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Locked-Down Cinema
Film reviews of all the films I should have seen but didn't...
What do you do if you receive a Christmas present that is a membership to the British Film Institute when there's a pandemic on...?
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"The Taisho Trilogy", Dir Seijun Suzuki, 1980-1991
The first film in the trilogy, "Zigeunerweisen" (1980), takes it's title from a piece of classical music heard playing on a gramophone..
Ravi Swami
Jan 31, 20244 min read
125 views
0 comments
The War In Space, Dir: Jun Fukuda, 1977
If I were to sum up this film in a single line it would go something like "Space Romans from Venus attack the Earth...
Ravi Swami
Jul 27, 20223 min read
108 views
0 comments
"Princess From The Moon", Dir: Kon Ichikawa, 1987
The plot of the film is based on "The Tale of The Bamboo Cutter", a widely-known and popular tale purportedly based on real events...
Ravi Swami
Jul 1, 20225 min read
128 views
2 comments
"Cruel Gun Story", Dir: Takumi Furukawa, 1964
"Cruel Gun Story" added another title to Japanese Studio Nikkatsu's list of "Japanese Noir" set in the seedy and violent underworld..
Ravi Swami
May 16, 20223 min read
74 views
0 comments
"Kuroneko", Dir: Kaneto Shindo, 1968
"Kuroneko" (Eng: "Black Cat in a Bamboo Grove"), produced and distributed by Japan's Toho Studios..
Ravi Swami
Feb 27, 20226 min read
70 views
0 comments
"Summit of The Gods" & "Tokyo Godfathers", Dir: Patrick Imbert, 2021, Dir: Satoshi Kon, 2003
Two films that fall under the blanket term of being "Anime", one French and the other Japanese..
Ravi Swami
Dec 12, 20214 min read
13 views
0 comments
"The Snake Girl & The Silver-Haired Witch", Dir: Noriaki Yuasa, 1968
In terms of atmosphere and tone it could have sprung from the hand of Alfred Hitchcock, with it's moodily lit interiors...
Ravi Swami
Nov 14, 20216 min read
24 views
0 comments
"Belladonna Of Sadness", Dir: Eiichi Yamamoto, 1973
Controversial, daring, misogynistic, stylish and often deeply disturbing are the words that come to mind after watching the film.
Ravi Swami
Oct 22, 20213 min read
100 views
0 comments
"100 Spook Stories / 100 Monsters", Dir: Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1968
Arrow's title is "100 Spook Stories" (Japanese: Yōkai Hyaku Monogatari) and it is variously titled depending upon the region..
Ravi Swami
Oct 22, 20213 min read
57 views
0 comments
"Drunken Angel", Dir : Akira Kurosawa, 1948
Akira Kurosawa's 1948 film "Drunken Angel" marked the first of several collaborations with the actor Toshiro Mifune..
Ravi Swami
Oct 16, 20214 min read
15 views
0 comments
"DaiMajin", Dir: Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1966
The success of "Daimajin" resulted in it being the first in a trilogy, which are all available to view on the Apple TV streamer..
Ravi Swami
Sep 7, 20214 min read
14 views
0 comments
"Shin Godzilla", Dir: Hideaki Anno & Shinji Higuchi, 2016
Plot-wise the film follows the same general trajectory as the 1954 film - Godzilla rises from the ocean depths...
Ravi Swami
Jul 29, 20214 min read
21 views
0 comments
"Godzilla V Megalon", Dir: Jun Fukuda, 1973
Criterion Channel includes a number of Godzilla / Giant Monster - or "Kaiju" - films, along with documentary extras..
Ravi Swami
Jun 18, 20217 min read
19 views
0 comments
"The Invisible Man v The Human Fly", Dir: Mitsuo Murayama, 1957
Available to view on Amazon Prime, "The Invisible Man v The Human Fly", directed by Mitsuo Murayama and produced by the Daiei company...
Ravi Swami
May 24, 20215 min read
17 views
0 comments
"Branded To Kill", Dir: Seijun Suzuki, 1967
Japanese director Seijun Suzuki's 1967 "Yakuza" film, "Branded to Kill" reunites him with the iconic surgically enhanced Joe Shishido..
Ravi Swami
Apr 23, 20214 min read
48 views
0 comments
"Porco Rosso", Dir: Hayao Miyazaki, 1992
Although I've been aware of Hayao Miyazaki's 1992 film "Porco Rosso" (Trans: "The Crimson Pig") since the early 90's..
Ravi Swami
Apr 12, 20214 min read
43 views
0 comments
"Gushing Prayer-A 15 Year Old Prostitute", Dir Masao Adachi, 1971
I had doubts about posting a review of a film that is, on the face of it, a piece of soft-core pornography in the Japanese "Pink Film" genre
Ravi Swami
Apr 12, 20213 min read
288 views
0 comments
"Godzilla V Kong", Dir: Adam Wingard, 2021
Giant monster films...you either love 'em or hate 'em, there doesn't appear to be a middle ground for them in terms of taste in cinema.
Ravi Swami
Apr 2, 20215 min read
34 views
1 comment
"The Black Test Car", Dir: Yasuzo Masumura, 1962
Japanese cinema of the 60's offers a vast selection of titles and subjects beyond the more familiar works known in the West
Ravi Swami
Dec 22, 20204 min read
19 views
0 comments
"Gamera 2- Attack of Legion", Dir: Shusuke Kaneko, 1996
30-odd years on from the original 'Gamera" film that introduced Japanese and later, world, audiences, to the giant jet-propelled amphibian..
Ravi Swami
Nov 12, 20203 min read
29 views
0 comments
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Thanks for your interest in Lockdown Cinema. For more information, feel free to get in touch and I will get back to you soon! - Ravi
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