i luv cinema

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • 100 “Must-See”
  • About Me
Home Archives for film

October 12, 2011 By iluvcinema 7 Comments

Coming to a (TV) Screen Near You (Whitechapel)

For the record, I am an unabashed ‘fan’ of the mystery surrounding the Whitechapel Murders involving the infamous, still unidentified “Jack The Ripper.” Well saying ‘fan’ may be a bit of a stretch. I have read several novels and short stories (including the fantastic Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper, written by Robert Bloch in 1943). In fact, a seminal childhood memories is of my grammar school friend reading this story to me over the phone one Friday afternoon. This was probably the moment which sparked my “Jack the Ripper” interest.

More recently on a trip to London, me and my friends stopped by the Sherlock Holmes Museum and among other forms of kitsch and paraphernalia, there was a sweet collection of bits related to the crimes committed in 1888.

This fascination goes beyond the printed page and jumps on to the silver screen. Among my favorite ‘Ripper-themed’ films are:

  • The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1923) dir by Hitchcock
  • The Lodger (1944) starring George Sanders and Merle Oberon
  • Man in the Attic (1953) starring Jack Palance
  • Time After Time (1979) starring Malcolm McDowell, David Warner and Mary Steenburgen
  • From Hell (2001) based on the Alan Moore graphic novel and directed by the Hughes Brothers. Starring Johnny Depp, Heather Graham and Ian Holm

So you are probably wondering where this all leading. While watching Law and Order: UK  as I do on Wednesday evenings, there was a preview for a ‘new’ series coming to BBC America. It is called Whitechapel  and it is premiering here in the States on October 26th.

The plot is pretty basic – in modern day London, there is a killer on the loose whose M.O. mirrors that of the Victorian-era serial murderer. Here are the opening credits.

So what do you think? Is this something that you are interesting in watching this?

Filed Under: Lists, Superlatives Tagged With: film, from hell, jack the ripper, television, whitechapel

July 31, 2011 By iluvcinema 8 Comments

Double Feature Theatre

Oh well I am not getting off to a good start with this blog-a-thon:  I am a day late!

The idea of the blog is simple – imagine you are in charge of programming movies to be seen in the cinema. Thanks to the folks at Go-See-Talk for getting a bunch of us together to share with you what we have all come up with. Anyway without further ado …

Office Space and 9 to 5

 

 


Tell No One and Swimming Pool

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: double-feature, film, movie, theatre manager

June 14, 2011 By iluvcinema 5 Comments

Tuesday’s Overlooked Film: A Hatful of Rain

This week’s selection is the 1957 film A Hatful of Rain. The film stars Eva Marie Saint, Don Murray, Anthony Franciosa, and Lloyd Nolan. The film is based on the stageplay of the same name and was written by Michael V. Gazzo. He also adapted the play for the screen with an assist from Alfred Hayes and (then blacklisted Carl Foreman); Foreman was not to receive screen credit from the Writer’s Guild of America until 1998, 14 years after his death (source: Wikipedia).

The film was directed by Fred Zinnemann (From Here to Eternity, High Noon) with a musical score by frequent Hitchcock collaborator, Bernard Herrmann.

 

Why I Like This Film

It is part of that set of films in my estimation, that were starting to crop up in the late 1950’s (and into the 60’s) that attempted to take realistic look at issues plaguing contemporary society. In this case, the issue of drug addiction was the subject. Hatful of Rain is a poignant and heartbreaking account of a man, played by Don Murray, riddled with a heroin addiction he acquired while in a military hospital (he is a Korean War veteran).

His behavior is not known to his pregnant wife (Saint) or his recently-arrived father (Nolan) who, along with his brother (Franciosa – who knows what ails his brother), all live in the same cramped apartment.

What has touched me over the years about this story is not only the central theme of the battle the lead character in undergoing but also the toll it takes on those around him.


Two other items of interest:

1) A bit of trivia: Anthony Franciosa received an Academy Award nomination for his performance.

2) Unfortunately, this title is not available for purchase but it is definitely worth scouting on TCM or any other specialty movie channel.

Filed Under: Recommendation Tagged With: anthony franciosa, broadway, don murray, drug addiction, eva marie saint, film, hatful of rain

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »

Search

Recommended Read

Captain of Her Own Soul

UC Press

Added to My Video Library

Imitation of Life (1934)

Centers of Film Study

  • JBFC
  • MoMA Film Screenings
  • The Picture House
  • University of California Press (Cinema and Media Texts)

Fast Film Resources

  • Alfred Hitchcock Wiki
  • Alfred Hitchcock-Master of Suspense
  • Film | The Guardian
  • Kermode & Mayo's Film Reviews
  • Park Circus
  • Rotten Tomatoes
  • The Internet Movie Database
  • Tribeca Film

Film Societies

  • BAMcinématek
  • Film Society of Lincoln Center

This is How We Blogroll

  • BBC Film: The Bulletin
  • Cinematic Corner
  • Comet Over Hollywood
  • Critical Women on Film
  • FlixChatter
  • Future of Flim (Tribeca Film Blog)
  • in so many words …
  • Kermode's Film Blog
  • Paula's Cinema Club
  • Roger Ebert
  • Sobriety Test Movie Reviews
  • Superhero Movie Talk
  • Sweet Freedom

Archives

Tweets by @iluvcinema
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact iluvcinema
totalfilm600movieblogs

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023, iluvcinema ·Streamline Pro Theme · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in