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Facebook, Twitter and email harder to resist than cigarettes and alcohol

2012-02-02T13:39:00.000Z

A study of more than 200 adults finds that although desires for sleep and sex were the strongest, the lure of media and work proved the hardest to resist

February, 2012. Trying to resist that late-night tweet or checking your work email again? The bad news is that desires for work and entertainment often win out in the daily struggle for self-control, according to a new study that measures various desires and their regulation in daily life.

“Modern life is a welter of assorted desires marked by frequent conflict and resistance, the latter with uneven success,” said Asst. Prof. Wilhelm Hofmann of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and lead author of the study, “Desires and Cravings: Food, Money, Status, Sex,” forthcoming in Psychological Science.

Determining how to best resist desires is not as easy as it seems

In the study of desire regulation, 205 adults wore devices that recorded a total of 7,827 reports about their daily desires. Desires for sleep and sex were the strongest, while desires for media and work proved the hardest to resist.

Even though tobacco and alcohol are thought of as addictive, desires associated with them were the weakest, according to the study. Surprisingly to the researchers, sleep and leisure were the most problematic desires, suggesting “pervasive tension between natural inclinations to rest and relax and the multitude of work and other obligations,” said Hofmann.

Willpower depletion

Moreover, the study supported past research that the more frequently and recently people have resisted a desire, the less successful they will be at resisting any subsequent desire. Therefore as a day wears on, willpower becomes lower, and self-control efforts are more likely to fail, said Hofmann, who co-authored the paper with Roy Baumeister of Florida State University and Kathleen Vohs of the University of Minnesota.

The effects of willpower depletion explain why so many people have trouble resisting unhealthy food — the more they resist the food, the more they crave it.

NEW BFI STATISTICS SHOW AUDIENCES FLOCKED TO UK FILMS IN 2011

2012-01-31T13:42:00.002Z

Highest ever recorded market share of UK box office for independent British films in 2011

Total UK production spend up, even though fewer films made

UK co-productions up by a third

LONDON – Tuesday 31 January 2012: Independent figures published today by the BFI, the UK’s lead body for film, show UK audiences embraced independently made British films as never before in 2011.

According to information tracked by the BFI Research and Statistics Unit, which provides unique research data and market intelligence about the UK’s film industry and culture, films such as The King’s Speech, The Inbetweeners Movie and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy helped drive the market share of UK box office for British independent films up to 13.5% - the highest ever recorded.

This increased audience appetite for independently made British films came within a strong year for UK cinemas generally, with total admissions at 171.6m in 2011, up 1.4% on 2010 and the third highest total of the last decade. The gross value of box office for the year was £1.04bn, up 5% on 2010 and the first time that UK takingsUK only figures for the calendar year, excluding Republic of Ireland have broken through the £1bn barrier.

Within this total, the market share for all British films at the UK box office, including both independents and those shot in the UK but financed from abroad,reached 36.2%, up from 24.0% in 2010. This strong performance was driven by the popularity of both British independents and blockbusters made in the UK with British talent, crew and services, such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

Amanda Nevill, CEO of the BFI, said: “Film is at the very core of Britain’s cultural life and today’s figures show that the appetite for cinema-going across the UK is as healthy as ever. 2011 was a phenomenal year, with the box office results showing that independently produced British films captivated audiences. That said, we are pragmatic; it’s still a challenging time for filmmakers trying to raise finance to make independent British films in this tough economic climate. As we enter 2012 many challenges remain, but today’s figures clearly show that keeping audiences at the heart of everything we do will help the British film industry to enjoy even greater success in the future and continue to be an important contributor to the UK economy.”

Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, Ed Vaizey, said: “2011 was an amazing year for British film and for audiences, but it’s vital that we make sure this success continues throughout 2012 and beyond. Lord Smith’s recent review of film policy highlighted ways to remove barriers to production and ensure that film plays an important role in driving economic growth. I look forward to working with the BFI and the industry on the review’s recommendations and ensuring that we continue to nurture and grow this thriving sector of industry.”

Total investment in UK-based film production reached £1.26 billion in 2011, a new record for the British film industry. Films of different genres and budget levels including Streetdance 2 3D, Welcome to the Punch, Skyfall, Great Expectations, Batman: The Dark Knight Rises, The Sweeney, 360, Snow White and the Huntsman, Shadow Dancer, Now Is Good and World War Z increased film production spend in the UK on 2010’s £1.25bn.

International investment from films made in the UK using facilities, services and crew, in turn creating jobs and driving growth in both the UK film industry’s infrastructure and the economy as a whole, helped drive overall production spend. In 2011 these international productions spent just over £1.0bn in the UK on making 28 films, the highest ever recorded and an increase in spend of 2.8% from 2010’s £979.7m.

While spend on film production in the UK overall was up in 2011, the total number of UK films produced with budgets of £500k and more fell to 71, down from 78 in 2010. 98 films were made on budgets of less than £500k, bringing the total number of domestic UK feature films produced in 2011 to 169, again down on 2010’s 262 films.

The expenditure on making UK domestic feature films in 2011 – £194m – is a 9.4% fall on 2010’s £214m. While fewer domestic UK films were made, the number of UK co-productions with other countries, the majority with other EU member states, increased by one third to 40 in 2011 from 30 in 2010. Co-productions recorded a UK spend of £59.0m, up from £56.3m in 2010.

Bryan Forbes accepts prestigious BFI Fellowship Award

2012-01-27T22:49:00.000Z

The BFI is proud to announce that Bryan Forbes has accepted a prestigious BFI Fellowship Award. Announced in a special ceremony last night by BFI Chair Greg Dyke at BFI Southbank, the award is in recognition of Bryan Forbes’ outstanding contribution to film as an actor, director, producer and writer. The award joins Forbes’ impressive accolades which include a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), Academy Award, two BAFTA awards, two Writers Guild Awards, a Critics Circle Award, an Edgar Allen Poe Award, wins at both the Berlin and San Sebastien International Film Festivals and numerous nominations, including an Academy Awards nomination for The Angry Silence in 1960.

Brian Forbes said ‘I would like to say to Greg Dyke and colleagues what a great honour the BFI does to me, which I appreciate more than I can say. When you're 85 as I am, it's like as Betty Davies once said to me, old age ain’t for sissies!’

Greg Dyke said ‘The multi talented Brian Forbes has made an outstanding contribution to British film for over 60 years, both on and off screen. We are delighted and honoured that he has accepted a BFI Fellowship - the highest accolade the BFI can bestow.’

The BFI Fellowship award is in the gift of the Board of Governors, and it is intended to recognise “outstanding achievement in film and television”, given to those who have helped shape film and television culture in the UK. Brian joins an eminent list of BFI Fellows that include Peggy Ashcroft, Dirk Bogarde, Richard Attenborough, Judi Dench, Alec Guinness, Maggie Smith, Bernardo Bertolucci, Laurence Olivier, Orson Welles, Jack Cardiff, Jeanne Moreau and Mike Leigh.

Bryan Forbes’ career in film has spanned over 60 years. He made his screen debut in 1948 and went on to have supporting roles in films including An Inspector Calls (1954) and The Colditz Story (1955). Forbes was then lured behind the camera, first as a screenwriter winning critical acclaim for both his screenplay for Basil Dearden's The League of Gentlemen and his most controversial screenplay Guy Green's The Angry Silence, starring Richard Attenborough. Forbes made his directorial debut with Whistle Down The Wind (1961) and went on to make films including King Rat (1965), The Stepford Wives (1974) and International Velvet (1978). He is married to actress Nanette Newman and they have two children, TV presenter Emma Forbes and Sarah Standing. Forbes has also written several novels and two volumes of his autobiography. He is now president of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain.

COURAGEOUS

2012-01-27T22:46:00.002Z

Honour Begins at Home

COURAGEOUS

Debuting on DVD February 27

Extensive Bonus Materials Include Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes, Deleted Scenes, and a Blooper Reel

London, UK. 19.12.11 – The latest film from Sherwood Pictures and Alex and Stephen Kendrick (Fireproof, Facing the Giants and Flywheel) is the action-packed inspirational drama Courageous, debuting on DVD February 27 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and AFFIRM Films. Courageous will have families laughing and cheering as they are inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children. Bonus materials include four behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, a blooper reel and commentary by The Kendrick Brothers.Courageous will be available for £19.99 (DVD).

Synopsis:
As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes and their partners willingly stand up to the worst the world can offer, yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood. While they consistently give their best on the job, they quickly discover that their children are beginning to drift further away from them. When tragedy hits home, these men are left with a newfound urgency to renew their faith and reach out to their own children. Will they be able to find a way to serve and protect those who are most dear to them?

DVD Bonus Features Include:

OUTRAGEOUS: Outtakes and Bloopers
“Courageous in 60 Seconds” Featurette
“The Making of Courageous” Featurette
“The Heart of Courageous” Featurette
“The Story of My Father” Featurette
Deleted Scenes
Commentary by The Kendrick Brothers

Directed by Alex Kendrick from a screenplay by Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick,Courageous was produced by Stephen Kendrick, with Michael Catt, Jim McBride and Terry Hemmings serving as executive producers.

Courageous has a running time of 124 minutes and is rated 12.

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

2012-01-27T22:45:00.000Z

GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER

‘BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE-COMEDY OR MUSICAL’

‘MICHELLE WILLIAMS’

***

6 BAFTA AWARD NOMINATIONS

INCLUDING

‘LEADING ACTRESS’ FOR ‘MICHELLE WILLIAMS’

***

LONDON CRITICS CIRCLE – SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR

‘KENNETH BRANAGH’

***

2 ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINATIONS

BEST ACTRESS – MICHELLE WILLAMS

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – KENNETH BRANAGH

My Week with Marilyn will be released by Entertainment in Video on Rental & Retail DVD & Blu-Ray

12^th March 2012

…..A PERFECT GIFT FOR MOTHERS DAY…..

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

Starring an award-winning all-star cast and based on the diaries of Colin Clark, the film captures a love affair with the world’s most famous woman, Marilyn Monroe.

Academy Award® nominee Michelle Williams stars as Marilyn Monroe(Blue Valentine, Shutter Island, Brokeback Mountain) and is joined by a stellar cast including Eddie Redmayne as Colin Clark (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Good Shepherd), Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier (Thor, ‘Wallander’), Dame Judi Dench as Dame Sybil Thorndike (Quantum of Solace), Julia Ormond as Vivien Leigh (Che, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Dougray Scott as Arthur Miller (Mission Impossible II), Zoe Wanamaker as Paula Strasberg (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone), Emma Watson (Harry Potter), Dominic Cooper (Tamara Drewe, An Education, Mamma Mia), Derek Jacobi (Gosford Park), Toby Jones (Frost Nixon, Infamous), Miranda Raison (Spooks), Philip Jackson (Little Voice), Geraldine Somerville (Harry Potter) and Michael Kitchen (‘Foyle’s War’).

My Week with Marilyn is the true story of a star-struck boy who falls in love with the biggest celebrity in the world, Marilyn Monroe.

23 year-old Colin Clark was determined to break into the film business and his first job was The Prince and The Showgirl - the film that was set to be the smash hit of the year famously uniting the biggest stars of the day, Marilyn Monroe and Sir Laurence Olivier. On honeymoon in Britain with her new husband, Arthur Miller, Marilyn is excited about the project but quickly becomes desperate to run away from her Hollywood entourage, the pressures of work and the press who hound her. For Marilyn, Colin is a welcome antidote and he offers her everything she craves when, together, they escape the film set to get closer in an idyllic Britain.

Cert – 15

Running Time DVD – 95mins

Running Time Blu-Ray - 99mins

Cat Number       Recommended Retail Price
Rental DVD - EDR4241     £N/A
Retail DVD - EDV9719     £19.99

Blu-Ray - EBR5201 £24.99

Bonus Features

The untold story of an American Icon
Director’s Commentary

SCIENCE WRITER AND ‘BLUE PETER’ EDITOR HONOURED

2012-01-27T22:43:00.002Z

Biddy Baxter and Nigel Henbest to receive Honorary Degrees from the University of Leicester

The producer of BBC Television’s ‘Blue Peter’ for many years and an internationally acclaimed writer on astronomy and space and are to receive Honorary Degrees from the University of Leicester on Friday 27th January 2012 at De Montfort Hall.

Joan Maureen (Biddy) Baxter MBE, the producer and editor who turned the BBC children’s programme ‘Blue Peter’ into the success it has been for the past five decades, was born in Leicester and educated at what was then the Wyggeston Girls’ Grammar School.

Following a degree at St Mary’s College, Durham, Biddy Baxter began her BBC career in 1955 as a radio trainee studio manager. In 1962 she became producer of ‘Blue Peter’ and, with Director Edward Barnes, she began the process that was to transform the programme into a national institution. In 1965 she became Programme Editor and was honoured with an MBE in 1981.

Nigel Henbest is well-known worldwide for his books, articles and award-winning television productions popularising astronomy and space.

A graduate of the University of Leicester, where he studied astrophysics, he went on to research radio astronomy at Cambridge.

Nigel Henbest was co-founder of the television production company Pioneer Productions, with screen credits on BBC Television, Channel 4, the Learning and Discovery Channels, as well as in the US and Australia.

With Heather Couper – a fellow University of Leicester graduate and Honorary Graduate - he writes a regular column for The Independent and also writes for the science magazine, BBC Focus. He has been Astronomy Consultant for New Scientist, Editor of the Journal of British Astronomical Association, and Media Consultant to the Royal Greenwich Observatory.

Biddy Baxter MBE will receive the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws at 1pm on Friday 27th January at De Montfort Hall, Leicester.

She said, “Nothing could thrill me more than to be honoured by the University of Leicester!

“The degree ceremony in the De Montfort Hall will bring back vivid memories of the Wyggeston Grammar School for Girls’ annual Dancing Demonstrations. The last time I walked the length of the hall and climbed up the rostra on to the platform, I was dressed as Britannia complete with trident, plumed helmet and metal breastplate and wearing a very tight long skirt made from a Union flag. I felt and probably looked absolutely ridiculous!

“As a junior member of the Little Theatre I adored the build up to our performances, the read throughs, costume fittings and the hope of photographs and a review in the Leicester Mercury or the Mail. One of my fellow actors was a very quiet boy called Joe Orton – no indication then that he would become the most famous playwright of his generation!

“Leicester was my life until I left for university and I have very fond memories of all my Leicester years.”

Nigel Henbest will receive the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science at 4pm on Friday 27th January at De Montfort Hall, Leicester.

He said, “I am absolutely delighted to accept the Honorary Doctorate from my alma mater, the University of Leicester, which helped launch me on my career as a science populariser – twice over!

“The University of Leicester’s innovative, flexible and forward-looking curriculum for undergraduates attracted me as an A-level student (even though the Head of Science at my school recommended I should apply to Cambridge “where, Henbest, you will rub shoulders with your peers!”)

“In fact, I found my peers at Leicester, both in the vibrant student life – where I ended up running the Astronomical Society with my life-long friend from Leicester days, Heather Couper – and in the inspiration from the Departments of Astronomy and Physics (which in those days were distinct). In fact, my first published article – on a visit to the sixteenth century Danish observatory on the island of Hven – appeared in the magazine of the student Physics Society!

“But no previous visit to Leicester has given me anything like the joy and excitement of this invitation to return to the University which first directed my feet on the path to astronomy, to public outreach – and to the stars.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Robert Burgess said: “We chose Biddy Baxter and Nigel Henbest because they are excellent communicators in their chosen fields. Biddy Baxter is a household name, courtesy of producing the ‘Blue Peter’ TV programme, while Nigel Henbest is well known worldwide for communicating complex ideas in astrophysics to a very wide audience. They have both won many awards for their work in television and are both people associated with Leicester in the case of Biddy Baxter and the University of Leicester in the case of Nigel Henbest.”

MONEYBALL

2012-01-27T22:41:00.002Z

“One of the year’s best films *****”
Colin Kennedy – Metro

“Brad Pitt is at his best”
Philip French – The Observer

“an award-calibre performance by Brad Pitt”
Robbie Collin – The Daily Telegraph

*****
The Sunday Times

Based on a True Story & the Best-Selling Book

Starring Two-Time Academy Award^®Nominee Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and Academy Award^®Winner Philip Seymour Hoffman

MONEYBALL

A Film by Bennett Miller

On Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital Download March 19

Nominated for 3 Orange British Academy Film Awards

Leading Actor – Brad Pitt
Supporting Actor – Jonah Hill
Adapted Screenplay – Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin

London, UK. 12/01/2012– The inspirational story based on Michael Lewis’ best-selling book, Moneyball, slides home on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital Download on March 19 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The critically acclaimed film stars two-time Academy Award^®nominee Brad Pitt (2008, Best Actor, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, 1996, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Twelve Monkeys) in an outstanding performance as Oakland A’s General Manager, Billy Beane. On the roster with Pitt are Jonah Hill (Get Him to the Greek), Academy Award^®winner Philip Seymour Hoffman (2005, Best Actor, Capote) and Golden Globe^®nominee Robin Wright (1994,Best Actress, Forrest Gump).

Moneyball also features an all-star lineup of filmmakers. Academy Award^®winners Steven Zaillian (1993, Best Adapted Screenplay, Schindler's List) and Aaron Sorkin (2010, Best Adapted Screenplay, The Social Network) wrote the screenplay. The film was directed by Academy Award^®nominee Bennett Miller (2005, Best Director, Capote), produced by Michael DeLuca (The Social Network), Rachael Horovitz (About Schmidt) and Brad Pitt; and executive produced by Scott Rudin, Andrew Karsch (Conviction), Sidney Kimmel (The Lincoln Lawyer) and Mark Bakshi (Rango).

The Blu-ray™ and DVD contain all-new special features including four featurettes, a blooper reel and much more. Moneyball will be available on Blu-ray™ for £22.99 RRP and on DVD for £17.99 RRP.

The book, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, is published by Norton and available now.

Synopsis:
Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) challenges the system and defies conventional wisdom when he is forced to rebuild his small-market team on a limited budget. Despite opposition from the old guard, the media, fans and their own field manager (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Beane - with the help of a young, number crunching, Yale-educated economist (Jonah Hill) - develops a roster of misfits and changes the way the game is played forever.

MONEYBALL Special Features include:

Blooper with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill
Billy Beane: Re-Inventing the Game
Moneyball: Playing The Game
Deleted Scenes

Exclusive to Blu-ray™:

Drafting The Team
Adapting Moneyball
PS3 Wallpaper/Theme

Moneyball has a run time of approximately 133 minutes on Blu-ray™ and 128 minutes on DVD and is rated 12.

ASDA OFFERS BRITAIN’S LOWEST COST 40 INCH FULL HD TV

2012-01-27T22:39:00.002Z

· Luxor 40” Full HD 1080p LCD TV now on sale for an amazing £249

Asda has knocked £50 off the price of one of its largest HDTVs. The Luxor 40” TV, exclusive to Asda, is now available for just £249. It features a crystal clear 1080p full HD screen and is perfect for watching high definition TV, Blu-ray movies and for playing games.

This LCD TV, with its integrated digital Freeview technology does not require a set-top box and is ready to receive up to 50 channels and 24 radio stations, offering outstanding choice for the whole family.

The versatile TV features 2 HDMI sockets and 2 Scart sockets enabling simple and convenient connection to an array of other digital devices.

Asda technology expert, Michael Arnott said: “We’re delighted to be offering our customers this product at such a fantastic price. This high definition TV can turn any living room into a quality home cinema. With the lowest cost on the market, this TV offers unbeatable value to our customers.”

The Luxor is manufactured exclusively for Asda at factories that also make some of the world’s leading television brands. The television has an uncompromising specification, delivering outstanding quality at an exceptional price.

THE PROMOTION

2012-01-24T13:29:00.000Z

‘Terrifically smart and funny’ – Sixty Second Preview

Seann William Scott and John C Reilly star in the quirky off-beat comedy ‘The Promotion’ which will be released by High Fliers on retail DVD on April 23^rd.

Both actors will have a high profile in UK cinemas around the DVD’s release date. Seann William Scott, currently starring in ‘Goon’, will be seen again in the Spring when he reprises his role for the final film in the hugely successful ‘American Pie’ franchise while John C Reilly will be starring with Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley in ‘The Dictator’ which opens in May.

‘The Promotion’ was written and directed by Steven Conrad who was also the screenwriter for ‘The Pursuit Of Happiness’ and ‘The Weather Man’.

Living the American Dream, happily married Doug Stauber’s professional ambitions are about to be realised when his boss at the Chicago supermarket chain where he works assures him he's a shoo-in to manage a new neighbourhood store.

However, enter rival Richard Wehlner. He wants the job too, has a better CV than Doug, has a wife and a daughter and is regarded by seemingly everybody as an all-round terrific guy.

How should Doug react to this challenge? Should he regard Richard as a friend, a colleague, a competitor or an enemy?

Richard, it seems, has demons and a past but with the help of motivational tapes he’s determined to succeed.

Soon their professional rivalry explodes as the two men fight it out in corporate and psychological tests to determine who gets the dream promotion to supermarket store manager! A clear case of two guys, one job and no rules!

‘The Promotion’ has a run time of 86 minutes, a ‘15’ certificate and an rrp of £12.99.

THE BUGLE GOES INDEPENDENT

2012-01-24T12:49:00.000Z

New beginning for leading satirical podcast

Satirical comedy podcast The Bugle, hosted by JOHN OLIVER (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) and ANDY ZALTZMAN (7 Day Sunday on BBC Radio 5Live) has found a new home, following its departure from The Times in January 2012.

Fans were able to download the 179^th issue of the newly-independent Bugle, featuring JOHN and ANDY in their respective home cities of New York and London, on Friday 20^th January, via iTunes or www.soundcloud.com/the-bugle, and the show’s new website, www.thebuglepodcast.com.

Last year, the podcast had an average of over 2 million downloads per month. It has regularly featured in the official iTunes podcast top ten in both the USA and UK, and has topped the iTunes comedy charts. In the wake of Friday’s relaunch, The Bugle reached the number 10 spot on the iTunes chart. As of Sunday night, The Bugle was in the top 5 comedy podcasts in the USA and UK, as well as in the top 10 in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and was the UK’s highest-ranked independent podcast.

Issue 179 of The Bugle saw JOHN and ANDY reunite to cast their unique perspective over the week’s major news stories and protagonists. Subjects covered with their trademark cocktail of political satire and outright nonsense include the Wikipedia internet blackout, the Republican nominations race, and the Queen’s proposed Jubilee yacht.

The Bugle, which debuted in October 2007, is a transatlantic comedy show, in which JOHN and ANDY are connected via ISDN. It has built up a devoted worldwide following, and is listened to in more than 145 countries, including Yemen, Armenia, Burma and Gabon. Listeners have also emailed in from Afghanistan, Darfur and Antarctica.

The numerous topics the show has covered include: the 2008 U.S. presidential election, the 2010 U.K. general election, the global economic crisis, the Arab Spring, the crackpot antics of the world’s various despots and lunatics, the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and Lou Reed’s epoch-defining 2010 concert for dogs. The Bugle has left no satirical hot potato unbuttered.

The first podcast of 2012 can be downloaded from www.iTunes.com / www.soundcloud.com/the-bugle

Official website: www.thebuglepodcast.com or visit www.facebook.com/buglepodcast

The Bugle’s Twitter feed is @hellobuglers.

“Eye on a new century"

2012-01-24T12:47:00.000Z

AFP's first photo app for the iPad, is adapted from a 2010 book “the shock of the new century” featuring the best images from the first decade of the new millennium.

Events which marked the first decade of the 21st Century are vividly recalled through the images in the app….the Concorde crash, Yves Saint Laurent's farewell to the fashion industry, Zidane's head-butt, the death of Michael Jackson, the attacks on September 11, 2001. Each of the 130 photos has a corresponding caption and commentary from the photographer.

The menu consists of 12 images linking to the photo gallery for the corresponding year. Once inside the gallery, photos appear in full screen. Just scroll vertically to move to the next photo and horizontally to switch years. A banner can be called up displaying all the years and their content.

AFP will release as well "Rugby 2011" an easy to navigate application celebrating the best of last November's Rugby World Cup through the lenses of Agence France-Presse's prize winning photographers. The nine high-definition photo galleries feature bone-crunching tackles and spectacular tries, the emotional highs and lows on the way to a dramatic final won by hosts New Zealand.

Future "AFP Photo Books" applications will be devoted to highlights of current events and key personalities. AFP also plans a number of other photo apps including on the environment, faith rituals and traditions and offbeat features. A selection of galleries dedicated to the AFP Photo Annual, featuring the best news pictures of 2011, will be released in January. In February, we will run a retrospective of the Arab revolutions to mark the first anniversary of the uprising in Tunisia. Other themes will appear during 2012.

With these new "pay for" apps, the first two of which are on sale at a special launch price of 1.59 euro, AFP is strengthening its presence on the mobile market, one of the agency's key development areas.

Futuresource and Intellect announce the Future of Entertainment Summit

2012-01-24T12:17:00.000Z

BBC technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones to chair inaugural event

London. 24 January, 2012: Futuresource Consulting, the leading specialist research and knowledge-based consulting firm and Intellect, the trade association for the UK's technology industry have announced a new 'must attend' event which will help shape the future of digital entertainment.

The Future of Entertainment Summit will take place in London on 20 June this year, providing a prestigious platform for industry leaders, policy makers, entrepreneurs and those driving innovation in digital entertainment and consumer electronics, to share opinions and shape strategy.

For many years, both Futuresource and Intellect have run highly successful conferences in this arena and the Future of Entertainment Summit builds on the success of the Futuresource Entertainment Summit and Intellect's Future of Digital Entertainment conference, with the companies joining forces to meet the needs of increasingly converging markets.

Jim Bottoms, co-founder and director, Futuresource Consulting said: "The integration of two highly successful conferences to form a new entertainment summit clearly demonstrates our commitment to providing premier, best-in-class events to the entertainment industry. These are challenging times and this partnership allows us to add even more value for attendees as all elements of the industry come together under one roof to explore the full scale of the business opportunity."

William Higham, Intellect's director of digital media convergence said: "We are increasingly seeing convergence between the interests and activities of device manufacturers, content creators, technology companies, broadcasters and infrastructure owners. This conference will build on the strong position each organisation enjoys within these dynamic communities and will become an agenda setting industry event."

Rory Cellan-Jones, the BBC's highly influential technology correspondent will chair the Future of Entertainment Summit.

Follow the conversation on Twitter #fes2012

Conference details

Date: 20 June, 2012

Venue: The Grange City Hotel, Cooper's Row

London EC3N 2BQ

Xmas fails to improve consumers’ connection with Smart TV

2012-01-24T12:15:00.002Z

Ownership of Smart TVs only increases by 1% from December to January 2012

A YouGov survey in November 2011 revealed that 1 in 10 people in the UK owned a Smart TV, but intention to purchase was very low - only 15% of UK consumers said they would own one within the next 12 months

YouGov re-ran the survey in January to see if Xmas would provide a welcome boost – it didn’t. Ownership of Smart TVs in the UK only increased by 1% from Dec to Jan. In contrast HDTV ownership seems much more the rage with ownership increasing by 4% (from 55% - 59%).
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given their suitability as gifts and a lower price point, the Nintendo Wii and other games Consoles that can access TV content saw a big uplift in sales/ownership over this period. Wii ownership, for example, increased by 4%

This strongly suggests that games consoles, rather than Smart TVs, will win the battle over which device people will use to access Internet content through their TV
For example, ownership of a games console that can access TV programmes in the 18-24 age group jumped from 7% before Christmas to 25% in January
The modest increase in Smart TV ownership was mostly driven by males – increasing from 10% to 13% over Christmas and Jan – and those aged 35-44 (also a 3% uplift)

Most worryingly, for the Smart TV industry, there has been no practically no change (1%) in people’s intention to purchase a Smart TV within the next 12 months

Dan Brilot, Media Consulting Director, YouGov, "However, some of the industry’s messaging does seem to be getting through as shown by a thawing in indifference towards Smart TV and a rise in purchase consideration. Prior to Christmas, 52% of the UK population said they definitely would not purchase one but this has dropped to 45%. Similarly, the % saying they are unsure about purchasing one has risen from 16% to 25%."

Top of the Apps!

2012-01-20T12:20:00.002Z

Modern Combat 3, Fruit Ninja and Infinity Blade 2 Named Best Games Apps

The Sunday Times Apps List 2012 (first section published Sunday January 22) has named Modern Combat 3, Fruit Ninja and Infinity Blade 2 as the best games apps currently available.

The Sunday Times Apps List 2012 has been put together by a team of experienced app reviewers, aided by experts in specialist fields. Some win inclusion by solving some of life’s little problems, others for their sheer addictive silliness. 250 apps appear in the paper this weekend (January 22) with the remaining 250 being published on January 29. The full list will be available and searchable online following publication.

It is four years since smartphone and tablet apps were first launched to the masses and from humble beginnings it seems millions of Brits now couldn’t live their lives without them.

A study commissioned by The Sunday Times found that:

* Half of the UK population now owns a smartphone

* In 2011 over a million different apps were available

* Almost 80% of the apps people download are free

* In the last week of 2011 there were 81 million downloads in the UK alone

* The average UK keeps around 38 apps on their device

* Over half download a new app at least once a week

The list includes apps devoted to culture, entertainment, sport, food, travel, health and science and in its online form, the list evolves, with new apps typically added every week.

David Lynch

2012-01-18T13:39:00.000Z

at BFI Southbank

David Lynch has been responsible for some of the most innovative, daring and talked-about
films in the last 40 years of American cinema. Throughout February, BFI Southbank will
present all of his films in a complete retrospective that will include his early shorts and
substantiate Lynch’s reputation as a pioneer among contemporary American filmmakers.
Renowned Tweeter and latterly musician, David Lynch’s career trajectory has taken him
from an often challenging avant-garde director, with his surreal first shorts The Alphabet
(1968) and The Grandmother (1970), to a thought-provoking auteur with films such as
Mullholland Drive (2001) and Inland Empire (2006) – incorporating the seminal television
series Twin Peaks along the way. Lynch began his creative career studying painting, but
made the transition to filmmaking which took him to LA where he began the five-year
process of making his first feature Eraserhead (1976). Starring Jack Nance, this disturbing
debut became a cult classic and led way for a dip into the mainstream with his portrayal of
The Elephant Man (1980), which also earned Lynch his first Oscar nomination for Best
Director.

The sci-fi epic Dune (1984) was followed by Lynch’s landmark film Blue Velvet (1986). This
won him another nomination from the Academy and received critical acclaim for its tale of
murder and sadomasochism behind the white picket fences of suburbia. With outstanding
performances from Dennis Hopper and Isabella Rossellini, Lynch established himself as a
leader in US independent filmmaking, appealing to both audiences and academia alike –
the latter who would go on to coin the term ‘Lynchian’ to describe a surreal and uncanny
tone that rippled through Hollywood titles.

His star was on the ascent: his road movie Wild
at Heart (1990) won the Palme D’Or at Cannes while from the cover of Time magazine he
was dubbed a genius. Though press vilified Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), Lynch
remained faithful to his vision and spirit of rebellion, presenting first the LA noir mystery
Lost Highway (1996) and then, from the leftfield, the life-affirming story of a 73-year old
man who travelled cross-country on a lawnmower to visit his brother in The Straight Story
(1999). Each film restored his status as a truly remarkable director. The last decade has seen Lynch make only two films, including Mulholland Dr. (2001) -
widely regarded as a modern masterpiece. But he has also created a foundation of
Transcendental Meditation for deprived children and collaborate with musicians such as
Danger Mouse and Angel Badalamenti, and recently release a solo album. This season will
provide a rare reminder of the creative genius of Lynch, on screen, and why he remains one
of the most ground-breaking artists of his generation.

The BFI Southbank is open to all. BFI members are entitled to a discount on all tickets. BFI Southbank
Box Office tel: 020 7928 3232. Unless otherwise stated tickets are £9.00, concs £6.65 Members pay £1.40
less on any ticket. Website www.bfi.org.uk/southbank

THIS SCEPTRED ISLE: Day Trips In England 1940s to 1970s –

2012-01-18T13:36:00.002Z

The Films of Harold Baim

Suggested Price: £19.99

A must have for any historian or travel fanatic is THIS SCEPTRED ISLE: Day Trips in England 1940s to 1970s – The Films of Harold Baim – now available on DVD from Strike Force Entertainment.

Spanning the 30 years from 1944 to 1974, THIS SCEPTRED ISLE, features nearly 6 hours of comprehensive archive film and covers over twelve multiple destination archive travelogues bursting with ideas for English day trips and weekends away.

Featuring city, coast and countryside fun and frolics, THIS SCEPTRED ISLE offers viewers the chance to witness and celebrate the English history and heritage of some of the tourist hotspots of yesteryear, as filmed by celebrated British film producer, director and writer Harold Baim.

Containing 2 discs, THIS SCEPTRED ISLE includes fascinating films such as ‘The English Riviera’, which takes us on a journey of Coastal Devon and its beauty spots, historical buildings and resorts, ‘Stories Of Lakeland’, which offers viewers the chance to witness the tranquil and dramatic scenery of the Lake District to ‘The Plymouth Sound’, a chance to visit the vibrant city of Plymouth, its Naval base and maritime history. This is to name but a few of the fabulous films!

Additional highlights also include ‘Reserved For Animals’, which sees Terry Wogan take a trip to the Safari Park at Woburn Abbey and ‘World Of Wax’ which opens the doors to the famous Madame Tussauds in London.

Bonus features also include ‘This is Guernsey’, which offers a tour around the Channel Island to discuss its Second World War Occupation and also ‘Pete Murray Takes You To Hastings’, which features well known TV Personality and DJ, Pete Murray as he explores Hastings – the famous seaport and battleground of 1066.

Best known and remembered for his travelogues, these spectacular archive films by Harold Baim will take you back in time. They are the exact films originally seen at your local cinema as secondary features to some of the biggest movies of the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Also available from the Harold Baim collection and released by Strike Force Entertainment is SWINGING UK / UK SWINGS AGAIN, a nostalgic double-bill which brings back the sounds of the sixties.

THIS SCEPTRED ISLE: Day Trips in England 1940s to 1970s – The Films of Harold Baim is available from all good retailers, priced at £19.99. For more information visit www.strikeforcetv.com or follow Strike Force Entertainment on www.fbook.me/SFE.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC SPONSORS LONDON CRITICS’ CIRCLE FILM AWARDS 2012

2012-01-18T13:34:00.002Z

Virgin Atlantic has today announced it will be the principal sponsor for the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards 2012.
The award ceremony is celebrating is 32^nd year and will be held on the 19 January 2012 at the BFI Southbank and will be hosted by Chairman of the Critics’ Circle Film Section Jason Solomons.
Jason Solomons, Virgin Atlantic’s onboard Film Critic and Chairman of The Critics’ Circle Film Awards commented:

“Virgin Atlantic and The Critics’ Circle Film Awards make a great partnership, illustrating their support for the best and newest in film. This year’s award ceremony will be hot on the heels of the Golden Globes and before the Baftas so we know it will be a star-studded event, celebrating our favourite films of the last year, from around the world."”

Bangor Academic Wins Major Award to Research Stanley Kubrick

2012-01-17T13:11:00.000Z

The life and works of legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick are to come under scrutiny in a new research project at Bangor University’s School of Creative Studies and Media. Dr Nathan Abrams, Senior Lecturer in Film Studies, has won £76,000 from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to research Stanley Kubrick’s work from a consideration of his Jewish heritage and intellectual background.

Stanley Kubrick’s work covered many genres and topics and many films broke new ground in cinematic style. His films have been popular with both the pubic and the critics, and are open to interpretation as to their messages and can be both analysed and enjoyed on a number of levels.

“Despite the volume of research on Kubrick – and Kubrick is possibly the most written about film director after Alfred Hitchcock – little of it is based on original research into his own archives, nor have his intellectual status and ethnicity been considered to any great extent,” said Dr Abrams.

Dr Abrams hopes to offer up a new angle with which to interpret Stanley Kubrick’s films. He says:

“I hope to redress this by basing my research on extensive archival material. I will also be taking full consideration of the New York intellectual cultural community of which Kubrick was a member, and the impact of his Jewish cultural background on his work.”

Although Kubrick was not a practicing Jew and the Jewish references and viewpoint are not explicit or obvious in his films, Nathan Abrams argues that once you consider his films from the standpoint of his ethnicity, and his cultural milieu, then some resonant themes emerge. For example, Abrams interprets his contribution to the horror film genre, his 1980 film, The Shining, as dealing with the very Jewish theme of the sacrifice of the son by the father. This is a new interpretation of a film that’s been much watched and discussed.

“Kubrick’s films never offer up anything easy or obvious,” says Abrams. “He made few statements about his films. He spent a long time working on his films, he was an obsessive and paid great attention to detail. He was extremely cultured and cultivated and certainly had views that he wanted to share- but I suspect, looked for the least obvious ways of getting his messages over to the viewer, who he wanted to make work to understand his deeper messages.

“I cannot prove beyond doubt that Kubrick intended his films to be understood the way that I perceive them, and a visual medium such as film is always open to interpretation, but neither can I believe that a director who thought so deeply about his work would allow us to misinterpret his films”.

Abrams also hopes to argue that Kubrick’s films provide a lens through which we can view the major events of the 20th century: the two world wars, the Holocaust, McCarthyism and the Cold War, the arms and space race and the Vietnam War, as well as the development of US and European society from 1951-1999, and an opportunity to explore the key themes of science, technology, history, race, violence, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, religion and war and how these impact on questions of ethnicity and intellectual vocation.

Dr. Abrams said, “I am delighted to win this award. It will give me nine months to really delve into this enigmatic and frustratingly elliptical filmmaker’s work. As the AHRC Fellowship award is extremely competitive, it really showcases the Film and Jewish Studies research that we’re doing here at Bangor.”

Celebrate Valentine’s Day At BFI Southbank

2012-01-16T12:29:00.000Z

Casablanca, L’Atalante, The Red Shoes, Heartbeats,
Picnic at Hanging Rock, To Have and Have Not

We’ll always have BFI Southbank

This Valentine’s Day take shelter from the storms and the bitter winds within the
warm and welcoming walls of BFI Southbank and make it a night to remember!
With the finest selection of films on offer, cinema-lovers can also spice up a hot
date with a tasty meal or fine wine - this is the best place in London to enjoy the
complete Valentine’s Day experience.

Nestled on the bustling South Bank, this vibrant venue is the only place in London
where you can enjoy the beautifully restored Oscar-winning Casablanca (1942) -
considered to be one of the most romantic films of all time. Watching this iconic
classic on the big screen is really a unique experience – it is the perfect film and
setting to impress. We’ll also be screening the noir classic To Have and Have Not
(1945), where you can witness the dashing Bogart and the smouldering Bacall fall in
love on and off set. And with screenings of the timeless French masterpiece
L’Atalante (1934) by Jean Vigo, you will be spoilt for choice.

There is something for everyone and with alternative tales of love and romance, we
even have something for the cynics too! There are screenings of Powell &
Pressburger’s fantastical The Red Shoes (1948) and a special Out at the Pictures with
Peter Weir’s haunting and stunningly photographed Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975). If
you are looking for something more contemporary, there is the Canadian ménage à
trois feature Heartbeats (Les amours imaginaires, 2010) which was a hit in last year’s
London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.

If all of this leaves you hungry for more, go to the stylish benugo Bar and Kitchen
for the intimate dining experience and end an already perfect night with a cocktail
or two at the Riverfront Bar and Kitchen overlooking the Thames. With it’s funky
outdoor area, you can sit and enjoy the buzzy atmosphere, take in one of the most
stunning views that London has to offer, or simply people watch.

Here’s looking at you kid!!

Casablanca
Had Casablanca turned out as Warner Bros originally
envisaged, it would have been just another escapist wartime
romance. But thanks to extensive rewrites and various happy
accidents, it remains, 60 years after it was made, one of the
best loved movies of all time.

Humphrey Bogart is in his element as Rick Blaine,
defiantly ‘neutral’ proprietor of a popular Casablanca
nightclub in the early years of World War Two. When a Czech Resistance leader
fleeing from the Nazis turns up unexpectedly at the bar, accompanied by his wife
Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) – a former lover of Rick’s – the embittered American finds his
emotions in turmoil, his loyalties torn… A remarkable international cast (Peter
Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Claude Rains,), a script packed with lines so memorably
witty that many became enduring catchphrases, and Michael Curtiz’s sumptuously
stylish direction make for a thoroughly involving and iconic tale of passion,
commitment, quiet courage and redemption. And it’s now been digitally restored –
play it, Sam…

USA 1942. Dir Michael Curtiz. With Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, Peter
Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, Marcel Dalio, SZ Sakall, Dooley
Wilson. 102min. Digital. U. Courtesy of Park Circus
Tues 14 Feb 18:30 NFT1 (Fri 10 - Thu 23 Feb)

L’Atalante
Funny, heart-rending, erotic, suspenseful, exhilaratingly
inventive... Jean Vigo’s only full-length feature satisfies
on so many levels, it’s no surprise it’s widely regarded
as one of the greatest films ever made.
When Juliette (Dita Parlo) marries and moves in
with Seine barge captain Jean (Jean Dasté), their
relationship soon shows signs of strain. Sharing
the cramped boat with eccentric bosun Père Jules
(Michel Simon), a cabin boy and a clutter of cats doesn’t help; nor do Jean’s jealous
tendencies or the couple’s reluctance to compromise… To this simple story Vigo
brings an extraordinary array of ideas and insights, while the lustrous lyricism of
Boris Kaufman’s camerawork, injections of surrealism and the almost childlike
innocence of the performances locate the film in a fertile territory between objective
realism and subjective fantasy. In their scenes together (which include one of the
most erotic in cinema), Dasté and Parlo reveal an achingly vulnerable intensity. No
other movie matches its mix of playfulness, poetry, sensuality and tenderness; this
masterpiece is truly timeless.

France 1934. Dir Jean Vigo. With Jean Dasté, Dita Parlo, Michel Simon, Gilles Margaritis,
Louis Lefebvre. 89min. EST. Digital. PG. A BFI release
Tues 14 Feb 21:00 Studio (Wed 1 – Wed 29 Feb Extended Run)

The Red Shoes
One of Powell and Pressburger’s most enduringly
popular films is a stunning exercise in colour,
movement and a kind of romanticism that was
unusual in post-war British cinema. Explaining the
film’s success, Powell stated, ‘We had all been told
for ten years to go out and die for freedom and
democracy, for this and for that, and now that the war was over, The Red Shoes told us to go out and die for art’.
UK 1948. Dir Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger. With Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook,
Marius Goring. 135min. Digital. U
Introduction by Ian Christie – on this date?
Tickets £10, concs £6.75 (Members pay £1.50 less)
Tue 14 Feb 18:10 NFT3

Picnic at Hanging Rock
On Valentine’s Day in 1900 three school girls and
their teacher disappear while on an excursion to
Victoria’s Hanging Rock, splintering the lives and
hearts of those left behind. Weir’s cinematic
exploration of the Unknown is also a tender treatise
on romantic friendship between young women.
Lingering glances, gentle caresses and declarations
of love from one student to another abound in this
beautiful and stunningly photographed film.
Australia 1975. Dir Peter Weir. With Rachel Roberts, Anne-Louise Lambert, Vivean Gray.
115min. PG
Tue 14 Feb 18:20 NFT2

Heartbeats (Les amours imaginaires)
Actor-writer-director Xavier Dolan has created
an affecting film dealing with a misshapen love
triangle. Dolan plays Nicolas, a young gay man
who shares the passion of his best girlfriend,
Marie, for the cherubic hunk that is Francis. This
beautifully constructed film is a sharp dissection
of the joys and heartbreaks of love. It’s also a
vivid portrait of different sorts of friendship and the subtleties of rivalry between
close friends.
Canada 2010. Dir Xavier Dolan. With Xavier Dolan, Monia Chokri, Niels Schneider. 101min.
15. EST
Tue 14 Feb 20:40 NFT2

To Have and Have Not
As adapted by William Faulkner and Jules Furthman,
Hemingway’s novel becomes a characteristically laconic
and witty Hawksian romance, in which Bogart’s fishingboat captain, working the waters around Martinique
during World War Two, discovers a sense of moral
responsibility thanks to the love of a good and very
strong-willed woman (Bacall). That the two leads fell in
love during the making of the film is marvellously
apparent, bringing both sexual chemistry and emotional
depth to the stirring intrigue and adventure.
USA 1945. Dir Howard Hawks. With Humphrey Bogart,
Lauren Bacall, Walter Brennan, Hoagy Carmichael, Marcel Dalio. 99min. PG
Tue 14 Feb 20:45

The BFI is the nation's cultural organisation for film, keeping the breadth of voices in
moving image culture alive and known. Through its venues, festivals, film releases and
online, the BFI inspires people to understand and enjoy film culture, ensuring that
everyone in the UK can see the broadest range and choice of films, otherwise not
provided by commercial cinema. The BFI reaches an audience of over 7.5 million in the
UK every year.

Booking information
The BFI is the lead body for film in the UK with the ambition to create a flourishing
film environment in which innovation, opportunity and creativity can thrive by:

Connecting audiences to the widest choice of British and World cinema.
Preserving and restoring the most significant film collection in the world for today
and future generations.
Championing emerging and world class film makers in the UK.
Investing in creative, distinctive and entertaining work.
Promoting British film and talent to the world.
Growing the next generation of film makers and audiences.

The BFI Southbank is open to all. BFI members are entitled to a discount on all
tickets. BFI Southbank Box Office tel: 020 7928 3232. Unless otherwise stated tickets
are 10.00, concs £6.75 Members pay £1.50 less on any ticket. Website:
www.bfi.org.uk/southbank

BFI STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO FILM POLICY REVIEW REPORT

2012-01-16T11:26:00.000Z

Commissioned last May by Culture Minister Ed Vaizey, “A Future for British Film – it begins with the audience” is the report published today by an independent review panel, chaired by Lord Chris Smith. The report contains a total of 56 recommendations to Government, industry and the British Film Institute (BFI).

BFI response to the report:

“Against the backdrop of a record year for British film and film talent, we welcome this report which rightly places audiences at the heart of future UK film policy.

The BFI has enjoyed a fruitful dialogue with Chris Smith, the panel, and with the industry, as we have all engaged with the development of this report which looks at the film sector completely in the round. We share the exciting ambition to drive a vibrant and prosperous future for British film and offer audiences excellence and choice.

We look forward to considering the recommendations in the report and the Government’s response to it. The recommendations will help inform and define the BFI’s forward plan in support of the whole film sector.”

The review can be seen online at

www.culture.gsi.gov.uk

Shifting Sands Exhibition

2011-12-22T14:21:00.000Z

Shifting Sands
Guy Martin

During the spring of 2011, independent documentary photographer Guy Martin travelled to Egypt and Libya to record the unfolding Arab Spring. On Wednesday 20 April, Guy’s work in the region was cut short when, whilst covering some of the fiercest most violent urban warfare in recent history he was severely injured in a rocket attack by Gaddafi loyalists in the centre of the besieged Western Libyan city of Misarta.

For the first time since the attack, and following his lengthy and continuing recovery University College Falmouth’s School of Media & Performance presents Shifting Sands, an exhibition of the work produced by Guy up to this point. The exhibition frames a series of events including a private view, a talk with eminent women photojournalists, film screenings and Guy in conversation. Each event serves to highlight the heavy price that can be paid by frontline photojournalists in the cause of documenting a country and its people’s struggle for freedom.

Egypt
Steele Gallery, The Poly

The exhibition shows his work in Egypt that was made whilst on assignment with the Wall Street Journal and documents the first violent demonstrations at the end of January 2011 to the celebrations on the news of the resignation of Hosni Mubarak on Friday 11 and the first independent referendum in March.

Libya
Spring Gallery, The Poly

Shifting Sands then moves chronologically further into March 2011 during which Guy travelled to Libya to document the effects of NATO’s intervention on the country’s revolution. He travelled extensively throughout liberated Eastern Libya documenting, (with major commissions from The Guardian and Observer), a population coming to terms with their new found liberation and their continuing battles with a superior opposition.

This work in eastern Libya shows a particular violent and uncertain time in the Libyan revolution. As Tripoli fell and the Gaddafi family were either killed or arrested, it is easy to forget the heavy price that the people of Libya paid for their freedom and the ensuing power struggles that are now being played out across the country.

The Missing People
Daniell Room, Upstairs - The Poly

Guy’s Missing People photographs were taken on the sea-air and ocean sprayed walls of the Bengazi courthouse and justice rooms between March and April 2011.

Over the course of the uprising and revolution in Libya, from its early days in February to the eventual capture and death of Colonel Gaddafi, the people of Benghazi posted pictures of their sons, father, uncles and brothers on the walls in the hope that someone might recognise a face.

A face that had not returned from war with Chad in the 1970’s; a face that might not have been seen since a the police came to the house to ask questions in the 1996; or perhaps it's a face not seen since the young man went to the frontline in March and April to fight with their friends, to defend their home and their family.

The public exhibition of Libya’s missing men, seeks to highlight the very human struggle of Libya’s 42 year search for answers on all those that dared to stand up and resist.

In remembrance

Whilst Guy is here to share his work and experiences, sadly two friends and colleagues were killed in the same attack, the Oscar nominated filmmaker and co-director of Sundance-winning film Restrepo, Tim Hetherington and Pulitzer nominated photojournalist, Chris Hondros.
In remembrance and dedication, proceeds from the week’s events will be directed to The Rory Peck Trust, the only organisation in the world dedicated to the safety and welfare of freelance newsgatherers and their families.

The Rory Peck Trust
www.rorypecktrust.org
43-51 Great Titchfield Street
London W1W 7DA
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)20 3219 7860

Win a signed edition of Guy’s work
Following Saturday’s In Conversation, a raffle will be drawn where you can win a signed, 20” by 24” edition of Guy’s work, one from his time in Egypt and one from Libya.
Tickets are just £5 with proceeds going to The Rory Peck Trust.
In addition, smaller prints and limited editions of Guy’s work are available to buy online from Cartel Photos. www.cartelphotos.com
Cartel Photos facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Cartel-Photos/100003024527708

Shifting Sands Exhibition
Tuesday 10 January 2012 – Saturday 14 January 2012
10am – 5pm
Free
Private View
Join Guy Martin and The School of Media & Performance at University College Falmouth in opening the exhibition and following events.
Monday 9 January
From 7pm till late
Free, with licenced bar
The Poly, 24 Church Street, Falmouth TR11 3EG
01326 319461,
www.thepoly.org

TAT Announces the Phuket Electronic Music & Dance Festival 2011

2011-12-22T14:17:00.002Z

On December 15, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, in association with the Department of Intellectual property and the Municipality of Karon, Phuket, announced the "Phuket Electronic Music and Dance Festival 2011 and Creative IP DJ Hunt 2011 Southern Region," whic h will be held on Karon Beach, Phuket, 30 -- 31, December 2011.

Mr. Poramet Amatayakul, Regional Director of the TAT South and president of the press conference said that the Phuket Electronic Music and Dance Festival 2011 would encourage tourism in Thailand and create an image of Phuket as an exciting city and well-known center for music festivals.

This festival, which will feature a number of well known international DJs, will boost tourism following the flooding crisis in Thailand earlier this year and will revive confidence in Thailand as a tourist destination for both local and foreign travelers.

Many famous Thai and foreign artists have been invited to the festival, including Mark Brain, DJ Slick D, and Domination, the winner of the Best Video DJ of the World Contest in Dubai 2011. Famous Thai DJs Dom Pakornlum, J Monthon, and over 20 DJs from Top-10 Phuket clubs, such as Seduction, Sanook Club, White Room, and Tiger Club will be performing on two stages from 7 p.m. December 30 and continuing on December 31 to ring in the new year.

A secondary objective of the festival and DJ competition is to promote electronic music in Thailand, encourage talented young Thai electronic artists, and modernize the electronic music industry in Thailand. To underscore this point, the Thursday press conference to announce the 2011 event featured a disc scratching performance from the winner of IP DJ Hunt 2010, Khun Pakasit Puangngern, whose work, including his performance at last year's festival, was on display at the press conference. Winners of the 2011 IP DJ Hunt contest will receive 20,000 baht, 10,000 Baht and 5,000 Baht in prize money from Pioneer DJ.

The performance queue is to be announced on the websites www.ip-djhunt.com and www.pioneer-thailand.com.

All the latest developments will be announced on the official Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003252631611

Muppet Christmas Carol tops the UK’s all time favourite Christmas film poll

2011-12-19T12:50:00.002Z

Digital Spy, the UK’s biggest entertainment news site with 12m unique users, has revealed The Muppet Christmas Carol to be the favourite Christmas movie of all time.

The entertainment site, which breaks over 250 original entertainment stories a day, polled more than 10,000 of its readers to discover their top festive film. It reveals that The Muppet Christmas Carol narrowly triumphed with 18.5% of votes ahead of Home Alone's 18.3.

The 1994 family film puts a Muppet spin on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, casting Michael Caine as miser Ebeneezer Scrooge and Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit.

Will Ferrell's 2003 comedy Elf charted in third place with 8.9%, Christmas classic, It's a Wonderful Life was in fourth spot with 7.4 and action movie Die Hard, which takes place during the festive period, landed in fifth with 6.7%.

Digital Spy users' top ten Christmas movies are as follows:

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol

2. Home Alone

3. Elf

4. It's a Wonderful Life

5. Die Hard

6. Love Actually

7. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

8. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

9. The Santa Clause

10. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Zift, a film Javor Gadev is released in the UK on DVD on 20 February 2012

2011-12-16T12:12:00.000Z

Bulgaria's Official Submission to the 2009 Academy Awards Foreign Language Film category.

SYNOPSIS:

Zift is a tale of love, murder and betrayal. It is a tale of three people, Moth, Mantis and Slug, whose lives are inextricably linked by one thing – a black diamond.

Lev Kaludov (Zahari Baharov), better known as Moth, is an ordinary guy from the city of Sofia. Whilst still at school he falls in love with the beautiful Ada (Tanya Ilieva), later nicknamed Mantis. They grow up together, but city life is hard for young people without much money. Moth falls in with a neighbour known as Slug (Vladimir Penev) and in a bid to make some easy money the three of them plot to steal a black diamond from Vlad the Bijou, the jeweller where Ada works. The robbery is botched, Vlad dies, Moth is wounded and jailed, while Slug escapes without charge; the diamond is never found.

After serving his sentence of 20 years Moth collects his few possessions, including his piece of chewing bitumen, and is released from prison. During this time, Slug has embraced the new regime and now wields considerable power. Aware of Moth’s release, Slug has Moth picked up and attempts to find out the location of the diamond. Moth manages to escape and embarks on a quest to find Ada. It is a crazy journey across a city Moth no longer knows or understands. In the pursuit of truth, Moth runs into a bizarre parade of characters - medics, barflies, outcasts, gravediggers and other species of the asphalt jungle. Eventually he meets the priest that baptised him, who tells him where Ada is.

During their reunion, and still in love with her after all these years, Moth reveals to Ada that he knows the whereabouts of the diamond. Together they set off to retrieve it, but along the way Moth asks to visit the grave of his son. It is here in the bleak, wet graveyard that Moth realises he has been betrayed. Determined not to give up the diamond, Moth attempts to exact his revenge on Slug but Ada, in her final act of betrayal, fatally wounds him.

Moth spends his last few hours on the floor of the gravediggers trailer. As he reflects on all that has gone before, he chews one last time on his bitumen and the truth, finally, is revealed.

ISIS will be releasing Zift on DVD on 20 February 2012.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

- Stills gallery

DETAILS:

Title: Zift

Credit: Miramar Film, Bulgarian National Film Centre, Bulgarian National Television

Cast: Zachary Bahrov, Tanya Ilieva, Vladimir Penev, Mihail Mutafov, Djoko Rossich, Tsvetan Dimitrov

Director: Javor Gadev

Producer: Georgi Dimitrov, Ilian Djevelekov, Mateve Konstantinov

Genre: Neo-noir, sots-art, thriller

Language: Bulgarian

Colour/B&W: B&W

Subtitles: English

Region: 2

Version: Rental/Retail

Release Date: 20th February 2012

Label: ISIS Ltd

Distributor: Eureka Entertainment Ltd

DVD Price (RRP): £16.99

Certificate: 15

Feature Running Time: 92 mins

DVD Catalogue No.: ISIS1012

Bar code: 5060240 620128

WEBSITE & TRAILER:

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mimnhbz2Qk

Website: http://www.ziftthemovie.com

Olympus Launch Mobile Multi-track

2011-12-14T16:35:00.000Z

Olympus LS-100 Multi-Track Linear PCM Recorder:
High performance, mobile multi-track recording

London, 14 December 2011 – Uncompromising sound quality and portable recording versatility have been the hallmark of the Olympus LS-range since its inception.
Now, the new LS-100 has gone further to provide musicians and broadcasters with a state-of-the-art tool enabling convenience of studio-grade, multi-track audio recording just about anywhere.

Furthermore, this impressive mobile recording studio is capable of handling a maximum sound pressure level of up to 140dBspl - The robust, mobile, Olympus LS-100 Multi-Track Linear PCM recorder, becomes available from January 2012 at a recommended price of £449.

As with its cousins in the LS-family, the new LS-100 delivers ultimate sound recording quality in uncompressed 96kHz/24bit Linear PCM splendour.

This extreme audio quality has now been amplified with eight-track recording and overdubbing capabilities to turn sounds and individual tracks into complete compositions – all within the palm of the hand.

Besides its integrated stereo mics, the LS-100 also features dual XLR/Phone combo jacks to facilitate the direct connection with professional external microphones or other musical equipment.

Additional Recorders in the LS Product Range…

LS-3 – Smallest & Slimmest LS Recorder
The LS-100 joins the recently launched LS-3 and LS-20 to offer a complete range; The LS-3 is the smallest, slimmest linear PCM LS recorder to fit in your pocket and capture sounds and riffs on the go.

LS-20 – HD Sound with HD Movie
The LS-20 offers the ability to also shoot HD movies to accompany your HD sound, the added full HD movie at 1920 x1080P (30 fps) with image stabilizer allows you to live life on a film set ready for ‘action’. Whilst dual screens and magic movie effects ensure ultimate creativity.

The durable and compact Olympus LS-100 Multi-Track Linear PCM recorder bestows musicians and broadcasters a high performance, mobile multi-track recording studio to fulfil all their needs – from a single track to a complete composition – boasting highest possible audio qualities. Robust for difficult environments with its metal body and microphone protector the LS-100 will hit stores at a recommended price of £449 in late January 2012.

To see the complete LS range and full features, please visit www.olympus.co.uk/consumer/ls-series

Available at Amazon and all good music retailers – www.amazon.co.uk

Sir Anthony Hopkins releases his first ever album

2011-12-14T16:30:00.000Z

‘ANTHONY HOPKINS – COMPOSER’

Album released 16^th January 2012 through Classic FM

Composed by screen legend Sir Anthony Hopkins and performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Recorded at Birmingham Symphony Hall performance in July

Sir Anthony Hopkins, one of the world’s greatest living screen actors, is releasing the first ever album of his original classical music compositions through Classic FM. ‘Anthony Hopkins – Composer’ will be available from 16^thJanuary 2012 through Amazon, HMV, Play.com and iTunes.

It all began when Sir Anthony Hopkins was just six, his enduring love of the piano ignited by lessons from Mrs Jeffreys in the house where he was born in Margam, a suburb of Port Talbot in Wales. His mother had great hopes that one day her son would become a famous pianist. Her child showed great promise, improvising with chords and melody from an early age, scribbling down thoughts on sixpenny sheets of manuscript paper from Mister Salter’s music shop in Neath but it is only now, after decades of playing and composing works of music, that a collection of her son’s original works is to be released on record for the first time.

In July this year, Sir Anthony joined the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra on stage at Birmingham Symphony Hall to introduce a performance of his original compositions and scores from some of his best-known films. ‘Anthony Hopkins – Composer’ is the recording of nine of Sir Anthony’s original works from that evening including pieces composed for two films that he not only scored but also directed and starred in (‘Slipstream’ and ‘August’).

Sir Anthony’s love of the piano and fascination with orchestration has not waned during his exceptional career of Oscar-winning celluloid performances. From discovering the chapter on orchestration in a volume of his father’s Harmsworth’s Self-Educators encyclopaedias as a child, he has drawn inspiration from people, places, memories and moments in life to create beautiful, nuanced works of music that showcase his flair as a virtuoso musician and his vision as a talented composer.

The scraps of melody and sounds that were first jotted down in childhood have evolved over the years into pieces inspired by childhood memories of Wales, time spent with his parents and grandparents, plays he has seen, films he has worked on, holidays taken, dreams he has dreamt and loved ones including an enchanting aria dedicated to his wife Stella. All these inspirations and more are represented in Sir Anthony’s classical music compositions.

Sir Anthony Hopkins says: “I’m very pleased I’ve found an extra string to my fiddle. For years I mused and dreamt about turning my scribbled thoughts and bursts of melody into pieces of work to be performed by a full orchestra and to see this dream turn into a reality through working with CBSO and now Classic FM is something I treasure very much.”

As a child, Sir Anthony dreamt of “one day, perhaps, one day” becoming a composer. With the release of ‘Anthony Hopkins – Composer’, both his and his mother’s dream is now cemented for all to enjoy.

Tracklisting:

Orpheus
Stella *
Evesham Fair
And The Waltz Goes On**
Amerika
Margam ***
1947 1^st Movement – Circus
1947 2^nd Movement – Bracken Road
1947 3^rd Movement – The Plaza *

* From the score for the film ‘Slipstream’

** Composed by Sir Anthony Hopkins; Arranged by: André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu;
Publisher: Malibu Blueberry Hill Music (BMI) and André Rieu Publishing BV*** From the score for the film ‘August’

‘Anthony Hopkins – Composer’ is released on 16^th January 2012 and is available through Amazon, HMV, Play.com and iTunes. The album can be pre-ordered at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anthony-Hopkins-Album/dp/B005K7HBMS/

www.classicfm.com/anthonyhopkins

Search to find Britain’s worst photographer

2011-12-13T13:48:00.002Z

It’s the award no budding snapper wants to win – the title of the UK’s most inept photographer.

But photo experience company RedCloudDays.co.uk is asking the public to send in their nightmare snaps in a quest to crown the worst photographer in Britain.

The company are so confident in their ability to train anyone to take great photos that they’ve embarked on a mission to find the UK’s most hopeless snapper and promise to train them up and transform their photography free of charge.

Now they are inviting anyone to send in their very worse snaps – and say they are particularly interested in photos of an important occasion marred by cack handed camera handling.

So if your wedding, birthday, graduation or bar mitzvah was ruined by second rate photography they want you to name and shame the snapper responsible.

Whether it was the bride’s head being cut off or the birthday boy suffering from a serious case of red-eye, all nightmare photos will be considered.

Shortlisted photos will be published online so other budding photographers can vote for the one they think is the worst.

RedCloudDays.co.uk founder, Lee Bown, said he hoped the competition would offer a fun way of celebrating the UK’s very worst snappers.

He said: “Photos matter because they are precious memories of the most important events in our lives. But if your album is filled with shots of loved ones minus their heads or with a huge thumb stuck over the lens those memories can become jaded.

“We think everyone has the potential to take great photos with a little help and training. To test if we’re right we want to find the most hopeless person in the UK ever to have picked up a camera.

“To make sure we find the most inept photographer in the whole country we want everyone to send in their very worse pictures. They don’t have to be taken by you – you can nominate someone else. Perhaps your mum or dad, brother or sister, or husband or wife takes the worst pictures you’ve ever seen? Feel free to show us the evidence.

“All we ask is that you have the photographer’s permission to submit the pic. The ultimate idea is to train someone to be a great photographer so we need them to be willing to learn.”

He said that the selected worst photographer would receive a special award along and would be offered training at one of Red Cloud Days photo centre across the UK.

If you think you’ve got what it takes to win the competition then submit your snap to badpics@RedCloudDays.co.uk before the end of February. To view the pics submitted so far please visit www.RedCloudDays.co.uk/badpics.htm

TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY

2011-12-08T18:54:00.000Z

On DVD & BLU-RAY

Death is not an option.

Torchwood returns for a fourth series in which the team face their greatest test yet to find out how and why has the whole world mysteriously become immortal. Torchwood is back and more explosive, sexy and thrilling than ever, Miracle Day bursts onto DVD and Bluray priced at £30.63 and £35.73. Torchwood Miracle Day is also available to download.

One day, nobody dies. All across the world, nobody dies. And then the next day, and the next, and the next, people keep aging - they get hurt and sick - but they never die. The result: a population boom, overnight. With all the extra people, resources are finite. It’s said that in four month's time, the human race will cease to be viable. But this can’t be a natural event – someone’s got to be behind it. It’s a race against time as C.I.A. agent Rex Matheson investigates a global conspiracy. The answers lie within an old, secret British institute. As Rex keeps asking “What is Torchwood?", he’s drawn into a world of adventure, and a threat to change what it means to be human, forever.

Torchwood: Miracle Day features regulars John Barrowman (Doctor Who) and Eve Myles (Little Dorrit), who are joined by an all-star American cast including Bill Pullman (Independence Day), Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under), Mekhi Phifer (ER) and Alexa Havins, (Grey’s Anatomy).

This fantastic release is packed with extras including ‘Magical FX on Miracle Day’ a Behind the Scenes featurette, a motion comic, a character profile as well as intros to the episodes and audio commentary on the finale from show creator Russell T Davis. The full series of Torchwood to date is also available in a Series 1-4 boxset in perfect time for Christmas.

Production Information
Release Date: 14^th November Cat. Number: BBCDVD2981/BBCBD0041
RRP: £24.46/£29.35 Duration: 200 Mins Approx

Bill Pullman for Torchwood Miracle Day

Q: What drew you to Torchwood?
A: I had just told my agents that I didn't want to do any TV. So what did they do? They sent me the scripts for Torchwood! After reading just three episodes, I told them, "I'm in!" I could sense on the page that this was can be a terrific piece of work. As soon as I read it, I could smell it was something special. I said to my wife, "they're offering me the best part – a paedophile murderer!" The script is so full of pep and pizzazz and scares and tension. It is one heck of a thriller!

Q: What else makes these scripts so special?
A: Two years before I made this drama, a friend told me that Torchwood was the best thing on TV – and he was right! The creator Russell T Davies puts a unique spin on his characters. He can't help himself – he just has to stretch the boundaries of the genre. He is able to accommodate loads of different things within the genre. None of his characters are stock sci-fi figures.

Q: So Torchwood overturns the stereotypes of sci-fi?
A: Yes. Sci-fi used to be the best place to go for cardboard cut-out characters, but this is the exact opposite. You may think you know these characters, but they keep morphing until you really don't know who they are. Captain Jack says at one point that, "Oswald is selfish and I'm saving the world", but I'm not sure that's always the case.
Oswald is not always Oswald.

Q: Are there other factors that make Russell's writing stand out from the crowd?
A: Yes. His scripts are very subtle. I always like it when things are implied rather than said – and that's a rarity on TV now. These days, you don't usually get a chance to figure things out yourself because characters are explaining things all the time and underlining things that are ready obvious. Torchwood is different – it treats its viewers with great intelligence.

Q: Do you feel that that Torchwood is much more than "mere sci-fi", then?
A: Absolutely. I don't think of myself as a sci-fi fan, but I've always liked authors such as Philip K Dick and Ray Bradbury. I love that vein which uses sci-fi to address society's problems. It is the same when you have useful nightmares - things morph and you get to confront issues in your dreams. Shows like Torchwood mean something to the world. They say something more than just entertainment.

Q: Please tell us about your character.
A: Oswald Danes is an extraordinary character. He is a convicted child killer. He has been sentenced to death for the worst thing imaginable, the one thing that would make everyone in the world reject you. But he survives when everyone wants him dead, and he is transformed. All of a sudden, he sees the world with a crystal clarity and becomes a prophet. He is very clever and, as the world begins to fall apart, he knows exactly what people want to hear. Suddenly, the world has cast him as a saviour, and he is keen to see if he can live in that skin.
It's a fascinating part to play.

Q: How does Oswald cope with that transformation?
A: It's a very difficult process for him. How much baggage do we carry? In this topsy-turvy world where everyone is suddenly immortal, Oswald goes through a lot of trial and error. As he attempts to go from monster to human being, he is like Frankenstein trying to build himself. He has this incredible sense of having been given a licence to live again, so he exhibits a carefree, "go for broke" quality.

Q: Why do people latch onto Oswald as a prophet?
A: He's a sociopath, and he's disconnected from fear. Sociopaths don't care – and that allows them a perspective free of conscience. He tells people that the "Miracle Day" is a gift and not part of some weird experience. He finds a way to give it a positive spin. His newfound power endows him with a great position of strength.

Q: Is the character of Oswald in some ways a comment on our celebrity-obsessed culture?
A: Yes. Russell really has his ear to the rail. These days more celebrities than ever are plucked from nowhere. Never in the history of mankind do we have more celebrities created overnight than we do now. It's all thanks to Reality TV. Suddenly, these nobodies are being debated everywhere.

Q: Can you please expand on this explosion of stars who have been created by Reality TV?
A: Many of these Reality TV stars are mega-wealthy, and a lot of legitimate actors are wishing they could tap into some of that cash!
Reality TV stars have become franchises and are a magnet for PR handlers and people who want to co-opt their message. To stay in the headlines, they need to command people's attention and remain large.
One important aspect of this series is to look at what fame is. What is Oswald going to do next? Is he going to launch a perfume?

Q: How does the world react when the catastrophe strikes on "Miracle Day" and everyone proves immortal?
A: In that intense pressure-cooker environment, human nature is revealed in a very stark way. People can behave in a very, very unfortunate manner in dangerous situations. In this version of immortality, people are in limbo and require medication. Healthy people start looking at this incredible suck on their resources and trying to determine a new set of ethics. What should they do to ensure their survival? Resources are not limitless. It's a real nightmare.

Q: Why do we find characters such as Oswald or Hannibal Lecter so magnetic?
A: It's hard to admit, but we are all on a spectrum with them. They've simply given themselves permission to do things that are beyond the pale for the rest of us. There's this uneasy sense that we are related to them, although we hope we are not very closely related. Still, we can't say with complete certainty that we are totally different from them. In the current political world, people see it as a weakness to have empathy with other people, but I think trying to understand others gives you strength. We're all part of the same human race, as ugly as that can be.

Q: Finally, why do you think the producers cast you as Oswald?
A: That's a good question. Halfway through the shoot, I asked the producer, "wait a minute, why did you want me for this role?" With a smile, she replied that, "we thought it would be fun. You have played the President, you’re America's sweetheart!" So clearly something very naughty made them do it!

Torchwood Miracle Day is out on DVD and Blu ray

Abduction

2011-12-07T13:11:00.000Z

On Blu-ray & DVD Double Play, DVD and Download to Own and Rent February 13, 2012

TAYLOR LAUTNER (The Twilight Saga) stars as a young man whose secret past is set to collide with a dangerous reality. ABDUCTION, also stars SIGOURNEY WEAVER (Avatar) and LILY COLLINS (Priest, Mirror Mirror) and will be available to download, and to rent and buy on DVD and Blu-ray from 13^th February 2012.

For as long as he can remember, Nathan Harper (Lautner) has had the uneasy feeling that he's living someone else's life. When he discovers an image of himself as a young boy on a missing persons website, all of Nathan's darkest fears come true - his life has been a carefully fabricated lie which hides something more dangerous than he could have ever imagined. Before his ‘parents’ can explain they are murdered and Nathan finds himself on the run.

Propelled on a lethal, no-holds barred mission to learn the truth, every second counts as Nathan and his friend Karen (Collins), aided by an undercover agent (Weaver), race to evade an army of assassins and federal operatives. But as his opponents close in, Nathan realizes that the only way to survive is to stop running and take matters into his own hands.

ABDUCTION Blu-ray & DVD Details:

·         RRP DVD/BD:             £19.99 / £24.99
·         Certificate                   12
·         Special Features:      Pulled Punches Gag Reel, Features: Abduction Chronicle, Initiation of an Action
Hero and The Fight For The Truth
·         Blu-ray Special:         Abduction Application (a customisable in-film experience)

Sins Of The Father: A Very British Gangster 2

2011-12-07T13:07:00.000Z

Donal MacItyre is one of Britain’s best-known investigative journalists and has literally put his life on the line to uncover all sorts of wrong doing and illegal activity.

His powerful and thought provoking TV documentaries have won awards and one of his biggest triumphs was seeing two dangerous Chelsea football hooligans being imprisoned for seven and six years respectively after an investigation for his ‘MacIntyre Undercover’ series for the BBC.

A ‘Very British Gangster’ was his directorial debut and was a massively successful fly-on-the-wall feature length documentary in which he built a relationship with one of Manchester’s most notorious gangsters, Dominic Noonan.

The sequel, ‘Sins Of The Father: A Very British Gangster 2’, is released by High Fliers on retail DVD on January 16th 2012 and promises to be every bit as successful as the original film.

It picks up from the moment Noonan leaves prison after five years to find his power eroded and his family decimated. Gangland executions and massive police operations have nearly killed off his criminal empire and vengeance is in the air.

However he returns to the streets under stringent terrorist style conditions, under oppressive police surveillance and without power cash and his gangster army.

His greatest hope of regaining control of the streets rests with his 16-year-old child Bugsy but can the child outlive and survive the sins of his father?

In Donal MacIntyre’s own words ‘Sins Of The Father: A Very British Gangster 2’ is “first and foremost a gangster movie. There are murderers, funerals, trials and acquittals but in this instance all the actors and the consequences are very real”.
It is also a stunning piece of filmmaking which shows MacIntyre doing what he so supremely good at.

Run time: 90 mins

Certificate: 15

RRP: £12.99

SMOKING LAWS

2011-12-07T13:02:00.000Z

‘Smoking Laws’ is the first comedy feature from hit US indie Eggwork Productions, the creative collaboration between director/writer Matthew Ehlers and writer/producer Todd Neilsen.

It will be released on retail DVD by Scanbox Entertainment on December 26^thjust in time for all those people whose number one New Year Resolution is to give up smoking!!

There’s a smoky new perimeter in the barfly subculture. Across the globe, smokers are being forced to stand outside their favourite drinking haunts and have curious conversations and confrontations that last the length of a cigarette.
In the smoky haze they talk dirty secrets, dirty habits, beginnings, endings and even matters of life-and death.

‘Smoking Laws’ is a voyeuristic look at these people and at The Bossman, a bar owner stuck with a bunch of smokers but he spends most of his time trying to keep his staff under control, most of whom apart from an overzealous bouncer are total slackers.

His customers aren’t much better. The random collection of misfits and barflies who brave the cold outside so that they can smoke their cigarettes make The Bossman’s life pure misery.

Drunks, failed artists and an assortment of other characters with dark secrets surround the bar in a ring of smoke and strange conversations but at least ‘Smoking Laws’ allows the viewer to spend a night sampling bar culture without smelling like an ashtray after it!

The Bonus Features are as follows:

Deleted Scenes (6:40)
Gag Reel (2:20)
3 x Shorts Films also Written & Directed by Matthew Ehlers: Lunch (3:42), Autobank (2:28) and Who's Your Daddy? (3:20)

‘Smoking Laws’ has a run time of 80 minutes, a 15 certificate and a recommended retail price of £9.99.

Voddler launches offline mode - Watch online movies even without an Internet connection

2011-12-07T12:59:00.000Z

Scandinavia’s leading video-on-demand service Voddler today launches the viewing feature “offline mode”. This makes Voddler the first VOD-service in the Nordics, and one of the first VOD-services in the world, to offer the opportunity to watch online film even when there is no web connection. Movies that customers want to see in offline mode are added to a playlist, so they can be played wherever the viewers are, including places with no or low Internet connectivity.

When Voddler today launches its “offline mode”, it becomes one of the first legal VOD-services in the world to offer viewers the ability to watch web-based movies even when there is no web connectivity.

- From today you don’t have to have a web connection when you’re watching your Voddler-film. You can now watch it on a train with a spotty Internet connectivity, in the backseat of a car, in your summer house far from the nearest web connection, or on a plane high above the clouds, says Anders Sjöman, VP Communication at Voddler.

Customers decide when they are online which movies they want access to offline. They rent the movies and download them to their computer. The viewing period of 48 hours does not begin until they start playing the movie, and they have fourteen days after download to start their viewing period.

Watching Voddler-movies in offline mode requires Voddler’s specific offline player, which is a one-time free download the first time a customer prepares their offline playlist.

For more details about Voddler’s offline mode, visit http://voddlertalk.voddler.com/2011/offlinemode/ or try it out directly at Voddler: here’s a link to all the titles that so far are available for offline viewing: http://www.voddler.com/en/movie/browse/premium/views/all/offline.

At launch, offline mode applies to Voddler’s rental movies. Voddler is now looking at expanding it to include Voddler’s ad-funded PLAY-titles, where watching PLAY-movies offline might be a benefit linked to Voddler Plus, Voddler’s membership program. Voddler’s offline mode currently applies to computers and Voddler is now laying a road map for development of offline mode also for mobile platforms, such as smart phones and tablets.

A YEAR TO REMEMBER: 1930s – 1980s.

2011-12-06T14:08:00.001Z

Now available from Strike Force Entertainment – history and nostalgia DVD specialist – are six piercing and poignant DVD titles containing rare British Pathé footage and interviews, from over six decades between 1930 and 1980.

Presented as a collectable series of six DVDs, each comprising a three disc set and featuring an hour long programme on each year, A YEAR TO REMEMBER contains nearly 60 hours of unprecedented depth with fascinating and groundbreaking footage, offering an incredible insight into the global conflicts of yesteryear that still shape the world we live in today.

A YEAR TO REMEMBER: THE 1930s offers a definitive insight into the decade leading up to World War II. Other more light hearted events of the decade include Fred Perry winning Wimbledon, the first indoor ski slope and the introduction of the first driving test in 1935.

Following on, A YEAR TO REMEMBER: THE 1940s takes us back to the decade of World War II, Allied Victory, post-war austerity and the newly created tensions of the Cold War world. In a decade when Princess Elizabeth married, we also get the opportunity to re-live the inauguration of the Welfare State and the NHS and witness the nationalisation of core public utilities and industries.

In a period that took us from post-war austerity to consumer boom, A YEAR TO REMEMBER: THE 1950s looks at a decade which was mainly dominated by the Conservatives, with Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden and Howard Macmillan at the helm leading us through events as diverse as the Suez Canal crisis, the Soviet invasion of Hungary, H-Bomb tests, the Harrow train disaster, the death of King George VI and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Witnessing much scientific and technological progress, A YEAR TO REMEMBER: THE 1950s, takes us back to the introduction of the first Sputnik satellite, the last London tram, Polio vaccinations and the introduction of the parking meter. A YEAR TO REMEMBER: The 1950s also gives us the opportunity to re-live many incredible events such as the 100th Varsity Boat Race and Bing Crosby playing golf in Scotland.

At a time when renewed optimism arose, A YEAR TO REMEMBER: THE 1960s takes us through the election and untimely assassination of John F. Kennedy. Featuring coverage of the murder of Martin Luther King, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the ongoing bloodshed of the Vietnam War and the erection of the Berlin Wall, A YEAR TO REMEMBER: THE 1960s also reminds us of one of mankind’s greatest triumphs, the Apollo 11 moon landing, alongside England’s Victory in the World Cup, the ‘Swinging Sixties’ and Mary Quant.

Released on DVD for the first time, A YEAR TO REMEMBER: THE 1970s looks at a decade of great transition for the UK. Featuring the political and social unrest in Northern Ireland, the rise of Margaret Thatcher, the ‘three day week’ and the ‘Winter of Discontent’ in 1979, A YEAR TO REMEMBER: THE 1970s also takes us on a journey back through time to the rise of rock music, the breakup of the Beatles and the passing of Elvis Presley.

A YEAR TO REMEMBER: THE 1980s looks at what was making the news in this most colourful decade. The result is an amazing insight into the decade of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Regan, the famous Brixton riots, Chernobyl, the Falklands War, Yuppies, big hair, New Romantics, the death of John Lennon and the Royal Wedding.

A must for history enthusiasts and lovers of archive footage, A YEAR TO REMEMBER is an extraordinary series which provides a unique year by year account of what has been making the news over the last sixty years.

Each YEAR TO REMEMBER series is available from all good retailers, priced at £19.99 each. For more information visit www.strikeforcetv.com or follow Strike Force Entertainment on www.fbook.me/SFE.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL THE IMAX EXPERIENCE

2011-12-06T14:02:00.001Z

EXPLODES INTO IMAX® THEATRES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA FIVE DAYS EARLY ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16

Highly Anticipated Fourth Installment Marks the Widest Early IMAX Engagement for a Domestic Feature; Film to Also Release Early in IMAX in Key International Territories

Film Features Approximately 30 Minutes of Footage Shot with IMAX Cameras

Los Angeles, CA — Dec. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — IMAXCorporation (NYSE:IMAX; TSX:IMX) and Paramount Pictures today announced that Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol The IMAX Experience will begin previews in IMAX on Friday, Dec. 16, five days in advance of the film’s North American wide release on Dec. 21. Domestically, the film will open in approximately 300 IMAX® theatres and play through the film’s run at the box office.

Internationally, the film will open on approximately 200 IMAXscreens beginning on Dec. 14, with several markets receiving an early window release in IMAX ahead of their wide release, including six days in the Netherlands, five days in the UK, three days in France and Poland, two days in Korea, Spain and Taiwan, and one day in various other countries worldwide.

In addition to the early window of engagement, the IMAX release of this fourth installment of Mission: Impossible features approximately 30 minutes of scenes shot with IMAX®cameras. These specific sequences, including the unbelievable stunt performed by Tom Cruise as he scaled the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai, will expand to fill the entire screen, exclusively in IMAX, and further immerse the audience in the explosive action and vast scope of the film.

“We’re excited that audiences will be able to preview this film at its best a full five days in advance,” said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. “This early engagement demonstrates the confidence that both the studio and filmmakers have in ‘TheIMAX Experience’ to reinforce the event nature of the film and generate positive word-of-mouth to support the wider launch of this favorite franchise.”

“The edge-of-your-seat, heart-stopping suspense that Brad Bird masterfully delivers in this film is brought to life in IMAX, providing an up-close, you-are-there experience that is unparalleled,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President, IMAXFilmed Entertainment. “Advance screenings of select film sequences shot with IMAX cameras have received overwhelmingly positive reactions from audiences across the globe.”

The IMAX release of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

About Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
This holiday season, two-time Academy Award®-winner Brad Bird directs, with producers Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams, the action-packed spy adventure Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

Blamed for the terrorist bombing of the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt is disavowed along with the rest of the agency when the President initiates “Ghost Protocol.” Left without any resources or backup, Ethan must find a way to clear his agency’s name and prevent another attack. To complicate matters further, Ethan is forced to embark on this mission with a team of fellow IMF fugitives whose personal motives he does not fully know.

Tom Cruise returns in the starring role as Ethan Hunt and is joined by an international cast that includes Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Josh Holloway, Anil Kapoor and Léa Seydoux. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is directed by Brad Bird, in his live action film debut, and written by Josh Appelbaum & André Nemec. Cruise, who produces the Mission: Impossible films, is joined by producers J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk. The film will be co-financed by Skydance Productions. Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Paul Schwake and Dana Goldberg are the executive producers.

www.missionimpossible.com

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol The IMAX Experience is scheduled to play day-and-date at the following IMAX theatres across North America on December 16.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol The IMAX Experience is scheduled to play day-and-date at IMAX international theatres beginning on December 14.

Wise Cracks: The Comedies Of WOODY ALLEN

2011-12-05T18:19:00.000Z

at BFI Southbank

BFI Southbank launches the New Year with an offering of thrills and laughter from Woody
Allen, a most prolific filmmaker whose career has spanned just over six decades and more
than 40 feature films, with a new film made almost every year. A celebration of his classic
comedies will screen throughout January, including Extended Runs of both Zelig (1983) and
the multi-Oscar-winning Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). This retrospective of films presents
a timely reminder of his brilliant and exceptional career as a writer-director of comedy
films, plus the importance of the comedy genre, as BFI Southbank presents the first London
Comedy Film Festival at the end of the month.

Allen’s career began by writing jokes for a local newspaper before progressing to stand-up
comedy, then to writing gags and scripts for television and eventually screenwriting and
appearing in films, until it was clear, to him, that he needed to direct films himself. This BFI
season starts with Bananas (1971) and the sci-fi Sleeper (1973), where Allen’s trademark
characteristics of a nervous, somewhat pessimistic New York Jew, with a sharp and selfdeprecating banter were first established. Sleeper was the first partnering of Allen and
Diane Keaton, who would go on to star in the period piece Love and Death (1975) and the
Allen classics Annie Hall (1977), for which he won Academy Awards for Best Director and
Best Original Screenplay, and Manhattan (1979) – the latter an unforgettable tribute to New
York.

Love, and the fathoming of, is a key theme that spans his films, and Allen’s personal
relationships would both inform and inspire his work. By the early 1980s he had met Mia
Farrow and a new on-screen partnership was launched with A Midsummer Nights Sex
Comedy (1982), Broadway Danny Rose (1984) and the Depression-era cinema fantasy The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), before Hannah and Her Sisters, which earned him another Oscar
for Best Original Screenplay along with a nomination for Best Film.

With the onset of 1990s, and his ‘middle-period’, Allen performed less in front of the
camera, as with titles such as Bullets Over Broadway (1994), where John Cusack takes the
lead, and Celebrity (1998), starring Kenneth Brannagh and Leonardo DiCaprio. More recent
titles have received mixed reviews, but Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) brought a return to
form and his most recent offering, Midnight in Paris (2011), his been biggest box office
success yet. The selection of films offered this month is a great reminder of the amazing
ability that Allen has to find humour in some of the most unusual of circumstances. His
next feature is in post-production and provides proof that he still has much to amuse
audiences with.

PROGRAMME INFORMATION:
Bananas
USA 1971. With Louise Lasser, Carlos Montalban, Jacobo Morales. 78min. 15
A wonderfully funny ragbag of gloriously absurd gags chronicling a puny, largely petrified New York
Jew’s chaotic involvement with Latin American revolutionaries hoping to topple a dictator. The reason
for Woody’s impulsive altruism? To impress political activist Louise Lasser (Allen’s second wife), of
course. Though the direction is solid rather than flamboyant, the film’s energy and invention more
than compensate. Look out for Sylvester Stallone.
Sun 1 Jan 16:00 NFT3, Sun 8 Jan 20:40 NFT2

Sleeper
USA 1973. With Diane Keaton, John Beck. 87min. PG
In his engagingly irreverent take on the sci-fi genre, Woody’s Greenwich Village jazz clarinetist does a
Rip Van Winkle through cryogenics and wakes up in a largely sex-free 2174, where rebels enlist his
predictably reluctant help in their struggle against the totalitarian authorities. By now Diane Keaton
had taken over as romantic interest, and she was to prove the perfect comic foil to the writer
director’s on-screen persona.
Sun 1 Jan 18:20 NFT3, Sat 7 Jan 20:50 NFT2, Wed 18 Jan 18:30 NFT1

Love and Death
USA 1975. With Diane Keaton, Olga Georges-Picot, Harold Gould. 81min. PG
Arguably the most coherent and consistently funny of all Allen’s unrepentantly comic, pre-Annie Hall
films, this remarkably astute parody of Russian literature in all its lugubriously epic splendour finds
his customarily Jewish little-man courting his beloved Keaton amid the turmoil of the Napoleonic
Wars. Eisensteinian montage and philosophical discussions cover a range of topics: love, death, God,
war, honour, string, herrings, and wheat… so much wheat.
Sun 1 Jan 20:30 NFT3, Sat 7 Jan 16:00 NFT2, Thu 12 Jan 18:30 NFT1

Annie Hall
USA 1977. With Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Paul Simon, Carol Kane. 93min. 15 Greeted as a step forward in that the narrative – no longer a string of gags – gained in psychological
coherence, this was also the first of Allen’s films regarded as rooted to some degree in autobiography
(he plays a neurotic New York comic who falls for a ditzy singer) – though in hindsight the film, for all
its humour and romance, feels a little hesitant in places compared to the bold 80s masterworks.
Besides Keaton’s wonderful performance, look out for future stars in minor roles.
Mon 2 Jan 16:15 NFT1, Fri 6 Jan 18:30 NFT1, Fri 13 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Sat 14 Jan 18:30 NFT1

Manhattan
USA 1979. With Diane Keaton, Michael Murphy, Mariel Hemingway, Meryl Streep. 96min. 12A
With this film, Allen first achieved a fully rewarding balance of comedy and drama, enhancing the
tale of a television comedy-writer’s vacillating relationships with the various women in his life by
framing it as a love letter to New York. The unforgettable opening montage, cut to Gershwin, clearly
signposts his ambitions both as a filmmaker and as a devout celebrant of the city.
Mon 2 Jan 18:30 NFT1, Fri 6 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Tue 10 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Sun 22 Jan 20:45 NFT1

A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy
USA 1982. With Mia Farrow, José Ferrer, Julie Hagerty, Tony Roberts, Mary Steenburgen. 88min. 15
The title may allude to Shakespeare and Bergman, but this warm period comedy, charting the
romantically complicated encounter of three couples at a house in the country, seems as indebted to
Renoir as it is to the Swede. The first of his films with Mia Farrow, it feels suffused with the
enchantment of falling in love, and is perhaps his only film to profess some sort of real belief in the
power of magic
Mon 2 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Sun 8 Jan 18:20 NFT2

Broadway Danny Rose
USA 1984. With Mia Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte, Sandy Baron. 84min. PG
This delightfully anecdotal tale of a lowly but conscientious theatrical agent (Allen), who acts as a
beard for an adulterous crooner and finds himself pursued by the mobster family of the brassy
mistress (Farrow at her very best), is distinguished by its warm, affectionate tone. Gordon Willis’s
black-and-white camera work lends the troubled fairytale romance the feel of reality, while the expert
sparring between the two leads is both funny and touching.
Tue 3 Jan 20:40 NFT2, Sat 7 Jan 18:40 NFT3, Mon 9 Jan 18:20 NFT2

The Purple Rose of Cairo
USA 1985. With Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels, Danny Aiello. 82min. PG
An utterly charming variation on the conceit pioneered by Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr, this finds a
downtrodden Depression-era housewife (Farrow) attracting the attention of the leading man (Daniels)
in the ludicrously exotic romance she keeps watching; the escapism escalates when he abandons the
movie to visit her reality – a bewildering crossover for all concerned. Fantasy it may be, but in its
emotional dynamics the film is authentic enough to be genuinely affecting.
Mon 9 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Sat 21 Jan 18:40 NFT2

Crimes and Misdemeanors
USA 1989. With Mia Farrow, Alan Alda, Claire Bloom, Sam Waterston. 104min. 15
One of Allen’s darkest comedies, this has two loosely linked stories – one about a documentarist
(Allen) falling for the producer (Farrow) of a TV tribute to his despicably successful brother-in-law, the
other about a married ophthalmologist (Martin Landau) deciding to rid himself of a clinging lover
(Anjelica Huston) – which share a concern with guilt, troubled faith and the injustices of life.
Ambitious, complex and beautifully acted by all involved.
Fri 13 Jan 18:30 NFT1, Sun 15 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Sun 22 Jan 15:50 NFT3

Husbands and Wives
USA 1992. With Mia Farrow, Liam Neeson, Juliette Lewis, Blythe Danner. 108min. 15
An astute examination of the ethics of love and marriage, this sees a seemingly happily married
couple (Allen and Farrow) reassessing their own relationship when their close friends (Judy Davis and
Sydney Pollack) announce an amicable separation. Shot in a hand-held documentary style and boasting terrific performances, this is one of Allen’s most emotionally honest and psychologically
incisive achievements.
Tue 10 Jan 18:30 NFT1, Sat 14 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Sun 22 Jan 18:10 NFT3

Manhattan Murder Mystery
USA 1993. With Diane Keaton, Anjelica Huston, Alan Alda. 107min. PG
In part a tribute to the cowardly bluster that was Bob Hope’s speciality, this is one of the most
unapologetically escapist of Allen’s middle-period comedies, in which Allen’s panicky protagonist
worries about the keen interest taken by his wife (Keaton) both in one of his friends and in the death
of a neighbour. A bright and pacy blend of suspense and gags, executed with considerable gusto.
Thu 12 Jan 20:40 NFT2, Mon 16 Jan 18:20 NFT2, Tue 17 Jan 20:30 NFT2

Bullets Over Broadway
USA 1994. With John Cusack, Dianne Wiest, Jim Broadbent, Rob Reiner, Mary Louise Parker. 99min. PG
John Cusack plays a faintly Allenesque young playwright, dealing not only with temperamental stars
(Wiest in fine fettle) but with a bodyguard (Chazz Palminteri) assigned by his gangster backer to keep
an eye on the flapper girlfriend (Jennifer Tilly) he insists has a role. The jazz-age setting allows Allen
some leeway in terms of authenticity, but that doesn’t mean his reflections on the relationship
between life and the theatre don’t have bite.
Sat 14 Jan 16:15 NFT1, Wed 18 Jan 20:45 NFT2, Sat 21 Jan 20:40 NFT2

Everyone Says I Love You
USA 1996. With Goldie Hawn, Natalie Portman, Drew Barrymore, Billy Crudup. 100min. 12A
Arguably Allen’s most unlikely film – a musical packed with romantic standards, set in New York,
Venice and Paris, and chronicling the complex romantic lives of a large family from Manhattan – and
perhaps, too, his most improbable cast, ranging from Julia Roberts to Tim Roth, Goldie Hawn to
Edward Norton. But it works: the energy and enthusiasm of the cast easily make up for any
shortcomings in their singing and dancing, and the whole has a delicate charm.
Sun 15 Jan 18:30 NFT1, Fri 20 Jan 18:20 NFT3

Deconstructing Harry
USA 1997. With Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Judy Davis, Kirstie Alley. 96min
Though clearly inspired by Bergman’s Wild Strawberries, this tale of a blocked, philandering, foulmouthed writer (Allen) driving – along with his best friend, his nine-year-old son and a (black!) hooker
– to receive an award at his alma mater is very funny, and one of Allen’s most inventive films as it
compares and contrasts the realities of the author’s life with their fictionalised versions. Of the
remarkable cast, it is Robin Williams who is perhaps most amusing as an actor literally having trouble
with his focus.
Wed 11 Jan 18:15 NFT1, Sat 28 Jan 18:10 NFT3

Celebrity
USA 1998. With Kenneth Branagh, Judy Davis, Joe Mantegna, Melanie Griffith, Winona Ryder. 113min
Scumbag journalist Lee (Branagh sporting Allen-ish traits) and Robin (Davis) have just divorced, but
their paths keep crossing at the endless parties, receptions and previews frequented by New York’s
smart set. A jaundiced, often very amusing caricature of the contemporary obsession with fame,
enhanced by some fine performances: Leonardo DiCaprio’s spoilt movie star and Charlize Theron’s
supermodel are stand-outs.
Wed 25 Jan 20:30 NFT2, Sun 29 Jan 18:20 NFT2

Sweet and Lowdown
USA 1999. With Sean Penn, Samantha Morton, Uma Thurman, Anthony LaPaglia, John Waters. 95min. PG
An arrogant, self-centred, hard-living 30s jazz guitarist (Penn) reluctantly gets involved with a gentle,
generous mute (Morton) and can’t be bothered ever to end the affair properly. A strangely tender,
touching tale of pride, prejudice, self-obsession and redemption, the film impresses for its strong
sense of period and place and its excellent performances; Allen himself appears as one of the jazz
fans reflecting on the couple’s story in documentary style ‘interview’ sequences.
Wed 25 Jan 18:20 NFT2, Sun 29 Jan 20:40 NFT2

Melinda and Melinda
USA 2004. With Radha Mitchell, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Wallace Shawn, Josh Brolin. 99min. 12A
Is life essentially tragic or comic? Writers in a restaurant debate this question by developing two
versions – one supposedly serious, the other meant to be funny – of a story about the effects of a
woman (Mitchell) turning up unexpectedly at a dinner party given by friends (Chloe Sevigny and
Jonny Lee Miller in the first, Will Ferrell and Amanda Peet in the second). An ingenious reflection on
life and art, and very relevant to Allen’s own work.
Thu 26 Jan 18:10 NFT2, Mon 30 Jan 20:45 NFT2

Match Point
UK 2005. With Scarlett Johansson, Brian Cox, Penelope Wilton, Ewen Bremner. 124min. 12A
In many respects a London-set reworking of Dreiser’s An American Tragedy, Allen’s first British film
pitches an upwardly mobile tennis player (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) among a wealthy family; after
taking up with the daughter who adores him (Emily Mortimer), he falls for her brother’s actress
fiancée (Johansson)… If the depiction of British society is hardly Loachian in its thrust, that’s not the
point; it is Allen’s interest in ethical dilemmas that lends the film’s dramatic elements some depth.
Thu 26 Jan 20:30 NFT2, Mon 30 Jan 18:20 NFT2

Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Spain 2008. With Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Patricia Clarkson. 96min. 12A
While spending the summer in Barcelona, two friends (Hall and Johansson) meet a painter (Bardem)
and react very differently to his seductive charms; the situation is further complicated by the
reappearance of his estranged and very volatile wife (Cruz). While Allen’s Spanish film certainly deals
in cultural and gender stereotypes, a welcome hint of absurdism – most notable in the delicious
performances of Bardem and Cruz – enhances the sunny mood.
Fri 27 Jan 18:10 NFT2, Tue 31 Jan 20:40 NFT2

Midnight in Paris
France 2011With Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Adrian Brody, Kathy Bates 94min Digital 12A
A blocked Hollywood writer (Wilson), visiting Paris, finds that immersing himself – with a vengeance –
in the city’s literary past revitalises him; trouble is, it also causes problems with his fiancée
(McAdams). The appeal of visiting the golden age is not exclusively due to an attractive woman
(Marion Cotillard), given that the Fitzgeralds, Dali, Buñuel (who gives rise to a wonderful gag) and
Gertrude Stein are also around. But, Allen asks, should we really prefer the past? What about the
present?
Fri 27 Jan 20:50 Studio; Sat 28 Jan 16:20, 20:50 Studio; Sun 29 Jan 16:20, 20:50 Studio; Mon 30 Jan
21:00 NFT1; Tue 31 Jan 18:20 NFT2, 20:50 Studio; (continues in February)

Extended Runs: Fri 30 Dec – Thu 19 Jan

Zelig

USA 1983 Dir Woody Allen. With Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Garrett Brown, Mary Louise Wilson 79min
PG. Courtesy of Park Circus

In part, a comic reworking of the themes of Citizen Kane, Allen’s meticulous mockumentary about a
long-forgotten ‘human chameleon’ may now be celebrated as a masterwork years ahead of its time.
Complete with unseen narrator, archive footage and on-screen comments from Susan Sontag, Saul
Bellow et al, the film deals with the life and times of Leonard Zelig (Allen), an otherwise unremarkable
man who, in the 1920s, became a figure of fame and controversy due to his tendency to take on the
characteristics and appearance of whoever he was with at the time. Allen turns this simple but
ingenious idea into a multilayered – and very funny – meditation on issues of (individual, national and
ethnic) identity, celebrity culture and our need to connect. Expertly manipulating newsreel footage
(long before digital technology) so that Zelig is seen hobnobbing with Hemingway, Fitzgerald, the Pope
and even – irony of ironies! – Hitler), Allen paints a richly resonant portrait of a changing world, while
finding space for a touching tribute to Mia Farrow (playing Zelig’s loyal analyst). Endlessly rewarding.
(Thu 12 Jan 18:40 NFT3 introduced by Geoff Andrew)

Hannah and Her Sisters

USA 1986. Dir Woody Allen. With Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey, Dianne Wiest, Michael Caine, Carrie
Fisher, Max Von Sydow, Maureen O’Sullivan, Lloyd Nolan. 107min 15 Courtesy of Park Circus

Perhaps the warmest and, dramatically, most refined of all Allen’s ensemble dramas, this look at a
year in the life of an extended well-to-do Manhattan family sees him at the peak of his powers – as
writer, director and performer. Next to sisters Lee (Hershey), who lives with a misanthropic painter,
and Holly (Wiest), a neurotic lost in vague dreams of career success, Hannah (Farrow) seems a model
of strength and stability; she’s even remained on good terms with her hypochondriac ex (Allen). What
nobody, Hannah included, knows is that her current husband (Caine) has fallen for Lee…
As Allen traces the many delicate threads of his densely textured narrative, it’s soon clear both that
we’re in Chekhov territory – the transience of life, the irresistibility of desire, the need to keep things
in perspective – and that the perspective here is distinctly and gloriously Allen’s. The performances of
the remarkable cast are uniformly superb, Carlo di Ponti’s images render Manhattan magical, and the
whole is immensely satisfying.

Booking information
The BFI Southbank is open to all. BFI members are entitled to a discount on all tickets. BFI Southbank
Box Office tel: 020 7928 3232. Unless otherwise stated tickets are £9.00, concs £6.65 Members pay £1.40
less on any ticket. Website www.bfi.org.uk/southbank

110th birthday of the late Walter Elias 'Walt' Disney, the American film producer, animator and co-founder of the Walt Disney Company

2011-12-05T18:08:00.000Z

Monday 5th December marks the 110th birthday of the late Walter Elias Walt Disney, the American film producer, animator and co-founder of the Walt Disney Company. Web of Stories is proud to present a video recording of the life story of one of Walt Disneys most talented animators, Mr Jules Engel. Here, he talks about his time at Disney, co-founding the United Productions of America (UPA) studio, and Format Films where he produced Mr Magoo and the popular US series The Alvin Show and The Lone Ranger.

In 1938, Jules Engel was asked by Walt Disney to work with them on what became the much-loved Disney classic, Fantasia. He was appointed the task of storyboarding the final dance sequences of the Russian sprites and Chinese mushrooms to the music of Tchaikovskys Nutcracker Suite. Engels passion for dance and art made him the perfect candidate to choreograph the sequences. Although much controversy still surrounds the fact that Jules Engel was never credited for his work on these sequences, here he describes what it was like working for the Walt Disney Company and meeting Walt Disney himself.

I remember first time I bumped into him and I said, Mr Disney, how do you... He said, No, its Walt. Well, thats nice, you know, Okay Walt. But the point is that he lived, he ate, he drank, whatever else there is about animation, that was his gut. He was not even a real person, he was so involved with that world. Everything was a dream world, or his dream. And at the same time, he still was a nice person, he had his friends. But in as much as he was responsible of all those early, good films, still he never really took that big credit: Film by Walt Disney. It was always a film of whatever but never by Walt Disney, it was something else.

After completing work on Fantasia, Jules Engel was asked to work on a sequence in Bambi, where he was able to show his ideas on abstraction. He also gave Bambi a whole new dimension by using colour that was against the norm for an animal at that time.

Aside from Jules Engels early work with Disney, he co-founded the Universal Productions of America studio with a group of animator friends to create and produce Mr Magoo, Madeline and Gerald McBoing Boing. He then went on to launch Format Films producing US television series The Alvin Show and The Lone Ranger, and in 1970 he founded the CalArts Program in Experimental Animation, which to this day is recognised as one of the worlds best schools for animation and arts. Before Engels death in 2003, he set up the Jules Engel Endowed Scholarship Fund to help aspiring students to explore and push the boundaries within animation.

Web of Stories hosts a video archive of the life story of Jules Engel. We invite everyone to watch these stories, and share them with friends. Approximately six hours of video recording has been divided into individual stories which viewers can watch, listen to, comment on, and share with their friends and colleagues. The videos are also free for embedding into personal blogs and websites.

We also invite the public to record and share their own stories, not just about how Jules Engels work may have influenced their lives and views on some of the topics raised, but on any other topic.

http://www.webofstories.com/people/jules.engel

Bell Pottinger Launches Free Festive Game

2011-12-05T13:47:00.000Z

Bell Pottinger Group has launched a free mobile and web-based game to kick-off early festive celebrations with its staff and clients.

Called Festive Dash, the game has been developed in-house and sees a penguin, snowman and elf embark on a quest to save Christmas by collecting presents that fall from a hole in Santa’s sleigh.

Both the iPhone app and web-based game have been developed by the group’s specialist digital and social media team, Bell Pottinger Digital, which has been busy promoting it at a charity event organised by Richard House Children's Hospice. Aptly called Penguin Dash, the event saw more than 300 people running through Spitalfields in London, all dressed as Penguins. A 10-penguin team from Bell Pottinger Digital raised £500 for Richard House Children's Hospice (http://www.richardhouse.org.uk), which cares for children with life-threatening illnesses across the capital.

Bell Pottinger is also making donations to ShelterBox (http://www.shelterbox.org), the international disaster relief charity, and The Calthorpe Project (http://www.calthorpeproject.org.uk), a community garden and centre in the heart of Kings Cross – both of which are supported by its group companies.

David Wilson, Group Managing Director of Bell Pottinger, said: “Festive Dash is a fun game we’ve designed to thank clients and staff for giving us another wonderful year. It will get everyone into the festive spirit, from Chief Executives to children, and having been developed in-house, demonstrates the creative talent that exists within our Bell Pottinger team. Festive Dash replaces our Christmas cards, which quickly become obsolete, enabling us to both donate and raise money for good causes, and reduce our carbon footprint.”

Festive Dash is based around an addictive gameplay, where the user controls three characters at the same time, similar to the mechanic of the gaming-phenomena, Guitar Hero.

To complete the seven-level-challenge, gamers need to collect as many presents as possible, jumping obstacles including wooden hurdles, holly bushes and rocks. The more accurate the jump, the more points earned. To pass the level with three gold stars, all presents must be collected and all obstacles avoided.

The game’s iPhone app version has been developed natively using Objective-C and is available to download for free in the Apple App Store. A leaderboard is powered by Apple’s Game Centre and keeps a record of highest scores globally or within users’ individual networks. It took just under 10 days to develop, with the design delivered by Naked Penguin Boy, an independent digital creative agency.

James Thomlinson, Head of Digital at Bell Pottinger Digital, said: “We had great fun developing Festive Dash and wanted to produce a game that uses the latest mobile technology. It is easy to pick-up but hard to master, and will appeal to the mass market. We’ve no expectation on the number of downloads, so spread the word and help us get as many as possible.”

Festive Dash can be downloaded via iTunes: http://bit.ly/sVYTI2, or played online at www.festivedash.com.

Festive Dash fans can also check-out Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/festivedash) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/festivedash), where the penguin, snowman and elf will be answering questions about their involvement in Festive Dash and their prospects of getting picked for 2012!

Smurfing Heck....

2011-12-02T18:06:00.002Z

THE SMURFS^™JUST GOT BIGGER!

World’s largest inflatable Smurf to appear

next to Tower Bridge this weekend

The Smurfs are set to take over the Southbank this weekend as the world’s largest inflatable Smurf will appear next to Tower Bridge on Sunday 4th December 2011 at 12pm to promote the launch of The Smurfs ™.on Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ Double Play, DVD and digital.

Fans of the franchise will get to meet and greet Papa Smurf and Smurfette whilst also having their picture taken next to the giant, 40 foot inflatable structure.

Sony Pictures Animation’s live-action animated feature, which stars Neil Patrick Harris, Hank Azaria, Sofia Vergara, Jayma Mays and the voices of Katy Perry, George Lopez and Jonathan Winters, is available on Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ Double Play, DVD and digital on 5^th December 2011.

Eureka Entertainment announce their line up for 2012

2011-12-02T14:07:00.000Z

Following the announcement earlier this year of Touch of Evil and Silent Running as Blu-ray special editions, Eureka Entertainment would like to announce the forthcoming blu-ray release of Repo Man, the feature debut from director Alex Cox starring Emilio Estevez, and the melancholy open-road epic Two-Lane Blacktop (dir. Mante Hellman) amongst their Q1 2012 line up. Both titles are part of a Eureka Entertainment/The Masters of Cinema Series agreement with Universal Pictures to release several high-profile catalogue titles throughout 2011 and 2012 to celebrate Universal's centenary.

Here is the full line up of releases from Eureka Entertainment and its UK distributed labels Bounty Films & ISIS for January, February & March 2012.

January

TWO-LANE BLACKTOP (Masters of Cinema), Eureka Entertainment, Blu-ray & Limited Edition Blu-ray Steelbook, 23 January 2012

Perhaps the greatest road movie ever made, Monte Hellman's counter-culture masterpiece from the early 1970s, starring James Taylor, Dennis Wilson, and Warren Oates, on Blu-ray for the first time anywhere in the world.

LE SILENCE DE LA MER (Masters of Cinema), Eureka Entertainment, Dual Format: Blu-ray/DVD, 23 January 2012

One of the most important French films to deal with World War II, and a landmark in Melville’s distinguished oeuvre, Le Silence de la mer is a lyrical, timeless depiction of the experiences and struggles of occupation and resistance available for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK.

PUNISHMENT PARK (Masters of Cinema), Eureka Entertainment, Dual Format: Blu-ray/DVD, 23 January 2012

Both controversial and relentless in its depiction of suppression and brutality, Punishment Park was heavily attacked by the mainstream press and permitted only the barest of releases in 1971. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to celebrate Punishment Park’s 40th anniversary with its first ever release on Blu-ray.

WHO PAYS THE FERRYMAN?, Eureka Entertainment, DVD, 23 January 2012

Much loved 1977 BBC British drama series, created by Michael J. Bird, set on the Mediterranean island of Crete starring Jack Hedley as Alan Haldane.

TOMIE:UNLIMITED (Monster Pictures), Bounty Films, Blu-ray & DVD, 23 January 2012

Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl, Mutant Girls Squad) brings his brand of mayhem to the Japanese cult Tomie series.

ZIFT, I.S.I.S. Ltd, DVD, 23 January 2012

"Zift" is a genre mixture of neo-noir and soviet non-conformist art from director Javor Gardev

CANO DORADO, I.S.I.S. Ltd, DVD, 23 January 2012

The story of Panceta, a young labourer from one of the poorer suburbs in Buenos Aires, whose unbounded ambition for money leads him to manufacture and sell home–made arms in the neighbourhood.

February

REPO MAN (Masters of Cinema), Eureka Entertainment, Blu-ray & Limited Edition Blu-ray Steelbook, 20 February 2012

Alex Cox's legendary cult classic debut - a post-punk, sci-fi, crime-ridden, apocalyptic comedy - returns for the first time anywhere in the world as a glorious, new special edition Blu-ray

THE INSECT WOMAN/ NISHI-GINZA STATION (Masters of Cinema), Eureka Entertainment, Dual Format: Blu-ray/DVD, 20 February 2012

Shohei Imamura's epic spans 40 years in the life of a working class woman ever-adapting to a changing Japan, alongside an earlier Imamura feature

THE YELLOW SEA (Monster Pictures), Bounty Films, Blu-ray & DVD, 20 February 2012

Korean crime drama starring Yun-seok Kim and directed by Hong-jin Na who won critical acclaim for his previous film The Chaser. Premiered at this year’s Cambridge Film Festival and to be released theatrically on 21 October 2011.

March

YAKUZA WEAPON (Monster Pictures), Bounty Films, Blu-ray & DVD, 26 March 2012

A wild combination of hard-boiled gangster action, manga-style comedy and splatterific special effects, from director and star Tak Sakaguchi.

DEADBALL (Monster Pictures), Bounty Films, DVD, 26 March 2012

Hilariously offensive, politically incorrect sports splatter comedy, Deadball is director Yudai Yamaguchi’s follow-up to his earlier zombie baseball classic Battlefield Baseball, and once again features action star Tak Sakaguchi (Versus, Be a Man! Samurai School)

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW (Masters of Cinema), Eureka Entertainment, Dual Format: Blu-ray/DVD, 26 March 2012

Pasolini's masterpiece is one of the most revered and influential religious films ever made, now fully restored in HD

ACCATTONE (Masters of Cinema), Eureka Entertainment, Dual Format: Blu-ray/DVD, 26 March 2012

Pasolini's gritty study of a pimp in the slums of Rome is one of the most explosive debuts in world cinema, now fully restored in HD

TWO-LANE BLACKTOP

2011-12-02T14:05:00.002Z

To be released in the UK on Blu-ray & Ltd Edition Blu-ray Steelbook on 23 January 2012

SYNOPSIS:

With the melancholy open-road epic Two-Lane Blacktop, American auteur Monte Hellman (The Shooting, Cockfighter, and the recent Road to Nowhere) poeticised the beautiful, terrible rootlessness of his nation in the era of Vietnam. Funded by Universal in a bid to recreate the success of Easy Rider – by giving a number of filmmakers $1m and final cut – Hellman's effort is now regarded as one of the key films of the New Hollywood renaissance of the early 1970s.

While driving eastward on Route 66, two rival car owners – The Driver (singer-songwriter James Taylor) and The Mechanic (Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys) in a souped-up, drag-racing '55 Chevy, and a middle-aged braggart (Warren Oates) in a gleaming GTO – begin to race for each other's "pink slips" and the affections of the listless female hitchhiker (Laurie Bird) who joins them on the road.

Scripted by esteemed novelist Rudy Wurlitzer, and featuring the only screen performances of Taylor and Wilson, Two-Lane Blacktop remains a timeless, existential portrait of lives in transit and of a country questioning its identity.

"The film is immaculately crafted, funny and quite beautiful, resonant with a lingering mood of loss and loneliness." - Jay Cocks, Time

"Two-Lane Blacktop is a movie of achingly eloquent landscapes and absurdly inert characters." - J. Hoberman, Village Voice

"Self-enclosed, self-absorbed, and self-destructive, it's absolutely riveting." - Tom Milne, Time Out

Two-Lane Blacktop is one of the most popular car-fetishist / petrolhead movies ever made and listed as one of the 50 greatest independent films of all time by Empire Magazine. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Hellman's iconic film on blu-ray and ltd Edition Blu-ray Steelbook for the first time ever anywhere in the world on its 40th birthday, released on 23 January 2012.

SPECIAL DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY FEATURES:

• New restored high-definition master, supervised and approved by Monte Hellman

• Original mono soundtrack and optional newly remastered 5.1 mix

• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hearing-impaired

• Audio commentary by Monte Hellman and associate producer Gary Kurtz

• On The Road Again: Two-Lane Blacktop Revisited, a 43-minute video piece in which Monte Hellman revisits the film's locations

• Somewhere Near Salinas, a 28-minute interview by Monte Hellman with singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson

• Sure Did Talk To You, a 24-minute video piece by Monte Hellman, interviewing producer Michael Laughlin, production manager Walter Coblenz, and the director's son Jared Hellman

• Rare archival screen-test footage of James Taylor and Laurie Bird

• Original theatrical trailer

• Optional music and effects track

• A lavish 36-page booklet featuring rare production imagery, the words of Monte Hellman, and more!

DETAILS:

Label: Eureka Entertainment Ltd

Catalogue No: EKA70044 (RETAIL ONLY)

Barcode: 5060000700442

RRP: £23.48

Steelbook Cat. No: EKA70069 (RETAIL ONLY)

Steelbook Barcode: 5060000700695

Steelbook RRP: £30.63

Release Date: 23 January 2012

Certificate: 15

Run Time: 103 min. approx.

Format: 2.35:1 OAR/ Colour

Genre: Drama

Director: Monte HELLMAN

Year: 1971

Country: USA

Language: English

Subtitles: English SDH (Optional)

PUNISHMENT PARK

2011-12-02T14:04:00.000Z

To be released in the UK in a new Dual Format Blu-ray + DVD edition on 23 January 2012

SYNOPSIS:

Both controversial and relentless in its depiction of suppression and brutality, Punishment Park was heavily attacked by the mainstream press and permitted only the barest of releases in 1971. However, like Haskell Wexler’s Medium Cool (1969) and Robert Kramer’s Ice (1969), Peter Watkins’ film has established itself as one of the key, yet rarely seen, radical films of the late 1960s/early 1970s. Giving voice to the disaffected youth of America that had lived through the campus riots at Berkeley, the trial of the Chicago Seven and who were witnessing the escalation of the Vietnam War, Punishment Park was named by Rolling Stone as one of their top ten films of 1971 and has earned many admirers in the four decades since its release.

Set in a detention camp in an America of the near-future, Punishment Park’s pseudo-documentary style (continuing Watkins’ subversive innovations with Culloden and The War Game) places a British film crew amongst a group of young students and minor dissidents who have opted to spend three days in ‘Bear Mountain Punishment Park’. The detainees, rather than accept lengthy jail sentences for their ‘crimes’, gamble their freedom on an attempt to reach an American flag — on foot and without water — through the searing heat of the desert. The pursuit of Group 637 — a lethal, one-sided game of cat-and-mouse with a squad of heavily armed police and National Guardsmen — is contrasted with the corrupt trial of Group 638 by a quasi-judicial tribunal.

Unlike Easy Rider’s mythologising of American counter-culture, Punishment Park’s uncompromising stance, and its uneasy parallels with Guantanamo Bay, retain a powerful and prescient message in the post-9/11 present.

Rarely seen in the UK, The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to celebrate Punishment Park’s 40th anniversary with its first ever release on Blu-ray.

SPECIAL DUAL FORMAT EDITION FEATURES:

• Newly restored high-definition transfer (shot on 16mm, Punishment Park has been remastered from a new 35mm print struck from the restored 35mm blow-up negative held in Paris)

• 30-minute video introduction by Peter Watkins

• Full-length audio commentary by Dr. Joseph A. Gomez (author of the 1979 book Peter Watkins)

• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

• 40-page booklet with two essays and reprints

DETAILS:

Label: Eureka Entertainment Ltd

Catalogue No: EKA70061 (RETAIL ONLY)

Barcode: 5060000700619

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 23 January 2012

Certificate: 15

Run Time: 88 min. approx.

Format: 1.37:1 OAR/ Colour

Genre: Drama

Director: Peter WATKINS

Year: 1971

Country: UK/ USA

Language: English

Subtitles: English SDH (Optional)

LE SILENCE DE LA MER

2011-12-02T14:03:00.000Z

To be released in the UK in a new Dual Format Blu-ray + DVD edition on 23 January 2012

SYNOPSIS:

Le Silence de la mer – Jean-Pierre Melville’s debut film – is an adaptation of the novella of the same title by celebrated French Resistance author Vercors (the pen name of Jean Bruller). Clandestinely written in 1942 during the Nazi occupation of France and furtively distributed, it captured the spirit of the moment, and quickly became a staple of the Resistance.

Melville’s cinematic adaptation – partly shot in Vercors’ own house – tells the story of a German officer, Werner von Ebrennac (Howard Vernon), who is billeted to the house of an elderly man (Jean-Marie Robain) and his niece (Nicole Stéphane) in occupied France.

The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Melville’s debut film for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK.

SPECIAL DUAL FORMAT EDITION FEATURES:

• New high-definition original aspect ratio transfer, licensed from Gaumont

• New and improved optional English subtitles on the feature, documentary, and trailer

• Video discussion by Ginette Vincendeau, professor of French cinema at King’s College London [23:00]

• MELVILLE OUT OF THE SHADOWS - A new French-made documentary about Melville's film [41:00] - Blu-ray only

• Original Theatrical Trailer - Blu-ray only

• 56-PAGE BOOKLET including an article by Ginette Vincendeau, author of Jean-Pierre Melville: An American in Paris, and a Melville interview by Rui Nogueira, author of Melville on Melville

DETAILS:

Label: Eureka Entertainment Ltd

Catalogue No: EKA70066 (RETAIL ONLY)

Barcode: 5060000700664

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 23 January 2012

Certificate: U

Run Time: 84 min. approx.

Format: 1.37:1 OAR/ B&W

Genre: World Cinema

Director: Jean-Pierre Melville

Year: 1949

Country: France

Language: French

Subtitles: English (Optional)

LOVELY BY SURPRISE

2011-12-02T14:01:00.002Z

To be released in the UK on DVD on 26 December 2011

"Lovely By Surprise is a fantastic movie, which fills every moment with brilliant writing, superb direction, and wonderfully weird characters." - Den of Geek

SYNOPSIS:

A truly unique and visually stunning take on meta-fiction, Lovely By Surprise follows the journey of novelist Marian Walker as she attempts to finish her first novel.

Facing the age-old problem of writer's block, novelist Marian Walker (Carrie Preston) turns to her mentor and ex-lover, Jackson (Austin Pendleton). But his seemingly innocent advice to kill the book's protagonist unexpectedly leads one of her wilful characters (Michael Chernus) to escape from the novel and stir up the unresolved issues in her life.

At turns funny, lyrical, dark and mysterious, this enigmatic and visually striking film festival favourite film explores past and present, art and reality, and the meaning of life and death, ultimately revealing the strength and beauty of the human heart.

Lovely by Surprise is released in the UK on DVD by Eureka Entertainment on 26 December 2011

SPECIAL FEATURES:

- Trailer

- Deleted Scene

- Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

- Feature length Director’s commentary

DETAILS:

Label: Eureka Entertainment Ltd

Catalogue No: EKA40340 (RETAIL ONLY)

Barcode: 5060000403404

RRP: £16.34

Release Date: 26 December 2011

Certificate: 12

Run Time: 98 min. approx.

Format: 1.85:1 OAR/ Colour

Genre: Comedy/ Drama

Director: Kirt GUNN

Year: 2007

Country: USA

Language: English

Subtitles: English SDH

THE IRON LADY TO BE PREVIEWED AT ORIGINAL FILM LOCATION

2011-12-01T14:42:00.002Z

Almost a month before its official release, Volkswagen screens The Iron Lady at the film’s ‘Houses of Parliament’ location in Manchester

An exclusive gala screening of one of this year’s most highly anticipated British films, The Iron Lady, is set to take place on Thursday 15^th December at Manchester Town Hall – the setting for the Houses of Parliament, a key location central to the film.

The event is the latest in Volkswagen’s ‘See Film Differently’ series, designed to provide film fans with a behind the scenes style insight into some of the most exciting and iconic British films, old and new.

It follows original location screenings of An American Werewolf in London, which was held inside ZSL London Zoo, gangster classic Get Carter, shown at Newcastle Racecourse, Trainspotting, screened at the Royal Scottish Academy and A Clockwork Orange shown during its 40^thanniversary year at Brunel University – all notable locations featured in the classic films.

The latest See Film Differently screening will give film fans the chance to watch The Iron Lady, almost a month before its general UK release in January 2012.

Academy Award winners Meryl Streep (Margaret Thatcher) and Jim Broadbent (Denis Thatcher) star in the lead roles of the compelling story of a woman who battled through the barriers of gender and class to be heard in a male-dominated world.

It explores power and the price that is paid for power, and reveals a surprising and intimate portrait of an extraordinary and complex woman.

The Pathé presentation of The Iron Lady is directed by Mamma Mia! director Phyllida Lloyd, written by Abi Morgan and features performances from British talent including Richard E Grant and Anthony Head.

Tickets for the event are free and available courtesy of Volkswagen through an online ticket draw. For the chance to win tickets, films fans should long onto www.seefilmdifferently.com and register their interest. Ticket applications close at midday on Friday 9^th December and all lucky winners will be informed the same day. Tickets will be allocated at random.

Film fans can find out more about Volkswagen’s campaign and share their views on the events by visiting the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/seefilmdifferently.

Successful 27th International Short Film Festival Berlin

2011-11-25T12:45:00.000Z

With an audience record of 16,000, the 27th International Short Film Festival Berlin came to a euphoric close on Sunday. 500 films from 68 countries were shown in 50 programmes during a successful festival week. More than *500 accredited guestsattended this year’s festival, 220 international and german filmmakers** and 100 industry professionals,.* Prizes amounting to € 36,000 were awarded in six competition categories.

A particular highlight of this year‘s interfilm Festival were the foreign focuses onSwitzerland and Southeast Asia as well as the thematic spotlight on environment.

Ambitious events and new programme formats also triumphed: At Sound & Visionwe turned down the sound on 8 short films and invited 8 music acts and sound artists to create live soundtracks. The sold out show at the Volksbuehne’s main stage was an impressive aural and visual feat. The first-ever Film+Fertig was such an entertaining success that it looks as though the competition is here to stay: 5 film crews made 5 films featuring 5 criteria in 5 days. The winner was announced at the lively Film+Fertig awards ceremony. Further festival events included the cinematic guessing-game at interfilm Quiz Night, a film project exchange at Pitch me! as well as Film Salons and out-of-the-ordinary programming such as Bike Shorts (literally that), Critically Short (film critics’ favourite films), Decibel (short films about musicians and music), music videos and various parties. Once again interfilm celebrated the seemingly infinite diversity of filmmaking in highly original and unforgettable ways!

We called in the digital revolution and ended up with brilliant image quality: this year we decided to take the leap and screen festival films using a hard disk player. We were blown away by the system’s stability! The audience were treated to a stunning visual feast! Just 10 % of this year’s films were sent on 35mm while the rest, after uploading, instead of being shown in a Beta MP4 format, could be projected onto the screen in HD.

KUKI – the 4th International Short Film Festival for Children and Youth Berlindrew 4,100 young (and not-so-young) cinema buffs to the movie theatres at Filmtheater am Friedrichshain, 3,000 of which were pupils who attended the diverse school programmes. The most popular KUKI programme proved to be the Spanish Foreign Language programme, “Que Onda?” which attracted approximately 650 cinema goers. In addition to the opening matinee event with a 320-strong audience, the kindergarten programme was literally bursting with 600 squealing and giggling young children!

GUESS Party, London

2011-11-25T10:10:00.000Z

GUESS are pleased to announce an exclusive party event at the GUESS Regent Street store to celebrate the launch of their holiday party and Christmas collections. The in-store extravaganza will go on for three days and will take place on Friday 25^ththrough Sunday 27^th November 2011 from 10am-5pm each day.

Come in store for fabulous hairstyling tips from Cloud Nine, nail treats, indulgent delights from Hotel Chocolat, fabulous Cosmopolitan cocktails supplied by Chase Marmalade Vodka and much more.

DJs will be spinning tracks and top fashion will also be on hand to advise how to wear the up-to-the-minute styles and trends and how to jazz up your party outfit with must have accessories.

So put on your finest and join the GUESS party! Exclusively at the Regent Street GUESS store located at 162-168 Regent Street, London.

GUESS Regent Street store will also offer 30% off purchases when you join their mailing list – 25/26/27 November only.

They arrived, they planned, they unleashed, they return…

2011-11-24T14:31:00.000Z

V- The Complete Second Season

Available on Blu-ray™ and DVD on 24^th October 2011 or download it from iTunes™

Prepare for the final showdown between The Fifth Column and The Visitors when V Season 2 arrives on 24^th October on Blu-ray and DVD. With the planet on the brink of war and humans beginning to revolt against The Visitors, Queen Anna struggles to hide her real intentions; will her true plan be discovered in time?

Featuring Lost's Elizabeth Mitchell (Erica Evans) as the leader of The Resistance Movement (The Fifth Column) and Firefly's Morena Baccarin as the ruthless Queen Anna, Season 2 charts the on-going battle between these two women as they fight for the future of the planet. Alongside Erica, are Father Jack (Joel Gretsch), a priest who was hesitant to believe in the righteousness of the V's from the start; Ryan Nichols (Morris Chestnut), a Visitor himself who has switched sides and knows first-hand just what the V's are capable of and Kyle Hobbes (Charles Mesure) –a former mercenary and fugitive but an invaluable asset to the team.

Season 2 is jam -packed with 10 episodes of suspense filled sci-fi storylines; from Erica’s mission to find out the truth about Red Sky which leads to the discovery of a horrifying secret, to Tyler (Logan Huffman)and Lisa’s (Laura Vandervoort) blossoming relationship which is being carefully monitored and manipulated by The V’s, to Ryan’s risky battle to save his daughter from the evil clutches of Queen Anna and Lisa finding the courage to form an unlikely allegiance with Erica – this is a shocking second season finale not to be missed!

Don’t miss V- Season 2 out on Blu-Ray and DVD from 24^th October and also available to download on iTunes.

Blu-ray Special Features Include:

- The Arc of Story: Mining the Human Emotion - Featurette

- Blooper Reel

- A Visual Masterpiece for the Small Screen – Featurette

- Deleted Scenes

DVD Special Features include:

- Deleted Scenes

PASSION AND COMPASSION FOR URBAN SINS – THE WINNERS OF THE 1. INTERNATIONAL SINCITY FILM AWARD

2011-11-23T18:46:00.000Z

A German and a British filmmaker from South Korea win the Jury Award of the 1. International SinCity Film Award.

A young Italian contributor wins the Audience Award.

Berlin, 22 November 2011. SinCity, the hauntingly intense song by the young German singersongwriter SCHMIDT from Berlin, was the basis for filmic interpretations of the 21st century’s temptations. 85 filmmakers from 27 countries have sent in their music videos and shortfilms for the 1..International SinCity Film Award and presented astonishing works of passion and compassion, perils and pleasu¬res, visions and imaginations. The prizes, chosen by an acclaimed international jury and the audience, have an overall value of 20 000 Euro.

Overall Jury Prize (Euro 5.000)

The music video from South Korea was chosen by the jury as outstanding: filmmakers NILS CLAUSS and STUART HOWE were awar¬ded first place. Clauss, a German from Berlin, and Howe, an Englishman from Norwich, have been working and living in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, for several years now. The film plays on the transition between city and countryside in such an original way that even a fish finds himself in pure astonishment.

Jury Runners-up (each Euro 1.000)

Four more jury prizes go to SIMON ROGOWSKI / Inspiria from Germany, to ZOLTÄN BOGDÄN from Hungary, to CHRISTIAN MATSU¬MUTO and LAIA MIRET / We hate Sundays from Spain and to ZSUZSA KOHAN from England.

The Audience Award (Euro 5.000)

Determined by the means of worldwide facebook-likes, this prize goes to the contribution of SILVIA BORDIN, a young Italian photogra¬pher and filmmaker from Bologna. SCHMIDT on the film: That’s SinCity Italian style, right on the point – bravissimo!

Special Award for Best Cinematography
The contribution of MICHELE CASTELLUCCI from London / United Kingdom, is awarded with the prize for Best Cinematography; director of photography JOSEPH FORTEBRACCIO wins a trip to the International Film Festival Berlin in February 2012.

The Jury

Guy Chambers (music producer), Rita Fluegge-Timm, Warner Music Germany (director artist department), Florian Gallenberger (direc¬tor and Academy Award winner) Thekla Reuten (actress), Volker Schloendorff (director, producer, and Academy Award winner), Philipp Stoelzl (director), Eike Wolff, Studio Babelsberg (head of communication), Rolf Zehetbauer (set designer and Academy Award winner)
To Guy Chambers, who produced the debut album of SCHMIDT, the competition represents “a true innovation in the music industry”.

SCHMIDT

With her EP ‚Above SinCity‘ in stores now, SCHMIDT will be playing shows as special guest of british singer Mel C. on her tour in No¬vember and December. The debut album by SCHMIDT will be released in March 2012. http://www.femmeschmidt.com

All winning films on: http://genero.tv , http://www.sincityfilmaward.com und http://www.femmeschmidt.com

The Turkish Film Festival

2011-11-23T16:08:00.000Z

The Turkish Film Festival is back again in London this year, and will be running from 24th November to 8th December and has moved from a familiar three day event to a full scale two week festival with some brilliant films on show and some wonderful attendees.

Claudia Cardinale stars in the opening night gala film, Being Italian with Signora Enrica, the debut feature from Ali Ilhan - a delightful film about an elderly Italian woman who takes in a young Turkish exchange student. Cardinale is famous for her work with Fellini, Visconti and most famously in Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time in the West. Ms.Cardinale will be in attendance for the Opening Night.

Other highlights include Tayfun Pirslimoglu's Hair which won Best Turkish Film and Best Director at the 2011 Istanbul Film Festival; the debut feature from acclaimed photographer Cemil Agacikoglu, September; Do Not Forget Me Istanbul, a portrait of Istanbul as seen through the eyes of six young International directors and Home, the first feature from actor Muzatffer Ozdemir, best known for his role in Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Distant, for which he won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival.

These fresh offerings from younger voices go hand in hand with the established directors who are on show here, Ceylan himself with Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Dervis Zaim's Shadows and Faces and Sedat Yilmaz's Press.

Whilst other specialist film festivals are struggling to stay afloat, the unfortunate news a few weeks ago that there will be no Birds Eye Film Festival in 2012 came as a shock to many in the London film community, as it was a festival with a unique identity.

London has a whole host of film festivals with a specific genre or nationalistic strain (Korean, Jewish, Russian, even Kazakhstan) - the Turkish festival however, has been running for some years now and is now established as a vital platform for new emerging Turkish film-makers working both at home and abroad. It also has a prestigious award - The Golden Wings Digiturk Digital Distribution Award - which offers a £30,000 prize enabling the winning film to be released theatrically in the UK and Ireland.
     Thanks to this prize a film like Bal (Honey) would never have received the great acclaim it did upon its release in April of this year.
     There is also a Golden Wings People's Choice Award presented to the most popular film as selected by audiences throughout the festival.

Turkish cinema is in a period of rude health at the moment, thanks in part to the auteuristic pedigree of Ceylan whose new film Anatolia received its world premiere at Cannes in the Grand Prix selection and was up for the Palme D'Or, and also selected as Turkey's entrant for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.  Bal won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and the much celebrated Men on the Bridge did some good box office and garnered critical attention when released also.

This year's festival will run at the following venues: Odeon West End, Apollo Piccadilly, Rio Dalston and Cine Lumiere.

For more information go to the festival website: www.ltff.org.uk for details of the schedule and screenings.