Director: Dario Argento
Writer: Dario Argento (screenplay), Dardano Sacchetti, Luigi Colli, Dario Argento (story)
Cast: Karl Malden, James Franciscus, Catherine Spaak, Cinzia De Carolis, Tino Carraro
Cert: 15
Running time: 115mins
Year: 1971
FILM: 
EXTRAS: 
What’s the story: When blind crossword puzzle designer Arno (Malden) overhears a blackmail plot, it pulls him, adopted daughter Lori (De Carolis) and reporter Giordani (Franciscus) into a world of intrigue and mass murder. Do the head of a local scientific institute (Carraro) and his daughter Anna (Spaak) have anything to do with the mayhem?
What’s the verdict: Traditionally regarded as Argento’s disappointing sophomore effort after The Bird with the Crystal Plumage wowed audiences, time has been kind to The Cat o’ Nine Tails...
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In Episode 37 of The Electric Shadows Podcast, Robs Daniel & Wallis look at one of the best films of the year and a contender for one of the worst.
Impressing them is Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. A dramatic, witty and compassionate tale of a mother’s anger at the local police for not finding her daughter’s killer, it is a powerhouse of adult storytelling, populated with some of the best characters yet from the man behind In Bruges.
At the other end of the spectrum is Darkest Hour. Joe Wright’s film presents Winston Churchill as the eccentric man of the people popular history likes to portray him as. It all amounts to little more than Sunday afternoon TV fluff, until Wright and co present a scene so misjudged and tin-eared it ruins their movie...
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Director: Cédric Jimenez
Writers: Cédric Jimenez, Audrey Diwan, David Farr (screenplay), Laurent Binet (novel HHhH)
Cast: Jason Clarke, Rosamund Pike, Stephen Graham, Jack Reynor, Jack O’Connell, Geoff Bell, Mia Wasikowska
Cert: 15
Running time: 120mins
Year: 2017
What’s the story: After joining the Nazi party, disgraced Naval officer Reinhard Heydrich swiftly becomes Himmler’s second-in-command and an architect of the Holocaust. In 1942 in Prague, while escalating the Nazi’s genocidal policies, Heydrich becomes the target of an Allied Forces assassination plot.
What’s the verdict: Operation Anthropoid, the plot to assassinate Heydrich, has quietly become a sub-genre of World War Two cinema.
Two high profile versions of the event were released in 1943...
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Director: Joe Wright
Writer: Anthony McCarten
Cast: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Stephen Dillane, Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn, Ronald Pickup
Cert: PG
Running time: 125mins
Year: 2017
What’s the story: As Britain stands alone against the Nazis, and its army awaits capture at Dunkirk, newly appointed prime minister Winston Churchill clashes with critics in his own party about fighting Germany or negotiating for peace.
What’s the verdict: Unlike those brothers who shared his family name, Joe Wright has yet to successfully land a project. Sometimes his films soar briefly. But, audience expectations crash to earth with a sense of frustrated disappointment (Atonement) or outright annoyance (The Soloist).
Darkest Hour promises to be the director’s most sustained movie yet...
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Robs Daniel & Wallis take a brief look at Star Wars: The Jedi in this pint-sized podcast. Primarily because they wanted to throw their hat into the ring regarding the current fan fury over Rian Johnson’s Star Wars movie. We’ll do a full review when the Blu-ray comes out in 2018.
So, in a SPOILER FILLED discussion the two run through what impresses, what are legitimate complaints and why it doesn’t trash the extended universe. Just because something is different, doesn’t mean to say it ruins everything around it…
We’ve got a goooood feeling about this.
To check out Rob Wallis’ movie writings, head over to www.ofallthefilmsites.com
Twitter: rob_a_daniel
iTunes Podcast: The Electric Shadows Podcast
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Robs Daniel and Wallis do a proper Universe crossover, running through their respective films of the year lists, scoring them and coming up with a definitive Electric Shadows and Of All The Film Sites Top 10 Films of 2017.
It’s the only Top 10 you’ll need this year. Unless you’re booking a hotel or wedding venue, but even then there are some nice locations contained within the movies discussed. Florida, South Korea, Dunkirk…
So, without ado’ing any further, sit back, relax and listen to our verdict on the Top 10 films of 2017.
To check out Rob Wallis’ movie writings, head over to www.ofallthefilmsites.com
Twitter: rob_a_daniel
iTunes Podcast: The Electric Shadows Podcast
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For this special Reservoir Dogs 25th Anniversary episode, Robs Daniel & Wallis are joined once more by Ian Bird. You’ll remember Ian from his wise words on the JFK podcast. Together they dissect Quentin Tarantino’s sensational debut, discussing its strengths, characters, themes and controversial use of language. And that whole Who Shot Nice Guy Eddie thing.
The three intrepid podcasters place the movie in the overall picture of Tarantino’s career and discuss Tarantino’s cinematic legacy. Could there be a case for the Marvel Cinematic Universe being an extension of what Quentin was doing with his movies in the 90s and noughties? Or Joss Whedon taking the QT baton and running with it into fantasy realms rather than crime? These thoughts are more are given their day in court…
While making ro...
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Another year, another 10 movies that define why we love cinema. 2017 was such a strong year for film releases that many excellent movies failed to make our Top 10.
Honorary shout-outs then to such must-sees as Wind River, IT, Mother!, Una, A Silent Voice and Wonder Woman. Great movies all, all pipped to the post by the titles below.
Whatever brow-furrowing misbehaviour 2018 brings, one sliver of good news is that cinema should remain in fine shape. From what we saw at the London Film Festival in October, at least three five-star movies will be released next year.
But, without further ado, here is Electric Shadows’ 10 Best Films of 2017…
Writer/director S...
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Director: Rian Johnson
Writer: Rian Johnson (screenplay), George Lucas (characters)
Cast: Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Kelly Marie Tran, Domnhall Gleeson, Andy Serkis, Benicio Del Toro, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels
Cert: 12
Running time: 152mins
Year: 2017
What’s the story: With the First Order hunting the Resistance into extinction, Rey (Ridley) seeks out Luke Skywalker (Hamill) to bring him into the fight.
What’s the verdict: Of the new wave of adventures set in a galaxy far, far away, The Last Jedi has the toughest mission to date. To do something different.
The Force Awakens and Rogue One recaptured the magic. Partly by leaning heavily into the nostalgia, mixing the new with the comfortingly familiar.
Writer/director Rian ...
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Arrow Video Blu-Ray: The Cat o’ Nine Tails