Category: EDITOR’S BLOG

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.

Viva Amiga (2017) and the Video Toaster: Revolution (1991)

Review of Zach Weddington’s swell documentary Viva Amiga (2017) on the iconic multimedia computer, links to a vintage demo video on NewTek’s Video Toaster, and links to a new blog on York University’s Film Program, circa 1987-1991.

Terror Rides the Rails: Dutchman (1966) + The Incident (1967)

Reviews of two tales of terror set in cramped NYC subway cars: Larry Peerce’s The Incident (1967) on Blu from Twilight Time + Anthony Harvey’s Dutchman (1966) from Image.

Peeping into the Labyrinth: the Giallo & the Neo-Giallo

Reviews of two giallo entries from 1972: Mario Caiano’s Eye in the Labyrinth / L’occhio nel labirinto on Code Red DVD + James Kelley’s What the Peeper Saw / Diabólica malicia via VCI on Blu.

No Laughing Matter: Victor Hugo’s Cruel Romance “L’homme qui rit”

Reviews of Victor Hugo’s The Man Who Laughs on film: the 1928 silent classic directed by Paul Leni & starring Conrad Veidt + the 2012 Jean-Pierre Améris version.

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.

Marilyn Lerner Talks Scoring Silent Film

Jazz composer & improviser Marilyn Lerner discusses performing her scores live for silent films, including Frank Borzage’s Street Angel (1928) + the upcoming The Man Who Laughs (1928) at Toronto’s Revue Cinema.

Dear Guelda, Part 1: A Conversation with Peter Roffman

A lengthy podcast with Peter Roffman, editor / author of Dear Guelda: The Death and Life of Pioneering Canadian Filmmaker Julian Roffman, director of the CanCon 3D classic The Mask (1961), and so much more.

CanCon 101: Gnaw – Food of the Gods Part II (1989)

CanCon 101 puts the blue gelled spotlight on Damian Lee’s forgotten cult classic Gnaw – Food of the Gods: Part II (1989) + York University’s tunnels.

DVD: Gnaw – Foods of the Gods: Part 2 (1989)

H.G. Wells’ 1904 novel The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth has spawned a trio of works, each of which isn’t especially faithful to the 3-part book, and around 1987 Damian Lee took a crack at Wells’ novel…

Digital: Viva Amiga (2016)

When the Amiga computer made its auspicious 1985 debut in an elaborate product launch at Lincoln Center, it was another new player determined to assert itself in a market dominated by IBM, Apple, Atari, and Commodore, and for a while it seemed as though the big-thinking team behind the unconventional machine would find a place where it could gain followers, grow as a creative entity, and perhaps become a dominant player as a true multimedia, multitasking personal computer…

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…