Ken Russell 1927-2011

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 28, 2011

Categories | News, Directors, British Cinema, Ken Russell

The news about Ken Russell’s death hit me hard. Just last week the great man actually took the time to befriend me on Twitter (I’d been following him there for a year or more). I exchanged a brief note with him. Got the opportunity to tell him I was honored that he had taken the time to follow me and I hoped that he knew he was one of my favorite directors. He was jovial online, seemed extremely friendly and still very young at heart. I had imagined sending the 84-year-old director some interview questions soon that I hoped he would answer about the upcoming DVD release for my favorite Russell film, THE DEVILS (1971), which featured production design by Derek Jarman. He seemed very excited about that upcoming DVD release but also disappointed that his work was still being censored in 2011. Obviously that email interview wasn’t meant to be. Que sera, sera! You will be greatly missed Unkle Ken. You and your amazing movies made the world a much more interesting place to live in.

Recommended Links:
- Ken Russell: A True British original @ BBC
- Ken Russell Dead: Film loving stars lead tributes on Twitter @ The Daily Mirror
- Ken Russell Obituary @ The Guardian
- Ken Russell: A Life in Photographs @ The Guardian
- Ken Russell: His Film Career @ The Guardian
- The Musical Legacy of Ken Russell @ The Guardian
- “Pity we aren’t madder”: Ken Russell links in his magnificent memory @ Film Studies For Free

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“Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down!”

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 17, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Actors, British Cinema, Karel Reisz, Tony Richardson

I recently got the opportunity to discuss the work of British screenwriter and novelist, Alan Sillitoe with members of The Alan Sillitoe Committee, including Alan’s son David. The name might not be familiar to many film fans but Alan Sillitoe is responsible for writing SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING (Karel Reisz; 1961) and THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER (Tony Richardson; 1962). He gave a voice to Britain’s “angry young men” and helped define a generation.

Both SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING and THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER are films that are near and dear to my heart and undoubtedly two of the best films to emerge from the British New Wave in the ’60s. I’ve briefly mentioned both movies on numerous occasions but I haven’t given them as much attention as I’d like. SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING will be airing on TCM this Saturday (Nov. 19th) so I thought it would be a good time to rectify my negligence. You can find my interview with members of The Alan Sillitoe Committee at the Movie Morlocks and I thought I’d share some of my thoughts about the film here.

In SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING, Albert Finney made his incredible screen debut as a young man by the name of Arthur Seaton. Arthur is a working-class lad raised in Nottingham who lives with his parents. He has a dead-end factory job that pays the bills but it leaves little room for much else. He spends the work week looking forward to his Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. During these weekend breaks Arthur fishes with friends, drinks himself into a stupor and seduces any willing lady that catches his eye. When he clashes with his boss and is accused of being a ‘red’ (communist) or gets beaten up for sleeping with a married woman, Arthur doesn’t let it faze him and lives by the motto, “Don’t let the bastards get you down!” while making it known that, “I’m out for a good time - all the rest is propaganda!” Arthur is much too smart and much too curious to be satisfied with the life his parents have accepted. Unfortunately his rough existence has made him a little mean and he doesn’t suffer fools lightly. But underneath all that false bravado is an angry young man with a volcanic size chip on his shoulder that could explode at any moment. Despite the underlying tension that filters through every frame of SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING, the film seems to end on a somewhat upbeat note with Arthur denouncing his parents (”They have a TV set and a packet of fags, but they’re both dead from the neck up.”) and realizing that he’s his own man, able to make his own way in the world, even if that world seems determined to hold him back.

“And trouble for me it’ll be, fighting every day until I die. Why do they make soldiers out of us when we’re fighting up to the hilt as it is? Fighting with mothers and wives, landlords and gaffers, coppers, army, government… Well, it’s a good life and a good world, all said and done, if you don’t weaken, and if you know that the big wide world hasn’t heard from you yet, no, not by a long way, though it won’t be long now.”
- Arthur Seaton from Alan Sillitoe’s ‘Saturday Night and Sunday Morning’

Watching SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING again recently, I was reminded of how poignant and powerful the film’s underlying message still was. Few films address the concerns of young working-class people so directly and so well. As I said earlier, it’s one of the most important movies that emerged from the British New Wave and it features a literal ‘who’s-who’ of British cinema at the time including the fabulous Albert Finney, as young Arthur. Finney swaggers through the film like a beautiful bulldog always keenly aware of everything going on around him. The film made Finney a star and it’s easy to see why. He’s a handsome man but it’s more than just looks that make young Finney so irresistible. He’s truly committed to the role of Arthur Seaton and he was able to harness the kind of rough and tumble working-class spirit that is so hard to find in today’s young actors. He’s a genuine tough guy and you don’t want to mess with him but he’s just soft enough to win a woman’s heart.

SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING was directed by Karel Reiz who brought a real authenticity to the film. Reiz was part of the British Free Cinema movement and his documentary background gave him the ability to truly capture the Nottingham local. He gave the film a real sense of place and purpose. The celebrated cinematographer Freddie Francis also helped shape the look of the film and there are some truly beautiful scenes that showcase Albert Finney and his costars (including award-winning actress Rachel Roberts and Shirley Anne Field) in the most flattering light imaginable. These lush moments can occasionally take you out of the film but Reiz and Francis quickly return you to the gritty streets of Nottingham. SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING was also edited by Seth Holt (THE NANNY) and produced by Tony Richardson (THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER) along with Harry Saltzman (LOOK BACK IN ANGER). And last but not least, it features an amazing jazz riddled score by John Dankworth (THE SERVANT).

If you’d like to learn more about this terrific film please follow the link to the Movie Morlocks. It will take you to my interview with members of The Alan Sillitoe Committe where we discuss Sillitoe’s work in film.
- “Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down!” @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

I also wanted to give a special shout-out to fellow film blogger and Alan Sillitoe Committee member Neil Fulwood who agreed to answer questions and went out of his way to contact Alan’s son David. Cheers, Neil! Please stop by his terrific film blog, The Agitation of the Mind and tell him I sent ya.

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All Aboard the HORROR EXPRESS!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 11, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, Spanish Cinema, TCM

At the Movie Morlocks this week I took a sneak peek at Severin Films upcoming DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Package for HORROR EXPRESS (1972). This entertaining Spanish/British production directed by Eugino ‘Gene’ Martino is finally getting the red carpet treatment from Severin that it’s long deserved and if you’re a fan of the film you’re going to want to pick up this release. A brief outtake from my post:

“HORROR EXPRESS has often been described as an unusual mix of THE THING (1951) and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974). But it also contains a dash of QUATERMASS AND THE PITT (1967) and a touch of TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD (1971) during its suspenseful final moments. The direction is somewhat static but the film manages to maintain a steady momentum throughout its 90-minute running time. In an interview with Spanish director Eugenio Martin included on the DVD he constantly refers to the film as an ”action” movie instead of using the word “horror” and I think that’s understandable. HORROR EXPRESS has plenty of horrific moments and it’s surprisingly gory for its time. But the film also features some effective action sequences including an explosive ending that’s particularly well-staged. Like many of Eugenio Martin’s westerns including BAD MAN’S RIVER (1971) and PANCHO VILLA (1972), the characters in HORROR EXPRESS also exchange some funny banter that lightens the mood without lessening any of the tension. This low budget fast-paced thriller is sure to gain many more fans thanks to Severin’s careful restoration. It’s a particularly modern horror film even though it takes place in a period setting and I think it’s aged well.”

You can read my full review if you follow this link:
- “All Aboard the HORROR EXPRESS!” @ TCM’s Movie Morlock’s

I’ve also created a an image gallery for HORROR EXPRESS at Flickr that you cam view here.

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Derek Jarman: An Appreciation

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 1, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, News, British Cinema, Marianne Faithfull, Gay Interest

As a teenager growing up in the ’80s it was impossible to overlook Derek Jarman’s work. He was all over MTV. He was part of a group of British filmmakers that included Julien Temple and Alex Cox who made music videos or music inspired films that seemed particularly in-sync with their times. Jarman’s work was interesting, experimental and demanding of its audience but I appreciated the challenges he presented. I had grown up watching classic films but as a troubled and rebellious teenager I was eager to break away from convention. Discovering the work of an artistically inclined filmmaker like Jarman, who was creating with a limited budget while trying to express his ideas about the world and his place in it, was incredibly inspiring to me. I was drawn to Jarman’s work as well as the work of directors like Andy Warhol before I even knew what the word “avant-garde” meant. Foreign films were still foreign to me but like most kids my age, I had my MTV. And I watched the music channel with wide-eyed wonder in the early half of the ’80s (1981-84). I didn’t know it at the time but my exposure to the work of directors like Jarman at such an early age helped make me into the film lover I am today. While my passion for ’60s and ’70s cinema is never ending, it should also be apparent that I appreciate the unexpected, thirst for the undiscovered and thrive on the unconventional. I’m also able and willing to see the good in films that are often overlooked due to their limited budgets. I owe some of that to Derek Jarman.

I recently had the opportunity to write about Derek Jarman for Fandor.com during their week-long appreciation of the director’s life and work. The two pieces I wrote are titled, Radical Shakespeare: The Alchemy of Derek Jarman’s “The Tempest” and A Light that Never Went Out: the MTV Legacy of Derek Jarman. The first piece discusses Jarman’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s last play, The Tempest while the other piece focuses on his music video work for artists such as Marianne Faithfull and bands like The Smiths. If you’re familiar with Derek Jarman’s work or just curious about this unusual and controversial filmmaker please make your way over to Fandor.

Derek Jarman’s video for Marianne Faithfull’s “Ballad of Lucy Jordan” (1979)

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VOICES (1973) or The Other OTHERS

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 13, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, David Hemmings, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Gayle Hunnicutt

If there’s a couple that was more modtastic and appeared in more outstanding horror films & thrillers than the fabulous David Hemmings and the vastly underrated Gayle Hunnicutt, I don’t know who they are. Hemmings and Hunnicutt were married between 1968 and 1975. During that brief period of time they made FRAGMENT OF FEAR (1970) and VOICES (1973) together (as well as THE LOVE MACHINE, which I’ll be writing about soon). They also individually starred in such noteworthy films as EYE OF THE CAT (1969), UNMAN, WITTERING AND ZIGO (1971), NUITS ROUGE (1974), THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE (1974) and DEEP RED (1975).

David Hemmings & Gayle Hunnicutt (1967)
Note: Gayle’s holding David’s LP!

Speaking of Hemmings & Hunnicutt, I’m taking a lengthy look at the spooky supernatural thriller VOICES (1973) at the Movie Morlocks this week, which features the real-life couple as a husband and wife haunted by ghosts and plagued by their own personal demons. I recently watched VOICES for the first time and was very impressed with this vastly underrated - and undeniably influential - little horror film. I was also surprised by the lack of available information about VOICES. I scanned my personal library and did extensive research online but solid facts and important figures were incredibly hard to come by. I decided to try and remedy the situation by writing a dissertation piece about the film for the Morlocks, which hopefully shines some much needed light on the movie and encourages more horror enthusiasts to seek it out. Unfortunately it’s currently only available on VHS legally but bootleg DVDs are floating around online. You can also watch VOICES on Youtube, which is where I saw it. Here’s a brief excerpt from my post:

“VOICES is based on the work of accomplished horror author, Richard Lortz (Lovers Living Lovers Dead, Bereavements, Dracula’s Children, etc.) and it explores the life of a young couple (David Hemmings & Gayle Hunnicutt) whose idyllic existence is turned upside down when their young son accidentally drowns. Through a series of flashbacks we learn that the mother, Claire Williams, was deeply traumatized by the loss of her child and after numerous suicide attempts she was finally hospitalized. Her husband Robert has been trying to cope with the stress as well as but it’s apparent that the situation has become increasingly difficult for them both. After Claire is released from the hospital the couple plans a trip to the country where they can relax in a large manor house that was left to Claire by her recently deceased aunt. It seems like the perfect setting for the couple to rekindle their romance but things begin to disintegrate quickly after their trip becomes hindered by the foggy weather, which makes finding the house almost impossible. The situation reaches a breaking points after Claire begins hearing strange unidentifiable voices in the house. Eventually the voices take shape and Claire comes face to face with the ghostly figure of a young girl playing with a toy ball who doesn’t seem aware of the couple’s presence. But she isn’t the only ghost haunting the old house and before the film is over both Claire and her husband Robert will experience a series of unexplained supernatural events that leave them questioning their sanity as well as their very existence.”

For more (much more!) please continue reading at The Movie Morlocks:
- “The Voices of Terror – Twisting Two Minds!” @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Something Is Always Left Behind

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 22, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, Alfred Hitchcock, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Dennis Price

Images from A Place of One’s Own (1945)

Summer officially makes way for autumn this week and in celebration of my favorite season I decided to write about the classic supernatural thriller A PLACE OF ONE’S OWN (1945) at the Movie Morlocks. This unusual British film was directed by Alfred Hitchcock’s cinematographer Bernard Knowles and features an exceptional performance from Margaret Lockwood as a young woman haunted by ghosts. It also features one of my favorite horror film regulars, a very young & handsome Dennis Price (THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING; 1964, VENUS IN FURS; 1969, THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN; 1970, TWINS OF EVIL; 1971, VAMPYROS LESBOS; 1971, THE EROTIC RITES OF FRANKENSTEIN; 1972 and THEATER OF BLOOD; 1973), in his first thriller as well as James Mason. You can read more about A PLACE OF ONE’S OWN if you follow the link below.

- Something Is Always Left Behind @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Seth Holt’s DANGER ROUTE (1967)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | May 19, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Actors, British Cinema, Spies & Secret Agents, Amicus Productions, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Richard Johnson, Carol Lynley, Seth Holt

Top: Richard Johnson and Carol Lynley
Bottom: Barbara Bouchet and Diana Dors

After hearing the news about John Walker’s death recently I started thinking a lot about ’60s spy films and I got the urge to watch Deadlier Than the Male (1967) again. Afterward I started obsessing over the male lead, Richard Johnson.

I’ve always liked Richard Johnson but I often forget about how many terrific movies he’s appeared in. It’s easy to take him for granted. After turning down the role of James Bond, Johnson was never offered the kind of career defining roles that could have made him a bigger star like Sean Connery. But while I was looking over his filmography I was reminded of what a fascinating career Johnson’s had. He appeared in a lot of great films besides Deadlier Than the Male and its sequel, Some Girls Do (1969) including The Haunting (1963), The Pumpkin Eater (1964), Operation Crossbow (1965), La strega in amore (1966), The Night Child (1975), Hennessy (1975), The Comeback (1978) and Zombie (1979) just to name a few. In some ways Richard Johnson’s filmography is richer and more interesting than Sean Connery’s.

Over at the Movie Morlocks I decided to share some thoughts about Johnson and his starring role in Seth Holt’s Danger Route (1967), which is currently streaming at Netflix. It’s a thoughtful low-budget spy film produced by Amicus with a terrific cast that includes Carol Lynley, Diana Dors and Barbara Bouchet. Please follow the link to read more about Danger Route.
- He Is A Weapon: Danger Route (1967) @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Frankenstein: “It’s Alive!”

by Kimberly Lindbergs | April 8, 2011

Categories | Horror, British Cinema, Science Fiction, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Danny Boyle

I rarely get out to see new films for a variety of reasons. First and foremost is my lack of disposable income but my desire to see new films is also limited by my tastes as well as geography. I simply have little interest in what’s currently playing at my local multiplex and very few options to see foreign and independent films. So what finally got me out of the house? Danny Boyle’s stage adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. To say I’m obsessed with Shelley’s original book is an understatement but in short, I’ve seen every film adaptation of Frankenstein that I could get my hands on and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see Danny Boyle’s take on Frankenstein, which happens to feature an absolutely terrific cast that includes Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting; 1996, Byron; 2003), Benedict Cumberbatch (Atonement; 2007 , Sherlock; 2010) and Naomie Harris (28 Days Later; 2002, Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story; 2005).

The play is currently a huge hit on the London stage but American audiences have the opportunity to see it performed live in selected movie theaters across the country throughout the month of April. You can find my lengthy look at Danny Boyle’s Frankenstein over at TCM’s Movie Morlocks blog as well as a link to the National Theatre site where you can find showtimes and purchase tickets to this exciting event.
- Frankenstein: “It’s Alive!” @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Unman, Wittering and Zigo (1971)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | March 3, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, British Cinema, David Hemmings, Thrillers, Gay Interest, Movie Morlocks, TCM

It’s a rare occurrence when I come across a movie I’ve never heard of before or seen. Such is the case with John Mackenzie’s Unman, Wittering and Zigo (1971). I sought the movie out because the title was intriguing and it caught my attention when I was scanning David Hemmings’ filmography on IMBD. After hunting around a bit I discovered that the film was available to watch at Amazon so I purchased it for a number of reasons. First of all, I love Hemmings and enjoy watching him in just about anything. I also love British cinema and I’m especially fond of horror films, mysteries and thrillers. Unman, Wittering and Zigo isn’t a typical horror film and I hesitate to call it one since it relies on mystery more than outright fear to unnerve its audience but debating genre labels is tiresome. You can call Unman, Wittering and Zigo whatever you want and I’ll just call it a damn good movie that genuinely surprised me. You can read my take on this unusual British film at The Movie Morlocks blog.
- Authority Is the Child of Obedience @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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