The Curious Case of Jonathan Demme
The untimely demise of film director Jonathan Demme on April 26, 2017 has inspired a number of obituaries. All, unsurprisingly, have been downright orgasmic about his accomplishments.
PANIC IN HIGH SCHOOL
Before ELEPHANT and LESSON OF THE EVIL there was PANIC IN HIGH SCHOOL, a 1978 film co-directed by Japan’s Sogo Ishii, who was just 19 years old
DIRECTOR’S CUT
This isn’t the greatest movie director memoir I’ve ever read, but it is a vital one
2016: Bedlam in Print
Here it is, the first installment of my “Bedlam in Print” overview of the previous year’s publishing output.
CINEMA ALCHEMIST
This is a vital acquisition for all true film buffs, a memoir by a legendary set decorator about his work on STAR WARS and ALIEN
ANARCHY AND ALCHEMY: THE FILMS OF ALEJANDRO JODOROWSKY
A long-overdue volume, and in my view an essential one, a thorough study of the films of Alejandro Jodorowsky, arguably the premiere wild man of the cinema.
R.I.P. Claude Chabrol
Here we say goodbye to film director Claude Chabrol, who passed away on September 12, 2010 at age 80.
Ken Russell Has Died
The visionary and prolific British filmmaker Ken Russell, who left us on November 27, 2011, remains an enigma.
A Less-Than-Admiring Take on the Films of Rafael Corkidi
Here (for once) is a commentary about a director whose work doesn’t particularly excite me: Mexico’s Rafael Corkidi.
Notes on the Downfall of M. Night Shyamalan
M. Night Shyamalan’s the dark years