Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 23, 2021

We’re back for the second day of the 3rd Hammer-Amicus Blogathon, hosted by Yours Truly and Gill Jacob of Realweegiemidget Reviews. While the quantity of entries is somewhat smaller than Day 1, there’s no skimping on quality. Here, you’ll find mysteries, folk horror, a “lost   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 22, 2021

(1972) Directed by Peter Sykes; Written by Christopher Wicking; Original Story by Frank Godwin; Starring: Robert Hardy, Shane Briant, Gillian Hills, Yvonne Mitchell, Patrick Magee and Paul Jones; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***½ After a one-year hiatus, I’m back with my co-host   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 22, 2021

After a one-year hiatus, the Hammer-Amicus Blogathon has risen from the grave for yet another round. Once again, my co-host extraordinaire, Gill Jacob from Realweegiemidget Reviews has joined me to preside over the three-day blogging event. We’d like to extend a big thanks to our regulars, wh   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on October 10, 2021

(1967) Directed by José Mojica Marins; Written by Aldenora De Sa Porto and José Mojica Marins; Starring: José Mojica Marins, Tina Wohlers, Nadia Freitas, Antonio Fracari and Jose Lobo; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***½ “When I shot Inferno em Cores (Hell in Colors), I had to f   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on September 30, 2021

Orochi (1925) Tsumasaburô Bandô stars as Heisaburo Kuritomi, a disgraced samurai. After being castigated by his master for a fight he didn’t initiate, he’s marked as a troublemaker. His life only continues to take a downward spiral from there, after he’s eventually banished from h   read more

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

(1924) Written and directed by Captain John Noel; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***** “To us Everest was but a mountain – a thing of rock and ice and snow. To the Tibetans she was more – she was what they named her, ‘Chomolungma,’ ‘Goddess Mother of the   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on September 19, 2021

(1926) Directed by: Harry Edwards; Written by: Frank Capra, Tim Whelan, Hal Conklin, J. Frank Holliday, Gerald C. Duffy and Murray Roth; Starring: Harry Langdon, Joan Crawford, Edwards Davis, Tom Murray and Alec B. Francis; Available on DVD (included on Harry Langdon… The Forgotten Clown) R   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on September 11, 2021

(1928) Directed by Paul Leni; Written by J. Grubb Alexander (Adaptation) and Walter Anthony (Titles); Based on the novel L'Homme Qui Rit by Victor Hugo; Starring: Conrad Veidt, Mary Philbin, Olga Baclanova, Brandon Hurst, Cesare Gravina, Stuart Holmes and Josephine Crowell; Available on Blu-ray and   read more

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

101 Reykjavik (2000) 30-year-old, unemployed slacker Hlynur (Hilmir Snær Guðnason) lives an aimless existence, living with his middle-aged mother in a small flat. Instead of looking for work, he spends his nights drinking, going to parties and getting laid. Things take an unexpected change when his   read more

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

(1994) Written and directed by John Waters; Starring: Kathleen Turner, Sam Waterston, Ricki Lake, Matthew Lillard, Mink Stole and Mary Jo Catlett; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: ***½ “‘All My Trials’ was the chapter in Shock Value about going to murder trials all over   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on August 15, 2021

Due to the pandemic, 2020 was a difficult year for many. For most of us, that meant putting our plans (big and small) on the back burner, while we dreamed of better days ahead. Although we’ve seen a glimmer of hope in 2021, it’s been a trifle premature to celebrate...   read more

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

The Cranes are Flying (1957) Veronika (Tatyana Samoylova) is in love with Boris (Aleksey Batalov), but their romance is interrupted when he enlists in the army. After her family’s home is bombed by the Germans, she’s forced to move in with Boris’ family, and she’s subsequent   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on July 26, 2021

(1967) Directed by: Konstantin Ershov and Georgiy Kropachyov; Written by Konstantin Ershov, Georgiy Kropachyov and Aleksandr Ptushko; Based on the story by Nikolay Gogol; Starring: Leonid Kuravlyov, Natalya Varley, Aleksey Glazyrin, Vadim Zakharchenko and Pyotr Vesklyarov; Available on Blu-ray, DVD   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on July 13, 2021

(1953) Directed by Aleksandr Ptushko; Written by Konstantin Isaev; Based on the opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; Starring: Sergey Stolyarov, Alla Larionova, Ninel Myshkova, B. Surovtsevand, Mikhail Troyanovskiy and Nadir Malishevsky; Available on DVD Rating: **** “The wise man boasts of h   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on June 30, 2021

The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) Writer/director John Sayles brings us this gentle tall tale, steeped in Irish folklore (based on the children’s book, Secret of the Ron Mor Skerry, by Rosalie K. Fry). After losing her mother, Fiona (Jeni Courtney), is sent to live with her grandparents in a...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on June 21, 2021

Considering the most popular cryptid of them all practically resides in my backyard, here in the Pacific Northwest, it didn’t take long to decide who deserved the spotlight this month. You don’t have to travel very far before you’re surrounded by miles and miles of dense forest (a   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on June 9, 2021

(1957) Directed by Val Guest; Written by Nigel Kneale; Based on the BBC television play, The Creature, by Nigel Kneale; Starring: Peter Cushing, Forrest Tucker, Maureen Connell, Richard Wattis, Robert Brown, Arnold Marlé and Robert Brown; Available on Blu-Ray and DVD Rating: **** “The story   read more

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

The Singing Ringing Tree (1957) In this engaging adaptation of a Grimm fairy tale from East Germany’s DEFA studios, a sensitive, handsome prince (Eckart Dux) indulges the whims of a capricious princess (Christel Bodenstein). He brings her a magical tree, but she sends him away. After being cur   read more

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

We’ve reached the end of another spectacular blogathon, and once again, we’re impressed with the range of topics from our exceptionally talented participants. But as anyone familiar with ‘80s television can confirm, wait… There’s more! We have another batch of fabulous   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on May 23, 2021

Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews and I are back for the third day of the Christopher Lee Blogathon. We have another eclectic line-up of blog posts for your perusal. But wait! In the immortal words of sports great Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” Due to some pend   read more