Special Feature: Horror

Horror films are probably the most suited to being displayed in the dark rooms of spacious theatres and big screens with surround sound. A horror film uses these elements to epic success to scare the audience; since the dawn of the film industry horror films have been a successful genre, scaring people out of their wits from decade to decade. Horror seems to be so much in demand that in the last decade Hollywood has taken to remaking all the classics that we have grown up with. I've decided to take a look at the horror genre in all its glory.

 

Lon Chaney’s iconic horror characters from The Phantom of the Opera (1925), London after Midnight (1927) and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)

The horror genre really began in the 1920’s in the heart of the Hollywood studios. The godfather of horror pictures is ‘The Man of a Thousand Faces’ Lon Chaney, his characters were so memorable they are still recognised today. His portrayal of the phantom and his reveal in the silent classic The Phantom of the Opera (1925) is considered the first true horror moment. What made Chaney so impressive was not only that he could completely disappear into a part and look nothing like his true image, but that he did all the make-up himself. If it were not for Lon Chaney in the early 1920’s we would not have the classic horror films and monsters that we are so accustomed to today.

Universal Studios were at the helm of horror and developing it into a real genre. Carl Laemmle Jr. the son and partner of the Universal head had many ideas to push the success of this new kind of film. In 1931 he released Dracula to great success, Tod Browning directed Bela Lugosi the Hungarian actor cast in the role of the count. He made it entirely his own and is the image that most Dracula’s have drawn from ever since. Lugosi was even buried in his Dracula cloak. The same year Laemmle hired James Whale the eccentric English Director to helm the adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1931). He worked with the genius make-up man Jack P. Pierce to transform a little known English actor Boris Karloff into the monster creation. Frankenstein was a huge hit and Universal knew they had found a magic formula; audiences wanted to be scared, and they loved monsters. This lead to a slew of monster pictures and to this day Universal monsters are beloved around the world. The Mummy (1932) and The Wolf Man (1941) came next in the line of success, the first played again by Boris Karloff and the latter by none other than Lon Chaney Jr. son of the great horror actor. Sequels followed naturally, the best being The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) widely considered superior to the first. Universal made many of these films to great success in the 1930’s like The Old Dark House (1932), The Black Cat (1934) and The Invisible Man (1933). But the sequels became predictable and boring with ridiculous titles and even more ridiculous plots. They tried to mix popular monsters together in titles like Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) and even hired popular comedians of the day Abbott and Costello to take on their monsters. But as the decade slipped by and the 1950’s arrived horror was failing rapidly. There were some stand outs like It came from out of Space (1953) and Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) but for the moment the genre had become clichéd and laughable, horror it seemed was dead.

For almost a decade Hollywood forgot about Horror, the industry was changing and horror seemed to be a part of the old days; no longer popular or financially stable. That did not mean everyone had forgotten about it, at Bray Studios in England Hammer films found that America might have had enough of Horror films but Brits were ready for more. Beginning with the slightly more Sci-Fi film The Quatermass Experiment (1955) hammer recreated the classic monsters for a new generation along with the helping hand of their new find Christopher Lee who has since gone on to have an incredibly long and diverse career. Along with Lee was an actor who became a horror staple, both actors becoming the equivalent of Lugosi and Karloff at Universal, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee are now forever linked with the horror genre. The most impressive of the collection are of course the most famous of the monsters The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) with Cushing on board as Dr Frankenstein and Lee his creature. Then came Horror of Dracula (1958) with Lee being promoted to star as Dracula himself and Cushing as Van Helsing.

Inspired by Hammers success was the man who became one of the most famous independent producers in the industry. Roger Corman created a series of films between 1960 and 1964 based on gothic stories from Edgar Allan Poe. He used another English actor who will always be remembered for his work in the horror genre, even being asked personally to narrate the speech at the beginning of Michael Jackson’s hit song Thriller. Vincent Price had great success with House of Usher (1960), The Pit and the Pendulum (1961), The Masque of the Red Death (1964) and many more.  British horror was beginning to follow a similar pattern; cheap films with mediocre scares and over acted performances. That was until the most famous of directors turned the genre on its head. Alfred Hitchcock was looking for a new script; he found the book Psycho about the famous serial killer Ed Gein and decided this would be his next film project. What he ended up with was a film unlike any he or the industry had ever made before. Anyone who hasn't seen Psycho (1960) is missing out; it was Hitchcock’s most successful movie and left audiences screaming and running for the exits.Psycho did wonders for the horror genre; it showed film-makers that there could be realism and serious drama in these films. Hollywood rediscovered the horror genre and unlike the independent studios they had money to burn. Films like Night of the Living Dead (1968) introduced the world to zombies without a hint of humour, they were a serious threat. Rosemary’s Baby (1968) was the first American film from European director Roman Polanski; his star Mia Farrow plays a woman who moves in next door to Satanists who decide she is the perfect host to have the devils baby. The Innocents (1961), an excellent British feature, focuses more on the supernatural, but it is played just as straight, if not more so as those listed above. Hollywood had found a new formula for horror movies; play it straight, give them realism - or as realistic as you can get within the horror genre.

As the 1970’s arrived Hollywood delivered more and more impressive examples of how to best scare an audience. This decade probably gave birth to the most memorable and classic of the horror model. William Friedkin’s The Exorcist (1973) being the best of these, it stars Ellen Burstyn as the mother of a young girl (Linda Blair) who is possessed by the devil. The film was so realistic it terrified audiences out of cinemas and was banned in many countries (including the UK until 1990), yet it was the first horror film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best . 

Along similar lines, and almost as frightening was Richard Donner’s The Omen (1976) with Gregory Peck as a politician who learns to his terror that his son is the antichrist. This seemed to be an era of films with superb performances from

terrifying children, delivering horrific scenes the like audiences had never seen before. It was this loss of innocence that I feel makes these films so dramatically lucrative. Breaking the mould was Toby Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) another film based on the life of serial killer Ed Gein but in much more depth and gory detail than Psycho. Brian De Palma’s Carrie about a young girl repressed and bullied both at school and home and discovers she is telekinetic almost isn’t a horror film at all, directors added more social elements and dimensions to their movies, it was obvious that money was being put into a significant budget, scripts were being drafted carefully and because of this noteworthy actors were taking notice. The 70’s developed horror films of a much higher quality than ever before and the box office only proved this.

Halloween (1978) was a new breed, proving that the genre could be developed and pushed further in every sense. Halloween ushered in the serial killer movie or slasher movie as many became, it welcomed in the 80’s and the horror franchise. John Carpenter created a memorable horror villain in Michael Myers, one who audiences wanted to see more of. Most importantly he made it cheaply; this was a movie that was filmed on a miniscule budget but reaped huge rewards at the box office. Studios took notice and tried to recreate this little miracle, there were a lot of failed attempts but some did strike gold. Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) introduced audiences to the pizza faced Freddy Krueger as a paedophile serial killer killed by parents but comes back to haunt and murder teenagers in their dreams. This premise was so popular with audiences that the franchise has produced seven sequels and a reboot of the original film in 2010.

Similarly Friday the 13^th (1980) or rather Friday the 13^th 2 (1981) introduced yet another serial killer this time attacking camp counsellors attempting to reopen a summer camp that was the location of a child drowning years before. Jason Voorhees is of a similar build to Michael Myers and just as viscous. But instead of a stretched and painted William Shatner mask, Jason wore an ice hockey mask, it might not sound scary but it did the trick. Friday the 13^th outdid Elm Street with 10 sequels and a reboot of the original in 2009.

The 80’s was a decade of similar works, directors copied what worked or tried to and many failed in the attempt. But there were some stand-alone movies that did not belong in the B movie trash bin or any of the franchises taking over the cinema. Poltergeist (1982) was a Steven Spielberg produced horror, which happens to be one of my favourites. Unlike the gore that filled Elm Street and Friday the 13^th, Poltergeist concentrated on the good old fashioned supernatural; when a young girl is drawn inside an otherworldly portal inside the family Television by malevolent spirits haunting the house, her family bring in an expert to help get her back.

Long considered the scariest movie of all time (personally sceptical of that analysis) and an audience favourite was Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of the Stephen King multi-layered head-spinner The Shining (1980). It starred Jack Nicholson as a man who takes a job as a caretaker in a hotel closing for the winter season which will be blocked off and remote. He takes his wife (Shelley Duvall) and their son but soon becomes murderously influenced by an evil presence in the hotel that his psychic son can sense. This was not your usual horror film, as with any Kubrick film it had been masterfully shot with every minute detail there for a purpose. There are supposedly so many hidden meanings and interpretations in the film that an excellent documentary Room 237 (2012) was made trying to explain it. This was a horror film with much more depth a plot unlike the simple murderers and victims that were frequently on offer to audiences. This was a film that made you think, lots of the most intriguing points to the films are beneath the surface. But also had lots of humorous moments and one of the most infamous film quotes of all time; who hasn't heard “Here’s Johnny!!” even if they haven’t seen the film.

Ridley Scott changed the genre for the better when he made his Sci-fi epic Alien (1979) but it is widely considered a horror film due to its terrifying scenes of an alien murdering the crew of a ship in space. It became more frequent to see films merging genres together to create superb new editions to the canon. John Landis took audiences back to the days of the studios with his love of old fashioned horror pictures for An American Werewolf in London (1981) with a monster to rival the best of those classics from Universals glory days. The 1980’s proved that horror was on the up and up with a host of successful franchises, stand-alone classics and a return to the best of horror from the studio era.

The 90’s was really a decade of sequels; sagas that had been introduced the decade before were continued because once again ideas were lacking. Horror was laughable and predictable; everyone who went to see a horror film knew who the victims were and how the plot would play out. It was from this that a very clever film was created. Scream (1996), directed by A Nightmare on Elm Street director Wes Craven, was a look at the rules and conventions of horror films, basically a piss take of how the genre had lost its edge. Teenagers today knew what was coming; they couldn't be scared any more, and it was a villain who used these rules and contradicted them to murder his victims; It is a very very clever film. Along with Scream were a number of horror films for young adults based around the lives and murders of teenagers. It really was a case of directors biting the hand that fed them; the majority of a target audience for horror films by the 1990’s were teenagers and here they were seeing a film about relatable young characters like themselves being killed off one by one. I know What You did Last Summer (1997) and Jeepers Creepers (2001) were among many of this particular type; good looking casts, cheap scares and predictable stories.

The Sixth Sense (1999) was a Hollywood sleeper hit; it had Bruce Willis starring and was directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The Sixth Sense follows Willis’ psychologist who is trying to help a young boy (Haley Joel Osment) who can see dead people. The reason the film was such a huge hit was not just that it had a promising cast and budget but that it had the biggest twist in horror movie history. It was that one revealing scene that got people talking and it was word of mouth that got people into the cinema to see it and before the boom of the internet the ending could not be spoiled in a matter of minutes. Another film that used the public, in a way no other film had before was The Blair Witch Project (1999). The film is based on an old myth, a group of teenager’s camp in the woods to find evidence of the myth being true, but with dire consequences.  Filmed like a home movie, in itself a new concept, the film-makers used the internet to attract audiences. They created a website, used advertising in a way that was new to the industry. Audiences were made to believe the actors in the film were really missing. By using the internet and advertising to a wider range of people Blair Witch is now a cult classic, despite being a terrible horror film. But most importantly it paved the way for movie marketing in the 21st Century. Without it we would have no Paranormal Activity (2007) franchise which successfully copies the hand held camera/found footage technique.

Horror seems to have been on the back-burner during the naughties; there are maybe one or two worthwhile horror films in a year. But apart from these many are cheap B movie horrors that come and go straight to DVD, with little or no marketing to attract audiences. There have been interesting ideas in the last decade The Ring (2002), The Grudge (2004) and Rec. (2007) were all successful but all followed the same pattern; they were remade from the original, often better foreign film. Saw (2004) became the new horror franchise to follow, bringing gore and torture front and centre. Along with Final Destination (2000) about a group of teenagers who survive an accident only to have death hunt them down one by one to correct the balance.

There have been a number of high quality horror pictures recently due in most part to director James Wan who brought the world of Saw to life 10 years ago. He has reinvented horror films and brought realistic scares back to a dying genre. Supernatural horror was the trend in 2012 and 2013 with Insidious (2010) and its sequel (2013) being hugely popular and genuinely scary, it had a great script and plot which has been sorely missed in many horror films of recent years, and a spin-off Annabelle coming later this year. Wan said an apparent goodbye to horror with the spine tingling The Conjuring (2013) about a real-life paranormal investigating couple at their peak in the 1970's, which will get

a sequel next year though perhaps without Wan's involvement. Hammer studios also made a comeback after a nearly 30 year hiatus with The Woman in Black (2012) Daniel Radcliffe’s first post-Potter attempt. This is yet another film with a quality story behind it, a good cast and genuine scares, it's sequel The Woman in Black: Angel of Death  is due in 2015.

With a list of impressive films in the last two years and many successful actors more than willing to get their hands dirty it looks like the horror genre is done stumbling and might be in for a cracking few years, here’s hoping.

Special Feature: Harry Potter

The Harry Potter series is one of the most financially successful and popular series in history, it has showcased some of the best British talent on offer and created huge stars of its young cast. For ten years the premiere of a Harry Potter film has been the biggest and most anticipated of the year.

As an avid reader and a huge fan of the books it was inevitable that I would see the films, as a nine year old when the first one came out I was the perfect age to enjoy it. As has now become tradition, I read the books every summer and then watch the films. 

However sad this may be I thoroughly enjoy myself. The first two films; Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone (2001) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) were both directed by Chris Columbus who made such classics as Home Alone (1990) and Mrs Doubtfire (1993). There was a lot of deliberation about who would helm the films but I think especially for the origin it was a fantastic choice. Both Philosophers Stone and the Chamber of secrets are the lightest in tone. They have a more colourful palette and are purely magical films. So to get Columbus to direct two films so child based was a great idea. Both films have very simple plot lines and Chamber of secrets especially is incredibly funny. It’s hard to say what makes a perfect cast but I think the Harry Potter series just about nailed it. Can you really imagine anyone else playing Severus Snape other than Alan Rickman? Would there have been anyone more suited to playing Hagrid than Robbie Coltrane? The children being so young completely inhabited the parts they played with each coming film, so much so that they have fought a hard battle with type-casting the last few years as everyone all over the world associates Radcliffe, Grint and Watson with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Alfonso Cuaron directed The Prisoner of Azkaban which was released in 2004. This was the least profitable of the series, but saying that it still made $249 million, which isn’t bad in the scheme of things, it is also one of my favourites. The Mexican director Cuaron may have seemed an odd choice for this, but he has worked on other films for young audiences. Including a childhood favourite of mine; A Little Princess (1995), he successfully managed to darken the tone of the film, not just with use of the script but with cinematography, he also added a little kookiness that is not in any of the other films and was Cuaron's own flourish on the finished product. He has more recently proved just how much of a cinematic genius he is with the release of Gravity (2013).  We are introduced to a selection of new characters; therefore even more of Britain’s insane acting talent, Emma Thompson and Gary Oldman being among them. This is also the film that changed locations and became the standard for the rest of the saga.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) was the first of the larger books to made, therefore harder to adapt as completely as the previous three. The producer of the series David Heyman and his team decided that they would concentrate on the plot that involved Harry and everything that was seen through his eyes. This was an effective way of cutting out extra story lines that would not be necessarily needed in the film. Mike Newell known for Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) directed and decided to have a typical English boarding school environment to the film, amongst all the magic of course. This does not seem to be a fan favourite despite having amazing effects such as the dragon and underwater sequences. Maybe it flits from one thing to the next just a bit too much.                                      

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) began the tenure of David Yates who directed the rest of the series. He came up with just the right formula of tension, drama and magic that was needed to attract audiences and keep them coming back year after year. This movie also added the romantic element between Ron and Hermione, which is one of the most interesting developments in the books. This aged the films tone slightly to keep up with the original audience who were growing up as fast as the cast. The most important thing about the movie is the development of character. Yates was obviously keen to create some depth to the returning characters, this came with a fresh, tight script, and a new villain causing lots of trouble in the guise of Professor Umbridge played brilliantly by Imelda Staunton.

Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince (2009) is the film that seems to get forgotten about. Though story-wise it is incredibly important as it explains the origins of Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) power and the connection he has with Harry. Looking back it also has a very subtle humour in this film. It is amazing that in each movie the film-makers were able to add more ingenious ways to keep the audience invested. Whether it was with extravagant sets, computer generated effects, or new characters, there was always something fresh that kept audiences lining up for miles to see each film.  

The Last Harry Potter book is absolutely by far the stand out novel of the entire series, it explains everything that has been left unsaid throughout the plot and it rounds everything off perfectly in a wave of emotion and thrilling suspense. Because of its importance it was decided that there would be two films so that nothing would be left out. The Deathly Hallows Part one was released in 2010, it was highly anticipated of course but I feel that most people think it is a bit of a let-down; it has a lot of camping and a lot of moving around but little action. I personally think the film is excellent and it develops the characters and shows their growth and emotional baggage like no other film before it due to the time they had to spend on them. It may be the penultimate film and many simply want to get to the finale to see the big set pieces, but there are some exceptional moments in Part 1, proving that you don’t need to explode sets or use effects to create a great scene.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011) was possibly the most highly anticipated film of this century so far. I have never seen a film so advertised and people get so excited about its release. I was lucky enough to get a ticket to the midnight showing of the film and it was an unbelievable experience. The excitement buzzed in the air, and the queues went all the way down the street to the car park. It is a very emotional film, characters get killed off and Hogwarts is partially destroyed. But not only that I think most people, myself included, were devastated that the series was coming to an end. This was it, the last one; we would never get to do this again. It might sound stupid, but for fans this had been an annual or almost annual occurrence for ten years of our lives. For most of us we had grown up with Harry, Ron and Hermione and were entering adulthood ourselves. It was with a heart-wrenching feeling that we left the cinema knowing that we had just seen the last of a tremendous saga.

If I was truly honest with myself I would have to admit that the films do have some most obvious flaws. The biggest for me being the script, the stories themselves are fantastic but I feel that some of the dialogue used, especially in the earlier films sounds false and makes the acting look bad and frankly makes you want to cringe. Granted some of the acting in the first few movies cannot be called great either but it did get better.

Another flaw for me is the way the films have been adapted, this may just be my point of view as I prefer the books, but I feel that too many things have been left out. I know it is hard to adapt books that are as large as the last 4 but when you compare the first three to the later films I don’t think they are in the same league in terms of quality. They are perfectly adapted and make sense to the audience. The later films miss certain points and then carry on with later plot lines which relate to the missed out information; the audience can then not understand what the characters mean. My prime example for this is my own experience at the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. When Harry says to Lupin “Remus your son” a member of the audience actually said huh? out loud. The fact that Remus Lupin and Tonks have a baby called Teddy is never mentioned in the film but this line refers to it. Not everyone reads the books so there are definitely moments when I think non-readers must be terribly confused. But that might just be me picking.

Everybody has examples of scenes or characters or just lines that they don’t like or makes them cringe to be watching. But it can’t be denied that there is a love for this saga that just doesn’t come around very often, the stars themselves have stated that a Harry Potter premier is an event unlike any other. The huge fan base for these films does not occur every day or even every year. It is a rare occurrence when something can strike hold of audiences and keep them coming back for more.

We could probably count on both hands how many times this has happened; it is this element that makes the Harry Potter series so special. The utter love that people have for the whole package; whether it is the films, the books, the actors whatever part it’s simply magic. I don't think I could have a complete friendship with a person if they had not (or even worse refused to) see the Harry Potter Saga, there are so few franchises that can build a complete world and drop you in it for a few stunning and miraculous hours. We should take advantage and watch as often as possible. Enjoy!

Top 10 Steven Spielberg Films

No doubt about it Steven Spielberg is the most famous director on the planet.

Whether your a film fan or not you know the name Spielberg, and with that comes so many meanings. You think action, adventure, Oscars, John Williams and above all else heart. All of the films created by Spielberg have a tonne of the heartfelt stuff at their centre.
Steven Spielberg was a very determined and very lucky young man when he wondered onto the Universal lot on a studio tour and basically never left. His first made-for-TV movies were noticed by critics and he was given the chance to make a small thriller about a shark.....Know the one?

With the release of Jaws when he was just 27 years old, Spielberg became one of the best known and highly anticipated of film Directors. He has since made so many classic movies you can't count them on 2 hands. He has also won 2 Oscars for Best Director. Here is my list of my top Steven Spielberg movies.

 10 - Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Running Time: 2 Hours 45 mins
Genre: War/Drama
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore

Considered by many to be the greatest War film of all time, the opening 25 minutes on the beach of Normandy is one of the most realistic and harrowing portrayals of war ever committed to film. I find this film very difficult to watch due to this realism, nevertheless it is an amazing piece of work. Hanks' Cpt. Miller and his small group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose remaining brothers have all been killed in action. This won Spielberg his second Oscar for Best Director.

 09 - Schindler's List (1993)

Running Time: 3 Hours 15 mins
Genre: Biography/War/Drama
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley

Perhaps the greatest film of his career Spielberg said "This is the first movie with a message I have ever attempted. It's a very simple message - that something like this should never happen again." Close to his heart due to it's serious look at the treatment of Jews during WW2. Neeson plays a German businessman who becomes increasingly involved in helping his Jewish workers after seeing their horrendous persecution by the Nazis especially Fiennes hateful Amon Goeth. A long but superb picture earning Spielberg his first Oscar.

 08 - Catch Me if you Can (2002)

Running Time: 2 Hours 20 mins
Genre: Biography/Crime/Drama
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christopher Walken

However fantastical this tale may seem it is actually the true story of Frank Abagnale Jr. who made notoriety conning millions of dollars worth of cheques as a Pan Am Pilot, Doctor and Legal Prosecutor all before the age of 19. DiCaprio plays the young con artist who you cannot help but like who is chased across the country by Spielberg regular Tom Hanks as Detective Carl Hanratty. An interesting film with what appears to be a rather superficial tone on sight but which actually has many depths namely the relationship between Abagnale and his disappointing yet idolised father (Walken) and Hanratty.

07 - The Terminal (2004)

Running Time: 2 Hours 05 mins
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta Jones, Stanley Tucci

Collaborating again with good friend Hanks the two have created a heart-warming film about a visiting immigrant who finds himself stranded at JFK Airport after his country goes to war and it is no longer a country recognised by the U.S. Hilarity ensues as Hanks' Viktor Navorski learns to live in the Airport and his gentle and friendly nature earns him many friends throughout the staff. This is a much better film than it seems, not his biggest hit but a really lovely film for a rainy afternoon.

06 - The Color Purple (1985)

Running Time: 2 Hours 35 mins
Genre: Drama
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey

During a college English Lit course I read The Color Purple, on learning it was a Spielberg film I immediately bought the film. I was spellbound by the performances I witnessed. Goldberg is committed to this performance down to her very bones and what makes this so spectacular is that it was her first film and she is now known as a successful comedienne. But her Celie a young girl suffering the indignity of being impregnated by her father twice and then having her babies taken away. Then sold to a truly awful man (Glover) who makes her life a misery is genuinely moving.
05 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Running Time: 1 Hour 55 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Jonathan Ke Quan

Raiders of the Lost Ark is always the film that fans and critics alike recognise however for me this is the best film in the series. Adventure and action just like the first but much funnier and Kate Capshaw makes a hilarious sidekick to Ford's rugged architect. Searching for a mystical stone and stumbling across a secret cult this has Indy in a lot of scrapes. And don't forget it also features Data from The Goonies (1985) must be why there are so many booby-traps about (sorry).

 04 - Jaws (1975)

Running Time: 2 Hours
Genre: Thriller/Adventure
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Roy Sheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss

This is undoubtedly the most important film of Spielberg's career, it put him on the map, gave him the freedom with the studios and also became the highest grossing movie of all time changing movie distribution in the process. However it was a nightmare shoot with a mechanical shark (Bruce) crucial to the film, that would not work in the water. It all worked out though with Scheider's scared of water police chief almost single handedly saving a sea-side resort town from a huge great white shark. He has the help of a alcohol fuelled fisherman and a young scientist, they are way out of their league.

03 - Hook (1991)

Running Time: 2 Hours 20 mins
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure/Family
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts

With the passing of the great Robin Williams recently this, one of his many great family films has been shown on many TV channels. As a child this story of a grown up Peter Pan (Williams) who has no memory of his former life but is forced to remember when his old nemesis Captain Hook (Hoffman) kidnaps his children captivated me. I cannot count how many times I have seen it, the adventure, the cast and the score (trusty John Williams) enthralled again and again. Watch this and bring out your inner child.

 02 - Jurassic Park (1993)

Running Time: 2 Hours 05 mins
Genre: Adventure/Fantasy/Thriller
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum

He created the summer blockbuster with Jaws and he topped himself with this Sci-fi hit. Neil and Dern's palaeontologists and Goldblum's mathematician are invited to preview a theme park on an isolated island by rich businessman John Hammond (the great late Richard Attenborough). The difference with this park being that instead of rides there are scientifically cloned dinosaurs behind electric fences. When the power goes down and the decidedly viscous dinos get loose it becomes a fight for survival.

01 - E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

Running Time: 1 Hour 55 mins
Genre: Fantasy/Family
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote

Another of my childhood favourites this is Spielberg's ultimate family film. It tells the story of Elliot a young boy reeling from his parents divorce who finds an alien in his garden and after discovering his friendly nature decides to keep him. Introducing a young Drew Barrymore and the cutest alien ever seen on film this story of friendship has stood the test of time and still to this day makes me cry like a baby at the films final scene. The most infectious of all his films this can be watched repeatedly, I should know.


This was a hard list to make, there are just so many great Spielberg movies, how can you honestly make a definitive list. I believe there is a Spielberg movie for every mood with so many great films you'll never get bored and they are so enjoyable you will watch them again and again. Spielberg is one Director responsible for my great love of movies and for such an exciting childhood, he inspired my imagination and I will be forever grateful.
Let me know what you think of the list and what Director's moulded your childhood.

Richard Attenborough Tribute

I have just heard the sad news that another screen legend has passed away. Lord Richard Attenborough the incomparable British Actor and Director passed away today at the age of 90.

Many images come to mind; a kindly old man in white with an amber headed cane who wanted to create a theme park with Dinosaurs. This was of course John Hammond in the great Steven Spielberg classic Jurassic Park (1993) of which many people when they see or hear his name have associated him with for over 20 years.

However this was much later in his career, that same year he was honoured by the queen for his stage work and his talent in front of and behind the camera. Attenborough's crowning acheivement in the world of film will likely be remembered as the Oscar winning Best Picture of 1982 Gandhi of which Attenborough directed stunningly and was awarded with the Best Director statuette that year.

But what may not be widely known is how prominent he was behind the scenes of cinema, the efforts he went to to preserve and establish film especially the British film industry which gave him his start in the early 1940's. He came onto the scene in 1942 but got critics and audiences attention with Brighton Rock (1947) playing Pinkie Brown. I cannot profess to have seen many of his films but there are a handful of stand out roles for which I greatly admire him. Nobody can forget Big X in The Great Escape (1963) the brains behind the operation, this film showed off his subtle acting talents and put him together with a group of the finest actors of the era. The original The Flight of the Phoenix (1965) put him toe to toe with legendary James Stewart. And a film I will always remember for the exquisite performance is that of the murderer Christie in 10 Rillington Place (1971) superb performing in a tension filled but downplayed British thriller.

However for me, my memory of Richard Attenborough is ingrained in my imagination from my childhood; Richard Attenborough will always be, as he has every year since I was old enough to watch a movie Santa Clause. Miracle on 34th Street (1994) is the quintessential Christmas movie and one of the rare occurrences a remake is as good if not better than the original (made in 1947 with Edmund Gwenn). Every year I watch this ultimate feel good movie and marvel at the man in the red suit who just makes you believe in goodness and generosity. It is one of my holiday favourites and I will watch it every year and continue to do so until I'm too old to watch films.

I personally thank Richard Attenborough for his great legacy of film work, setting children's imaginations wild with dinosaurs and making at least this little girl believe in Santa much longer than is probably acceptable.

RIP Richard Attenborough.

Audrey Hepburn: Star Profile

If there was one person I could emulate in all the world, I'm almost certain it would be Audrey Hepburn. In a career admired and beloved the world over she shows one thing above all else, her gentle, generous and loving soul. There are not many whom young people can look to today to idolise and follow. But Audrey Hepburn stands as an embodiment of grace and style for all the generations of women to come.

In a career spanning just 36 years in which she made only 29 films Audrey Hepburn has become one of the most recognised faces in the world. Despite passing away 21 years ago and walking away from movies 25 years ago she is still as popular today as the day she left.

From her harrowing youth in the harshest of war conditions to becoming the biggest movie star and fashion icon of the 50's and 60's I will be taking a look at the outstanding legacy Audrey Hepburn has left us.


Audrey Hepburn is one of the most beloved movie stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood, however this was not the plan, all she wanted to be was a ballerina. Born May 4th 1929 in Belgium to a Dutch Baroness and businessman father from a young age the baroness encouraged Audrey in dancing. However when World War 2 began 10 year old Audrey and her mother (her father left when she was young) were caught in the very middle of the war. By the time it ended the 16 year old was so malnourished and had missed so many vital training years that she was unable to follow this path. She did however work as a model and make a few small appearances in movies; the most recognisable of which was the Ealing comedy The Lavender Hill Mob (1951). Whilst appearing in a small part in the forgettable film Monte Carlo Baby (1953) Audrey was noticed by the French author Collette who happened to be searching for the lead in the upcoming Broadway production of her novel Gigi. Collette saw the beautiful 24 year old and pronounced she had found her Gigi (despite no training for the stage - this was immaterial). With a lot of work Audrey was a success, many critics noted her obvious inexperience but due to her utter magnetism saw it only as a small insignificant issue.

Whilst performing in Gigi Audrey was noticed by Hollywood producers and immediately given the starring role alongside Gregory Peck in William Wyler's Roman Holiday (1953). She would play a princess bored and stifled by the rules and regulations her station commanded. After becoming hysterical she is given a sedative, only to run away into Rome. She is found falling asleep on a bench by a reporter (Peck) desperate for a good story, he takes her home and they end up spending the entire next day together doing all the things the princess has never been able to do. Roman Holiday is a beautifully made film (filmed on location in Rome) and a simple and effective love story. Her innocence and style shone through from the very first frame. Wisely perceiving how big a star this début would make Audrey, Gregory Peck demanded that her name go above the title next to his (this was unheard of and also an extremely generous gesture, the two remained friends until her death). Peck was correct in his assumptions, Audrey won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance.

Audrey was a hot commodity and she was rushed straight into the next feature of the incomparable Billy Wilder; Sabrina (1954) the film would also co-star Humphrey Bogart and William Holden. Audrey would play a chauffeur's daughter who is in love with the youngest son David (Holden) of the well-to-do Larrabee family. She goes away to Paris and returns a sophisticated Parisian woman (this would mark the beginning of her famous lifelong partnership with the designer Hubert De Givenchy). When Sabrina comes in the middle of an important merger that requires David to marry, straight, businesslike - older brother Linus Larrabee (Bogart) intercepts intending to send her straight back to Paris however the two fall in love and the plans go awry. Looking back now the film is great but rather hilarious as the age difference between Hepburn and Bogart was significantly noticeable. But this became a pattern in Hepburn's films, she frequently worked with some of the best leading men in Hollywood, but most were many years her senior; Fred Astaire in the Musical Funny Face (1957) and Gary Cooper in Love in the Afternoon (1958) another Billy Wilder classic romance added to this list in the coming years.

Audrey did take some missteps in her career choices the likes of the epic flop War and Peace (1956) with her husband Mel Ferrer and Green Mansions (1959) under Ferrer's direction. It became apparent that working with her husband was not a successful pairing. After these flops and a series of successful romantic comedies she decided to show her skills with The Nun's Story (1959) the true story of Sister Luke's experiences in a convent and her eventual decision to leave. Films like this and The Children's Hour (1961) in which she plays a young married teacher caught in a scandalous rumour accusing her and another teacher (Shirley MacLaine) of a homosexual relationship (risky for the time) proved that Audrey had hidden depths and could handle tough material, and successfully.

If there was one film upon which Audrey Hepburn's whole image as a film and fashion icon could rest on it would be Blake Edward's adaptation of Truman Capote's novel Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). It is common knowledge today that Capote did not want Audrey for the role of single quirky Holly Golightly (he wanted Marilyn Monroe) it is also said that Audrey herself knew she was not completely suited to the part due to her wholesome image. However she desperately wanted the role and fought for it. Her Holly is on the surface a confidant wacky girl with a liking for Tiffany's diamonds but underneath she is a contradicting vulnerable bundle of nerves. I personally agree that the Hepburn image may not have been right at the time, but she pulled out all the stops and created a character that could now not be played by any other actress, let alone Marilyn Monroe. Givenchy excelled himself for this film, Audrey's little black dress, sunglasses and pearls can be seen on posters, canvasses mugs and all manner of merchandise all over the world to this day. She has become with this character one of the most popular images in history.

After a two year break to work on her troubled marriage Audrey made Charade (1963) a Hitchcock style caper with the much older Cary Grant, and Paris When it Sizzles (1964) a romantic comedy full of industry insider jokes which reunited her with William Holden. It was not highly praised by either critics or audiences however I believe it is much better than given credit for. But this was neither here nor there for Audrey, who at this time was busy fighting for the role of the decade, a character every woman in Hollywood would love to play; Elizabeth Doolittle in George Cukor's adaptation of the tremendously successful stage play My Fair Lady (1964). Audrey was offered the part but initially turned it down when it became clear that the public was very much behind the unknown lead of the Broadway production; Julie Andrews. When Jack Warner of Warner Bros. was going to offer it to a third actress (he refused to cast the untested Andrews in the biggest feature of the decade ) Audrey decided she could do it as well as the third person and accepted the role. Audrey was excellent in the speaking role, she was utterly perfect as the transformed sophisticated Eliza. However there were issues against her from the beginning which were held against her throughout. Many could not except this style icon who naturally had so much poise and grace as a cockney flower girl; filthy and uneducated. More importantly the role required a strenuous amount of singing, no problem for the 4 Octave Soprano voice of Julie Andrews. But it was clear from the beginning that Audrey's voice was not going to cut it, despite leading her to believe that she was improving (she worked every day with a vocal coach) and would perform many of the songs if not all of but large sections, Warner Bros, hired vocalist Marnie Nixon to dub Audrey in almost every instance, Audrey was devastated. When the film was released it did well but many critics and audiences alike held the dubbing against Audrey, when the Academy Awards came round the next year the film won 8 Oscars, but Audrey wasn't even nominated. The winner of the Best Actress Oscar that year; Julie Andrews for her film debut with Walt Disney as Mary Poppins. In her speech she thanked Jack Warner for her award; the best come back ever to any studio head.

My Fair Lady was the last big hit for Audrey for the rest of the sixties she made a handful of good films but they neither reached the success of her early hits or made much impact on the public. How to Steal a Million (1966) with Peter O'Toole was a crime comedy, Two for the Road (1967) and Wait until Dark (1967) both showed a rarely seen side of Audrey the former with Albert Finney was a close inspection at the highs and lows of a married couple over the years (Audrey could relate closely to this, as her marriage was failing at the time). The latter was a thriller in which she plays a blind woman terrorised in her own apartment, a great performance and reviews could not make Audrey satisfied. She walked away from Hollywood to concentrate on her personal life, she didn't return to the screen for 9 years.

In her absence movies had changed, they had become more realistic and violent, as with so many other stars from the studio era, this style of film just didn't suit Audrey she came back for Robin and Marian (1976) in which she plays an older Maid Marian to Sean Connery's ageing Robin Hood. Not exactly a triumph but drew audiences who simply wanted to see Audrey in any way. She made Bloodline (1979) and They All laughed (1981) both with Ben Gazzara however both were flops, her ability to pick good scripts seemed to have failed her by this stage in her life, she was much more content being at home in Switzerland; away from it all with her sons, her pets and her garden.

She was drawn back for one last movie by non other than Steven Spielberg for his less than successful story about a daredevil pilot in love with a girl but takes one too many risks. A strange but touching movie which unfortunately at the time never found its audience Always (1989) saw Audrey in a role that could not be more suited to the glorified image the public had created for her. She played Hap a spiritual guide/Angel, whatever she was, she was from heaven and she was simply heavenly in it. The films star Richard Dreyfuss and Director Spielberg have both stated that when discussing the part of Hap in pre-production Audrey's name was mentioned for the role. Everyone there unanimously agreed there could be absolutely no other person to portray her. What a way to bow out, a being from heaven.

Movies had taken a back seat in Audrey's life she had found a new and more fulfilling calling. She had become a UNICEF Ambassador in the late 80's, her great love for children urged her to spend a good time of the year visiting some of the most dangerous places in the world raising awareness and making a difference to the often war torn and draught ravaged countries.She alerted people of the tragedies occurring to millions of children across the world.

On a trip to Somalia in September of 1992 Audrey complained of stomach pains. She went to a hospital on her return home where she and her family were given the tragic news that she had cancer. It was advanced and she had only a few months. Audrey as was her style came to terms with this quickly and then made it her business to make sure everyone else was OK. Audrey Hepburn died at her home in Switzerland surrounded by her loved ones on January 20th 1993 just 4 months after her diagnosis.

There are few stars who are as popular today as they were at their peak, but Audrey Hepburn is topping that minority and amazingly her peak was over 50 years ago. She changed the image of the modern woman in the 1950's and 60's and could be seen whether in hairstyle or wardrobe all over the world. For any movie fan Hepburn should be at the top of your list, she instils in her movies a soul that can be felt all these years later. She was one of the few who was naturally imbued with an obvious grace and kindness that radiates through the screen, her magnetic features drawing audiences to her like almost no other star.

Top 10 Robin Williams Films

Robin Williams tragically left us earlier this month, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who was truly upset by the news. I'm also 110% certain that I am not the only one who thinks....no knows, that he was not only a comedic genius but a genuinely amazing actor.
A lot of his films have been previewed on Television in the last few weeks, and rightly so, they prove that he really was a chameleon; able to fit himself into all manner of characters.

The one that stood out however was Good Will Hunting (1997) which won him the Best Supporting Actor at the 1998 Oscars. I sat and watched this film last week with my family and can honestly say I was astounded by his performance. I had seen the film in the past, quite a few years ago and I remember him being good, but not this good.
He showed a hidden depth and vulnerability he was able to hide with his comic roles, of which he will no doubt be remembered but I think everyone should witness his performance in this film, it shows what he was....Extraordinary!

10 - Insomnia (2002)

Running Time: 1 Hour 55 mins
Genre: Crime/Thriller
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank

This is a brilliant thriller from the Director come legend Chris Nolan, as with all of Nolan's films across the board the focus is on the script; and it would have to be a great one to attract Oscar winners Pacino, Williams and Swank who have a total of four Academy Awards between them. Pacino is an experienced cop brought in to a town which never sees darkness to solve a murder. Williams is brilliant in a rare turn as the bad guy whose crimes can't be traced and is taking great pleasure toying with the exhausted cop.

09 - Jumanji (1995)

Running Time: 1 Hour 45 mins
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure/Family
Director: Joe Johnston
Stars: Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, Kirsten Dunst

A childhood favourite of any nineties child, I have fond memories of repeated viewings of Williams as Alan Parrish a young boy who finds a game and upon playing disappears into it only to reappear 30 years later to finish the game and restore the lives of all the players to normality. This fantasy film still holds up today it has a great story which was taken seriously by the brilliant cast and features many special effects that still look stunning.
But the whole film would be nothing without Williams, as usual he is excellent in the role.

 08 - Dead Poets Society (1989)

Running Time: 2 Hours 05 mins
Genre: Drama
Director: Peter Weir
Stars: Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard

One of few films Williams is remembered for playing a serious role, but one of his best. He plays new English teacher John Keating who inspires his students in an all boys school through poetry to seize the day and be more than they think they can be. His teaching though brief stays with each student and changes them for life. The last scene in this movie would in itself be a moving tribute to Williams on his passing. A fantastic film, highly underrated, Oh Captain, my Captain!

07 - Good Morning Vietnam (1987)

Running Time: 2 Hours
Genre: War/Comedy/Drama
Director: Barry Levinson
Stars: Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker, Bruno Kirby

There has never been and never will be a performer as fast and improvising as Robin Williams. He proves this with his exceptional performance as Adrian Cronauer an unconventional DJ who is sent to the Army radio station in Vietnam and leaves a verbal hurricane in his wake.
This is a very moving film as well as being hilariously funny. Williams has always been a master at mixing both humour and heart. He captures the seriousness of war as well as splitting our sides with outrageous jokes.

06 - Bicentennial Man (1999)

Running Time: 2 Hours 10 mins
Genre: Fantasy/Drama/Romance
Director: Chris Columbus
Stars: Robin Williams, Embeth Davidtz, Sam Neill

A strange Sci-fi about an android in the future who learns what it is to be human and begins a lifetime attempt to become one, to find himself and for the love of a family and one woman.
It is a story that crosses a great period of time, Williams is convincing in his role as a robot progressively becoming more human. Davidtz plays multiple roles and at different ages, it is credit to both the performers that the audience can easily differentiate between characters and ages.
A great movie from a great Director; Chris Columbus who in 2 short years would give us Harry Potter.

05 - Good Will Hunting (1997)

Running Time: 2 Hours 05 mins
Genre: Drama
Director: Gus Van Sant
Stars: Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck

This is without a doubt one of the greatest roles of William's career, the Oscar winning screenplay was written by two young boys Matt Damon and Ben Affleck whose own careers started due to this film. Williams won the Best Supporting Oscar for his role as Sean Maguire a grieving psychologist assigned to help Will Hunting (Damon) a young mathematical genius with a lot of problems. The performances here are stunning, the scene in the park is outstanding, the speech Williams gives is by far some of the greatest acting and scriptwriting in cinema.

04 - Hook (1991)

Running Time: 2 Hours 20 mins
Genre: Adventure/Fantasy/Family
Director: Steven Spielberg
Stars: Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts

This is one of many great family films that Robin Williams has made. As a child, this story of a grown up Peter Pan (Williams) who has no memory of his former life but is forced to remember when his old nemesis Captain Hook (Hoffman) kidnaps his children captivated me. I cannot count how many times I have seen it, the adventure, the cast and the score (John Williams) enthralled again and again. Watch this and bring out your inner child.

03 - Jack (1996)

Running Time: 1 Hour 50 mins
Genre: Family/Comedy
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Stars: Robin Williams, Diane Lane, Jennifer Lopez

Another of my childhood favourites; looking back my childhood was filled with Robin Williams. This is an extremely funny yet moving film about a boy who has an ageing disorder; he is ageing at four times the normal rate. Therefore by the age of ten he looks like a 40 year old man. Coppola an odd choice for this style of film creates a heart-warming story of friendship, growing up and trying to fit in with a backdrop of scientific fantasy. Williams is perfectly suited to the role of Jack Powell a 10 year old starting fifth grade as the ultimate outsider. You can't help but love this film, a must see Williams performance.


02 - Patch Adams (1998)

Running Time: 1 Hour 55 mins
Genre: Biography/Comedy/Drama
Director: Tom Shadyac
Stars: Robin Williams, Monica Potter, Philip Seymour Hoffman

The biography of Doctor Patch Adams whose philosophy on helping patients in the 1970's was based on using humour was a perfect fit for Robin Williams. He could almost effortlessly get the right mix for the comic moments and serious drama.
This is a great film to show off Williams' talents, you laugh and cry and are genuinely moved by both performance and story.

01 - Mrs Doubtfire (1993)

Running Time: 2 Hours 05 mins
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Family
Director: Chris Columbus
Stars: Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan

A one man show of all the greatest aspects of Robin Williams skill, Mrs Doubtfire is one of his greatest achievements. Seeing him portray Daniel Hillard an actor invested more in his children than anything else. After a bitter divorce from his wife (Field) in which he is given only one day a week visitation rights he decides to dress up as an old English housekeeper; Euphegenia Doubtfire to be near his children, with hilarious results. An extremely funny film but with a lot of serious aspects hidden beneath the humour. A must see for any Williams fans.


It is sad to think that there will be no more films to come from the great comedian. From first leaping onto the scene as alien Mork from Ork in Mork & Mindy (1978-1982) through his greatest family films, his comedy and his serious portrayals which took us all by surprise Robin Williams has brought an indescribable amount of joy to millions. I am sure many will flock to see his last performance in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb  released at Christmas. We are privileged he has left us this amazing legacy so we can forever see his amazing work.