Movies
Sony Screen Gems’ Violent Confrontation with ‘Straw Dogs’ Delayed
Sony Screen Gems likes to plan ahead — way ahead. It apparently works well for them as most of their PG-13 thrillers pan out quite well at the box office. I used to find myself disappointed with their watered down remakes, but now that it’s expected (they’re not made for us horror fans), I just don’t give a sh*t. So, with Screen Gems bumping their redo of Straw Dogs six months, I have zero emotion. You? For those dying to see it prepare for disappointment as the film will now arrive in theaters September 16, 2011 (yes, that says 2011). The new Straw Dogs follows Los Angeles screenwriter David Sumner (James Marsden), who moves with his wife to her hometown in the deep South. Once there, tensions build in their marriage and old conflicts re-emerge with the locals, leading to a violent confrontation.
Movies
Ken Russell’s Controversial ‘The Devils’ Restoration Gets First Teaser Ahead of Theatrical Release
A holy grail for cinephiles is finally within reach after half a century; the long-awaited restoration of Ken Russell‘s controversial horror movie The Devils will arrive this fall.
The first official teaser gives us our first peek at the new restoration, below.
Warner Bros. Clockwork will release the film in theaters globally this fall, in partnership with the British Film Institute (BFI) in the UK. It opens in select North American theaters on October 16 for an exclusive one-week engagement with international theatrical dates to be announced.
Based on Aldous Huxley’s 1952 non-fiction novel The Devils of Loudun and its 1961 stageplay adaptation, The Devils is set in 17th-century Loudun, France.
Oliver Reed stars as Grandeur in the film, complete with the sex appeal that has all the ladies swooning, including the hunchbacked Sister Jeanne (Vanessa Redgrave). Jeanne is exceptionally lustful for Grandeur, which pushes over into wrathful jealousy when she learns of his relationship with the young and stunning Madeleine (Gemma Jones). Cue the demonic seduction accusations, and hysteria and chaos ensue.
Why is this restoration such a big deal? Russell’s original vision was considered far too incendiary and political for its time, with key sequences deemed too intense for viewers. That most infamously includes a sequence in which a demonic possession public display culminated in hysterical nuns tearing down and ravaging a giant crucifix, cut from the film in its entirety, with further cuts for American audiences and edits for UK viewers.
As the press release details, “This new 4K restoration of Ken Russell’s masterpiece was assembled from the original camera negative. The film’s sound has been remastered from original English Composite 35mm Mag Film, transferred at 96kHz, plus other original film elements in selected spots as needed. The Picture and Sound restoration was performed by Warner Bros. Post Production Creative Services, Water Tower Color, and Warner Bros. Sound.“