What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Klute (1971)

As with so many great films (Klute is a great film) of the time, Klute is as much if not more about the relationship of it's two central characters as it is the actual storyline itself. See also Easy Rider (1969), Midnight Cowboy (1969) and Don't Look Now (1973) as three more examples.

In the case of Klute ,the central plotline of a high class prostitute helping a private detective solve a missing person case is almost secondary to what is going on between the characters as played by Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland. Playing a hooker often brings out the best in Hollywood actresses who can adapt their performances to suit the role - witness Elizabeth Taylor in BUtterfield 8 (1960) and the more recent Elizabeth Shue in Leaving Las Vegas (1995) and Klute definitely brings out the best in Fonda. She's at times lonely and lost and at others manipulative, self obsessed and confident yet always sexy in the extreme and it's her performance as Bree Daniels and her many one on one scenes with Donald Sutherland's John Klute that make this film all the more memorable with situations and dialogue you could easily imagine spoken by Bogart and Bacall in The Big Sleep (1946). She couldn't do it alone though, Sutherland's cool and precise detective is the opposite of Fonda as he only wants to see his case through...at least for a while. But it's the believability in both performances that makes Klute the classic that it is.

Director Alan J Pakula sets his film in the shadows. With entire scenes often dimly lit perhaps to suggest the world of the high class hooker is a shadowy world, although it is when people or clients begin to go missing. Set in New York, this isn't a 'Sights of Times Square' neon lit spectacle, the city is seedy, the streets are litter strewn, there's a sense of social and moral decay everywhere but as with the performances it makes the film what it is.

That's not to say Klute is a perfect cinematic experience. It isn't. In fact it's far from it. The central plot is slight and lacking in the suspense stakes. It perhaps tries too hard to be neo-Noir but forgets to be thrilling. In fact remove Sutherland and Fonda from the film and replace them with actors less suited to the roles and it could be an uninspired mess. However we do have Fonda and Sutherland and what we see is actually quite inspired making Klute an oft mentioned but seemingly little seen piece of vital 70's cinema.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

All Cheerleaders Die (2013)

This was one of those films where my opinions and thoughts mutated whilst watching. What seemed like a straight satirical horror comedy from Lucky Mckee appeared to morph itself as it went along encompassing witchcraft and the undead along with the usual high school bitch queen tropes.

McKee seems to like putting girls at the centre of his films. Whilst this is no May and lacks an Angela Bettis to drive it along in the acting stakes, the stars of the film all provide ravishing eye candy in their black cheerleader outfits, and are likable enough actresses to hold the attention, in fact all come over better than the usual high school cheerleader stereotypes. The film actually rates quite high as a relationship movie between the girls but it all develops as with many Mckee films into something rather quirky and occasionally weird and in the end it felt fresh and ambitious and has definite re-watch value.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

All Cheerleaders Die (2013)

I had this one on my October short-list but it was one that Love Film didn't send me. It's gotten mixed reviews, but I do generally like McKee's stuff (it's quite unique if nothing else) so am looking forward to checking it out.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

I had this one on my October short-list but it was one that Love Film didn't send me. It's gotten mixed reviews, but I do generally like McKee's stuff (it's quite unique if nothing else) so am looking forward to checking it out.

I can definitely say you'll either love or loathe it. It's certainly no 'meh' type of movie.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

All Cheerleaders Die (2013)

I've heard of this and keep meaning to rent or buy it – it helps I'm a big fan of Lucky McKee and rate his previous films very highly – so will move this into High Priority on Lovefilm and maybe even take it up as a blind buy if the price is right.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

I've heard of this and keep meaning to rent or buy it – it helps I'm a big fan of Lucky McKee and rate his previous films very highly – so will move this into High Priority on Lovefilm and maybe even take it up as a blind buy if the price is right.

I think it was around a fiver to buy new. Nice slipcase too. It is available on blu in the US and whichever country has those horrible blue plastic things on the cover.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I think it was around a fiver to buy new. Nice slipcase too. It is available on blu in the US and whichever country has those horrible blue plastic things on the cover.

A used DVD is under £4, whereas a used Blu-ray Disc is over twice that, probably nearly three times the price with postage, so I'll wait until I have seen it by renting from Lovefilm and, if I like it, will buy a second-hand DVD.

It is very unfortunate that there isn't a universal release, with both formats with the same features, made available in all localities for about the same price.

[Cinematic Shocks]

Predator 2 (1990)

Such an underrated sequel.

***1/2 out of *****

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Man of Violence (1970)

Before embarking on his more famous horror films beginning with 1972's The Flesh and Blood Show, British director Pete Walker seemed to be attempting to find a niche for himself with sex comedies and also gangster films of which Man of Violence is a prime example.

Even though it's low budget Walker makes Man of Violence an interesting film. Starring tv actor Michael Latimer and soon to be Hammer girl Luan Peters, the film is an exercise in style over substance as Walker packs the film with the sights and sounds of a London bursting out of the sixties and into a far grimmer period. As with Michael Armstrong's 1969 film The Haunted House of Horror and Alan Gibson's Goodbye Gemini (1970) the film feels like a world lost forever with it's style and musical score.

The film like so much of Walkers work is often grim and downbeat and you can never be sure whether Latimer's character Moon (also the alternate name for the film) will actually make it to the closing credits. As an early directorial effort Man of Violence is remarkably accomplished and well worth tracking down.

The BFI's Flipside release looks and sounds superb and the film is accompanied with The Big Switch an earlier effort from Walker which is again a gangster film and in my opinion the better of the two.

[Justin101]

Nocturnal Animals (2016)



Written and directed by Fashion Designer Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals expertly weaves 3 narratives blending the present, the past and a violent fantasy. When Susan (played by Amy Adams) receives a manuscript in the mail from her ex husband (Jake Gyllanhall) of some 20 years previous she is forced to confront some demons and relive her past.

The manuscript is a violent novel dedicated to Susan which is dramatised as the third strand in the narrative while Susan is reading it in the present day, her reaction to the story pushing things forward.

This third strand is the most successful part of the story and features brilliant turns from Gyllenhall, Michael Shannon and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. In fact all of the performances are pretty outstanding.

I'm trying not to talk about the plot points but it's difficult so I'll leave it there. Yes, it's got echoes of Lynch and DePalma but that's not a bad thing, it's a gorgeous, well executed film with great acting and an involving plot. Worth the 2 hours if you have it playing near you.