A NEW LEAF

We know what you’re thinking: why is STARBURST reviewing a rom-com? But as the more astute of you will notice, it doesn’t star Jennifer Aniston or Matthew McConaughey, meaning this might not be any ordinary rom-com. It might be more accurately described as a black comedy and, as it’s hardly been seen since it flopped at the box office in 1971, it very much qualifies as “cult”. In fact, those who have seen it have been surprisingly vocal about getting it released on Blu-ray for many years, and that’s a good indicator of “cult”. And why have they been so noisy to get it out there? Because this, dear reader, is a gem.

Henry Graham (Walter Matthau) is a playboy with a trust fund and he hasn’t done a day’s work in his life. Unlikable and with no feelings for his fellow man, we feel no sympathy when his accountant (the brilliant William Redfield – you remember him from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) hilariously explains that his insistence at living beyond his means his entire adult life has left him penniless. He briefly considers suicide but his butler (George Rose) convinces him to marry any wealthy heiress that will have him. Henry is horrified until he realises there’d be nothing stopping him murdering his bride as soon as they’re wed. Matthau is in fine form as we cringe at his largely doomed attempts at suitoring until he comes across Henrietta Lowell (Elaine May, who also wrote and directed), a proto-geek botany professor with seemingly no clue as to what is going on around her. Brilliantly, her father was “an industrialist or a composer – something like that”. They marry despite the protestations of her lawyer (because he, like everyone around her, is after her money) and Henry plots her death, impervious to the fact that she worships the ground he walks on to the point of naming a new fern after her husband (the titular new leaf). Can you guess how this is going to end? Let’s just say it’s a painfully “feel good” climax. Yep, it might be black but it’s still a rom-com.

The joy of the film is down to the script and the cast’s performance. Every situation is perfect; when Henry confronts Henrietta’s corrupt staff (because it takes a cynical gold digger to spot a bunch of cynical gold diggers) you actually root for him; when he and his butler follow Henrietta around to remove crumbs (“a light sprinkling, sir”) and labels from her expensive clothes, you can’t help but admire their dedication to keeping up appearances. Henry is so dedicated to maintaining the life of the idle rich that his sheer contemptibility becomes a comic asset. And then there’s that ending. If you come away from this without a smile on your face then you’re bigger sourpusses than we are .

Any flaws? Not really, although Elaine May is probably a bit too glamorous to be 100% convincing as the apparently unattractive Henrietta. Those glasses aren’t fooling anyone. But this is very much her movie and we might even forgive her for Ishtar (1987). But then again, maybe not.

Special Features: The Bluebeard of Happiness (video essay by David Cairns) / 32-page booklet

A NEW LEAF (1971) / CERT: U / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: ELAINE MAY / STARRING: WALTER MATTHAU, ELAINE MAY, JACK WESTON, GEORGE ROSE, JAMES COCO, WILLIAM REDFIELD / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR – THE COMPLETE COLLECTION

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour premiered September 20th, 1962, three months after the conclusion of the seventh and final season of its half-hour forerunner Alfred Hitchcock Presents. In its new incarnation, the show lasted for three seasons with NBC broadcasting the final episode 10th May 1965. Unlike Presents, Hour was a darker series and probably had more in common with the Boris Karloff hosted horror series Thriller.

Versatile in tone and subject matter, its most common theme is how nefarious seemingly respectable people can be. Hitch’s closing skits, in which he reassured the audience that the villain had received their just deserts if the ending of an episode seemed somewhat ambiguous, and saved the show from being scrutinised too closely by the dreaded Standards and Practices, a department that felt duty bound to protect America from the morally reprehensible. It certainly didn’t hurt that, just as with the previous show, Hitchcock’s name was able to entice the big screen stars of the ‘30s and ‘40s such as David Carradine, Lillian Gish, Elsa Lanchester, Jayne Mansfield, Joan Fontaine, and Gloria Swanson to appear. Box office draws of the time also showcased their talents with the likes of Diana Dors, Christopher Lee, James Mason, Vera Miles, Ray Milland, Michael Rennie, Roddy Mcdowell, and Kim Hunter all falling victim, or perpetrating the crimes each week right in the comfort of the viewers living room. And then there was the stars of tomorrow, James Caan, Bruce Dern, a pre-Columbo Peter Falk, Peter Fonda, Walter Koenig (sans Russian accent), Martin Landau, Lee Majors, Robert Redford to name but a few.

I Saw the Whole Thing, was the only episode to be directed by Hitchcock in the entire series, but several well-known contemporary directors cut their celluloid teeth here, most notably Sydney Pollack and William Friedkin. The Alfred Hitchcock Hour also attracted some of the finest genre writers of the time too, writers such as Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson, Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Leigh Brackett, Henry Slesar, Alvin Sargent, and Columbo creators Richard Levinson and William Link.

It has been well documented that The Twilight Zone’s fourth season, which was expanded to sixty minutes, lost much of its plot momentum, and it switched back to its thirty minute running time for its fifth and final season. That’s not the case with The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. Due to the nature of the stories being predominately crime-based the hour format allows each episode to breath, with the crime in question unfolding at a more natural pace, but still allowing for that ‘sting-in-the-tail’ ending that was also synonymous with Presents. Also present and correct is the theme music, Charles Guonod’s Funeral March of the Marionette and another Hitchcock collaborator, Bernard Herrmann, provided his distinctive scores to several episodes.

So how does the series stand-up by today’s standards? Surprisingly well but then what amazingly timeless talent it had working on it. So often these days we hear how *insert current trendy TV hit here, is making a movie every week and there’s a lot of truth in that, but Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Hour were doing just that over half a century ago. Naturally, the language and violence are nothing that audiences are used to today, but they are sophisticated enough to want sharp and compelling storytelling, great acting and something that could look perfectly at home on the big screen. That’s what you get with The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. The picture is razor sharp and of outstanding visual quality, whilst the mono audio soundtrack is as clear as a bell. The episodes range from being deadly dark to humorously macabre, and just watching Hitchcock slyly put down the shows sponsors, as well as his opening and closing skits, is worth the price of admission.

This is an essential purchase for any connoisseur of the golden age of television, and it shows just how subversive and macabre TV could be during what most perceive to be a gentler age.

THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: ALFRED HITCHCOCK, ANNE FRANCIS, GENA ROWLANDS, MICHAEL PARKS, ANGIE DICKINSON / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

TOAST OF LONDON – SERIES THREE

Created by Matt Berry (The IT Crowd, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, The Mighty Boosh) alongside comedy writer Arthur Mathews (Father Ted, Big Train, Brass Eye), Toast Of London follows Steven Toast (played by Berry), an eccentric, womanising, almost-out-of-work actor whose world seems to be constantly filled with a never-ending deluge of problems. From having to cope with the hipsters in charge of the recording studio where Toast partakes in voiceover work between acting jobs, and dealing with his arch rival Ray Purchase (with whose ex-prostitute wife Toast is also having an affair), to finding his way out of larger problems such as the time a potentially world-threatening secret is revealed during a drunken appearance on breakfast television, each instalment serves as a self-contained story that forms a catalogue of tragically comic situations across the six-episode series.

We’ve already mentioned the undeniable pedigree of Toast’s creators and their previous successes in TV-land, but a comedy show is nothing without a stellar cast. Matt Berry is superb as the slightly worn-down but eternally optimistic Steven Toast, with his often-quirky vocal delivery and real-life musical abilities coming into play at various points during each episode. Doon Mackichan (Smack The Pony, Brass Eye) stars as Toast’s prim and proper (and slightly off the wall) agent Jane Plough (pronounced ‘Pluff’), with Harry Peacock (son of Trevor, The Vicar Of Dibley’s Jim “No No No No No No No No… Yes” Trott) camping it up as Toast’s nemesis Ray Purchase. Throw in some unexpected guest stars and cameos from Peter ‘Doctor Who’ Davison (and his foul-mouthed council estate girlfriend) and Mad Men‘s Jon Hamm (who Toast spends an entire episode falling in love with) among others, it’s a wonderful ensemble that ensures each episode offers something different to the last.

In an era of ‘safe’ comedies such as Miranda and Citizen Khan, the delightfully absurd surrealism of Toast of London feels like a breath of fresh air. Having now reached its third series, you might almost expect the premise of the show to start wearing a little thin, but thanks to the imagination, creativity and, in the nicest possible way, silliness of its creators and cast, each episode of Toast manages to be consistently amusing. Occasional jokes might not quite hit their intended marks, and it’s possible that some viewers might not take too well to some of the language and bawdiness (prepare yourself for a couple of C-bombs, if you’re sensitive to that kind of thing), but there’s always something ridiculous waiting just around the corner to raise a smile.

This DVD release also adds a few extra bits and pieces which fans of the series are sure to enjoy. A near 20-minute interview with Matt Berry discussing the music of Toast is a highlight, and there is almost half an hour of behind the scenes footage filmed with various members of the cast and crew. Add in a few out-takes, a deleted scene (just the one, sadly), photos, and storyboards, and you end up with a package that no fan of the show (or fan of this type of comedy) should be without.

TOAST OF LONDON – SERIES THREE / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: MICHAEL CUMMING / SCREENPLAY: MATT BERRY, ARTHUR MATHEWS / STARRING: MATT BERRY, ROBERT BATHURST, DOON MACKICHAN, HARRY PEACOCK, TRACY ANN OBERMAN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW


 

JEKYLL AND HYDE: SEASON 1

The latest horror classic to be revitalised for the 21st century, Jekyll and Hyde is set during 1930s London where Robert Jekyll, having moved from Ceylon, is trying to uncover the secrets from his past. However, he’s inherited the curse of his grandfather in which, when angered or in danger, he undertakes a twisted transformation into the powerful, yet unhinged Hyde. As Jekyll tries to find the answers and search for a cure for his condition, he is continuously drawn deep down into Hyde’s world of monstrous creatures and freaks of nature. This show is basically a reimagining of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel, having a Hammer Horror-style theme and tone about it, as well as bearing a similar style and flair to Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies.

On the one hand, it appears to be aiming for a family audience in the manner of Doctor Who, yet it’s a show that falls awkwardly between two stools: too creepy and intense for younger viewers who’d love its sense of adventure, too pantomimey for older viewers more interested in full-blooded horror. In the end, it can become occasionally messy as a result, however, it is much more enjoyable than one can possibly imagine. It’s true that its relation to the literary novel is probably passing at very best, but it has a unique design quality about it, having a gothic aesthetic that entirely befits the movie, right down to the fog-bound streets of 1930s London. Of course, the story of Jekyll and Hyde is on that cusp of thriller and horror, almost in the same way that giallo films were made when they started out. As the series goes on, we see more monsters and demons making an appearance, which is trying to relate to the Doctor Who or Hammer Horror aspect of its target audience, and the creatures are creative, if at times unoriginal.

Newcomer, Tom Bateman was completely engaging in his dual role as Jekyll and Hyde; in both parts, he manages to display his full acting range, going from compassionate to maniacal continuously. If anything, it was a pure showcase of Bateman’s acting talents, even if his performance as Hyde was somewhat camp. In fact, nearly all the actors’ performances were somewhat campy (we’re talking row of pink tents level of camp here), but if anything, this works well with the overall charm of the series. Each actor brings something new and unexpected to the show, thanks to the likes of Natalie Gumede, Donald Sumpter, or Christian McKay. The real standout, unsurprisingly, has to be Richard E. Grant, who brings real deadpan quality to the role of the head of Military Intelligence Other (MIO) – tasked with keeping monsters under control and under wraps – as well as still managing to being wonderfully louche, magnetic and sparky in both his delivery and mannerisms. Other standouts include Natasha O’Keeffe taking wing as a wickedly arch (and drop-dead sexy) femme fatale, and Wallis Day, who becomes an important part in the final three episodes, yet gives an incredibly gutsy performance that sees her as a rising talent to watch out for.

In the end, Jekyll and Hyde is a consistently entertaining romp, which does indeed struggle to find its tone. It is tonally all over the place, and as a result of that, it’s also struggling to find its target audience. There are strong positives to it with its selection of charming performances, the show’s rich sense of style and flair and the action/adventure sequences are indeed action-packed. Jekyll and Hyde is interesting and fun up to a point, and if showrunner Charlie Higson manages to iron out the creaks and bumps in the road, then this show might have legs. Sure it’s flawed fun, but it’s still fun nonetheless.

JEKYLL AND HYDE: SEASON 1 / CERT: 12 / SHOWRUNNER: CHARLE HIGSON / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: TOM BATEMAN, RICHARD E. GRANT, NATALIE GUMEDE, DONALD SUMPTER, CHRISTIAN MCKAY / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

NO ESCAPE

A simple yet terrifyingly believable and relevant story; performances that capture the sheer terror of the situation; direction that places you at the centre of an unfolding crisis: No Escape is a truly exhausting viewing experience. It’s also fantastically enthralling.

Hours after landing in an unnamed South Asia country that is to be their new home, Jack (Owen Wilson) and Annie (Lake Bell), along with their two young daughters, find themselves in the midst of a revolution. Armed rebels are patrolling the streets and attacking anyone who they perceive to be the enemy, with special, fatal attention being paid to any foreigners. One way or another Jack and his family must find a way out.

After an opening fifteen minutes with some fairly sedate scene setting, No Escape sets off at a hurricane-like pace that doesn’t let up until the final few moments. Disturbing, uncomfortable but utterly engaging throughout, this is a film that contains more squirm-inducing, hold-your-breath scenes than you will find at an entire horror festival. This, combined with an emotional rawness that is strangely relatable despite how extreme the situation may be, makes the film reluctantly entertaining and unbearably watchable.

Director John Erick Dowdle has a background in making films at the better end of the found footage spectrum, and this style of direction clearly influenced his work on No Escape. Filmed using hand held cameras, Dowdle places the audience in the middle of the action and creates a sense of fearful mystery as you experience events in real time with the family. The performances in that central unit are superb, with both Wilson and Bell captivating, but it is the two young girls that deserve most credit. Sterling Jerins and Claire Geare have fear etched so deeply into their innocent expressions that you have to remind yourself this is only acting. With Pierce Brosnan making an impressive, if slightly exposition-heavy appearance as a shadowy government agent, this is an ensemble cast without weakness.

It is difficult to satisfactorily convey just how suspenseful this film is. Taking inspiration from John Carpenter’s classic Escape from New York and Oliver Stone’s Salvador, No Escape manages to surpass both in delivering gruelling tension. This isn’t a film to watch repeatedly, but it is certainly one you should watch a least once.

NO ESCAPE / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JOHN ERICK DOWDLE / SCREENPLAY: JOHN ERICK DOWDLE, DREW DOWDLE / STARRING: OWEN WILSON, LAKE BELL, PIERCE BROSNAN, STERLING JERINS, CLAIRE GEARE / RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 11TH

 

THE ANGRY SILENCE

Black-and-white crime dramas from the British New Wave movement – there’s something so intoxicating about these films that they almost bear a transcendent quality that puts them above being merely ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Almost is to be emphasised, however, as The Angry Silence is a powerful film for sure, but a film that sometimes struggles to channel its power in the right directions.

The Angry Silence, based on true events, is the story of how Tom Curtis (portrayed by a mellow, post-Brighton Rock Richard Attenborough) becomes unexpectedly caught in a web of deceit, violence and treachery as he remains one of the few employees of a factory who refuses to go on an unofficial strike. What Tom himself describes as a ”storm in a teacup” over ensuring stronger safety measures in the factory where he works spirals out of control into a taught, twisted drama of morale, survival, and friendship.

Guy Green’s movie is bookended with tension, but it’s a film that builds and builds on that tension until everything spills over. Unfortunately, when it does spill over, things become somewhat melodramatic. Throughout the film, Tom’s victimisation from his co-workers becomes grimmer and grimmer, but its climax, involving Tom losing an eye, feels jarring and out of place in the film’s guttural realism and upsets the otherwise perfect delivery of the film.

In almost every other aspect though, The Angry Silence is an essential watch. Attenborough gives a metamorphic performance that snuggles neatly with the film’s rising unease. He opens the film as an easy-going, unassuming individual, and closes as a tortured human being, broken beyond repair. Director Green paints a sublime picture of the world Tom must endure, piecing together a sumptuous rogues’ gallery of working-class individuals who conspire against Tom for a whole variety of reasons, ranging from the personal to the corporate.

That rogue’s gallery includes New Wave stalwart Michael Craig, who also lends a hand in providing the film’s script. He, Richard Gregson, and The Stepford Wives director Bryan Forbes create a masterclass in pace and performance. Even with that clunky climax, The Angry Silence is a sinewy glimpse into the darkest recesses of working-class life in Britain, and its straight-faced script, unfolding from calmness to the volatile, does the set-up justice.

The Angry Silence is an often riveting slice of semi-kitchen sink realism, but it becomes hampered by its own crumbling into melodrama. The melodrama itself may be brief, but its positioning as the finale makes that melodrama all the more noticeable. So much of The Angry Silence works, without a doubt, but the film also reminds us that this movement in British cinema wasn’t as transcendent as history might like us to believe.

THE ANGRY SILENCE / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: GUY GREEN / SCREENPLAY: RICHARD GREGSON, MICHAEL CRAIG, BRYAN FORBERS / STARRING: RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH, PIER ANGELI, MICHAEL CRAIG, BERNARD LEE / RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 4TH

 

HIDAMARI SKETCH: SERIES 1 COLLECTION

So the saying goes that you should never judge a book by its cover. The same can be said of animation, at least in the sense that moving pictures don’t always paint the best impression. And so it is with the quirky, slice-of-life outing Hidamri Sketch. The animation style is drawn from Ume Aoki’s four-panel strip and animated by talented weird-mongers, Shaft.

Initially, it looks more like a stilted webtoon, with awkward movements, a questionable resolution and a Spartan approach to details. A few episodes in and the series reveals the depth of its intention. It retains its starkness, but it’s altogether a warmer affair, with Shaft at their most subtle. The animation itself is descriptive, revealing elements of the characters with repeating themes and motifs.

A few minutes into the first episode and the similarities with Lucky Star are evident. Both originally aired in 2007, with only a viewing season to separate. The trajectory of both series openers is much the same, and end up with conversations about food. The difference is that Hidamari Sketch uses inserts of real-life food and objects. The effect is uncanny, but after acclimatising, it adds a hysterical effect.

As ever, a slice-of-life series is only as good as its characters. Fortunately, Hidamari Sketch boasts an endearing foursome, and kooky supporting characters. Main girl Yuno closes each episode monologuing from her bathtub. She’s the short-haired ditz, with a heart of gold and playing up the moé factor. Miya, on the other hand, is bolshie and hyperactive, forever hungry and fanatical about food. This provides an interesting counterpoint to Hiro, whose obsession with her weight, despite her petite figure, rings startlingly true with real life. The group is topped off by Sae, an author marked by her quiet and bashful nature. Between them, they share many common archetypes, yet the familiarity is more like spending time with a friend.

Hidamari Sketch is a year in the life of the girls of one nondescript apartment complex. The vivid characterisation sets a precedent for the lengths the lot-of-nothing formula can go. Take the relationship between Hiro and Sae. There’s a suggestion of something beyond friendship, but scripted without sensationalism or exploitation. The same can be said of the interesting and unusual stylistic approach, particularly when illustrating Yuno’s fever – abstract and beautiful with a touch of the supernatural. With aspects this encouraging, twelve episodes were never going to be enough.

Special Features: Also available / DVD credits / Clean Opening and Closing / 2 Original Video Animations.

HIDAMARI SKETCH: SERIES 1 COLLECTION / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR: AKIYUKI SHINBO, RYOUKI KAMITSUBO / SCREENPLAY: UME AOKI / STARRING: KANA ASUMI, KAORI MIZUHASHI, YŪKO GUTŌ, RYŌKO SHINTANI / RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 4TH 2016

Starburst Rating:
 

VACATION

“We’re not redoing anything. This’ll be completely different.” 21 Jump Street has a lot to answer for – not least the cringe-worthy dad humor of Rusty Griswold, attempting to steal one of their best jokes. Yes, it’s the further adventures of Rusty, of perma-horny European Vacation and blank slate Christmas fame. Jason Lively and Johnny Galicki no more, Ed Helms is the next generation of Griswold patriarch. And, surprise, they’re going on vacation! Again.

Thankfully, once they get the awful Meta humour out of the way (including the big cameo from Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, which doesn’t really work), it’s back to Walley World. Wife (Christina Applegate) and kids (one horrible, one less so) in tow, Russ attempts the very same road trip, stopping off to see a few relatives along the way. Like the old National Lampoon movies, Vacation is not so much a sustained narrative as a series of barely related skits in which the Griswolds manage to get themselves in and out of farcical scrapes. Russ may have gotten goofier with age (he’s the typical Ed Helms character) but he’s no less boner-prone – much of the film’s pathos, and some of its comedy revolves around his attempts to reconnect with his wife and get a little nookie in the most inopportune of places.

It’s an old fashioned family comedy combined with the puerile, often mean humour of a Hangover sequel. The former gets us a near fatal rafting session, the latter scenes in which the Griswolds bathe in human turds and drive around with a human penis drawn on the side of their car- a car that serves as the movie’s best running gag, by the way. Between that, its cameos (Hemsworth steals the show), and the bullying of Russ’s older son by his little brother, Vacation is a lot funnier than it has any right to be. It fizzles out towards the end, and We’re the Millers did it better, but this one holds some solid laughs nevertheless. 

Exceeding expectations by not being a complete piece of ass, Vacation does a sterling job of not embarrassing the family name. Nice one, Russ.

VACATION / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JONATHAN GOLDSTEIN, JOHN FRANCIS DALEY / SCREENPLAY: JONATHAN GOLDSTEIN, JOHN FRANCIS DALEY / STARRING: ED HELMS, CHRISTINA APPLEGATE, SKYLAR GISONDO, STEELE STEBBINS, LESLIE MANN, CHRIS HEMSWORTH / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Starburst Rating: 

 

BATTLES WITHOUT HONOUR AND HUMANITY

Legendary Japanese director Kinji Fukasaku may be most familiar to modern audiences for his iconic Battle Royale, but he’s a man who first made his mark back in the 1970s with his refreshing and revolutionary Yakuza movies. Churning out five movies over a mere two-year span, Fukasaku gave audiences the groundbreaking Battles Without Honour and Humanity series. And now, as with so many classics of yesteryear, Arrow Films has re-released all five movies in a gloriously-crammed HD boxset.

In terms of plot, the first film largely focuses on former soldier Shozo Hirono (Bunta Sugawara) as he becomes embroiled with the murky world of the Yakuza. Hirono is present throughout the rest of the series as plot points unravel, deception is high, and violence is plentiful, although the second film in the series, Deadly Fight in Hiroshima, sees Shoji Yamanaka (Kinya Kitaoji) take centre-stage as he too ends up embroiled in the deadly realm of the Yakuza. Fear not, for the rest of the movies – Proxy War, Police Tactics and Final Episode – see the attention mainly back on Hirono. Throughout the series, though, there are the constant themes of family, of loyalty, of carnage, and of fantastic, gripping storytelling from Fukasaku as he delivers a group of films that are largely flawless.

With the Battles Without Honour and Humanity movies on show here, what we see is a progressive narrative that never shirks the stark reality of what the Yakuza lifestyle is really life. As the overall story of the series progresses from 1946 all the way up to 1970, we see changes in the way that the gangland warfare of the Japan of that time is put together. By the time we get to Final Episode, we find the notion of the Yakuza becoming an almost political power play game and factions that work almost on a corporate level rather than just some of the petty violent thugs that we saw in the earlier films. It’s a fantastic transition that Fukasaku guides us through, and it makes the journey all that more intriguing as large parts of the movies become like chess games. Dirty, nasty, body-piling chess games.

What made this series of films so special was Fukasaku’s approach to his subject matter, with the often dark, gloomy and vicious content based on actual real-life accounts of Yakuza happenings, leaving the on-screen tales with a lasting sense of authenticity. Not once does he make excuses and try to glamourise the world of the Yakuza, and similarly he doesn’t flinch from exploring the true darkness and cutthroat nature of what we see being played out on screen. Adding to the atmosphere is the approach that the director brings to Battles Without Honour and Humanity; the films almost play out like documentaries, complete with infographics and voiceovers that guide the viewer through the action.

For fans of Japanese cinema, this boxset is a must-have. Similarly, if you’ve yet to see this groundbreaking series of films, it truly is an educational experience and one that you could do far worse than to treat yourself to. Sure, it’s a thirteen-disc behemoth of a release and may seem a tad daunting, but this is certainly a release that just keeps on giving.

Special Features: Audio commentary / Interviews / Secrets of the Piranha Army documentary / Remembering Kinji featurette / Trailers / Gallery / 152-page book

BATTLES WITHOUT HONOUR AND HUMANITY / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: KINJI FUKASAKU / SCREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: BUNTA SUGAWARA, AKIRA KOBAYASHI, HIROKI MATSUKATA, KINYA KITAOJI, SONNY CHIBA / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

SINISTER 2

Back in 2012, Scott Derrickson’s Sinister hit the big screen off the back of a wave of promotion and some promising looking chills. Thus it garnered a sizable audience and became, alongside Oren Peli’s Paranormal Activity and James Wan’s Insidious, another film that was a calling card for its director and producers. We are all familiar with those trailers stating “from the makers of”. The film was a fresh horror story and, while flawed, boasted some genuinely atmospheric scares. Thanks mostly to the well-made “snuff” shorts intertwined in the film’s paranormal narrative. The film introduced us to the haunting Baghuul character – a literal bogeyman that ensnared children to do his murderous bidding. So with this sequel, cursed with bad press and that feeling of cash grab, hopes were not particularly high. However, we are pleased to say that Sinister 2 is a surprisingly effective sequel.

The action refocuses on a different family but much of the structure is the same, as troubled mother Courtney (Shannyn Sossamon) and her two sons Dylan (Robert Daniel Sloan) and Zach (Dartanian Sloan) try to escape their past. However, their current hideaway home is “marked” by the insidious Bughuul (Nicholas King) and their only hope may be Ex-Deputy So & So (a returning James Ransone) who is still investigating what happened (in the last film) to the Oswalt family. Despite that synopsis suggesting a strong tie with the first film, you don’t really need to have seen it to get up to speed as the narrative is very similar. In many ways, while going overboard in many departments, this sequel is as good or perhaps slightly better structured than Derrickson’s first film and director Ciaran Foy (Citadel) delivers doses of what made the first one work.

C. Robert Cargill and Derrickson’s script does go off the rails slightly as the ghostly children step out of the darkness, but the super 8 murder movies remain chillingly effective. Plus the film does well to keep its genuinely scary Bughuul character mostly in the shadows where he should be. That being said, the film will deliver no real surprises to veteran genre fans and does draw occasionally from the boo horror jump scare playbook. Although the broadening of Bughuul’s mythos is very well delivered, and in spite of the pantomime nature of certain moments this sequel retains its lingering power thanks to its core elements of grainy killing and its mysterious lead entity – a blend of a Slipknot drummer and the grim reaper.

All in all, Sinister 2 is a fun Friday night horror film that has its fair share of strong moments and is boosted by likable leads in Sossamon and Ransone. Ransone returns broadening his character and Sossamon’s mother is stronger willed than most and a relationship is not forced between the two it just develops. Likewise, real life brothers Robert Daniel and Dartanian Sloan are effective as the onscreen youngsters and the characters are not annoying, and the direction of the two thankfully forgoes a really obvious twist you think the film may be teasing. There are no real twists, however, in this sequel, just a simple story, reasonably well told, and while it will not rank as an Evil Dead 2 or 2 belting sequel, it is an enjoyable follow-up and restrains from the usual tedium that plague most horror sequels. Critics have been a bit unfair to what is a well-acted and fun late night horror flick!

SINISTER 2 / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: CIARAN FOY/ SCREENPLAY: C. ROBERT CARGILL, SCOTT DERRICKSON / STARRING: JAMES RANSONE, SHANNYN SOSSAMON, ROBERT DANIEL SLOAN, DARTANIAN SLOAN / RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 28TH