Coming to DVD: Jason King - The Complete Series Special Edition

Britain's dandiest crime investigator heads to DVD next month with the launch of Jason King - The Complete Series Special Edition.

As the name suggests, this is everything - seven discs with all 26 episodes complete and uncut, with Peter Wyngarde in the title role, mixing life as a crime fighter, author, playboy and late 60s clothes horse. Extras include a documentary, stills gallery, music suite and the TV play The Cross Fire starring Peter Wyngarde.

It's out on 30th June 2008, selling for £59.99. But watch out for a competition on this very site in the very near future.

Find out more about the DVD at Amazon.co.uk

Joy Division (2008) - the trailer

Following on from our review of the Joy Division documentary, here's the trailer for it.

Enjoy...

Review: Joy Division (2008)

One of my earliest childhood memories is being dragged into Manchester by my parents - and being ever-so-slightly scared by the decaying warehouses and factories, the disused Manchester Central railway station and the concrete monstrosities that made up the actual centre. It was grim beyond belief. But that decaying, depressing and hopeless environment produced one of Manchester's most iconic bands and the basis of this self-titled documentary - Joy Division.

Yes, with Control barely out of the cinema, here's another Joy Division story to replace it. But if you are a fan of the band, this is one you really need to see. Why? Well, it's all about the detail.

Cult Clip: Alphaville trailer (1965)

We mentioned this is getting a rare outing in Manchester this month, so a good time to feature the original (and perhaps over-dramatic) trailer for Jean-Luc Godard's sci-fi noir classic Alphaville.

And here it is...

Reigning Cats & Dogs - Robert Downey Sr's Pound plus Robert Crumb's Fritz The Cat and Bob Stanley DJ set at the Barbican

Next Friday looks like a decent night at London's Barbican, with the Fortune Teller Press presents Reigning Cats & Dogs. That means an outing for Robert Downey Sr’s Pound (unseen for 30 years), supported Fritz the Cat and a DJ set from Saint Etienne's Bob Stanley.

Pound is Robert Downey Sr’s rarely-seen follow-up to Putney Swope - an existential look into the world of dogs locked up in a NY pound - except all the dogs are played by humans. Studio execs hated it so , much that all copies were destroyed. Well, not quite all - here's a surviving one. Backing it up is the cult movie based on Robert Crumb’s Fritz The Cat, with morality taking a backseat to drugs, sex and an incredibly soulful soundtrack.

Tickets are £11, with the 9th May event starting at 7pm.

Find out more at the Barbican website

DVD Review: The Owl Service (1969)

Remember The Owl Service? Me neither - but after watching the newly-released DVD version of the 1969 teen drama, it's a show that will certainly stick in my mind for some time.

Set on a remote Welsh farm, The Owl Service mixes family intrigue with ancient legend in a complex tale that will require more than just casual viewing. Based on Alan Garner's 1967 novel, the tale revolves around a family brought together by marriage - Clive and his son Roger, plus the (unseen) Margaret and her daughter Alison (played by Gillian Hills - better known for appearing in A Clockwork Orange, Blow-Up and Beat Girl). They are joined by housekeeper Nancy and her son Gwyn.

One day, Alison hears a scratching in the loft and asks Gwyn to investigate - but he finds nothing but some plates with owls on them (The Owl Service). Seems fairly innocuous, but it kicks off a stream of events that see Alison becoming obsessed with the owls, cutting them out in secret, as well as developing a relationship with Gwyn.

Coming to DVD: Radio On (1979)

An unusual slice of life in late 70s Britain gets a BFI DVD issue later this month - Christopher Petit 's existential road movie Radio On.

This cult gem (filmed in black and white and with a soundtrack including David Bowie, Kraftwerk, Lene Lovich, Ian Dury, Robert Fripp, Wreckless Eric and Devo) follows a young London DJ (David Beames) on the road to Bristol to investigate the mysterious death of his brother - and at the same time inadvertently capturing the cultural and social change taking place at the dawn of the Thatcher era.

This new version also adds a newly-filmed interview with Chris Petit and producer Keith Griffiths, a 'digital video essay' on the movie, the original trailer and an illustrated 28-page booklet. Expect it on the shelves from 26th May.

Find out more about the DVD at Amazon.co.uk

Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville gets rare big screen outing in Manchester

The Breakfast Club at Manchester's Cornerhouse cinema is still going strong - offering a cooked breakfast (meat or veggie), a drink and a cult film for Sunday lunchtimes. And the next film is an absolute corker - Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville.

This ultra-stylish sci-fi noir finds inter-galactic special agent Lemmy Caution (Eddie Constantine) in Alphaville, the capital city of a distant planet, on the hunt for the mysterious Professor von Braun.

But when he arrives, he finds a planet controlled by Alpha 60, a vast computer which has outlawed 'illogical' trivia such as love and poetry and turned the residents into emotional zombies. Assisted by the professor's daughter Natasha (Anna Karina), Caution's investigations set him on a collision course with the all-powerful machine.

It's showing in Sunday 11th May, with a price of £9.20, including your fry-up.

Find out more at the Cornerhouse website

Armchair Thriller DVD winners

One last competition to draw for now - for a pair of Armchair Thriller DVDs.

Three winners, each receiving the first two volumes of this cult 70s TV series. They are:

Alex Baxter - London
Jane Bullough - Derby
Keri Vagges - Glasgow

A number of new competitions will be starting soon.

Reviewed: The Flipside presents The Small World of Sammy Lee at the NFT

Those fellahs at The Flipside have done it again; they’ve tracked down a forgotten gem of British Cinema and who knows where The Small World of Sammy Lee has been hiding since it was made in 1962?

If you’re anything like me, the name Anthony Newley tends to conjure up a picture of a light entertainer who seemed to belong to the Victorian Music Hall tradition, more than the Swingin’ Age he became famous in. This film pays testament to his talent as an actor, and a damn good one at that.

London Nobody Knows DVD competition winners

Another competition comes to an end - The London Nobody Knows (1967) / Les Bicyclettes de Belsize (1969) DVD. And we have five winners for the five DVDs. They are:

Darren Whitehead - Manchester
Mikki Francis - London
Kevin Barclay-Jay - Shanklin (Isle of Wight)
Cathy Littlejohn - London
Alison Brown - Newbury

All have been contacted and prizes will be sent out this week.

Coming to DVD: The Cars That Ate Paris (1974)

Writer/director Peter Weir's debut movie - The Cars That Ate Paris - gets a UK DVD release on 30th June, courtesy of Second Sight.

Set in the secluded outback town of Paris, Australia, the sinister community preys on unsuspecting tourists who have the misfortune to pass their way. Cars are forced off the road in accidents orchestrated by the evil townsfolk, who scavenge parts and possessions  for themselves. The lucky victims are the ones who die, the survivors are subjected to the local doctor’s bizarre experiments.

No news of any extras (so we can presume there are very little), you can pick it up for £15.99 (and likely discounted on the various large retail sites).

Find out more about the DVD at Amazon.co.uk

Sinister Folk at the BFI

When meddling townies move to remote country communities and the old ways meet the new, things take a turn for the sinister.  Hail the Queen of the May as Flipside unearths two obscure, genuinely creepy ‘70s folk tales on Friday 2nd May - Sinister Folk.

Robin Redbreast (Play For Today 1970)
Smart urban divorcee Norah gets more than she bargained for when she retreats to a remote house in the country. Toyed with by some very curious locals who know more than they let on, Norah soon finds herself the unwilling participant in shocking traditions both ancient and frightening.

Murrain (Against The Crowd) (ATV 1975)
When a mysterious virus plagues local pigs and a family goes sick, panicking farmers blame a frail old woman - the ‘witch’ that lives up the lane. An idealistic young doctor from the city tries to dispel the rumours. Taut, intelligent, convincing, written by legendary Quatermass creator, Nigel Kneale.

Afterwards, Resonance FM DJs Jonny Trunk (Trunk Records) and Nervous Stephen (Murri) will be spinning 'dark folk ditties' on black vinyl in Benugo. Tickets for the whole event cost £8.60.

Book tickets at the BFI website

Fashion In Film Festival returns for a second year

Returning for a second year is the Fashion In Film Festival, mixing talks, exhibitions, newly-commissioned film works, but best of all, some rarely-seen cinema classics that show how fashion of the day was just as important as a good plot and scenery.

Some superb films on show this year too, with highlights (for me) including the visually stunning (see image above) 10th Victim (La Decima Vittima) from 1965 and Get Carter (1970) at the ICA, Mario Bava's Blood and Black Lace (1964) at the Horse Hospital, as well as a double bill of delinquency curated by fashion designer and former mod Roger K. Burton (The Violent Years from 1956 and The Boys from '62), Dario Argento's The Bird With Crystal Plumage (1970) at the BFI plus Plein Soleil (1960) and Fata Morgana (1965) Ciné lumiére.

Much more besides, including some rare silent flicks and classic US film noir. Check out the full programme at the website - the event runs from 10th - 31st May 2008.

Fashion In Film Festival website

The Wrong Box (1966)

A 60s movie with a cast including Michael Caine, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Nanette Newman, John Mills, Ralph Richardson, Peter Sellers and Tony Hancock? Sounds too good to be true? Well it is true - and strangely, The Wrong Box remains something of an unknown quantity.

Despite the era, this isn't a swinging sixties movie - it's actually a Victorian farce. But as the style of the 60s owed much to a Victorian revival, that doesn't take too much effort. The plot however is something that might require a few spare brain cells.

The Small World Of Sammy Lee and 60s Soho at London's BFI

Another great night planned by The Flipside at London's BFI on Thursday 24th April 2008, celebrating the seedy world of 60s Soho.

That means a screening of The Small World Of Sammy Lee (1962), with Strip club compere and small time wideboy Sammy (played by cockney crooner Anthony Newley) losing his shirt at an all-night card game, with the heavies are looking to collect. That means a race against the clock around the streets of Soho as Sammy tries to raise the readies, and escape with the girl who loves him, before his luck runs out.

Also showing is Strip (1966), a short movie looking at vintage burlesque dancers at the notorious Phoenix Club, Old Compton Street, with the girls backstage talking about life whilst having a cup of tea and warming-up the baked beans. And to top things off, Big Shots features rare footage of wartime Soho shot by Sammy Lee director, Ken Hughes.

Introduced by Flipside's Vic Pratt and Will Fowler, with 'Sammy Lee' actress Julia Foster doing a Q&A after the screening. Tickets cost £8.60 (£6.25 concessions).

Find out more at the BFI website

Joy Division documentary showing in London - plus Stephen Morris & Jon Savage Q&A

If you are a fan of the band, you might want to get yourself down to the Curzon Soho in London for a screening of Joy Division.

Joy Division looks at the band through never-before-seen live performance footage, personal photos, period films and newly discovered audiotapes, with contributions from Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris, as well as the late Tony Wilson, Factory Records graphic artist Peter Saville, photographer/filmmaker Anton Corbijn and Belgian journalist Annik Honoré (speaking for the first time about her relationship with Ian Curtis) the film is described as a 'fresh visual account of a unique time and place'.

If that's not enough, Joy Division drummer Stephen Morris and writer Jon Savage will be on hand to take questions. It's on Thursday 24th April, starting at 6:30pm.

Find out more and order tickets at the Cuezon website

Via Retro To Go

Cult Clip: The Frightened Woman (1969)

Also reviewed recently on Cinedelica is The Frightened Woman - and that too has a trailer on YouTube. So if our review doesn't quite convince you to buy it...maybe this will...

Note that it's not 100 per cent safe for work (but not strong enough for an 18 rating on YouTube).

Cult Clip: Vault Of Horror (1973)

Good old YouTube comes up trumps again for the recently-reviewed Vault Of Horror. The trailer is in black and white - but the movie is actually in colour.

Vault Of Horror (1973)

A year after filming Al Feinstein's Tales From The Crypt, Amicus did the same thing with another Feinstein publication - Vault Of Horror. And while the director might have changed (this time to Roy Ward Baker), the film is more or less a carbon copy.

Well, actually, it's a lesser copy - same big name British cast, same scenario, same spooky tale - just not quite as memorable. This time the cast includes the wonderful Terry Thomas (above), Tom 'Dr Who' Baker, Denholm Elliott and numerous other actors you probably remember briefly from your childhood.