Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 15, 2014

I owe a belated debt of gratitude to Vern, proprietor of TheVern’s VideoVortex and the defunct-but-not-forgotten Video Vanguard for my latest award nomination. While this is my third Liebster, it never gets old. I’m always amazed and humbled that someone out there actually reads the st   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 31, 2014

If the ‘50s represented a golden age for monster movies, then the ‘80s were a Renaissance, a rebirth of creature design, filtered through an updated set of sensibilities. It’s easy to draw parallels between the two decades, which exhibited their fair share of excessive fashion and   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 31, 2014

If the ‘50s represented a golden age for monster movies, then the ‘80s were a Renaissance, a rebirth of creature design, filtered through an updated set of sensibilities. It’s easy to draw parallels between the two decades, which exhibited their fair share of excessive fashion and   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 23, 2014

(1954) Directed by Jack Arnold; Written by Harry Essex and Arthur Ross; Starring: Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Whit Bissell and Nestor Paiva; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: **** “The creature was violent because he’s provoked into violence. Inherent   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 23, 2014

(1954) Directed by Jack Arnold; Written by Harry Essex and Arthur Ross; Starring: Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Whit Bissell and Nestor Paiva; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: **** “The creature was violent because he’s provoked into violence. Inherent   read more

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

(1959) Directed by Terence Fisher; Written by: Peter Bryan; Based on the Novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Starring: Peter Cushing, André Morell, Christopher Lee, Marla Landi and Francis De Wolff. Available on DVD. Rating: *** ½ “I don’t know how he did it, short of be   read more

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

(1959) Directed by Terence Fisher; Written by: Peter Bryan; Based on the Novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Starring: Peter Cushing, André Morell, Christopher Lee, Marla Landi and Francis De Wolff. Available on DVD. Rating: *** ½ “I don’t know how he did it, short of be   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 4, 2014

(1979) Directed by Ridley Scott; Written by Dan O'Bannon; Starring: Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***** “…Giger’s designs were an especially   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 4, 2014

(1979) Directed by Ridley Scott; Written by Dan O'Bannon; Starring: Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***** “…Giger’s designs were an especially   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 22, 2014

(1995) Directed by Norman Apstein (aka: Paul Norman); Written by: David Dobkin and Sven Davison; Starring: Clint Howard, Justin Isfeld, Anndi McAfee; Available on DVD Rating: ** ½ “Not every day is a happy, happy, happy day.” – Ice Cream Man (Clint Howard   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 22, 2014

(1995) Directed by Norman Apstein (aka: Paul Norman); Written by: David Dobkin and Sven Davison; Starring: Clint Howard, Justin Isfeld, Anndi McAfee; Available on DVD Rating: ** ½ “Not every day is a happy, happy, happy day.” – Ice Cream Man (Clint Howard   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 13, 2014

(1973) Directed by René Laloux; Written by René Laloux and Roland Topor; Based on the novel Oms en Série by Stefan Wul; Starring: Jennifer Drake, Eric Baugin, Jean Topart and Jean Valmont; Available on DVD Rating: **** “…when the idea is good, it is suggestive and makes one   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 13, 2014

(1973) Directed by René Laloux; Written by René Laloux and Roland Topor; Based on the novel Oms en Série by Stefan Wul; Starring: Jennifer Drake, Eric Baugin, Jean Topart and Jean Valmont; Available on DVD Rating: **** “…when the idea is good, it is suggestive and makes one   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 6, 2014

I’ve said it before, and I’m sure it won’t be the last time (sorry, dear readers). I’m dragging my feet again, instead of exploring cinema’s obscure and darkest regions. It’s tough coming down from the high of a theme month. Now that the dust has settled, and I   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 6, 2014

I’ve said it before, and I’m sure it won’t be the last time (sorry, dear readers). I’m dragging my feet again, instead of exploring cinema’s obscure and darkest regions. It’s tough coming down from the high of a theme month. Now that the dust has settled, and I   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 26, 2014

(2004) Written and directed by Tetsuya Nakashima; Based on the novel and manga by: Nobara Takemoto; Starring: Kyôko Fukada, Anna Tsuchiya, Hiroyuki Miyasako and Sadao Abe; Available on DVD. Rating: **** “Humans are cowards in the face of happiness. You need courage to hold on to   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 26, 2014

(2004) Written and directed by Tetsuya Nakashima; Based on the novel and manga by: Nobara Takemoto; Starring: Kyôko Fukada, Anna Tsuchiya, Hiroyuki Miyasako and Sadao Abe; Available on DVD. Rating: **** “Humans are cowards in the face of happiness. You need courage to hold on to   read more

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

(1968) Directed by Yoshiyuki Kuroda; Written by Tetsurô Yoshida; Starring: Yoshihiko Aoyama, Hideki Hanamura, Chikara Hashimoto; Available on DVD Rating: *** ½ Note: This is an expanded version of a capsule review that originally appeared in 2011. “Learn about Yo   read more

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

(1968) Directed by Yoshiyuki Kuroda; Written by Tetsurô Yoshida; Starring: Yoshihiko Aoyama, Hideki Hanamura, Chikara Hashimoto; Available on DVD Rating: *** ½ Note: This is an expanded version of a capsule review that originally appeared in 2011. “Learn about Yo   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 3, 2014

(1954) Directed by Akira Kurosawa; Written by: Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni; Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Isao Kimura and Keiko Tsushima; Available on Blu-ray and DVD. Rating: ***** “To tell you the truth, I can only make films that I care about   read more