1980s

Quote:
An adaptation of a novel by Edward Redlinski and a grotesque on country life. A peasant called Kaziuk leaves one morning to collect brushwood. When he comes back everything seems to be radically different. His cow has calved prematurely – which brings bad luck. What is more, he sees a wondering beggar, a young teacher and a party activist at his home. The activist wants to build a school and an electricity line, because the peasants enjoy poor hygiene and live in superstition. Kaziuk understands little of it, but remains impressed. The next day it turns out that the teacher is to become Kaziuk’s lodger. She stirs erotic fantasies in him.Read More »

Synopsis:
Sinister industrialist Francis Turner, played by John Saxon, creates a cyborg known as Paco Queruak (Daniel Greene) who has been programmed to terminate the leader of an ecological faction that stands in the way of the dystopian country in which the story is set. After failing in his mission to eliminate the ecologist, Paco flees to Arizona where he must face his opponents; and ultimately choose between his humanity and robotic natures.Read More »

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Depressed after losing his lover a long time ago, Andre visits a psychiatrist. While in the doctor’s waiting room, he strikes up a friendship with Lois, the doctor’s receptionist, and later with Lois’ husband, Bob. Although the couple want to help Andre recover from his depression, Andre finds himself unable to pull his life out of the past.Read More »

The film is Yasuzo Masumura’s last feature film, based on Mio Saito’s novel which wons him a Seishi Yokomizo Award, shot by Setsuo Kobayashi, principle cinematographers of such Kon Ichikawa & Yasuzo Masumura classics as Fires on the Plain, An Actor’s Revenge, Being Two Isn’t Easy, Ten Dark Women, A Wife Confesses, Red Angel, Blind Beast, Manji, Black Express… (Indeed I think he’s responsible for the look (for example, the tight framing & deep focus) of these films). The film also boasts a fabulous cast, including Tetsuro Tamba, who seems uncredited.Read More »

Synopsis:
A puppy was born in Akita Prefecture and sent as a gift to Professor Ueno of Tokyo University. Although professor’s wife does not want keep the dog. Professor Ueno loves the puppy so much and names it Hachi. Professor goes to work by railways everyday. Hachi walks to Shibuya Station with Professor each morning and greets him in the evening, no matter what the weather is. One day, Professor Ueno has a stroke and passed away. His family sold the house and moved to another city, but Hachi keeps visiting the house and waiting at the Shibuya station, believing his master.Read More »

The last film in Youssef Chahine’s autobiographical Alexandria Trilogy stars Chahine himself as his cinematic alter ego, Yehia Mourad, completing his merging of fiction with real life and drama with psychodrama. Opening with Chahine’s triumph at the Berlin Film Festival, where he took home the Silver Bear for Alexandria…Why? (the first film in the trilogy–this is layered stuff), the film explores Yehia’s obsession with his young star, Amir (Amr Abdel-Guelil), while participating in the general strike of 1987. As Yehia fantasizes about the films they would make together (one of them looks like a loony take on Jesus Christ Superstar), he elevates Amir from a kind of adopted son to cinematic messiah. But while caught up in the strike, Yehia becomes enchanted by a former actress, Nadia (Yousra), turned dedicated revolutionary, and he decides to cast her in his next feature.Read More »

Synopsis:
Jack Kerouac was a Beat Generation writer who took the nation by storm upon the publication of his novel On the Road. Kerouac’s legacy and influence are explained via interviews with Kerouac’s friends and contemporaries such as William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Herbert Huncke, and Edie Parker. Narrator Peter Coyote reads sections of Kerouac’s (mostly autobiographical) books as an actor recreates scenes from Kerouac’s life.Read More »

Quote:
After finding out that his wife is secrectly seeing someone else, Nicola storms out of the family home. His wife decides to have a shower to cool off and is hacked to death by an unseen assailant. Inspector Pierro Terzi is brought in to handle the case and it seems the crime is an open and shut case – a crime of passion. A psychologist (Valeria D’Obici) is brought in to evaluate the case and she thinks there’s more to it.Read More »