20th Century Fox has released the debut trailer and poster for UNDERWATER. The film follows a crew of underwater researchers who must scramble to safety after an earthquake devastates their subterranean laboratory.
Directed by William Eubank, UNDERWATER stars Kristen Stewart, T.J. Miller, Vincent Cassel and John Gallagher Jr.
Kristen Stewart is at the top of her game right now – she recently starred in LIZZIE alongside Chloë Sevigny, the excellent PERSONAL SHOPPER and will co-star in Elizabeth Banks’ new version of CHARLIE’S ANGELS as Sabrina.
Her latest film SEBERG will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on August 30, 2019.
UNDERWATER arrives in theaters on January 10, 2020.
Qiu Sheng’s SUBURBAN BIRDS (2018) screens at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood) Friday August 23rd, Saturday August 24th, and Sunday August 25th. The screenings begin at 7:30 each evening. Facebook invite can be found HERE.
A hit at Locarno and New Directors/New Films, Suburban Birds, the debut film from Qiu Sheng, was called a cross between Stand by Me and The Trial by The Hollywood Reporter upon its premiere. The story follows two young men named Hao—one a schoolboy who finds his friends keep turning up missing, the other an engineer who is investigating a series of sinkholes that have been appearing around a rapidly growing Chinese city. See this one early—it’s the type of film you’re likely to want to come back and catch again before its run with us ends.
In Mandarin with English subtitles.
Admission is:
$7 for the general public $6 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools $5 for Webster University staff and faculty
” To understand people’s minds and control them is the secret of the ninja strategy. But only true sympathy can move the human heart. A pompous old ninja like me can’t hope to do it. “
NINJA SCROLLplays midnights this weekend (August 16th and 17th) at the Tivoli as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series. A Facebook invite for the event can be found HERE
NINJA SCROLL is a popular Anime from 1993 that’s never shown at The Tivoli before. It tells the story of a Journeyman ninja by name of Jubei stumbles upon a plague, an evil clan of demons, a national crisis, and a beautiful ninja girl.
The Tivoli’s located at 6350 Delmar Blvd., University City, MO. Admission is a mere $8!
A double dose of terror from the directors of DAWN OF THE DEAD and SUSPIRIA!
The Masters of Modern Horror – George Romero and Dario Argento – bring you an unprecedented pair of shockers inspired by the tales of Edgar Allan Poe. In Romero’s The Facts In The Case Of Mr. Valdemar, a conniving wife (Adrienne Barbeau of THE FOG) and her lover use a hypnotic trance to embezzle a fortune from her dying husband, only to receive some chilling surprises from beyond the grave. Then in Argento’s The Black Cat, a deranged crime scene photographer (Harvey Keitel of FROM DUSK TILL DAWN) is driven to brutal acts of madness and murder by his girlfriend’s new pet. But will this cunning feline deliver a final sickening twist of its own? Martin Balsam (PSYCHO), E.G. Marshall (CREEPSHOW), John Amos (THE BEASTMASTER) and Tom Atkins (NIGHT OF THE CREEPS) co-star in this wild horror hit that also features grisly makeup effects by Tom Savini (MANIAC). In celebration of its 30th Anniversary, Blue Underground is proud to present TWO EVIL EYES in a new 4K restoration from its original camera negative, packed with exclusive new and archival Extras!
BONUS FEATURES
Disc
1 (Blu-ray) Feature Film + Extras:
NEW! Audio Commentary with Troy Howarth,
Author of Murder By Design: The Unsane Cinema of Dario Argento
Theatrical Trailer
Poster & Still Gallery
Disc
2 (Blu-ray) Extras:
Two Masters’ Eyes –
Interviews with Directors Dario Argento & George
Romero, Special Make-Up Effects Supervisor Tom Savini,
Executive Producer Claudio Argento, and Asia Argento
Savini’s EFX –
A Behind-the-Scenes look at the film’s Special Make-Up Effects
At Home With Tom Savini –
A personal tour of Tom Savini’s home
Adrienne Barbeau on
George Romero
NEW! Before I Wake – Interview with
Star Ramy Zada
NEW! Behind The Wall – Interview with
Star Madeleine Potter
NEW! One Maestro And Two Masters – Interview
with Composer Pino Donaggio
NEW! Rewriting Poe – Interview with
Co-Writer Franco Ferrini
NEW! The Cat Who Wouldn’t Die – Interview
with Assistant Director Luigi Cozzi
NEW! Two Evil Brothers – Interview with
Special Make-Up Assistant Everett Burrell
NEW! Working With George – Interview with
Costume Designer Barbara Anderson
Disc
3 (CD):
TWO EVIL EYES Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Pino
Donaggio
BONUS! Collectable Booklet with new essay by Michael Gingold
After a hiatus of several months, Destroy the Brain‘s monthly ‘Late Nite Grindhouse’ film series is back in a new location! Head to the Marcus Des Peres Cinema (12701 Manchester Rd, Des Peres, MO 63131) this Friday and Saturday (August 23rd and 24th) at 10pm for a double-bill of ’80s slasher essentials: SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE and SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE Part 2! Since this is a Marcus Theater, you’ll need to reserve your seats ahead of time HERE. There may (or may not be) tickets available the nights of the screenings, but it looks like they’re going fast!Tickets are $13 (technically $13.12 w/ tax). One ticket will get you in to both films.A Facebook invite for the event can be found HERE
SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE (1982)
Left alone for the weekend when her parents go away, teenager Trish decides to hold a slumber party for some of her school friends. What she didn’t count on was recently-escaped psycho Russ Thorn deciding to gate-crash the party with his massive power drill. SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE definitely reduced the ’80s slasher genre to its ultimate base elements. Everything that was popular about the slasher flick was streamlined here. Minimal plot. Minimal characterization. Maximum carnage. Played as straight as an arrow. Oh, and boobs. It’s exactly what you would think a movie called SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE would be (and that’s a compliment). Keep your expectations in check and you will have a great time.
SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE II (1987)
We here at WAMG have never seen the follow-up but suspect the only surprise is that it took five years! No doubt it’s more of the same but looking forward to seeing it!
Behind bars, all bets are off when LOCK UParrives on 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray™ and Digital) and Digital 4K Ultra HD September 10 from Lionsgate.
Behind bars, all bets are off when Lock Up arrives on 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray™ and Digital) and Digital 4K Ultra HD September 10 from Lionsgate. Just in time for Academy Award® nominee Sylvester Stallone’s (2015, Best Supporting Actor, Creed) return to the big screen for the final time as his most legendary character in Rambo: Last Blood (in theaters September 20), Lock Up stars the action superstar himself as a down-on-his-luck convict who can’t seem to escape the wrath of Warden Drumgoole (Donald Sutherland). Experience four times the resolution of full HD with the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, which includes Dolby Vision®, bringing entertainment to life through ultra-vivid picture quality. When compared to a standard picture, Dolby Vision can deliver spectacular colors never before seen on a screen, highlights that are up to 40 times brighter, and blacks that are 10 times darker. Available for the very first time in this absolutely stunning format, the Lock Up 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack will include multiple featurettes and interviews with cast and crew, and will be available for the suggested retail price of $22.99.
“This is hell and I’m going to give you a guided tour!” With these chilling words, the warden (Donald Sutherland) welcomes Frank Leone (Sylvester Stallone) to Gateway Prison, a nightmare jail where every minute is hard time. The warden wants vengeance for the past; Leone wants only to survive the present. Their explosive battle of wills is the electrifying heart of one of Stallone’s most heroic thrillers, Lock Up. Stallone gives a monumental performance as Leone, a convict driven to break his own cherished code by a warden who will stop at nothing to get him. Sutherland portrays the sadistic prison head in this riveting white-knuckle ride to hell and back.
4K ULTRA HD / BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES
“Making of” Featurette
“About Sylvester Stallone” Featurette
Interview with Sylvester Stallone
Interview with Donald Southerland
Interview with Sonny Landham
Interview with John Amos
“Behind the Scenes” Featurette
Original Trailer
CAST Sylvester Stallone Creed, Rocky, Rambo Donald Sutherland The Hunger Games franchise
Great news for fans of director John Ford. His 1950 classic WAGON MASTER is now available on Blu-ray From Warner Archive
The rivers are wide and rapid. The desert is vast and unforgiving. And when the trail turns craggy, men use pickaxes to dig grooves for the wagon wheels. Mother Nature can be overcome, but human nature remains deadly and unpredictable: Outlaws are using the Mormon wagon train as a hideout from a pursuing posse. John Ford’s WAGON MASTER is one of the legendary filmmaker’s personal favorites, a visually stirring celebration of Western will and cooperation set to the soundtrack crooning of the Sons of the Pioneers. Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., Ward Bond (who would later lead TV’s Wagon Train) and other familiar Ford stock company players take the reins in this glorious paean to the pioneer spirit. “Wagons west!”
Master director John Ford assembles most of his ever-reliable ensemble sans headlining stars for this character driven drama in which a pair of laconic horse traders lead a group of Mormon pioneers across the wilds of the American West. Under the leadership of gruff Elder Wiggs (Ward Bond), a group of Mormon’s employ Travis Blue (Ben Johnson) and Sandy Owens (Harry Carey, Jr.) to guide them to a new home after getting ejected from Crystal City. As a true community begins to emerge on their trek, they encounter their opposite number in the murderous and criminal Clegg family. A personal favorite of Ford’s, this often-overlooked masterwork is a perfect summation of Ford’s cinematic legerdemain – a tribute to both the American ethos, the glories of Moab and the simple pleasure of hanging out with interesting characters. Now, Wagon Master’s quiet majesty is revealed like never before in this glorious 1080p HD presentation. Special Feature: Commentary by Harry Carey, Jr. and Peter Bogdanovich with archival contributions by John Ford.
Baykali Ganambarr as “Billy” and Aisling Franciosi as “Clare” in Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films release. Photo by Matt Nettheim
The writer/director of THE BABADOOK, Jennifer Kent, follows up the chilling horror film with a gripping drama set in 1825 Australia, a tale of violence and revenge that is almost Shakespearean. THE NIGHTINGALE is a tale of vengeance but it is also a story of self-discovery, and of finding a common human bond with someone who appears at first quite different.
“Nightingale” is the nickname
given to a beautiful Irish convict, Clare (Aisling Franciosi), for
her golden singing voice, by the British troops at the remote
Tasmanian outpost where she has served out her sentence. Clare is in
the custody of British officer Lieutenant Hawkins (Sam Claflin), but
she has served her sentence, and with both a husband and baby now,
she wants to be released. However, Hawkins, who is both taken with
Clare’s beauty and seething with resentment at being stuck at the
remote post, refuses to let her go and treats her abusively. When her
husband Aiden (Michael Sheasby) demands her release, matters escalate
to shocking violence. Hawkins suddenly departs on a dangerous journey
north, in pursuit of a promotion, with a vengeful Clare pursuing the
lieutenant. The dense forest they must traverse is a treacherous
place, in the grips of what became known as the Black War, and Clare
enlists an Aboriginal guide named Billy (Baykali Ganambarr) to help
her, after no friend is willing to accompany her on the harrowing
journey.
THE NIGHTINGALE is a thought-provoking,
brilliantly-directed drama but it is also a shockingly violent film,
with some sequences audiences are likely to find hard to watch. The
film’s themes of violence, vengeance, ambition and lust are truly
Shakespearean, but this is also an intelligent, moving human drama
about identity and human connections. It also touches, indirectly and
deftly, on a host of other issues, such as unequal status of women in
the time period, the Irish-English conflict, and the treatment of
Aboriginal people.
THE NIGHTINGALE is a more graphic and violent film that Jennifer Kent’s first film, the horror film THE BABADOOK, but it has the same level of nail-biting suspense and tension. The film’s combination of historically-set drama with serious subject matter and violent, pulse-pounding thriller action keeps us hooked but on edge throughout. It is an uneasy combination but it is a worthy film nonetheless.
The cast is superb. Watching Aisling
Franciosi transform from submissive convict to a force of vengeance
to grieving woman and back is an astonishing experience. Sam Claflin,
so often cast as a sympathetic lead, gets to play a true monster as
the British officer, and he is excellent as he mines Hawkins’ layers
of ambition, arrogance and resentment. Baykali Ganambarr as the
Aboriginal tracker Billy has the pivotal role in this tale,
transforming the story from a vengeance thriller into something
deeper and more complex.
THE NIGHTINGALE is an impressive film,
beautifully shot and acted, a gripping thriller but a film with
something to say. Hopefully, audiences will not be discouraged by its
violent scenes and then miss out on its deeper human message.
THE NIGHTINGALE opens Friday, Aug. 16,
at Landmark’s Tivoli Theater.
David Crosby (center), jamming with Neil Young (l), Stephen Stills (r) and Tim Drummond (bass), during a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young concert at Texas Stadium, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas, August 31, 1974. Photo by Joel Bernstein. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
David Crosby has a golden voice and has had a storied career as part of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and the Byrds, having sung or written songs that were the soundtrack of the Woodstock generation. Even if you don’t know his name, you recognize some of his songs. You have to admire his talent but as a person, David Crosby is less admirable and more complicated, as interviewer Cameron Crowe reveals in the first-rate documentary DAVID CROSBY: REMEMBER MY NAME.
The title is apt, as one of the first
thing that comes up when others talk about the singer/songwriter is
his ego. Cameron Crowe is the producer, not the director, of this
documentary but he is the perfect choice as interviewer, since he has
known Crosby since his days as a rock journalist in the ’60s, and
parts of Crowe’s semi-autobiographical film ALMOST FAMOUS is based on
that experience. The documentary’s director is A.J. Eaton, who lets
Crowe draw out Crosby, while offering us a wealth of archival footage
and background material on a remarkable time, a remarkable career and
a complicated man.
Like him or not, there is no denying David Crosby has had a storied career. Blessed with a beautiful singing voice and a gift for songwriting, Crosby was a member of the Byrds, then a founding member of Crosby, Stills, and Nash, who shot to fame after Woodstock. Crosby knew immediately that his voice was the perfect match for Graham Nash’s, and the two created thrilling harmonies on hit after hit, including “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” “Our House,” “Wooden Ships” and “Guinevere.” The addition of singer/songwriter Neil Young created the super group Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. The groups’ songs gave the ’60s and early ’70s much of its signature soundtrack, including the Kent State political lament “Ohio.”
You don’t have to remember the ’60s to
enjoy this marvelous documentary. DAVID CROSBY: REMEMBER MY NAME
takes us on a musical trip through some of the most important
cultural moments of the Sixties, with concert footage featuring many
of the songs, and putting the songs and the bands in perspective of
the era and of Crosby’s life. It is an enjoyable and enlightening
journey.
To its credit, the film does not shy
away from or gloss over the central fact that, as talented as he is,
David Crosby has a reputation as, well, a jerk. Yet on camera in this
film, Crosby is charming, engaging and a natural storyteller. The
legendary musician talks about other rock and folk music greats of
the era, praising Jerry Garcia and Bob Dylan, and revealing his
personal dislike of The Doors’ Jim Morrison. Crosby’s eloquence and
frankness make the interviews with him one of the most engrossing
parts of this film.
But another thing we quickly learn
about the singer/songwriter – from other interviewees – is that he is
famously prickly and has legendary temper. We don’t see the temper
but we do see some of the prickly, difficult personality, although
maybe less than would have been the case with another interviewer.
With Cameron Crowe, whom he has known so long, Crosby is relaxed. He
seems honest and open, although not always with good insight on
himself. However, the film offers some insights, through background
on Crosby’s family and upbringing, and also covers his current
musical career, touring with younger musicians and making new music,
while he faces declining health and his own mortality.
While the documentary has a lot of
footage of Crosby, his wife, and interviews with some fellow
musicians, others are notably absent. There is a little bit of
interview footage with Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, with Neil Young
and Graham Nash of CSNY but none with Stephen Stills, who only
appears in concert footage and archival shots. Crosby mentions a
daughter from whom he is estranged, and past lovers such as Joni
Mitchell, but they also are absent from interviews.
There is, however, a great deal of
fabulous concert footage and archival stills that recaps Crosby’s
storied career, and the ups-and-downs of his personal life. Crosby
ultimately comes across as someone who is often his own worse enemy,
with a capacity to alienate those closest to him, yet lucky enough to
have found happiness with his beloved, supportive wife Jan. Crosby is
frank about his many affairs and his drug usage, including the heroin
addiction that sent him to jail, an ordeal that helped him kick that
habit. His band mates, including Graham Nash, were there for him when
he got out of prison, along with his now-wife Jan. Jan is still with
him but his former band mates no longer speak to him. There is a
story there that interviewer Cameron Crowe skirts around, trying to
tease it out, yet Crosby remains enigmatic.
This is an insightful, intriguing
documentary about a talented but flawed man, as well as a essential
and entertaining musical journey through a pivotal era. No matter
what you think of David Crosby personally, this musical journey is a
long strange trip well worth taking.
DAVID CROSBY: REMEMBER MY NAME opens
Friday, Aug. 16, at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinema.
Music Director Stéphane Denève and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will take audiences on a tour-de-force journey through some of Hollywood’s most thrilling movies in the first concerts of the 2019/2020 season: The Music of John Williams. Concerts are 7:00pm Friday and Saturday, September 13-14, and 2:30pm Sunday, September 15.
A bedrock of film music, John Williams redefined the American music landscape with his work on some of Hollywood’s biggest films, including Indiana Jones, Jaws, E.T. – The Extraterrestrial, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Harry Potter. The SLSO plays Williams’ most memorable themes, along with music from lesser-known films including Memoirs of a Geisha and The Book Thief. SLSO Principal Cello Daniel Lee and Assistant Concertmaster Erin Schreiber take center stage on the program, performing selections from Memoirs of a Geisha and Schindler’s List, respectively.
A collaborator and personal friend of Denève’s, the SLSO will perform unpublished works from Memoirs of a Geisha and Dracula, borrowed from Williams’ personal library specifically for these concerts. Denève and Williams will provide their insights to the music through video clips played during the concert.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.slso.org.
Denève returns the following week, September 21-22, to lead the SLSO’s opening weekend of classical concerts, a signature program celebrating musical friendships that blends American and French repertoire, established favorites and works by composers of today, and two works for piano with the SLSO’s first titled artist since the 1990s – the Jean-Paul and Isabelle Montupet Artist-in-Residence Jean-Yves Thibaudet. The concert culminates with a performance of Gershwin’s beloved piece, An American in Paris.
John WILLIAMS Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind
John WILLIAMS Selections from Memoirs of a Geisha Suite for Cello and Orchestra
Daniel Lee, cello
John WILLIAMS “Adventures on Earth” from E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial
John WILLIAMS “Hedwig’s Theme“ from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
John WILLIAMS “Harry’s Wondrous World” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
John WILLIAMS The Book Thief
John WILLIAMS “Night Journeys” from Dracula
John WILLIAMS Theme from Schindler’s List for Violin and Orchestra
Erin Schreiber, violin
John WILLIAMS “The Barrel Chase” from Jaws
John WILLIAMS “Raiders March” from Raiders of the Lost Ark
The 19/20 SLSO Classical Season is presented by World Wide Technology and the Steward Family Foundation and runs through May 9, 2020.
About Stéphane Denève, SLSO Music Director
Stéphane Denève is the 13th Music Director for the 140-year-old St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, beginning his tenure in the 2019/2020 season. He also serves as Music Director of the Brussels Philharmonic, Principal Guest Conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and Director of the Centre for Future Orchestral Repertoire (CffOR).
Recognized internationally for the exceptional quality of his performances and programming, Denève regularly appears at major concert venues with the world’s greatest orchestras and soloists. He has a special affinity for the music of his native France and is a passionate advocate for music of the 21st century. A gifted communicator and educator, he is committed to inspiring the next generation of musicians and listeners, and has worked regularly with young people in the programs such as those of the Tanglewood Music Center, New World Symphony, the Colburn School, and the Music Academy of the West.
He is a frequent guest with leading orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, The Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, Orchestre National de France, Vienna Symphony, DSO Berlin and NHK Symphony. Last season, he led a major U.S. tour with the Brussels Philharmonic.
In the field of opera, Denève has led productions at the Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne Festival, La Scala, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Saito Kinen Festival, Gran Teatro de Liceu, Netherlands Opera, La Monnaie, Deutsche Oper Am Rhein, and at the Opéra National de Paris.
As a recording artist, he has won critical acclaim for his recordings of the works of Poulenc, Debussy, Ravel, Roussel, Franck and Honegger. He is a triple winner of the Diapason d’Or of the Year, has been shortlisted for Gramophone’s Artist of the Year Award, and has won the prize for symphonic music at the International Classical Music Awards. His most recent releases include Lost Horizon, a two-disc set of music by Guillaume Connesson with the Brussels Philharmonic, saxophonist Timothy McAllister, and violinist Renaud Capuçon on Deutsche Grammophon;Honegger’s Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on its label; and Cinema with violinist Renaud Capuçon and the Brussels Philharmonic on Erato/Warner Classics featuring some of the most memorable melodies from the silver screen.
Celebrated as one of today’s most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 140th year with the 2019/2020 season and its first with Music Director Stéphane Denève. Widely considered one of the world’s finest orchestras, the SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community connections – all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.
In addition to its regular concert performances at Powell Hall, which has been the permanent home of the SLSO for more than 50 years, the orchestra is an integral part of the diverse and vibrant St. Louis community, presenting dozens of free education and community programs and performances throughout the region each year. It has an ongoing commitment to championing music of our time, through commissions, a collaboration with the Mizzou New Music Initiative, and its popular St. Louis Symphony Live at the Pulitzer. The SLSO also serves as the resident orchestra for Opera Theatre Saint Louis, with the upcoming season marking the 43rd year of this unique partnership.
The Grammy Award-winning SLSO’s impact beyond the St. Louis region is realized through weekly Saturday night concert broadcasts on St. Louis Public Radio, acclaimed recordings, and regular touring activity. A sought-after artistic partner by preeminent musicians and composers from across the globe, as well as by local and national organizations, the SLSO enjoys a long history of robust and enduring artistic collaborations that have developed and deepened over the years.
Today, the SLSO builds on the institution’s current momentum on all fronts, including artistic, financial, audience growth, and community impact, and looks toward the future with Stéphane Denève. For more information, visit slso.org.
