Author Archive: Mark R. Hasan

Pim & Wim’s Blue Movie (1971)

Thoughts on sex & architecture & a review of Wim Verstappen & Pim de la Parra’s BLUE MOVIE (1971), new on Blu from Cult Epics.

Death in Splendid Isolation: Lighthouse Mysteries

The lure of the lighthouse proved fatal for some in THE VANISHING (2018) on Blu from Lionsgate + THE PHANTOM LIGHT (1935) on DVD from MPI.

France Nuyen, Part 1: Satan Never Sleeps (1962) + Man in the Middle (1964)

Former Fox starlet France Nuyen is showcased in reviews of SATAN NEVER SLEEPS (1962) on Twilight Blu + MAN IN THE MIDDLE (1964) on Fox DVD.

Walter Wanger’s Arabian Adventures

Reviews of two Arabian adventure-romance mini-epics from producer Walter Wanger: THE ADVENTURES OF HAJJI BABA (1954) on Blu from Twilight Time + ARABIAN NIGHTS (1942) from Universal.

Stinkers of 2018: Mile 22 + Peppermint

Two of 2018’s action stinkers are reviewed this week: Peter Berg’s MILE 22 + Pierre Morel’s PEPPERMINT.

Viva Amiga’s Zach Weddington (and a bit of gear talk)

Podcast interview with Zach Weddington on Viva Amiga, his affectionate documentary on the pioneering multimedia computer (plus a bit of gear talk).

Patricia Rozema’s Singing Mermaids & White Room + Bonus Audio from NCFD 2018

Review of the CanCon classic I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing (1987) and much-maligned White Room (1990) + Q&A audio of director Patricia Rozema & journalist Kiva Reardon during National Canadian Film Day.

ArtScopeTO 07: Interview with Photographer Andre Vittorio

Aprils ArtScopeTO podcast features photographer Andre Vittorio, whose series Abstractions on Metal can be seen at Toronto’s Urban Gallery until Sat. April 28, 2018.

BR: Blue Movie / Session in Amsterdam (1971)

The frankness within Blue Movie is quite astonishing – full frontal male & female naughty bits, with active handling & touching on camera, as filmed by a young Jan de Bont…

DVD: Phantom Light, The (1935)

In 1935, Michael Powell directed 7 films, and The Phantom Light (1935) is among the few of his early quota work to make it to DVD. For North Americans familiar with his more daring artistic experiments with Emeric Pressburger (such as The Red Shoes, or Black Narcissus)…

BR: Vanishing, The / Keepers (2018)

Based on the still-unsolved Flannan Isle Mystery in which three lighthouse keepers vanished from an isolated isle without a trace in 1900, Joe Bone and Celyn Jones’ script unravels like a classic thriller in which isolation + greed drives men mad…

BR: Satan Never Sleeps (1962)

Whether Pearl S. Buck’s first screenplay required heavy work by Claude Binyon isn’t known, but the author of The Good Earth (published in 1931, and made into a film in 1937 by MGM) reportedly wrote China Story around 1950…

DVD: Man in the Middle (1964)

A whydunnit transposed to a WWII military courtroom in India, this adaptation of Howard Fast’s novel deals with a U.S. lieutenant facing the death penalty after shooting a British colleague in cold blood…

LP: John and Mary (1969)

Written during his busiest period (1968-1970), Quincy Jones’ score for John and Mary was quite sparse, leaving obligatory space for the film’s myriad dialogue exchanges and source music, but the score is memorable for being atypical of the material Jones was writing at the time: action comedies (The Italian Job, The Hell with Heroes), comedies (Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,Cactus Flower), and the funky style of They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!

CD: Runaway Train (1985)

For some soundtrack fans, it was a bit of surprise to learn the composer of pioneering synth scores had begun his career with large orchestral scores for John Boorman’s Excalibur (1981) and Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal (1982)…

LP: Bourne Identity, The (2002)

The first film in the enduring franchise gave John Powell the perfect opportunity to write what remains both his definitive action sound, and the definitive action score of that decade, blending large orchestral sounds with layers upon layers of electronics…