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Locked-Down Cinema
Film reviews of all the films I should have seen but didn't...
What do you do if you receive a Christmas present that is a membership to the British Film Institute when there's a pandemic on...?
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"Peking Man", Dir: Meng Hua Ho, 1977
As oddities go, you can't get odder than "Peking Man" ("The Mighty Peking Man" / "Goliathon" in the U.S) from the renowned Shaw Bros studio.
Ravi Swami
Dec 20, 20215 min read
46 views
0 comments
"Summit of The Gods" & "Tokyo Godfathers", Dir: Patrick Imbert, 2021, Dir: Satoshi Kon, 2003
Two films that fall under the blanket term of being "Anime", one French and the other Japanese..
Ravi Swami
Dec 12, 20214 min read
13 views
0 comments
"Harold & Maud", Dir: Hal Ashby, 1971
It also depends on watching a film whose effect might linger until the next morning, as is the case "Harold & Maud"...
Ravi Swami
Dec 12, 20214 min read
18 views
0 comments
A Bit About Biopics...
Love them or hate them, biopics can vary enormously when they invariably focus on cultural "icons"...
Ravi Swami
Nov 28, 20214 min read
24 views
0 comments
"The Snake Girl & The Silver-Haired Witch", Dir: Noriaki Yuasa, 1968
In terms of atmosphere and tone it could have sprung from the hand of Alfred Hitchcock, with it's moodily lit interiors...
Ravi Swami
Nov 14, 20216 min read
24 views
0 comments
"Les Bonnes Femmes", Dir : Claude Chabrol, 1960
I knew of Claude Chabrol as a director of the French New Wave but had not watched any of his films upon to this point...
Ravi Swami
Oct 31, 202110 min read
182 views
0 comments
"Subway" Dir: Luc Besson, 1985
The film opens with a furious breakneck car chase through Paris as Fred is being pursued by the gangster's henchmen..
Ravi Swami
Oct 23, 20216 min read
510 views
0 comments
"Belladonna Of Sadness", Dir: Eiichi Yamamoto, 1973
Controversial, daring, misogynistic, stylish and often deeply disturbing are the words that come to mind after watching the film.
Ravi Swami
Oct 22, 20213 min read
105 views
0 comments
"100 Spook Stories / 100 Monsters", Dir: Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1968
Arrow's title is "100 Spook Stories" (Japanese: Yōkai Hyaku Monogatari) and it is variously titled depending upon the region..
Ravi Swami
Oct 22, 20213 min read
57 views
0 comments
"Drunken Angel", Dir : Akira Kurosawa, 1948
Akira Kurosawa's 1948 film "Drunken Angel" marked the first of several collaborations with the actor Toshiro Mifune..
Ravi Swami
Oct 16, 20214 min read
15 views
0 comments
"La Haine", Dir: Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995
"La Haine" came up as highly recommended on Apple+ as a breakthrough film for its' director, Mathieu Kassovitz, and for the subject matter..
Ravi Swami
Sep 25, 20214 min read
67 views
0 comments
"That Darn Cat", Dir: Robert Stevenson, 1965
Launched with the hugely successful "Pollyanna", Mills soon found herself cast with top billing in a slew of Disney films..
Ravi Swami
Sep 19, 20214 min read
86 views
0 comments
"DaiMajin", Dir: Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1966
The success of "Daimajin" resulted in it being the first in a trilogy, which are all available to view on the Apple TV streamer..
Ravi Swami
Sep 7, 20214 min read
14 views
0 comments
"Zazie Dans Le Metro", Dir: Louis Malle, 1960
Zazie (Catherine Demongeot) herself is a bit of a disfunctional tearaway who wastes no time in trying to explore Paris herself...
Ravi Swami
Sep 6, 20213 min read
12 views
0 comments
"Lucky To Be A Woman", Dir: Alessandro Blasetti, 1956
However, this is really Sophia Loren's film and she is placed center-stage as a street smart young woman...
Ravi Swami
Sep 5, 20213 min read
50 views
0 comments
"Lions Love...& Lies", Dir: Agnes Varda, 1969
Varda used actors who would not normally be cast in Hollywood films and there really is a strong "Withnail & I" comedic vibe...
Ravi Swami
Aug 31, 20215 min read
123 views
0 comments
"Good Neighbor Sam", Dir: David Swift, 1964
There are several of her films available on the streaming service including this Jack Lemmon vehicle...
Ravi Swami
Aug 20, 20214 min read
88 views
0 comments
"Tove", Dir: Zaida Bergroth, 2020
Watching "Tove", a biopic on a formative part of the life of the children's author and creator of the "Moomins", Tove Jansson..
Ravi Swami
Aug 4, 20216 min read
56 views
0 comments
"The Naked City", Dir: Jules Dassin, 1948
I would put it alongside "Lovers and Lollipops" and "The Thief" as examples of films that use the locations of late 1940's and 1950's N.Y..
Ravi Swami
Aug 1, 20213 min read
28 views
0 comments
"La Grande Bouffe", Dir: Marco Ferreri, 1973
I watched Marco Ferrari's 1973 film "La Grande Bouffe" (Eng: "The Blow-Out", though it translates more accurately as "The Big Feast")..
Ravi Swami
Jul 30, 20215 min read
238 views
0 comments
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Thanks for your interest in Lockdown Cinema. For more information, feel free to get in touch and I will get back to you soon! - Ravi
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