Friday 25 September 2009

(500) Films OF Empire - Day 10

I like to start the day by getting up early and watching a quick 90 minute film before heading to work.


448 - A History Of Violence – 4 stars

And nothing like a splattering of ultra violence to kick start your day. One of the best graphic novel adaptations, benefitting from restrained direction from Cronenberg (no fly puking here).  Viggo proves he is much more than just Aragorn from LOTR.  There is one moment in particular, when he has a look on his face, where Tom Stall disappears and Joey is revealed and it's a terrific piece of acting (that or Viggo is a complete psychopath!).


216 – Sunday Bloody Sunday – 2 stars

Another disc from Lovefilm awaited me when I got home.  Knew nothing about the film but the title reminded me of Alan Patridge saying “you know the feeling, you get up in the morning and think Sunday, bloody Sunday”.

The plot is that during the economic downturn on the seventies a man and a woman are both seeing the same young man, with all three aware of the situation.  However eventually someone ends up getting hurt.  You could remake this film today as an episode of the Jeremy Kyle show!

Interesting to see a movie from that era dealing with the homosexuality in such a non-sensationalist manner.

Perhaps it's the MTV generation part of me, but I did find it a little slow and full of odd little touches; a young June Brown (Dot Cotton), in the early seventies it was acceptable for children of five to smoke pot, a dog gets run over and no one gives a crap and Peter Finch addressing the camera at the end feels out of place.

BAFTA gave it Best Film in 1971, must have been a quiet year.

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