The Devils Review

Ken Russell’s The Devils (1971), based on Aldous Huxley’s The Devil’s of Loudun (1953) and John Whiting’s 1961 play, The Devils was recently shown in its rarely seen fully uncut form at the BFI on Friday with an introduction from critic Mark Kermode. Kermode is a champion of the film. He sought out the cut footage and has organised many of the recent UK screenings in the hope that they will provoke Warner Bros. into finally releasing the film uncut on DVD. His view: the BBFC have no problem with it now and so it should be made widely available.

Whilst the BBFC are fine with it now in 2011, that wasn’t always the case as the chequered past of the film’s release reveals. The film was cut by both the censors and Warner Bros, with key scenes including the infamous ‘Rape of Christ’ sequence removed and not restored until the recent uncut screenings. Even in a cut form, the film was butchered by almost every critic of the time. Roger Ebert gave it zero stars,  Judith Christ deemed it ‘a grand fiesta for sadists and perverts’, Derek Malcolm felt it was ‘a very bad film indeed’ and Vincent Canby claimed ‘It just may be that there's still enough mystery in an X rating to make The Devils more popular than it has any right to be.’

Some critics weren’t given the chance to air their views as the film was banned in various countries, including Italy where despite the film winning best foreign film at Venice Film Festival, it was banned and the films stars even threatened with jail time if they ever set foot on Italian soil.

But, anyway, is it any good?

The film deals with a number of ideas and themes regarding the relationship between the state and the church, with the basic plot consisting of unconventional priest/lothario Urbain Grandier (Oliver Reed) being accused of witchcraft after sexually obsessed Sister Jeanne (Vanessa Redgrave) masks her bubbling sexual desires as demonic possession. This ‘possession’  is soon manipulated by Father Barre (Michael Gothard), Baron De Laubardemont (Dudley Sutton) and Mignon (Murray Melvin) into curse that soon grips the entire nunnery in a sexual frenzy.  

Almost every performance in The Devils is something special. Oliver Reed is outstanding as the powerful priest and manages to make his final appearance in the film something truly and unforgettably powerful. Vanessa Redgrave puts in a hysterical turn as the nun wrestling with her sexual fantasies and credit has to go to the numerous nuns in the film who go beyond the call of duty when dropping their habits in the incredible ‘Rape of Christ’ sequence.  

The film deals with issues surrounding faith and its use as a weapon of control and this is really where the controversial elements enter. Whilst there is a lot of graphic violence in the film, none really retains the ability to shock aside from a very grim burning at the stake scene complete with bubbling flesh and peeling skin that manages to both induce serious wincing but also rival anything seen in recent gore filled genre pieces. I’m looking at you torture-porn. Yes, the only real elements that still managed to make me smirk in a how-did-they-get-away-with-that way were the moments that would have been enough to make a nun swear. Whether it be a dream sequence in which a Christ-like Oliver Reed hops down from the cross to get his open wounds licked by a nun (who seems to enjoy it if you know what I mean) or a mother superior masturbating with a crispy tibia, its difficult to see any devout Christians swallowing this kind of material without screaming ‘blasphemy’ and deeming Russell the devil incarnate. In fact, while we’re on the subjects of horny nuns, the most shocking scene in the film does come in the ‘Rape of Christ’ sequence. To go into it would surely spoil the shock but suffice to say, Sister Act II: Back in the Habit it ain’t.

Derek Jarman’s set design has rightly received critical acclaim and helps to make the films final image mesmeric and the film isn’t without darkly hilarious moments, one such sees Oliver Reed fight off a swordsman with a crocodile. The Devils is an entertaining, thought provoking piece with sequences that are still shocking, even today. The film clearly deserves to be seen by the majority of Ken Russell fans and cinema lovers in general, a circumstance that its current situation is unfortunately not allowing. If you get a chance, see it.

Mark Kermode said before the screening at the BFI that it is vital that as many people who want to see the film, do so, with sold out events like Fridays hopefully showing Warner Bros that there is a demand for the uncut DVD release to become a reality. Here is a link to blog post by Mark Kermode filmed during the screening I went to on how these kinds of screenings can help push for a DVD release. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/markkermode/2011/08/the_devil_is_in_the_detail.html 

Film4 Frightfest Short Film Showcase Line-up Revealed

The line-up for the Short Film Showcase presented by The Horror Channel at this years Frightfest has been revealed and appears to be  a nice selection of weird and wonderful shorts from the UK, Canada, Spain, Portugal and Australia. After looking around, a few of these are already online on various sites but if, like me, you want to experience them first on the big screen at the Empire, ignore them in their online form and allow the descriptions below to tide you over until that last week in August.

Alistair from Australian director Aaron Cartwright focuses on two ruthless killers who pick the wrong house to break into. The tagline 'Being an only child can be Hell' hints that we might expect the title character to be something of a Australian cousin to Damien. Whether 10 minutes is enough time to impose a feeling of paedophobia on the Frightfest crowd, we'll have to wait and see.

Demonitron: The Sixth Dimension comes from Canada and is directed by Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell. The film follows a dancer who descends on a hellish journey into madness after a visit from a 'messenger of the sixth dimension'.What is the Sixth Dimension? Well, the 4 minutes and 25 seconds running time seems a little tight to fully answer that but with a title like Demonitron, who cares? Some reports suggest the film could be a fake trailer, like the Machete and Hobo With a Shotgun trailers, that take the form of a homage to features from the 1970s; showcasing some so-bad-its-funny special effects and dialogue. Whether, like Hobo and Machete it spawns a feature length film, we shall see.

Brutal Relax from Spain is about Mr Olivares. A man who is advised by his doctor to take some time off, find a little piece of heaven and relax. Unfortunatley, it seems that his holiday is destined to end in blood, guts, gore and the undead. Find a trailer here: http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi516136217/

Banana Motherfucker. Yes. I'll let that title sink in for a moment. All the way from Portugal and by the people behind the popualar short film Papa Wrestling. I would put up a plot description but I think if the title hasn't ignited an interest, then trailer will suffice - http://www.adverblog.com/2011/07/07/banana-motherfucker/
And here is Papa Wrestling. Enjoy -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPZMmjRceqM

Axelle Carolyn's British short The Last Post feautures an old lady in a nursing home who is visited by a man that no-one else. Whether he is hooded, has a penchant for chess and carries around a sickle remains to be seen.

Cold Call, a film by Clive Ford, takes place in the dead of night when two women and a baby are visited by an enthusiastic preacher and his assistant. They believe the world is about to end are will offer the trio salvation, reagrdless of whether they want or it not. Heres the trailer - http://vimeo.com/15196608 and a link to Ford's previous short film, Mothers Day - http://vimeo.com/10394832

Lovable Beetle Herbie is no where to be seen in Love Bug, the short film from Benjamin Kent. Frank believes his blind date is well out of his league. That is until she contracts a strange virus that signals his luck may be about to change. Unfortunately for Frank, as soon his luck begins to change, so does she - into a homicidal maniac.

Portugese short Bats in the Belfry won Best Portugese Horror Short at MOTELx 2010, Best Animation at Shortcutz Lisboa 2010 and won Joao Alves (who graduated in Marine Biology in 2005 and learnt his directing and animation skills through online tutorials and DVD extras) Best Young Director at Fantasporto 2011. This animated short features Deadeye Jack attempting to resume a botched heist with dark consequences.

Flesh Art from directors Nicholas Thompson and Chris Goodman revolves around a lone survivor of a zombie apocalypse using the body parts of others to make his own warped form of body art.

From the director of the upcoming feature length film Elfie Hopkins starring Ray Winstone and his daughter Jamie, comes the short Little Munchkin, a film that has been deemed 'Orphan meets We Are What We Are'. A superficial couple get their hands on what they see as the ultimate accessory - Margaret, their newly adopted daughter. Hell ensues when she is left alone with a babysitter on her first night in her new home. 

Is Demonitron: The Sixth Dimension good enough for a feature length version? Will Banana Motherfucker live up to the promise of that title? Who will triumph is the battle of the little shits, Little Munchkin Margaret or Australian Alistair? By the end of Sunday 28th of August, we will know all.

The Tree of Life Review

Considered a modern master, Terrence Malick is responsible for Badlands (1973), Days of Heaven (1978), The Thin Red Line (1998), The New World (2005) and his latest, The Tree of Life, sees him in a more experimental mood than usual.

The film opens with Mr O’Brien (Brad Pitt) and Mrs O’Brien (Jessica Chastain) receiving news that one of their three sons has died. The film then goes from briefly following one of the sons as an adult, Jack (Sean Penn in one of his more pointless roles) before showing us the Big Bang, the formation of the universe, a glimpse into life as a dinosaur before returning to more recent times to further explore the life of the O’Briens. Mrs O’Brien states at the start of the film that we either follow ‘the way of grace’ or ‘the way of nature’. The former being a caring, accepting existence whilst the latter is a more ‘do what it takes to get by’ attitude where being a little bit nasty once in a while is just a way of life. It becomes clear early on to the children that mum represents grace and dad, nature with the latter half of the film depicting the boys attempts to make their own choice. To say the film is a little ambitious would be a big understatement.

The Tree of Life is a beautiful film and I very much doubt that a better looking film will be seen this year. The moments in space with the planets and depictions of swirling cosmos (or heavens) is genuinely breathtaking and even makes the following dinosaur scenes easier to swallow. Malick’s focus on nature is ever-present and especially in the first 40 minutes, The Tree of Life plays out like a documentary. Shots of oceans, deserts, forests and animals all occupying their natural habitats are so captivating that you wouldn’t be surprised if David Attenborough popped up and began talking you through it. The same can be said for the final moments in the film. Both amazing to look at whilst being touching at the same time; you can’t help but feel you’re watching something very special.

Something that was special for the first hour and the last 40 minutes anyway. Yes, unfortunately despite the beauty that runs throughout the film, there are too many lulls, each of which making you feel every minute of the film's 2 hours and 20 minutes running time. Whilst Brad Pitt is great as the kind hearted but domineering father, the long spells following the children begin to drag and although appearing affecting initially, the continual whispering inner monologues of the characters slides into being pretentious and irritating.

When images exploring the creation of the universe appear alongside Sean Penn staggering through a wooden door frame into the nothingness of the desert, Malick makes it far to easy to simply deem The Tree of Life a load of pretentious dribble. And whilst this is clearly a deeply personal project for Malick, images of a giant in the attic and mum floating around the lawn often make it difficult to take what is clearly serious material very seriously.

The Tree of Life is a personal declaration of beliefs for Terrence Malick and the ambition and scope of the project has to be commended. However, despite the truly amazing visuals making it the best looking picture of the year so far, there are just too many too many frustratingly dull patches and moments that are far too difficult to defend against the inevitable cries of pretension. It may be a film that is best watched in the vein of Godfrey Reggio’s Qatsi Trilogy* and taken purely as a sensory experience but the flaws previously mentioned can’t help but leave The Tree of Life something of a disappointment. A difficult film to enjoy or truly recommend to anyone other than Malick enthusiasts.

*Godfrey Reggio’s Qatsi Trilogy consists of Koyaanisqatsi: Life out of balance (1983), Powaqqatsi: Life in transformation (1988) and Naqoyqatsi: Life as war (2002). With no dialogue or narrative, the films are made up of slow motion and time-lapse footage of American cities and landscapes (Koyaanisqatsi), life in industrial countries (Powaqqatsi) and conflict (Naqoyqatsi) put to music composed by Philip Glass. Each can be found on Google Videos, Youtube or cheap on DVD and make for interesting viewing.

Irreversible Review

Frequently topping lists of the most controversial movies of all time, Gaspar Noé’s Irreversible (2002) proves to be a film that actually deserves its tag. Films are all too often labelled as shocking in a bid to drum up controversy and put bums on seats when in actual fact they just sound worse than they actually are. (Whilst all having their moments, A Serbian Film, Antichrist and Ichi the Killer fall smack bang into this category). Irreversible proves to be deeply upsetting, difficult to watch, and actually shocking whilst all the while actually having something to say. This isn’t shock for the sake of shock.

The film follows couple Alex (Monica Bellucci), her boyfriend Marcus (Vincent Cassel) her ex Pierre (Albert Dupontel) on a night out. After an argument with Marcus, Alex leaves a party alone and is brutally raped and beaten in an underpass. The act of violence breeds more violence when Marcus and Pierre then head out to find the rapist and get revenge. Crucially the film is told in a reverse order like Memento and 5x2 and opens with the brutal act of vengeance, giving the film a mood and tone that gradually shifts the characters from hell to heaven, starting with violence and ending with a romantic bedroom scenario.

Newsweek reported that this was the most walked out movie of the year. The first half hour of the film has a background noise with a frequency of 28Hz (low frequency, almost inaudible), similar to the noise produced by an earthquake. It causes nausea, sickness and vertigo and added to apparently achieve these reactions. 200 walked out of the Cannes screening while three had to be carried. It’s clear to see why. If you stay past the brutal act of violence at the start of the film then the 9-minute rape sequence proves just as difficult to sit through. And so they should be. Through these sequences Noé brings up the point that if we’re complaining that the rape scene is too horrible and the violence too disgusting, it says more about what we’re used to as an audience than it does about Noé’s decision to include them. Irreversible is a film that confronts the audience head on and challenges them to think about what we accept on the cinema screen and why.

Aside from the controversy, Noé’s trademark visuals continue to dazzle. Just as his camera floated around Japan and in and out of everything and anyone in sight in his latest, the mesmerising Enter the Void (2010), in Irreversible the camera has just as much personality. It frantically bounces around, desperate to follow the action with images spinning into a disorientating blur when travelling back in time. For a film with content that makes you want to look away, his style can’t help but ruthlessly grip your gaze.

Irreversible is a must see film that truly shocks but only to make you think. By showing events in reverse order, Noé forces you to assess the gross acts in the film in a context that attempts to prove that violence only breeds violence. Alongside Enter the Void (I have not yet seen his first film, I Stand Alone (1998)), and Irreversible Gaspar Noé has established himself as one of the most important directors working today and one creating engaging films with a truly unique vision and style. One can only imagine and anticipate what he will produce in his next venture, a segment involving an exorcism in the anthology movie 7 Days in Havana to be released in next year.

For those who see the film and regard it as empty attempt at shock, Roger Ebert has written a useful review that outlines the importance of its reverse order. Check it out here - http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030314/REVIEWS/303140303/1023

Film4 Frightfest Line-up Announced

This year’s line up has finally been revealed and looks set to be a great week. The titles I’m personally looking forward to seeing include Rabies, Don’t Be Afraid Of the Dark, Vile, The Woman, The Divide, The Kill List, The Innkeepers, Chillerama, Inbred and Guinea Pigs but the full line-up looks amazing for both screens and can be seen below. I'll be putting up short reviews of as many of these movies as I can during the last week in August.

Main Screen

Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark

Final Destination 5 3D

The Theatre Bizarre

Rogue River

The Holding

Total Film Interview with Larry Fessenden plus American Horror: A Discussion with Ti West, Adam Green, Joe Lynch, Andrew van den Houten and Lucky McKee

Urban Explorers

The Glass Man

Tucker and Dale Vs Evil

Vile

Troll Hunter

The Wicker Tree

Panic Button

Fright Night 3D

The Woman

Chillerama + Bad Moon Rising

The Divide

Short Film Showcase

Andy Nyman’s Quiz from Hell 2

The Innkeepers

Saint

Kill List + Shifter

Detention

Guinea Pigs Cancelled due to Post-production issues and replaced with A Night in the Woods

Dead Heads

Sennentuntschi: Curse of the Alps

Inbred

A Lonely Place to Die

Discovery Screen

The Man Who Saw Frankenstein Cry

A Horrible Way to Die

Midnight Son

Rabies

Blood Runs Cold

Kidnapped

Stormhouse

The Dead – Live Commentary

Atrocious

My Sucky Teen Romance

The Caller

The Devil’s Business