Nicholas Winding Refn Interview - DRIVE

Insightful interview with DRIVE director - Nicholas Winding Refn via msn.co.uk and Total Film on how DRIVE got made and his rather amusing first meeting with Ryan Gosling.

Video link HERE. DRIVE opens across the UK today - September 23rd.

Comic-Con 2011: Nicholas Winding Refn talks DRIVE

Definitely the highlight of Comic-Con 2011 for me - Nicholas Winding Refn talks about his latest film DRIVE. Brought to you by ScreenCrave.com

Part 1:


Part 2:

"DRIVE" Red Band Trailer hits the web

After a recent appearance of the cast and crew of the film at this years Comic-Con in San Diego, FilmDistrict unleashed the red band trailer for the soon to be released minimalist crime thriller DRIVE. The film stars Ryan Gosling as the titular character, while Bryan Cranston, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, and Ron Perlman round off the spectacular supporting cast.

The flick hits the streets this September.

Top 10 Horror Theme Songs

Alright then, after a few weeks on the quiet front, I am back from vacation (or the dead) to give you this week's Top 10 picks for Horror Movie Themes.

10. Cannibal Holocaust Theme by Riz Ortolani


9. Jaws - Theme by John Williams


8. The Silence Of The Lambs Theme by Howard Shore


7. The Thing - Ennio Morricone


6. Hellraiser Theme by Christopher Young


5. Halloween Theme - composed by John Carpenter


4. Rosemary's Baby Theme by Krzysztof Komeda


3. The Omen Theme by Jerry Goldsmith


2. The Exorcist Theme


1. The Shining Theme

Michael Bay recycles his own footage from "The Island" in "Transformers" 3

Stock footage has been used in movies since the dawn of time, but this was primarily the case with low budget 1950's and 60's sci-fi monster flicks. Here we have a $200M + blockbuster. Whatever the case, Mr. Bay is definitely in love with his work, as he feels the need to self-reference his own films in later movies. Or maybe he's trying to save a few bucks?

Check out this video below via Youtube user cinefilojermain23 and decide for yourselves:

Top 10 Most Atrocious Movie Commercials

Product placement and cross promotions with brands that have nothing to do with the movies advertising them, has been a trend in movies ever since Jaws broke all box office records in the mid 70's. Today, it is an inescapable act of making a big budget film. Here are some reminders of some of the most atrocious and ridiculous commercials featuring popular characters from Hollywood movie franchises or just easy pay-check gigs:

10. 1992 MTV music awards - Alien 3 Pepsi Commercial


9. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Pepsi Commercial


8. Star Wars Taco Bell Superbowl 1997 Commercial


7. Sly Stallone "Knorr" Commercial


6. Direct-TV Terminator Commercial


5. The Punisher (The one with Dolph Lundgren) NES Game spot


4. Aliens Action Figures Commerical


3. Jurassic Park McDonalds Commercial


2. Robocop Japanese Fried Chicken Commerical


1. Robocop Japanese UFO Noodles Commercial

The Work of David Fincher in Trailers

The work of David Fincher in trailers. In reverse chronological order. Enjoy!

1. "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" (2011)


2. "The Social Network" (2010)


3. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (2008)


4. "Zodiac" (2007)


5. "Panic Room" (2002)


6. "Fight Club" (1999)


7. "The Game" (1997)


8. "SE7EN" (1995)


9. "Alien 3" (1992)

Top 10 Movie Theme Songs: Sci-Fi

Here they are folks, my Top 10 Sci-Fi Theme Songs. Enjoy!

10. Total Recall (1990) - Composer: Jerry Goldsmith


9. E.T. (1982) - Composer: John Williams


8. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) - Composer: John Williams


7. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) - Composer: John Williams


6. Blade Runner (1982) - Composer: Vangelis


5. Alien (1979) - Composer: Jerry Goldsmith


4. Robocop (1987) - Composer: Basil Poledouris


3. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) - Composer: Brad Fiedel


2. The Terminator (1984) - Composer: Brad Fiedel


1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - Composer: Richard Strauss

Top 10 Movie Themes - Westerns

Each Monday, I will be posting new Top 10 lists (or maybe Top 11, who knows) of my favourite movie themes/songs/scores based on genres/composers or some other parameter. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. See below this Monday's Top 10 (Mandatory) Movie Themes - Westerns:

1.Django (1966) dir. Sergio Corbucci


2.A Fistful of Dollars (1964) dir. Sergio Leone


3.For a Few Dollars More (1965) dir. Sergio Leone


4.The Good the Bad and The Ugly (1966) dir. Sergio Leone


5.Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) dir. Sergio Leone


6.The Wild Bunch (1969) dir. Sam Peckinpah


7.The Searchers (1956) dir. John Ford


8.Shane (1953) dir. George Stevens


9.Tombstone (1993) dir. George P. Cosmatos


10.Wyatt Earp (1994) dir. Lawrence Kasdan

Second Clip released from Nicholas Winding Refn's "DRIVE"

In lieu of a regular trailer (probably hitting the Net in the following months as DRIVE is scheduled for a September release via Film District in the US) the folks at Twitchfilm have unearthed the second officially released clip from Nicholas Winding Refn's new crime-heist-thriller "DRIVE" starring Ryan Gosling, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, and Carey Mulligan:

Nicholas Winding Refn wins Best Director at Cannes 2011

Well, Cannes 2011 may be over, but the positive buzz around the Danish wunderkind Nicholas Winding Refn's new film DRIVE does not show signs of subsiding. Fortunates ones, who've seen the picture at Cannes this year are liking it to early Michael Mann, cult-classics such as THE DRIVER, and other late 70's and 80's genre classics. Better yet, there have been talks of a sequel (for a movie not even released yet - DRIVE hits theatres September 16 in the US, courtesy of Film District) in which according to Ryan Gosling and Refn - there will be 2 drivers. Refn is looking to use Ryan Gosling in a similar way to which David Fincher "cloned" Armie Hammer in "The Social Network" (for more details on Drive and Refn's upcoming film "Only God Forgives" head over to The Playlist

This past Sunday at the Cannes 2011 Award Ceremony DRIVE's helmer - Winding Refn was awarded Best Director. Congratulations to him and the creative team behind DRIVE. For more on DRIVE click on video interview below with the film's star - Ryan Gosling via Indiewire.

Watch 2 minutes from Nicholas Winding Refn's New Film "DRIVE"

I have been a huge fan of Danish auteur Nicholas Winding Refn ever since I caught PUSHER (1996) on a late night cable channel in the late 90's. The critically acclaimed PUSHER trilogy alongside more recent efforts such as the hellishly extravagant and decadent prison biopic - BRONSON (2008) & the ultra-minimalistic Viking-themed mindfuck - VALHALLA RISING (2009), propelled Refn into indie stardom and it was only a matter of time before Hollywood took notice of him.

DRIVE is a minimalistic thriller starring Ryan Gosling as the nameless Driver, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Ron Perlman, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks and Oscar Isaacs. The film made it in the Official Selection at this years Cannes Film Festival, which in itself speaks volumes about the quality of the flick. I certainly hope so.

Here is a brief synopsis courtesy via Twitchfilm.com/Cannes Film Festival:

DRIVE is the story of a Hollywood stunt driver by day, a loner by nature who moonlights as a top-notch getaway driver-for-hire in the criminal underworld. He finds himself a target for some of LA's most dangerous men after agreeing to aid the husband of his beautiful neighbor, Irene. When the job goes dangerously awry, the only way he can keep Irene and her son alive is to do what he does best - drive.

Here is the first officially released snippet of the film (via Twitchfilm.com):

Lars Von Trier's New Film "MELANCHOLIA" début trailer

Nearly two years since the intensely delirious "Antichrist" sent shock waves through the collective spine of film critics and general audiences at Cannes, the good folks at Lars's own Zentropa Films have released the first official trailer for his new psychological/sci-fi/Armageddon-set "MELANCHOLIA", boastsing a formidable cast - Keifer Sutherland, Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, John Hurt, and Von Trier regulars - Stellan Skarsgard and Udo Kier, in addition to formidable photography as evidenced by the trailer.

Not much details are known at the moment, but what we know is that the plot concerns a wedding ceremony gone awry as a "planet hidden behind the Sun" is on a collision course with Earth. Expect mayhem. I, as many, have high hopes for this one.

"MELANCHOLIA" hits theatres July 1st.

Melancholia from Zentropa on Vimeo.

Tarantino REMIXED

I stumbled upon this gem a few weeks ago. How many of them have you seen?

Everything Is A Remix: KILL BILL from robgwilson.com on Vimeo.

Enter The Void (2009) dir. Gaspar Noe

Well, it was everything I expected it to be and maybe even more... or less. I am not sure. It was back in September when I saw it for the first time on the big screen. Its still lingering in my mind. I can't help think about it, films like ENTER THE VOID get stuck, they get permanently imprinted onto the viewer's psyche like some sort of a haunting image, or a vivid out-of-body experience.

"Enter The Void" marks the third feature from Noe, and his first in English. This is his follow up to the 2002 rape-revenge shocker "Irreversible", albeit not directly related to or connected to it, "Enter The Void" carries the unmistakable Gaspar Noe stamp of filmmaking. However, I would say that this film is more thematically in-line with Noe's 1998 tour-de-force debut "Seul Contre Tous" or as it is known in the English speaking world - "I Stand Alone", which featured a brilliant and intense performance by legendary French actor Phillipe Nahon. "Enter The Void" took nearly 7 years to make, 1 and 1/2 of those spent in post-production due to the ground-breaking visual effects required to translate Noe's vision to the screen.

The film follows Oscar, a small-time drug dealing teenager, or rather his dead spirit, as he wonders through the neon glitzy streets of downtown Tokyo in search of his stripper sister. In a nutshell that's pretty much it, at least plot-wise. As expected from a Gaspar Noe picture, just as his previous two films who followed rather simplified plots, near stream of consciousness morality onslaughts, in my opinion directly attacking bourgeois moral values and social norms. Just as "Irreversible" delivered on a heightened, if not nearly nauseating, visceral emotions, with ETV, Noe delivers a hauntingly demented visual experience hitting hard like a ten-ton hammer. Despite its apparent flaws in the script department, the thinly developed characters, the unnecessary three hour running time, the so-called French New Wave Extreme auteur-provocateur Gaspar Noe delivers on a purely psychological and visceral level. If "Avatar" is the visual pinnacle for mainstream movie audiences, then "Enter The Void" is definitely the "beat" generation's Avatar. The film employs rather unusual techniques, which include POV blinking (the film is presented almost exclusively from Oscar's spirit POV) and perspective shifting aerial overhead shots. As admitted by Gaspar Noe himself at the Q&A following the film at the Curzon Soho, London premier in September, films like Robert Montgomery's noir classic "Lady in the Lake" (1947) and Mikhail Kalatozov's 1968 film "I am Cuba", both of which featured extensive protagonist POV photography, were cited as inspirations for the visual style of the film.

From the insanely choreographed hovering crane shots, to the stunning use of strobe lighting, natural and practical and existing street lights, the usual Noe-stamped super grainy 16mm photography, mind-boggling musical landscape mixing classical pieces with pounding electro beats, tilt-shift and miniature shots of the Tokyo skyline, to the absolutely demented brain damage inducing title sequence, Enter the Void remains the most visual experience of 2010 and quite possibly Noe's masterpiece.

"Enter the Void" is coming soon to Blu-ray and DVD this April.

The Beat Generation's Avatar - "Enter The Void" tonite @ Curzon Soho + Q/A w Gaspar Noe

Nearly 15 years in the making, from the script stage to production, the long awaited third feature by French auteur Gaspar Noe - ENTER THE VOID, is finally hitting British shores tonight at Curzon Soho. Noe's third film much like his previous two - the 2002 rape-revenge-shocker IRREVERSIBLE and the 1998 bleak and equally brutal SOUL CONTRE TOUS (I Stand Alone as it is known in the English speaking world), ignited a wave of controversy, walk-outs and mixed reactions when it played at Cannes in 2010 and other major festivals. The film was met with mixed reviews from critics in France, and so far has enjoyed a similarly polarized reaction from the rest of Europe and North America.

Easily, my most anticipated film of 2010, and I get to finally see it tonight. An extended review will be posted shortly after I recover from the mind-blowing experience tonight.

'Avatar + Enter the Void' Interview w Gaspar Noe

Auteur-provocateur Gaspar Noe sat down for an extensive interview with the guys from The Playlist. Check out part One here; part Two here.

Red Hill (2010) Australia; dir. Patrick Hughes

I believe that right now, the best films come out of Australia. My introduction to Aussie cinema was quite some time ago with the cult classics Crocodile Dundee and The Mad Max trilogy. However, this one is different. Australian cinema rose up in the early 2000’s with Andrew Dominik’s “Chopper”, John Hillcoat’s “The Proposition” five years later, and more recently David Michod’s “Animal Kingdom”, which cleaned house at Sundance last year.

In Red Hill, Ryan Kwanten (of True Blood fame) plays a young city cop Shane Cooper, who transfers to a small town ran by an old-school sheriff – Old Bill (Steve Bisley). On his first day on the new job things don’t go so smooth for Shane, and soon after a TV station breaks the news of an escaped convict headed for town, he finds himself between a rock and a hard place.

Very soon we find out the escaped convict, Jimmy Conway (a phenomenal performance by Tommy Lewis), has unfinished business in town with Old Bill – the man who put him behind bars. Reminiscent of the Coen Brother’s masterpiece – No Country for Old Man, Patrick Hughes’s genre-bender debut delivers on more than one level, as both a suspenseful noir-thriller with great pacing and mood, and as a classic revenge story with a fresh touch, and deeper undertones of political criticism on the treatment of indigenous populations.

A thrill ride worthy of classic American westerns and neo-noirs of decades past ensues, combined with stellar performances from the main cast and stunning photography, make Red Hill an enjoyable Western-Thriller.

Jaws/Jurassic Park Double Bill - review

What more can I write about one of the most written about films - Spielberg's 1975 masterpiece of terror "JAWS"? I recently had a chance to see it on the big screen alongside another Spielberg blockbuster - Jurassic Park (1993), which although it is a good movie, it is somehow pale in comparison to the grandiose and masterful kinetic energy of Jaws. However, this review will focus on Jaws.

First things first. Even though, Jaws is often mistaken for the first horror blockbuster (The Exorcist 1973 beat it to the first spot) the film was the first major motion picture to cross the $100m barrier at the box office, thus becoming the first Summer motion picture event. Keep in mind that's four years before Star Wars, which was for many fans the hallmark of the 70's blockbuster events. It did as much good for the world of cinema as it did bad. Jaws's success opened the floodgates to the blockbuster movie, both as an event and as a major investment for big corporation which controlled the studios at that point in time. However, despite the monetary effect, which helped fuel future major motion pictures - 'Star Wars' and 'Alien' being the most often cited examples of post-Jaws syndrome blockbusters, Jaws was a monumental success in technical terms.

The camera team of Jaws lead by prominent DP Bill Butler ASC (The Conversation '72) and outstanding camera operator Michael Chapman were able to achieve what most technicians at the time deemed impossible. To put this in perspective, in 1974 when JAWS was shot, SteadyCam was not invented yet. Therefore, the camera operator and DP had two options - shoot on tripods - as Spielberg initially wanted, or shoot hand-held. In the words of Michael Chapman himself - "if you put a camera on a tripod on a boat, you'll make the audience throw up in the isle, as the motion of the boat's movement will be enhanced through the tripod..." This was the main reason why the film as shot 90% hand-held, which at that time for a major project of such proportions was a bold decision. A decision, which paid off immensely. Although, not noticed by an untrained eye, the achievement in cinematography on this picture was a monumental one.

But certainly, had it not been Spielberg's masterful ability to tell compelling stories, combined with an ample team of avid technicians and creative personnel, Jaws would have probably been a much lesser movie than it is today. The sheer terror of the unknown, the power of the opening prologue sequence, and the fact that the shark gets little screen time, all of these factors contributed to the massive success of this film. It is rare, that a movie like Jaws can be put on the big screen in a rural area of China with no subtitles and people would still be jumping out of their seats and shielding their eyes with their fingers. That is the very essence and power of cinema - universal storytelling going beyond all cultural or political borders.

Now, some may argue - the real mechanical shark, the build for the film never really worked properly, that's why it gets so little screen time. And to that I say, sure, it's true the technical difficulties prevented Spielberg from showing more of the shark, but it is the scarcity of the monster, which makes the very few times we see it on screen so startling and scary. Had it appeared more often, it's effect would have been diminished.

Still, 35 years on, JAWS holds up as one of the scariest and masterful films ever made. It's iconic imagery still possesses the power to keep the viewer spellbound for the whole duration of the picture. Not many films hold up today, but JAWS does, and it will for a long, long time.

Jurassic Park/Jaws Double Bill @ PCC - Aug 24

The one which re-defined evolution followed by the one which re-defined the term "box office success" and created the much adored - blockbuster. Two phenomenal achievements in special effects and cinematography - Jurassic Park and Jaws. I still remember watching Jaws on TV as a kid... Correction - I remember watching half the film - mostly through my fingers. It was the first film to truly terrify me and forever prohibit me from stepping into any body of water more than 1 foot deep. I saw Jaws in late 1993 on a bootleg Serbian-dubbed-over-Chinese-subbed almost black and white VHS from the local rental place. Yeah, tape quality and proprietary rights were a grey area in those days, but that is another story. Oh, all voices were dubbed by the most monotone and boring female dub artist ever. Seriously. But I remember the images no matter how pixelated and crappy they were on that scratched VHS.
Now, 17 years later, I can finally do these film justice - by seeing them on the Big Screen at my favourite cinema in London - The Prince Charles Cinema. I will be posting my review tomorrow evening after the double bill.