Ghost Story (1974) Comes to DVD

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 6, 2009

Categories | News, Horror, British Cinema, Marianne Faithfull

Marianne Faithfull

Horror film lovers and Marianne Faithfull fans can rejoice! Stephen Weeks’ spooky British thriller Ghost Story (1974) is finally coming to DVD on November 16th from Nucleus Films in the UK. Unfortunately it will only be available in Britain as a Region 2 PAL disc but if you happen to own an all-region DVD player like myself, I recommend getting yourself a copy. Hopefully the film will be released in the US soon.

The new DVD is loaded with terrific extras including an all-new 60 minute featurette that contains interviews with director Stephen Weeks, composer Ron Geesin, actors Larry Dann, Murray Melvin and the fabulous British horror icon Barbara Shelley. Other extras include the film’s original theatrical trailer, an alternate opening credit sequence and 7 of Stephen Weeks’s previously unseen early short films. The film is presented in widescreen for the first time and undoubtedly looks much better than the awful VHS print that I watched when I reviewed the film two years ago.

My only complaint is where is the interview with Marianne Faithfull? I’d love to see what she had to say about the film so it’s a shame that Nucleus Films wasn’t able to convince Marianne to share her thoughts about the production.

It seems like I’ve spent an incredible amount of time focused on Marianne Faithfull here at Cinebeats in the past year but I’m not the only person with Marianne on my mind. Britain’s Q Magazine recently named Marianne the “Icon of the Year” during their annual awards ceremony in October. She’s also been doing a lot of interviews with the British press. I always enjoy reading what Marianne Faithfull has to say because she’s one of the few women in show business who has aged gracefully and is still making great records at age 65.

Last but not least, here are a few links that I thought other Faithfull fans might enjoy including a link to my review of Ghost Story written in 2007.

- My review of Stephen Weeks’ Ghost Story (1974)
- Official Nucleus Films site where you can order the DVD
- Marianne Faithfull is Q Magazine’s Icon of the Year
- A recent Interview with Marianne Faithfull

* Nov. 6th Update: Nucleus Films was kind enough to contact me and let me know that they tried to get in touch with Marianne Faithfull but weren’t able to. I suspected as much but I hope Marianne realizes how wonderful she was in the film and is able to do some kind of promotional interview about Ghost Story once the DVD is released.

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Freddie Francis’ Girly (1969)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 30, 2009

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, Comedies, Freddie Francis

Howard Trevor, Ursula Howells, Vanessa Howard & Pat Heywood
in Freddie Francis’ Girly (1969)

Creepy families with murderous intentions have become a staple of horror cinema. Most recently directors like Rob Zombie have attempted to cash in on this long standing tradition with films like House of 1000 Corpses (2003) and The Devil’s Rejects (2005), but long before Rob ever stood behind a camera other directors such as Jack Hill (Spider Baby; 1968), Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre; 1974), Pete Walker (Frightmare; 1974) and Wes Craven (The Hills Have Eyes; 1977) were plotting out similar scenarios with more worthwhile results.

One of the earliest and most interesting films in this tradition is Freddie Francis’ Girly aka Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly (1969). The plot of Girly is rather simple and involves a strange wealthy family that live on an isolated British estate. The family consists of Mumsy (Ursula Howells) and her two children Girly (Vanessa Howard) and Sonny (Howard Trevor) who are cared for by their doting Nanny (Pat Heywood). Girly and Sonny act like two naughty schoolchildren and Mumsy and Nanny enjoy babying them both. They sleep in cribs and play with toys as if they were infants, but the siblings are actually much older and enjoy spending their time luring adult men or new “friends” home to play “games” that revolve around torture and death.

Girly isn’t one of Francis’ best looking films, but it is one of his funniest and most unusual movies. This blacker than black horror comedy offers plenty of uncomfortable laughs along with a few chills and thrills. The script by author Brian Comport is smart and surprising. It was based on a play called Happy Family written by Maisie Mosco in 1966. I don’t know much about the original play, but with the script’s obvious swipes at the British upper-class and its timely take on the era’s sexual politics, Girly seems to distantly echo some of the social themes found in “kitchen sink dramas” that were popular in Britain throughout the ‘60s.

Before Freddie Francis started directing horror films he worked as a cinematographer on celebrated British dramas such as Room at the Top (1959) and Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960). His unique talents helped give birth to the British New Wave and he was partially responsible for ushering in a new era of British cinema. Francis considered Girly to be one of his best films and I think it’s fascinating to view the movie as an extension of his previous work as a cinematographer. In some ways Girly could be seen as a seamless blend of Francis’ early beginnings in the British New wave along with his bleak sense of humor and macabre sensibilities.

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Modern Mondays: 28 Days Later (2002)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 26, 2009

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, Modern Mondays

I make no apology for my sincere admiration of British director Danny Boyle. Since I first sat through a late night showing of Shallow Grave back in 1994 I’ve been impressed with his frenetic and edgy directing style as well as his ability to get incredibly nuanced performances from his actors. I believe Boyle is one of our most interesting modern directors and 28 Days Later is one of his greatest achievements.

28 Days Later tells the story of young Jim (Cillian Murphy) who awakens from a long coma in an empty London hospital surrounded by a seemingly deserted city. While Jim was sleeping a powerful virus swept through the country turning its victims into murderous monsters that resemble zombies. Throughout the course of the film Jim becomes a reluctant hero who helps other survivors try to stay alive in a situation that becomes more desperate and bleak by the hour.

The film was impressively shot by cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle using digital film for most of its running time. Instead of it being a distraction, the use of digital film in 28 Days Later actually adds to the grungy feel of the urban landscape and gives the city of London an extremely menacing look. Writer Alex Garland wrote the script, which makes many references to other movies such as The Last Man On Earth (1964), The Day of the Triffids (1962), Omega Man (1971), A Clockwork Orange (1971) and George Romero’s Dead Trilogy. But in a decade that was littered with tired ‘reimaginings’ and lackluster remakes Danny Boyle was able to revitalize familiar themes and turn 28 Days Later into one of the decades most frightening, creative, entertaining and thought-provoking horror films. 28 Days Later managed to make zombies interesting again and it also made Cillian Murphy an internationally renowned star who has developed into one of our best working actors.

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Modern Mondays: Calvaire (2004)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 19, 2009

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, Modern Mondays

When I first saw Calvaire (2004) it haunted me for weeks. No matter how much I tried to forgot the film’s snow saturated landscapes, strange characters, unhinged violence and unsettling atmosphere I just couldn’t shake the movie from my memory. Images from Calvaire haunted my dreams and threatened to consume my thoughts.

This fascinating horror film was directed and co-written by Belgium born filmmaker Fabrice Du Welz and shot by the extraordinary cinematographer Benoît Debie. Together Fabrice Du Welz and Benoît Debie form part of an important group of European filmmakers who are producing some of today’s most innovative and cutting edge films. This creative group includes controversial directors Gaspar Noé and Lucile Hadzihalilovic, as well as Peter Van Hees who recently helmed Left Bank. Together these filmmakers seem to be redefining horror cinema and invoking the darkest and arguably most interesting aspects of cinema fantastique.

Calvaire brazenly borrows ideas from classic survival horror films such as Deliverance (1972), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977). But director Fabrice Du Welz manages to infuse his film with a dark romanticism that would make Matthew “Monk” Lewis proud.

The film stars the talented French actor Laurent Lucas as a young entertainer named Marc whose van breakdowns somewhere in the Belgian countryside. Marc soon becomes an object of admiration and incomprehensible cruelty for a local innkeeper named Bartel (Jackie Berroyer).

What separates Calvaire from other films involving individuals who find themselves lost in the wilderness and preyed upon by crazed locals, is the way the film dares to play with gender roles. Calvaire smartly subverts the idea of the “final girl’ that is prevalent in many popular horror films and turns it on its head. The film is also beautifully photographed by Benoît Debie who makes the most of Belgium’s winter weather and invokes a creepy gothic ambiance that is often missing from contemporary horror movies.

Last but not least, Calvaire also boasts a brief but memorable appearance by the beautiful European horror icon and erotic actress Brigitte Lahaie who has appeared in many Jean Rollin films including The Grapes of Death (1978), Fascination (1979) and Night of the Hunted (1980) and as well as Jess Franco’s Faceless (1987) and critically acclaimed films such as Diva (1981) and Henry & June (1990).

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On DVD This Week: Left Bank!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 16, 2009

Categories | News, Horror, Modern Mondays

Left Bank (aka Linkeroever) has been released on DVD from IFC Films/MPI Home Video just in time for Halloween! I was thrilled to find a quote by yours truly gracing the DVD cover that lets potential viewers know that I thought Left Bank was “Just as important as LET THE RIGHT ONE” and “One of the Best Horror Films of the Past 10 Years.”

These quotes all come from my earlier review of Left Bank and I proudly stand behind both of my statements. It’s unfortunate that Left Bank didn’t get the same kind of critical attention that Let the Right One got when it was initially released in 2008, but not too surprising. Left Bank is an unusual and atypical horror movie that borrows ideas from some of horror cinema’s most esoteric films. I suspect that it will never appeal to the same wide reaching audience that appreciated Let the Right One In, but I think horror film enthusiasts with eclectic tastes will find Left Bank to be an exciting and worthwhile viewing experience. Hopefully this new DVD release will introduce the film to a much wider and more appreciative audience.

From the Left Bank DVD Description:
“In this graphically shocking and internationally acclaimed debut feature by Belgian writer/director Peter Van Hees, Eline Kuppens stars as a dedicated professional runner sidelined by an infection. But when she impulsively decides to move into her new boyfriend s high-rise apartment on the outskirts of Antwerp, she will discover that his perfect home may hold strange powers and even darker secrets: Their sexual passion becomes extreme. Her body undergoes bizarre changes. The previous tenant disappeared under mysterious circumstances. And deep within the building s dark basement lurks an ancient evil that waits to be reborn. Welcome to a neighborhood where obsession meets madness, history is written in blood, and modern horror is alive and well in a place called LEFT BANK.”

This new NTSC DVD release features a widescreen print of the film as well as English and Spanish subtitles. You can currently purchase the DVD from Amazon and it should be available for rent from Netflix as well as other DVD rental outlets.

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My Favorite Scream Queen

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 11, 2009

Categories | Rants & Raves, Horror, Actresses

Fall has finally arrived in all its gold and copper splendor. As I’ve mentioned many times before, Autumn is my favorite season. Summer be damned! I’m more than happy to see it go and I look forward with unabashed glee to dark mornings, cold evenings and watching lots of horror movies during the month of October.

Over at the TCM Movie Morlocks’ blog Richard Harland Smith has gathered together a nice collection of links to other blogs that are spending the month focusing on all things spooky and scary. I personally recommend making some time to visit The Groovy Age of Horror, Arbogast on Film, Frankensteinia, Cinema Styles and Final Girl where the fun never ends and the dead never rest!

I hope to find some time to write about a few of my favorite horror films that are in desperate need of a DVD release before the month is over, but in the meantime I thought I’d share some lovely pictures that I recently came across of my favorite Scream Queen, the beautiful and terrifying Barbara Steele from a 1958 issue of Life magazine.

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Modern Mondays: Cloverfield (2008)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 14, 2009

Categories | Horror, American Cinema, Modern Mondays

During the recent media barrage following the annual 9/11 anniversary, I was reminded of the Matt Reeves and J.J. Abrams’ giant monster movie Cloverfield (2008). I’ve seen Cloverfield twice since my first viewing and it remains one of my favorite horror films of the last decade.

When the movie was originally released it created a mild media controversy after many critics berated the film for being insensitive to 9/11 victims and the events that scarred a nation. People also seemed to enjoy spending a ridiculous amount of time pointing out the improbabilities of this giant monster movie as if they were critiquing a documentary. I think those kinds of criticisms of a fantasy thriller are fascinating and pointless, but they’re also a credit to the director who managed to give the film an incredibly authentic look and feel.

At the time I was bothered by a lot of the negative criticism the film was receiving and I wrote a lengthy defensive of it that you can still read here. Since the film’s initial release it has gotten more critical respect and I suspect that will only continue over time.

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The Fool Killer (1965)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 2, 2009

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, American Cinema, Anthony Perkins, Lee Marvin, Drama, Mexican Cinema

I first saw Servando González’s 1965 film The Fool Killer (aka El asesino de tontos) almost twenty years ago and it’s haunted me ever since. The film features Anthony Perkins in one of his best roles and I got the urge to watch it again last year while I was obsessing over Perkins’ music career. For some unknown reason The Fool Killer isn’t available on DVD yet so I had to purchase a used VHS copy of the film to see it.

I shouldn’t have been too surprised that The Fool Killer was unavailable on DVD because Mexican director Servando González is almost unheard of in the United States. I haven’t had the opportunity to see any of the director’s other films myself so my own appreciation of his work revolves around my deep affection for The Fool Killer, but I was disappointed to learn that the director had passed away in October of last year. Servando González’s death appears to have gone almost completely unnoticed by the film community except in Latin America. This is really unfortunate because The Fool Killer clearly shows that González was a talented filmmaker with the ability to create wonderfully atmospheric films that could remain with viewers long after they had ended. Trying to find any noteworthy information about The Fool Killer is nearly impossible, but I thought I’d share some of my own thoughts about Servando González’s exceptional film in an effort to broaden appreciation of his work.

The Fool Killer is an extremely dark and ominous film starring thirteen year-old actor Edward Albert as a deeply troubled young orphan named George. After a brief opening montage filled with idyllic images of the American countryside, the film begins with George receiving a nasty beating from his foster parents while they recite Bible verses in an effort to soften the blows. Poor George blames himself for the beatings he receives because he thinks that the “foolish things” he’s done shouldn’t go unpunished. But dropping a butter churn and playing with dandelions are clearly not acts worthy of the beatings he gets. After the physical pain wears off, the emotional scars become evident when young George decides that he’s had enough abuse and heads out into the world on his own. His odyssey will take him through the dusty back roads of rural Tennessee where he’ll encounter an unusual cast of characters who consciously and unconsciously guide him on his journey.

The film is based on a novel of the same name written by Helen Eustis, but the legend of the Fool Killer was first written down by author O. Henry (aka William Sydney Porter). I’m not sure how much of the legend is based on fact or if the whole concept is a work of fiction conjured up by the author’s absinthe fueled imagination, but according to O. Henry his tale of the Fool Killer was based on an old southern myth, “like Santa Claus and Jack Frost and General Prosperity and all those concrete conceptions that are supposed to represent an idea that Nature has failed to embody.”

In his short tale O. Henry’s also tells us that the Fool Killer was a “terrible old man, in gray clothes, with a long, ragged, gray beard, and reddish, fierce eyes” who “come stumping up the road in a cloud of dust, with a white oak staff in his hand” and would “kill anyone who perpetrates some particularly monumental piece of foolishness.”

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