Ten of the Best Monster Movies

    I’ve bored myself with constant mention of my Monster Movies book, so I’ll refrain from further plugging (until my next post), except to say that promotion of my book was the reason for writing this piece, which appeared on Fangoria.com. As much as the incomparable John Cusack in High Fidelity made it über [...]

MIFFing: Splice, The Silent House & The Clinic

I wasn’t entirely sure if it was kosher for me to be reviewing Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) films, considering I was involved in producing the program guide. So, I spoke to the festival’s Executive Director, Richard Moore, who has now given me clearance as contract staff and someone “who has another life” to blog [...]

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

Director: Frank Lloyd Producer: Irving Thalberg & Albert Lewin Based on a Novel by: Charles Nordhoff Screenplay: Talbot Jennings, Jules Furthman & Carey Wilson Starring: Charles Laughton, Clark Gable & Franchot Tone Fellow Nominees: Alice Adams – dir. George Stevens, prod. Pandro S. Berman Broadway Melody of 1936 – dir. Roy Del Ruth, prod. John [...]

Frank and Kong

A couple of sample entries from my book, Monster Movies: FRANKENSTEIN (dir. James Whale, USA, 1931) When Mary Shelley first penned Frankenstein (or The Modern Prometheus) in 1818 as part of a literary parlour game with her husband and Lord Byron, she could not have fathomed the ‘monster’ she had created. Her story became the [...]

All Quiet on the Western Front (1929-1930)

Director: Lewis Milestone Producer: Carl Laemmle Jr Based on a Novel by: Erich Maria Remarque Screenplay: George Abbott Starring: Louis Wolheim, Lew Ayres & John Wray Fellow Nominees: The Big House – dir. George W. Hill, prod. Irving Thalberg Disraeli – dir. Alfred E. Green, prod. Jack Warner & Darryl F. Zanuck The Divorcee – [...]