For this perplexing British production Peter Sellers fronts a solid cast in a numbingly literal tale of seven men buried alive in a wartime warehouse of supplies and foodstuffs — and who are forced to stay there for years, praying for rescue. Stories of this kind usually come with a heavy moral or dramatic pyrotechnics, but after the opening barrage that drives the men underground, the balance of the film is a slow march toward the inevitable. The supply of candles lasts for an entire two years . . . and then runs out. Excellent extras cover the production in detail, and a 1945 documentary about the Channel Islands is an unexpected delight.
The Blockhouse
Region Free Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1973 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 92 min. (both versions) / Street Date January 17, 2021 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99
Starring: Peter Sellers, Charles Aznavour, Jeremy Kemp, Per Oscarsson, Peter Vaughan, Nicholas Jones, Leon Lissek, John Levene, Alfred Lynch.
Cinematography: Keith Goddard
Art Directors: Low Austin,...
The Blockhouse
Region Free Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1973 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 92 min. (both versions) / Street Date January 17, 2021 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99
Starring: Peter Sellers, Charles Aznavour, Jeremy Kemp, Per Oscarsson, Peter Vaughan, Nicholas Jones, Leon Lissek, John Levene, Alfred Lynch.
Cinematography: Keith Goddard
Art Directors: Low Austin,...
- 1/18/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
There are times when the prognostication world anoints a presumed Oscar winner, only to have the film or the performance fall flat when actually seen. Then, there are other times when the movie or performer meets expectations and the victor should begin writing up their speech for the Academy Awards. More often than not, the former winds up being true. Gary Oldman is a case of the latter, as his turn in Darkest Hour is 100% going to win him the Oscar for Best Actor. It’s just a done deal, Academy wise. Beginning its theatrical run today, it’s also a quality biopic that’s more than simply shameless awards bait. The film is a look at British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Oldman), how he came to power during the early days of World War II, and his agonizing decision over whether to negotiate with Hitler or fight on. The...
- 11/22/2017
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
"You have the full weight of the world on your shoulders." Focus Features has debuted the second trailer for Joe Wright's Darkest Hour, the second film this year about Winston Churchill (the other one is called Churchill starring Brian Cox). This film already played at the Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals to some rave reviews, especially for the lead performance by Gary Oldman under heavy prosthetic as Winston Churchill. The focus in this film is on Churchill's first few days as Prime Minister, deciding whether or not to agree to a peace treaty with Nazi Germany or fight back and rally the troops waiting in Dunkirk. The cast includes Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn, Stephen Dillane, Kristin Scott Thomas, Charley Palmer Rothwell, Ronald Pickup, Nicholas Jones, Hannah Steele, and Jeremy Child. This is a slick trailer that ratchets up the intensity and shows how powerful Oldman is as Churchill.
- 9/28/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
"You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth!" Focus Features has unveiled the first trailer for Joe Wright's Darkest Hour, the second film this year about Winston Churchill (the other one is called Churchill starring Brian Cox). This is the film that stars the very talented Gary Oldman under heavy prosthetic as Winston Churchill, giving a powerful, commanding cigar-chomping performance. The focus in this film is on Churchill's first few days as Prime Minister, deciding whether or not to agree to a peace treaty with Nazi Germany or fight back and rally the troops. The cast includes Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn, Stephen Dillane, Kristin Scott Thomas, Charley Palmer Rothwell, Ronald Pickup, Nicholas Jones, Hannah Steele, Richard Lumsden, and Jeremy Child. This looks much, much better than the other Churchill film. And hopefully this will get Oldman an Oscar nomination - it definitely seems possible.
- 7/13/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Today's extract from the book After Leveson* is by Deirdre O'Neill, a lecturer in journalism at Leeds Trinity university, who argues that Lord Justice Leveson failed to probe deeply enough into the portrayal of women in national newspapers.
Previously a journalist on magazines, she has published research on news values in the national press and is currently working on research into women and sports coverage.
The Leveson inquiry took evidence from representatives of women's groups and the report acknowledges that sexist objectification of women extends beyond Page 3-type photos, influencing the way that other women are portrayed.
On the one hand, idealised and unattainable airbrushed versions of womanhood are promoted in celebrity stories, presenting artifice, in the form of silicone breasts and hair extensions, as normality.
On the other hand, there is critical focus on women's appearance and behaviour that implicitly and explicitly reinforces narrow, stereotyped definitions of acceptable femininity.
Previously a journalist on magazines, she has published research on news values in the national press and is currently working on research into women and sports coverage.
The Leveson inquiry took evidence from representatives of women's groups and the report acknowledges that sexist objectification of women extends beyond Page 3-type photos, influencing the way that other women are portrayed.
On the one hand, idealised and unattainable airbrushed versions of womanhood are promoted in celebrity stories, presenting artifice, in the form of silicone breasts and hair extensions, as normality.
On the other hand, there is critical focus on women's appearance and behaviour that implicitly and explicitly reinforces narrow, stereotyped definitions of acceptable femininity.
- 3/7/2013
- by Roy Greenslade
- The Guardian - Film News
Having bossed the crime underground of New Jersey, James Gandolfini is, believe it or not, headed to perhaps an even crazier secret world.
The former "Sopranos" star is set to executive produce and most likely star in a TV series adaptation of "Big, Dead Place," Nicholas Jones' memoir about his time spent working in the Us' Antarctic Program. The series, Deadline reports, is set up at HBO and will have an all-star cable lineup working behind the scenes, including Peter Gould of "Breaking Bad."
The book paints a much different picture of what one might expect of a science institute in the desolate, freezing wilds of the last unexplored continent. From the Publisher Weekly's review and synopsis, via Amazon:
When Johnson went to work for the U.S. Antarctic Program (devoted to scientific research and education in support of the national interest in the Antarctic), he figured he'd find adventure,...
The former "Sopranos" star is set to executive produce and most likely star in a TV series adaptation of "Big, Dead Place," Nicholas Jones' memoir about his time spent working in the Us' Antarctic Program. The series, Deadline reports, is set up at HBO and will have an all-star cable lineup working behind the scenes, including Peter Gould of "Breaking Bad."
The book paints a much different picture of what one might expect of a science institute in the desolate, freezing wilds of the last unexplored continent. From the Publisher Weekly's review and synopsis, via Amazon:
When Johnson went to work for the U.S. Antarctic Program (devoted to scientific research and education in support of the national interest in the Antarctic), he figured he'd find adventure,...
- 9/2/2011
- by Jordan Zakarin
- Huffington Post
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