Director – Karel Zeman – 1958 – Czechoslovakia – Cert. U – 82m ***** Blu-ray/DVD available from Second Run. Review originally written as an entry for the Aurum Film Encyclopedia: War (series editor: Phil Hardy). Sadly, the book was never published. Vynález Zkázy aka Invention For Destruction, The Invention Of Destruction, The Deadly Invention, The […]
Director – Karel Zeman – 1955 – Czechoslovakia – Cert. PG – 86m ***** Blu-ray/DVD available from Second Run. I’ve written about the pioneering Czech director Karel Zeman in these pages before regarding his 1961 film The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (BD/DVD, cert U, 85 mins). The latest of his works to see a release in […]
Director – Peter Jackson – 2003 (2002) – New Zealand – Cert. 12a – 225m ***** (NB Extended Edition, in cinemas from Monday, July 27th 2020, 235m in cinemas due to extended frame rate = 225m version released on DVD 2004. Original theatrical cut: 199m) This always had the problem that it’s the second film […]
There’s nothing else quite like the filmography of stop-frame animator and special effects maestro Ray Harryhausen (1920-2013). A new book, Harryhausen The Lost Movies, is an undeniable treasure trove for those familiar with his films, which include such gems as Jason and the Argonauts and One Million Years B.C. and incorporate fantastical, stop-frame animated creatures and […]
Director – Peter Jackson – 2003 – New Zealand – Cert. 12a – 201m ***** (NB Extended Edition, in cinemas July 2020, 252m version released on DVD 2004) This review was originally published in What’s On In London. A much longer review appeared in Third Way. A pre-screening article on The Lord Of The Rings […]