelling techniques. "The Birds" is Hitchcock's thrilling 1963 adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's 1952 story of the same name, concerning a series of sudden, violent bird attacks on the people of the sleepy seaside town of Bodega Bay, California.
A collection of interviews with the Master of Suspense dropped in 2003, containing a fascinating conversation between the director and Bruce Lane about the training involved with the feathered antagonists. The script called for birds to orchestrate mass assaults, dive at windows and, in one of the most impeccably-constructed suspense scenes of all time, assemble and attack schoolchildren. Hitchcock credits good trainers and good old movie magic for the stupefying result:
Training?...
A collection of interviews with the Master of Suspense dropped in 2003, containing a fascinating conversation between the director and Bruce Lane about the training involved with the feathered antagonists. The script called for birds to orchestrate mass assaults, dive at windows and, in one of the most impeccably-constructed suspense scenes of all time, assemble and attack schoolchildren. Hitchcock credits good trainers and good old movie magic for the stupefying result:
Training?...
- 8/12/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Daphne du Maurier's unsettling horror story, "The Birds," was the inspiration behind Alfred Hitchock's 1963 horror-thriller film of the same name. Hitchcock effectively utilized the premise of violent, inexplicable bird attacks to underline the themes of love and violence and how the two were connected within the context of the narrative. The onus of bringing this unique story to life fell on Tippi Hedren, who plays Melanie, the protagonist whose presence becomes an inadvertent threat to those around her.
"The Birds" was Hedren's screen debut and according to the actor, the process of working alongside Hitchcock was not a pleasant experience. Hitchcock himself had made the harsh proclamation that "all actors should be treated like cattle" — a statement that was corroborated by the way he treated Hedren while filming "The Birds" and 1964's "Marnie." Hedren details the alleged assault she had faced in her memoir, "Tippi," explaining how Hitchcock's obsession...
"The Birds" was Hedren's screen debut and according to the actor, the process of working alongside Hitchcock was not a pleasant experience. Hitchcock himself had made the harsh proclamation that "all actors should be treated like cattle" — a statement that was corroborated by the way he treated Hedren while filming "The Birds" and 1964's "Marnie." Hedren details the alleged assault she had faced in her memoir, "Tippi," explaining how Hitchcock's obsession...
- 8/12/2022
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Producer Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes and Universal will remake director Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 'unexplained bird attacks' suspense/horror feature "The Birds", adapting author Daphne du Maurier's 1952 novelette, to be directed by Dutch filmmaker Diederik Van Rooijen ("Penoza"):
"...'Melanie Daniels', a modern rich socialite is part of a jet-set who always gets what she wants. When lawyer 'Mitch Brenner' sees her in a pet shop, he plays something of a practical joke on her, and she decides to return the favor. She drives about an hour north of San Francisco to Bodega Bay, where Mitch spends the weekends with his mother 'Lydia' and younger sister 'Cathy'.
"Soon after her arrival, however, the birds in the area begin to act strangely. A seagull attacks Melanie as she is crossing the bay in a small boat, and then, Lydia finds her neighbor dead, obviously the victim of a bird attack.
"...'Melanie Daniels', a modern rich socialite is part of a jet-set who always gets what she wants. When lawyer 'Mitch Brenner' sees her in a pet shop, he plays something of a practical joke on her, and she decides to return the favor. She drives about an hour north of San Francisco to Bodega Bay, where Mitch spends the weekends with his mother 'Lydia' and younger sister 'Cathy'.
"Soon after her arrival, however, the birds in the area begin to act strangely. A seagull attacks Melanie as she is crossing the bay in a small boat, and then, Lydia finds her neighbor dead, obviously the victim of a bird attack.
- 6/23/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Hollywood agency snaps up top UK literary and talent representation group.
United Talent Agency (UTA) has acquired leading UK literary and talent agency Curtis Brown, whose clients include Robert Pattinson, Paul Mescal and Paapa Essiedu.
Under the terms of the deal, London-based Curtis Brown Group, founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and to be led by CEO Jonny Geller.
The deal makes Curtis Brown the first prominent UK literary and talent representation group to join with a major global talent agency, while expanding UTA’s footprint in the thriving UK market.
The agencies said that the...
United Talent Agency (UTA) has acquired leading UK literary and talent agency Curtis Brown, whose clients include Robert Pattinson, Paul Mescal and Paapa Essiedu.
Under the terms of the deal, London-based Curtis Brown Group, founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and to be led by CEO Jonny Geller.
The deal makes Curtis Brown the first prominent UK literary and talent representation group to join with a major global talent agency, while expanding UTA’s footprint in the thriving UK market.
The agencies said that the...
- 6/13/2022
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
United Talent Agency has acquired the legacy UK literary and talent agency Curtis Brown Group, UTA announced Monday.
Curtis Brown Group, which was founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and management, including CEO Jonny Geller (pictured above at center). But the deal expands UTA’s international footprint and this structure will allow both Curtis Brown Group and UTA to continue their longstanding relationships with other agency partners in the UK and U.S.
Curtis Brown has more than 240 employees and is expected to continue to grow as a result of this deal. No staffing reductions are anticipated due to this transaction. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Also Read:
UTA Acquires Analytics Firm MediaHound
The alliance provides Curtis Brown Group with resources to continue to build out its business, and the benefit of UTA’s expertise across a wide range of capabilities in such areas as brands,...
Curtis Brown Group, which was founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and management, including CEO Jonny Geller (pictured above at center). But the deal expands UTA’s international footprint and this structure will allow both Curtis Brown Group and UTA to continue their longstanding relationships with other agency partners in the UK and U.S.
Curtis Brown has more than 240 employees and is expected to continue to grow as a result of this deal. No staffing reductions are anticipated due to this transaction. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Also Read:
UTA Acquires Analytics Firm MediaHound
The alliance provides Curtis Brown Group with resources to continue to build out its business, and the benefit of UTA’s expertise across a wide range of capabilities in such areas as brands,...
- 6/13/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
United Talent Agency (UTA) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire U.K. literary and talent agency Curtis Brown Group.
Under the terms of the deal, London-based Curtis Brown Group, founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and management, including CEO Jonny Geller. The structure will allow both parries to continue their longstanding relationships with other agency partners in the U.K. and U.S.
“The union is driven by a shared desire to ensure greater opportunities for clients across an increasingly global entertainment and culture landscape, in which traditional buyers and distributors such as studios and streaming services are expanding far beyond their home markets. The alliance provides Curtis Brown Group with resources to continue to build out its business, and the benefit of UTA’s expertise across a wide range of capabilities in such areas as brands, podcasts, digital talent, endorsements, media rights, data analytics and more,...
Under the terms of the deal, London-based Curtis Brown Group, founded in 1899, will continue to operate under its current name and management, including CEO Jonny Geller. The structure will allow both parries to continue their longstanding relationships with other agency partners in the U.K. and U.S.
“The union is driven by a shared desire to ensure greater opportunities for clients across an increasingly global entertainment and culture landscape, in which traditional buyers and distributors such as studios and streaming services are expanding far beyond their home markets. The alliance provides Curtis Brown Group with resources to continue to build out its business, and the benefit of UTA’s expertise across a wide range of capabilities in such areas as brands, podcasts, digital talent, endorsements, media rights, data analytics and more,...
- 6/13/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
UTA has acquired the Curtis Brown Group, the UK literary and talent agency that reps authors including Margaret Atwood, the literary estates of Ian Fleming and others as well as a roster of film and TV clients.
The deal follows the 2020 combination of Curtis Brown and former rival Markham Froggatt and Irwin. Previously, the firm had grown through the acquisitions of Tavistock Wood in 2018, Ed Victor in 2017 and C&w in 2013.
The companies have had a history of working together on projects involving Damian Lewis, Lily James, Alicia Vikander and Bel Powley, as well as rising star Ncuti Gatwa, just named by the BBC as the next Dr. Who. They also share representation of screenwriters including David Farr, Georgia Pritchett, and Tony Roche. Curtis Brown shares with other agencies the representation of clients including Robert Pattinson.
The deal follows the 2020 combination of Curtis Brown and former rival Markham Froggatt and Irwin. Previously, the firm had grown through the acquisitions of Tavistock Wood in 2018, Ed Victor in 2017 and C&w in 2013.
The companies have had a history of working together on projects involving Damian Lewis, Lily James, Alicia Vikander and Bel Powley, as well as rising star Ncuti Gatwa, just named by the BBC as the next Dr. Who. They also share representation of screenwriters including David Farr, Georgia Pritchett, and Tony Roche. Curtis Brown shares with other agencies the representation of clients including Robert Pattinson.
- 6/13/2022
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Producer Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes and Universal will remake director Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 'unexplained bird attacks' suspense/horror feature "The Birds", adapting author Daphne du Maurier's 1952 novelette, to be directed by Dutch filmmaker Diederik Van Rooijen ("Penoza"):
"...'Melanie Daniels', a modern rich socialite is part of a jet-set who always gets what she wants. When lawyer 'Mitch Brenner' sees her in a pet shop, he plays something of a practical joke on her, and she decides to return the favor. She drives about an hour north of San Francisco to Bodega Bay, where Mitch spends the weekends with his mother 'Lydia' and younger sister 'Cathy'.
"Soon after her arrival, however, the birds in the area begin to act strangely. A seagull attacks Melanie as she is crossing the bay in a small boat, and then, Lydia finds her neighbor dead, obviously the victim of a bird attack.
"...'Melanie Daniels', a modern rich socialite is part of a jet-set who always gets what she wants. When lawyer 'Mitch Brenner' sees her in a pet shop, he plays something of a practical joke on her, and she decides to return the favor. She drives about an hour north of San Francisco to Bodega Bay, where Mitch spends the weekends with his mother 'Lydia' and younger sister 'Cathy'.
"Soon after her arrival, however, the birds in the area begin to act strangely. A seagull attacks Melanie as she is crossing the bay in a small boat, and then, Lydia finds her neighbor dead, obviously the victim of a bird attack.
- 4/25/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Eternally Confused & Eager For Love(Netflix, 8 Episodes)
Starring Vihaan Samat, Ankur Rathi, Rahul Bose, Suchitra Pillai
Written & Directed by Rahul Nair
After a long while, here is something to make you smile and chuckle. Eternally Confused & Eager For Love is an awkward title for what is customarily called the coming-of-age saga. But when you see how socially awkward our 20-something protagonist is, and how often he ends up putting his foot in his mouth, you would realize the importance of a title as gauche as Ray, played with a liberating transparency by Vihaan Samat, who has done some negligible parts in the past.
Eternally Confused and what-not is Samat’s actual beginning as an actor. He is a natural born choice to play the muddled boy-child with parents , played with lip smacking relish by Suchitra Krishnamoorthy and Rahul Bose , who are refreshingly non-interfering, although they do want him to at least shed his virginity.
Starring Vihaan Samat, Ankur Rathi, Rahul Bose, Suchitra Pillai
Written & Directed by Rahul Nair
After a long while, here is something to make you smile and chuckle. Eternally Confused & Eager For Love is an awkward title for what is customarily called the coming-of-age saga. But when you see how socially awkward our 20-something protagonist is, and how often he ends up putting his foot in his mouth, you would realize the importance of a title as gauche as Ray, played with a liberating transparency by Vihaan Samat, who has done some negligible parts in the past.
Eternally Confused and what-not is Samat’s actual beginning as an actor. He is a natural born choice to play the muddled boy-child with parents , played with lip smacking relish by Suchitra Krishnamoorthy and Rahul Bose , who are refreshingly non-interfering, although they do want him to at least shed his virginity.
- 3/18/2022
- by Subhash K Jha
- Bollyspice
Having initially established itself as a power-house of binge TV, in more recent years Netflix has turned its attention to movies.
But with dozens of Netflix original films to chose from, how to sort the gold from the feature-length dross?
To help you make sense of the service’s mind-boggling viewing options here’s a countdown of the best original movies available to stream on Netflix UK.
We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content.
If you are looking for a streaming platform alternative, you can access unlimited movies and TV shows on Amazon Prime Video. Click here to sign up for a 30-day free trial.
50. Rebecca
The ultimate hate-watch or game attempt at reinventing a classic thriller? Opinions are divided on Ben Wheatley’s adaptation of the Daphne du Maurier novel already immortalised by Hitchcock. Lily James...
But with dozens of Netflix original films to chose from, how to sort the gold from the feature-length dross?
To help you make sense of the service’s mind-boggling viewing options here’s a countdown of the best original movies available to stream on Netflix UK.
We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content.
If you are looking for a streaming platform alternative, you can access unlimited movies and TV shows on Amazon Prime Video. Click here to sign up for a 30-day free trial.
50. Rebecca
The ultimate hate-watch or game attempt at reinventing a classic thriller? Opinions are divided on Ben Wheatley’s adaptation of the Daphne du Maurier novel already immortalised by Hitchcock. Lily James...
- 2/27/2022
- by Ed Power
- The Independent - Film
Roger Michell’s final feature film brings good-natured, Ealing-style brio to the 1961 theft of Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington
As with so many of cinema’s most successful practitioners, the South Africa-born British film-maker Roger Michell, who died last September aged 65, was not an “auteur” with a singular distinctive style. On the contrary, he was a versatile craftsman who could turn his hand to a range of genres with ease. From the classic Richard Curtis romcom Notting Hill to the American thriller Changing Lanes and the deliciously twisty Daphne du Maurier dark romance My Cousin Rachel, Michell instinctively understood the differing demands of each story he was telling. He adapted Hanif Kureishi’s The Buddha of Suburbia for TV with great success, gave Anne Reid her finest role in the taboo-breaking, Kureishi-scripted drama The Mother, and directed a sorely underrated screen adaptation of Ian McEwan’s Enduring Love,...
As with so many of cinema’s most successful practitioners, the South Africa-born British film-maker Roger Michell, who died last September aged 65, was not an “auteur” with a singular distinctive style. On the contrary, he was a versatile craftsman who could turn his hand to a range of genres with ease. From the classic Richard Curtis romcom Notting Hill to the American thriller Changing Lanes and the deliciously twisty Daphne du Maurier dark romance My Cousin Rachel, Michell instinctively understood the differing demands of each story he was telling. He adapted Hanif Kureishi’s The Buddha of Suburbia for TV with great success, gave Anne Reid her finest role in the taboo-breaking, Kureishi-scripted drama The Mother, and directed a sorely underrated screen adaptation of Ian McEwan’s Enduring Love,...
- 2/27/2022
- by Mark Kermode, Observer film critic
- The Guardian - Film News
Alfred Hitchcock wrote the book on making suspense come alive on-screen. During his decades-long career, the filmmaker directed over 50 features. Though he dabbled in many genres, his best films are regarded as cinema's most chilling classics. "Rebecca," the Master of Suspense's 1940 adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's Gothic novel, is one of his best.
In his early films, Hitchcock popularized filmmaking methods that would go on to become industry norms. Small but clever formal choices emphasized his characters' states of mind or revealed key information about the setting. In a 1972 interview for The Dick Cavett Show, the director explained a few of the...
The post How Alfred Hitchcock Subtly Makes You Feel Uneasy in Rebecca appeared first on /Film.
In his early films, Hitchcock popularized filmmaking methods that would go on to become industry norms. Small but clever formal choices emphasized his characters' states of mind or revealed key information about the setting. In a 1972 interview for The Dick Cavett Show, the director explained a few of the...
The post How Alfred Hitchcock Subtly Makes You Feel Uneasy in Rebecca appeared first on /Film.
- 2/8/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Suffice it to say that 2021 has been a big year for author Mike Thorn. February saw the publication of his debut novel, Shelter for the Damned, June witnessed the release of his revamped short story collection, Darkest Hours: Expanded Edition, and October set the stage for his third book of the year, Peel Back and See, featuring 16 new short stories lurking between the covers of what Thorn says could be his "bleakest book to date."
With the horror holiday shopping season upon us (it should be noted that Peel Back and See would fit very nicely in a stocking), we caught up with Thorn in a new Q&a feature to discuss the timely themes rippling through his latest short story collection, the collaborative joys of working with JournalStone on all three of his book releases this year, and some of his holiday horror movie recommendations to help get you...
With the horror holiday shopping season upon us (it should be noted that Peel Back and See would fit very nicely in a stocking), we caught up with Thorn in a new Q&a feature to discuss the timely themes rippling through his latest short story collection, the collaborative joys of working with JournalStone on all three of his book releases this year, and some of his holiday horror movie recommendations to help get you...
- 12/13/2021
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Exclusive: Studiocanal and The Picture Company have entered into a new multi-year pact with the aim to make two-three films a year along with an infiltration into TV by Picture Company Co-Founders Andrew Rona & Alex Heineman.
The producers combined have made some of Studiocanal’s most successful films including the Liam Neeson thriller vehicles Unknown, Non-Stop and The Commuter, and they just released the Netflix action breakout Gunpowder Milkshake,. The films were all mid-level budget actioners that became profitable global hits for the studio. They’ll keep making those films for the Canal Plus library and Studiocanal’s streaming service output deals, but under the new deal, Rona and Heineman will lean into European theatrical co-productions and television for global audiences.
Studiocanal and the producers are in the early stages of a sequel on Navot Papushado’s Karen Gillan starrer, Gunpowder Milkshake, which was the number one streaming title overall...
The producers combined have made some of Studiocanal’s most successful films including the Liam Neeson thriller vehicles Unknown, Non-Stop and The Commuter, and they just released the Netflix action breakout Gunpowder Milkshake,. The films were all mid-level budget actioners that became profitable global hits for the studio. They’ll keep making those films for the Canal Plus library and Studiocanal’s streaming service output deals, but under the new deal, Rona and Heineman will lean into European theatrical co-productions and television for global audiences.
Studiocanal and the producers are in the early stages of a sequel on Navot Papushado’s Karen Gillan starrer, Gunpowder Milkshake, which was the number one streaming title overall...
- 9/28/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
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Wes Craven was a master of horror movies. The Cleveland native, who made his directorial debut with 1972’s “The Last House on the Left,” gave us spine-chilling classics “The Hills Have Eyes” and “Swamp Thing” before introducing fans to “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” and the “Scream” franchise. Craven’s other credits include “The People Under the Stairs,” “Vampire in Brooklyn,” and, taking his oeuvre in a slightly different direction, the drama “Music of the Heart” starring Meryl Streep.
From Freddy Kruger to Ghostface, Craven’s most iconic characters have been scaring audiences for years, but what about the movies that scared him? Because Craven loved watching movies (maybe even more than making...
Wes Craven was a master of horror movies. The Cleveland native, who made his directorial debut with 1972’s “The Last House on the Left,” gave us spine-chilling classics “The Hills Have Eyes” and “Swamp Thing” before introducing fans to “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” and the “Scream” franchise. Craven’s other credits include “The People Under the Stairs,” “Vampire in Brooklyn,” and, taking his oeuvre in a slightly different direction, the drama “Music of the Heart” starring Meryl Streep.
From Freddy Kruger to Ghostface, Craven’s most iconic characters have been scaring audiences for years, but what about the movies that scared him? Because Craven loved watching movies (maybe even more than making...
- 8/2/2021
- by Latifah Muhammad
- Indiewire
This low-budget folk-horror is back in Wheatley’s weird, sly world as Joel Fry and Ellora Torchia get lost in the forest
Here is a low-budget, low-profile film that scampers through the undergrowth up to a horrible folk-horror epiphany, with undeadpan comedy and a gibbering shroom meltdown, percussively hammered home with strobe lightning flashes and skull-splittingly loud snaps. At one point, we are encircled by a fog, which a frowning scientist describes as a “suspension of mushroom spores and water droplets in the air”. It was one of those rare moments when you are glad of a mask in the cinema.
This is a return to home territory for its writer-director Ben Wheatley, maybe reminiscent of his 17th-century Leveller freakout A Field in England from 2013, which was about civil war deserters captured by an alchemist and finding the world turned upside down. And there are admittedly some familiar tropes: forests...
Here is a low-budget, low-profile film that scampers through the undergrowth up to a horrible folk-horror epiphany, with undeadpan comedy and a gibbering shroom meltdown, percussively hammered home with strobe lightning flashes and skull-splittingly loud snaps. At one point, we are encircled by a fog, which a frowning scientist describes as a “suspension of mushroom spores and water droplets in the air”. It was one of those rare moments when you are glad of a mask in the cinema.
This is a return to home territory for its writer-director Ben Wheatley, maybe reminiscent of his 17th-century Leveller freakout A Field in England from 2013, which was about civil war deserters captured by an alchemist and finding the world turned upside down. And there are admittedly some familiar tropes: forests...
- 6/16/2021
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
In The Woman in the Window, Amy Adams plays an agoraphobic woman who thinks she’s witnessed the murder of her female neighbor. But when the police investigate, the neighbor is alive and well. She’s also a completely different woman… Based on the best selling novel by A. J. Finn, which garnered positive reviews on its 2018 release, Joe Wright’s screen adaptation has not proven as much of a hit with critics.
Various complaints have been leveled against the movie, which owes more than a small debt to Alfred Hitchcock – not an easy comparison to weather – including that the characters are hard to care for and the plot comes so thick and fast as to be beyond implausible. While in many ways, it is pointless criticizing a film for what it’s not, recent trends on the small screen suggest that this story would’ve just been better as telly.
Various complaints have been leveled against the movie, which owes more than a small debt to Alfred Hitchcock – not an easy comparison to weather – including that the characters are hard to care for and the plot comes so thick and fast as to be beyond implausible. While in many ways, it is pointless criticizing a film for what it’s not, recent trends on the small screen suggest that this story would’ve just been better as telly.
- 5/19/2021
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Welcome back, Weird-as-fuck Ben Wheatley. We’ve missed you.
Since Down Terrace, the 2009 blend of Sopranos-style gangster saga and kitchen-sink drama that remains one of the strongest debut films in a decade, the British director has fashioned himself as a purveyor of oddball genre mash-ups, combining elements that go together like peanut butter and peyote. What if a hitman thriller took a detour into Wicker Man territory? (2011’s Kill List.) What if a daffy, misfits-in-love rom-com doubled as a portrait of serial killers? (2012’s Sightseers.) What if a tale...
Since Down Terrace, the 2009 blend of Sopranos-style gangster saga and kitchen-sink drama that remains one of the strongest debut films in a decade, the British director has fashioned himself as a purveyor of oddball genre mash-ups, combining elements that go together like peanut butter and peyote. What if a hitman thriller took a detour into Wicker Man territory? (2011’s Kill List.) What if a daffy, misfits-in-love rom-com doubled as a portrait of serial killers? (2012’s Sightseers.) What if a tale...
- 4/16/2021
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
The Meg 2 is a thing. Three years after the release of the original The Meg, which swallowed up an astonishing $530 million worldwide at the box office, director Ben Wheatley — fresh off his eerie new horror film In The Earth — is deep in pre-production on a sequel to the 2018 thriller that pitted puny humans against a couple of oversized prehistoric sharks.
“I’m storyboarding at the moment on Meg 2,” Wheatley says when we catch up with him for the release of In The Earth. “It’s been going on for four months, five months. It’s my happy place, I love storyboarding. So yeah, I’m cutting storyboards and watching animatics, and slowly constructing the movie. It’s really exciting. It’s just action on a massive, massive scale.”
The first film, based on the popular 1997 novel Meg by Steve Alten, reached the screen in 2018 after more than two decades of development.
“I’m storyboarding at the moment on Meg 2,” Wheatley says when we catch up with him for the release of In The Earth. “It’s been going on for four months, five months. It’s my happy place, I love storyboarding. So yeah, I’m cutting storyboards and watching animatics, and slowly constructing the movie. It’s really exciting. It’s just action on a massive, massive scale.”
The first film, based on the popular 1997 novel Meg by Steve Alten, reached the screen in 2018 after more than two decades of development.
- 4/15/2021
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Here’s your first look at the brand-new trailer for director Ben Wheatley’s In The Earth.
As the world searches for a cure to a disastrous virus, a scientist and park scout venture deep in the forest for a routine equipment run. Through the night, their journey becomes a terrifying voyage through the heart of darkness, the forest coming to life around them. In The Earth stars Joel Fry, Ellora Torchia, Hayley Squires, Reece Shearsmith, John Hollingworth, Mark Monero.
Ben Wheatley’s films have won numerous awards, received international critical acclaim and have been theatrically released globally. Ben’s films include High Rise, Sightseers, A Field In England, Kill List while his latest film “Rebecca”, an adaptation of the Daphne Du Maurier classic, premiered on Netflix in November 2020. In October 2020 it was announced that the director would helm The Meg 2 (link)
When asked what inspired the story of In The Earth,...
As the world searches for a cure to a disastrous virus, a scientist and park scout venture deep in the forest for a routine equipment run. Through the night, their journey becomes a terrifying voyage through the heart of darkness, the forest coming to life around them. In The Earth stars Joel Fry, Ellora Torchia, Hayley Squires, Reece Shearsmith, John Hollingworth, Mark Monero.
Ben Wheatley’s films have won numerous awards, received international critical acclaim and have been theatrically released globally. Ben’s films include High Rise, Sightseers, A Field In England, Kill List while his latest film “Rebecca”, an adaptation of the Daphne Du Maurier classic, premiered on Netflix in November 2020. In October 2020 it was announced that the director would helm The Meg 2 (link)
When asked what inspired the story of In The Earth,...
- 3/25/2021
- by Michelle Hannett
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
While everyone was still working on perfecting their sourdough mix or tightening their glutei during the first five or six months of a still ongoing pandemic, writer-director Ben Wheatley, no slouch when it comes to making trippy, disturbing micro-budget thrillers on super-tight schedules, decided to step back into his genre roots (and boots) and wrote and directed In the Earth, an eco-horror-thriller shot in 15 days that’s something of a return to genre form for a filmmaker who had stumbled so badly with his first studio-financed film, Rebecca, Netflix’s ill-conceived re-adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s novel that served as fellow Brit Alfred Hitchcock’s calling card when he crossed the Atlantic to make films in Hollywood. In...
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[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 2/6/2021
- Screen Anarchy
Filmmaker Ben Wheatley has been taking a little bit of heat lately for his recent directing choices, whether it was his slightly underwhelming adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca or tackling Warner Bros.’ giant shark sequel The Meg 2. But for those who wistfully yearn for the days in which Wheatley was making small scale […]
The post ‘In the Earth’: Ben Wheatley’s Pandemic Horror Film Features the Forest Coming to Life appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘In the Earth’: Ben Wheatley’s Pandemic Horror Film Features the Forest Coming to Life appeared first on /Film.
- 11/6/2020
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSAbove: Madeleine Lim's Sambal Belacan (1997)After two decades of censorship by the Singapore government, Madeleine Lim's 1997 film Sambal Belacan will be screened in Singapore. The film, "a personal, intertextual, and poetic document about three Southeast Asian lesbians who discuss the social and political climate of Singapore," has previously only been shown in underground viewings. Meanwhile, The Meg 2 has found its director: Ben Wheatley, whose adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca recently debuted on Netflix. Recommended VIEWINGThe official trailer for Carlo Mirabella-Davis's thriller Swallow, which follows a pregnant housewife's stomach-churning struggle for bodily autonomy. This Halloween, watch the film on Mubi. Béla Tarr's 1988 film Damnation has been restored in 4K from the original 35mm camera negative by the Hungarian National Film Institute. Co-written by frequent collaborator László Krasznahorkai, the film...
- 10/28/2020
- MUBI
Why is there so much hatred out there for Ben Wheatley's take on Rebecca? It's almost as if, having fallen in love with Hitchcock's version, viewers feel that this one is trying to replace it - yet they are very different creatures.
This isn't like Gus Van Sant's tragically ill-judged remake of Psycho. Wheatley isn't trying to copy Hitchcock. He's gone back to the source material, and his take on Daphne Du Maurier's novel is very much his own. There are two key ways to interpret the book. Hitchcock, always drawn to the Gothic, looks at it through the prism of love (what else would make a woman stay with a man with a secret like Maxim's?). Wheatley's take is colder. His characteristic use of folk music and a scene in which...
This isn't like Gus Van Sant's tragically ill-judged remake of Psycho. Wheatley isn't trying to copy Hitchcock. He's gone back to the source material, and his take on Daphne Du Maurier's novel is very much his own. There are two key ways to interpret the book. Hitchcock, always drawn to the Gothic, looks at it through the prism of love (what else would make a woman stay with a man with a secret like Maxim's?). Wheatley's take is colder. His characteristic use of folk music and a scene in which...
- 10/23/2020
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Part of the timeless appeal of Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca” has always been the imposing presence of the legendary manor house known as Manderley. It’s an essential character that embodies the mystery and power of the deceased Rebecca, who continues to haunt everyone from beyond the grave. And, of course, who can ever forget that immortal, opening line: “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again”?
Manderley was so important to director Ben Wheatley’s Netflix remake that it demanded a great deal of creative planning and design. There was even a line item in the budget called “Rebecca” in reference to Manderley. “Ben said he liked the idea that the second Mrs. de Winter walks into this house and is overwhelmed by the sense of wonder and scale,” said six-time Oscar-nominated production designer Sarah Greenwood (most recently for “Darkest Hour” and “Beauty and the Beast” in...
Manderley was so important to director Ben Wheatley’s Netflix remake that it demanded a great deal of creative planning and design. There was even a line item in the budget called “Rebecca” in reference to Manderley. “Ben said he liked the idea that the second Mrs. de Winter walks into this house and is overwhelmed by the sense of wonder and scale,” said six-time Oscar-nominated production designer Sarah Greenwood (most recently for “Darkest Hour” and “Beauty and the Beast” in...
- 10/23/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
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