A Matter Of Life And Death (1946)

SBS OnDemand adding several films by British directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger is a real treat for any lover of cinema, and a great chance for myself to catch up on the titles that I’d not seen. What strikes me, and I’m sure many others, about A Matter Of Life And Death (1946) is […]

The Untamed (2016)

When we held VHS Tracking – Live for the Blue Room Winter Nights, one of my questions to the panellists was “What movie would you use to vet the people in your life?” One of artist Nathan Beard’s choices was The Untamed (2016; La región salvaje) which he described as a “horny movie” and one […]

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1969)

Dance marathons were competitions held in the depression-era America for couples to potentially win big money if they went the distance and remained on their feet for days and days and days. With some competitions going beyond 1,000 hours with minimal breaks for food and sleep, this utter exhaustion was spectacle for the watching crowds, […]

The Fury (1977)

I’m a big fan of director Brian De Palma for his signature stylistic flourishes, the way he uses music to score his camerawork, and how many of his movies deal with lurid images and/or themes. The Fury (1977) was his follow-up to his Stephen King adaptation, Carrie, and it also deals with teenagers discovering their […]

Body Double (1984)

While it might not be the best Brian De Palma film, Body Double (1984) is certainly the quintessential Brian De Palma film, and it’s certainly the most notorious, and it’s become my favourite of his auteur thrillers. Publicised as the heir to Alfred Hitchcock in his continual homages to the ‘Master of Suspense’ across films […]