Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 30, 2022

The Last Wave (1977) Peter Weir’s enigmatic follow-up to Picnic at Hanging Rock is almost a spiritual sequel to its cryptic predecessor, raising many questions but providing few answers. David Burton (Richard Chamberlin), a Sydney lawyer, defends a group of aboriginal men accused of murder. Wh   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on April 6, 2022

Whew! What a year. What? It’s only April? How can that be? It’s been quite an eventful time, so far, and its only bound to get busier as the months progress. Between work, personal obligations, and all the recent blog activity, it’s all been a bit much, and I need...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 29, 2022

Taxidermia (2006) Director/co-writer György Pálfi’s fascinatingly grotesque film consists of a trio of interwoven stories (based on short stories by Lajos Parti Nagy), covering three generations (1942, 1960s, and presumably the 1980s) of a Hungarian family. In the first segment, a sexually fru   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 25, 2022

When you think of the term “living legend,” Roger Corman should be on everyone’s short list. Hollywood outsider, who re-shaped Hollywood into his image, famous for making movies fast and cheap, creating significant work and schlock in equal portions (But we’re not judging. So   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 21, 2022

The Fly (1958) Directed by Kurt Neumann; Written by James Clavell; Based on the short story by George Langelaan; Starring: Al “David” Hedison, Patricia Owens, Vincent Price, Herbert Marshall, Kathleen Freeman and Charles Herbert; Available on DVD and Blu-ray Rating: **** The Fly (   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 13, 2022

(1993) Written and directed by Jennifer Lynch; Story by Philippe Caland; Starring: Julian Sands, Sherilyn Fenn, Bill Paxton, Art Garfunkel, Betsy Clark, and Kurtwood Smith; Available on DVD Rating: ** Helena (Sherilyn Fenn): “I’ll never need you.”Nick (Julian Sands): “Yo   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 6, 2022

(1993) Directed by Joe Dante; Written by Charles S. Haas; Story by Jerico Stone and Charles S. Haas; Starring: John Goodman, Cathy Moriarty, Simon Fenton, Omri Katz, Lisa Jakub, Kellie Martin, Dick Miller and Robert Picardo; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ****½ "Atomo Vision, Rumble R   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 27, 2022

(1963) Directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis; Written by Louise Downe; Story by David F. Friedman and Herschell Gordon Lewis; Starring: William Kerwin, Mal Arnold, Connie Mason, Lyn Bolton and Scott H. Hall; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: *** “When I shot Blood Feast and we started makin   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 21, 2022

Tiny Tim: King for a Day (2020) Swedish filmmaker Johan von Sydow’s illuminating, bittersweet documentary about eccentric singer/performance artist Tiny Tim (born Herbert Butros Khaury), sheds some light on the enigmatic personality, probably best remembered for the song, “Tiptoe Throug   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 31, 2022

The Night is Short. Walk On, Girl (2017) Masaaki Yuasa’s delightful animated film (based on the novel by Tomihiko Morimi) is a surefire cure for what ails you. Over the course of one night, we follow the exploits of unflappable coed Kōhai (meaning “Junior”), as she enters a drinkin   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 22, 2022

(1958) Directed by Yasuzô Masumura; Written by Yoshio Shirasaka; Based on the novel by Takeshi Kaikô; Starring: Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Hitomi Nozoe, Hideo Takamatsu, Michiko Ono; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: **** “You’re behind the times. You don’t understand the age of medi   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 11, 2022

(1958) Directed by Ishirô Honda; Written by Takeshi Kimura; Story by Hideo Unagami; Starring: Yumi Shirakawa, Kenji Sahara, Akihiko Hirata, Eitarô Ozawa Koreya Senda and Makoto Satô; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating ***½ “Take a look at this logbook from the ship Ryujinmaru. First   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 31, 2021

(1984) Directed by Martin Bell; Starring: Erin (“Tiny”) Blackwell, “Rat,” DeWayne Pomeroy, Lou Ellen “Lulu” Couch, Patrice Pitts, Kimberly Marsh; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: **** “The idea was to enter the world of these kids, to figure out the r   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 27, 2021

The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993) Ray Müller’s fascinating documentary delves into the life of pioneering filmmaker/Nazi sympathizer Leni Riefenstahl, who made the notorious propaganda film Triumph of the Will (1935). Now age 90 (at the time of this film), Riefenstahl loo   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 12, 2021

(2008) Written and directed by Guy Maddin; Dialogue written by George Toles; Starring: Ann Savage, Darcy Fehr and Louis Negin; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: **** “I had long been dreaming about my city, Winnipeg, that it didn’t seem to have a place in anyone’s mythology   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 1, 2021

(1955) Directed by Jules Dassin; Adapted by Jules Dassin; Based on the novel by Auguste Le Breton; Starring: Jean Servais, Carl Möhner, Robert Manuel, Janine Darcey, Claude Sylvain, Robert Hossein, Marcel Lupovici and Jules Dassin (as Perlo Vita); Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ****½   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 27, 2021

Where Danger Lives (1950) Dr. Jeff Cameron (Robert Mitchum) is about to finish his stint at a hospital to go into private practice. His life takes a detour for the worse when he crosses paths with young, attractive suicide patient, Margo (Faith Domergue). They seem to hit it off until...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on November 14, 2021

(1951) Directed by Alfred Hitchcock; Screenplay by Raymond Chandler and Czenzi Ormonde; Based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith; Starring: Farley Granger, Ruth Roman, Robert Walker, Leo G. Carroll, Patricia Hitchcock and Kasey Rogers; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: **** Thanks to Rebecca   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 28, 2021

Symptoms (1974) Angela Pleasence stars as Helen, a disturbed young woman in writer/director José Ramón Larraz’s thriller, a bubbling cauldron of repressed sexuality and unrequited love. She lives alone on a country estate, nursing the wounds of an unspecified psychological trauma. As a comfor   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 24, 2021

Whew! We’ve reached the end of the 3rd Hammer-Amicus Blogathon, hosted by Yours Truly and Gill Jacob of Realweegiemidget Reviews. I hope everyone had as much fun participating as we had hosting this three-day event. Once again, I’d like to thank my astounding co-host Gill, for anothe   read more