Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 23, 2011

(1939) Directed by Vincent Sherman; Written by Lee Katz; Story by William J. Makin; Starring: Wayne Morris, Rosemary Lane and Humphrey Bogart; Available on DVD Rating: *** The Return of Doctor X has been maligned over the years as an oddity, mainly notable because it was Humphrey Bogart’s only   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 19, 2011

It’s that time of year again. Time for overeating, compensatory consumption, forced cheer and strained family relations. Sometimes, it can feel as if you’re on autopilot, following a subconscious checklist of automatic behaviors that are bereft of any true meaning. It doesn’t ha   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 13, 2011

(1974) Directed by John Carpenter; Written by John Carpenter and Dan O’Bannon; Starring: Brian Narelle, Dre Pahich, Cal Kuniholme and Dan O’BannonAvailable on DVD Rating: **** Dark Star is predominantly known as the film that launched the careers of John Carpenter and Dan O’Bannon   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 13, 2011

(1974) Directed by John Carpenter; Written by John Carpenter and Dan O’Bannon; Starring: Brian Narelle, Dre Pahich, Cal Kuniholme and Dan O’BannonAvailable on DVD Rating: **** Dark Star is predominantly known as the film that launched the careers of John Carpenter and Dan O’Bannon   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 4, 2011

(1994) Directed by Terry Zwigoff; Starring: Robert Crumb, Aline Kominsky and Charles Crumb; Available on DVD and Blu-ray Rating: **** ½ Provocative, controversial and darkly humorous – these are just a few ways to describe the work of underground comic strip artist Robert Crumb. Terry Zw   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 4, 2011

(1994) Directed by Terry Zwigoff; Starring: Robert Crumb, Aline Kominsky and Charles Crumb; Available on DVD and Blu-ray Rating: **** ½ Provocative, controversial and darkly humorous – these are just a few ways to describe the work of underground comic strip artist Robert Crumb. Terry Zw   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 28, 2011

(1973) Directed by Woody Allen; Written by: Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman; Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton and John Beck; Available on DVD Rating: **** I first watched Sleeper sometime in the 1970s when I was just a little kid, and it left an indelible impression that demanded repeated   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 28, 2011

(1973) Directed by Woody Allen; Written by: Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman; Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton and John Beck; Available on DVD Rating: **** I first watched Sleeper sometime in the 1970s when I was just a little kid, and it left an indelible impression that demanded repeated   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 19, 2011

(1949) Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack; Written by Ruth Rose; Story by Merian C. Cooper; Starring: Terry Moore, Ben Johnson and Robert Armstrong; Available on DVD Rating: **** What’s It About? What’s the first movie that comes to mind when you think about a big ape? Okay… What&#8   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 19, 2011

(1949) Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack; Written by Ruth Rose; Story by Merian C. Cooper; Starring: Terry Moore, Ben Johnson and Robert Armstrong; Available on DVD Rating: **** What’s It About? What’s the first movie that comes to mind when you think about a big ape? Okay… What&#8   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 15, 2011

(1984) Directed by Nick Castle; Written by Jonathan R. Betuel; Starring: Lance Guest, Robert Preston, Dan O'Herlihy, Catherine Mary Stewart and Barbara Bosson; Available on DVD and Blu-ray. Rating: **** Ah… the 80s! For better or worse, we’re typically a product of our formative years,   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 15, 2011

(1984) Directed by Nick Castle; Written by Jonathan R. Betuel; Starring: Lance Guest, Robert Preston, Dan O'Herlihy, Catherine Mary Stewart and Barbara Bosson; Available on DVD and Blu-ray. Rating: **** Ah… the 80s! For better or worse, we’re typically a product of our formative years,   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 10, 2011

(1959) Directed by Terence Fisher; Written by David Zelag Goodman; Starring: Guy Rolfe, Allan Cuthbertson, Andrew Cruickshank and George Pastell Available on DVD Rating: *** It’s time for some good old-fashioned xenophobia, Hammer style! I’m almost ashamed to admit that I enjoyed The   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 10, 2011

(1959) Directed by Terence Fisher; Written by David Zelag Goodman; Starring: Guy Rolfe, Allan Cuthbertson, Andrew Cruickshank and George Pastell Available on DVD Rating: *** It’s time for some good old-fashioned xenophobia, Hammer style! I’m almost ashamed to admit that I enjoyed The   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 31, 2011

Burn, Witch, Burn (aka: Night of the Eagle) (1962) I recently stumbled upon this great little forgotten gem, based on a novel by Fritz Leiber, Jr. Leiber’s story was adapted by Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont (known primarily for their numerous contributions to The Twilight Zone), but G   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 26, 2011

(1994) Directed by Michele Soavi; Written by Gianni Romoli; Based on the novel Dellamorte Dellamore by Tiziano Sclavi; Starring: Rupert Everett, François Hadji-Lazaro and Anna Falchi; Available on DVD Rating: *** ½ Cemetery Man is a beguiling mixture of horror, comedy and sex that’s sure   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 26, 2011

(1994) Directed by Michele Soavi; Written by Gianni Romoli; Based on the novel Dellamorte Dellamore by Tiziano Sclavi; Starring: Rupert Everett, François Hadji-Lazaro and Anna Falchi; Available on DVD Rating: *** ½ Cemetery Man is a beguiling mixture of horror, comedy and sex that’s sure   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 23, 2011

(1963) Directed by Roger Corman; Written by Richard Matheson; Based on the poem “The Raven,” by Edgar Allan Poe; Starring: Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Hazel Court and Jack Nicholson; Available on DVD Rating: **** ½ “…Take thy beak from out my heart, and ta   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 23, 2011

(1963) Directed by Roger Corman; Written by Richard Matheson; Based on the poem “The Raven,” by Edgar Allan Poe; Starring: Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Hazel Court and Jack Nicholson; Available on DVD Rating: **** ½ “…Take thy beak from out my heart, and ta   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 18, 2011

(1980) Directed by John Carpenter; Written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill; Starring: Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, Hal Holbrook and Tom Atkins; Available on DVD and Blu-Ray. Rating: **** Many of John Carpenter’s films seemed to be ahead of their time, gaining more acceptan   read more