The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 50 Years Anniversary Screening. Quad Cinema Derby

 When I heard that probably the most important Horror film ever made was being shown as part of Quad's wonderful 'Fright Club' offerings, I was determined to put a long run of bad health to one side and attend.

15th June 2024, saw me making a 15 miles trip and took my seat to enjoy an exceptional introduction by Darrell Buxton who should be familiar to avid consumers of cult cinema. Darrell talked for 15 minutes about this classic slice of relentless horror, and even found time to give us a rundown on the rest of the Chain Saw films in a series that simply refuses to relinquish its collective grip.

Before Darrell's introduction, the audience were asked to signal with a show of hands just how many of them had seen TTCM before and a surprising number hadn't. Oh boy! I envy them getting a first view of this film on the big screen. The film has been rightly treated to a 4K restoration, and why not? True, there is a lot to be said for nostalgia-driven insistence that Hooper's sonic assault on our senses should  be seen in Grindhouse image quality but the director always wanted his film to look as good as possible and it looks amazing in this new transfer. There's a healthy presence of grain here, and many scenes where the colours pop to further heighten the unease created by what is very much a descent into hell via the gorgeous scenery of a world they must leave behind to confront a truly nightmarish locale.

I have seen this film many times, ranging from blurry 3rd gen VHS boots, right up to pristine blu-ray editions, but last night's screening to things to another level. And then some.

Here, the performances took us to  a new, astonishing dimension. While Paul  A Partain's rendering of Franklin Hardesty had previously irritated me beyond annoyance, last night I finally saw just what a beautifully judged performance it always has been, switching from a frankly deranged persona to a guy who is perhaps the smartest of the bunch.  Of course, the most talked about turn has to be Marilyn Burns who plays Sally Hardesty. To see her reactions, the sheer terror in her face during that final gruelling third of the movie on the big screen increased my admiration tenfold. If you're looking for the most physically and mentally challenging role that a script has demanded  in the history of Horror Cinema, well.... this is the girl.Indeed, the silver screen captured this remarkable performance in its extreme, and demonstrated this was never a case of just turning up and screaming blue murder. There's a frightening realism to her performance that draws both admiration and also an ever increasing sense of horror as we are forced to watch and not look away for even a moment. That's one of the most compelling things about Hooper's film: you are hypnotised by its savagery yet it's a relatively bloodless affair though last night, I did notice a few drops that had thus far eluded me.

One of the things that came over infinitely stronger with this special screening were the set designs. This charnel house of horrors looks and feels even more disturbing, with constant reminders we are dealing with something that has its roots in tradition of the most horrifying 'religion' and something that cannot and will not cease, even as some of the participants grow more decrepit. There's a philosophy and a mindset at play here that is simply too strong for anyone to escape with their mind intact and that remains one of the most troubling elements of the film. I have to say that Hooper injected moments of humour into this work, but I listened out for audience chuckles last night and not a sound of even nervous laughter came through. The sight of Drayton Sawyer treats The Hitchhiker to the business end of a broom should come across as hilarious, but instead it's yet another moment of great unease because of the way it's shot, directed and portrayed. Praise too, for the soundtrack which is made up of industrial, discordant sound that really does add immeasurably to the ever present atmosphere of dread and decay. o be honest, discussing another important part of this film is way beyond me: the astrological theme of this film really does need to be discussed by those far more capable and astute than myself, because it's an important part of TTCM and deserves many column inches.

To those who have yet to see this film,  warn you that it will most seriously screw up your year, but as a wholly disconcerting example of how unforgiving, how brutal this genre can be, it's quite honestly unbeatable. Thanks very much to Quad and all those involved for making this such a special event.

I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H.P. Lovecraft. Book Review.

 Endlessly  fascinating two volumes by the finest Lovecraft scholar S.T. Joshi Here, Joshi provides in depth analysis and often controversial opinions on Lovecraft’s life and work: we can read about Lovecraft’s formative years; his precarious health( the failed marriage( those famous letters and, of course the stories themselves.

Racist beliefs have long blighted Lovecraft’s name and it’s a crying shame held those opinions, but he often comes over as a charming and stimulating companion. Personally, I feel the author is a little too hard on some of Lovecraft’s work but the wonderful thing about all art is that it often divides opinions.

A word about Lovecraft’s voluminous correspondence: many think that Lovecraft would have written a lot more stories if it wasn’t for the urge to instigate and respond to mountain’s of mail. I fully agree with the author that this is probably not the case. Those letters made him the writer that he was. Some excerpts from this lifetime of communication are included here and make for engrossing study.

An absolute must-read for those interested in weird horror fiction, mixed with scfi and fantasy.

The Haunting of Borley Rectory: The Story of A Ghost Story. Book Review

 The first book on Borley that I've read, and held to be definitive by many.

Here, Sean O'Connor gives us an in-depth account of the  history; the lives of the people who lived there and various outsiders who visited what has long been labelled 'The most haunted house in England'. Certainly, the legend of Borley boasts quite a reputation - even to this very day - and appears to have split opinion as to the likelihood or not of the various manifestations claimed to have taken place there. Ghostly nuns; writing on the Rectory walls; strange noises emanating from unoccupied rooms; a phantom coach and a strange man in a top hat seen prowling servant's quarters are just a few of the alleged phenomena experienced in this undesirable property.

The part of this story involving famous ghost hunter the late Harry Price has given doubters plenty of ammunition in their quest to debunk claims that Borley really was haunted and Sean provides valuable research and commentary on darn near every aspect of the story. My own feelings contain a belief that the Rectory did play host to the supernatural. While I accept that Price almost certainly was guilty of faking 'evidence' and that other people helped to dishonestly add to the mix, for me there was still enough to make it unlikely that every supernatural occurrence was either faked or from the projection of wild imaginations. Do read this book, and make up your own mind. The exhaustive research and how it was all put together make this a five star read.

 

Swan Lake. Ballet Review from the Ashbourne Elite Cinema and Theatre.

 My first encounter with Ballet came via Powell and Pressburger's extraordinary film, The Red Shoes. Many years later, following a couple of ballet screenings on BBC4, I decided to attend a screening of Swan Lake by the Royal Ballet at my favourite cinema. This particular performance took place at the Royal Opera House 24th April 2024.

Directed by Kevin O'Hare, Swan Lake is a truly timeless 4 act ballet that tells the heartbreaking story of a beautiful princess named Odette who is cursed by the scorcerer Von Rothbart. During daylight hours, Odette and her companions become swans, only regaining their human form at night.  Prince Seigfried falls deeply in love with Odette, who explains to him the only way to break the spell.

Betrayal, deception and the power of love are just a few of the themes in this ballet which was conceived 1875-76. Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky wrote the music for Swan Lake and some early reviews condemned it as being too symphonic and not well suited for ballet. While I'm not yet at a level required to offer informed comment on either classical music or ballet, this beautiful score worked for me. Moving from joyous to sombre and introspective, with some truly glorious melodies, my overriding impression is the music has a sense of great recurring sadness. 

On a technical level, the entire production excels: choreography by Marius Petipic and Lev Ivanov is constantly breathtaking; the costumes are exquisite and the orchestra - conducted by Martin Georgiev - exemplary. The superb cast really shine here: Yasmine Naghdi verges on the supernatural in the roles of Odette/Odile, so alive to every nuance the performances demand, while Matthew  Ball (Prince Seigfreid) and Thomas Whitehead (Von Rothbart) are especially fine.  One of many details I noticed, watching this on a cinema screen, is that every single member of the cast remained completely in the moment, including those sitting on the sidelines when not involved with ballet steps. As far as the broadcast was concerned, much praise for Petroc  Trelawny and the lovely Darcey Bussell who played host to several very informative interval features.

The Crazy Family. Film Review. At Derby Quad Cinema.

 A true black as crude comedy gem made in 1984 by Japanese director Sogo Ishii, The Crazy Family follows a seemingly close knit family as they settle into their new suburban home.

At first we see a harmonious unit at peace, but things change quickly as Katsukuni starts to believe spouse and siblings are subject to a creeping sickness that he fears will destroy everything.

For the first two acts, Ishii injects side-splitting humour into proceedings: along with the uproarious The Trouble With Jessica, it delivered the most laughs I've had so far this year at the cinema, but things do get dark (extremely dark) during the last third of this film: the hilarious sequence where Katsukumi digs deep below the floor to construct a basement for his recently arrived father is absolutely side-splitting, constantly complaining about ants  as he maniacally lays waste to their dream house.

The introduction of grandad - good humoured stock characterisation at first - eventually turns into something else entirely. In fact, there is one truly disturbing scene to endure, and seconds after, two members of the audience left: may have been a case of 'last bus syndrome' but I think not. Those of you who have seen this film will know exactly what I'm referring to.

The Crazy Family is imbued with true Punk spirit; not least with its delightfully kinetic soundtrack and breakneck visuals.

Derby's wonderful Quad cinema was one of just 4 UK venues to play host to this film, as explained during an introduction by one of our excellent local film historians, Peter Mumford. The Crazy Family was a part of Quad's Satori Screen offerings which take place on a monthly basis.

In June 2024, the superb label Third Window Films will release The Crazy Family on blu-ray here in the UK.

Mothers' Instinct Film Review.

A tense psychological thriiler that studies different levels of grief experienced by five members of two families, following a tragic death. The feature debut of cinematographer turned film director Benoit Delhomme. Mothers' Instinct is a remake of the 2018 Belgian film Duelle which itself was inspired by Barbara Abel's novel.

Here, Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway turn in extraordinary performances in a film that not only examines loss, but a whole range of emotions that eventually give way to extreme actions. While I  don't wish to give away any spoilers, I will say that although you may well guess the outcome, it's quite a ride to see exactly how we get there.

It's perhaps a little too Hitchcockian for many, but the performances, cinematography and composition do elevate this, making it a more than decent exercise in 2 of those ubiquitous deadly sins.

Screening at Ashbourne's Elite Cinema and Theatre.

 

All Of Us Strangers Cinema Review

 Based on the 1987 book Strangers, written by Taichi Yamada, Andrew Haigh's film is a heartbreaking British film that fully deserves the description 'award worthy'.

Essentially, it's a romantic fantasy concerning the coming together of two kindred spirits and their escalating relationship. The two men - Harry and Adam - played by Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, are neighbours in an apartment block, and as their love blossoms, Adam finds himself drawn back to his childhood home where his parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell) look exactly the same as they did some three decades earlier.

It's perhaps unfair to single out one actor from what is a quartet of terrific performances, but Andrew Scott is quite remarkable here, and certainly gets my vote as one of the finest actors currently working. 

Probably the most emotional slice of cinema I'll see all year, All Of Us Strangers is many things but ultimately, it's perhaps a ghost story and reminds us there's nothing more powerful than love.