A Night of Horror Film Festival

This Thursday marks the opening night of Sydney’s A Night of Horror festival. The event runs for just over a week concluding on Friday April 3^rd with a screening of Toby Wilkins’ much heralded Splinter. The opening night features Brøken, the sophomore effort from Sean Ellis, followed by the Green Carpet Sydney premiere of I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer. I will be hosting a Q&A on stage with the creative force behind the film Doug Turner and Stacey Edmonds so please come along for a bit of gory cricketing fun. The festival also includes an extensive short film programme and a wealth of full bloodied features including Mum and Dad, Family Demons, Midnight Movies and Reel Zombies. For full screening details and ticket information please head to www.anightofhorror.com. Don’t forget to check out my festival blog while you’re there.

POPCORN TAXI - STOP PRESS

Actor Michael Dorman has been added to the line up for the Popcorn Taxi screening of Jon Hewitt's Acolytes. The actor, best known for his performances in West and Suburban Mayhem, has a busy year ahead in the horror genre with Acolytes, the Spierig brother's Daybreakers and Christopher Smith's Triangle all being released in the coming months. The actor will be joining the director on stage for some, hopefully, lively discussion with yours truely. Tickets are available at www.popcorntaxi.com.au and the event kicks off at 7pm at the Greater Union Bondi Junction.

Acolytes - Popcorn Taxi screening

On Monday 16^th March I will be hosting the Popcorn Taxi screening of Jon Hewitt’s Acolytes. I'll be interviewing Jon, live on stage, after the film along with a few yet to be announced special guests. For ticket details please head to www.popcorntaxi.com.au. The screening takes place at the Greater Union Bondi Junction and things kick off at 7pm. Hewitt's career has given us such low budget classics as Bloodlust (the only Australian film to be banned in the UK) and Redball. Having visited the set and already seen the film I can promise that the audience is in for a treat and Jon is always a fabulously irreverent interview. Please come along and say hello.

Cinemascape changes timeslot

If you were tuned in to Eastside 89.7 FM last Friday you would have heard the final Cinemascape to be broadcast on Friday afternoons before the show chances timeslot. I produced the show and reviewed My Bloody Valentine in 3D, the film that brings a new dimension to the 80s slasher film. We also discussed Kevin Smith’s Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Last Chance Harvey. The show will be now be aired every Thursday at 11:30am so please tune in and keep on listening.

The International

Later today at 6pm on Eastside 89.7 FMs Cinemascape show I’ll be reviewing Tom Tykwer’s new Hollywood thriller The International. Starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts; the film attempts to fuse the 70s Political thriller and the director’s hyper kinetic style he developed on his breakthrough feature Run Lola Run. A timely condemnation of the banking system and how far the huge corporations will go to make money, this intriguing plotting device takes Interpol Agent Louis Salinger (Owen) and Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman (Watts) on a whirlwind trip around the globe, stopping of in Berlin, Madrid, Istanbul and NYC and the film’s use of locations assures the film is always visually arresting. In fact, despite the potential boredom of number crunching and banking procedures, when the film works, as in a sensational shoot out in New Yorks Guggenheim, it’s breathtaking. When it doesn’t, however, it falls father flat. The two leads try hard but are not given much to work with. Owen has played the dishevelled everyman fighting for the truth one too many times now and Watts character is given nothing to do except follow Owen’s lead. Saying that the actors are always watchable and there is enough going on to elevate The International above your standard Hollywood thriller, it’s just a shame that more of Tykwer’s Euro aesthetic didn’t shine through. For more of my thoughts tune in this evening.

Latest News

A lot has been happening over the last couple of weeks so here's an update...

I hosted the running commentary for the forthcoming DVD release of I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer. I was joined by the creative team behind the film Doug Turner and Stacey Edmonds to discuss the joys of filming a cricket themed slasher movie. More news on the DVD release date soon.

My interview with actor Crispin Glover, star of Back to the Future, Wild at Heart and Willard, will appear in the next issue of Smoke & Mirrors magazine and my chat with Diary of the Dead director George. A. Romero will be featured in a forthcoming issue of Drum Media.

In terms of new interviews I recently spoke to Philippe Mora, the director of Mad Dog Morgan, The Beast Within and The Howling 3: The Marsupials and Anthony. I. Ginnane, the producer of Patrick, Turkey Shoot and Fantasm.

Lastly, all you horror fans out there should check out the new Frightfest website at www.frightfest.co.uk. The new improved layout includes plenty of new features and, of course, my regular Dave Down Under blog.

Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans

To close the week I'll be producing this Friday's Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7FM. The show features lively discussion on two Oscar contenders: Doubt starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour-Hoffman and Gus Van Sant's fabulous Milk, along with my review of a film that won't be making too many appearances during the award season; Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans. Tune in at 6pm to hear my thoughts.

The Wrestler

This Friday I'll be reviewing Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler on Eastside 89.7 FM's Cinemascape show. I was always a fan of Mickey Rourke's earlier work, in particular Diner, Rumble Fish, Angel Heart and Year of the Dragon so when the buzz started that this was his great comeback picture my interest was aroused. Playing Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, the actor gives the performance of a lifetime. The role was made for him. A down on his luck star who's career reached huge heights but now is in the doldrums. One minute he was headlining Madison Square Garden, the next his local town hall. The parallels with his own acting career are obvious and it takes the film to heart wrenchingly emotional levels. Anyone expecting the poster boy looks that launched the career of the 'next Brando' will be in for a shock, his physical transformation is shocking, his body ravaged by age, steroids and peroxide abuse. This is a sport movie that doesn't rely on the sport. It relies on the frailty of the human spirit when it is at it's lowest ebb and the desperation people feel when they are totally alone. Aronofsky, using hand held camera work and indie film aesthetic, has made a modern masterpiece. To hear my full review tune in at 6pm.

Let the Right One In

This Friday I’ll once again be appearing on Eastside 89.7 FM’s Cinemascape show. As well as discussing the new Wil Smith film Seven Pounds and the animated tale of mice and soup The Tale of Despereaux I’ll be passing judgement on the fabulous Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In. Based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist the film portrays the trials and tribulations of a twelve year old boy dealing with bullies, his parents divorce, school and living next door to a vampire. Subtlety using ideas and motifs from many classics of the genre, in particular Salem’s Lot, but redefining them against the chilling, snow covered vistas of the Swedish countryside. The film brings fresh blood to the often staid and predictable vampire genre. Visually the film is stunning, from the nocturnal vampiric attacks to the final swimming pool massacre, director Thomas Alfredson shows a sure hand during even the most uncomfortable moments. The fact that it is two twelve year olds discovering love and dealing with an uncontrollable thirst for plasma only adds to the frisson and the two young leads are outstanding. One of the best horror films of recent times and terrifyingly enough already lined up for the dreaded Hollywood remake. One shudders to think who would be cast in the lead roles. Tune in at 6pm to hear my thoughts.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

At 6pm today I'll be producing this weeks Cinemascape show on Eastside 89.7 FM. The show will feature lively discussion on Ron Howard's Frost/ Nixon, City of Ember as well as my review of David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I've also pre-recorded two shows being broadcast over the Christmas break so listen out for the Cinemascape review of 2008 and our preview of the film's coming out in the months during the build up to next year's Oscars ceremony. In the meantime, Happy Christmas to everyone and here's to a fabulous 2009.

Twilight

Later today I'll be returning to the airwaves on Eastside 89.7 FM's Cinemascape. The show features discussion on Rob Schneider's dire Big Stan, Quarantine the US shot for shot remake of the Spanish chiller REC and I'll be reviewing the long awaited big screen adaptation of Stephenie Myers hugely successful novel Twilight. As a huge fan of bloodsuckers on screen I found the film a rather toothless affair. The film is blatantly aimed at the books original readership; these vampires are 'vegetarians' who sparkle in the sunlight, nothing there that could scare a 14 year old girl. Putting cynicism aside, this isn't aimed at the horror purest and director Catherine Hardwicke certainly brings the romance elements of the film to the fore with her tale of teenage bloodlust. It's love at first bite and Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) and the OC with fangs stylings will have it's youthful audience swooning. The inherent sensual tensions and lustful yearnings are nicely played by the leads although Pattinson's awkward opening scenes did raise many a unintended titter at the screening I attended. The filmmakers, however, do seem more intent on concentrating on the romantic aspects of the storyline, this is more Pretty in Pink than the Horror of Dracula, so the nocturnal activities of these MTV Nosferatu's seem like a tagged on afterthought. It's almost a shame they used the 'V' word at all. At least then your average cinema goer can leave their expectations, and fake fangs, at the door. To hear my review tune in tonight at 6pm.

Quantum of Solace - Sydney Premiere

As dark storm clouds loom and the heavens open, nothing can dampen the spirits of the hundreds of Bond fans gathered at the Hoyts cinema deep in the heart of Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter. The city is awash with Hollywood talent this week, Ben Stiller and Chris Rock are attending the premiere of Madagascar 2 and Aussie royalty Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman will be strutting their stuff down the red carpet for the world premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s long awaited Australia but for those in the know, all eyes are on the world’s most famous spy and the Australian premiere of Quantum of Solace. The soggy contingent were not disappointed as Daniel Craig, new Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, director Marc Forster and producer Barbara Broccoli posed for photos, pressed flesh, and in Craig’s case signed body parts. If there was any uncertainty that Craig had what it takes to follow Bond’s previous incarnations there is no doubt now judging by the response he was given by his shaken and most definitely stirred fans. I was lucky enough to have a position in the press pit to witness the event and have a chat with some of the stars.

"This was a Bond for our times but I was inspired by those early Bonds,” explains director Forster as he talks about working on the film. “I did a lot of pre production to create the Bond film that I always wanted to see. We took some key moments from the early Bond films and paid homage to them or what I loved about the early Bond films and then added my vision of how I thought the Bond franchise should go forward in the future.” Not that it was only the early Bond films that influenced the helmsman, “I love action movies from the Seventies and the conspiracy thrillers of the Sixties. I also think James Cameron created some great action moments especially in Alien and The Terminator.” At first glance at Forster’s resume, Monster’s Ball and The Kite Runner, he doesn’t look like an obvious choice for a Bond film director, “It’s been an interesting journey. I like switching genres, I wouldn’t like to do these big films all of the time,” although he is rumoured to be taking the directorial reigns on the forthcoming Brad Pitt produced World War Z, “I approached the Bond film more like a character study than anything else. It was all about Daniel and Bond and his character so I tried to approach the big films in almost the same way.” You can certainly begin to see why Broccoli picked Forster to inject new blood to constantly challenge the series and keep every new film fresh. “I treated it more like an independent film, in a sense that I had to work with the Bond framework but still create my own vision which was very important to me.”

“Bond is a sexy man” purrs actress Olga Kurylenko “who has success with women.” Not that her character, Camille, succumbs to the charms of young blue eyes. This isn’t your typical Bond girl. “Well she’s a very different Bond girl. She’s very independent from Bond, she doesn’t really need him. She also not a perfect person, she’s not just a beautiful doll, she’s a real woman. It’s not about the beauty, its not about getting Bond into her bed, I think she is much more real, she’s has her own story.” Camille may seem to have a love hate relationship with Bond but Kurylenko has nothing but praise for her co star, “It was great, he was amazing, he works so hard. He really inspires you. It was a great lesson to watch him in the role of Bond.”

Finally we meet Bond himself and first thoughts are about living up to the Bond legend. This is his second Bond. After the pressures of following Monsieurs Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton and Brosnan… with Casino Royale, how does Craig think Quantum of Solace will go down with audiences? “Well time will tell won’t it?” he grins, “We’re doing well at the moment. I’m very happy with the movie. Mark Forster has crafted a beautiful film so we’ll see, that’s a question for audiences to answer, that’s not my job.” Now with Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace under his belt, "It is very rare to make a movie of this size. It was the chance to be at the top of my game," what does Craig want to bring to melting pot to make his Bond different? “It’s not that I want to make him deeply emotional. It’s just I think it is interesting to find out who he is and what he’s about. I feel it’s much more entertaining, as a movie goer, that’s what I would want to see.” Rest assured that despite this talk of emotional torment, all of the usual Bond trappings are present and correct. When asked Is there any romance left in Bond Craig gives a hint of his devilish grin, “yes,” he says with a glint in his dazzling blue eyes, “of course there is.”

Sex Drive on the radio

It's that time of the week again. At 18:00 tonight I'll be producing Cinemascape on Eastside 89.7 FM. This week the show includes reviews of The Wackness featuring another fabulous performance from Ben Kingsley and veteran French director Claude La Louche's new film Roman de Gare. I'll be reviewing the US teen comedy Sex Drive starring Josh Zuckerman and Amanda Crew and deciding whether the film will become the new American Pie for the Facebook generation. Tune in tonight to find out!

Watchmen in Sydney

Last week proved to be a busy one; the day after my Dying Breed interviews I attended an exclusive preview of 25 minutes of Watchmen introduced by director Zack Snyder. Even after his sterling efforts on the Dawn of the Dead and 300 there has been much consternation amongst the comic book crowd over his placement as helmsman on arguably the most long awaited comic book adaptation of them all, Alan Moore’s Watchmen.

Well he proved to be both the perfect host, and on the strength of the footage we were shown, the perfect choice of director. The attention to detail is breathtaking and the comic book aesthetic created by Moore and artist David Gibbons has been painstakingly recreated, even in the unfinished state we witnessed. He waxed lyrical about each clip he showed us, setting up its position in the film. He even took time out to answer all of the audience’s questions. We started, funnily enough, at the beginning with the first 10 minutes of the film including the extraordinary opening credits showing the superheroes lives through an alternative history that shows the likes of JFK, Andy Warhol, David Bowie and The Village People brushing shoulders with our caped heroes to the dulcet tones of Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are a-Changin. We were also taken on a trip to Mars and witnessed a prison break out. If they are not already; Dr Manhattan, The Comedian, Night-Owl, Ozymandias and Rorschach will be household names come March 2009.

When questioned how the film would sell to the non comic book fanatics out there, he even managed a dig at the Hollywood studios. “Well, Iron Man, Batman and Superman had man in the title which is cool and we do too, sort of,” he laughed, “so we’re gonna go with that for one thing, people are gonna go, ‘Boom, look at that!!!’” he exclaims, “Men…..we should go see that!”

Dying Breed interviews

Last week I was lucky enough to interview Leigh Whannell (Saw) and Nathan Philips (Wolf Creek) about their work in the new Australian horror film Dying Breed. Already in hot water over the film’s promotional poster; Dying Breed has caused quite a stir with its fusion of the Alexander “The Pieman” Pearce legend, the tried and trusted clichés of life in rural Tasmania and bloody cannabalistic grue. The actors obviously enjoyed coming back down under to make a good, old-fashioned gory thriller. Keep posted for news of the interviews publication in Shivers magazine.

Hunger on Cinemascape

Tune in to Eastside 89.7 FM at 6pm tonight if you are in Sydney to hear me appear on the Cinemascape show. This week I'll be reviewing Steve McQueen's harrowing Hunger; the story of hunger striker Bobby Sands and his life incarcerated in the 'H' Block of the Maze Prison in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The film is a stunning piece of work; emotionally draining, beautifully shot, defiantly political and fantastically played by all of the cast, in particular Michael Fassbinder as Sands. McQueen has taken his back ground in art and used his visual aesthetic to create one of the finest examples of cinema in recent years. A masterpiece and a must see. Listen in to hear my full review.

Rocknrolla on Air!

Anyone in the Sydney area who tuned into Eastside 89.7 FM last Friday at 6pm would have heard me produce the Cinemascape show. I reviewed Guy Ritchie's Rocknrolla and the program also featured discussion on Choke starring Sam Rockwell and Mirrors, the new horror film by Alexandre Aja starring Kiefer Sutherland.

Interview with Crispin Glover

A couple of weeks ago Crispin Glover arrived in Sydney for two evenings of book readings, signings and screenings of his two films What is It? and It is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE! at the Chauvel Cinema. I was lucky enough to interview the actor about his life and films. Here is a taster of our chat.

What was your inspiration for your films What is It? and It is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE! I have heard mention of the films of Alejandro Jodorowsky?

There are four filmmakers that I was very consciously thinking a lot about while I was making What is it? These four were Luis Buñuel, Werner Herzog, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Stanley Kubrick. That is not to say there are no other filmmakers that I thought about as I am sure there were, but those four very much. I should also mention that David Lynch had agreed years ago to executive produce what will now be part three of the “IT” trilogy entitled IT IS MINE. So he also was very important in this trilogy of films and I am very grateful to him for that. On top of which Eraserhead was an extremely important film to me when I was 16 years old and I still hold that film in the highest regard.

Of all the directors you have worked with who did you learn from when making your own films?

I have enjoyed working with many directors such as David Lynch, Milos Forman, Oliver Stone, and Lasse Hallstrom, Jim Jarmusch. I always watch how directors I admire work and glean what I can from them and I have seen many other directors not listed do interesting things as well. But I certainly have learned things from watching directors that are not as renowned as the above and I have worked with directors who I will not mention by name that I have seen clearly making mistakes. I hope to have learned of things not to do from those directors not mentioned.

You’ve worked with David Lynch twice now, on Wild at Heart and Hotel Room, what was he like as an actor’s director?

David Lynch is the most specific director I have worked with in terms of psychological underpinnings of a character. This to me is the most important thing and so he a therefore a great actors director!

Did you have much input into the character of Cousin Dell?

I did, but that performance is probably the most specifically directed performance by a director I have performed, and because it was directed by such an excellent director it is one of my favourite performances of myself and I get a lot of compliments on it.

You have made a couple of excursions into the horror genre with Willard and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and have now returned to the genre with Wizard of Gore, do you enjoy horror films?

As a viewer I do not seek out the horror genre. As a performer sometimes the roles are very enjoyable roles to play. I enjoyed playing both Willard and Montag the Magnificent in the Wizard of Gore.

What was Friday the 13th like to film, especially your death scene?

I knew that in the future there would be some humor in having appeared in that film. I did not know it would have as much of a following as it still does. I remember working with Tom Savini and acting in reverse for the effect of having my face hacked with a cleaver. The cleaver was shaped like my face and pulled out. In the film it is played back in reverse. I have used reverse shots a lot in my own films for various reasons. It can be very helpful.

I loved the video to Ben, was there ever any doubt that you would rerecord the track? Do you know what Michael Jackson thinks of your version?

I do not know if Michael Jackson has heard my version of the song or not. I have not met him. The way my singing the song came about was from discussing it with Glenn Morgan the writer/director of the film. I think he sort of mentioned it in passing, but I still do not know how much he meant it at the time, but I had a record out years before called “The Big Problem ≠ The Solution. The Solution = Let It Be. I thought it was something that could work and I ended up producing the song with one of the producers from that record.

What was it like playing Andy Warhol in Oliver Stone’s The Doors?

I met and spoke with Andy Warhol at the wedding of Madonna and Sean Penn. It was right after Back to the Future had come out which he had apparently seen. I did not speak with him for so long but definitely enough to get an idea about him. He was quite nice to me. I stood back and looked at him and watched how he held himself and thought he would be an interesting person to play. I pursued the role when I heard there was an Andy Warhol role in the Doors movie. I had met Oliver Stone previously for Platoon which I was not in, but we had a good meeting and I auditioned for the role and got it. I liked working with him and it was a role which I asked for less lines than were in the script and he was OK with that. I am glad to have played that role.

You are renowned for playing eclectic characters; Layne in Rivers Edge, George McFly in Back to the Future, The Thin Man in Charlie's Angels, what attracts you to these different characters?

I have always enjoyed playing more unusual characters. Now more than me pursuing them they often are roles that are offered to me.

Body of Lies

Later on today at 18.00pm on Eastside 89.7 FM's Cinemascape show I'll be reviewing Ridley Scott's latest thriller Body of Lies starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. Tune in to here my thoughts. The show also features discussion of the Coen brothers Burn After Reading and the new documentary about a choir of senior citizens singing numbers by The Clash and Sonic Youth, Young @ Heart.

News Update

Well I’ve been off the radar for a few weeks after taking some time off to marry my beautiful bride Milli so here’s a round up of the last month or so.

Shivers Magazine featured my set reports on The Ruins and I’m presently writing up a large feature on Australian Exploitation cinema tying in with the recent release of Not Quite Hollywood. I'll also be reporting on Mark Hartley's fantastic documentary for Cinema Retro.

Talking of The Ruins, The latest Filmink features my interview with actress Jena Malone following last months preview from the set of Acolytes.

Smoke & Mirrors latest issue features my interviews with the Double Negative FX team on Guileramo Del Tor’s Hellboy II: The Golden Army and the next issue includes my interview with Keanu Reeves discussing his career, Street Kings and the forthcoming remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still.

Drum Media has featured my interview with Benjamin Gibson; the creative force and ambulance medic turned director of Son of a Lion, a preview of the recent Sydney Underground Film Festival.

I have also recently interviewed Crispin Glover about the Sydney screenings of his two directorial efforts What Is It? and It is Fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE. We also discussed his work in Wild at Heart, Friday the 13^th Part 4: The Final Chapter, Willard and his love of Werner Herzog.

As always my DVD reviews are online on www.cinephilia.net.au and www.digital-retribution.com and check out www.frightfest.co.uk for my Dave Down Under blog.