Contents
September 2011
September Features
Reviews Section
Page 4 Invasion
Page 19 The Skin I Live In
Page 8 Hollywood: Or how I learned to stop worrying and just run away from Thomas Edison
Page 20 Rise of the Planet of The Apes
Page 11 Rock Star Scores Page 14 The Simpsons’ Movies Regulars Page 3 Editor’s Note & Contributors
Page 21 The Devils’ Double Page 22 Cowboys & Aliens Page 23 Conan The Barbarian Page 24 Super 8 Page 25 The Inbetweeners Movie
Page 27 Things to See in September Page 26 The Guard
Contributors Editor’s Note Editors
Joshua Hammond: Editor-in-Chief joshua@pictureshow-magazine.com Dale Pearson: Editor
Words
Joshua Hammond Dale Pearson Alex Ulyet
Art
James Dunn: Front Page Graphic
Online
Find us at pictureshow-magazine.com Like us on facebook Follow us @PictureShowMag
Welcome To PictureShow Magazine. Over the last two months we have been working our tails off to get this magazine online and published. Creating both the magazine and the website has been one of the steepest learning curves of our lives. However, when we look at what we have produced we believe that it was not only worth it but also an incredibly enjoyable experience. We have a scorcher of an issue for you to peruse at your leisure. Our articles and features this month are both insightful and hilarious, (There’s a rumour my mother laughed like a drain at The Simpsons’ Movies feature on page 15). Our Reviews are well worth a look and we believe that our rating system is easier to understand than any of the more traditional 5 star systems out there. Our Magazine is finished off with a comprehensive and varied events guide which we’re calling Things To See In... We hope that Things To See In September will open your eyes to the imcredible Independent Cinema scene we are so lucky to have in Britain. I feel like i’m rambling a bit now, so i’ll wrap it up. We hope you enjoy reading the magazine as much as we enjoyed making it. See you next month Joshua Hammond, Editor-in-Chief
invasion
2011: The year the aliens took our screens by force BY JOSHUA HAMMOND
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n 2011, Cinemas have been at the mercy of one particular threat, not Vampires, Zombies or Gangsters. 2011 has been defined by the presence of Aliens on the Silver Screen. By the end of this year, little green men will have popped up in the Antarctic, The Wild West and some Council Estate in a rough end of London. Aliens have also destroyed huge parts of the US, but that’s hardly new. Alien movies have been part of the cinematic landscape for over 70 years but this Summer Alien movies have surged back into Multiplexes. The films of this summer are not anomous; over decades many different genres have followed an almost ‘boom and bust’ cycle of popularity to over saturation to box office failure and this is unlikely to stop. The late 2000s saw a small but noticeable resurgence in ‘The Alien movie’. Audiences responded favorably to alien films by burgeoning directors such as Neil Blomkamp and J.J. Abrams, because their interesting take on the genre offered something different to the norm. Blomkamp in particular was subverting the idea of an Alien invasion and used Aliens to create a metaphor for ghettoed facets of society. District 9 started from modest beginnings, it was the
District 9
Director’s debut feature, the only star name attached was Peter Jackson’s producing credit and the picture’s low budget reflected this. District 9 was well received, with acclaim from critics and a huge Box Office return. This success marked a change in audiences attitudes, showing a desire for better constructed Alien Movies. Only a year prior to District 9’s success The X Files: I Want to Believe was one of the lowest performing movies at the box office. District 9 made filmmakers more aware of the possibilities of creating effective films on on a smaller budget. Just over a year later Skyline was released which was another low budget Alien invasion film and regardless of the quality of the film, it turned over a significant profit. Skyline’s budget came to around $10 million, considering the amount of effects work that was needed the Directors managed their budget extremely well. One of the more recent Alien films to open with a very small budget was Gareth Edwards’ Monsters. With a budget of only $500,000, Edwards, effectively, made a little romantic road movie with added aliens. Monsters, which came out in late 2010, was a huge success receiving adulation from critics and audiences alike. Although Skyline and Monsters came out after Avatar it is
worth noting that they were in preproduction before the release of Avatar and did not have major production companies backing them. These lower budget films, created a great deal of buzz around the Alien Invasion genre. As production companies noticed the turnover that smaller films, like District 9, were making, they were more inclined to put new Alien centred films into production. Ultimately however, it was Avatar that affected the Hollywood system (even more than James Cameron could ever have expected). As was made very aware at the time, Avatar is both the most expensive movie ever made and the highest grossing. As soon as those receipts started coming in, studio executives took the two key selling points of Avatar and rushed anything involving Aliens or 3D into production (giving bonus points for both). Given that it can take anything from 1 and a half years to 2 to get a film into the cinemas, only now can we see the results of Studios pushing Aliens into cinemas for a nice Summer release. The numbers of films released in 2011 that involve aliens when compared to previous years are startling. In 2009, there were seven alien movies, one was a sequel (Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen) and one was a reboot (Star Trek). In 2010, there were just four releases, of which only one was part of a franchise (Predators). In this year alone there have been over eleven alien movies, with nine original titles ranging in tone from comedies to children’s films to horrors. The emphasis on original titles is important, original films are less likely to be commisioned by studios as the audience is not guaranteed and it is more of a risky financial move. Following the release of Avatar,
Mars Needs Moms a completely original film, studios were given the confidence to greenlight many original alien movies. As we are coming to the end of 2011’s blockbuster season, it appears as though audiences are no longer reacting as favourably to alien movies. Over the summer we have seen a string of under performing Alien movies. Battle: Los Angeles, Mars Needs Moms and Green Lantern have all failed to set the Box Office alight and have been mauled by critics. As Hollywood tried to move as quickly as possible to latch onto the coat-tails of Avatar and get as many alien films into cinemas it appears as though Hollywood has in fact extinguished the audiences passion for these films. Although District 9 appeared as though it was a standard Alien invasion movie, there was a great deal of depth and thought behind it. Unfortunately, the Invasion movies of this Summer lack the planning and execution of the smaller films. Film studios have been reckless with the significant amounts of talent and money at their disposal in search of another Avatar style hit, whilst disregarding crucial elements that previous
films successful. It took just under 4 years to make Avatar and James Cameron had been working on the ideas and concepts for well over a decade. Many of this years Alien films have lacked such forethought and the results have been less than promising. Take the example of this year’s Green Lantern, the BIG alien movie of this Summer. Green Lantern was greenlit in early 2010, weeks after Avatar opened and was given a staggering budget of $200 million for a release less than 18 months later. Both the budget and the time constrictions given to Green Lantern were eye-watering, and to put them in perspective we can compare it to the proposed new Superman film Man of Steel. Man of Steel was greenlit almost
Battle: Los Angeles
5 months after Green Lantern but has a release date two whole years later than Green Lantern’s and was given a similar budget, meaning that Zack Snyder (the projects director) will have had a total of 36 months to create Man of Steel whereas Martin Campbell, the director of Green Lantern had only 18. We will reserve judgement on Man of Steel until it has been released, but it is easy to see how time constrictions have affected Green Lantern. This sort of over saturation occurs regularly within the Hollywood system, though not always to this degree. Following the release of Ray which was both critically and commercially successful studios began to push music biopics into production and have seen less and less reward. Walk The Line, released a year later was another success and it marked the peak of the popularity of the genre. Since then a string of biopics have been released with wildly varying results. Though the quality of some later films were high, 2007’s Control for example, audiences had already stopped going to see biopics at the cinema and 2010’s The Runaways appears to have been the final nail in the music biopic’s coffin making less than half of it’s tiny $10 million budget back at the Box Office. Not all genres in recent times have been subjected to a
boom then a bust. The key to the longevity of successful periods of genre films lies in both the management of the genre and in the level of respect the genre is afforded by its production companies. The popularity of Superhero movies in the last decade has increased each year and there is little sign of it stopping. The difference is that production companies have been more reluctant to throw all of their interesting titles into production immediately. Early films such as Spiderman and X-Men tested the water and sequels followed with the occcasional original title or character. Though over the last six years Marvel have been trying to get all their Avengers assembled and ready for a 2012 monster release, audiences have not tired of
Green Lantern
Marvels efforts and have rewarded the time and affection Marvel clearly have for their Superhero properties. The impact of films that slightly subvert the genre cannot be underestimated. When smaller quirkier films, such as Kick-Ass, are released they renew interest in the genre. With regards to aliens, Films Studios have simply not managed their properties well enough to avoid the boom and bust cycle, instead, releasing similar films with very close release dates causing audience apathy. It has not taken long for audiences to become tired by the increasingly prominent presence of aliens in their movie theatres. This Summer’s alien movies have suffered the same problems as any movie rushed into produc-
tion whilst also suffering from a lack of originality and fresh ideas. Audiences have clearly recognised this and (Transformers: Dark of the Moon excluded) the latest batch of Alien movies have been duds financially and (Transformers: Dark of the Moon included) in terms of critical acclaim. Alien invasion movies have been part of the Hollywood landscape for decades and they have gone in and out of fashion, but following this Summer where the big winners have been a boy wizard, drunkards and a gang of car theives, it seems unlikely that studios will put their faith in the alien invasion movie again until they encounter something really very different.
Hollywood: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Just Run Away From Thomas Edison BY DALE JOSIAH PEARSON
A century ago, American filmmakers fled to Hollywood in a bid to escape the legal wrath of Thomas Edison. One Hundred years on, we see that not much has changed.
Thomas Edison
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t was not long after the birth of the film industry before Hollywood became a place synonymous with that industry. Ask your average cinema goer where they think most of their favourite films are made, and providing that they truly are your ‘average’ cinema goer and not an avid fan of arthouse films or japanese horror, they will probably say ‘Hollywood’. It is a reasonable assertion to make: the oscars are held in Hollywood, the ‘Big Six’ film companies have traditionally resided in Hollywood, and Steven Spielberg even owns a house within a commutable distance. What is of interest however, is that, as many of those average cinema goers may have suspected, for some time now, Hollywood has not just been a geographical area where many films are made. ‘Hollywood’ is not just a spot in the physical world, but a spot in the corporate world. And whilst it was
once the case that if you wanted to make a film, you had to go to Hollywood; it very much stands today, that if you want to make a film, although you may never even have to enter California, you most certainly have to go to ‘Hollywood’. At the turn of the 20th century, California was quite a simple place. It was largely agricultural and lacked the breakneck speeds of economic progress enjoyed by its cousins on the east coast of America. It would then seem like a curious situation for large east coast film companies to migrate west and set up shop in towns such as Hollywood, as they did from 1909 onwards. No curiosity should be afforded to this riddle however as the reason this happened couldn’t be simpler; Thomas Edison liked to sue people. Put simply, in order to physically make films in the early 1900’s it was necessary to use equipment patented by Thomas Edison; and as Edison had a film company of his own, he did not take too kindly to other comapanies using his patents. So he sued them. Naturally, by this stage, the other companies had become quite attached to the profits to be made from filmmaking and, so, continued their work. So Edison sued them again. Evidently, this habit of being constantly under lawsuit was not one Edison’s competiors could sustainably continue and so, a plan was hatched. It was noticed that film companies in Europe, who were breaking the same patents, were more free to do so, simply because Edison found it more difficult to sue them when they were geographically farther away. Inspired by this, the companies went as far away as the American continent would allow, arriving in Hollywood. Over the next ten years and continuing from then, Hollywood would be the domi-
nant force in the film industry. What is telling about this piece of Hollywood history, is that the entire industy in the town was founded on the premise of isolation and exclusion. They created a bubble to protect themselves from the Thomas Edisons of the world. What history then went on to show us is that it was precisely this bubble that allowed Hollywood to consolidate its power in the world of film. The exclusive and solitary nature of Hollywood meant that slowly, and from the 1920s onwards, it became the case that all the necessary equipment and people needed to make a film (sets, recording equipment, production teams, editing equipment, and even the movie stars themselves) were located in Hollywood. It was a self-contained web of companies and people devoted to the manufacture of films. During the Golden age of Hollywood, it was very much the case that if you wanted to make a film, you had to go to Hollywood. Practically, it just made too much sense not to do it any other way. By the end of the Golden age in the 1960s, and continuing up to the present day however, all those practical reasons ceased to be
The original Hollwood sign
the pull they once were. For example, there was no longer any need for the Hollywood ‘set’: firstly, for the reason that on-location filming was superceding ‘set filming’, and secondly for the reason that the big production companies increasingly started to rent sets and filming studios. This left the need for owning their own personal, Hollywood-based studios redundant. Also, the improving nature of travel and communication meant that there did not need to be a permanent ‘base’ for actors and film staff. For many modern day films, the only actual production of the film done in Hollywood is the editing. As much as this devolution of Hollywood has given rise to the strnegth of non-Hollywood production companies and independent films, it is clear that ‘Hollywood’ still maintains a fearsome grip on the film industry, if seen only from the way we use the name in everyday conversation. The difference is however, when we use the term ‘Hollywood’ now, we do not mean the town itself, we mean the companies that grew and evolved in it, primarily, the ‘Big Six’ (Warner Bros., Paramount, 20th century Fox, Disney, Columbia and
Universal). And even though the actual geography of ‘Hollywood’ has become blurred, the initial philosophy of the Hollywood bubble remains as true and as effective as it has ever been. Whilst it is true that the ‘Big Six’ hold a great amount of commercial power, their real power lies in the web of relationships they, from their Hollywood beginnings, have ammassed over the years. Whilst a small production company may struggle to recieve the necessary funding to produce a film, a company like Universal is able to raise millions of dollars with ease, not necessarily because it is a large production company, but because it has the necessary networks of film-investors to call upon at a moments notice. We see how other networks of relationships further constitute the new Hollywood bubble and its resulting power. Trey parker, in an interview with The Paley Centre, compared working on his independent film, Orgasmo to working on his Paramount produced film South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut. A cut of Orgasmo was rated NC17 by the MPAA (the american equivilent to the BBFC); Parker, needing an ‘R’ rating, asked the MPAA what was specifically needed to be changed in the film in order to attain this rating, as they did not have the sufficient funds to submit several cuts. To which the MPAA replied: ‘we can’t tell you what to cut out because that makes us a censorship group’. He voiced anger, as a similar problem with South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut was easily resolved by a ‘Paramount higher-up’ asking the MPAA the same question of what needs to be changed in order to recieve an ‘R’ rating, only to be told this time, quite specifically, by the MPAA ‘yes, starting with this shot here... you can cut this here, starting with
this shot here...you could move this, take this shot out, move this and do that and we can probably get you your ‘R’’ Whereas describing the workings of modern day ‘Hollywood’ and the Hollywood bubble as a Mafia would prehaps be a step too far, it is clear that the powers it holds as companies are above and beoyond basic capitalist models. The closely interwoven networks of relationships they have created mean that for the average filmmaker, especially the commercially ambitious one, ‘Hollywood’ is just too much of a lure. Take the successful Harry Potter franchise for example: a British novel, bought by a British production company, British filming locations and the view to a British Cast. Without Warner Bros. however, it would surely have been crushed under the weight of its own ambitions: not just the financial costs of its ambitions, but all those little problems and hiccups along the way, which, as Trey Parker showed, can all too
easily be made to go away when one of the ‘Big Six’ is involved. The geographically closeknit Hollywood we often think of may have long ago dispersed, but the corporate idea of ‘Hollywood’ with its similarly close-knit web of executive organisations and relationships still very much remains. And whilst this is incredibly unfair to the independent film-maker who wishes to bypass Tinseltown, it is important to remember that this system of ‘filmmaking within a bubble’ has, without a doubt, produced many a gem over the years: films which prehaps could not have reached the same level of quality without the comfort and safety of that bubble. The fact of the matter is, Hollywood needs the comfort of its own solitude and exclusivity to function. Ultimately, despite its transformations over the years, ‘Hollywood’ remains today what it always has been: a group of filmmakers’ attempt to function closely and privately, away from the watchful gaze of Thomas Edison.
Present day Hollywood represents the network of Corporate relationships
Rock Star Scores BY JOSHUA HAMMOND
Pop musicans are increasingly swapping the music room for the film studio. Are music stars the future of film scoring?
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he concept of ‘the film score’ is not something which is often considered without being drawn to the big names - Ennio Morricone, John Williams, and maybe even Danny Elfman - composers, who, have time and time again, shown talent and ability in being able to create practically any musical landscape. From the desolation of the classic western to the magic of Jurassic Park, industry professionals, traditionally speaking, have generally been the way to go. Increasingly however, in recent years, pop and rock musicians are being given the opportunity to score more and more films themselves. The well-received results of such collaborations have even meant that, in certain cases, some musicians have actually become more respected for their work on film scores than for their traditional back catalogue. In 1977, Saturday Night Fever needed a soundtrack. Instead of relying on film industry composers to emulate the sound of Disco, a then new musical form in the world, the director, John Badham, made bold move, and instead decided to go straight to the source. By enlisting the help of The Bee Gees to create the soundtrack, film history was made. This recipe for success was not something that immediately took off, however. Tangerine Dream may have scored over 20 films in the last 35 years and some may even remember Badly Drawn Boy’s About A Boy score, but it is only more recently that the potential in ‘rock star scores’ has really been realised.
Recently, Trent Reznor (the musician behind Nine Inch Nails) announced that he was going to be working with Atticus Ross once again, this time, to provide the score for the American version of the Stieg Larsson phenomenon The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, directed by David Fincher. Reznor garnered much acclaim for his score work on Fincher’s previous film, and award magnet, The Social Network. The key to the success of that score lay in the fact that the music managed to compliment such modern themes of internet and social networking, in a way that traditional score-writing would perhaps not be able to. When we consider that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which follows the story of isolated computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, could be similarly underwhelmed by a ‘traditional’ score, we see that the Nine Inch Nails front man is actually the perfect man for the job. At the end of 2010, Tron: Legacy was unleashed into our multiplexes; a film that actively promoted its soundtrack by Daft Punk as its main selling point. In a marketing ploy that had all the hallmarks of a gimmick, the universally-acclaimed score actually turned out to be saving grace of the film. Daft Punk, who since the late 1990s have been merging music with technology, seem to have been the perfect selection for creating the atmosphere for a world within a computer game. The ‘sound and lights show’ effect in the film, as well as Michael Sheen’s Aladdin Sane- haircut, was perfectly suited to Daft Punk’s already well-established electronic style. The list goes on: when not being the guitarist for Radiohead, Johnny Greenwood has also received substantial praise for his film score work. Most recently, the BBC Concert Orchestra’s ‘compos
Daft Punk er-in-residence’ worked on Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood. Greenwood’s unique style was instrumental in creating a rich score that adds a sense of life to the barren Californian landscape. It is not just the already well-renowned pop musicians who have successfully forayed into the world of score-writing. Clint Mansell is the most extraordinary example of how an individual, initially known for his work with a mediocre indie band (Pop Will Eat Itself), can continue to create music to accompany films. Mansell’s work, in particular with Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler) has proved that he can easily stand up to comparison with the John Williams’ of the
world. Mansell has worked on every one of Aronofsky’s films, always managing to musically capture the incredible and often paranoid visions put forward by the director. Mansell is different to Daft Punk and Reznor however, in the respect that his modest musica industry success meant that he did not represent a musical sub-genre that could simply be tapped, as it were. However, it is plain to see that his non-traditional route into the film scoring business gives his work a distinctly non-traditional edge; as a result, he is a man whose talents are hotly in demand. Very recently, the ‘rock star score’ really has exploded into cinemas. The chemical Brother’s work on Hanna added their own
Mike Skinner brand of electric vivacity to equally vivacious fight scenes, whilst allowing for musically well-fitting moments of reflection in quieter scenes. We also saw how Mike Skinner (The Streets) was a fitting choice to score the ‘carnage’ of a lads’ holiday in The Inbetweeners Movie’. Even the smaller, more independent films are using high profile members of the music industry. Submarine, a coming of age tale about a young man in Swansea, includes several songs written by Alex Turner (The Arctic monkeys), specifically for the film. Turner’s songs for Submarine have the melancholic edge and haunting quality that enhances the film’s similar aesthetic. Each soundtrack is significantly different, but the point is that each musician is significantly different. As a result, the potential for greater breadth and depth in the choice of a fitting score has been opened up by the use of pop star musicians to create them. The recent results are showing that the film industry’s collaboration with the music industry is turning out to be an exciting prospect. Directors are becoming accustomed to choosing musicians who make music with the same tone as their movies. It is clear that Daft Punk were chosen to score
Tron: Legacy because of their history as pioneers of House music. Trent Reznor’s history with paranoid and ambient electronica will have been a key reason David Fincher chose him to score both The Social Network and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. And while it is hard to fault the all-round excellence of the traditional film composer, we see that film’s use of the ‘rock star score’ has undoubtedly resulted in some of the most creative and seamless work of recent years.
Alex Turner
The Simpsons’ Movies BY DALE JOSIAH PEARSON
Normally, at this stage, we would warn the reader about spoilers, but the chances are, The Simpsons probably got there first.
The Simpsons
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is much younger than the age at which you are able to watch the films that the simpsons reference. And for many of us, this has resulted in one ongoing revelahe Simpsons, at least during its golden era, is tion; nearly every classic movie you will sit down to widely regarded as the greatest TV show that ever was. watch, will have been ruined in some way by our yelFor the past 20 years it has trawled the canon of pop low skinned friends. culture, making light of everything iconic. For its bit In many cases, it will just be the odd comedic ing satire, its brilliant wit, and its hilarious satire, we, reference here and there, but sometimes, the parody here at Picture Show Magazine, would like to salute is so great, that the intended effect of a film will be The Simpsons. ruined beyond reproach. Here are a few examples of Unfortunately, all this parody has unknowfilms that we, here at Picture Show Magazine, have ingly created something of a cultural wasteland in the never been quite been able to treat as seriously as they generation that grew up with the simpsons. Often, the perhaps should have been. age at which you are old enough to watch the simpsons
CAPE FEAR A classic episode, in which Sideshow Bob follows the Simpsons to their new witness protection location at Terror Lake. Trying to watch either Robert Mitchum (original film) or Robert DeNiro (1991 remake) in the sinister role of Max Cady really is overshadowed by the fact that neither of them step into a yard full of rakes. Its also impossible to watch either film and not be just a little dissapointed by the fact that the villan doesn’t finish with a rendition of the HMS Pinafore.
A Fish Called Selma
Cape Feare
PLANET OF THE APES When Charlton Heston proclaims ‘You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!’ - revealing that the planet of the apes is in fact a post-apocalyptic earth, it was an era-defining cinematic moment. How mesmerising it must have been to have come to that revelation first hand... Unfortunately, the way many of us learned that knowledge was in the form of Troy McClure’s aptly named musical ‘Stop the planet of the Apes, I want to get off!’ With those timeless lyrics ‘oh my god! I was wrong, it was earth all along. Oh you’ve finally made a monkey out of me.’
Deep Space Homer
2001: A SPACE ODDESSEY The film reaches its climax and we are presented with the image of the star-child - mind blown, yes? After all Kubrick’s mental contortions and stunning imagery, why is it that all that comes our mind can think about is the image of a foetus-like Homer, orbiting the globe.
THE SHINING
Treehouse of Horror V
‘The Shinning’ was a Holloween special, and so Matt Groening and his team only had a third of one episode to obliterate this masterpiece of a movie. Seven minutes of Simpsons genius however, and the next time you watch The Shining, you may genuinely forget at moments that Jack Nicholson’s madness wasn’t caused by ‘no TV and no Beer’.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Yet Another Springfield Musical this time took the guise of Tennessee Williams’ A Street Car Named Desire Several comedic highlights, including the all-singing, all-dancing, all-jazz hands redition of ‘I could always depend on the kindness of strangers’, has meant that this once great literary masterpiece will never quite have that same chilling climax again.
A Streetcar Named Marge
Bart of Darkness
REAR WINDOW ‘Grace, come here! There’s a sinister-looking kid I want you to see’ - And with that, Hitchcock’s Rear Window never quite felt as epic as the epic thriller it once was.
MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON Another Jimmy Stewart classic, caught in the crossfire. This tale of Washington corruption and the scout who believed in America caputured people’s hearts upon its release in 1939, and continued do to so from then on. That is, until the magic was somewhat ruined by The Simpsons’ take on the politcal drama. ‘The alternate ending’, involving a murderous rampage by Mel Gibson, in which The President and the Senate Leader are brutally killed, always seems to add an unwanted comedic edge when we return to the original.
Beyond Blunderdome
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ome might allude to the strange cultural condition that The Simpsons represents - a postmodern age in which we are fed the iconography long before we are fed original source. Some, film purists perhaps, would paint The Simpsons as a bastardising force in the world. Others might even argue that The Simpsons’ parodies were far superior to their filmic originals. But we, here at Pictureshow, would simply like to recognise the fact that the laughs we shared with our Springfield friends when we grew up, will be paid for long into movie-watching adult lives.
The Skin I Live In The Skin I Live In centres around the relationship between the respected surgeon Dr Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas) and his test subject Vera (Elena Anaya), as they explore their relationship following a traumatic break in at the home they share. Through dreams and the testimonies of supporting characters we learn more and more about how they came to meet and what they have shared. Throughout his career, Pedro Almodovar has explored a variety of themes, however, ideas of sexuality and family relations permeate his entire body of work. The Skin I Live In differs from Almodovar’s previous works, it is not a romantic comedy or a melodrama, it is a thriller with heavy horror undertones. Unlike much of his filmography, The Skin I Live In is not an Almodovar original, rather it was adapted from Thierry Jonquet’s Tarantula. Antonio Banderas returns to work with Almodovar after well over a decade and Dr Robert Ledgard is one of their greatest characters. Ledgard is a genius, a mad man and a tragic hero, leaving the audience in an uncomfortable position. Each member of the cast keeps up with Banderas’ acting showcase. Marilia, Ledgard’s house servant, is played brilliantly by Marisa Parades. Parades’ acting skill immediately involves the audience as the plot moves, keeping them intrigued when Banderas is off screen. Elena Anaya plays Vera, Ledgard’s test subject and brilliantly shows Vera’s emotions through her plastic face mask and Jan Cornet is Vincente, a drug addled dressmaker, showing the tragedy of partying too hard.
The Skin I Live In borrows heavily from elements of traditional gothic horror. Antonio Banderas’ Dr Robert Ledgard is clearly seen to be a mad scientist, livng in his large labyrinthine home complete with dungeon in the cellar and cameras all inspecting every element. Marilia is Ledgard’s Igor, doing his every bidding regarless of whether she thinks that it is right and Vera is Ledgard’s creation both abhorrent and deeply sad. The Skin I Live In may appear to be clean and sterile but it’s roots are bedded in dark and dirty gothic fiction. Alberto Iglesias’ terrific score also seems to borrow from older horror films. At quieter moments the score grumbles like thunder, underlining key moments and becomes almost hysterical during mo
ments of chase or of great tension. Listen out for Iglesias’ work in the upcoming Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy which also promises to be a incredibly tense thrill ride. The use of Trentmoller’s Shades of Marble during a car chase is one of the few occasions where a song just perfectly molds into a film with ease.
The Skin I Live In is most certainly one of the most beautiful and well crafted horror films of the last decade. With hardly any blood spilt, The Skin I Live In avoids the current trend for torture porn style horror and instead relies on creative storytelling and painfully built suspense to terrify and leave the audience affected by what has occurred on screen. JH
from simply filling in the knowledge gaps created by the film’s predecessors. It holds back on convoluted scientific explanations. It resists the temptation to set up the plot of the well known original, at the expense of the plot at hand. Instead we are left with a film that works on its own terms. The script is delivered well by a varied but quality cast. John Lithgow impresses as Rodman’s father and Alzheimer-sufferer, and it is pleasant to see Tom Felton beginning his quest to cease to be ‘Malfoy from Harry Potter’. The real star of the film, however, is Andy Serkis, doing what Andy Serkis does best. Donning the performance capture suit once more, he brings a distinctly human quality to the character of Caesar whilst at the same time, successfully managing to be convincingly ape-like.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes To anyone who has seen the Charlton Heston original, the four sequels, or, indeed, even the The Simpsons’ Troy McClure musical version, the problem with making a ‘Planet of the Apes’ prequel is reasonably blatant - we know how it’s going to end. Rupert Wyatt’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, therefore, is charged with not just being an entertaining summer blockbuster, but also avoiding the numerous pitfalls that come with making any prequel to a well known film series. (No one wants another The Phantom Menace). Will Rodman (James Franco), a San Francisco neuroscientist, is pioneering research into a possible cure for Alzheimer’s disease. During the animal-testing phase, however, the ape subjects respond with overlypositive results - improved brain power which results in near-human intelligence. When the experiment is called off, Rodman cannot bring himself to kill the newborn chimp, Caesar (Andy Serkis) and instead, takes him home and raises him. The film follows the relationship between the two, as well as Caesar’s struggle to come to terms with his raised level of consciousness in a world in which animals are treated as 2nd class. Generally speaking, Wyatt plays it safe. The cinematography, dialogue and musical score are adequate, if not anything new. And the impressive special effects make for the creation of some well-characterised apes. Where this film shows its skill and maturity, is in its ability to find a free-standing story, and refrain
The film’s allusions to the questions of humanity that made the original films so successful are perhaps not as biting, but are suggested, without becoming laboured. This is combined with a good sense of action adventure, and a thrilling climax which doesn’t try to overdo itself. It is by not trying too hard, in which the film manages to get the best out of its initial premise. Prequels are a minefield, but by playing it safe and telling a story in and of its own right, Rise of the Planet of the Apes succeeds in being an enjoyable summer film, effectively laying the platform for an anticipated sequel, which will hopefully have a bit more room to manoeuvre. DJP
The Devil’s Double The Devil’s Double follows Latif Yahia (Dominic Cooper) who is specifically chosen to become the body double of Saddam Hussein’s eldest son, Uday Hussein (also Dominic Cooper). The film unveils their relationship and the moral questions Latif faces every day whilst living in the utmost luxury. The Devil’s Double is based on real events, documented by Latif Yahia himself in his book of the same name. Lee Tamahori, best know for directing Die Another Day, directs the adaptation of the book with mixed results. Screenwriter Michael Thomas takes considerable liberties with the events in the book though this does not particularly jar when watching the film The Devil’s Double quickly appears to be more of a vehicle to demonstrate both Dominic Cooper’s acting ability and Tamahori’s directorial capabilities. Cooper’s task of playing both characters is a tricky one and is well managed. In the future this sort of effect will be created using similar technology to that used to create The Social Network’s Winklevii, though this clearly wasn’t possible in The Devil’s Double. Generally, Tamahori shoots the film well and this is best seen in the scenes between Uday and Latif, where camera trickery and interesting angles could really fool the audience into believing that there are two Dominic Coopers on film. Beyond the camera trickery in these scenes, there is little to admire. Dominic Cooper tries valiantly to make his two characters distinguishable, though too often does his accent slip back into his more British tones. Also the character of Uday is played for laughs far too often, Uday never feels like a menace because he is shown as more of a trickster or scamp, whilst supporting characters roll their eyes or tut whenever Uday steps out of line. The tone feels somewhat inappropriate considering the severity of crimes Uday committed. Though the story of Latif Yahia is interesting, The Devil’s Double fails to convey this. The script has a repetitive nature as Uday does something wrong and then argues about his actions with someone every twenty minutes. The lifestyle Uday lives is also given too much attention. By focussing on Uday’s designer suits and fast cars, Tamahori is in real danger of romanticising the way Uday lives. Far too often do Tamahori’s shots focus on the gold plated gun rather
than the man holding it. The supporting cast are also somewhat two dimensional, various advisors and people of interest come and go in Latif ’s life without making any real impact on screen. Ludivine Sagnier is both Uday and Latif ’s love interest, Sarrab, and has a very familiar and predictable character arc and Philip Quast does a fairly convincing Saddam Hussein (though the role is limited). There is a distinct lack of consistency in tone and a very repetitive feeling throughout leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. The story behind The Devil’s Double is both fascinating and terrifying, it is a shame that this did not make the transition to film. JH
one another or wisecracks. As the plot progresses, it becomes increasingly predictable. Favreau has opted to use incredibly old techniques to try and make the audience jump and as such almost everything that happens is anticipated by the audience. The only moments that really surprise are the elements of the plot that make no sense at all, complete diversions that add nothing to the plot and are subsequently forgotten by the scriptwriters.
Cowboys and Aliens Cowboys and Aliens follows Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) who wakes up in the middle of the Arizona Desert with no memory of who he is or why he is in the desert, though he has acquired a mysterious metal bracelet around his wrist. As he moves to the nest town over he witnesses an alien attack and the abduction of half the townspeople. Spurred on by a mystery woman and a vengeful Sheriff, Lonergan goes in search of the abductors. Cowboys and Aliens is one of the latest in a series of films that attempt to mix two different genres to create a completely different film. Jon Favreau (director of Iron Man and Elf) has tried to weave the very traditional genres of Western and Invasion movies together. Unfortunately it quickly becomes apparent that too much of the character of both Westerns and Alien Invasion movies has been lost in the merging of the two genres and consequently Cowboys and Aliens does not work either as a western, an alien invasion movie or as a combination of the two. Cowboys and Aliens has one of the most impressive casts of any film from the last blockbuster season. Though the headlines have surrounded “Jones and James” the supporting cast is something to behold. It is a shame that Sam Rockwell, Paul Dano and Keith Carradine are given painfully little to do, and considering their most recent output this could be considered a criminal waste of their talents. The script leaves little for any member of the cast to work, both Craig and Ford’s parts largely consist of scowling at
In a Summer dominated by Alien Invasion movies (see earlier article on page 4), there have been a number of different creature designs to marvel at. The aliens in Cowboys and Aliens are absolutely laughable by comparison, a combination of fish and angry crab, they do nothing to scare the audience. Designed to intimidate the audience, the aliens pop up regularly, though their flaws are always made outrageously apparent and as such the climactic battle is underwhelming.
Cowboys and Aliens represents the worst features of a rushed Hollywood blockbuster. A terrible script, wasted cast and laughable effects continually remove the audience from the action. There is little to redeem Cowboys and Aliens and it is another disappointment in a succession of disappointing movies with great casts and crews. JH
Conan The Barbarian It’s almost 80 years since the original Conan the Barbarian, created by Robert Howard in 1932, was introduced to the world. His role as a rough, ragged barbarian pillaging and fighting everything in sight was an instant hit and has clearly had lasting appeal, seeing as every latter incarnation has remained almost identical. It is little surprise, therefore, that in Conan the Barbarian (2011) director Marcus Nispel chose not to differ greatly from this archetypal figure. The biggest change seems to have been a production choice rather than a plot choice; the film joins the majority of recent releases and jumps on the 3D bandwagon. So we can all see Jason Momoa’s muscles bulge like never before. Yippee. The story is fairly simple: after a graphical, violent birth where he is cut out of his mother by his father (Ron Pearlman, Sons Of Anarchy), Conan (Jason Momoa, Game Of Thrones) becomes a fearsome warrior before his village is attacked by warlord Khalar Zym (Stephen Lang) and his father is killed. Time passes off screen and Conan returns older, stronger and more experienced. He sets out to avenge his father and stop Zym’s plan to resurrect his dead wife and become a living God, on the way falling in love with Tamara (Rachel Nichols), a girl needed as a sacrifice by Zym. Fans of this type of action film will hardly expect a plot riddled with twists and despite unoriginality (though slightly different from the 80s Schwarzenegger version) there aren’t gaping holes and everything fits together coherently. Without any radical departures from the typical action movie, the film has a lot to make up for in the glorious, absorbing visuals it promises. It does not, however, deliver on this promise. The emphasis on gory-torture blurs the line between an action film and a low budget horror flick, the repeated use of slow-motion is reminiscent of 300 (and it didn’t work particularly well there either) and the almost pantomime quality of the villains, conveniently disappearing whenever it looks like Conan could be in danger, all let the film down. It is easy and sometimes understandable to write-off films with these muscle-bound heroes (especially ones that include former WWE Superstars, in this
case Nathan Jones, in a supporting role) as having no substance. Luckily Jason Momoa, who plays Conan, has clearly accrued plenty of practice of acting while tensing for the camera in his role in Game of Thrones as here he does stellar job. Though the dialogue is in some places static, Conan isn’t meant to be reciting soliloquies ever other scene. The charm of his character is being able to see the good intentions in what would normally just be dull thuggery and violence. This is perhaps the real attraction of Conan in general. While it isn’t complex, it isn’t as flashy as other action films out at the moment and at times is stuffy, it gives the audience a chance to applaud violent revolution on screen, but knowing all the time that good intentions lie behind it, and the resolution of the film will always be a return to a good, true order. As has been proven by the recent spate of remade films, there are some characters that will always appeal to us on a basic level and Conan is one of them. While this iteration will never win any awards for originality, there are worse ways to spend an afternoon. AU
she believably plays the distraught wife of a detective (even though she is only 11) in The Case, the Super 8 film the kids are making. Joel Courtney appears to be an incredibe find on the part of Abrams. Super 8 is Courtney’s first ever acting gig and he absolutely knocks it out of the park, he will soon be seen as Tom Sawyer in the adaptation Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. From Joe’s mother’s funeral in the opening scene, to the bitter disappointment that he might have to blow up his models for the good of The Case, Joel Courtney holds your attention in every scene he’s in and shows incredible talent.
Super 8 In the Summer of 1979 a group of kids endeavour to finish their movie for a Super 8 film festival. During filming they become involved in a national crisis when a freight train carrying mysterious cargo crashes perilously close to their film set. As things take a turn for the bizzarre the bunch of youngsters decide to investigate regardless of the advice of the newly arrived army. J.J Abrams, the writer and director of Super 8, is clearly a man fascinated by his own childhood. The characters in Super 8 are the same age as Abrams at that time and in them you can see young filmmakers indebted to the same films Abrams must have seen as a child. Super 8 is set in 1979, when Abrams was only just 13, though the time is not only significant in the Director’s life but in films in general. At the end of the 1970’s big-budget blockbuster films were becoming more and more common and it is clear that Super 8 aspires to replicate the feel and heart of those early blockbusters. Super 8 looks as though it was released in 1979 and it is the attention to detail and vintage aesthetic that make it very convincing. Even Michael Giacchino’s soaring musical work sounds as though it came from a past era. The attention to detail alone makes Super 8 well worth watching, but it is the child actors that really make the film come alive. Elle Fanning (Alice) and Joel Courtney (Joe) shine as the two lonely children brought together by the incidents in the film. Fanning in particular demonstrates her acting ability as
Fans of Abrams’ past work on Star Trek, Lost and Cloverfield will enjoy the references that litter the film. The Alien, however, is nothing like those of Abrams’ previous creations. Abrams skill as a director really comes to the fore when he is dealing with his latest creation. The Alien does not appear very often, the camera frequently moving away or an object conveniently obscures the view, however, the Alien’s presence is always felt, though it could always just be lurking around a corner.
Super 8 is a film about people who love movies, for people who love movies, made by a man who clearly loves the films of his youth. This film is spectacular on a grand scale and emotionally affecting when it aims for the heart. JH
The Inbetweeners Movie It’s rare that a ‘teen summer movie’ is greeted with as much anticipation as this year’s ‘The Inbetweeners Movie’. Off the back of one of the freshest sitcoms in recent years, it always seemed like the logical step to transfer Damon Beesley and Iain Morris’ (the show’s writers) winning formula of adolescent inadequacy on to the big screen. 2009’s In the Loop showed the extent of the potential in remaking sitcoms as films, but as with any small to big screen conversion, there is always bound to be a risk of missing the mark. The film follows Will, Simon, Jay and Neil as they end their sixth form days and jet off to Malia, Crete, for a ‘mental’ lads’ holiday. Complete with ‘Pussay Patrol’ matching holiday t-shirts, the boys attempt to find sun, sea and sex in this, at times, brutally realistic satire of the modern young person’s holiday experience. Put simply, it is a very funny film. Those who consider themselves above the odd cock joke may eventually find the jokes tiresome, but ultimately, there is something enduringly charming about the sheer gratuitous immaturity of the humour, and the gags certainly keep coming. And for those of us who have put ourselves through the highs and lows of cheap teen drinking holidays, there is something of an added joy in watching just how close the The Inbetweeners come to the truth at times - Jay’s gullibility in falling for the ‘advances’ of a promo girl is particularly enjoyable. Normally at this stage, a reviewer might say, ‘it’s definitely one for the fans of the show’, but that’s where I have to disagree. As genuinely funny as the film was on the whole, there will be fans of the show who will walk out of cinema screens just a little disappointed. The reason for this is that the film did, at times, struggle to convert to its new chosen medium. It was clear that, in a 90 minute film, the writers had felt they needed to create more of a story arc, more character development, and more of a ‘Hollywood’ ending. The problem with this, is that such writing traits are actually counter-intuitive to the all the things that made the original series brilliant - and it was at the points where the film lost its absolute cynicism that things became undone. That said, there are some classic moments in the film, and at the points where it finds its natural rhythm, the laughs really do come hard. A cameo from An-
thony Head (incidentally - real life father of Emily Head, actor behind the character Carli D’Amato) was a great start to the film. And on top of that, we are treated to a cracking soundtrack from Mike Skinner (The Streets). It’s not that The Inbetweeners Movie ever strays into the realm of being bad, it is deserving of its ‘very good’ rating; but you can’t help feeling that with the premise it set up, and the brilliance of the original show behind it, it just might have been superb. DJP
O’Leary discuss philosophy, poetry and policemen. However, the real star is Brendan Gleeson. Gerry Boyle is one of Gleeson’s best roles and you can see him relishing every moment he has on screen. Though on the outside it appears as though Gerry simply lives for LSD and ladies of the night, there is a great deal of depth to him. Boyle’s relationship with his mother is natural and realistic, the moments they share together are both hilarious and tender as they mercilessly mock each other and other residents of her care home. Through Boyle and Everett’s relationship we also learn more and more about our protagonist and his history. Everett also brings out the best on Boyle helping him to do the best policing in Galway.
The Guard Sergeant Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson) has a simple life as one of the only police officers in Galway. Following an investigation of an apparently occult murder, Boyle becomes involved in an international investigation into a group of international cocaine smugglers headed by FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle).
The Guard is John Michael McDonagh’s feature length directorial début and only his second feature script (after 2003’s Ned Kelly). Considering his relatively little experience, it is incredible that The Guard is one of 2011’s best films. Though it is laced with often very dark subject matter The Guard is a comedy that often follows a very traditional template. Wendell Everett, played brilliantly by Don Cheadle, is a classic fish out of water, sent to Galway to investigate a cocaine smuggling operation and often butting heads with Gleeson’s Boyle as they become unlikely friends. Though The Guard has a very traditional set up, it does not suffer from it. It is a tribute to McDonagh’s screen-writing that so many laughs can be generated from this old formula and the film comes into it’s own once the wealth of acting talent that populate the supporting cast. Mark Strong, Liam Cunningham and David Wilmot are superb as the philosophical and highly literate cocaine smugglers, Clive Cornell, Francis Sheehy and Liam O’Leary. It is no surprise to see Mark Strong as the bad guy once again, but McDonagh’s writing elevates Cornell to beyond the average thug. It is a joy to watch Cornell Sheehy and
Though there is a lot to love about The Guard it does take a few minutes to warm up, once the laughs start coming they rarely leave. On the few occasions where the jokes fall a little flat, the opening scene in particular, the film provokes nervous rather than honest laughter. John Martin McDonagh’s directorial début is a marvellous ride. Mixing humour, tragedy and action with great aplomb. Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson work brilliantly together and the supporting cast really add to the overall of the film. To paraphrase Wendell Everett, The Guard is both “really fuckin’ dumb and really fuckin’ smart”. Therefore, it is a shame that McDonagh works so rarely and that it may be some time before we see another of his works. JH
T
Things to see in september
hanks to the wonderful Independent cinemas up and down the country there is a wealth of classic cinema waiting for you. Here is a selection of Pictureshow’s favorite events going on in September.
Wales Cardiff
Chapter Cinema Kind Hearts and Coronets The Lavender Hill Mob Whiskey Galore! A Run for Your Money Kes (dates and times vary) September is a busy time for the folks at Chapter as they focus on two events that run throughout the month. Their “A Feeling For Ealing” event celebrates some of the best Ealing Comedies. Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Lavender Hill Mob, Whiskey Galore! and A Run For Your Money will be shown each weekend in September and are well worth a look.
Central
Birmingham Birmingham Electric The Room 16th Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! 16th On the 16th of September, Birmingham Electric Cinema will be showing both The Room and Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! in Cult Film Friday. Unfortunately you will have to choose between the two as they are showing at the same time. If you choose Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! you will be choosing one of the most notorious exploitation films of the 1960’s. It follows three go-go dancers as they travel across the US and it features gratuitous violence and sexuality.
If you choose The Room, however, you will be choosing “The Worst Film Of All Time”. The Room has gained it’s status after it’s appalling performance in 2003, though it has found an audience who frequently dress up and interact with the film. If you choose Also on during September is a Ken Loach ret- The Room take a tux, plastic cutlery and an rospective looking at the directors incredible American football, becuase you may be lost 50 year career. Highlights include a selection without one. of Loach’s early work as well as a showing of his acclaimed Kes.
North-West
North East
FACT Withnail & I 22nd Clerks 29th The Big Lebowski 18th Jaws 22nd Godzilla 29th
Leeds
Liverpool
FACT’s regular special events often throw up an interesting film or two and September is no exception. Fact is showing the cult classics Withnail and I, Clerks and The Big Lebowski. All three films need to be seen with an audience ready to quote the lines they all know so well, Dude. Fact are also treating the people of Liverpool to screenings of Jaws and the original Godzilla movie. The opportunity to see these on a big screen should not be missed, if only to remove the memories of Roland Emmerich’s appalling 1999 Godzilla remake.
Manchester
Hyde Park Cinema Apocalypse Now 24th Apocalypse Now was re-released on a wider scale earlier this Summer. If you were not lucky enough to catch it then the Hyde Park Cinema in Leeds is one of the last places showing Francis Ford Coppola’s war epic on the big screen. It looks so good you can almost smell the Napalm.
Newcastle
Tyneside Cinema Back to the Future 20th The Princess Bride 26th Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle are showing the 80’s classics Back To The Future and The Princess Bride in the middle of September.
CORNERHOUSE One Man, Two Guv’nors 15th
Though Back To the Future was re-released in cinemas last October the story has not dated and it is fun to watch time and time again. Manchester’s Cornerhouse is showing the The Princess Bride is a much rarer beast to National Theatre’s widely anticipated reworkcapture on a Big Screen and as such there is ing of The Servant of Two Masters, One Man an added incentive. The Princess Bride folTwo Guv’nors. James Cordon, of Gavin and lows a Grandfather telling his sick grandson Stacy fame, is returning to the National Theaa story. The film features as many six fingered tre for the first time since his role in Alan men, giants and Rodents of Unusual Size that Bennet’s The History Boys to play Francis doyou could possibly imagine ing two different jobs for gangsters in the East End of London after being fired from his Skiffle Band. The National Theatre’s Live output is always a treat and One Man, Two Guvnors is a chance to see the latest production on the Big Screen without having to venture to London.
The Princess Bride
South
London
Roxy Night of the Bloody Pint All Nighter 10th Showing: Re-Animator, Slugs: The Movie, Basket Case, Phantasm and Humanoids from the Deep. Though the title gives this away, Roxy Bar & Screen in London are embarking on an all nighter of epic proportions. Get your Red Bull and lashings of Chocolate at the ready as you join the Roxy in 8 hours of gory brilliance. The Prince Charles Theatre The Prince Charles Theatre in London is becoming famous for it’s regular double bills. In September we highly recommend that you try and make at least one of the four fantastic double bills showing during September.
Canterbury
Canterbury Gulbenkian The Man in The White Suit 12th Taxi Driver 26th Canterbury Gulbenkian shows a wide variety of classic films. Though there is no theme and the two films are worlds apart in tone you should endeavour to get to both The Man in The White Suit and Taxi Driver.
Brighton
Duke of York’s Cinema Tron 9th Ghost in the Shell 16th The Terminator 23rd Aliens 29th The Duke of York’s Cinema in Brighton is showing a collection of fantastic classic science fiction from the late 20th Century.
Oxford
Ultimate Picture Palace Oxford Screwball Season Bringing Up BAby 12th w/ Q&A Author The Philadephia Story 18th-19th Palm Beach Story 25th and 26th Who doesn’t like the odd Screwball comedy on a Sunday afternoon? The Ulitimate Picture Palace is happy to provide with a welcome distraction from the washing up/laundry that you planned to do. Try your best to make it to Bringing Up Baby on the 12th, not only is the film a classic but you’ll be treated to a Question and Answer session with Peter Swaab author of “Bringing Up Baby” in the BFI Classics series will give a talk at the Monday screening.
Scotland Inverness
Eden Court Theatre Ice Cold in Alex 18th
Glasgow
GFT Waynes World 16th Clerks 30th
Glasgow Film Theatre’s Late Night Classics come with the added incentive of free entry Cross of Iron 25th to the official after party for the screening. Brief Encounter 26th September’s shows include Late Night viewInverness’ Eden Court Theatre has a selection ings of Clerks and Wayne’s World. Schwing! of classic films showing during September. Ice Cold in Alex and Cross of Iron are both war movies but not in the conventional sense. Ice Cold in Alex is a real treat and when leaving the cinema you will be full of vim and vigour. For the romantics out there, there will also be a showing of Brief Encounter, the 1945 David Lean masterpiece.
Brief Ecounter
Edinburgh
Cameo Goodfellas 19th Mesrine: Killer Instinct 20th BMW Origins Film Season is being curated by Mark Kermode and will show pairs of films with a unifying theme. In September we really recommend that you try to see Goodfellas & Mesrine: Killer Instinct at the Edinbugh Cameo. Both sprawling crime epics that will throw you headfirst into the universes of both American and French Gangsters
At PictureShow we treasure independent cinemas and we would like to encourage you to look up the smaller cinemas in your area. See if they have an interesting showing waiting for you this month.