4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Douglas Sirk Edition

Posted on April 26, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

126 years ago, on this date, Douglas Sirk was born in Germany. He would start out his career as a stage director in Germany before coming to the United States in 1937. In the U.S., he made his mark as the director of a series of lushly visualized and often over-the-top melodramas. Never a critical favorite, Sirk was rediscovered and his reputation rehabilitated when film students and critics started to reexamine his work in the late 60s and the 70s. Once dismissed as the maker of tawdry (if popular) melodramas, Douglas Sirk is now seen as a subversive master of irony, one who used his melodramas to comment on American society. It’s fair to say that, without the films of Douglas Sirk, there would be no Lifetime today.

It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Douglas Sirk Films

Magnificent Obsession (1954, dir by Douglas Sirk, DP: Russell Metty)

All That Heaven Allows (1955, dir by Douglas Sirk, DP: Russell Metty)

Written on the Wind (1956, dir by Douglas Sirk, DP: Russell Metty)

Imitation of Life (1959, dir by Douglas Sirk, DP: Russell Metty)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special William Castle Edition

Posted on April 24, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens celebrates the 109th anniversary of the birth of director and showman, William Castle! It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 William Castle Films

House on Haunted Hill (1959, dir by William Castle, DP: Carl E. Guthrie)

13 Ghosts (1960, dir by William Castle, DP: Joseph F. Biroc)

Strait-Jacket (1964, dir by William Castle, DP: Arthur E. Arling)

Shanks (1974, dir by William Castle, DP: Joseph F. Biroc)

Here’s What’s Coming To The 2023 Cannes Film Festival

Posted on April 13, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The initial line-up for the 2023 Cannes Film Festival was announced today. Usually, films are added (and occasionally even withdrawn) after the initial announcement so this list will probably be added to in the days and weeks to come:

COMPETITION:

Club Zero, Jessica Hausner
Asteroid City, Wes Anderson
The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer
Fallen Leaves, Aki Kaurismaki
Les Filles D’Olfa (Four Daughters), Kaouther Ben Hania
Anatomie D’une Chute, Justine Triet
Monster, Kore-eda Hirokazu
Il Sol Dell’Avvenire, Nanni Moretti,
La Chimera, Alice Rohrwacher,
About Dry Grasses, Nuri Bilge Ceylan,
L’Ete Dernier, Catherine Breillat,
The Passion of Dodin Bouffant, Tran Anh Hung,
Rapito, Marco Bellocchio,
May December, Todd Haynes,
Firebrand, Karim Ainouz,
The Old Oak, Ken Loach,
Perfect Days, Wim Wenders,
Banel Et Adama, Ramata-Toulaye Sy,
Jeunesse, Wang Bing,

OUT OF COMPETITION:

Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese
The Idol, Sam Levinson
Cobweb, Kim Jee-woon
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, James Mangold
Jeanne du Barry, Maiwenn

MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS:

Omar la Fraise, Elias Belkeddar
Kennedy,” Anurag Kashyap
Acide, Just Philippot

SPECIAL SCREENINGS:

Retratos Fantasmas (Pictures of Ghosts), Kleber Mendonca Filho
Anselm, Wim Wenders
Occupied City, Steve McQueen
Man in Black, Wang Bing

CANNES PREMIERE:

Le Temps D’Aimer, Katell Quillevere,
Cerrar Los Ojos, Victor Erice,
Bonnard, Pierre et Marthe, Martin Provost,
Kubi, Takeshi Kitano

For Oscar watchers, the big news is probably that both Asteroid City and Killers of The Flower Moon will be premiering at Cannes. Asteroid City is the latest from Wes Anderson and, to be honest, I have my doubts about it as an Oscar contender. The trailer indicates that it’s very, very quirky. While Anderson did receive some Oscar recognition for Grand Budapest Hotel, a good deal of that film’s success was due to Ralph Fiennes’s lead performance. Fieness kept Grand Budapest rooted in a stylized reality. I’m not sure if anyone in the cast of Asteroid City is going to perform the same duty. If Asteroid City is going to become an Oscar contender, a good showing at Cannes would definitely help.

As for Killers of the Flower Moon, it’s being shown out of competition. I can understand the logic. With all of the high expectations that come along with being Martin Scorsese’s latest film (as well as being the first Scorsese film to feature both De Niro and Di Caprio), it’s best not to run the risk of being snubbed by the unpredictable Cannes jury. The last thing anyone wants is for the narrative to shift from “sure-fire contender” to “late career disappointment.”

The Cannes Film Festival runs from May 16th to May 27th!

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Uli Edel Edition

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy 76th birthday to German director, Uli Edel! It’s time for….

4 Shots from 4 Uli Edel Films

Christiane F. (1981, dir b Uli Edel, DP: Justus Pankau and Jürgen Jürges)

Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989, dir by Uli Edel, DP: Stefan Czapsky)

Confessions of a Sorority Girl (1994, dir by Uli Edel, DP: Jean de Segonzac)

The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008, dir by Uli Edel, DP: Rainer Klausmann)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Roger Corman Edition

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Roger Corman in The Godfather Part II

4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films is just what it says it is, 4 (or more) shots from 4 (or more) of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films lets the visuals do the talking.

Today, we wish a happy 97th birthday to the legendary filmmaker, Roger Corman! And that means that it’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Roger Corman Films

It Conquered The World (1956, dir by Roger Corman, DP: Fred E. West)

House of Usher (1960, dir by Roger Corman, DP: Floyd Crosby)

The Masque of the Red Death (1964, dir by Roger Corman, DP: Nicolas Roeg)

The Wild Angels (1966, dir by Roger Corman, DP: Richard Moore)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Quentin Tarantino Edition

Posted on March 27, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy 60th birthday to director/screenwriter/cultural institution, Quentin Tarantino!

Here are….

4 Shots From 4 Quentin Tarantino Films

Pulp Fiction (1994, dir by Quentin Tarantino, DP: Andrzej Sekuła)

Kill Bill (2003, dir by Quentin Tarantino, DP: Robert Richardson)

Inglourious Basterds (2009, dir by Quentin Tarantino, DP: Robert Richardson)

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019, dir by Quentin Tarantino, DP: Robert Richardson)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special John Stockwell Edition

Posted on March 25, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to actor/director John Stockwell! Though the critics might not always realize it, Galveston-born John Stockwell is responsible for some of the best beach movies of the 21st Century. No one can make the beach and the ocean look as inviting (or as dangerous) as John Stockwell.

It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 John Stockwell Films

Blue Crush (2002, dir by John Stockwell, DP: David Hennings)

Into the Blue (2005, dir by John Stockwell, DP: Shane Hurlbut and Pete Zuccarini)

Turistas (2006, dir by John Stockwell, DP: Enrique Chediak and Peter Zuccarini)

In the Blood (2014, dir by John Stockwell, DP: P.J. Lopez)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Akira Kurosawa Edition

Posted on March 23, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens honors both the birth and the legacy of the great filmmaker, Akira Kurosawa! It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Akira Kurosawa Films

Seven Samurai (1954, dir by Akira Kurosawa, DP: Asakazu Nakai)

The Hidden Fortress (1958, dir. by Akira Kurosawa, DP: Kazuo Yamasaki)

Dersu Uzala (1975, dir. by Akira Kurosawa, DP: Asakazu Nakai)

Dreams (1990, dir by Akira Kurosawa, DP: Takao Saito)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Russ Meyer Edition

Posted on March 21, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

101 years ago, on the very day, Russ Meyer was born in San Leandro, California. Meyer would get his start filming newsreels during World War II, with much of his newsreel footage later showing up in films like the 1970 Oscar winner, Patton. When he returned to the United States, he continued to make films, though the subject matter changed a bit. Meyer was one of the pioneers of the adult film industry, though his once controversial films now seem rather quaint and innocent when compared to the industry’s later films. Meyer’s strong visual sense and his intentionally over-the-top plots made him a favorite amongst underground critics. In the 70s, he was briefly embraced by mainstream Hollywood but, unhappy with having to deal with the studio bosses, Meyer returned to making the type of independent, grindhouse films that made him famous.

Russ Meyer was 82 years old when he died in 2004. He was acclaimed as one of America’s first and most iconic independent filmmakers.

Here are 4 Safe-For-Work Shots From 4 Russ Meyer Films.

4 Shots From 4 Films

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965, dir by Russ Meyer, DP: Walter Schenk)

Motorpsycho (1965, dir by Russ Meyer, DP: Russ Meyer)

Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls (1970, dir by Russ Meyer, DP: Fred J. Koenekamp)

The Seven Minutes (1971, dir by Russ Meyer, DP: Fred Mandl)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special David Cronenberg Edition

Posted on March 15, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to one of our favorite directors, David Cronenberg! No one has done more to change the way that the world views Canada than David Cronenberg. Last year, Cronenberg came out of a ten-year retirement to film Crimes of the Future. Next up, a film called The Shrouds, a film that is described as being a businessman who discovers a way to communicate with the dead.

Here are….

4 Shots From 4 David Cronenberg Films