Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 13, 2016

(1991) Directed by Ate de Jong; Written by Brian Helgeland; Starring: Chad Lowe, Christy Swanson, Patrick Bergin, Richard Farnsworth, Adam Storke and Pamela Gidley Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***½ “We on purpose didn’t make Hell an awful place for p   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 7, 2016

(1968) Directed by Terence Fisher; Written by Richard Matheson; Based on the novel by Dennis Wheatley; Starring: Christopher Lee, Charles Gray, Niké Arrighi, Leon Greene and Patrick Mower; Available on Blu-ray (Region B) and DVD (Region 2). Rating: **** “…all these names th   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 28, 2016

In a Lonely Place (1950) Director Nicholas Ray’s mystery/romance is an unflinching, emotionally draining experience, punctuated by exceptional performances from Gloria Grahame and Humphrey Bogart. Bogart plays Dixon Steele, a screenwriter with a volatile temper who’s accused of killing a   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 23, 2016

(1971) Directed by George Lucas; Written by George Lucas and Walter Murch; Based on a script by Matthew Robbins and Walter Murch; Starring: Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasence, Don Pedro Colley and Maggie McOmie; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***½ “…It was designed   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 13, 2016

Invaders from Mars (1953) Directed by: William Cameron Menzies; Written by Richard Blake; Starring: Helena Carter, Arthur Franz, Jimmy Hunt, Leif Erickson and Hillary Brooke Available on DVD Rating: **** Invaders from Mars (1986) Directed by: Tobe Hooper; Written by Dan O&#   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 5, 2016

...Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Blog Six years of Cinematic Catharsis has taught me some important lessons about the wonderful and not-so-wonderful world of movie blogging. Okay, mostly it’s been a blast. Would I do it over again, if I had a chance to set...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 30, 2016

Theatre of Blood (1973) Vincent Price stars as Edward Lionheart, a stage actor with a bone to pick against a group of London critics. After he fails to win the coveted actor of the year award, he exacts his unique brand of revenge, based on Shakespearean scenes. Theatre of Blood...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 26, 2016

(1983) Directed by Jack Clayton; Written by Ray Bradbury; Based on the novel by Ray Bradbury; Starring: Jason Robards, Jonathan Pryce, Cheryl Ladd, Pam Grier, Vidal Peterson and Shawn Carson; Available on DVD Rating: **** “Sometimes the man who looks happiest in town, with th   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 16, 2016

(1980) Directed by Kevin Connor; Written by: Robert Jaffe and Steven-Charles Jaffe; Starring: Rory Calhoun, Paul Linke, Nancy Parsons and Nina Axelrod Available on Blu-ray and DVD. Rating: ***½ “There’s nothing cruel, what I’m doing here. I treat most of my   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 11, 2016

(1964) Directed by Roger Corman; Written by Charles Beaumont and R. Wright Campbell; Based on the story “The Masque of the Red Death,” by Edgar Allan Poe; Starring: Vincent Price, Hazel Court, Jane Asher, Patrick Magee and Skip Martin; Available on Blu-ray (import) and DVD Rating:   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 3, 2016

Martin (1977) Written and directed by: George A. Romero; Starring: John Amplas, Lincoln Maazel, Christine Forrest, Elyane Nadeau and Tom Savini Available on DVD (Out of print) Rating: **** “Martin’s an honest guy. He’s right up front with everything.” &#8   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on September 28, 2016

The Mark of Zorro (1920) Director Fred Niblo’s adaptation of Johnston McCulley’s story “The Curse of Capistrano” captivates, thanks to brisk pacing and a spirited performance by Douglas Fairbanks as the titular hero. Fairbanks stars as Don Diego Vega, who leads a dual life as   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on September 25, 2016

Nosferatu (aka: Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens) (1922) Directed by: F.W. Murnau; Written by Henrik Galeen; Based on the novel Dracula, by Bram Stoker; Starring: Max Schreck, Gustav v. Wangenheim, Greta Schröder, Alexander Granach and John Gottowt Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rat   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on September 14, 2016

(1928) Directed by: Ted Wilde; Written by John Grey, Lex Neal, Howard Emmett Rogers and Jay Howe; Starring: Harold Lloyd, Ann Christy, Bert Woodruff, Byron Douglas, Brooks Benedict and Babe Ruth Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Hulu Rating: **** “Speedy being a big city pictu   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on September 8, 2016

(1927) Directed by: Fritz Lang; Written by Thea von Harbou; Based on the novel by Thea von Harbou; Starring: Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Gustav Fröhlich, Rudolf Klein-Rogge and Theodor Loos and Heinrich George; Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Netflix Streaming Rating: ***** “The me   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on August 31, 2016

Salesman (1969) Albert and David Maysles, along with Charlotte Zwerin, chronicle the end of an era, the age of the door-to-door salesman. This fascinating movie follows a group of salesmen, each with different nicknames (such as “The Rabbit,” “The Gipper,” and “The Bull   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on August 25, 2016

(1999) Directed by Chris Smith; Starring: Mark Borchardt, Mike Schank, Tom Schimmels, Monica Borchardt, Ken Keen and Bill Borchardt; Available on DVD Rating: ****½ “I know when I was growing up I had all the potential in the world. Now I’m back to being Mark, who has   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on August 17, 2016

(2005) Written and directed by Werner Herzog; Starring: Timothy Treadwell, Werner Herzog, Jewel Palovak and Willy Fulton; Available on DVD Rating: **** “I disagree with him (Timothy Treadwell) over his basic view of nature, and there's an ongoing argument between him and me becau   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on August 12, 2016

(1981) Directed by Penelope Spheeris; Starring: Alice Bag, Claude Bessey, Darby Crash, Exene Cervenka, John Doe, Lee Ving; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: 4 ½ stars “The cool thing about these bands to me is that they were there to break every rule of rock ‘n rol   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on August 6, 2016

(1922) Directed by Robert J. Flaherty; Starring: Allakariallak, Nyla, Allee and Cunayou; Available on DVD Rating: **** “The secret of Nanook is, I believe, is in those two words: being themselves. Not acting, but being.” – Frances Flaherty (co-editor and wife of Rober   read more