MAD MEN AND WOMEN

The brilliant MAD MEN is back tonight on RTE at 12 midnight.....12 midnight what kind of fools are they in RTE who watches stuff at 12 midnight?I am at an age now where I need all the sleep I can get or else I get very grumpy.I suppose I will take a little nap earlier and wake up fresh for Don Draper and Betty and all the gang......great tv though.

Neglected irish film

Our first film of 2011 in athy film club was SMALL ENGINE REPAIR an irish film from 2006 and it was brilliant.I read an article recently on irish films and apparently it did not do well in the box office on its release, THIS IS A SHAME.It had a great soundtrack one of the best I have heard in a long time, see it on dvd if you can you could probably but it on amazon for a fiver....really
.Busy time at the old film club we are showing THE PIPE on sat.22 jan.looking forward to it big time.As usual the director is coming to host a Q&A its getting to the stage where we take it for granted that the director will show up for our saturday night specials....long may it last.
Back again in a couple of days
Hugh

New format

Hi all you havoc fans I am taking a new direction, short sharp swift havocs from now on.Too much happening at the moment to keep doing the long ones.....so watch this space..it could get a little ulysses around here

H.A.V.O.C.#13 (or the dog ate my blog) blog

Ok I've been here before, why has taken so long for another HAVOC? I presume millions of avid fans of my blog are out there clogging the message boards etc. as to what the subject of HAVOC #13 will be.Hmm.
I could give loads of excuses,busy with ATHY FILM CLUB stuff (not really we are back to just one movie a month at the moment)  the economy/recession (not true, recessions and bad times bring out the artistic streaks in most cases), is what I do artistic? hardly, hubristic maybe, ironic hopefully,sarcastic slightly.The truth is on these cold winter nights after being on ones feet all day one is inclined to be a little more tired than during the sunny? summer evenings.So one just sits and watches box sets on t.v.and generally vegetates.
But hey I'm back now,hopefully with something new every fortnight.Stability and consistency,my agent says will be good for my profile.And so to HACOC #13.
I did a HAVOC in the past dealing with THE COEN BROS. detailing my opinion on what were their best and worst films or whatever.Well this is one about RICHARD LINKLATER.Who you say?RICHARD LINKLATER ,I say.You have probably seen quite a few of his films but are just not aware of the fact.He is a director who seems at ease in any genre and is quite prolific.
After a couple of early small movies which made little impact LINKLATER burst (hardly burst more like emerged) on the scene with a teen slacker movie called.........SLACKER,one of the original of this generation of low/no budget films it was shot like a series of interviews if I remember correctly,I never saw it , only the trailer.
Then came DAZED AND CONFUSED ( the title of a LED ZEPELLIN song for all you musical philistines).This film was a lot more structured and featured a cast of young actors who have since become huge stars.MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY,BEN AFFLECK ,MILLA JOVOVICH,PARKER POSEY and WILEY WIGGINS(who?) to name a few.It was a clever coming of age film set on the last day of high school in a small Texas town.
I must warn you before we go any further that this is not a definitive list of LINKLATER movies just a selection of my favourites,so you can take it if I don't mention one of his films that YOU happen to love it means that I either hated it or didn't see it.
SUBURBIA, I dont know about,THE NEWTON BOYS was a great fun bankrobber film starring MATT McC again and ETHAN HAWKE (who also features in a few of his movies). TAPE starring ETHAN HAWKE is one I want to see.BEFORE SUNRISE and its sequel BEFORE SUNSET are two lovely romantic films which could only have been made before the introduction of FACEBOOK, see them and you'll know what I mean.
He has made a couple of films which were shot on digital film and then put through a process called rotoscoping,WAKING LIFE and A SCANNER DARKLY. The former I didn't see but the latter is based on a book by acclaimed SCI-FI writer PHILLIP K. DICK and is one of the best adaptations along with BLADE RUNNER of the writers work .TOTAL RECALL and MINORITY REPORT were also based on his writings.
LINKLATER also directed SCHOOL OF ROCK which I thoroughly enjoyed and is one of my kids favourite films.
FAST FOOD NATION.........I did not see ,but I  do like a burger every now and then.
The latest movie of his I saw was ME AND ORSON WELLES ,a brilliant movie based on a young actors (ZAC EFRON) relationship with you guessed it.It was shot on the Isle of Man of all places and starred Welsh singer CHRISTIAN McKAY in a magnificent portrayal of the great ORSON in his heyday.CLAIRE DANES also stars (swoon).
That's all for today hope to have a rant for you again in a couple of weeks
Hugh Hyland

H.A.V.O.C. #12

Seem to be going through a bit of a purple patch with the movie as of late.Went to Dublin on Sat. last to the LIGHTHOUSE cinema in Smithfield to see THE ILLUSIONIST by French director SYLVAIN CHOMET who made BELLVILLE RENDEZ-VOUS.It looks like I've got another one to add to my films of the year list!An animated feature directed more to an adult audience,not for the content,more for the style and pace.It tells the story of an ageing French magician who ends up in Edinburgh at the start of the 60's,who is struggling to get theatre bookings what with the onset of rock & roll and television.I would highly recommend this film.

As I said I saw THE ILLUSIONIST in the new LIGHTHOUSE cinema and what a fantastic cinema it is.This was my first visit to the LIGHTHOUSE in its current incarnation,been to the old one many many times and saw some great stuff there.It's hard to get to Dublin as much as we used to in the old (pre-kids) days.Back in the 90's we once saw 5 films in one day during the DUBLIN FILM FESTIVAL.We'd be hard pressed to do 1 a month nowadays hopefully that'll change soon.What with ATHYFILMCLUB responsibilities and all I'll have to keep up with current cinematic events.Who knows Cannes or Sundance or even Toronto might beckon.

Anyway the LIGHTHOUSE was designed by D.T.A. Architects who have an Athy connection (DEREK TYNAN),his son DAVE TYNAN is a filmmaker who has a huge hit on YOUTUBE.It's great to see an Independent cinema of such a scale in the capital.Who knows if I won the Lotto(a substantial one) I would probably build a 5 screen cinema in Athy showing mainstream movies and having 1 or 2 screens for all the QUIRKY,WEIRD,OFFBEAT,SUBTITLED,FOREIGN,ART HOUSE,INDEPENDENT,ALT-HOLLYWOOD,LOW-BUDGET,SPECIALIST,REVISIONIST WESTERN,VISIONARY EASTERN,NON-LINEAR NARRATIVE,DOCUMENTARY,ROCUMENTARY,MOCUMENTARY,REALIST,ABSURDIST,SURREAL and NON-POPULIST film that I like.Special discount for ATHYFILMCLUB members of course.Well I can dream............

Just watched the last episode of the 2nd series of BREAKING BAD....best t.v. show ever.I said that about DEADWOOD last year and THE WIRE the year before and THE SOPRANOS too at some stage in the past.I'm a bit promiscuous in my t.v. tastes.I've been kindly loaned the 1st and 2nd season box-set of MAD MEN by an esteemed film club member(thank you).I've seen bits of it and wondered whats all the fuss?,so now I'm going to go at it for real, obviously because of my new-found blogging status (status?) I have to be aware of these things.The 2nd series of TRUE BLOOD started on TG4 last week, it made TWIN PEAKS seem like THE RIORDANS it was that over the top.

Don't forget E.T. for Culture Night in association with ATHYFILMCLUB.We are endeavouring to cinematically educate the youth with this one.It's a free family friendly screening so don't expect the usual respectful hush as the film starts that you normally get at ATHYFILMCLUB screenings.

Should be fun!!!!!!

Hugh Hyland

H.A.V.O.C. #11

I mentioned the French gangster/prison film A PROPHET back in H.A.V.O.C.#5 ? Well I saw it recently.If you liked THE GODFATHER,if you loved GOODFELLAS,if you thought SCARFACE was the best film ever made,if you have a good stomach for extreme screen violence then YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS FILM!I'm here flicking through the thesaurus trying to find adjectives to describe this brilliant film.The phrase moral ambiguity comes to mind.The hero/villain commits some terrible acts but you cant help rooting for him.Unlike MESRINE which we showed in ATHYFILMCLUB recently,the hero/villain played by VINCENT CASSEL came across as a buffoon at the end of the movie.The hero/villain in A PROPHET comes across as a fairly reasonable guy who stuck in a situation not of his own making does what he has to to survive.If you have already seen this film you'll probably think I'm some kind of sociopath at this stage, but no, its just the way the film plays.

Last week I saw A SINGLE MAN starring COLIN FIRTH and directed by fashion designer TOM FORD.Needless to say the movie looked fabulous.All the clothes,houses,cars,everything looked sumptuous and all the period details (1960's) were spot on.It also starred NICOLAS HOULT,he was the kid in ABOUT A BOY,he's grown up and now looks like an all American poster boy.JULIANNE MOORE also stars and does a great British accent. Recommended.

I'm in a kind of good humour and I haven't got much to rant about so I'll stay with the positive stuff.Out at the end of the month is Sundance Grand Jury prize winner WINTERS BONE which I talked about before?The story of a 17 year old girl looking for her crank cooking criminal dad. Its set in the Ozarks in Southern Missouri.By all accounts its got a great soundtrack.Lots of banjo music!The film brushes aside all the DELIVERANCE cliches that we've been listening to for God knows how long.I'm going to try to get director DEBRA GRANIKS first feature DOWN TO THE BONE (starring VERA FARMIGA from UP IN THE AIR)on Amazon or somewhere.Cant wait ,love having a film to be excited about.WINTERS BONE put it in your diary.I'm predicting it will be one of my films of the year.


 

H.A.V.O.C. and celeb chef
discuss ATHYFILMCLUB
business

That'll be fun making a top10 or top5 or whatever of my "Films of the Year".I kinda have to do it now that that I'm doing a blog.Oh the pressure.Only kidding no pressure,well maybe just a little.Because I started H.A.V.O.C. all gung ho doing one a week certain ATHYFILMCLUB committee members are puttin the hammer on me to keep it up at that pace.Well I'll try but I cant do everything..........

Went to the ELECTRIC PICNIC  last week with the CHAIRMAN,we conducted some official promoting of all thing ATHYFILMCLUB had a great time.

More next week?

Hugh Hyland.

H.A.V.O.C. #10





clash of the ash



THE GREAT MICK LALLY
AND MARY MC EVOY

  I know I knowI KNOW its been a few  weeks since my last blog.... for my penance I'll blog 3 hail holy blogs....whoops better stop, getting into blasphemous territory there........Anyway I've had a pretty busy few weeks with Film Premieres (Kildare ones) G.A.A. matches (Kildare again) and visitors.Has there ever been a good film made about Gaelic football? Not a t.v series, a film? There was a good one about hurling in the 90's called CLASH OF THE ASH,it starred the guy who played BLACKIE in GLENROE.Can't mention GLENROE without mentioning the great MICK LALLY a true original who will be sadly missed.

Us rascals at ATHYFILMCLUB are pretty chuffed with ourselves at the great reception and turnout we got for HIS & HERS recently.KEN WARDROP could'nt have been more accomadating,plus it was great to get an insight into film-making straight from the source.We would love to do something similar in the future.

KEN WARDROP ADDRESSES ATHYFILMCLUB

Our next extraordinary event is the screening of SPIELBERGS classic sci-fi flick E.T.This will be a free event in conjunction with CULTURE NIGHT.

I havent really gone on a rant yet so here goes.

What about those film critics eh?You know I'M not a critic I've told you enough times already.

H.A.C.O.C.#1.I suppose you could say if I were to review a film it would'nt be a critique more of a fanalysis.Thats a new word I made up.I read reviews all the time.I reckon most of my cinematic knowledge comes from reviews.I have a good memory for the things that interest me, we are all the same in that respect.Anyway some critics bug the sh..oops...hell outta me.You get to know their style after a while who they like as directors and so on.Some well respected Irish newspaper film critics can't seem to find the time to review all the new releases.Some excuse about the distributor not making the film available for a press screening.Why dont they go the the next week and pay the admission fee, we dont mind if the review is a week late do we? In fairness most of these films are crap and the distributors dont want crap reviews.

But what if one of these films is actually  good? This happened earlier this year,with the biographical feature of singer IAN DURY'S life called SEX&DRUGS&ROCK'N'ROLL.This film got great reviews in the British press but nothing at all about it here (I'm sure someone can correct me on this).What if it was one of the "Films of the Year" do we just forget about it over here?Come on you guys do your jobs.

This remind me of other instances of artistic snobbery.On certain arts reVIEW programmes on RTE you will have guest reviewers actually giving away the plot! It's like us mere mortals watching the programme do not count,the plot doesnt matter the dramatic tension and all that doesnt matter all that matters is that some minor celeb gets to waffle on in a psuedo-intellectual manner.The fact that I have photos of THE IRISH TIMES and THE VIEW on my blog page is purely coincidental!!!!!!!!!!!!