Something Like a Filmography takes a (brief) look at the filmography of Akira Kurosawa. Twice a month, Chris and Jon share their impressions of each film, both on its own terms and in terms of Kurosawa’s legacy and its intersection in the Cinema Dual hosts’ lives. FROM THE BOX: Unfolding in a series of eight mythic vignettes, this late work by Akira Kurosawa was inspired by the … Continue reading Something Like a Filmography: Dreams (1990)
Being Film #1 for Hooptober 2024
Despite having worked together on Dawn Of The Dead, it still feels a little odd putting George A. Romero and Dario Argento together on a film. Those are two styles and aesthetics that just don’t taste right bumped up against each other. That would imply Two Evil Eyes, their mini anthology (does it even count as an anthology if there are only two stories?) doesn’t work. Each filmmaker brings their unique vision to these adaptations or inspirations of Poe, and if it’s not a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination, it has its moments of gore and fun.
Continue reading “Hooptober 11.0 – Two Evil Eyes (1990)”
Being Film #28 for Hooptober 2023
Oh V/H/S franchise…after so many entries have you finally gotten to the point where there’s nothing left to say? The rapidly diminishing returns of the shorts, the frayed ends of commitment to the format…all of that caused me to drop out after the initial run of film that ended in 2014. I don’t know what it was about V/H/S/85 that brought me back for another look, but I will say that like almost every other entry in the increasingly frustrating series it’s a mixed bag, albeit a bag where the lows and high are much closer together. Make of that what you will.
Continue reading “Hooptober 10.0 – V/H/S/85 (2023)”
Being Film #6 for Hooptober 2023 It’s not fair to classify Amicus as the poor man’s Hammer, but watching The House That Dripped Blood – a misleading title as there is nary a drop of blood to be found in this anthology film – but despite some game performances from Hammer regulars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing (as well as Denholm Elliot and Ingrid Pitt) … Continue reading Hooptober 10.0 – The House That Dripped Blood (1971)
Being Film #29 for Hooptober 2022 Look, there are all sorts of reasons why after speaking about my distaste for found footage films I am here again, squandering my final free-rein Hooptober entries with another found footage film. V/H/S: Viral is the third in the series of anthology films that tries to take the conceit and move it in interesting ways. My reasons for revisiting … Continue reading Hooptober 9.0 – V/H/S: Viral (2014)
Being Film #31 for Hooptober 2021
The anthology is a tried and true format for horror, allowing filmmakers to explore a theme or feeling without the burden of having to carry it out to feature length. The short allows for a broader range of styles, and in The Field Guide to Evil you can see the opportunity to play in the format leading down interesting avenues as a global array of filmmakers look at different folktales and folklore to explore some more modern issues. When it works, it works well, and when it doesn’t…well, there are still some interesting visual to be had.
Continue reading “Hooptober 8.0 – The Field Guide to Evil (2018)”
Cinema Dual (TEST SITE) 