River Jude Phoenix was born on August 23, 1970, in Madras, Oregon. His parents, John Lee Bottom and Arlyn Dunetz, labourers on a farm. Both following a lifestyle born from the 1960s hippy movement. River gaining his name from ‘the river of life’ in Hermann Hesse’s book Siddhartha. By 1972, the Bottoms had joined the …
Following hot on the heals of the success on A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). The first sequel in a long line of sequels and prequels trod very different ground to the original film. A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 found itself derided by the critics of the time. Only recently finding exploration in its …
Hocus Pocus debuted in British cinemas on Friday 29th October 1993. A week in which Meat Loaf reigned supreme at number one in the UK singles chart. And Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park continued to dominate UK cinema screens 16 weeks after its initial release. While a new boyband named ‘Take That’ stormed through the music …
First Published: October 2019 Ever since the dawn of film, Horror has played a part in its development. Acting as a mirror to our inner most fears, while challenging us to face the ghosts of our deepest anxieties and terrors. Whether fictional, religious or real, horror has played with the psychology of human fear, shining …
Stephen King published his 22nd novel ‘IT’ back in 1986 to a mixed reception from critics. The novels coming of age themes sitting alongside a supernatural presence who fed on fear, captivated some and bemused others. Its 1300+ pages demanded attention and commitment from the reader. While its core themes dug deep into childhood and …
Released in 1993, The Good Son had a turbulent journey to cinema screens, beset with re-writes, production changes and Hollywood politics in casting. However, despite its tumultuous journey, The Good Son remains a fascinating insight into child criminality on screen. A mainstream film that tentatively dared to imagine that children can and do hurt others. …
For 80 years The Wizard of Oz has captivated audiences with it technicolour beauty, its light shining across countless generations. While its music and performances have entered the realms of cinematic legend. But what makes this 1939 picture a timeless classic of cinema? Is it the cutting edge use of new effects? The beautifully written …
On December 21st 1979 Disneys family science fiction gamble The Black Hole premiered at Odeon Leicester Square, London. Released the same month as the hotly anticipated Star Trek – The Motion Picture, The Black Hole was a huge risk for Disney’s live action studio, being its first foray into big budget science fiction territory. The …
On March 31st 1939 worldwide cinema audiences were introduced to Sherlock Holmes on the big screen. Basil Rathbone taking on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic Victorian detective under the direction of Sidney Lanfield. At the time of release Rathbone only received second billing, with the top honour going to Richard Greene as Sir Henry Baskerville, …
With Bond 25 now filming at Pinewood Studios, we take a look back at the essential films of a series that re-defined the spy on screen. Adapting and changing over the decades to reflect a world that has moved from cold war, to global terrorism and tech based espionage, Bond has become an icon of …