Italy

The Mask of Satan

Recently released on Blu-ray in the UK as Black Sunday, this early horror offering from Italian maestro Mario Bava stars Barbara Steele as a 200-year old vampire witch, accidentally revivied… Read More
Cinema Paradiso

My list of shame title for this month’s edition of Full Disclosure – an ongoing feature over at Twitch – was Giuseppe Tornatore’s Acedmy Award-winning love letter to the golden… Read More
Hatchet for the Honeymoon

Terrible low-rent Psycho knock-off from Mario Bava featuring an array of beautiful brides being bumped off by poor, troubled Stephen Forsyth. Ridiculous fashions, pitiful acting and a lethargic narrative that… Read More
Stromboli

Much derided at the time of its original release, Roberto Rossellini’s 1950 drama has been restored by Martin Scorsese’s film preservation initiative and is ripe for reassessment. I had never… Read More
Reality

I was a big fan of Matteo Garrone’s Gomorrah and was very encouraged when his follow-up, Reality, also bagged him the Grand Prix at Cannes last year. The film just… Read More
Zombie Flesh Eaters

A notorious film for any number of reasons, from its numerous titles, spectacularly gruesome effects, ridiculous moments of action or inclusion on the Video Nasties list, Lucio Fulci’s Zombie Flesh… Read More
Identification of a Woman

While I wouldn’t class myself as much of a fan of Michelangelo Antonioni, I have enjoyed all of his films that I have seen. However, until today that consists solely… Read More
Oedipus Rex

Pier Paolo Pasolini’s retelling of Sophocles’ classical tragedy is a typically vivid and visually arresting affair, featuring bold performances from Franco Citti and Silvana Mangano, outrageous costumes and stunning photography.… Read More
REVIEW: Oedipus Rex

Pier Paolo Pasolini is a fascinating, if challenging filmmaker, who I have only fairly recently begun to fully appreciate. As is probably the case with numerous other critics of my… Read More
Once Upon a Time in the West

After completing his “Dollars Trilogy”, Sergio Leone was done with the Western, until Paramount offered him a huge budget and the opportunity to work with his favourite actor, Henry Fonda.… Read More