Fans of very-much-not-Pixar animation may be stoked at the news that Czech mentalist Jan Svankmajer is at work on an adaptation of Josef and Karel Capek's Insect Play.Originally written in 1921, it's a satire on oppressive totalitarian regimes, in which humans act like insects, and insects - gloomy beetles, warrior ants, whimsical butterflies - have all the personality. Josef Kapek was killed at Belsen in 1945, giving the play a horrible prescience.Svankmajer's version, to be simply titled Insects, will "combine dark comedy, grotesque, classic horror genre, and both animation and feature acting," he says, making it very much of a piece with the animator's previous Alice, Faust and Little Otik. He's wanted to make it since the 1970s: "I always liked it. It's very misanthropic. It reminds one a lot of Franz Kafka.""Svankmajer is 76 and I'm 72," laments Jan's long-time producing partner Jaromir Kallista. "We are very old mates,...
- 5/9/2011
- EmpireOnline
Christopher Marlowe's Faust and Clive Barker's Hellraiser compared - academically. By Kriscinda Meadows.
Two stories of tempting the agony of hell separated by centuries are interesting both in their similarities and their differences. In Christopher Marlowe’s The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, Faust forsakes his earthly knowledge, of which he seems to have exhausted, for the forbidden knowledge of rituals, incantations, alchemy, and the summoning of demons to do one’s bidding. In Clive Barker’s film Hellraiser, like Faust, Frank Cotton also craves the forbidden, and although he follows the path of Faust in raising devils, his ends are distinctive and his desire unwavering. The initial desires of both men are similar in their intensity, but upon each man opening the horrid gates to their own hell, their willingness to continue sets the two men apart.
Between the two accounts, themes and characters converge; there are the...
Two stories of tempting the agony of hell separated by centuries are interesting both in their similarities and their differences. In Christopher Marlowe’s The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, Faust forsakes his earthly knowledge, of which he seems to have exhausted, for the forbidden knowledge of rituals, incantations, alchemy, and the summoning of demons to do one’s bidding. In Clive Barker’s film Hellraiser, like Faust, Frank Cotton also craves the forbidden, and although he follows the path of Faust in raising devils, his ends are distinctive and his desire unwavering. The initial desires of both men are similar in their intensity, but upon each man opening the horrid gates to their own hell, their willingness to continue sets the two men apart.
Between the two accounts, themes and characters converge; there are the...
- 12/17/2010
- by KMeadows
- Planet Fury
The 9th annual Lausanne Underground Film Festival may just run for a mere five days in Switzerland on Oct. 20-24, but it hits with the force of a 10p-ton megaton bomb over that time period, packing in so much mind-boggling underground madness it’ll make your head explode.
Every year, the fest feels like 5 or 6 festivals crammed into one. There’s the fest that pays homage to the history of experimental filmmaking, there are the retrospectives of several cult festivals, a feature film competition section, a short film competition section and more.
Three filmmakers are especially getting major retrospective love this year. First, there’s legendary Canadian experimental filmmaker Michael Snow who will be in attendance at screenings of his classic films Wavelength, <–> and La région centrale, plus several of his other short films.
Also being feted are German extreme horror filmmaker Jörg Buttgereit, who will attend screenings of his classic Nekromantik,...
Every year, the fest feels like 5 or 6 festivals crammed into one. There’s the fest that pays homage to the history of experimental filmmaking, there are the retrospectives of several cult festivals, a feature film competition section, a short film competition section and more.
Three filmmakers are especially getting major retrospective love this year. First, there’s legendary Canadian experimental filmmaker Michael Snow who will be in attendance at screenings of his classic films Wavelength, <–> and La région centrale, plus several of his other short films.
Also being feted are German extreme horror filmmaker Jörg Buttgereit, who will attend screenings of his classic Nekromantik,...
- 10/18/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
I love getting IndieWire’s Cannes Wish List. IndieWire's commentary on each film is interesting in and of itself. I find myself remarking "I didn't know that!" at every other entry. My former Tipped for Cannes Report (when FilmFinders was my company) was one of my most popular reports because film buyers and programmers could immediately hone in on their targets. So, in keeping with tradition, I pulled together the list Screen International (Si) and blogger ion (he did a lot of research for this!) published in February just after the Berlinale and am now going to compare it with Iw’s. My links for the title are to IMDbPro and for the contact either to the seller (Isa=International Sales Agent) or the producer.
After this, I will track which of these land in Cannes, which in Toronto, Venice, etc.; which get acquired by whom (to be gathered together...
After this, I will track which of these land in Cannes, which in Toronto, Venice, etc.; which get acquired by whom (to be gathered together...
- 4/29/2010
- by Sydney
- Sydney's Buzz
• Eno hopes to repeat Minghella success
• Company says 'It's our most ambitious season yet'
The man who defined Monty Python's visual language, and directed such films as Brazil, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, is to try his hand at opera for the first time.
Terry Gilliam is to direct The Damnation of Faust at English National Opera next summer – where it is hoped that his production of Berlioz's masterpiece will not be beset by the problems that have harried the director in other contexts.
Heath Ledger died part way through the production of The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus, while The Man Who Killed Don Quixote was abandoned after Jean Rochefort, the star, suffered a herniated disc and the set flooded.
John Berry, Eno's artistic director, acknowledged the risks for newcomers attempting to take on opera. "It can be like a car crash coming at you from every angle,...
• Company says 'It's our most ambitious season yet'
The man who defined Monty Python's visual language, and directed such films as Brazil, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, is to try his hand at opera for the first time.
Terry Gilliam is to direct The Damnation of Faust at English National Opera next summer – where it is hoped that his production of Berlioz's masterpiece will not be beset by the problems that have harried the director in other contexts.
Heath Ledger died part way through the production of The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus, while The Man Who Killed Don Quixote was abandoned after Jean Rochefort, the star, suffered a herniated disc and the set flooded.
John Berry, Eno's artistic director, acknowledged the risks for newcomers attempting to take on opera. "It can be like a car crash coming at you from every angle,...
- 4/15/2010
- by Charlotte Higgins
- The Guardian - Film News
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote isn't the only Terry Gilliam project we have to look forward to. Although Quixote has been an on-going project for years, eliciting all sorts of fan anticipation, something is coming to steal its thunder. The Playlist reports that Gilliam is making his opera debut with Hector Berlioz's 1846 opera The Damnation of Faust, which will be performed at the English National Opera in London next year.
Is there any aspect of this news that is not killer? It's right up Gilliam's alley, setting aside the devilish pacts of Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus for an operatic take on a true classic, Goethe's Faust, where the old and weary doctor is dazzled by the promises of Mephistopheles , for the love of Marguerite. The best part is also, sadly, the worst -- I can't imagine much that would rival an in-person experience with Gilliam's artistic vision,...
Is there any aspect of this news that is not killer? It's right up Gilliam's alley, setting aside the devilish pacts of Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus for an operatic take on a true classic, Goethe's Faust, where the old and weary doctor is dazzled by the promises of Mephistopheles , for the love of Marguerite. The best part is also, sadly, the worst -- I can't imagine much that would rival an in-person experience with Gilliam's artistic vision,...
- 4/15/2010
- by Monika Bartyzel
- Cinematical
English National Opera will hope to repeat the successes of Anthony Minghella's Madam Butterfly
You can sometimes hear complaints about English National Opera – they just grab the most fashionable names from the theatre, say the company's critics, and stick them in opera and hope for the best. (Rupert "Enron" Goold's 2009 Turandot was the one that really split opinion – some found it wayward but with flashes of brilliance, others felt it proved that the only really successful opera directors are those who are primarily musicians.)
For next season, announced today, at least one can see that Eno are being consistent – they are forging a distinctive identity based on the idea of hooking talent out of other artforms and using that as a way of tempting new audiences into the London Coliseum.
And certainly, I'll be dying to see how Terry Gilliam envisions Berlioz's Damnation of Faust next May – as well...
You can sometimes hear complaints about English National Opera – they just grab the most fashionable names from the theatre, say the company's critics, and stick them in opera and hope for the best. (Rupert "Enron" Goold's 2009 Turandot was the one that really split opinion – some found it wayward but with flashes of brilliance, others felt it proved that the only really successful opera directors are those who are primarily musicians.)
For next season, announced today, at least one can see that Eno are being consistent – they are forging a distinctive identity based on the idea of hooking talent out of other artforms and using that as a way of tempting new audiences into the London Coliseum.
And certainly, I'll be dying to see how Terry Gilliam envisions Berlioz's Damnation of Faust next May – as well...
- 4/15/2010
- by Charlotte Higgins
- The Guardian - Film News
Just over a week ago Twitch brought you word of a Surviving Life [Theory and Practice] -- the latest effort from legendary director Jan Svankmajer. Svankmajer has built an international cult on the strength of films like Little Otik and Faust and is one of the most unique and compelling animators on the face of the planet. Anything new from the man is cause for immediate celebration and we're proud to bring you the first images released from Surviving Life.
Eugene leads a double life - one real life, and another life in his dreams. In real life, he is married to Milada; in his dreams, he has a young lover called Eugenia. Sensing that these dreams have a deeper meaning, he goes to see a psychoanalyst, who interprets his dreams for him. Gradually we learn that Eugene lost his parents in early childhood and was brought up in an orphanage. In the meantime,...
Eugene leads a double life - one real life, and another life in his dreams. In real life, he is married to Milada; in his dreams, he has a young lover called Eugenia. Sensing that these dreams have a deeper meaning, he goes to see a psychoanalyst, who interprets his dreams for him. Gradually we learn that Eugene lost his parents in early childhood and was brought up in an orphanage. In the meantime,...
- 3/2/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Not a remake of Murnau's 1926 film, but the closing chapter in Sokurov's grouping of four films under the theme of corruption is an absolute must for film snobs. Having only seen three of his works, I can't say I'm much of an expert on the filmmaker, but the chosen subject should be an interesting figure to highlight in Sokurov commonly known aesthetic that draws upon nature's surroundings and natural light to add descriptive layers to his characters. - #43. Faust Director/Writer: Aleksandr SokurovProducers: Andrey Sigle (Alexandra)Distributor: Rights Available. The Gist: This is the fourth and final film in the corrupting effects of power after Hitler ("Moloch," 1999), Vladimir Lenin ("Taurus," 2000) and Japanese emperor Hirohito ("The Sun," 2004). Inspired by the German legend of a man who makes a pact with the devil in return for knowledge, and drawing on works by Goethe and Thomas Mann, Sokurov's "Faust" aims to draw...
- 2/3/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
Oliver Parker seems to have a “thing” for the works of Oscar Wilde – having already made two films based on the legendary Irish wit’s plays: The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband. This time, Wilde’s first and only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is up for cinematic treatment.
A gothic horror-tinged morality story laced with Wilde’s rapier wit; the film adaptation is, like the doomed protagonist of the title, not the most faithful of creatures – even part of the title has been discarded. Now it is simply Dorian Gray.
Parker’s film is successful in allowing the once frowned upon homosexual undertones of Wilde’s novel to be more explicit – indeed in one scene Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin), the painter of the infamous portrait – is seduced into sexual acts by the magnetic Dorian. As the endless nights of passion and partying go on, Wilde...
A gothic horror-tinged morality story laced with Wilde’s rapier wit; the film adaptation is, like the doomed protagonist of the title, not the most faithful of creatures – even part of the title has been discarded. Now it is simply Dorian Gray.
Parker’s film is successful in allowing the once frowned upon homosexual undertones of Wilde’s novel to be more explicit – indeed in one scene Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin), the painter of the infamous portrait – is seduced into sexual acts by the magnetic Dorian. As the endless nights of passion and partying go on, Wilde...
- 9/8/2009
- by Craig Sharp
- FilmShaft.com
Oliver Parker seems to have a “thing” for the works of Oscar Wilde – having already made two films based on the legendary Irish wit’s plays: The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband. This time, Wilde’s first and only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is up for cinematic treatment.
A gothic horror-tinged morality story laced with Wilde’s rapier wit; the film adaptation is, like the doomed protagonist of the title, not the most faithful of creatures – even part of the title has been discarded. Now it is simply Dorian Gray.
Parker’s film is successful in allowing the once frowned upon homosexual undertones of Wilde’s novel to be more explicit – indeed in one scene Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin), the painter of the infamous portrait – is seduced into sexual acts by the magnetic Dorian. As the endless nights of passion and partying go on, Wilde...
A gothic horror-tinged morality story laced with Wilde’s rapier wit; the film adaptation is, like the doomed protagonist of the title, not the most faithful of creatures – even part of the title has been discarded. Now it is simply Dorian Gray.
Parker’s film is successful in allowing the once frowned upon homosexual undertones of Wilde’s novel to be more explicit – indeed in one scene Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin), the painter of the infamous portrait – is seduced into sexual acts by the magnetic Dorian. As the endless nights of passion and partying go on, Wilde...
- 9/8/2009
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
Oliver Parker seems to have a “thing” for the works of Oscar Wilde – having already made two films based on the legendary Irish wit’s plays: The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband. This time, Wilde’s first and only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is up for cinematic treatment.
A gothic horror-tinged morality story laced with Wilde’s rapier wit; the film adaptation is, like the doomed protagonist of the title, not the most faithful of creatures – even part of the title has been discarded. Now it is simply Dorian Gray.
Parker’s film is successful in allowing the once frowned upon homosexual undertones of Wilde’s novel to be more explicit – indeed in one scene Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin), the painter of the infamous portrait – is seduced into sexual acts by the magnetic Dorian. As the endless nights of passion and partying go on, Wilde...
A gothic horror-tinged morality story laced with Wilde’s rapier wit; the film adaptation is, like the doomed protagonist of the title, not the most faithful of creatures – even part of the title has been discarded. Now it is simply Dorian Gray.
Parker’s film is successful in allowing the once frowned upon homosexual undertones of Wilde’s novel to be more explicit – indeed in one scene Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin), the painter of the infamous portrait – is seduced into sexual acts by the magnetic Dorian. As the endless nights of passion and partying go on, Wilde...
- 9/8/2009
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
Cologne, Germany -- German star Moritz Bleibtreu ("The Baader Meinhof Complex") has signed on to star as Mephisto, the devil, in Oskar Roehler's adaptation of the classic "Faust."
The story of a man who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge, "Faust" is one of the most enduring and influential German legends and has been adapted numerous times for the screen. Austrian director Phillip Hochhauser just completed a version based on the 19th century play by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Concorde, which will release Roehler's "Faust" in Germany, did not give details on the rest of the cast or when shooting will start.
"Faust" will be the fourth collaboration between Bleibtreu and Roehler. The actor starred in Roehler's "Elementary Particles" (2006) and "Agnes and his Brothers" (2004) and plays Nazi propaganda minister Josef Goebbels in Roehler's "Jud Suss," currently shooting in Vienna. "Jud Suss" explores the life of...
The story of a man who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge, "Faust" is one of the most enduring and influential German legends and has been adapted numerous times for the screen. Austrian director Phillip Hochhauser just completed a version based on the 19th century play by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Concorde, which will release Roehler's "Faust" in Germany, did not give details on the rest of the cast or when shooting will start.
"Faust" will be the fourth collaboration between Bleibtreu and Roehler. The actor starred in Roehler's "Elementary Particles" (2006) and "Agnes and his Brothers" (2004) and plays Nazi propaganda minister Josef Goebbels in Roehler's "Jud Suss," currently shooting in Vienna. "Jud Suss" explores the life of...
- 8/18/2009
- by By Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As we wait for 추격자 (The Chaser) and the return of the all you can eat buffet-sized DVD reviews, here’s the first in a collection of quickies about upcoming releases. Think of it as the equivalent of the old DVD Roundups, an appetizer to get a general idea of what we’re dealing with before going out on a blind date with recent Korean Cinema - which nowadays is a like dating one of your friend’s cousins from the countryside, you never know what you’re getting out of it. The Ha Jung-Woo/Yoon Gye-Sang vehicle 비스티 보이즈 (Beastie Boys) is up next.
The Plot
What could happen if Goethe’s Faust, Bagdad Cafe’ and a wild machismo kitsch fantasy filled with mother-whore dichotomies clashed together? Quite likely something as insanely pretty as Go Eun-Gi’s 내 사랑 유리에 (My Love, Yurie). If calling a deserted gas station...
The Plot
What could happen if Goethe’s Faust, Bagdad Cafe’ and a wild machismo kitsch fantasy filled with mother-whore dichotomies clashed together? Quite likely something as insanely pretty as Go Eun-Gi’s 내 사랑 유리에 (My Love, Yurie). If calling a deserted gas station...
- 7/27/2008
- by . X .
- Screen Anarchy
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