Film Viewing 2018 (Part 2)
As I watch so many films on blu-ray, DVD and at the cinema each year, this year I've decided to keep tabs on my viewing habits and share with you some of the highlights, surprise hits and personal favourites as I rediscover, re-watch or stumble across them for the first time on home media.
Here's Part 2...
King of New York (1989)
I wasn't a huge fan of Abel Ferrera growing up, although I was never quite sure why. I tried my best to like him, renting many of his films on VHS - Cat Chaser, Bad Lieutenant (cut on VHS), The Funeral, Body Snatchers and King of New York. But no matter how hard I tried that younger me just couldn't get on with his work.
Thankfully it's a different matter now. King of New York is a stunning piece of work, where the director takes a look into the most violent, seedy and dangerous corners of his beloved home town of New York.
Christoper Walken and Laurence Fishburne are the highlights of the piece.
M (1931)
Director Fritz Lang's first sound film and his penultimate film produced in Germany before he was forced to flee the Nazi regime and eventually take refuge in the U.S.
I first saw the German print of this movie as part of my film studies course at university in the mid-90s. The English-language version (also included on the 3-disc Masters of Cinema set) is an added bonus for me having never seen this alternate release - although the original German version is by far the better of the two.
Not Lang's best film (that's Metropolis), but definitely up there with his Mabuse trilogy.
Suspiria (1977)
Dario Argento's best film??? What it lacks in plot it more than makes up for in style and execution.
I first saw this film on the old Entertainment In Video VHS release (the one with the horrid cover - the close-up of the blue face caught in mid-scream!). Naturally it was cut by the BBFC, not by much, but enough to tone down the murders. This is the first time I've seen it totally uncut.
Cult Film's release (from a brand new 4K scan) is absolutely stunning!! Visually jaw-dropping! One of the best HD scans released so far on blu-ray.
Shin Godzilla (2016)
This was a first time viewing for me of Toho's third reboot of their famous Godzilla movie franchise.
After being left feeling distinctly unimpressed and faintly let down by Legendary Pictures's 2014 attempt (which I also own on blu-ray) I had high hopes for the latest live-action Japanese effort and it didn't disappoint. As my wife said as the end credits rolled "This is what the U.S film should have been!"
Anyone buying the 2-disc UK version should watch the original Japanese cut with English subtitles on disc 1, as the English-language dub version on disc 2 is just awful!
Maniac Cop (1988)
With a name like Maniac Cop you know this film isn't going to be a multi-award winner at Cannes. But it's fun, breezy and ridiculously entertaining, and doesn't outstay it's welcome at under 85 minutes... just don't think too hard about the plot otherwise it all falls apart very quickly.
The Arrow release is taken from the original uncut Theatrical Cut print of the film.
Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari (1920)
The second German film in this blog entry, and strong contender for greatest silent film ever made.
As with 'M' this was a film I first saw during my film studies course at university, and as with 'M' I fell in love with it immediately.
Eureka's Masters of Cinema release is a work of art: the restoration of the print is nothing short of breathtaking. I own the limited edition 2-disc steelbook set which includes the 2 hour documentary From Caligari to Hitler: German Cinema in the Age of the Masses, which looks at German cinema during the Weimar Republic (1918-1933) and is one of the best documentaries on cinema ever made.
Possession (1981)
Part human drama, part horror, part thinly veiled allegory of the Polish people's struggle against Soviet annexation and oppression, Andrej Zulawski's infamous film has so far managed to allude definite classification.
One of the films to be caught up in the whole 'video nasties' hysteria, the story of a bitter marriage breakdown and a woman having sex with a demon in order to bring it into the world, the movie is as bonkers and as challenging as it sounds, but it is also beautiful and heartbreaking, and the scenes of a marriage being torn apart are very difficult and painful to watch.
I saw this film in the 1980s on a friend's copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy and I have no idea if it was cut or not. The blu-ray release is the uncut version.
When the Wind Blows (1986)
I used to own this movie on an old video shop ex-rental - the kind with the oversized boxes. I would watch it over and over growing up and it quickly became one of my favourite animated films of all time.
Playing out almost like a two-handed stage-play all set in and around Jim and Hilda Bloggs's house, the film is a clever mix of traditional hand-drawn animation (the characters) and 3D models (for the house).
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The film we have to thank for changing the zombie genre into what it is today (make up your own mind if that's a good thing or not!).
I originally saw this movie on a budget '4 Front Video' release back when it was still classified as an 18 certificate. Then I upgraded to the limited edition Arrow DVD box set which included the other two films in the original trilogy, Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead.
Still a great little film, but I still think Dawn is the best of the three.
Here's Part 2...
King of New York (1989)
I wasn't a huge fan of Abel Ferrera growing up, although I was never quite sure why. I tried my best to like him, renting many of his films on VHS - Cat Chaser, Bad Lieutenant (cut on VHS), The Funeral, Body Snatchers and King of New York. But no matter how hard I tried that younger me just couldn't get on with his work.
Thankfully it's a different matter now. King of New York is a stunning piece of work, where the director takes a look into the most violent, seedy and dangerous corners of his beloved home town of New York.
Christoper Walken and Laurence Fishburne are the highlights of the piece.
M (1931)
Director Fritz Lang's first sound film and his penultimate film produced in Germany before he was forced to flee the Nazi regime and eventually take refuge in the U.S.
I first saw the German print of this movie as part of my film studies course at university in the mid-90s. The English-language version (also included on the 3-disc Masters of Cinema set) is an added bonus for me having never seen this alternate release - although the original German version is by far the better of the two.
Not Lang's best film (that's Metropolis), but definitely up there with his Mabuse trilogy.
Suspiria (1977)
Dario Argento's best film??? What it lacks in plot it more than makes up for in style and execution.
I first saw this film on the old Entertainment In Video VHS release (the one with the horrid cover - the close-up of the blue face caught in mid-scream!). Naturally it was cut by the BBFC, not by much, but enough to tone down the murders. This is the first time I've seen it totally uncut.
Cult Film's release (from a brand new 4K scan) is absolutely stunning!! Visually jaw-dropping! One of the best HD scans released so far on blu-ray.
Shin Godzilla (2016)
This was a first time viewing for me of Toho's third reboot of their famous Godzilla movie franchise.
After being left feeling distinctly unimpressed and faintly let down by Legendary Pictures's 2014 attempt (which I also own on blu-ray) I had high hopes for the latest live-action Japanese effort and it didn't disappoint. As my wife said as the end credits rolled "This is what the U.S film should have been!"
Anyone buying the 2-disc UK version should watch the original Japanese cut with English subtitles on disc 1, as the English-language dub version on disc 2 is just awful!
With a name like Maniac Cop you know this film isn't going to be a multi-award winner at Cannes. But it's fun, breezy and ridiculously entertaining, and doesn't outstay it's welcome at under 85 minutes... just don't think too hard about the plot otherwise it all falls apart very quickly.
The Arrow release is taken from the original uncut Theatrical Cut print of the film.
Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari (1920)
The second German film in this blog entry, and strong contender for greatest silent film ever made.
As with 'M' this was a film I first saw during my film studies course at university, and as with 'M' I fell in love with it immediately.
Eureka's Masters of Cinema release is a work of art: the restoration of the print is nothing short of breathtaking. I own the limited edition 2-disc steelbook set which includes the 2 hour documentary From Caligari to Hitler: German Cinema in the Age of the Masses, which looks at German cinema during the Weimar Republic (1918-1933) and is one of the best documentaries on cinema ever made.
Part human drama, part horror, part thinly veiled allegory of the Polish people's struggle against Soviet annexation and oppression, Andrej Zulawski's infamous film has so far managed to allude definite classification.
One of the films to be caught up in the whole 'video nasties' hysteria, the story of a bitter marriage breakdown and a woman having sex with a demon in order to bring it into the world, the movie is as bonkers and as challenging as it sounds, but it is also beautiful and heartbreaking, and the scenes of a marriage being torn apart are very difficult and painful to watch.
I saw this film in the 1980s on a friend's copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy and I have no idea if it was cut or not. The blu-ray release is the uncut version.
When the Wind Blows (1986)
I used to own this movie on an old video shop ex-rental - the kind with the oversized boxes. I would watch it over and over growing up and it quickly became one of my favourite animated films of all time.
Playing out almost like a two-handed stage-play all set in and around Jim and Hilda Bloggs's house, the film is a clever mix of traditional hand-drawn animation (the characters) and 3D models (for the house).
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The film we have to thank for changing the zombie genre into what it is today (make up your own mind if that's a good thing or not!).
I originally saw this movie on a budget '4 Front Video' release back when it was still classified as an 18 certificate. Then I upgraded to the limited edition Arrow DVD box set which included the other two films in the original trilogy, Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead.
Still a great little film, but I still think Dawn is the best of the three.
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