Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 10, 2015

(1924) Directed by: Yakov Protazanov; Written by Aleksei Fajko and Fyodor Otsep; Based on the novel Aelita by Aleksei Tolstoy; Starring: Yuliya Solntseva, Igor Ilyinsky, Nikolai Tsereteli and Valentina Kuindzhi; Available on DVD (from Flicker Alley) and Hulu Streaming Rating: ** ½   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 2, 2015

(1982) Directed by Don Coscarelli; Written by Don Coscarelli and Paul Pepperman; Starring: Marc Singer, Tanya Roberts, Rip Torn and John Amos; Available on DVD Rating: *** ½ “So there’s one sort of conundrum here… which is that his father is the king, but his br   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 2, 2015

(1982) Directed by Don Coscarelli; Written by Don Coscarelli and Paul Pepperman; Starring: Marc Singer, Tanya Roberts, Rip Torn and John Amos; Available on DVD Rating: *** ½ “So there’s one sort of conundrum here… which is that his father is the king, but his br   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 28, 2015

Strings (2004) This Scandinavian/British production by director/co-writer Anders Rønnow Klarlund is a puppet movie like no other. Compared to the Gerry Anderson Supermarionation shows, the filmmakers are not attempting to create semi-realistic settings that mimic the human world, but take an approac   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 28, 2015

Strings (2004) This Scandinavian/British production by director/co-writer Anders Rønnow Klarlund is a puppet movie like no other. Compared to the Gerry Anderson Supermarionation shows, the filmmakers are not attempting to create semi-realistic settings that mimic the human world, but take an approac   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 12, 2015

(1963) Directed by Don Chaffey; Written by Jan Read and Beverley Cross; Starring: Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Gary Raymond, Niall MacGinnis and Honor Blackman Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: **** “In the early days I thought I wanted to be an actor, and then I got butte   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 12, 2015

(1963) Directed by Don Chaffey; Written by Jan Read and Beverley Cross; Starring: Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Gary Raymond, Niall MacGinnis and Honor Blackman Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: **** “In the early days I thought I wanted to be an actor, and then I got butte   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 7, 2015

(1986) Directed by Jim Henson; Written by Terry Jones; Story by Dennis Lee and Jim Henson; Starring: David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, Brian Henson, Dave Goelz and Toby Froud; Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Netflix Streaming Rating: **** “When I see a film, when I leave the theater,   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 7, 2015

(1986) Directed by Jim Henson; Written by Terry Jones; Story by Dennis Lee and Jim Henson; Starring: David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, Brian Henson, Dave Goelz and Toby Froud; Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Netflix Streaming Rating: **** “When I see a film, when I leave the theater,   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 25, 2015

“I asked the actors to move in an inhuman way. Because they are kaiju, you know… So they must move like kaiju. Another thing I requested from the actors was, since the two monsters hate each other, I wanted the fights to be very fierce.” – Shinji Higuchi (Special Effects...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 25, 2015

“I asked the actors to move in an inhuman way. Because they are kaiju, you know… So they must move like kaiju. Another thing I requested from the actors was, since the two monsters hate each other, I wanted the fights to be very fierce.” – Shinji Higuchi (Special Effects...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 11, 2015

(1970) Directed by Akira Kurosawa; Written by: Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni; Based on the novel The Town Without Seasons (aka: Kisetsu No Nai Machi) by Shûgorô Yamamoto; Starring: Yoshitaka Zushi, Kin Sugai, Toshiyuki Tonomura, Tatsuo Matsumura, Tomoko Yamazaki and Shinsuke Mina   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 11, 2015

(1970) Directed by Akira Kurosawa; Written by: Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni; Based on the novel The Town Without Seasons (aka: Kisetsu No Nai Machi) by Shûgorô Yamamoto; Starring: Yoshitaka Zushi, Kin Sugai, Toshiyuki Tonomura, Tatsuo Matsumura, Tomoko Yamazaki and Shinsuke Mina   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 4, 2015

(1995) Directed by Kôji Morimoto (“Magnetic Rose”), Tensai Okamura (“Stink Bomb”), Katsuhiro Ôtomo (“Cannon Fodder”); Written by Satoshi Kon (“Magnetic Rose), Katsuhiro Ôtomo (“Stink Bomb” and “Cannon Fodder”); Original stories by Kat   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 4, 2015

(1995) Directed by Kôji Morimoto (“Magnetic Rose”), Tensai Okamura (“Stink Bomb”), Katsuhiro Ôtomo (“Cannon Fodder”); Written by Satoshi Kon (“Magnetic Rose), Katsuhiro Ôtomo (“Stink Bomb” and “Cannon Fodder”); Original stories by Kat   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 24, 2014

(1984) Written and directed by David Lynch; Based on the novel Dune, by Frank Herbert; Starring: Kyle MacLachlan, Sean Young, José Ferrer, Linda Hunt, Jürgen Prochnow, Kenneth McMillan, Brad Dourif, Jack Nance and Sting; Available on Blu-ray and DVD. Rating: ** ½ “Th   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 24, 2014

(1984) Written and directed by David Lynch; Based on the novel Dune, by Frank Herbert; Starring: Kyle MacLachlan, Sean Young, José Ferrer, Linda Hunt, Jürgen Prochnow, Kenneth McMillan, Brad Dourif, Jack Nance and Sting; Available on Blu-ray and DVD. Rating: ** ½ “Th   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 16, 2014

(1980) Directed by David Lynch; Written by: Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergren and David Lynch; Based on the books The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences by Frederick Treves and The Elephant Man: A Study in Human Dignity by Ashley Montagu; Starring: John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, John G   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 16, 2014

(1980) Directed by David Lynch; Written by: Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergren and David Lynch; Based on the books The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences by Frederick Treves and The Elephant Man: A Study in Human Dignity by Ashley Montagu; Starring: John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, John G   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 8, 2014

(1986) Written and directed by David Lynch; Starring: Isabella Rossellini, Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern; Available on Blu-ray and DVD. Rating: ****½ “I like things that are different… and I like distortions because I see so many distortions either inside   read more