Saturday, 21 January, 2012
As we mentioned a few weeks back, the first month of the KCCUK’s 2012 – Year of the 12 Directors season draws to a close with a Q&A with director Lee Myung-se (Nowhere To Hide, M) and a screening of Duelist.
What wasn’t clear initially was that this will not take place at the KCCUK, nor will it be free. (Shame, but this is one hell of an event?) The screening will take place at the Apollo cinema, Piccadilly Circus, and tickets can be purchased directly from their site.
Thursday, 12 January, 2012
It’s hardly as if I’ve stopped banging on about it, but as part of BFI Southbank’s short season to bring in the Chinese New Year offer’s another chance to see A Simple Life (actually ahead of it’s Hong Kong release!)…
Directed by Ann Hui and with brilliant performances by Deanie Yip and Andy Lau, this moving film is littered with star-studded cameos – including a hilarious appearance by Tsui Hark. Unmissable for fans of Hong Kong cinema, it’ll also appeal to anyone that like intelligent filmmaking.
There’ll be two screenings in mid February. One’s a senior matinee, so I suggest getting your grey wig now in case tickets for the other showing have sold out!
The season will also include Confucius, Woman Basketball Player No. 5 (a freebie for Seniors – wtf?) a special selection of rarely seen documentaries under the banner Unseen China.
» See the BFI’s website for a full listing and details on how to book.
This year the Korean Cultural Centre UK’s Film Night takes a very different guise this year as they begin their 2012 – Year of the 12 Directors strand.
Each month will feature a different director, as films from their career are screened on a weekly basis culminating in a Q&A with the director himself.
First to be featured is Lee Myung-se, one of the first directors to emerge from the South Korean new wave of the 90s, his action thriller Nowhere To Hide was easily the earliest to get the scene noticed on an international scale (particularly here in the UK).
Nowhere To Hide kicked off the season last week (yep, sorry – was away in NZ!), it continues with M this Thursday (12th January) at 7pm, with Gagman the following week (19th) and finally Duelist on 26th, where the director will appear for a Q&A.
Admission is free. Places can be reserved by visiting the Film Night page on the KCCUK website and clicking on the film you wish to book.
Studio Ghibli’s marvellous Arrietty is released today on Blu-ray, DVD and a Deluxe Collector’s Double Play edition with 5 postcards by StudioCanal UK (formally Optimum Releasing) . A real return to form after the likeable but not quite classic Ponyo and disastrous Tales Of Earthsea, Ghibli head Hayao Miyazaki worked on the screenplay from Mary Norton’s much-loved children’s story, creating something really special with Hiromasa Yonebayashi taking the helm on directing.
All versions come with these extras: storyboards; trailers and japanese tv spots; interviews with Hayao Miyazaki and Hiromasa Yonebayashi; and Cecile Corbel “Arrietty’s Song” promotional video.
Wednesday, 14 December, 2011
London Korean Film Festival truly done and dusted, their Korean Film Night returns this week with the appropriately festive Happy Eros Christmas, starring Kim Sun Ah, Cha Tae-Hyun and Park Yeong-gyu, and directed by Lee Geon-dong.
The film will be screened this Thursday evening at 7pm, 15 December. Screenings are free but places must be booked in advance. Note that visitors cannot be admitted after 7.10pm.
» See the official KCCUK website for more information
Monday, 12 December, 2011
Well done to the winner of our competition for a years’ digital subscription to The Dark Side. You should be contacted very soon about your prize.
We’ll have more chances to win great prizes soon, so for the rest of you stay tuned for our next competition!
Courtesy of Tiger Rock, Steve Kerridge’s book The Bruce Lee Chronicles: Volume 1 reveals the true story behind the making of his most personal movie, Way of the Dragon.
Packed with rare and collectable photographs, many from the Lee Family Archive, this extraordinary first volume features a foreward from Bruce Lee’s daughter Shannon Lee and takes an in-depth look at every pre-production milestone, preparations at the legendary Golden Harvest studios and much more!
The Bruce Lee Chronicles: Volume 1 is available to buy on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Kindle (rrp: £5.99) from Monday, 5 December.
You can pre-order the book for Apple platforms here.
