Films

The revolution introduced me to art, and art, in its own turn, brought me to the revolution.

Sergei Eisenstein

Monday, 26 June 2017 19:49

The art and politics of film after the Russian Revolution

Written by John Green

in Films

John Green outlines the role of film in the Bolshevik Revolution, and the profound and lasting influence of Russian revolutionary film-makers on cinema not only in the Soviet Union but across the world. According to the Bolshevik government’s first Commissar for Education, Anatoly Lunacharsky, Lenin remarked that, ‘Film for us…

Russian Revolution Eisenstein Vertov

Thursday, 22 June 2017 19:50

Not the Feelies

Written by Jenny Farrell

in Films

Jenny Farrell explains how Leviathan reveals the nature of capitalism. The dystopias of the mid-20th century, Brave New World (1932) and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), described with astonishing accuracy the world we live in today: thought police, news speak, genetic engineering, escapist drugs and a cinema that conditions people not to…

Leviathan capitalism Modern Russia

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 16 June 2017 13:36

Cannes 70 Final Round-Up

in Films

Written by Dennis Broe

Dennis Broe gives his final report and round-up from Cannes. This is Bro on the World Film Beat “Breaking Glass” in my final report from Cannes 2017............ Cannes Redux: Top Films Outside the Main Competition My colleagues have gone home long ago, but I’m still wandering the Croissette here at…

Cannes 70 directions Patti Cake$ Wind River

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Tuesday, 13 June 2017 19:45

Cannes 70 Part 3: Best of the Fest

in Films

Written by Dennis Broe

Dennis Broe runs through the best of the fest at Cannes this year. What were the two most prominent stories at the 70th iteration of the Cannes Film Festival, the ultimate competition and market for cinema? One was the increased presence of the streaming cable service Netflix, which seldom even opens…

Cannes 70 the villainess twin peaks western a ciambra directions

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 02 June 2017 20:34

Cannes 70 Part 2

in Films

Written by Dennis Broe

Dennis Broe in Cannes reports on migrants dying at the festival, heavy and stifling security, female warriors and the Golden Age of African Cinema. This is Bro on the World Film Beat Once Again “Breaking Glass” at the Cannes Film Festival. The prizes are in at the festival and first…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Wednesday, 31 May 2017 19:12

Cannes 70

in Films

Written by Dennis Broe

Dennis Broe has offered to undertake the arduous task of reporting on the Cannes Film Festival this year for Culture Matters. Here is his first report..... Bonjour from Cannes 70. The venerable film festival, the largest in the world, turned 70 this year and perhaps is showing some signs of…

Cannes 70

Saturday, 18 March 2017 15:37

Hypernormalisation

Written by Chris Jury

in Films

Chris Jury finds Adam Curtis's latest film to be memorable and compelling, but also irritatingly obscure. The term "hypernormalisation" is taken from Alexei Yurchak's 2006 book Everything Was Forever, Until It Was No More: The Last Soviet Generation, in which Yurchak argues that for many decades everyone had known the…

Hypernormalisation Adam Curtis fake news

Tuesday, 07 March 2017 20:33

Reykjavik Rising

Written by Danny Mitchell

in Films

In 2011 Danny Mitchell founded a voluntary film production group called Conscious Collective (consciouscollective.net) with his friend Rosa Weber. They were inspired by how Iceland had reacted to their economic crisis and felt frustrated that it wasn't getting any attention in the mainstream media. So they decided to do a…

Reykjavik Rising Pots and Pans Revolution

Friday, 23 December 2016 22:04

Dennis Broe's Top 10 TV Series in 2016: Hyperconglomeration, Seriality and Sameness

Written by Dennis Broe

in Films

Professor Dennis Broe offers his Top Ten TV series of 2016. Last year at this time it was a pleasure to report that the Comcast-Time-Warner merger had been halted. In this year of the Trump corporate giveaway, it is sad to watch the Charter-Time Warner merger approved so that essentially…

Friday, 23 December 2016 21:53

Dennis Broe's Top 10 Films in 2016: The Year of the Filmexit

Written by Dennis Broe

in Films

Professor Dennis Broe offers his top ten films of 2016. Two trends in the 2016 cinema. One is the continuing dominance of the television serial long form which is replacing much mid-level and indie film production, giving creators the opportunity to explore stories at length, so that the film Top…