Blood Simple

The Coen bros.' first film. I haven't seen it, but the reviews seem promising;

When a bar owner discovers that one of his employees is having an affair with his wife, a complex web of deceit and double crosses ensues in a small Texas town. The Coen brothers' first picture is an intricately plotted film noir filled with surprises at each turn. The cast, largely unkown at the time, includes Dan Hedaya as the cuckolded bar owner, Frances McDormand as the cheating wife, John Getz as the adultering bartender, and the fabulously creepy M. Emmett Walsh as the slimy, sweaty private detective who should not be trusted. The film is a marvel to experience; director of photography Barry Sonnenfeld has created stunning compositions filled with open spaces, and the sound--from the slightest footsteps or dripping water to a sudden shotgun blast--reverberates ominously, as if it is a character unto itself. Directed by Joel Coen and cowritten by Joel and his brother Ethan, BLOOD SIMPLE is an eerie testament to the limitless possibilities of low-budget filmmaking.


http://www.lovefilm.com/product/2867-Blood-Simple.html

La Vita e Bella (Life is Beautiful)

Director: Roberto Benigni
Writers: Vincenzo Cerami (story) &
Roberto Benigni (story)
Release Date: 12 February 1999 (UK)
Language: Italian

A must-see heart-warming comedy about life in Italy before and during the holocaust.

In 1930s Italy, a carefree Jewish book keeper named Guido starts a fairy tale life by courting and marrying a lovely woman from a nearby city. Guido and his wife have a son and live happily together until the rise of facism in Italy.

Irreversible

Director: Gaspar Noe
Language: French

Not for the feint-hearted, a memorably disturbing film with a fantastic industrial soundtrack.

Events over the course of one traumatic night in Paris unfold in reverse-chronological order. A simultaneously beautiful and terrible examination of the destructive nature of cause and effect, and how time destroys everything.

El Topo & The Holy Mountain

Jodorowsky Season

My choice of the week should probably be the films of Alejandro Jodorowsky.

El Topo
Director: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Language: Spanish

Beginning with the 1970 Cult Classic "El Topo", championed by John and Yoko at the time of its release, this film established Jodorowsky as the 'King of Midnight Cinema'.

This film has clearly been a big inspiration to many film makers since, in spite of the fact that due to Jodorowsky falling out with his Producer in 1975, the film was unavailable commercially for 30 years (along with the much - loved Jodorowsky film 'The Holy Mountain')

The Holy Mountain
Director: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Language: English

Following "El Topo" can only be "The Holy Mountain", which many regard as Jodorowsky's best film, and possibly also his most influential film. Apparently influenced by absurdist and surrealist theatre, religion and the politics of the time, "The Holy Mountain" follows a spiritual journey based upon the tarot.

The character of the thief introduced to us at the beginning of the film starts his journey as the fool, living in a state of chaos, free from control and wandering aimlessly. Along his journey to enlightenment, he meets an alchemist who teaches him how to make gold from his own shit before introducing the thief to a band of other thieves with the intention of stealing immortality from the enlightened masters on the holy mountain of the title. Ultimately leading to the completion of the cycle of the tarot as the characters become one with the world.

Always keen on images that are unusual and stick in the mind, "The Holy Mountain" doesn't disappoint in this regard with a non-stop barrage of striking imagery.

Also available for the Jodorowsky season (on request) are: Fando Y Lis (1968) and Santa Sangre (1989). I would like to get hold of "The Rainbow Thief" also by Jodorowsky, but haven't sourced a copy yet.

Jodorowsky is currently making a film called "King Shot" part-funded by Marylin Manson and Nick Nolte (who will of course demand roles) due for release next year.

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Directed by Russ Meyer
Produced by Russ Meyer
Written by Jack Moran, Russ Meyer
Starring Tura Satana, Haji, Lori Williams, Susan Bernard
Music by Paul Sawtell
Cinematography Walter Schenk
Editing by Russ Meyer
Release date(s) 1965
Running time 83 min.
Country USA
Language English
All Movie Guide profile

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! is my second choice for HBFC grande openin. It is a 1965 film that was directed by Russ Meyer, who also wrote the script, together with Jack Moran. It stars Tura Satana, Haji, and Lori Williams.

The film features gratuitous violence, sexuality, provocative gender roles, and campy dialogue. It has become a cult film favorite and has been widely referred to in pop culture.

It is one of Meyer's more provocatively titled and explicitly exploitative films, yet unlike most of his films it does not contain explicit nudity.

A possible remake is in talks with Quentin Tarantino, an outspoken fan of the original film, to direct with Kim Kardashian, Eva Mendes, and Britney Spears as the trio.[1] Lead actress Tura Satana has recently stated that she feels none of Tarantino's choices are remotely suitable for portraying Varla.

Shawshank Redemption

Hello this is my first choice for 5th april or whenever please use comments to say if you've seen, would see again, agree or disagree with choice review etc....

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) is an impressive, engrossing piece of film-making from director/screenwriter Frank Darabont who adapted horror master Stephen King's 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (first published in Different Seasons) for his first feature film. The inspirational, life-affirming and uplifting, old-fashioned style Hollywood product (resembling The Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) and Cool Hand Luke (1967)) is a combination prison/dramatic film and character study. The popular film is abetted by the golden cinematography of Roger Deakins, a touching score by Thomas Newman, and a third imposing character - Maine's oppressive Shawshank State Prison (actually the transformed, condemned Mansfield Ohio Correctional Institution or State Reformatory).
Posters for the film illustrate the liberating, redemptive power of hope and the religious themes of freedom and resurrection, with the words: "Fear can hold you prisoner, Hope can set you free." Darabont's film is a patiently-told, allegorical tale (unfolding like a long-played, sometimes painstaking, persistent chess game) of friendship, patience, hope, survival, emancipation, and ultimate redemption and salvation by the time of the film's finale.

It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Morgan Freeman), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Sound - but it failed to win a single Oscar. And the film's director failed to receive a nomination for himself! In the same year as Forrest Gump, Pulp Fiction, and Speed, they received all of the attention. Only through positive word-of-mouth (following cable TV and broadcast airings, and then video releases) did the film do well - although its original reception at the box-office was lukewarm. The film was the precursor for another inspirational and popular film (and a similar adaptation of a Stephen King story by writer/director Frank Darabont) - The Green Mile (1999).

The HBFC is here!

Ladies and Gentlemen "The High Brooms Film Club" has landed.
Popcorn will be avialable and a free complimentary beer courtesy of our sponsors Loob'n'Lidl Ltd.Prepare yourself to gasp as awesome vistas open up to you on the all new upgraded Film Fuhrer MkII screen. Gape in disbelief at the wondrous technical wizardry of the Bendatronics special effects tech team (guaranteed absofarkintruly no down time) Gag at the endless, endless screening possibilities on offer from the amazing DanLoader UnLtd. Quake as you peruse stunningly superfluous yet mindnumbingly magnificent(Ph)Art Films from the PerusePerou team. Gibber in disbelief as cinemagic beams refract through smoke effect clouds. Orgasm as once again the mighty Jeeves answers your most complex celluloid queries. Spontaniously combust with Captain Clegg as he yoghurt weaves his psychedelic head puppet shadow show then fuck off completely satiated and die humbled in the knowledge that film clubs just cant get any better than this!!!

High Brooms Film Club?

Hello,

This blog I hope will be used by the cinema enthusiasts (hereto Etherites) getting involved in the "High Brooms Film Club" (HBFC) for posting their film choices for upcoming screenings thru the ether. Due to the inevitable differences of opinion I suggest to get your film a definite entry for screening an effort to elucidate the why behind your choice is forwarded here. Perhaps we can then vote (possibly anonymously) here on inclusion into the 'screening Pot' which can then go to become the programme for the 'Etherings' ahead.

Timetabling a slot for the really out there stuff might be a good idea, but fellows of the ether, please do consider the HBFC as a place for mutual EnterTainmEnt capital E (estimated) capital T (time) capital E of (enthrallment) and not just as a showcase for ones arty credz... Anyone commenting about me being a Film Fascist will of course be be instantly bound gagged and forced to watch back to back episodes of Red Dwarf!!!

Well lets see if any one bothers in particular me!

PS. who knows this might become a place other Etherite stumble across so it would be nice if we or indeed they comment/critique on what will hopefully be an interesting list of cult or at the very least farkin good filmz blah blah blah.

Remember if it ain't projected through the ether it ain't cinemagic!

Neli x