News

A restored version of Iván Zulueta’s ground-breaking 1979 film “Arrebato” (“Rapture”) is screening at the Lumière Festival’s International Classic Film Market (Mifc) in Lyon, France, thanks to Los Angeles distributor Altered Innocence and Madrid’s Mercury Films.

The cult film, considered a milestone in Spanish cinema from the post-Franco years, is seen as metaphor for how directors can be consumed by filmmaking. It centers on José, a frustrated low-budget horror movie director trying to complete a film while struggling with drug addiction. When he receives a package from past acquaintance Pedro — a Super-8 film reel and audiotape – José soon finds himself sucked back into the eccentric young man’s vampiric orbit.

“‘Arrebato’ has such a rich mix of horror influences, punk aesthetics, arthouse vibes, and queer cinema history that audiences can’t help being enraptured by this total gem of a film,” says Frank Jaffe, founder and head of Altered Innocence.

From slashers, to zombies, eco horror, and much, much more, MoMA's "Horror: Messaging the Monstrous" is a 10-week film series that includes 110 films, including a 3D screening of George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead! Featuring horror from around the world and taking place from June 23rd through September 5th, we have all the details so you can start planning your visit! Full program details can also be found at: moma.org/horror

Press Release:

The Museum of Modern Art announces Horror: Messaging the Monstrous, a 10-week film series that includes over 110 features and a selection of short films that capture the horror genre’s uncanny ability to express the lurking fears of a society and the anxieties caused by social, cultural, and political change. Presented in the Museum’s Titus Theaters in the Black Family Film Center from June 23 through September 5, 2022, Horror: Messaging the Monstrous is organized weekly...

Tiff’s Midnight Madness program turned 25 this year, and for two and half decades, the hardworking programers have gathered some of the strangest, most terrifying, wild, intriguing and downright entertaining films from around the world. From dark comedies to Japanese gore-fests and indie horror gems, the Midnight Madness program hasn’t lost its edge as one the leading showcases of genre cinema. In its 25-year history, Midnight Madness has introduced adventurous late-night moviegoers to such cult faves as Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused and Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. But what separates Midnight Madness from, say, Montreal’s three and half week long genre festival Fantasia, is that Tiff selects only ten films to make the cut. In other words, these programmers don’t mess around. Last week I decided that I would post reviews of my personal favourite films that screened in past years. And just like the Tiff programmers,...

Rob Interview about LotS and Spartacus

  The following article in the Nz Herald today interviewed Rob about LotS and Spartacus.

Tapert would know. Credited with creating both Xena and Hercules with producing partner Sam Raimi (director of the Spider-Man movies), he is the ultimate authority on sword-swinging fantasy.

A call to Tapert finds him navigating the traffic to Sylvia Park where his next ancient world series, Spartacus, is about to roll.

Legend of the Seeker represents a double return - to the world of fantasy television and a big New Zealand-based production.

Only Seeker isn't another Herc or Xena and it doesn't star Mrs Tapert, Lucy Lawless. The tone is more earnest and the special effects are many generations on. This is a post-Lord of the Rings/Narnia television series.

"We really tried to differentiate, yet play to some of the strengths that Herc and Xena once did," he says.

Colorful performances and energetic direction can't quite make up for some truly banal, soapy scripting in "When Love Comes", a quirky, equal-opportunity love story.

Part of the Outfest '99 lineup, the New Zealand import isn't likely to woo many viewers beyond the festival circuit.

Rena Owen, who was so memorable as an abused wife In Lee Tamahori's "Once Were Warriors", does some fine character work here as Katie Keen, a down-at-the-heels pop diva whose Top 40 days are well behind her.

Reduced to performing her old hits at noisy bars -- her biggest claim to fame was a No. 1 song in America during the late '70s -- the New Zealand native attempts to thwart a threatening nervous breakdown by coming home to revisit her roots and write a one-woman show.

There to lend a ready shoulder to cry on is her longtime pal Stephen Simon Prast), who's having boyfriend trouble with Mark (Dean O'Gorman), a much younger, budding songwriter who spends most of his life in a drug-and-alcohol-tinged haze.

Having problems with commitment, Mark becomes even more confused when he meets up with Fig (Nancy Brunning) and Sally (Sophia Hawthorne), a pair of aspiring rockers. While drummer Fig is romantically involved with guitarist Sally, she also has a thing for Mark and his edgy lyrics.

To add to all the emotional complications, Katie's nice-guy American boyfriend/manager Eddie Simon Westaway) shows up unannounced and joins in all the dysfunctional festivities. He declares his love for her; she, of course, isn't sure what she wants.

Neither is filmmaker Garth Maxwell. While his direction has a nice visual zip, the script, which he wrote along with Rex Pilgrim and Peter Wells, is awash in self-indulgent characters who spend most of the time taking each other's emotional temperatures while still trying to be interesting and sympathetic. Their group analysis sessions may be therapeutic, but they don't do much for the hapless viewer.

Despite all the "woe is me" dialogue, the cast, following Owen's very capable example, nevertheless manages to create an appealing, sexually diverse landscape that has been vibrantly captured on film by cinematographer Darryl Ward, who makes his feature debut here after a successful career in music videos and commercials.

WHEN LOVE COMES

Jour De Fete Films

MF Films in association with

the New Zealand Film Commission

Director: Garth Maxwell

Screenwriters: Garth Maxwell, Rex Pilgrim, Peter Wells

Director of photography: Darryl Ward

Production designer: Grace Mok

Editor: Cushla Dillon

Costume designer: Kirsty Cameron

Music: Chris Anderton

Color/stereo

Cast:

Katie: Rena Owen

Mark: Dean O'Gorman

Stephen: Simon Prast

Fig: Nancy Brunning

Sally: Sophia Hawthorne

Eddie: Simon Westaway

Running time -- 94 minutes

No MPAA rating...