Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Dec 30th 
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies* (12A)  
(Odeon Colchester)                           

(US/New Zealand 2014)

The slaying of lethal dragon Smaug leads to a tussle between opposing forces for the gold of Mount Gundabad.
Eventual conclusion of Jackson's hugely inflated adaptation of Tolkien's novel, made as a "prequel" to The Lord of the Rings, and displaying The Return of the King's tendency for long goodbyes, with a very long drawn out conclusion after two hours of incessant noise and action interspersed with some occasionally daring moments of character introspection, with the actors giving as best as they can against such a huge canvas.

Written by: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro, from the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Producers: Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner, Fran Welsh, Peter Jackson.
Director: Peter Jackson.
Starring: Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ian McKellen, Evangeline Lilly, Orlando Bloom, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch (voice only), Christopher Lee, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Billy Connolly, Ian Holm, and others.
Photography: Andrew Lesnie.
Music: Howard Shore.
Production Design: Dan Hennah.
Visual Effects Supervision: Joe Lettieri.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES. The Ring comes full circle.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Dec 29th  
End of Days           

(US 1999)    

An alcoholic ex-cop battles Satan on the eve of the Millennium for a woman whose child will herald the end of days.
Schwarzenegger versus Satan, in a risible supernatural action thriller, with any moments of tension or pathos swept aside by action and special effects. So nonsensical it almost defies criticism.

Written by: Andrew W. Marlowe.
Producer: Armyan Bernstein, Bill Borden.
Director/Photography: Peter Hyams.
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Byrne, Robin Tunney, Kevin Pollak, Rod Steiger, C.C.H. Pounder, Udo Kier, Miriam Margolyes, Derrick O'Connor.
Music: John Debney.
Creature Effects: Stan Winston.


Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Dec 23rd  
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll*       

(GB 1960)

In this unpleasant variation on the old story Hyde is the more attractive of the two, taking revenge on his unfaithful wife whilst her dull husband Jekyll is a disgraced physician. Next to none of the main characters has any redeeming features, and central performance is rather bland. Despite the elaborate settings, it proved to be an expensive failure for Hammer.

Written by: Wolf Mankowitz.
Producer: Michael Carreras.
Director: Terence Fisher.
Starring: Paul Massie, Dawn Addams, Christopher Lee, David Kossoff, Norma Marla, Francis de Woolf, Oliver Reed.
Photography: Jack Asher.
Music: Monty Norman.
Production Design: Bernard Robinson.
Make-up: Roy Ashton.


Thursday, December 18, 2014

Dec 18th  
From Borehamwood to Hollywood**    
Sub-Title: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Elstree

(GB 2014)

The 100 year history of Elstree, from its early silent days to the MGM and TV years, as well the recent mini-revival after the partial demolition of the remaining film studios.
Filmed in standard documentary fashion but with some lovely touches including a lively score which helps elevate the subject to the level of some of Elstree's famous films (although some of the older classics could have been mentioned more), and some splendid contributions of some star-studded names including Spielberg and others.

Written by: Howard Berry, Paul Welsh.
Producer/Director: Howard Berry.
Narrators: Barbara Windsor, Paul Welsh.
With added contributions by: Steven Spielberg, Brian Blessed, Roger Moore, Bryan Forbes (archive footage), Brian Clemens, Walter Murch, Simon Pegg, and others.
Photography: Various.
Music: James Brett, Ray Davies.



Saturday, December 13, 2014

Dec 13th  
Mr. Turner* (12A)        
(Electric Palace, Harwich)

(GB 2014)

Overlong, beautifully picturesque biopic of the later years of J.M.W. Turner with a warts-and-all central performance, who comes across as a rather unpleasant figure neglecting his daughters and devoted housekeeper for a succession of mistresses and female acquaintances whilst all the while pursuing his sketches and classic paintings, skirting through the years in several short scenes, but lacking a certain humanity, with touches of Leigh's flair for caricature.

Written and Directed by: Mike Leigh.
Producer: Georgina Lowe.
Starring: Timothy Spall, Paul Jesson, Dorothy Atkinson, Marion Bailey, Lesley Manville, Ruth Sheen, Martin Savage, James Fleet (as Constable), David Horowitch, Leo Bill.
Photography: Dick Pope.
Music: Gary Yershon.

Tuesday, December 09, 2014

Nov 30th  
1941*         

(US 1979)                

The appearance shortly after Pearl Harbour of a Japanese submarine off the California coast sends most of Los Angeles into a panic.
Panic, in this case translated as chaotic slapstick, in an expensive misfire by Spielberg, made with a loving nostalgia for the period (as well as spoofing other films including his own), but unwisely allowing the so-called comedians of the time free reign with noise and scatological gay abandon, as if to prove that even Steven Spielberg can make a bad film.

Written by: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, from a story by themselves and John Milius.
Producer: Buzz Feitshans.
Director: Steven Spielberg.
Starring (in no particular order): John Belushi, Robert Stack, Dan Ackroyd, Toshiro Mifune, Christopher Lee, Ned Beatty, Lorraine Gary, Treat Williams, Tim Matheson, Nancy Allen, John Candy, Slim Pickens, Murray Hamilton, Eddie Deezen, Bobby Di Cicco, Elisha Cook Jnr, Lionel Stander, and others.
Photography: William A. Fraker.
Music: John Williams.
Production Design: Dean Edward Mitzner.


1941. Set in the 40s, made in the 70s, although its anarchic style owed a lot to the late 1960s.