Review Category: Reviews

SKYBOUND

Skybound is a claustrophobic thriller set almost entirely on board an aeroplane. The film sees a group of young, attractive people take off on a private flight from New York to L.A. They’re soon hit by some sort of electrical surge, knocking out various pieces of vital equipment and preventing them from being able to land. To make matters worse, a mysterious – possibly apocalyptic – event seems to be taking place on the ground. Oh, and there’s a sinister, gun-toting stowaway found in the cargo hold who seems to know more than he’s letting on.

Honestly, it’s a great premise that could have made for a very compelling movie. Sadly, Skybound squanders its potential on a cast of characters that are, quite possibly – and I say this with no hyperbole – the stupidest ensemble I have ever seen in a film. It’s difficult to care about characters who spend a prolonged sequence looking through yesterday’s newspapers for hints at what might have happened, only to be reminded that one of them has a phone when someone calls them several scenes later.

On its own, that would be a minor quibble, but its emblematic of the film’s writing in general. Once the phone’s battery runs out, that’s it. Not only is no attempt made to charge the phone, but none of the characters even acknowledge the possibility. Later on, we’re supposed to be impressed when a character displays a previously hidden talent for mathematics… they can multiply by seven. To be fair, by that point in the film it actually is quite impressive, if only because you’ve started to question if the characters you’re watching – two of whom are pilots, by the way – can even read.

This might not have been so much of a problem if the script was generally a bit better. A little humour and self-awareness would have gone a long way, but instead of opting to flesh the characters out or let us experience their plight on a more human level, the script is simply wall-to-wall exposition and the actors simply aren’t good enough to sell it as something containing emotional stakes. In fact, with the exception of Morten Suurballe, the acting is universally embarrassing.

The production obviously has a relatively low budget, so all things considered, it’s a remarkably glossy affair with fairly impressive special effects. A handful of sequences, such as one (visible in the trailer) where the flight passes over a herd of flaming bison running through the fiery hell-scape that used to be Utah, are, visually, quite inventive and memorable.

Skybound is a cinematic flight of fancy. It’s certainly full of twists and turns and, at 82 minutes, it never has a chance to outstay its welcome, but in many ways, it never quite manages to get off the ground.

SKYBOUND / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: ALEX TAVAKOLI / STARRING: SCARLETT BYRNE, GAVIN STENHOUSE, RICK COSNETT / RELEASE DATE: TBC

CHAMELEON

Written and directed by Jorge Riquelme Serrano in his first feature film, Chameleon is a tense psychological thriller that doesn’t hold back. Sharing many similarities with Michael Haneke’s Funny Games, we see the arrival of an unexpected guest who comes bearing gifts after last nights party. Paula and Paulina’s plans of having an intimate day together are put into disarray and they soon find themselves having to converse with a stranger they barely know. All is not what it seems however as things begin to take a turn for the worse when what looked like an innocent arrival quickly turns into something much more sinister.

Shot in a mere four days on a limited budget, Chameleon has a brutally, realistic feel to proceedings, thanks to the structured improvisation that Serrano has been able to establish on set. With all the actors maintaining their real names, it’s clear to see that Serrano is more interested in establishing the social and political themes of his film rather than character backstories and exposition. With racism, prejudice and class divide all rearing their ugly head, we’re able to see how Gaston – the unexpected guest, is an outsider when it comes to Paulina’s social background. Condescending and demanding, Paulina is living the life of luxury in her (upper) middle-class home where her lopsided relationship with Paula is starting to slowly break at the seams.

After a few glasses of wine, courtesy of Gaston, we then begin to witness some cold truths from Paula’s point of view as she becomes more and more irritated by her lover’s selfish behavior. Having become intoxicated and needing to rest, Gaston’s charming facade slowly starts to unravel as his sadistic impulses begin to surface. For a first feature film, Serrano has orchestrated a brutally effective thriller that pulls no punches. Inspired by real-life home invasions that have tainted his own country, the Chilean director has crafted a movie that will no doubt offend due to the savagery on screen, however, there’s always meaning behind the malice that is depicted.

Gaston Salgado is able to effectively portray an unhinged individual to spine-tingling effect and although his motives may not be entirely clear, we’re able to find out enough to make our own assumptions as to why he commits such heinous crimes. In what can only be described as one of the most memorable performances of the year, Salgado is able to produce a variety of emotions through the sheer force of his gaze. Whether it’s his initial innocuous look at the beginning of the film or his piercing glare towards the end, Salgado’s eyes alone are able to chew up the scenery.

Overall, Chameleon is a horrifying experience which will stick with you long after the end credits. Minimalist in its approach and gut-punchingly raw in its delivery, Serrano has made a bold debut feature film which is soaked in social commentary. With great performances and a running time that clocks in at 81 minutes, there’s nothing wasted in this well-paced psychological thriller.

CHAMELEON (aka CAMALEÓN) / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: JORGE RIQUELME SERRANO / STARRING: GASTÓN SALGADO, ALEJANDRO GOIC, PAULINA URRUTIA, PAULA ZUNIGA / RELEASE: OUT NOW (VOD), FEBRUARY 5TH (DVD)

JUSTICE LEAGUE

For the first time since 1992’s Batman Returns, composer Danny Elfman returns to score a DC universe film, with his music for Justice League. In the meantime, the former Oingo Boingo leader has done a lot of work, including quite a bit on Marvel-related films such as Ang Lee’s Hulk, the first two Sam Raimi Spider-Man films, and The Avengers: Age of Ulton score in conjunction with Brian Tyler. They’ve all been pretty good, but given that Elfman wrote the definitive Batman theme in 1989, the excitement regarding his return to DC has been palpable – especially given the prominence of the Dark Knight in Justice League.

The results are mixed. The Justice League Theme interpolates aspects of Elfman’s classic Batman theme, and works well as an introduction to the film. All of the Batman-related tracks, actually, call back to some variation on the strings and low brass that defined the composer’s work for the Tim Burton Batman films, and it provides an excellent sense of sonic definition to the character.

While the DC superhero films have overall floundered in comparison to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the one place where they’ve outshined their competition has been in regards to the fact that the company has created definite themes for all of their characters, and really made certain to use them in rousing, exciting ways.

A case in point: Wonder Woman Rescue uses a very small part of Is She With You?, the amazing theme Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL composed for Wonder Woman as part of their score to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but it’s so low in the mix as to render it nearly subliminal. Friends and Foes uses a minor-key, ‘dark’ version of John Williams’ iconic Superman theme, and it’s excellent, as well.

Unfortunately, Elfman’s score really doesn’t hit quite as big as one would hope. The inclusion of the Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman score elements reference scores which were absolutely epic, and despite any complaints one might’ve had regarding Batman v Superman, the Zimmer/Junkie XL score was absolutely thrilling. Elfman hits the right dark tone, mirroring the uphill battle the Justice League has going for them, but it’s never quite big enough.

All of the major pieces: The Story of Steppenwolf, which is the theme for Justice League’s villain, mirrors the path of Enter Cyborg and Aquaman in Atlantis, in that in begins impressively and then peters out halfway through. The Spark of the Flash does manage to create a solid build to something, but never exactly nails the aspect of speed. There’s a sweet little fast bit of violin near the end, but Blake Neely’s theme for The Flash TV show, with its double kick drum, blows it out the water overall.

The battle scenes’ themes turn out the best, overall. The Tunnel Fight was the first piece of music which drew attention enough to look at the track’s title, in order to make sure to give it some repeated plays immediately. It builds well, hits a lot of dynamic notes, and has an ebbs and flow to it that grabs the listener in a way which isn’t predicated on nostalgia. The same goes for The Final Battle, which plays out in a similar manner, although The Tunnel Fight is a much sharper, tense piece, whereas “The Final Battle” is a brass-laden, all-out number, as befitting its title.

The complete score is enhanced with bonus versions of The Tunnel Fight and The Final Battle, clocking in at nearly 11 and 13 minutes, respectively, almost doubling their original lengths. The original versions are tighter, obviously, but the full-length pieces do manage to create some excellent heroic imagery over the course of their rather epic lengths. Mother Russia, another bonus track, comes close to stealing the show, utilizing wordless chorus and big brass swells to create an atmosphere of dread-inducing strength.

In addition to Elfman’s score, the soundtrack to Justice League also features three pop songs. It begins with a cover of Leonard Cohen’s 1988 song, Everybody Knows, which has been covered for film and television in the past – most notably by Concrete Blonde for 1990’s Pump Up the Volume. The version by Norway’s Sigrid continues the overwrought pomposity that has come to dominate the DC universe scores, using production which seems to utilise the Inception blaring horn as a major technique. It’s far too optimistic, and while the lyrical content hits home fairly well, the sound of the song is a complete misstep for the pessimistic tone so ably conveyed by both Cohen’s original and the superior Concrete Blonde cover.

The same production technique is applied to guitarist Gary Clark Jr.’s take on the Beatles’ Come Together, wherein it seems like everything has been thrust into overdrive. Clark’s guitar playing has always been impressive, but his songwriting has been lackluster, at best. His major label debut, Blak and Blu, was astonishing guitar work paired with mediocre bar-band blues, and it’s always seemed as if his playing would’ve benefited from someone else’s lyrics. Here, he manages to dispel even that notion, rendering the Beatles’ classic into a White Stripes knockoff.

The knockoff aspect is really driven home by the final cut from the film, The White Stripes’ 2007 song Icky Thump, which manages to hit home in a way that neither of the other two tracks do: it’s powerful, without being overblown, and the song’s verse of “Who’s usin’ who?/What should we do?/Well, you can’t be a pimp/And a prostitute too” tie in well with the film’s interwoven team dynamic.

Overall, Justice League’s soundtrack is a solid piece of work, but never quite rising to the level of power that listeners have come to expect from the recent DC films. For those with an ear to nostalgia, there are some decent elements here, but knowing the work which has preceded it only hampers one’s overall appreciation.

JUSTICE LEAGUE / COMPOSER: DANNY ELFMAN / LABEL: WATER TOWER MUSIC / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

47 METRES DOWN

It’s hard to maintain character and drama when your two stars are marooned 47 metres under the ocean and spend over two-thirds of the film’s running time encumbered by diving masks. Still, English writer/director Johannes Roberts must have made a pretty good stab at it, with 47 Metres Down making back almost ten times its $5.5m budget at the box office, and a sequel (adding an extra metre’s depth) officially going into pre-production.

Given its premise and publicity, you’d be forgiven for expecting Roberts’ film to be an underwater Aliens, primarily concerned with the great white sharks that are plastered all over the promotional materials. Instead, and although the marine predators are an ever-present threat, the movie is more like that other James Cameron film The Abyss, in that it’s the predicament of the two sisters trapped on the ocean floor that occupies most of its duration. As such – and despite brave and mostly convincing performances from Holt and Moore, who spent the better part of the shoot in an enormous water tank in Basildon – it’s a shame the two girls aren’t given more in the way of back-story or greater depth of characterisation. Several scenes were cut that would have involved James Van Der Beek as Lisa’s boyfriend, presumably in order to get to the water more quickly.

The two sisters, the younger and more carefree Kate (Australian Claire Holt) and her elder, more repressed sibling Lisa (ex-pop singer Mandy Moore), are in Mexico trying to get Lisa over the break-up of her relationship with Stuart – who has dumped her for being boring – when they hook up with two local men, who persuade the girls to throw off their inhibitions by cage diving in shark-infested waters. Of course, it isn’t long before things have gone awry, and just a third of the way into 47 Metres Down’s running time, that’s exactly where Kate and Lisa find themselves, running low on oxygen and with no lifeline back to the surface.

While there’s nothing in the characters that ostentatiously beggars belief (although the science surrounding both the sharks and the diving is off-the-scale nonsense, which is perhaps fair enough given there wouldn’t be much of a film otherwise), neither are the sisters sketched in well enough that we really ever come to know or like them. And that is Roberts’ biggest problem because in spite of managing to keep the obviously slight narrative ticking over such that it never gets excruciatingly dull, we never really get to care either – and thus the killer twist at the end is totally wasted.

Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable enough time-filler, a Friday night renter that won’t tax or traumatise the viewer too considerably.

Extras: Director and cast interviews

47 METRES DOWN / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JOHANNES ROBERTS / SCREENPLAY: JOHANNES ROBERTS, ERNEST RIERA / STARRING: CLAIRE HOLT, MANDY MOORE, MATTHEW MODINE / RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 27TH

STAR WARS: BATTLEFRONT II

Star Wars: Battlefront II is the rare example of a game which takes two steps forward, and then twelve backwards. And then stumbles over the edge of a cliff. There are tangible, very notable, efforts to bring back what made the classics memorable. Many key criticisms have been resolved with brilliant solutions, vastly improving the core gameplay, and with a true story mode this time. Unfortunately, EA’s greed got the better of it.

Story mode follows the Imperial forces in the wake of the Death Star’s destruction. Focusing largely on the elite Inferno Squad, it follows their journey to carry out Palpatine’s final command and as some come to question their role in the Empire’s remnant. While brief and more than a little reliant upon nostalgia, it nevertheless handles its subject matter well. It offers a better take on sympathetic Imperial characters than anything found in the Rebels cartoon, and even the character appearances of favourites fit well into the plot.

The multiplayer modes beyond the campaign itself owe more to the classic Battlefront games than the 2015 sequel. Classes have made a very welcome return, allowing for actual squad tactics to take precedence over one-man assaults. While they cannot carry so broad a loadout as those in 2015’s game, the weapons and abilities have been carefully made so that they might carry out a few duties extremely well, from crowd control to picking off officers or repairing vehicles. Yet, despite this, minor quirks and additions to every army still make their gameplay unique, from the Clone Troopers’ jetpack assaults to the Empire’s heavy armour tactics. This allows you to keep coming back to the same levels with new armies while finding the experience rewarding.

The maps have been extremely well designed this time around, sidestepping the issues which plagued the 2015 game. Vehicles lack half the invincibility they once benefitted from and maps rarely favour one side over another. The likes of Theed offer a careful balance between vehicular combat and fighting on foot, to the point where the flow of battle can drastically shift several times thanks to carefully timed flanking attacks. You even get the odd chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery between the explosions, thanks to DICE’s efforts to bring these worlds to life.

Perhaps most prominently, two of the more infuriating let-downs of the 2015 game have been resolved. Heroes are extremely tough but hardly unstoppable, and the Jedi stand a better chance of inflicting more damage upon foes even with ranged heroes nearby. As such, they are a force multiplier over a one-man battering ram. Furthermore, while mechanics of piloting a starfighter have been fine-tuned to lack the unwieldy qualities which plagued the previous game. The fact that you are more involved in the battle than locked away from it in the sky alone is a massive step in the right direction.

These elements would have made for a decent game at worst. For any Star Wars fan, it would have been welcomed as a classic. Would have been, until EA decided they wanted a bit more cash from their customers. The loot boxes and microtransactions have been the target of much controversy over the past month, and not without good reason. To be blunt, everything outside of the campaign has been crafted to desperately encourage players to give it more cash.

While it doesn’t directly lock things away, it just makes life difficult for anyone who wants to enjoy the game without spending more money. The heroes, in particular, are guilty of this thanks to the glacial grind required to slowly unlock the more expensive among them. It’s so bad that you could likely complete Knights of the Old Republic from start to finish before you’re finally allowed to get Darth Vader. A matter only made worse thanks to EA lifting ideas from Dungeon Keeper Mobile, adding a timer to how much in-game currency you can earn from it per day.

Yet, what truly ruins the game is the Star Cards. Locked away inside loot boxes you will find few cosmetics and a truly staggering number of power buffs. Recharge Vanguard immediately recharges all your specialised abilities the moment you defeat an enemy, allowing you to relentlessly spam previously one-off abilities. Toughen Up allows an assault class to constantly regenerate when active, and can be boosted until you can take entire clips to the face without flinching. This is to say nothing of the heroes cards (with one which allows Boba Fett to disable the weapons of those he hits) or combinations which can render your character effectively invulnerable to damage.

The fact that the entire game has been built upon microtransactions is why they’re the focus of this review. They seep into everything, ruining effectively every part of it beyond the fleeting campaign until it’s genuinely difficult to praise the great work put into multiplayer. Yes, the graphics are fantastic and the sound design is on par with, if not better than, the films, and the maps do a genuinely great job of balancing out both sides better than those from DICE’s previous effort. Yet that’s a bit hard to appreciate when the person you play against has more power thanks to buying more Star Cards. Especially when it reaches such ludicrous heights that one improves aim-assist to the point where have a borderline aimbot with certain heroes. Thanks to this, Battlefront II simply isn’t fun to play.

Oh, and if you can stomach all of that? Welcome to bug country! The game is riddled with countless graphical and gameplay errors, ranging from constant image stuttering to becoming stuck in walls. You can simply run backwards at the wrong time and end up wedged inside a piece of terrain, or even unable to disembark from a vehicle. The constant lag only hinders things further, to the point where the FPS of multiplayer gameplay and easily start to resemble a slide show display of maps.

Battlefront II isn’t a video game. This is something crafted to prey upon those with gambling addictions, disguised in a veneer of science fiction nostalgia. If you are honestly, utterly, completely dead set upon buying a Battlefront II, just get the original. It might be dated, but it has infinitely more content, better unit balance and enough mods to justify the cheap price. As for this thing? Wait until you stumble upon it in a bargain bin a few years down the line.

STAR WARS: BATTLEFRONT II / DEVELOPER: EA DIGITAL ILLUSIONS CE / PUBLISHER: ELECTRONIC ARTS / PLATFORM: PC, XBOX ONE, PS4 / RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 17TH

FEAR IN THE NIGHT (1972)

It’s no surprise that the script for 1972’s Fear in the Night had been kicking around for a decade before it finally got made. This is no Hammer Horror but instead fits more closely with Taste of Fear or Paranoiac and deliberately echoes the likes of Les Diaboliques and Hitchcock. As might be expected therefore it’s written by (and in this case also directed by) Jimmy Sangster.

Judy Geeson plays Peggy, a shy young woman who some 6 months earlier had suffered a breakdown and spent some time in hospital. Since her release, a whirlwind romance with teacher Robert (Ralph Bates) finds Peggy now married and about to move with him to the boarding school he works at. It’s a chance at a new life, one perhaps finally happy, for Peggy and she is eager to go.

Before she can leave London, Peggy is attacked in her home by a one-armed man though the people around her are more inclined to believe she’s imagining things. Leaving for the country school, she meets the headmaster Michael (Peter Cushing), and there’s definitely something off about him. Cushing’s wife Molly is played by Joan Collins and the two take an instant dislike to each other. Peggy’s dream new life is obviously not going to be what she hoped for but it might even be worse if Peggy is right about the man she sees lingering outside. Maybe someone is trying to kill her after all.

Fear in the Night centres not around whether Peggy is imagining things (as an audience were clearly directed to be on her side) but instead who is responsible and why. It’s a slight tale and the condensed number of characters doesn’t encourage much whodunnit mystery. Yet despite this, the new release from Studio Canal has plenty to recommend. There’s some influence from the burgeoning giallo films, but here done with a drab, autumnal early ‘70s British approach, which is actually interesting. Neither Sangster’s script nor the restrictions of low budget production ultimately leave much room for surprise twists, but Jimmy had a handle on the material and it shows. It’s quite a subtle, measured film and despite not a lot actually happening, the end still delivers. Performances are all very good, with Geeson outstanding and, although Cushing’s appearances are little more than a cameo, the great man as ever makes the most of it.

The print is beautiful and sharp, production design is thoughtful and this is inarguably the best presentation of the film yet. A short 17-minute documentary features the usual faces for these releases but the context and analysis are welcome. For anyone with an interest in late-period Hammer, it’s a worthy purchase.

FEAR IN THE NIGHT (1972) / CERT: 12 / DIRECTOR: JIMMY SANGSTER / SCREENPLAY: MICHAEL SYSON, JIMMY SANGSTER / STARRING: JUDY GEESON, JOAN COLLINS, RALPH BATES, PETER CUSHING / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

THE DOCTORS: THE WILLIAM HARTNELL YEARS

Of all the Doctors Who, William Hartnell is by far the least knowable. Having passed away prior to the dawn of fandom, and having been too ill during the tenth anniversary year to have participated much in the celebrations – thus missing out on joining his successor on Pebble Mill at One – there is very little documentary evidence recording just what Hartnell thought of his time in the TARDIS. The latest Koch Media compilation of Reeltime’s Myth Makers interviews tries its hardest to address this situation but falls somewhat short of painting a living picture of the original performer of the part.

Not that this isn’t a valiant attempt. The set starts with an hour-long tribute to Hartnell, featuring not just the actors who played his companions but also the likes of Shaun Sutton, Donald Tosh and Verity Lambert, plus Jack Pitt, a sometime monster operator on the programme who has also been Hartnell’s flatmate and who, along with Hartnell’s granddaughter Jessica Carney, manages to bring more of a personal perspective to the recollections. There’s another tribute on disc one (along with two combined shorter interviews with Carole Ann Ford), this one to Jacqueline Hill and dominated by a conversation with her husband Alvin Rakoff, that celebrates her career and ability but also makes the first half of this compilation a rather sad and occasionally heart-breaking affair. Rakoff discussing Hill’s illness is actually quite a difficult watch.

The second disc is perhaps meatier, including more substantial interviews with two of the first Doctor’s male companions, both fascinating actors who led pretty successful careers away from Doctor Who; firstly a tour of Dalek shooting locations with William Russell, and secondly an invitation into the home of Peter Purves. These two segments of the compilation alone would make the set worth buying, yet there is something even more intriguing to be found on this second disc.

Jackie Lane hasn’t had a great deal to do with Doctor Who since her departure from the programme, very rarely appearing at events or allowing herself to be interviewed about the series. Yet 25 years ago, she let Nicholas Briggs interview her for one of these tapes, and it’s perhaps the most interesting inclusion on the set. Not just because of the opportunity to spend 45 minutes listening to Lane, but also because the rather odd decision was taken to record her against a blue screen and present the interview as if it had taken place in a virtual TARDIS, making the resulting presentation one of the oddest things Reeltime ever produced.

This isn’t quite as required viewing as the three previous Koch compilations, but for fans of the series’ early years, it is still thoroughly absorbing.

Extras: Introduction by Barnfather and Briggs

THE DOCTORS: THE WILLIAM HARTNELL YEARS / CERT: E (EXEMPT) / DIRECTOR: KEITH BARNFATHER / PRESENTER: NICHOLAS BRIGGS / STARRING: CAROLE ANN FORD, JACQUELINE HILL, WILLIAM RUSSELL, PETER PURVES, JACKIE LANE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

FOUR FILM NOIR CLASSICS

With the likes of Goodfellas, Pulp Fiction, and Reservoir Dogs approaching or achieving their quarter century of release and Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver paying homage to the likes of The Driver and Freebie and the Bean, it’s timely that Arrow Academy has put together a cracking quartet of classic noir thrillers from the Golden Age of Hollywood. These will certainly be of interest to fans and curious followers of Scorsese and Tarantino, who have both cited the four films here as key influences on the classics that have redefined genre in Tinseltown.

The Dark Mirror (1946), Secret Beyond the Door (1947), Force of Evil (1948), and The Big Combo (1955) bring together incredible directing and casting talent who excel in their respective roles and environments. Another key joy of watching the films is also scoping the credits for those who went on to bigger things. In the case of Force of Evil, cinematographer George Barnes, who shot the 1953 version of War of the Worlds and The Dirty Dozen director Robert Aldrich is credited as Assistant Director, lend their chops to this dark and timeless yarn of gambling fraud, which features John Garfield, who starred opposite Lana Turner in the 1946 version of The Postman Always Rings Twice.

The Dark Mirror reveals Olivia de Havilland in dual roles as twin sisters, one of whom may be a murderess whilst the other deems herself an alibi. A psychologist (Lew Ayres) who specialises in the study of twins works alongside the police to uncover the circumstances behind the death of a man in the apartment where they live.

Secret Beyond the Door showcases Metropolis director Fritz Lang’s work after he moved to Hollywood and signed with MGM. Newly-weds Celia (Joan Bennett, whose last film role was as Madame Blanc in Dario Argento’s Suspiria) and Mark (Michael Redgrave) have to confront his dark past, which seemingly is hidden behind a secret locked room in his house.

The Big Combo sees Detective Lt. Diamond (Cornel Wilde) in a determined frame of mind to bring down kingpin gangster Mr. Brown (Richard Conte). Unfortunately, his obsession with Brown’s girlfriend Susan Lowell is clouding his judgement in cracking the case.

This is a supremely enigmatic collection of tales, all contrasting but consistent with the genre they celebrate. The cinematography is dark and deliriously framed and there are key shots and montages that remind one of the later films that fans of the directors first mentioned in this review will pick up on without delay. They are also excellently compact and concise stories told with simplicity and without the need for major visual effects or editing prowess that is at the disposal of modern editors and cinematographers.

The Limited Edition box set contains Dual Format Blu-ray and DVD (2000 copies) – plus commentaries, introductions (including one from Martin Scorsese of Force Of Evil), reversible sleeves and a Hardback book with new writing on all four films, amongst the extras.

Highly charged – and highly enjoyable – entertainment for noir fans.

FOUR FILM NOIR CLASSICS LIMITED EDITION BOX SET / CERT:PG / DIRECTORS: ROBERT SIODMAK, FRITZ LANG, ABRAHAM POLONSKY, JOSEPH H. LEWIS / SCREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: RICHARD CONTE, OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND, JOAN BENNET, MICHAEL REDGRAVE, JOHN GARFIELD / RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 20TH

CANNIBAL FOG

From a seedy study of sexual obsession to a deliciously disturbing comedy of manners, Jonas Wolcher’s Cannibal Fog mixes art-house sensibilities with gastronomic gore. The film’s focus is the fleeting pleasures of consuming alongside the physical and mental ecstasy and transformation that it, if you’re lucky, can bring. To lift the lid on even the opening credits would spoil the succour of the whole.

The action takes place in an urban cityscape and the isolation that speaks of, whether it’s architect-manicured concrete or depersonalised, boxy apartments. These people (and their inspirations) are all trying to feel. This is emphasised by dirty-docu direct realism that switches to in-scene video recorder during some of the sexual sequences (yes, it’s that kind of film). Realism is often achieved simply because the characters themselves are going through the motions, yet the camera also shows vital understanding in long-shot driven night sections and extreme close ups that manage to evade common cheese.

It’s a tricksy film and flits between genres thanks to Wolcher’s deft direction, editing, producing and just about everything else. Some sequences, especially those featuring Albin (Malte Aronsson), appear gross to the point of parody. This is not bad acting as much as an indicator of how ludicrous our daily rituals are. It’s what happens when our wants are displayed rather than devoured for personal enjoyment. Indeed, a frankly fabulous sequence sees perfectly odious characters portrayed for the prats they are and manages to make their ridiculous traits more believable the longer the camera lingers on them. It’s neither acceptable nor polite but, damn, it’s appropriate, and Anders Dahlberg (as Kay-Roy) and Gustav Magnarsson (as Pierre Le Wine) deserve praise for their preposterous posturing. It’s scenes like this that’ll make you forgive the aftertaste of the occasionally samey starter sequences.

Highfalutin daftness comes at a price and Cannibal Fog earns it with its story arc. It is the essence of postmodernism, combining spirituality with the emotional punch and grue you might expect from a film with ‘Cannibal’ in its title. It subverts assumptions and makes the eating of flesh seem somewhat sweet because it’s luridly visceral. You can believe that the blood is the life because of delicate flavours and outright splash Aronsson and Linus Karlgren (as Michael) bring to their roles. Additional characters such as Ida Karolin Johansson as Lotta add to the mix, the latter a special kind of sexy-mental that sprinkles curiosity into the narrative. The entire thing is then energised with a score that veers from dirty rock’n’roll through to a skewed, Sigur Ros-like positivity that comes when digestion has been achieved and light has faded into absorption.

Cannibal Fog is a finely mixed, jangling masterpiece of humanity masquerading as merry mayhem. Everything from the mise-en-scène through to the camera motion underpins its metaphors and while it has extremely strange cinematic flavours, there’s definitely room for more.

Serving suggestion: not before lunch.

CANNIBAL FOG / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR: JONAS WOLCHER / SCREENPLAY: JONAS WOLCHER, BRIAN BELL / STARRING: MALTE ARONSSON, LINUS KARLGREN, KIM SØNDERHOLM / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

THE SECRET OF VESALIUS

It is 1888 and the World Fair is about to open in Barcelona. A lot depends on the Fair’s success, not least the wealth and reputation of one of its more sadistic contractors. But a murderer is stalking the streets and alleyways of the city, ripping apart the bodies of their victims, and there are rumours that the deaths are connected to an ancient curse, and that the killer is some kind of ferocious hellhound. Daniel Amat, who has returned to Barcelona following the suspicious death of his father, is convinced that his father’s demise is the key to the mystery. Even when the contractor and the shady Police Inspector try to scare him off, he refuses to give up his pursuit of justice. Teaming up with a down-on-his-luck journalist and a precocious medical student, Amat begins to suspect that the killings involve an undiscovered text by the great 16th-century anatomist Vesalius and that the killer is conducting Frankenstein-like experiments somewhere within the tunnels and sewers beneath the city. But there are so many suspects and so little time, and the killer has Amat and his new friends marked for death. How can you protect yourself from somebody who seems to wear every face, and is driven by a diabolical desire for revenge and an insane plan to resurrect the dead?

Don’t be put off by the number of pages in The Secret of Vesalius, or by the fact that it is billed as a ‘historical thriller’. It is a masterwork with the depth and complexity of a new Name of the Rose and, like Rose, it has a fabulous mystery at its heart which twists and turns and genuinely keeps the reader off-balance until the unexpected, but quite brilliant, final reveal. Yes, it is set 130 years in the past and it is teeming with that period’s atmosphere but, unlike many historically themed novels that often feel like the author is gloating “Look how much research I’ve done, how clever am I?”, the details never get in the way of telling the story, and Jordi Llobregat’s genius strategy of keeping his chapters short and ending almost every one with some form of addictive cliffhanger means that this quite intimidating brick of a book is one of the easiest, fastest, most entertaining reads of the year. More than that – there are so many strands to the tale that, when you finish the book and realise that Llobregat closed every strand in a meaningful way (and didn’t cheat on any of them) you’ll know you’ve been in the company of an author who is also a literary magician (which is also a credit to the book’s English translator, Thomas Bunstead). The Secret of Vesalius is thrilling, cinematic, hugely intelligent, and a massive amount of nasty fun. Just don’t start reading it in the evening, because you’ll still be happily reading when dawn breaks the following day. Definitely not lost in translation, this is an immediate classic.

THE SECRET OF VESALIUS / AUTHOR: JORDI LLOBREGAT / TRANSLATOR: THOMAS BUNSTEAD / PUBLISHER: RIVERRUN / RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 16TH