The true Hitchcock universe begins with “The Lodger: a Story of the London Fog”
Alfred Hitchcock, “The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog” (1927) Only the third film made by a young Alfred Hitchcock, “The Lodger …” already has…
nausika
Profound themes of evolution, maturity, cycles of life and death, and Japan’s modern history in Katsuhiro Otomo’s “Akira”
Katsuhiro Otomo, “Akira” (1988) In an alternative but parallel universe in 1988, a scientific experiment using young children as test subjects for research into superhuman mental…
French and French-language Films
Eyes without a Face: mad-scientist horror genre gets serious treatment with issues of control and identity
Georges Franju, “Eyes without a Face” / “Les yeux sans visage” (1959) Lean and elegant in narrative style, this film treats a pulpy mad-scientist horror story in…
Little Shop of Horrors: dark horror and farce in trashy 1960 cheapie
Roger Corman, “Little Shop of Horrors” (1960) Here’s a cute comedy horror piece made on the cheap in just two days in 1960 that speaks to…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Recipe for Murder: an entertaining look at thallium poisoning craze in society traumatised by post-war social changes
Sonia Bible, “Recipe for Murder” (2010) Contrary to what most people think about the 1950’s, the decade or the early part of it at least wasn’t…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Heavenly Creatures: a rich and dark dramatisation of a real-life matricide
Peter Jackson, “Heavenly Creatures” (1994) Having made his reputation as purveyor of gory splatter horror comedy flicks to amuse teenagers and kidults, New Zealand director Peter…
French and French-language Films
Les Diaboliques aka The Devils: psychological horror film thin on plot but thick with suspense and twisted endings
Henri-Georges Clouzot, “Les Diaboliques” aka “The Devils” (1955) At first “Les Diaboliques” doesn’t seem anything like director Henri-Georges Clouzot’s previous film “Wages of Fear”: one is…
French and French-language Films
Wages of Fear: mesmerising film about character, motivation and meaning of existence in an uncaring universe
Henri-Georges Clouzot, “Wages of Fear” (1953) On paper, this movie’s plot looks so simple, even kindergartners would yawn at it: an American oil company offers to…
French and French-language Films
Delicatessen: amusing dystopian black comedy that overdoes the oddball edge and comes out looking twee
Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, “Delicatessen” (1991) How to describe this droll French movie that tackles cannibalism in a light-hearted manner? It’s at once a dystopian…
Early Summer: visually stunning film with message about effects of change on families
Yasujiro Ozu, “Early Summer” (1951) Calm and serene with a thin plot, “Early Summer” looks at a family and the changes it undergoes as a result…