Historie(s) du Cinema

Well over a decade in the making, this eight-part, 264-minute video (1998) is Jean-Luc Godard’s magnum opus, but it’s never been widely seen; Gaumont, which produced it, has never cleared the rights to its many film clips and artworks shown outside of France, and even there the commercial release has only monaural sound—a significant loss for a work that uses stereo so centrally. (Ironically, the proper sound track is available only in a CD set, accompanied by a translation of most of the text.) Daunting, provocative, and very beautiful, this meditative essay looks at the history of the 20th century through cinema and vice versa, mainly through a rich assortment of clips (sometimes superimposing more than one), sound tracks (sometimes paired with visuals from other films), poetic commentary (with plenty of metaphors), and captions. For better and for worse, it’s comparable to James Joyce’s “Finnegans Wake” in both its difficulty and its playfulness.

Eyes Wide Shut

Stanley Kubrick’s last feature skilfully portrays the dark side of desire in a successful marriage. Since the 60s he’d thought about filming Arthur Schnitzler’s novella “Traumnovelle,” about a young doctor contemplating various forms of adultery and debauchery after discovering that his wife has entertained comparable fantasies. It has a Kafkaesque ambiguity, wavering between dream and waking fantasy, and all the actors do a fine job of traversing this delicate territory. Yet the story has been altered to make the doctor (Tom Cruise) more of a hypocrite and his wife (Nicole Kidman) feistier; Kubrick’s also added a Zeus-like tycoon (played perfectly by Sydney Pollack) who pretends to explain the plot shortly before the end but in fact only summarises the various mysteries; his cynicism and chilly access to power reveal that Kubrick was more of a moralist than Schnitzler. This is a gripping, suggestive, and inventive piece of storytelling that, like Kubrick’s other work, grows in mystery over time.

Interview with Tyson Carter from Head In A Vice!

Hopefully I’ll be able to do some more with other great people.

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Q1. I understand that you started your blog to connect with other film buffs, specifically those with an interest in lesser-known horror flicks. Do you think you’ve done a good job of interacting with those people?

I would say so yeah. I get a lot of people on my site or Twitter saying they watched something on my recommendation and liked it, so it makes it all worthwhile, even if it’s just one person. But I feel I’ve met people who enjoy all types of cinema, and whilst I love shining a light on films they may not have heard of, I also pick up so much from people showing me films I would have otherwise missed.

Q2. Do you have a favourite director? If not one that represents cinema as a whole, then simply in terms of horror films?

I always answer with Tarantino & Scorsese. Tarantino has shown me some of the coolest pieces of cinema I’ve ever witnessed, and I look forward to each of his new films as he spaces them out. Scorsese obviously has a much larger catalogue of work, but his early stuff with De Niro is what made me a film fan in the first place, so I’ll always love him for that.

Q3. What is your favourite decade for movies and why?

The 90′s, purely as that’s when I started to love film. As I mention on my ‘about me’ page, Casino is the first movie that ever ‘grabbed’ me. Combined with Goodfellas, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Heat, Jackie Brown, Leon, Fight Club, Se7en, Usual Suspects…….I mean, the list goes on. Just so many of my all time favourite movies.

Q4. I haven’t seen you state anywhere on your blog what your favourite movie is. Is this a conscious decision you’ve made, or have you simply not got around to unveiling it? 

I always find it hard to answer, I dont know how people have an outright favourite. I love so many films, but I always answer it as I have in this post:http://headinavice.com/2012/11/19/question-time-iii-last-chance-movie/ If I had chance to watch just one more movie then that’s how I approach the question, and Goodfellas is my answer.

Q5. How would you describe your reviewing style? Would you say you judge movies solely based on your enjoyment levels, or do filmic aspects, such as character development and themes come into play?

I’m the first to admit I have no background in films, I haven’t studied it and I’m far from the most knowledgeable reviewer. I just want to give an honest opinion on something, and say what I liked and what didn’t work for me. I figure there are so many people reviewing the big blockbusters, I’ll keep away and stay in my little horror niche. Less people to compete with, and when reviewing a low budget horror, I don’t have to worry about huge special effects and talking about directors previous efforts for comparison etc. I want to enjoy a film, like the characters and sometimes this happens, sometimes it doesn’t. Plus I’m dyslexic so my reviews are probably littered with spelling mistakes and grammatical mishaps, but its all good fun and I have a great group of readers that support me.

Q6. Other than America or the UK, what is your favourite filmmaking nation?

Australia has produced some of my favourite horror movies of late, so I’ll vote for them.

Q7. Have you enjoyed the experience of blogging thus far?

Definitely. Every now and again I take time away and use guest reviews so I can recharge and not feel I have to write, and that’s key to not getting bored or frustrated about writing. I see so many bloggers taking time out and hitting writers block, and luckily I get round that by using other peoples work. So I always look busy. Perfect scenario.