The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee (2024)

 

Currently showing on Sky Arts (after its UK premiere at London's Frightfest back in August), here we have a very well put together biographical documentary on one of the world's most famous film stars, and one whom horror film fans hold in a special place in their hearts.

Hosted by Lee "himself" (actually a marionette voiced quite convincingly by Peter Serafinowicz) we are led through the man's entire life, touching on his wartime exploits, his early years treading the boards and getting bit parts in movies, to his success at Hammer and beyond. 

With any Christopher Lee documentary there's always the question of how much of the running time should be devoted to his horror films (and especially his portrayal of Dracula). Writer-director Jon Spira manages a very good balancing act here, with a potted history of Lee's start at Hammer, his move to Europe in the early 1960s, and then his return to the UK. Aside from trailers, the only actual footage from a Dracula movie is SCARS OF DRACULA, presumably because that property is owned by Studio Canal and most of the others by Warners. It's enough though, and allows a decent amount of time to be devoted to Lee's subsequent 1970s Hollywood career, as well as his later starring roles in JINNAH, LORD OF THE RINGS, and the STAR WARS franchise and beyond. They even manage to fit in his Fu Manchu films and working with Jess Franco, meaning my only personal quibble would be omission of his involvement with Richard Lester's Musketeers movies, but you can't have everything. 

The film includes contributions from film directors Joe Dante, John Landis and Peter Jackson, producer Paul Maslansky, actors Caroline Munro and Harriet Walter (Lee's niece) and biographer Jonathan Rigby. Rather than a superficial puff piece (as they used to be called) THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE  comes across as a meticulously researched, well thought through piece of work that provides a fitting testament to an extremely talented man. Here's the trailer:

THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE premiered on Sky Arts on 24th October 2024

Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters (2024)

 

To commemorate the 90th anniversary of Hammer Films, and following its big screen premiere at London's Cineworld in Leicester Square, HAMMER: HEROES, LEGENDS AND MONSTERS, a brand new documentary about one of the world's most famous film production companies, will be screened on Sky Arts, Freeview Channel 36 and Now on October 31st 2024.

Narrated by Charles Dance (a good choice), there won't be anything here that Hammer obsessives don't already know, but nevertheless, this is a well-presented history of Hammer Films with lots of interviews that include Hammer cast regulars Martine Beswick, Caroline Munro, and Madeline Smith. In a change from many documentaries Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, while mentioned, get less discussion time here to allow for profiles and anecdotes on more of the behind the scenes artists like Terence Fisher, Brian Clemens,  James Bernard, Jimmy Sangster, Anthony Hinds and Michael Carreras, the latter two to some extent via interview footage from previous BBC documentaries.

It's also great to see acknowledged Hammer experts Jonathan Rigby, Wayne Kinsey and David Pirie giving their thoughts, while the presence of Sarah Appleton will be a reminder to some of us that her late father (and another eminent author on British genre subjects), Denis Meikle, is sadly missing from this lineup of genre luminaries. Meanwhile, John Carpenter, John Landis, Joe Dante and Tim Burton (but no Martin Scorsese although I expect he was asked) are the directors who get to pay tribute to the studio. 

Quibbles? Well, the TV series Hammer House of Horror is only mentioned in passing, and Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense doesn't rate a mention at all. These may not have represented the pinnacle of Hammer production quality but they are important, not least because many of the people watching this will still be able to remember them. If there was a limited running time perhaps some of the stuff about the very early days could have been cut to make way for it. There's a very odd (and misjudged) bit of AI at the end that has justifiably put many people's backs up. All I can suggest is that you close your eyes when the tarot dealer takes off their hood

All in all, though, it's rather a delight to see HAMMER: HEROES, LEGENDS AND MONSTERS finding a place on a major TV broadcaster's schedule, not just because of its content but because it suggests that Hammer is very much a going concern and still in the public eye after all these years. It's a lovely way for fans old and new to spend just over 90 minutes.

HAMMER: HEROES, LEGENDS and MONSTERS will premiere on Sky Arts on Thursday 31st October 2024 

J Horror Rising (1999 - 2007)

 

Arrow is releasing an extremely welcome, extras-packed set of Japanese horror films from the turn of the millennium that aren't JU-ON or RINGU (you'll have to get Arrow's other excellent sets for those). There are seven films here that most  viewers won't be especially familiar with, spread over four discs. So let's take a look at what we get:

Disc One

Shikoku (1999)

The set kicks off with a ghost story set on the real island of Shikoku whose 88 temples also play a part. When Hirato (Yui Natsukawa) returns from Tokyo after having left as a child she learns that her childhood friend Sayori (Chiaki Kuriyama) who once saved her from drowning, has died. Meanwhile Sayori's mother has embarked on a pilgrimage of the temples and Sayori's ex-boyfriend Fumiya (Michitaka Tsutsui) declares he has the hots for Hirato. Can a long-haired ghost girl be far from appearing?

SHIKOKU offers a number of interesting elements (Sayori's destiny was to be become a priestess but fought against it) and drip-feeds clues as to what is going on over its first hour. It then goes in a far gentler direction than, say, Lucio Fulci would have taken it (which isn't surprising, but watch the film to see why one might think of Fulci at all) but it does the job nicely in the atmosphere and mood department.

The best extra here is a talking head piece by Tom Mes who discussed the rise and fall of J-Horror in a succinct 23 minutes, talking about many of the titles in the set into the bargain. Mes returns to provide a commentary track for the film, and there's a new interview with director Shinuchi Nagasaki (also 23 minutes). You also get archival interviews with the director and the two leads (just a couple of minutes each), three minutes of on-set footage, plus the usual trailers and stills.

Isola - Multiple Personality Girl (2000)

A girl who can read everyone's thoughts encounters a teenager with thirteen different personalities in a film that's a little bit too overstuffed with ideas for its own good. The best of these, and the one that's actually what the film is all about, offers a science fiction explanation for the iconic figure of the Japanese ghost girl, complete with why she's wet and why she's white. It's actually rather clever and ISOLA is an ambitious, extremely watchable piece of J-horror although it might have you wondering quite where it's going at first. 

Extras include a commentary track from Jasper Sharp and Amber T, with the two bouncing off each other very well. There are two tiny archival interviews of about a minute each, three minutes of behind the scenes footage, and a trailer and still gallery.

Disc Two

Inugami (2001)

This tale of the trials and tribulations of a family of paper makers in a small Japanese village feels less like a horror film and more a family drama with fantastical elements. In his piece on disc one Tom Mes says that INUGAMI was not financially successful and it's not difficult to see why. Despite being well shot and acted, this one feels a world away from the films that were all making a mark internationally during this era of Japanese horror cinema.

Extras include a commentary track from Jonathan Clements, the author of 'A Brief History of Japan', and he provides fascinating information on both the film and much of the practices we see in it. There's also a 30 minute interview with director Masato Harada and a still gallery.

St John's Wort (2001)

A pseudo-Dogme '95 photographic style of grainy digital video probably wasn't the right choice for this tale of a young woman who inherits a mansion that she then visits with an ex-boyfriend, only to discover a dark secret about her deceased artist father. Apparently based on a video game, ST JOHN'S WORT suffers from a confusing opening, an uneventful 50 minutes that follow (out of a total runtime of 85), and a baffling conclusion. And that's a shame because when something does eventually happen we get a core idea that could have yielded an excellent haunted house picture. Sadly this isn't it.

Extras include an archival 22 minute making of and 45 minutes of interviews with the four main cast members. A new commentary track from Amber T is well presented, enthusiastic and extremely helpful in explaining the film's video game origins, although you probably still need to be familiar with the games she references to fully appreciate it. Even so it's still more enjoyable than the film. 

Disc Three

Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman (2007)

The myth of a woman with a Joker-like slit mouth who asks people if she's pretty and woe betide them if they give the wrong answer gets a 21st century update by director Koji Shiraishi, and a very good film it is, too. Here the titular character can possess any woman and then use them to abduct children, whom she then ties up in the basement of her old house. 

       There are elements of Freddy Krueger (the sharp shears she torments and tortures the children with) and Candyman (an urban myth made real) that suggest that under the right financial conditions the character could have run to a franchise. Don't expect an American remake anytime soon, though, or ever, because there's far too much violence against children. Shiraishi conjures a fine sense of atmosphere, the slit-mouthed woman is a terrifying creation, and the whole film is paced very well indeed. A highlight of the set.

Extras include a commentary track from Zack Davisson (he starts talking at about 80 seconds in for those who might think the audio isn't working on their disc) and he goes into a lot more detail about the folklore surrounding the title character. There's a 19 minute interview with the director and an excellent 17 minute piece from Lindsay Nelson about both this and some of Shiraishi's other movies.

Persona (2000)

A bullied teenager at a high school starts wearing a mask, claiming it allows him to be a different and more confident person. Soon others are wearing masks for the same reason. It's not long before mask fever seems to grip the nation, quickly followed by mask-wearers getting into fights with non mask-wearers. This intriguing premise which has the potential for plenty of discussion about social dynamics and the nature of identity then disappointingly degenerates into a not terribly interesting crime plot about the identity of the person ultimately responsible for all the mask mayhem. The first half of PERSONA is intriguing and filled with arresting imagery, but the second half will have you questioning if, like at least one other film in this set, this is actually a horror film at all.

The sole extra for this one is a 17 minute interview with director Takashi Komatsu.

Disc Four

Noroi: The Curse (2005)

A great film to finish the set with, and another from SLIT-MOUTHED WOMAN director Koji Shiraishi. It's difficult to say too much about NOROI without spoiling it, suffice to say it uses found footage to tell the tale of a psychic investigator who discovers that a missing child, a village submerged beneath a reservoir, and a ritual to keep a demon subdued may all be linked.

Extras kick off with a new commentary track from film critic Julian Singleton, who suggests that NOROI acted as the gateway into the next wave of Japanese horror cinema. There are new interviews with director Shiraishi (25 minutes) and producer Taka Ichise (18 minutes). There are academic contributions from Lindsay Nelson (22 minutes) and Amber T(21 minutes) who argues the case for Shiraishi being a significant creative force in cosmic horror.

How to Protect Yourself from Curses is an entertaining 14 minutes of William Castle-style ballyhoo, and there's also Urgent Report! Chasing Down the Truth Behind Kagutaba, a 38 minute 'documentary' in the style of 'In Search Of...' and other TV shows. Finally, there are 13 deleted scenes adding up to a good half an hour's worth of extra footage, TV spots and image galleries.

The Bottom Line: Unless you are familiar with Japanese horror it can seem quite the daunting field and while everyone might be familiar with RINGU and JU-ON there's a lot more worthy of discovery. Overall Arrow's box set J Horror Rising is an impressive collection of films and, especially where the many excellent extras are concerned, an extremely valuable overview of an important period in horror cinema and the talents involved. Worth picking up. 

J HORROR RISING is out from Arrow Films in a four disc 

Blu-ray set on Monday 28th October 2024

Trick 'r Treat (2007)

Before he directed 2019's GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS (and 2015's KRAMPUS) Michael Dougherty gave us TRICK 'R TREAT, an anthology film which is now getting a whistles and bells release in a limited edition from Arrow on 4K UHD.

The opening titles promise us four stories, although there actually appear to be five, all of which take place on Halloween night and involve characters who are all, at at least one point in the film, on the same street of the town in which the film is set.

Whereas most anthology films stack their stories so we get one after the other, TRICK 'R TREAT manages to circumvent the main problem with the format (some stories will be weaker, and the stronger stories will show them up) by interweaving its tales so that at times you're not sure which story you're in, plus some characters do feature prominently in stories other than just the one that's about them.

The result is a brief (82 minutes) entertaining piece with some familiar faces (Brian Cox, Anna Paquin) and that bouncy sense of fun and dress up that Americans attach to that particular day of the year.

Arrow's release is packed with extras. There's a new commentary by Dougherty to go along with an archival one that features him, composer Douglas Pipes and two of the conceptual artists who worked on the film.

Other new extras include a stack of interviews including Quinn Cord (who plays the little boy who figures prominently in the poster art), designer Mark Freeborn (12 minutes), Director of Photography Glen MacPherson (17 minutes), costume designer Trish Keating (15 minutes), creature designer Patrick Tatopoulos (9 minutes).

Archival material includes 54 minutes of interviews all of which include Michael Dougherty with various members of the crew. Seasons Greeting is the original four minute short film that inspired the movie & comes with optional commentary. Brian Cox narrates a 28 minute documentary about Halloween, there's a minute of school bus VFX, four minutes of amusing promos from FEARnet and a stills gallery that includes a Monster Mash comic book inspired by the film.

Michael Dougherty' TRICK 'R TREAT is out in a limited edition on 4K UHD on Monday 28th October 2024

Die Before You Die (2024)

Director Dan Pringle's British variation on theme of being buried alive gets a cinema release from Bulldog Distribution.

Adi (co-writer Ziad Abaza) has his own youtube channel, is chasing 100 000 subscribers, and is always on the lookout for material to use as content. A chance meeting with Lee (Harry Reid) in a restaurant leads him to agreeing to a stunt where he will be buried six feet underground for three days (with water and an air supply) after which he will be dug up again.

However, when he and his colleague turn up to the assigned meeting place, it looks very much as if he has agreed to take part in a ritual. Deprived of his clothes and, most importantly, his phone, Adi decides to go along with the burial anyway as he can always report on it after. But then the blindfold comes out and Adi is driven to the middle of nowhere where he's then buried. But after three days have passed he begins to wonder if anyone is actually coming to dig him up. 

DIE BEFORE YOU DIE certainly goes in directions you aren't expecting, with the result that on the whole this is an intriguing and well told story. Unfortunately the ending is confusing rather than ambiguous, To say any more here would be to spoil it, suffice to say that after all that has gone before it feels a somewhat unsatisfying way to resolve things. Here's a trailer:

DIE BEFORE YOU DIE is out in UK cinemas on Friday 4th October 2024 and on Digital from Monday 28th October 2024