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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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"The Bachelor"/ "Lo Scapolo", Dir: Antonio Pietrangeli, 1955
I came across his 1955 "Commedia All'Italiana" film starring Alberto Sordi, an actor most associated with the genre...
Ravi Swami
May 29, 20213 min read
"The Invisible Man v The Human Fly", Dir: Mitsuo Murayama, 1957
Available to view on Amazon Prime, "The Invisible Man v The Human Fly", directed by Mitsuo Murayama and produced by the Daiei company...
Ravi Swami
May 24, 20215 min read
"Les Amants", Dir: Louis Malle, 1958 & "Adua and Her Friends", Dir: Antonio Pietrangeli, 1960
There's nothing particularly thematic to connect these two films that I watched recently, one on BFI Player and the other via Amazon Prime..
Ravi Swami
May 23, 20219 min read
"The Magnificent Cuckold", Dir: Antonio Pietrangeli, 1964
It's probably fair to say that I've become a little addicted to "Commedia Al'Italiana" as I discover the vast output of the genre..
Ravi Swami
May 19, 20213 min read
"Touchez Pas Au Grisbi", Dir: Jacques Becker, 1954
All becomes a little clearer with the English title of "Hands Off The Loot", which is a loose translation...
Ravi Swami
May 13, 20214 min read
"La Bella Di Lodi" / "The Girl From Lodi", Dir: Mario Missiroli, 1963
This time Sandrelli is cast as "Roberta", a young go-getter from a wealthy family with interests in agriculture and real estate...
Ravi Swami
May 11, 20215 min read
"The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension", Dir: W.D Richter, 1984
"Buckaroo Banzai" is definitely very odd - the titular character played by Peter Weller is of mixed American Japanese heritage..
Ravi Swami
May 4, 20216 min read
"Cairo Station", Dir: Youssef Chahine, 1958
Youssef Chahine's "Cairo Station" could be described as a film noir since it involves a murder..
Ravi Swami
Apr 30, 20217 min read
"Branded To Kill", Dir: Seijun Suzuki, 1967
Japanese director Seijun Suzuki's 1967 "Yakuza" film, "Branded to Kill" reunites him with the iconic surgically enhanced Joe Shishido..
Ravi Swami
Apr 23, 20214 min read
"Porco Rosso", Dir: Hayao Miyazaki, 1992
Although I've been aware of Hayao Miyazaki's 1992 film "Porco Rosso" (Trans: "The Crimson Pig") since the early 90's..
Ravi Swami
Apr 12, 20214 min read
"Gushing Prayer-A 15 Year Old Prostitute", Dir Masao Adachi, 1971
I had doubts about posting a review of a film that is, on the face of it, a piece of soft-core pornography in the Japanese "Pink Film" genre
Ravi Swami
Apr 12, 20213 min read
A Duo of Rohmer Shorts, 1962, 1964
Currently curated on Criterion Channel is a series of early formative Éric Rohmer shorts and I find myself irresistibly drawn to his films..
Ravi Swami
Apr 12, 20213 min read
A Pair Of Shorts - Martin Scorcese & Chantal Akerman, 1974 , 1968
Tucked away in amongst a series of shorts on the theme of films made in a single location...
Ravi Swami
Apr 11, 20213 min read
"Godzilla V Kong", Dir: Adam Wingard, 2021
Giant monster films...you either love 'em or hate 'em, there doesn't appear to be a middle ground for them in terms of taste in cinema.
Ravi Swami
Apr 2, 20215 min read
"Continuez Sur Le Khyber", Dir: Gerald Thomas, 1968
J’ai eu le grand plaisir de voir le dernier chef-d’œuvre cinématographique de M.Gerald Thomas, "Carry On Up The Khyber"..
Ravi Swami
Apr 1, 20212 min read
"Making The Day", Dir: Michael Canzionero, 2021
Broadly speaking it's a film about filming, in this case an independent film mounted by its' writer/director, "Nick Fazzio"..
Ravi Swami
Mar 31, 20215 min read
"Il Bidone"- with commentary, Dir:Federico Fellini, 1955
That said, I watched "Il Bidone" - a film that could best be described as the least "Fellini-esque" of his work...
Ravi Swami
Mar 31, 20215 min read
"Tom & Jerry", Dir: Tim Story, 2021
Where "Tom & Jerry", directed by Tim Story - a director I know little about - is concerned, I watched it primarily because I know personally
Ravi Swami
Mar 26, 20214 min read
"Stranger From Venus", Dir: Burt Balaban, 1954
"Stranger From Venus" represents my occasional deep dive into "B" movies that can turn up unexpectedly on streamings services..
Ravi Swami
Mar 25, 20214 min read
"Ieri Oggi Domani", Dir: Vittorio De Sica, 1963
Outside of Italy, Sophia Loren tends to be more well-known for a number of blousy, big-budget Hollywood films..
Ravi Swami
Mar 23, 20216 min read
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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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London, United Kingdom
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