10. Altered States (1980) Directed by: Ken Russell Is it a horror film? Many of Ken Russell’s films could be argued as such, but there’s enough in Altered States that makes it less horror and more science fiction/psychological thriller. Based on the novel by Paddy Chayefsky, Altered States introduced the world to William Hurt (and …
Ken Russell pictures have a way of sneaking up on you. Many a young and not-so-young filmgoers have experienced a kind of shocked dry heave of wonderment after their first, or even seventh, Ken Russell experience. I recall a young man for whom the joy of first seeing The Devils nearly induced an anxiety attack. Talking in tongues is not altogether unlikely, either.
Gothic Written by Stephen Volk Directed by Ken Russell UK, 1986 Natasha Richardson (in her leading role debut) plays Mary Godwin, later Mary Shelley, in Ken Russell’s fictionalised take on the inception of both her classic novel Frankenstein and John Polidori’s The Vampyre. It is based on the Shelleys’ visit with Lord Byron at Villa …
Here Comes the Devil Directed Adrián García Bogliano Screenplay by Adrián García Bogliano 2012, Mexico Argentinian filmmaker Adrián García Bogliano returns with Here Comes the Devil, a coming of age tale of demonic possession, sexual awakening and suspected child abuse. Staying clear of the typical traps of exploitation, Bogliano takes a low-key, less graphic approach …
With the Academy Awards for the 2011 film year in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to take a look at one of the event’s most consistently fascinating categories: Best Supporting Actor. The most interesting story in the category this year isn’t who got nominated, it’s who didn’t. More specifically, Albert Brooks was completely robbed of …
In October of 2010, Sound on Sight asked me to do my first commemorative piece on the passing of filmmaker Arthur Penn. I suspect I was asked because I was the only one writing for the site old enough to have seen Penn’s films in theaters. Whatever the reason, it was an unexpectedly rewarding if …
Ken Russell, the British director of Women in Love and The Devils, has died at the age of 84. We will be doing a retrospective on Russell throughout the month of December with reviews, articles and one special podcast dedicated to the provocative film maker who passed away peacefully in his sleep on Sunday afternoon. …
The Devils Directed by Ken Russell Nearly forty years after its release, The Devils remains shocking. It is both unabashedly critical of establishment while also refusing to adhere to the commonly accepted conventions of “serious” cinema. Stylistically, the film employs an unconventional score, an overzealous use of zoom (to be fair, it was the 70s) …
The Boyfriend Dir: Ken Russell | UK 1971 | 125min. If you didn’t get enough of all the retrospective screenings of Ken Russell’s work taking place at la Cinémateque Québecoise and Fantasia this month, you might be interested in checking out a very rare cinemascope print of The Boyfriend. This is a very rare screening …
Fantaisa has expanded its programming in the past five years and with that the festival has become even longer – perhaps too long. Ranging anywhere from three to four weeks, it leaves me pretty much brain-dead by the end of the month. Bloodshot eyes, Sleep deprivation and repetitive dinners at Al-Taib aren’t exactly a recipe …
The Devils Directed by Ken Russell Nearly forty years after its release, The Devils remains shocking. It is both unabashedly critical of establishment while also refusing to adhere to the commonly accepted conventions of “serious” cinema. Stylistically, the film employs an unconventional score, an overzealous use of zoom (to be fair, it was the 70s) …
To quote Fantasia’s press kit: In recent times, newly-unearthed crimes have resulted in extraordinary levels of disillusionment with organized religion, particularly with the Catholic Church, and genre cinema has mirrored this anger with startling impact. In the face of this, the 2010 Fantasia Film Festival has put together a troubling spotlight entitled “Between Death And …