Win Holy Flying Circus on DVD

In 1979, Monty Python’s Life Of Brian became one of the most controversial films ever to be released in British cinemas, causing outrage amongst religious groups, members of the public and politicians, most of whom hadn’t even seen the film. Accusing it of being blasphemous, many called for the film to be banned. Now, the brand-new, critically acclaimed comedy-drama Holy Flying Circus revisits that period and delivers a witty, entertaining and affectionate homage to the Pythons and the film that, today, has become accepted as one of the greatest comedy movies of all time.


Holy Flying Circus will be released on DVD by FremantleMedia Enterprises on 6th February 2012 and to celebrate, we have two copies to give away to our readers. Check out the synopsis, and read on for details of how to enter this competition...

Written by Oscar and BAFTA Award nominee Tony Roche (The Thick of It; In the Loop), directed by Owen Harris (Misfits; Secret Diary of a Call Girl) and starring Charles Edwards (Waking the Dead; Mistresses; Batman Begins) as Michael Palin, Darren Boyd (Spy; Whites; Personal Affairs) as John Cleese, Steve Punt (Horrible Histories; Me, You and Him) as Eric Idle, Rufus Jones (Thank God You’re Here; Secret Smile) as Terry Jones, Tom Fisher (The Young Victoria; The Illusionist; Van Helsing) as Graham Chapman and Phil Nichol (Annually Retentive; Broken News) as Terry Gilliam, Holy Flying Circus is a joyfully surreal comedy that perfectly captures the Python spirit and features remarkable performances from its excellent cast.

As the controversy surrounding the cinema release of Life Of Brian raged around them, the Pythons found themselves not only fighting a war against censorship but also at the centre of a debate about what is an acceptable subject matter for comedy. In an attempt to put their side of the argument to the public and to defend the film against the charges of blasphemy, Michael Palin and John Cleese agreed to take part in a live debate on a Tim Rice-hosted edition of the television chat show, Friday Night, Saturday Morning. Arguing the case against the Pythons were two prominent society figures of the time, journalist and author Malcolm Muggeridge and Mervyn Stockwood, the then Bishop of Southwark. What transpired that night has become the stuff of TV legend and was famously regarded by author Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy) as his “favourite bit of television”.

Holy Flying Circus presents a fantastical, Pythonesque re-imagining of the events leading up to and including the riveting TV debate and the eventual release of Life Of Brian in British cinemas. A brilliant and very funny work on its own merits, it is a must-see for Monty Python fans and all those with an interest in the vagaries of comedy...

To be in with a chance of winning, all you need to do is make sure you like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, then send a quick email with your contact details (be sure to include your postal address and Facebook or Twitter username), the subject heading "PYTHON" and an answer to the following question...

What is the name of Biggus Dickus' wife...?

The competition closes at 5pm on Sunday, February 12th. UK entrants only please.

The Prize Finder - UK Competitions
Loquax Competitions

By entering this competition you agree to our terms and conditions, which you can read here.

Films To Watch Before You Die #60 - Boogie Nights (1997)

D.J. Haza presents the next entry in his series of films to watch before you die...

Boogie Nights, 1997.

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, Heather Graham and William H. Macy.

Boogie Nights is the story of Dirk Diggler (Wahlberg) and how he and his extremely large penis take the Golden Age of Porn by storm as success brings him everything he dreamed of before he loses it all.

Eddie Adams is a nobody working in a San Fernando Valley nightclub when porn director Jack Horner (Reynolds) discovers him. After and audition that sees Jack watch Adams have sex with Rollergirl (Graham), a roller skate wearing porn starlet, he is thrown into the industry and takes on the screen name Dirk Diggler.

Diggler achieves huge success and stars in a host of action themed porn films with his friends Reed Rothchild (Reilly). As the money rolls in Diggler is able to buy everything he dreamed of – a house, an extensive wardrobe and his prized Chevrolet Corvette. The big movers and shakers of the Golden Age of Porn live the dream as they all revel in each other’s success, but it doesn’t all last. As the drugs get out of control and each of their lives becomes complicated with their own personal issues the dream begins to turn sour. Diggler falls out with Jack and decides on doing his own thing.

As fun turns into addiction and violence Diggler finds himself penniless and turning to prostitution and drugs scams for cash. When a deal goes wrong and Diggler realises he has nowhere to go he reconciles with Jack and attempts to get back to what he does best – making porn films.

Boogie Nights is a film you must see before you die as director Paul Thomas Anderson’s classic take on the porn industry manages to bring sex, violence and drama all together with a clear tongue-in-cheek comedy that shows the story behind the scenes of an industry that on film looks so glamorous. Sex is work for these people and nothing to be prudish about.


D.J. Haza

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The Comedy Critic - Steve McQueen's 'Lame'

Adam Hollingworth casts a satirical eye over Steve McQueen's Shame...

Guys, have you ever woken up one morning, taken a long hard look in the mirror, and thought to yourself, “You know what? I’m really having far too much sex and this isn’t very good for me.” Well, Michael Fassbender does just that in a stark, hauntingly un-erotic scene in his latest collaboration with artist-cum-filmmaker Steve McQueen, Shame. He even has the temerity to have this dawning moment of sexual realisation in the midst of a hard-core threesome with two unfeasibly attractive prostitutes. Some people are so ungrateful.

It may well be the case that he’s had sex with more women during the course of the film up to this point than I’ve had in my twenty two years of British amorous bashfulness, and has done so with a Magneto the size of a small Oompa Loompa, and is growing decidedly tired of having to constantly think up increasingly unlikely ways of picking people up (I stare at hot women on the tube every day, and I assure you not a single one of them deviates from the standard behaviour of attempting to avoid your gaze at all costs). But the fact of the matter is that he really doesn’t seem to be suffering all that much from this alienating, perverse form of addiction.

Steve McQueen is one of that admirable band of filmmakers who views himself as an artist, and rightly so since he actually is, in fact, an artist. This however renders him more open than most to the desire to explore the great undiscovered country of arty cinema: the age-old question of whether a sex film can transcend the salaciousness of its subject matter to be a very serious and worthy piece of existential consideration. Pardon the phraseology for a moment here, but when it comes to making the arty sex film there are numerous exciting ways to do it. You can do it like Stanley Kubrick in Eyes Wide Shit (sorry, Shut) in which everyone wears a mask right out of a Halloween party in the Hundred Acre Wood, and Tom Cruise pretends not to be a homosexual whilst offering us a glimpse of what those top secret Scientology gatherings are really like. Or you can do it like Michael Winterbottom in Nine Songs, a veritable set list of supposedly casual encounters that would make even the likes of Joan Collins go a darker shade of crimson. Alternatively you can do it like Bertolucci in Last Tango in Paris, in which Marlon Brando certainly can’t believe it’s not butter. And for the gentleman of more fetishistic taste, or someone who just isn’t that into Utterly Butterly, you can do it like Nagisa Oshima in Ai No Corrida, and admit that it’s all so tediously boring that you might as well just chop it off!

Though all of these films certainly have their merits, they all encounter the same problem when it comes to addressing sex in an arty way on film: it always turns into a bit of an excuse to do some well-photographed rumpy pumpy scenes with two good-looking actors, and as such fails to properly distance ourselves from the on-screen erotica to objectively judge what the film has to say. This is certainly a problem with Shame: we’re too interested in admiring the technique of this fine specimen of a man to worry about how this is all gnawing at him physically and psychologically. This wouldn’t have been a problem if Brandon had been played by, say, Steve Buscemi. Fassbender’s a brilliant actor, and gives a courageous performance in the film, but I’m just trying to catch another envious glimpse of his German-Irish frankfurter.

The film’s problems are compounded when you think about the other dimension it presents itself as having: namely, that it’s as much about addiction as it is after sex. When you finish watching Trainspotting you don’t want to then take some drugs in case a baby starts playing Spider-Man on your roof, and after The Lost Weekend I was scared to have a pint lest the cast of Tales from the Riverbank besieged my home. After watching Shame, I fancied a shag, and that’s hardly the sign of a film putting you off the addiction it presents.

It’s not that I thought Shame was a bad film: indeed there is much to recommend it. The art direction and cinematography presents a cool yet cold world with an alien sheen: an objectified and superficially beautified view of reality that reflects the way Brandon objectifies the various elements of his life to feed his lusts. Fassbender is brilliant, and so too is Carey Mulligan, cast against type in an emotionally raw, unstable and fractured performance that’s probably the best thing she’s done (and she can knock off a mean, sultry rendition of “New York, New York”). However, after the extraordinary image making of Hunger I really did expect more from Steve McQueen’s direction. Aside from the above bit when Mulligan sings, and the bit when Fassbender decides to eschew sex for a brisk late-night jog, and a suitably nightmarish “descent into the maelstrom” sequence before the dramatic backlash of the central brother/sister relationship kicks in (he can’t engage emotionally with women, she’s very needy, he subsequently is absent in his sister’s hour of grave need), it’s all very uninspired, insipid, and safe. With such a deliberately vague and obscure narrative, in which little proactive drama or character history is supplied, one would expect mood, tone and detail to be found in subtly metaphorical imagery, but this is unfortunately lacking, and in tandem with the infuriating ambiguity of the drama makes for a rather superficial experience. It’s all too neat, too obvious, too well-trodden. Like Brandon’s sex life, the film just casually, if eventfully, crawls from one episode to the next with little meaning or impact.

Let’s get topical as a way of rounding things off. I’m not surprised Fassbender isn’t Oscar nominated for his performance in this: not because it’s not a great performance, because it very much is, but when even George Clooney is intimidated by your natural perks you know you’re seriously risking alienation from the mainstream. And although Carey Mulligan has also been unfairly slighted by the awards circuit, at least we get to see her naked in this. I really wanted the film to be better than it was, but unfortunately it isn’t better than it is, because it’s only as good as it is. That didn’t make much sense, did it? Maybe too much sex is bad for you…

Adam Hollingworth

The Hunger Games gets a new trailer

With less than two months to go before it arrives in cinemas, Lionsgate have just released a second theatrical trailer for The Hunger Games - director Gary Ross' (Pleasantville, Seabiscuit) hotly-anticipated big screen take on Suzanne Collins' acclaimed post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel of the same name.

Adapted by Collins with revisions from screenwriter Billy Ray (Shattered Glass, State of Play) and budgeted at $100 million, The Hunger Games sees Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone, X-Men: First Class) as the sixteen-year-old heroine Katniss Everdeen, and features a strong supporting cast that includes Josh Hutcherson (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island), Woody Harrelson (Rampart), Liam Hemsworth (The Expendables 2), Elizabeth Banks (Man on a Ledge), Donald Sutherland (Don't Look Now), Stanley Tucci (Captain America: The First Avenger) and Wes Bentley (American Beauty).

Take a look at the synopsis, and be sure to check out the new trailer below...

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. Part twisted entertainment, part government intimidation tactic, the Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains.

Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy (Harrelson). If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The book is the first entry in Collins' 'Hunger Games' trilogy and Lionsgate have already announced that cameras will roll on the second installment - Catching Fire - later this year, with Ross and screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours) already on board.

The Hunger Games is set to hit cinemas on March 23rd. Visit the official website here.

Thoughts on... Super (2010)

Super, 2010.

Directed by James Gunn.
Starring Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Kevin Bacon and Liv Tyler.


SYNOPSIS:

An ordinary man decides to superhero suit up and tackle crime himself.


What would happen if an ordinary guy with no superpowers was to one day decide enough is enough, don a costume and fight crime? This is the question Super poses. If it sounds familiar, well, that'll be because Kick-Ass (2010) got there first. Regardless of this, it's a fascinating subject, and one that is handled surprisingly well here.

Frank (Rainn Wilson) is married to recovering drug addict Sarah (Liv Tyler). The movie opens with Frank at his lowest, as Sarah leaves him for Jacques (Kevin Bacon) - owner of a strip club and drug peddler. As he sinks deeper into depression, Frank turns to religion for direction. He stumbles across a public access TV show that features The Holy Avenger (an underused Nathan Fillion), and has a vision where he is touched by God. Frank believes he has been given the direction he sought, and decides to fight crime and maybe win his wife back.

It's here that we begin to question the sanity of Frank, and this is what makes Super uniquely interesting. Most superhero movies are aware that the hero is a little unbalanced, but their behaviour is always demonstrated as justifiable. We're given morals to get behind, and the violence is portrayed in a relatively safe manner where we never really question its consequences. But with Super, things aren't quite so clear. We're placed in a morally grey area, pondering the stability of Frank whilst witnessing some pretty brutal acts of violence.

Without any superpowers, Frank dons a red costume, names himself The Crimson Bolt and arms himself with a monkey wrench. He figures if he hits criminals hard enough, they'll go down. Along the way he acquires a sidekick, Libby (Ellen Page), aka Boltie. She's also somewhat unhinged, clearly enjoying the violence a little too much. Both make for fascinating character studies. Now, I must confess I am a huge fan of Ellen Page, so perhaps I'm a little biased, but she looks fantastic in her superhero costume.

There's a host of delightful secondary characters that have potential, but unfortunately aren't given much time to shine. The fantastic Linda Cardellini appears briefly as a Pet Store Employee, Nathan Fillion seems well suited in a superhero costume but isn't featured nearly enough, and Michael Rooker is a delightfully menacing bad guy who could do with a few more lines thrown his way. It's a shame such a talented cast were squandered, but they do make the most with what they're given.

At times, Super almost feels like a superhero movie directed by Michael Haneke. It allows us, the audience, to draw the line between good and bad, but is always making us question our enjoyment of the film. It's easy enough to get behind Frank when he smashes the face of a child molester, but his actions become considerably harder to justify when he attacks a couple for butting in line. Libby, meanwhile, is just clearly nuts. Her response to the carnage unleashed is near-orgasmic joy, squealing excitedly like a six year old going to Disneyland. These are our heroes, but they're difficult to really get behind.

Director James Gunn doesn't hold back in unleashing gory violence, splattering crimson across the screen or revealing the consequences of a bullet to the head. The tone doesn't quite sit right with the superhero genre, but it's actually a welcome addition. Lately, superhero movies have been moving towards a darker, grittier, supposedly more realistic feel to them. Super takes this one step further, and should be commended for doing so. It's an unsettling bleakly dark tale.

That's not to say this is a harrowing story devoid of any joy. The raw violence is juxtaposed with moments of surprisingly light comedy, and throughout the movie there is a constant struggle in trying to balance the tone. It never quite succeeds at finding a happy medium, but I must admit I did quite enjoy the result. This is a movie that certainly won't appeal to everyone, but for those who are growing tired of the superhero genre this is an original alternative. Kick-Ass may have got there first, but Super does it better.

Liam Underwood

Check out the cover and blurb for Holy Franchise, Batman!

Earlier this week, Robert Hale released their catalogue of upcoming releases for January to June, which just happens to include a little book of mine called Holy Franchise, Batman! Bringing the Caped Crusader to the Screen. Read on for the blurb and be sure to check out the catalogue below for more details on the book, including a look at the cover...

Since the Caped Crusader first made the leap from comics to silver screen in the 1940s, generations of audiences have been captivated by the screen adventures of Batman, establishing the celebrated comic book hero as a true icon of popular cultre. Now, Gary Collinson traces the entire screen history of Bob Kane's Dark Knight Detective, providing a fascinating insight into one of the most successful media franchises of all time.

Beginning with the early movie serials of the 1940s, Holy Francise, Batman! charts the development of Batman's many exploits across both live-action and animation, presenting a comprehensive overview of his entire screen career. From the classic 1960s television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward to the hugely successful blockbuster feature films from directors Tim Burton, Joel Schumacher and Christopher Nolan, as well as early Saturday morning cartoon outings through to the acclaimed 'DC Animated Universe', this book explores the evolution of Batman - a journey that has taken him from 'camp' crime-fighter to Dark Knight.

For more info, head on over to page six...


Holy Franchise, Batman! is due out this coming June, so if you're looking to get your Batman fix in the weeks leading up to the release of The Dark Knight Rises, you may want to grab yourself a copy!

The Artist takes top prize at the Richard Attenborough Film Awards

The winners of the Richard Attenborough Film Awards 2012 were announced in London earlier this afternoon, with Oscar front-runner The Artist continuing it's run of awards success as it was named Film of the Year, while director Michel Hazanavicius also collected the gong for Filmmaker of the Year. Now in its sixth year, the Richard Attenborough Awards consist of thirteen categories, with six decided by UK film critics and the remaining seven open to public vote.

Take a look at all of the winners here...

Critics categories...

Film of the Year – The Artist
Filmmaker of the Year – Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Screenwriter of the Year – Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
Actor of the Year – Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class, Shame)
Actress of the Year – Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Rising Star of the Year – Tom Hiddleston (War Horse, Thor, The Deep Blue Sea, Midnight in Paris)

Public Vote...

British Film of the Year – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Animated Film of the Year – Arthur Christmas
Family Film of the Year – The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
British Film Star of the Year – Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
Film Star of the Year – Robert Pattinson (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1)
UK Film Blog Site of the Year – CineVue
Most Anticipated Film of 2012 – The Dark Knight Rises

Finally, we'd just like to say thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for Flickering Myth in the UK Film Blog Site of the Year category - your support is much appreciated!