212. American … What?
Beauty, Gangster, Hustle, Psycho, Sniper. With so many films using “American” in their title, is the appellation losing its significance?
Tag Archives: Psycho
204. The Most Influential Films Ever Made – Part Two
The films that really changed the course of cinema are often ones few people have seen.
173. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
How do you make a film about a character who can neither move nor speak, but can only blink his left eye?
172. The War of the Roses
Divorce is traumatic enough we hardly need to laugh at it. But this deliciously dark comedy brought career highs from all involved.
American Trailers
This extended video-essay charts the development and possible future of the America movie trailer. Beginning in 1912, taking in the coming of television and suggesting where it might go in the age of the internet.
137. Fatal Attraction
Earning 5 Oscar nominations and $600m around the globe, the success (and controversy) of Fatal Attraction should be squarely laid at the feet of its producers.
121. Gone Girl
Adapted from Gillian Flynn’s best-selling thriller, David Fincher’s film keeps its most surprising twist until the final shot. And it’s not what you think.
116. Fight Club
When it was released, Fight Club was rubbished by critics and rejected by audiences. Now it’s regarded as a masterpiece. So what changed people’s minds?
113. The Crying Game
Neil Jordan won an Oscar for his script, but only after every studio had turned him down saying his story was uncommercial, offensive and the characters unsympathetic.
90. Halloween
Producer Irwin Yablans originally called it The Baby-Sitter Murders, and put up $325,000. Under John Carpenter’s direction, Halloween made over $70m.
64. James Bond & the Art of the Set-Piece
007 is more than just dry martinis, guns, gadgets and product placement. His best contribution to cinema is the Set-Piece.
The Silence of the Lambs
This video-essay on Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs examines the phenomenon of looking and shows how central it is to the horror genre.
19. Trailers
The first trailer dates from 1912 and ever since then, they have been carefully refined to make sure that they attract the right audience.
12. Dirty Harry
‘Dirty Harry and the homicidal maniac. Harry’s the one with the badge.’ With a tag-line like that, no wonder the film has been the subject of controversy.
1. Credits
Credits used to simply announce the names of those involved. But then someone came up with the idea of making them part of the story itself.
