Spira Mirabilis

A truly unique experience
If you're into classical music you'll hear thousand times musicians speaking about "listening to each other", "making chamber music on larger scale" and stuff like that, and I'm sure that most of the time they believe in what they say. Well... this experience raises the bar to new, unexpected heights.
The reason is that the goal here is not to present "a product" but just to dig deep into a score, sharing this path in all of its stages with the people who are interested in. It's music seen through the eyes of musicians. And human beings.
Also available in Blu-Ray Spira Mirabilis [Blu-ray]





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Dangerous Edge: A Life of Graham Greene

Dangerous Edge: Graham Greene's Intrigue and Depression
Dangerous Edge: Graham Greene's Intrigue and Depression

During his tenure with British intelligence, Graham Greene reported directly to the notorious Soviet mole Kim Philby. It was rather fitting the espionage novelist and chronic adulterer would be so closely associated with such a significant betrayer. Yet, Greene consistently offered tortured defenses of his friend. He was "complicated" that way. Thomas P. O'Connor surveys the writer's work and ironic life in Dangerous Edge: A Life of Graham Greene (promo here), which airs this Friday night on most PBS outlets.

Greene was never awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, but he was nominated for an Oscar. Indeed, with so many Greene's books and screenplays produced for the big screen, O'Connor has a wealth of cinematic imagery available to illustrate Greene's oeuvre, without ever scraping the bottom of the barrel. In fact, at least two of Greene's scripts became outright masterpieces: The Third Man and...

A Graham Greene Biopic Walks the "Dangerous Edge" Between His Failures and Successes
Dangerous Edge: A Life of Graham Greene is a comprehensive look at the life and work of British author Graham Greene. While he is best known for his novels The Third Man, The Quiet American, and The End of the Affair, he also worked in British counter-intelligence for a time and spoke out against the United States government's misguided attempts at nation-building. As a writer and a public figure, he has a complicated but important legacy as a man who fought for the underdog and fought to survive his severe depression as thoughts of suicide plagued him his entire life. PBS has produced an excellent documentary that covers all these aspects of his life while still staying focused and informative.

I knew I was in for a treat with this documentary when I saw that Sir Derek Jacobi was the film's narrator and that Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Shaun of the Dead) would be reading Graham Greene's letters and other correspondence. I had heard of The Third Man but had no idea of its...

Kind of Blah
Watched this last night and had high hopes for it. I've read a great deal of what Greene has written, but I only knew a very little about his life. What I had known before this was his promiscuity and he use of alcohol and drugs and his constant travelling. Just a reading of a few of the books would give one an idea of what his inner life must have been like, though.

This film did give a decent outline of his life and there was a fair amount about his depression and promiscuity, but it was put together in a lackluster and really in the end boring way.

For a guy who wrote until really the end of his life and produced good work for most of that time the feel for his books was lacking. He traveled all over most of his life "to escape the boredom" he said and some of that was certainly covered, but once again the film makers just couldn't draw you in.

Still if you really know little or nothing about his life and would like to learn more this would be a...

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Truman

Sinise is Brillant!
I have watched this movie many times and have always felt better for it. I have always had a great respect for President Truman. Mr.Sinise's performance was heart-warming & captivating. He brought the essence of the character to life. The movie transports the viewer to his time and does not let go until the end (which, I found myself wanting to know more of the Trumans, post-White House). Diana Scarwid's portrayal of Bess Truman conveyed that the man who made some very tough calls in a nation's darkest hours had a woman of steel behind him. He made decisions that were unpopular and yet necessary. "War is Hell". Our 33rd President did what he felt was right at the time. He is in my estimation one of the most under-appreciated US Presidents and important historical figures of the 20th Century.

Sinise's crowning jewel
Brilliant made for cable film about the life of President Harry Truman. Although not a complete account of his life, this film nevertheless covers all the major events that helped shape the man. There is no better casting choice than Sinise. In one of his rare occasions as THE MAIN star of a film, his talents are brought to the surface brilliantly.

HBO dvds up to this time have never been known to have many supplements on them, and unfortunately this is no exception. The live action menus are a refreshing addition. However, there are countless extras you can add when it comes to historical figures like these. There are no trailers, no documentaries. Certainly a disappointment there. Tne film itself is worth getting however. Truly a milestone for a great actor.

Gary Sinise does it again!
This DVD stars Gary Sinise as Harry S. Truman and covers his life from when he is a farmer, through marrying Bess, up until the time he leaves the White House. Gary is terrific as usual and when he gets going as the older Truman on the campaign trail, he is dynamic. Also stars Diana Scarwid as Bess, who is usually in campy movies such as playing Christina Crawford in Mommie Dearest, but she is also very endearing as Mrs. Truman. There are some very cute points, especially when the Truman's move into the White House, the "first house they have ever had alone" and Mrs. Truman comments about how dirty it is! Not to be missed! One minor flaw - there are NO special features on this DVD.

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All The King's Men

In Spite of Flaws, This Political Noir Is Still Powerful
There are certain subjects that films in general and Hollywood in particular never handled very well--and chief among them are politics. But even some fifty years after it first hit theatre screens, ALL THE KING'S MEN still has plenty of power. Filmed in a "noir" style and based on the famous novel which was in turn based loosely on the rise and fall of Louisiana's Huey P. Long, the film offers the story of Willie Stark, a small-town lawyer who is nominated for govenor by a political party seeking to defeat their opponet by dividing the rural vote. When Willie gets wise to the plot he turns on his false benefactors and rockets to political power--but once in power the honest small-town-joe becomes even more corrupt than those who sought to manipulate him for their own gain.

Broderick Crawford justly earned an Oscar for his performance as Willie Stark, whose ego and thirst for power grows to horrific proportions--and whose corruption gradually taints even the most honorable...

The classic still packs a punch
I'm not much for political movies and thrillers, but I was pleasantly surprised to find this old classic still packs a considerable punch. Based on the life of Huey Long, it chronicles the rise to power of an obscure but ambitious backwoods Louisiana lawyer, Willie Stark, who initially seems to stand for honesty and reform in contrast to the entrenched and corrupt political machine he is fighting, which is determined to defeat him at all costs, rightly perceiving an honest man as a threat to everything they stand for.

Stark triumphs, however, and we watch as he himself takes on the trappings of official power, which he takes to like a duck to water. Stark builds new schools and colleges, hospitals for the poor, improves the roads, and seems to be everything the common man could hope for in a champion and leader. But there is a darker side to Stark, as he himself ultimately becomes assimilated by the corrupt machine he sought to topple and reform, and evidence surfaces that he has...

Very Well Written and Expertly Acted Film About Politics!
This film is a fascinating study of the political process. It depicts the rise and fall of a Huey Long-like character, from his idealized beginning to his slow descent into corruption, alcoholism, blackmail and greed. Broderick Crawford gives the performance of a lifetime as Willie Stark, his powerful screen presence makes us at first admire his character, then we slowly start feeling bad for him, but at the same time scares and ultimately we get to pity this man that was corrupted by the system. Assured direction by Robert Rossen and a superb script keep the film moving at a steady pace. Also an amazing supporting cast of which Mercedes McCambridge stands out as Stark's tough-as-nails assistant. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 7!

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Requiem For A Vampire

introduction to rollin: lesson 1
OH YEAH! it's great & redemption has made this collection available with an amazingly low cost. yes, that's 3 great films of rollin at a small price. for those of us who've wanted to study the maestro's classics or just indulge in some fantastic eurotrash, this is an absolute dream come true. infact, this was my introduction or 1st lesson in my education of jean rollin. of all three films, i'd have to say i love rape of the vampire best. as strange as this might sound, i was initially very confused when i saw this film & wouldn't have rated it so highly had i not given it a second viewing. having said that, i loved the images which are macabre & beautiful almost all at once. needless to say, that 2nd viewing really stole my attention & gave me a deeper appreciation of the film altogether. i was able to piece together the events & characters the 2nd time around & i realized what a genius jean rollin truly is. rape of the vmapire is to jean rollin as eraserhead is to david lynch. a rare...

astoundingly beautiful
Picked up this set expecting some typical vampire films and was blown away by the photography and ambiance. This set introduced me to the beauty and strangeness of Rollin's work. It was his later films that really captivated me: Fascination, Two Vampire Orphans, and Fiancee of Dracula. These are hard films to describe but there's something very beautiful about them. You'll either get it or you wont. The films in this set aren't as captivating to me as the three films I mentioned above but they have some amazing moments and I'm very pleased that I discovered this set of films since they introduced me to the work of this visionary director and led me to experience the glory of his later films.

Painting as Cinema
This collection of 3 films will be best enjoyed by those with an understanding of surrealist or symbolist painting. Otherwise if you are not familiar with the motivations behind these movements, you will find yourself bored by the lack of plot and character development, and slow pacing. Even your average 'B' movie fan will be disappointed here - despite the low budgets - there are not enough laughs here to make it a good fun night with your friends. Instead Rollin approaches these films with lofty ambitions and in the main part succeeds in creating some memorable images. The first half of Rape of the Vampire is a great and striking short film. The second half is obviously tacked on and is completely incomprehensible. Shiver of the Vampires in contrast to the black and white of ROTV has impressive use of colour and is probably the strongest of the three films. Requiem for a Vampire, is the slowest paced of the three, building up to some jaw dropping, sadistic torture scenes that evoke...

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If These Walls Could Talk

Hauntingly memorable
Abortion�s current sound bite nature means that both sides of the debate forget the women wanting control of their own bodies--and lives.

Graphically showing how government decisions impact private citizens, this film places women back into the center of this social issue. The audience is constantly reminded each of the women in the vignettes is a three-dimensional person with dreams and aspirations; only a callous person would believe women undertake abortions for fun.

I have previously seen many horror movies, but nothing prepared me for grim "1952". Discovering she is pregnant, nurse Claire Donnelly tried to obtain a safe illegal abortion. Repeatedly suggesting death/mourning (ironically in a supposedly 'pro-life' era) Claire's world is intentionally drab and the frequently drawn curtains also convey secrecy and shame. The white nightgown worn on the night of her septic abortion made her already pale complexion even more ghostly. Watching this segment is still very...

A Powerful Take on a Continuing Controversy
This trilogy of stories is both powerful and thought provoking. The movie follows the stories of three women of different eras who are conflicted regarding their unplanned pregnancies. While fictional in form, in reality it reflects the changing views and policies toward abortion from the 1950's to the present era.

The setting of all three segments is in a single house. This masterful production/directorial technique seems to be symbolic for an issue which has always been controversial to many. As the house becomes more and more dilapidated over each segment, we also see that the right to abortion is becoming a compoundingly fragile right that could be taken away at any time. Instead of gaining strength over time, the volatile issue is subject to the demands of the political party in command.

The dynamics of the eras are reflected so realistically in each segment, that a viewer cannot help but to be actively drawn into the drama. The segments feature all-star casts including such...

Good movie, but biased...
I'll start off saying that even as an abortion supporter, I found the movie biased. The one segment of three, which was set in the 70s and acted brilliantly by Sissy Spacek, where the woman chose not to have an abortion was the weakest. The story focused more on her life rather than the abortion, and I jus felt it didn't speak to me as much as the first and last segments. It was still good, but that segment seemed out of place. I also found the 70s segemnt out of place in the sequel, but that's a different subject.

The first segment, set in the 50s spoke to me the most. You could feel Demi's pain. I wanted to just strangle her sister. As I said before, the 70s segment was acted well, but lacked a moving story for me. I just didnt feel for Sissy's character like the other two. The last segment, set in the 90s, ws my favorite. Maybe it was because it is more relevent to me, since it's when I grew up. The end was really an unexpected turn, and superbly acted by Matthew Lillard. He...

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Episode 5 [HD]

Sweet dreams are made of this...
"The Syndicate" is not for anyone, just for those of us who enjoy a fairy tale, broken hearts, broken dreams, happy endings, and thick Northern England accents. Set in the rather grim industrial city of Leeds, the five-episide mini-series tells us about five ordinary, mostly decent, working class individuals, all employees of the same discount supermarket, who form a lottery syndicate.

Their future seems a bit bleak, the supermarket has been acquired by a larger chain and all five face redundancy, that horrible British euphamism for out of a job and up a creek. Each character accepts the news differently...some with stoicism, others with panic, some are driven to acts of desperation. This is soap opera manipulation at its best, and within the first 20 minutes, I was hooked.

Just when things look especially dodgy for all concerned, lightning strikes and The Syndicate's lottery numbers come up. Each member wins one million pounds, about $2.5 million...a lot of...

8 million lottery win fuels co-worker dysfunction
If this was a novel, it would be a bestseller, then adapted into a mini-series.
The Syndicate, a grocery lottery ticket buying group, wins. How will millions change 5 lives, and those closest to them. It's what we ask ourselves while scratching tickets, or checking numbers, praying for THE BIG WIN. This 2012 TV series vividly details the price of wealth. Kudos to the writer (also sometimes director, producer) Kay Mellor.

The Syndicate is a character study extraordinaire. You become enraptured with 5 leading roles, plus people close to them. Viewer emotions may include hate, love, endearment, despair, disdain, and more. You WILL be moved. The lucky winners: Brothers Jamie (Matthew Lewis- Harry Potter) & Stuart (Matthew McNulty- Lark Rise to Candleford); Leanne (Joanna Page- Love Actually); Denise (Lorraine Bruce); and Mgr Bob (Timothy Spall- King's Speech). Series filled with star actors.

SDH SUBTITLES optional for five 54min hard-pausing-between...

Fabulous series
Real drama, pathos, human emotions. Amazingly well written and acted. My wife and I were absolutely engrossed from the first minutes.

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