This month on Let’s Scare Bryan to Death, we’re navigating a harsh world as depicted by eccentric storyteller Philip Ridley. I’m a huge fan of Ridley’s surreal 1995 fable, The Passion of Darkly Noon, but I hadn’t realized that almost 15 years later he released another film, the 2009 urban fairy tale Heartless. So, I’m very grateful to this month’s guest, Bede Jermyn, for bringing it to my attention. Jermyn is a fantastic horror journalist who’s a member of the Australian Film Critics Association, a critic and podcaster for The Super Network, and host of Bede Vs. The Living Dead, a podcast devoted to exploring “remakes, re-edits, unofficial follow-ups, etc. to George A. Romero’s 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead.”
Ridley’s Heartless follows Jamie (Jim Sturgess), a lonely photographer who has a heart-shaped birthmark that covers half of his face that makes him very shy.
Ridley’s Heartless follows Jamie (Jim Sturgess), a lonely photographer who has a heart-shaped birthmark that covers half of his face that makes him very shy.
- 2/22/2023
- by Bryan Christopher
- DailyDead
In the thirty years since he first became a cult favorite with his 1990 debut The Reflecting Skin, multifaceted English artist/director/novelist Philip Ridley has only helmed three features, and only one of those in his native England. Arrow Video resurrects and restores his 1995 sophomore oddity The Passion of Darkly Noon, which resorts to similar religious themes in the American Deep South as a timeless Biblical themed allegory ensconced in the grim fixings of a minimal fairy tale. Despite its pronounced style and impressive production design, Ridley’s second outing is hampered by the stilted performances of its two American lead actors, Ashley Judd and Brendan Fraser, in what otherwise stands as a memorable viewing experience.…...
- 3/24/2020
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
We have a relatively quiet week of home media releases ahead of us this week, but the titles that are coming out are a rad bunch of films nonetheless. Scream Factory is doing the Dark Lord’s work with both the Collector’s Edition of April Fool’s Day and the HD release of Frankenstein: The True Story. If you missed it in theaters back in January, Nicolas Pesce’s The Grudge (2020) is headed to various platforms this Tuesday, and Arrow Video has put together a stellar Special Edition release of Philip Ridley’s The Passion of Darkly Noon as well.
Other Blu-ray and DVD releases for March 24th include Endless Night, Cabal, Hunter’s Moon, The Zombinator, and The Wizard: Collector’s Edition.
April Fool’s Day: Collector’s Edition
Good friends...with some time to kill. When Muffy St. John invited her college friends up to her parents' secluded...
Other Blu-ray and DVD releases for March 24th include Endless Night, Cabal, Hunter’s Moon, The Zombinator, and The Wizard: Collector’s Edition.
April Fool’s Day: Collector’s Edition
Good friends...with some time to kill. When Muffy St. John invited her college friends up to her parents' secluded...
- 3/23/2020
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Film buffs might be interested to know that the 2020 Boston Underground Film Festival (Buff) lineup has been announced! A number of interesting films will have screenings, including Saint Maud and Dinner in America. Also in today's Horror Highlights: release details for Infection and the Steve Wands' new novella Feareater.
Boston Underground Film Festival 2020 Lineup Revealed: "New England cinephiles, rejoice! Spring festival season kicks off in less than three weeks as the 22nd annual Boston Underground Film Festival returns to Harvard Square, bringing with it five days of sublime cinervana to the Brattle Theatre from March 25th through the 29th. This year’s program boasts a pair of world premieres, a whole lot of unholy obsession, objectophilia, Wtf thrillers, genre-spinning slashers, familial dysfunction, queer clairvoyance, and more!
Buff is proud to host the East Coast Premiere of Adam Rehmeier’s Sundance-smash must-see punk-rock rom-com, Dinner in America, which sets the raucous...
Boston Underground Film Festival 2020 Lineup Revealed: "New England cinephiles, rejoice! Spring festival season kicks off in less than three weeks as the 22nd annual Boston Underground Film Festival returns to Harvard Square, bringing with it five days of sublime cinervana to the Brattle Theatre from March 25th through the 29th. This year’s program boasts a pair of world premieres, a whole lot of unholy obsession, objectophilia, Wtf thrillers, genre-spinning slashers, familial dysfunction, queer clairvoyance, and more!
Buff is proud to host the East Coast Premiere of Adam Rehmeier’s Sundance-smash must-see punk-rock rom-com, Dinner in America, which sets the raucous...
- 3/11/2020
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
The Boston Underground is an institution of genre goodness in The People's Republic of Cambridge. Now in it's twenty second year Buff prepares to bring another lineup brimming with hits and delights. There are a few favorites in the mix this year. Miguel Llansó’s wonderfully odd and stupendously creative Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway will be there. Tetsuya Nakashima’s It Comes promises to be a wild ride. There is also a rep screening of one of those first films that really stretched the laguage of film for me, Philip Ridley's The Passion of Darkly Noon. I would love to see that on the screen again. Other films that have made an impression on our team are Rose Glass' Saint Maud and micro...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 3/5/2020
- Screen Anarchy
Brendan Fraser and Ashley Judd in The Passion Of Darkly Noon will be available on Blu-ray March 24th From Arrow Video
If You Go Down To The Woods Tonight
Described by critic Mark Kermode as an extraordinary filmmaker and one of the UK s most imaginative talents , visionary British director Philip Ridley followed his sensational debut The Reflecting Skin with another surreal incursion into the dark heart of the ‘American dream’ in The Passion of Darkly Noon.
Darkly Noon (Brendan Fraser) is the sole survivor of a military-style attack on an isolated religious community. Stumbling through a forest in a daze, he is rescued by the free-spirited and enigmatic Callie (Ashley Judd). Darkly finds himself feeling strange new desires for Callie as she nurses him back to health only to watch her jump into the arms of her returning mute lover Clay (Viggo Mortensen). Lost in the woods with only...
If You Go Down To The Woods Tonight
Described by critic Mark Kermode as an extraordinary filmmaker and one of the UK s most imaginative talents , visionary British director Philip Ridley followed his sensational debut The Reflecting Skin with another surreal incursion into the dark heart of the ‘American dream’ in The Passion of Darkly Noon.
Darkly Noon (Brendan Fraser) is the sole survivor of a military-style attack on an isolated religious community. Stumbling through a forest in a daze, he is rescued by the free-spirited and enigmatic Callie (Ashley Judd). Darkly finds himself feeling strange new desires for Callie as she nurses him back to health only to watch her jump into the arms of her returning mute lover Clay (Viggo Mortensen). Lost in the woods with only...
- 3/4/2020
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Catalog from the Beyond, like many horror movie columns, comes with an implied suggestion to the reader that they should check out the movie that’s being covered. I’ve discussed movies that I’ve loved as well as movies that are deeply flawed, but there’s always an unspoken assertion that if I’ve taken the time to write about a movie, then I think it’s worth your time. Well, this month I say screw all that “unspoken” nonsense. I’m flat out asking—nay, begging—that you watch this month’s movie, The Passion of Darkly Noon. To be fair, I can’t in good conscience make any claim that this 1996 movie from Philip Ridley is any good, but I also can’t stop thinking about it. Therefore, I need someone else to join me in my obsession.
Things began normally enough. I was brainstorming for my...
Things began normally enough. I was brainstorming for my...
- 3/28/2018
- by Bryan Christopher
- DailyDead
Stars: Jeremy Cooper, Lindsay Duncan, Viggo Mortensen, Sheila Moore, Duncan Fraser, David Longworth, Robert Koons, David Bloom, Evan Hall, Codie Lucas Wilbee, Sherry Bie | Written and Directed by Philip Ridley
The beauty of loving films is that no matter how many you’ve seen, there are so many out there still to be discovered… One of these for me was The Reflecting Skin which is being released this weel on Blu-ray. It’s a true hidden gem that needs to be seen…
The Reflecting Skin is set in the American Mid-west in the 1950s and takes the viewpoint of Seth Dove (Jeremy Cooper) who becomes obsessed with the fact that a widow, Dolphin Blue (Lindsay Duncan) is a vampire. When one of Seth’s friends is found dead, all eyes are on the boy’s father who has a history that puts him under suspicion and the pressure leads him to commit suicide.
The beauty of loving films is that no matter how many you’ve seen, there are so many out there still to be discovered… One of these for me was The Reflecting Skin which is being released this weel on Blu-ray. It’s a true hidden gem that needs to be seen…
The Reflecting Skin is set in the American Mid-west in the 1950s and takes the viewpoint of Seth Dove (Jeremy Cooper) who becomes obsessed with the fact that a widow, Dolphin Blue (Lindsay Duncan) is a vampire. When one of Seth’s friends is found dead, all eyes are on the boy’s father who has a history that puts him under suspicion and the pressure leads him to commit suicide.
- 11/29/2015
- by Paul Metcalf
- Nerdly
Vic Bateman, one of the UK’s longest serving international sales agents who handled films including The Deer Hunter and The Elephant Man, has died.
Tributes have been paid to Victor ‘Vic’ Bateman, the co-founder and vice chairman of London-based sales company Av Pictures, has died. He was 72.
Bateman’s career in film spanned more than 40 years. He began in the contract administration department of British Lion in 1961, where he developed detailed knowledge of the commercial, financial and legal terms governing distribution arrangements on a global basis. In the early 1970’s Vic was promoted to the international sales division of what was by then Emi Films.
Over the years, Bateman achieved notable sales successes and established his reputation with film buyers worldwide, handling major films such as The Deer Hunter, The Elephant Man, A Passage to India, All of Me, Highlander, The Hitcher, Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express, The Last Emperor and [link...
Tributes have been paid to Victor ‘Vic’ Bateman, the co-founder and vice chairman of London-based sales company Av Pictures, has died. He was 72.
Bateman’s career in film spanned more than 40 years. He began in the contract administration department of British Lion in 1961, where he developed detailed knowledge of the commercial, financial and legal terms governing distribution arrangements on a global basis. In the early 1970’s Vic was promoted to the international sales division of what was by then Emi Films.
Over the years, Bateman achieved notable sales successes and established his reputation with film buyers worldwide, handling major films such as The Deer Hunter, The Elephant Man, A Passage to India, All of Me, Highlander, The Hitcher, Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express, The Last Emperor and [link...
- 6/5/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Grimmfest 2013 is taking place 3rd-6th October in Manchester's The Dancehouse theatre, and the first two films have been announced. In addition, early bird tickets are now on sale.
From the Press Release:
This October, darkness descends on the decadently Deco Dancehouse theatre, in the black and bloody heart of Manchester, as Grimmfest celebrate its frightful fifth birthday in grand and gruesome style.
We can promise a punishing and pitiless party for all, but for now our lips are sewn shut when it comes to revealing the finer details. We’re showmen here at Grimm Towers. We know better than to give away too much too soon. We’d rather keep you guessing, give your morbid imaginations time to work on your nerves a little. Get you softened up for the kill.
But we’re not total sadists. So we’re offering a scent, a flavour, of the sizzling, bloody steak,...
From the Press Release:
This October, darkness descends on the decadently Deco Dancehouse theatre, in the black and bloody heart of Manchester, as Grimmfest celebrate its frightful fifth birthday in grand and gruesome style.
We can promise a punishing and pitiless party for all, but for now our lips are sewn shut when it comes to revealing the finer details. We’re showmen here at Grimm Towers. We know better than to give away too much too soon. We’d rather keep you guessing, give your morbid imaginations time to work on your nerves a little. Get you softened up for the kill.
But we’re not total sadists. So we’re offering a scent, a flavour, of the sizzling, bloody steak,...
- 7/9/2013
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
Philip Ridley is a renaissance man: he is an artist, photographer, novelist, children's author, playwright, and a filmmaker. His work, especially in theatre, has caused some controversy and even at times been banned. He's only made three films in 22 years; his first film, The Reflecting Skin, gave Viggo Mortensen one of his first starring roles; The Passion of Darkly Noon featured Brenden Fraser is his creepiest role; and Heartless made a successful festival tour a couple of years ago. Ridley's work is raw, passionate, strange, and at least one of the films features exploding frogs. The first two films are hard to find, which is why it's great news for Londoners that Savage Cinema is screening them and that Ridley himself will be in...
- 9/15/2012
- Screen Anarchy
Exclusive: Prison Break alum William Fichtner, Marc Lavoine (The Good Thief), Gabriella Pession (Wilfred), Tom Wlaschiha (Game Of Thrones), Genevieve O’Reilly (Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge Of The Sith), Richard Flood (Titanic: Blood & Steel) and Donald Sutherland are set to star in Crossing Lines, Tandem Communications‘ action/crime drama series created by former Criminal Minds showrunner Ed Bernero. Daniel Percival (Strike Back) will direct the first three episodes of Crossing Lines‘ 10-episode first season, which follows the workings of a special crime unit set up by the International Criminal Court to investigate serialized crimes that cross European borders and to hunt down criminals to bring them to justice. Filming will begin September 26 on location in France and the Czech Republic. Bernero executive produces and serves as head writer, with Rachel Anthony (Mistresses) and Oliver Hein-Macdonald (The Passion Of Darkly Noon) set as co-writers. Moritz Polter (Labyrinth), Charles Caroll...
- 9/4/2012
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Being a Christian in the 21st century is difficult at the best of times. Even without Mel Gibson constantly putting his foot in it, or Westboro Baptist Church spitting venom at the very people they are supposed to be helping, we have to contend with a media backlash whenever a seemingly ‘Christian’ film is released.
The problem seems to be that people don’t mind Christianity per se: if people are Bible-bashing in the streets, they can ignore them or talk back. What they resent, or appear to resent, are films with Christian undertones – allegories or parables which introduce Christian beliefs or ideas in a supposedly secular context. When The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe came out in 2005, The Guardian’s Polly Toynbee accused it of “invad[ing] children’s minds with Christian iconography… heavily laden with guilt, blame, sacrifice and a suffering that is dark with emotional sadism.” Ouch.
The problem seems to be that people don’t mind Christianity per se: if people are Bible-bashing in the streets, they can ignore them or talk back. What they resent, or appear to resent, are films with Christian undertones – allegories or parables which introduce Christian beliefs or ideas in a supposedly secular context. When The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe came out in 2005, The Guardian’s Polly Toynbee accused it of “invad[ing] children’s minds with Christian iconography… heavily laden with guilt, blame, sacrifice and a suffering that is dark with emotional sadism.” Ouch.
- 9/17/2011
- by Daniel Mumby
- Obsessed with Film
Fourteen years passed between the release of Heartless and writer-director Philip Ridley’s last film, 1995’s The Passion of Darkly Noon. Hardcore fans of the intriguing auteur were overjoyed at his return to the big screen; however, those fans are few and far between, more a cult of professional critics than anything else, due to Ridley’s penchant for macabre subject matter, intensely verbose dialogue, and mind game-driven plots. Ridley is in many ways the British David Lynch, though to dismiss him merely as such would be a disservice to his talent. Yet his films, like Lynch’s, while masterfully crafted, are definitely not for everyone, and Heartless is a prime example of this.
The film stars Jim Sturgess as Jamie Morgan, an introverted young photographer who lives in the slums of East London with his widow mother, Marion (Ruth Sheen). Jamie sports a horrifying birthmark in the rough shape of a heart,...
The film stars Jim Sturgess as Jamie Morgan, an introverted young photographer who lives in the slums of East London with his widow mother, Marion (Ruth Sheen). Jamie sports a horrifying birthmark in the rough shape of a heart,...
- 4/30/2011
- by Lee Jutton
- JustPressPlay.net
A look at what's new on DVD this week:
"A Summer in Genoa"
Directed by Michael Winterbottom
Released by Entertainment One
Of the many films Michael Winterbottom ("A Mighty Heart," "9 Songs") has directed in recent years, you wouldn't guess the one starring recent Oscar winner Colin Firth as a father who must take care of his two daughters in the wake of a car accident involving their mother (Hope Davis) would be the one to have trouble making it to the U.S. But here we are three years after "Genova," as it's known in much of the rest of the world, was shot and it's finally arrived on DVD, a mix of supernatural thriller and human drama that's actually getting reasonably good reviews upon its delayed release. Catherine Keener co-stars.
"Belladonna"
Directed by Annika Glac
Released by Osiris
Glac's debut as a writer/director centers on a man whose...
"A Summer in Genoa"
Directed by Michael Winterbottom
Released by Entertainment One
Of the many films Michael Winterbottom ("A Mighty Heart," "9 Songs") has directed in recent years, you wouldn't guess the one starring recent Oscar winner Colin Firth as a father who must take care of his two daughters in the wake of a car accident involving their mother (Hope Davis) would be the one to have trouble making it to the U.S. But here we are three years after "Genova," as it's known in much of the rest of the world, was shot and it's finally arrived on DVD, a mix of supernatural thriller and human drama that's actually getting reasonably good reviews upon its delayed release. Catherine Keener co-stars.
"Belladonna"
Directed by Annika Glac
Released by Osiris
Glac's debut as a writer/director centers on a man whose...
- 4/12/2011
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
Jim Sturgess (The Way Back) stars in Philip Ridley’s supernatural chiller movie Heartless, which is coming to DVD from IFC on April 26.
Jim Sturgess darkens the mood in Heartless.
Sturgess, who we really enjoyed in Across the Universe, plays Jamie Morgan, a talented young photographer whose disfiguring heart-shaped birthmark makes him an outsider in his rough East London neighborhood. Developing pictures he has taken in an abandoned lot, Jamie discovers a hooded figure peering from behind a window. Investigating the mysterious image, he stumbles into a horrific world of reptilian monsters posing as street gangs, violence inflicted on the most innocent and a demon (Joseph Mawle, Made in Dagenham) with the power to offer Jamie everything he’s ever dreamed of … at a deadly price.
Critics have described Heartless as a “dark urban fairy tale.”
Written and directed by the interesting if slow-moving British filmmaker Philip Ridley (he helmed his last movie,...
Jim Sturgess darkens the mood in Heartless.
Sturgess, who we really enjoyed in Across the Universe, plays Jamie Morgan, a talented young photographer whose disfiguring heart-shaped birthmark makes him an outsider in his rough East London neighborhood. Developing pictures he has taken in an abandoned lot, Jamie discovers a hooded figure peering from behind a window. Investigating the mysterious image, he stumbles into a horrific world of reptilian monsters posing as street gangs, violence inflicted on the most innocent and a demon (Joseph Mawle, Made in Dagenham) with the power to offer Jamie everything he’s ever dreamed of … at a deadly price.
Critics have described Heartless as a “dark urban fairy tale.”
Written and directed by the interesting if slow-moving British filmmaker Philip Ridley (he helmed his last movie,...
- 3/24/2011
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
Directed by Philip Ridley
Starring Jim Sturgess, Clemence Poesy, Noel Clarke, Joseph Mawle, Eddie Marsan, Luke Treadaway, Timothy Spall
It’s been 14 years since the cult UK director Philip Ridley (The Reflecting Skin, The Passion of Darkly Noon) has made a film. Heartless marks the director’s triumphant return to the screen and fortifies his status as being one of the most visionary directors of our time. Recently winning the Best Independent Film Award at the Toronto After Dark Festival, Heartless is a captivating tale of the darker side of life. A film that takes us places instead of a film that keeps us in our seats. A film that forces us to think and that makes us want to re-watch it immediately after it’s over.
The film follows Jamie Morgan (Sturgess), born with a disfiguring birthmark across his face, which leaves him an outcast in rough East London.
Starring Jim Sturgess, Clemence Poesy, Noel Clarke, Joseph Mawle, Eddie Marsan, Luke Treadaway, Timothy Spall
It’s been 14 years since the cult UK director Philip Ridley (The Reflecting Skin, The Passion of Darkly Noon) has made a film. Heartless marks the director’s triumphant return to the screen and fortifies his status as being one of the most visionary directors of our time. Recently winning the Best Independent Film Award at the Toronto After Dark Festival, Heartless is a captivating tale of the darker side of life. A film that takes us places instead of a film that keeps us in our seats. A film that forces us to think and that makes us want to re-watch it immediately after it’s over.
The film follows Jamie Morgan (Sturgess), born with a disfiguring birthmark across his face, which leaves him an outcast in rough East London.
- 11/12/2010
- by Andre Dumas
- Planet Fury
IFC Midnight, the new genre label of IFC Films, has announced its first partnership with Fantastic Fest! Four brand new IFC Midnight acquisitions will screen at Fantastic Fest (Sept 23-30) and will simultaneously be available nationwide via the movies-on-demand platform of major national cable systems, including Cablevision, Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable and Bright House, and will be available in approximately 40 million homes. The films include: Philip Ridley’s demonic thriller Heartless (making its Us debut); Abel Ferry’s mountain climbing nightmare High Lane (making its Us debut); Josh Reed’s Ozploitation horror flick Primal (making its Us debut); and Simon Rumley’s hard-core Red White & Blue.
IFC Midnight will also make three acclaimed films from Fantastic Fest 2009 available on demand as part of this initiative including: Tom Six’s The Human Centipede, Kim Ji-Woon’s The Good The Bad The Weird, and Jake West’s Doghouse. Primal...
IFC Midnight will also make three acclaimed films from Fantastic Fest 2009 available on demand as part of this initiative including: Tom Six’s The Human Centipede, Kim Ji-Woon’s The Good The Bad The Weird, and Jake West’s Doghouse. Primal...
- 9/15/2010
- by George Bragdon
- OriginalAlamo.com
Two of the biggest names within the world of film distribution and film festivals are set to team up for what appears to be another step in the ever growing popularity of video on demand and film festival partnerships.
Following experiments like YouTube’s attempt at bringing in new viewers by streaming a collection of Sundance films, IFC and their genre label, Midnight, are set to team up with Fantastic Fest, to release four films, premiering at the festival, on their on demand channel.
The Philip Ridley film, Heartless will join High Lane (Abel Ferry), Primal (Josh Reed) and Red White & Blue (Simon Rumley) as the four feature films that premiere day and date at both the Austin, Texas based festival, as well as the IFC Midnight on demand channel.
Midnight has played home to films like The Human Centipede and Doghouse, as well as upcoming releases like Enter The Void...
Following experiments like YouTube’s attempt at bringing in new viewers by streaming a collection of Sundance films, IFC and their genre label, Midnight, are set to team up with Fantastic Fest, to release four films, premiering at the festival, on their on demand channel.
The Philip Ridley film, Heartless will join High Lane (Abel Ferry), Primal (Josh Reed) and Red White & Blue (Simon Rumley) as the four feature films that premiere day and date at both the Austin, Texas based festival, as well as the IFC Midnight on demand channel.
Midnight has played home to films like The Human Centipede and Doghouse, as well as upcoming releases like Enter The Void...
- 9/15/2010
- by Joshua Brunsting
- CriterionCast
[Our sincere thanks to the Fantasia Festival and Kier-La Janisse for offering up some of the excellent, exclusive materials from the festival blog for wider consumption here at Twitch.]
Fantasia is extremely proud to be hosting the North American premiere of Philip Ridley's Heartless, his first return to the big screen since The Passion of Darkly Noon in 1996. Genre fans know Ridley primarily for The Reflecting Skin - an unsettling and unconventional horror film that was universally praised as one of the best films of the 1990s - and with Heartless, he returns to the folklore-infused psychological terrain of The Reflecting Skin, and the murky physical terrain of The Krays, which he wrote in 1990. He was kind enough to offer his thoughts on some of the recurring themes in his work.
You've been hailed as a cinematic visionary by countless film critics and yet film is a medium you turn to infrequently. Why is that?
Well, the kind of films I've been interested in making are not very easy to get off the ground. They don't fit into a neat box or category.
Fantasia is extremely proud to be hosting the North American premiere of Philip Ridley's Heartless, his first return to the big screen since The Passion of Darkly Noon in 1996. Genre fans know Ridley primarily for The Reflecting Skin - an unsettling and unconventional horror film that was universally praised as one of the best films of the 1990s - and with Heartless, he returns to the folklore-infused psychological terrain of The Reflecting Skin, and the murky physical terrain of The Krays, which he wrote in 1990. He was kind enough to offer his thoughts on some of the recurring themes in his work.
You've been hailed as a cinematic visionary by countless film critics and yet film is a medium you turn to infrequently. Why is that?
Well, the kind of films I've been interested in making are not very easy to get off the ground. They don't fit into a neat box or category.
- 7/18/2010
- Screen Anarchy
[Philip Ridley's Heartless is screening atFantasia today, and thus we should all revisit Eight Rook's take on the film from Sitges.]
Love is trite, pedantically speaking. The idea we profit from performing simple acts of kindness for the benefit of our fellow human beings has been worn down and dulled through over-use. People flock to torture porn, visions of the apocalypse and similar examples of genre voyeurism which have been done to death in turn. Even the conservative fantasy of the decline and fall of Western civilisation is a tired, empty stereotype.
The first feature in fourteen years from cult director Philip Ridley (The Reflecting Skin, The Passion of Darkly Noon), Heartless is a story about learning to love and accept love; a hallucinatory fantasy; a study in pain and terror, both physical and mental; a violently explicit horror movie and a stark warning modern society is on the verge of collapsing in on itself. That it manages to take so many potentially disastrous clichés and mash them together into what...
Love is trite, pedantically speaking. The idea we profit from performing simple acts of kindness for the benefit of our fellow human beings has been worn down and dulled through over-use. People flock to torture porn, visions of the apocalypse and similar examples of genre voyeurism which have been done to death in turn. Even the conservative fantasy of the decline and fall of Western civilisation is a tired, empty stereotype.
The first feature in fourteen years from cult director Philip Ridley (The Reflecting Skin, The Passion of Darkly Noon), Heartless is a story about learning to love and accept love; a hallucinatory fantasy; a study in pain and terror, both physical and mental; a violently explicit horror movie and a stark warning modern society is on the verge of collapsing in on itself. That it manages to take so many potentially disastrous clichés and mash them together into what...
- 7/14/2010
- Screen Anarchy
The Hughes brothers remain a potent force with their post-apocalyptic thriller, Book of Eli
Hard though it may be to believe, I often get things spectacularly wrong, particularly when it comes to predicting future success or failure within the film industry. For instance, back in the late 1980s I confidently predicted that actor Dolph Lundgren would become a bigger star than either Jean-Claude Van Damme or Arnold Schwarzenegger because of the three of them he was the only bodybuilding Euro thesp who could do a decent American accent. More recently, I have been heard to declare that 3D is nothing but a passing fad, a claim which neither international box-office receipts nor the prevailing industrial wind would seem to support. My most disappointingly off-the-mark prediction, however, was made in the mid-1990s, when I pronounced that the real stars of the new black cinema were not Spike Lee, nor John Singleton,...
Hard though it may be to believe, I often get things spectacularly wrong, particularly when it comes to predicting future success or failure within the film industry. For instance, back in the late 1980s I confidently predicted that actor Dolph Lundgren would become a bigger star than either Jean-Claude Van Damme or Arnold Schwarzenegger because of the three of them he was the only bodybuilding Euro thesp who could do a decent American accent. More recently, I have been heard to declare that 3D is nothing but a passing fad, a claim which neither international box-office receipts nor the prevailing industrial wind would seem to support. My most disappointingly off-the-mark prediction, however, was made in the mid-1990s, when I pronounced that the real stars of the new black cinema were not Spike Lee, nor John Singleton,...
- 5/29/2010
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
While we love giving away copies of films on the site, we also realize that sometimes memorabilia means just as much (if not more) to genre fans. With that in mind, to celebrate the upcoming release of Philip Ridley’s excellent horror-fantasy hybrid Heartless (review here), we have three pieces of DVD artwork signed by stars Jim Sturgess and Noel Clarke up for grabs!
Heartless is a dark and intense British psychological horror/thriller set in contemporary East London. The story follows Jamie (Sturgess), a troubled young man with a birthmark on his face, which has left him feeling isolated and fearful, hiding from the world outside. He lives in the East End of London, an area notorious for its violent hooded gangs.
According to news reports, the gangs are now wearing demon masks. But one night Jamie discovers the terrifying truth: the gangs are not wearing masks. They are real demons.
Heartless is a dark and intense British psychological horror/thriller set in contemporary East London. The story follows Jamie (Sturgess), a troubled young man with a birthmark on his face, which has left him feeling isolated and fearful, hiding from the world outside. He lives in the East End of London, an area notorious for its violent hooded gangs.
According to news reports, the gangs are now wearing demon masks. But one night Jamie discovers the terrifying truth: the gangs are not wearing masks. They are real demons.
- 5/26/2010
- by Pestilence
- DreadCentral.com
Down in the Hug-bunker, we’ve been getting quite excited about forthcoming Brit-flick, Heartless. Directed by Philip Ridley, and starring Jim Sturgess, and the lovely Clémence Poésy, the film is set to be one of the first British features to benefit from near-simultaneous multi-platform release, coming out at cinemas on Friday 21st May, and being available to buy the following Monday (24th).
We recently spoke with the film’s producer, Richard Raymond, who provided some insight into just how hard it was to get the film off the ground, and just why he and Ridley decided to cast Sturgess.
Transcription by Ted Leighton.
HeyUGuys: If you could begin by talking about Heartless and how the project came about, and your involvement with it.
Richard Raymond: I’d known Philip Ridley for about ten years. What happened was, when I was about twenty two, I read a short story that...
We recently spoke with the film’s producer, Richard Raymond, who provided some insight into just how hard it was to get the film off the ground, and just why he and Ridley decided to cast Sturgess.
Transcription by Ted Leighton.
HeyUGuys: If you could begin by talking about Heartless and how the project came about, and your involvement with it.
Richard Raymond: I’d known Philip Ridley for about ten years. What happened was, when I was about twenty two, I read a short story that...
- 5/11/2010
- by Ben Mortimer
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Eight years after Morvern Callar, Ramsay is finally back behind the camera this week. Her edgy, poetic vision has been missing from our big screens for too long
Lynne Ramsay is back. The brilliant Scottish director started shooting this week in the Us on We Need to Talk About Kevin, her first film since Morvern Callar way back in 2002.
It's been far too long in the wilderness for the woman who emerged in the late 90s as the UK's most exciting young auteur. She won Cannes jury prizes for her shorts, and then a Bafta in 2000 for her wildly-acclaimed debut feature Ratcatcher.
Morvern Callar didn't earn quite as much love, but still took awards at Cannes. Some fans (myself included) found it a more compelling expression of her edgy, poetic Scottish sensibility than the somewhat retro though undeniably beautiful Ratcatcher.
Ramsay turned 40 last December. So where has she been for the past decade,...
Lynne Ramsay is back. The brilliant Scottish director started shooting this week in the Us on We Need to Talk About Kevin, her first film since Morvern Callar way back in 2002.
It's been far too long in the wilderness for the woman who emerged in the late 90s as the UK's most exciting young auteur. She won Cannes jury prizes for her shorts, and then a Bafta in 2000 for her wildly-acclaimed debut feature Ratcatcher.
Morvern Callar didn't earn quite as much love, but still took awards at Cannes. Some fans (myself included) found it a more compelling expression of her edgy, poetic Scottish sensibility than the somewhat retro though undeniably beautiful Ratcatcher.
Ramsay turned 40 last December. So where has she been for the past decade,...
- 4/22/2010
- by Adam Dawtrey
- The Guardian - Film News
It's set in East London, features gang violence and accents thick enough to insulate your house with - but Heartless is no typical Brit flick. After all, how many of those have a hero with a heart-shaped birthmark on his face who finds a supernatural explanation to the violence? None, that's how many. And here's a featurette to start explaining what it's about.Directed by Philip Ridley (The Passion of Darkly Noon) and starring Jim Sturgess, Noel Clarke, Clémence Poésy and Eddie Marsan, this tells the story of Jamie (Sturgess), a young man who despairs of the violence in the world until he learns that it's not just people who are responsible, but something a bit darker.Heartless is out on May 21.
- 4/15/2010
- EmpireOnline
Apparently the Portuguese love themselves some horror. This year’s Fantasporto film festival, the leading film festival in Portugal, wrapped up its week-long exhibition on March 6th by awarding several new genre films.
The top honors were given to Heartless, a British film from Philip Ridley (The Passion of Darkly Noon) who hadn’t directed a film in fourteen years. The film, which stars Timothy Spall, is a horror-fantasy that follows a man with a mysterious heart-shaped birthmark on his face who discovers demons on the streets of East London.
Not only did Heartless score the award for Best Film, it also took home Best Direction for Ridley, and Best Actor for Jim Sturgess. For those of you lucky enough to live on Ridley’s side of the pond, the wait for this acclaimed film shouldn’t be too prolonged — it will hit UK cinemas on Friday, May 21, and DVD/Blu-ray on Monday,...
The top honors were given to Heartless, a British film from Philip Ridley (The Passion of Darkly Noon) who hadn’t directed a film in fourteen years. The film, which stars Timothy Spall, is a horror-fantasy that follows a man with a mysterious heart-shaped birthmark on his face who discovers demons on the streets of East London.
Not only did Heartless score the award for Best Film, it also took home Best Direction for Ridley, and Best Actor for Jim Sturgess. For those of you lucky enough to live on Ridley’s side of the pond, the wait for this acclaimed film shouldn’t be too prolonged — it will hit UK cinemas on Friday, May 21, and DVD/Blu-ray on Monday,...
- 3/22/2010
- by Bryan
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Philip Ridley is an interesting sort of director. He's an artist, sketches with charcoal, and also writes children's books. He's written and directed two films before now, The Reflecting Skin and The Passion of Darkly Noon, each of which were highly praised and won all manner of awards. After a 15-year hiatus, he returned to directing with Heartless, a modern urban horror film that came out of last summer's Frightfest with a lot of good word of mouth. It's got a nice cast too: Jim Sturgess, Clemence Poesy, and even Noel Clarke of "Doctor Who" fame.
The trailer isn't up anywhere embeddable yet so we're stuck with a link to the yahoo page where it's at:
It's got a delicious mood to it, with a dark and gritty feel like something out of classic Hellblazer or Clive Barker. No slashers hunting yuppie bred teenagers here, we've got a kid with...
The trailer isn't up anywhere embeddable yet so we're stuck with a link to the yahoo page where it's at:
It's got a delicious mood to it, with a dark and gritty feel like something out of classic Hellblazer or Clive Barker. No slashers hunting yuppie bred teenagers here, we've got a kid with...
- 2/4/2010
- by Steven Lloyd Wilson
It’s been 15 years since Krays director Philip Ridley's last film was released. That was The Passion of Darkly Noon, and since then he’s been expressing himself creatively in the theatre. Now, the prodigal son returns with psychological horror film Heartless, starring young up-and-comer Jim Sturgess of Fifty Dead Men Walking and Across the Universe. The flick’s just got its first, natty trailer, up here at Yahoo. In Heartless, Sturgess plays a young man with a heart-shaped birthmark on one side of his...
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- 2/4/2010
- by Josh Winning
- TotalFilm
The first trailer for Philip Ridley's new horror thriller Heartless has gone online and you can see it over at Yahoo Movies UK.Jim Sturgess stars as Jamie Morgan, a young man who feels burdened by the large heart-shaped birthmark that covers part of his face. If that wasn't enough to deal with, he lives in a depressing, gang-infested pit of urban decay.Jamie wants nothing more than to live a normal live, preferably in love with Tia (Clemence Poesy). Then he discovers the even darker heart lurking deep in the city's streets: demons. Soon he's making a deal to appear normal, before realising that everything comes with a price.It's Ridley's first film since 1995's The Passion Of Darkly Noon, and it's making the unusual step of arriving on Blu-Ray and DVD three days after it launches in cinemas on 21 May. Can the new release tactic work? We'll find out in May.
- 2/4/2010
- EmpireOnline
I first ran into the work of Philip Ridley when I was about nineteen and found his first feature, 1990's The Reflecting Skin, in a Calgary video shop. I don't love his wild little rural coming of age tale tinged with horror, but I have to respect it for having the ambition to be something rather unique. A young Viggo Mortensen gives a good performance there, too. Ridley has made one other film since then (The Passion of Darkly Noon, in 1995) and is finally poised to return to screens with a strange-looking horror tale called Heartless. The film opens soon in the UK, and the first trailer has finally appeared online. We've covered Heartless a bit in the past, as Brendon saw and enjoyed the film at last year's FrightFest. Brendon ranked the film at the top of his FrightFest experience, and said: Heartless blends magic realism and social realism...
- 2/3/2010
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
Georgia
Opens: 2010
Cast: Val Kilmer, Andy Garcia, Rupert Friend, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Johnathon Schaech
Director: Renny Harlin
Summary: An American journalist, his cameraman, and a Georgian native get caught in the crossfire of the five-day Russia-Georgia conflict in August 2008, and then have to deal with their obligation to be impartial.
Analysis: A timely parable on war, or Hollywood propaganda filmmaking at its worst? Wherever it goes, especially in Europe and the former Soviet states, "Georgia" will cause a lot of talk and controversy as the incidents depicted are still so fresh in many's minds. Like all topics of the sort, it'll also have its strong supporters and detractors having opinions on the film long before a frame of footage is screened anywhere.
Shot on-location in Tbilisi, the project also marks a potential return to form for Finnish director Renny Harlin. Given the right material the skilled action director delivered three...
Opens: 2010
Cast: Val Kilmer, Andy Garcia, Rupert Friend, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Johnathon Schaech
Director: Renny Harlin
Summary: An American journalist, his cameraman, and a Georgian native get caught in the crossfire of the five-day Russia-Georgia conflict in August 2008, and then have to deal with their obligation to be impartial.
Analysis: A timely parable on war, or Hollywood propaganda filmmaking at its worst? Wherever it goes, especially in Europe and the former Soviet states, "Georgia" will cause a lot of talk and controversy as the incidents depicted are still so fresh in many's minds. Like all topics of the sort, it'll also have its strong supporters and detractors having opinions on the film long before a frame of footage is screened anywhere.
Shot on-location in Tbilisi, the project also marks a potential return to form for Finnish director Renny Harlin. Given the right material the skilled action director delivered three...
- 12/20/2009
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Georgia
Opens: 2010
Cast: Val Kilmer, Andy Garcia, Rupert Friend, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Johnathon Schaech
Director: Renny Harlin
Summary: An American journalist, his cameraman, and a Georgian native get caught in the crossfire of the five-day Russia-Georgia conflict in August 2008, and then have to deal with their obligation to be impartial.
Analysis: A timely parable on war, or Hollywood propaganda filmmaking at its worst? Wherever it goes, especially in Europe and the former Soviet states, "Georgia" will cause a lot of talk and controversy as the incidents depicted are still so fresh in many's minds. Like all topics of the sort, it'll also have its strong supporters and detractors having opinions on the film long before a frame of footage is screened anywhere.
Shot on-location in Tbilisi, the project also marks a potential return to form for Finnish director Renny Harlin. Given the right material the skilled action director delivered three...
Opens: 2010
Cast: Val Kilmer, Andy Garcia, Rupert Friend, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Johnathon Schaech
Director: Renny Harlin
Summary: An American journalist, his cameraman, and a Georgian native get caught in the crossfire of the five-day Russia-Georgia conflict in August 2008, and then have to deal with their obligation to be impartial.
Analysis: A timely parable on war, or Hollywood propaganda filmmaking at its worst? Wherever it goes, especially in Europe and the former Soviet states, "Georgia" will cause a lot of talk and controversy as the incidents depicted are still so fresh in many's minds. Like all topics of the sort, it'll also have its strong supporters and detractors having opinions on the film long before a frame of footage is screened anywhere.
Shot on-location in Tbilisi, the project also marks a potential return to form for Finnish director Renny Harlin. Given the right material the skilled action director delivered three...
- 12/20/2009
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Wednesday, October 7
One of the great things about going to an international film festival like Spain’s Sitges (see previous Sitges post here) is that it always becomes a case of “old home week.” For example, everywhere I turn here I bump into someone who has been on the “fest circuit” this year, such as filmmakers like Book Of Blood’s John Harrison, Grace’s Paul Solet and shorts writer/director Richard Gale (The Incredibly Slow Murderer With The Extremely Inefficient Weapon) or fest programmers such as Toronto-based Todd Brown or distributors like Stephanie Trepanier, who runs Montreal´s Evocative Films and worked with me on Fantasia for many editions. It really makes you feel comfortable being in foreign lands when you can mingle with old friends no matter where you go.
He’s not the most prolific filmmaker in the world, which is a shame, as the genre films...
One of the great things about going to an international film festival like Spain’s Sitges (see previous Sitges post here) is that it always becomes a case of “old home week.” For example, everywhere I turn here I bump into someone who has been on the “fest circuit” this year, such as filmmakers like Book Of Blood’s John Harrison, Grace’s Paul Solet and shorts writer/director Richard Gale (The Incredibly Slow Murderer With The Extremely Inefficient Weapon) or fest programmers such as Toronto-based Todd Brown or distributors like Stephanie Trepanier, who runs Montreal´s Evocative Films and worked with me on Fantasia for many editions. It really makes you feel comfortable being in foreign lands when you can mingle with old friends no matter where you go.
He’s not the most prolific filmmaker in the world, which is a shame, as the genre films...
- 10/9/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Tony Timpone)
- Fangoria
I haven't seen Philip Ridley's second feature, The Passion of Darkly Noon.... but I am a fan of his debut film, The Reflecting Skin, which I saw at its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival many years ago. On the basis of that grandiose, gothic picture, I've been wanting to see more of him. So, like the BBC's Mark Kermode, I am looking forward to his new one.
- 8/29/2009
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Jim Sturgess was so amazing in Fifty Dead Men Walking, I would watch any film that include Sturgess in the cast without having to bother with what the movie is all about. The guy is not only a talented actor, he is also an awesome singer.
- - -
- - -
Jso - JimSturgessOnline just posted several articles that put the spotlight on Sturgess' next most important film - Heartless, and I quote:
Just announced, Heartless, starring Jim Sturgess, will make it’s world premiere atLondon’s annual Frightfest which takes placefrom August 27 - 31 at Empire Auditorium. The horror film festival has a Heartless webpagewith all the details, as well as a description and some additional images from the film.
And there’s more. For the first time ever in FrightFest’s history, we will be hosting a live music gig. Jim Sturgess, the headliner of Philip Ridley’s astonishing Heartless,...
- - -
- - -
Jso - JimSturgessOnline just posted several articles that put the spotlight on Sturgess' next most important film - Heartless, and I quote:
Just announced, Heartless, starring Jim Sturgess, will make it’s world premiere atLondon’s annual Frightfest which takes placefrom August 27 - 31 at Empire Auditorium. The horror film festival has a Heartless webpagewith all the details, as well as a description and some additional images from the film.
And there’s more. For the first time ever in FrightFest’s history, we will be hosting a live music gig. Jim Sturgess, the headliner of Philip Ridley’s astonishing Heartless,...
- 7/5/2009
- The Movie Fanatic
Jim Sturgess was so amazing in Fifty Dead Men Walking, I would watch any film that include Sturgess in the cast without having to bother with what the movie is all about. The guy is not only a talented actor, he is also an awesome singer.
- - -
- - -
Jso - JimSturgessOnline just posted several articles that put the spotlight on Sturgess' next most important film - Heartless, and I quote:
Just announced, Heartless, starring Jim Sturgess, will make it’s world premiere atLondon’s annual Frightfest which takes placefrom August 27 - 31 at Empire Auditorium. The horror film festival has a Heartless webpagewith all the details, as well as a description and some additional images from the film.
And there’s more. For the first time ever in FrightFest’s history, we will be hosting a live music gig. Jim Sturgess, the headliner of Philip Ridley’s astonishing Heartless,...
- - -
- - -
Jso - JimSturgessOnline just posted several articles that put the spotlight on Sturgess' next most important film - Heartless, and I quote:
Just announced, Heartless, starring Jim Sturgess, will make it’s world premiere atLondon’s annual Frightfest which takes placefrom August 27 - 31 at Empire Auditorium. The horror film festival has a Heartless webpagewith all the details, as well as a description and some additional images from the film.
And there’s more. For the first time ever in FrightFest’s history, we will be hosting a live music gig. Jim Sturgess, the headliner of Philip Ridley’s astonishing Heartless,...
- 7/5/2009
- The Movie Fanatic
Jim Sturgess was so amazing in Fifty Dead Men Walking, I would watch any film that include Sturgess in the cast without having to bother with what the movie is all about. The guy is not only a talented actor, he is also an awesome singer.
- - -
- - -
Jso - JimSturgessOnline just posted several articles that put the spotlight on Sturgess' next most important film - Heartless, and I quote:
Just announced, Heartless, starring Jim Sturgess, will make it’s world premiere atLondon’s annual Frightfest which takes placefrom August 27 - 31 at Empire Auditorium. The horror film festival has a Heartless webpagewith all the details, as well as a description and some additional images from the film.
And there’s more. For the first time ever in FrightFest’s history, we will be hosting a live music gig. Jim Sturgess, the headliner of Philip Ridley’s astonishing Heartless,...
- - -
- - -
Jso - JimSturgessOnline just posted several articles that put the spotlight on Sturgess' next most important film - Heartless, and I quote:
Just announced, Heartless, starring Jim Sturgess, will make it’s world premiere atLondon’s annual Frightfest which takes placefrom August 27 - 31 at Empire Auditorium. The horror film festival has a Heartless webpagewith all the details, as well as a description and some additional images from the film.
And there’s more. For the first time ever in FrightFest’s history, we will be hosting a live music gig. Jim Sturgess, the headliner of Philip Ridley’s astonishing Heartless,...
- 7/5/2009
- The Movie Fanatic
Brendan Fraser made his breakthrough by starring in two back-to-back films in 1992: The dumb frozen-caveman comedy Encino Man, and the smarter period drama School Ties, in which he played a secretly Jewish boy at an elite prep school. The dichotomy of those two films provided a solid sample of the next decade of his career: Alternating character dramas (Gods And Monsters, The Passion Of Darkly Noon, The Twilight Of The Golds) with big, sloppy comedies (Airheads, George Of The Jungle) and nichey comedy-dramas, he had a strangely patterned career that jumped around tonally and gave him as many flops as successes. Then in 1999, he starred in the special-effects-heavy blockbuster The Mummy. While he's done drama and comedy since then, his biggest roles ever since have been in big effects movies: The Mummy Returns, Monkeybone, Looney Tunes: Back In Action, and the new Journey To The Center Of The...
- 7/9/2008
- by Tasha Robinson
- avclub.com
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