Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on May 7, 2013

“I think the whole point of any fantasy film is to stretch the imagination, because when one lives in a dream world like me, it’s always ‘what if this could happen?’” – Ray Harryhausen (excerpt from Monsters in the Movies by John Landis) Frequent visi   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 30, 2013

The Clairvoyant (1935) Claude Rains stars in this low-key British thriller as Maximus, a stage performer who runs a successful, albeit phony psychic act, along with his wife Rene, played by Fay Wray. Things suddenly take a strange turn when he discovers he has the power to make true prophecies...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 30, 2013

The Clairvoyant (1935) Claude Rains stars in this low-key British thriller as Maximus, a stage performer who runs a successful, albeit phony psychic act, along with his wife Rene, played by Fay Wray. Things suddenly take a strange turn when he discovers he has the power to make true prophecies...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 25, 2013

(1935) Directed by Karl Freund; Written by P.J. Wolfson and John L. Balderston; Based on the novel Les Mains D'Orlac by Maurice Renard; Starring: Peter Lorre, Frances Drake and Colin Clive; Available on DVD Rating: **** ½ “I believe in the low-spoken villain, who’s abs   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 25, 2013

(1935) Directed by Karl Freund; Written by P.J. Wolfson and John L. Balderston; Based on the novel Les Mains D'Orlac by Maurice Renard; Starring: Peter Lorre, Frances Drake and Colin Clive; Available on DVD Rating: **** ½ “I believe in the low-spoken villain, who’s abs   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 18, 2013

(1936) Directed by Lothar Mendes; Written by H.G. Wells (Scenario and dialogue) and Lajos Biró (Screenplay); Based on a short story by H.G. Wells; Starring: Roland Young, Ralph Richardson, Edward Chapman, Ernest Thesiger, Joan Gardner and Sophie Stewart; Available on DVD Rating: **** &   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 18, 2013

(1936) Directed by Lothar Mendes; Written by H.G. Wells (Scenario and dialogue) and Lajos Biró (Screenplay); Based on a short story by H.G. Wells; Starring: Roland Young, Ralph Richardson, Edward Chapman, Ernest Thesiger, Joan Gardner and Sophie Stewart; Available on DVD Rating: **** &   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 11, 2013

(1932) Directed by Erle C. Kenton; Written by Waldemar Young and Philip Wylie; Based on the novel The Island of Dr. Moreau, by H.G. Wells; Starring: Charles Laughton, Bela Lugosi, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams and Kathleen Burke; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***** “Not to go   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 11, 2013

(1932) Directed by Erle C. Kenton; Written by Waldemar Young and Philip Wylie; Based on the novel The Island of Dr. Moreau, by H.G. Wells; Starring: Charles Laughton, Bela Lugosi, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams and Kathleen Burke; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***** “Not to go   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 5, 2013

“Life is short. Try to avoid, whenever possible, wasting two hours of it on a movie you will not enjoy.” – Roger Ebert, How to Watch a Movie I wanted to take a moment from this month’s scheduled features to pause and reflect on one of the reasons I decided...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 5, 2013

“Life is short. Try to avoid, whenever possible, wasting two hours of it on a movie you will not enjoy.” – Roger Ebert, How to Watch a Movie I wanted to take a moment from this month’s scheduled features to pause and reflect on one of the reasons I decided...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 2, 2013

(1933) Directed by Lowell Sherman; Written by Harvey F. Thew and John Bright; Based on the Play Diamond Lil, by Mae West; Starring: Mae West, Cary Grant, Owen Moore; Available on DVD and Netflix Streaming Rating: *** ½ “When women go wrong, men go right after them.” &#   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 2, 2013

(1933) Directed by Lowell Sherman; Written by Harvey F. Thew and John Bright; Based on the Play Diamond Lil, by Mae West; Starring: Mae West, Cary Grant, Owen Moore; Available on DVD and Netflix Streaming Rating: *** ½ “When women go wrong, men go right after them.” &#   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 27, 2013

Wake in Fright (1971) This obscure drama from Australia, directed by Ted Kotcheff and written by Evan Jones (based on a novel by Kenneth Cook), was thought to be lost for years until a copy recently surfaced. Thankfully, it’s now available on DVD for all to watch and debate. It’s...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 18, 2013

(1958) Directed by Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.; Written by Theodore Simonson and Kay Linaker; Starring: Steve McQueen, Aneta Corsaut, Earl Rowe and Stephen Chase; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***½ “We were too stupid to think we could fail, so we succeeded.” –   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 18, 2013

(1958) Directed by Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.; Written by Theodore Simonson and Kay Linaker; Starring: Steve McQueen, Aneta Corsaut, Earl Rowe and Stephen Chase; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***½ “We were too stupid to think we could fail, so we succeeded.” –   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 9, 2013

What if Stanley Kubrick had been commissioned to direct a Hammer film? The world will never know what such a wonderful, unholy convergence would have created, but based on the following trailer, the end result might have looked something like this: Lord of Tears Official Trailer from Lawrie Brewst   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 5, 2013

(2012) Written and directed by Leos Carax; Starring: Denis Lavant, Edith Scob, Eva Mendes and Kylie Minogue; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***½ “I miss the cameras. They used to be heavier than us. Then they became smaller than our heads. Now you can’t see th   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 5, 2013

(2012) Written and directed by Leos Carax; Starring: Denis Lavant, Edith Scob, Eva Mendes and Kylie Minogue; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***½ “I miss the cameras. They used to be heavier than us. Then they became smaller than our heads. Now you can’t see th   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 19, 2013

(1971) Directed by Hal Ashby; Written by Colin Higgins; Starring: Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort, Vivian Pickles and Charles Tyner; Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Netflix Streaming Rating: **** ½ “I haven't lived. I've died a few times.” – Harold It’s interes   read more