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!!!!!!!!!!!!

H.A.V.O.C.#9

This is something I've touched on before so bear with me........

What are the parameters,limits,boundaries,criteria,demarcations of H.A.V.O.C.?

An American friend of mine,from now on we'll call him THE SHUTTERBUG,says I can write on any subject at all once I've got some vague cinematic reference in it, it being my random musings - rant - blog.

OK so I'll rant about the economy..............no no no I wont do that........had you worried there.

I'll keep my specificity to films (yes there is such a word as specificity one of the characters in INCEPTION used it).

Right so back to business,film business that is.Well not strictly film business how about T.V.for a change? Like film there has always been good and bad T.V. so in the tradition that H.A.V.O.C. tries to maintain lets concentrate on the good.

Last Christmas I received a box-set of the HBO series DEADWOOD (thank you children).Up to that point I hadn't been much of a box-set kinda guy.Don't get me wrong I love most of the HBO stuff. I watched THE SOPRANOS from the get go. I championed THE WIRE when it was on TG4 and so on.

But the whole idea of the box-sets and owning them never really appealed to me. I enjoyed watching programmes when the great programming god in the sky meant us to watch them! I liked the idea of having to keep a certain hour free to watch your favourite programme, of not missing a vital episode. So having the box-set took away some of that urgency or whatever.

Anyway DEADWOOD changed my - our, my wife is also a big fan - viewing habits.

You see, now when the T.V. was crap we would just stick on an episode,one at a time now mind,you have to savour quality T.V.

Its a great series but beware its a bit rough in parts,lots of violence and profanity - have I been here before? - but a magnificent script/story,fabulous acting and top-notch production values. Its a pity they stopped after series 3.

Subsequently I purchased BREAKING BAD a Sony series about a chemistry teacher,played  by BRYAN CRANSTON who played the dad HAL in MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE,when diagnosed with a terminal illness decides to produce illegal drugs (crystal meth) to finance his family's future welfare.

Yet again a little gory,violent,profane etc. but really really good. It can be bought relatively cheap online, you know where, no plugs from me until they pay me. I cant be bought that easily then again maybe I can.This was recommended to me a year ago by THE SHUTTERBUG but I only acted on his recommendation recently.Better late.................

If you like what I've written about so far in film you will probably like this,a list,with little descriptions, of my recommendations for GOOD T.V. box-sets.

TWIN PEAKS: The granpappy of em all,when this hit our small screens in the early 90's we didn't know what to make of it.Truly baffling,stylish,clever,frustrating and way before its time.

THE SOPRANOS: Not much more can be said that hasn't already been said about THE SOPRANOS,great music too.

SIX FEET UNDER: Nearest in tone to TWIN PEAKS as you'll get from something produced in the 2000's.Really well written darkly humorous and again great music.

THE WIRE: Awesome in its scope.The language (nearly like a local dialect!) was uncompromising,you had to listen and pay attention to the plot.A small detail that was mentioned in series1 might only be picked up again in series 4.Great forward vision.

ENTOURAGE & CALIFORNICATION: These two series only came in short half-hour episodes.Very funny irreverent humour. ENTOURAGE ,abut a film star and his group of buddies.CALIFORNICATION is about a writer (DAVID DUCHOVNY from THE X-FILES) with writers block.Both are strictly over 18's  so beware.

DEADWOOD: I've already told you about.

BREAKING BAD: The same.

A few others worth a mention are TRUE BLOOD (vampire romance) HOMICIDE (90's precursor to THE WIRE) and little seen STREET TIME (about a drug dealer and his parole officer).

If I didn't mention something well known you can take it for granted that I didn't think much of it.There are lots of them!Lets hope that this golden age of T.V. lasts a good while longer.
All the shows I've mentioned are American cable subscription shows on HBO,SHOWTIME  or the like.

For some reason they don't make shows like this this side of the Atlantic.Don't get me wrong there are some great Irish and British T.V.shows ,but no great (my opinion) hour long multi episode series like what I've just been writing about.

Signing off now
Hugh Hyland.

H.A.V.O.C.#8

I'm going on holiday soon so this one could be short. Then again I might get into rant mode and go on and on ............. Anyway in H.A.V.O.C.#7 I mentioned the Coen Brothers, I also mentioned that they would probably get their own H.A.V.O.C. Well this is it! These guys along with a handful of other filmmakers changed my outlook on film in general some time ago. Their first film BLOOD SIMPLE hit the cinemas in 1984. A modern film noir I saw it at the time in Dublin in The Screen at College Street now simply called The Screen. This cinema used to and still does show mainly art house films. The reviews were good at the time. Here was a film made by a couple of young guys,that cost nothing and was bucking the trend. Anyhow it blew my socks off. It had it all,good music ,a great storyline and some truly original cinematography (really different camera angles etc.etc.). It won awards for direction at both the Sundance and American Spirit Film Festivals.

 I was equally impressed by their follow up RAISING ARIZONA (1987). An offbeat comedy about a childless couple who kidnap one of five newly born quintuplets from a furniture tycoon. This film had one of the first and best uses of Steadicam in cinema to date.

In 1990 they released MILLER'S CROSSING ,starring GABRIEL BYRNE as a gangsters fixer (or bagman) in an un-named American city during prohibition. This was a beautifully shot ,stylish movie with some really snappy dialogue. It remains one of my all time favourite films! The characters were originally Jewish but ALBERT FINNEY coaxed the director(s)? to change their ethnicity to Irish. It has one of the greatest uses of the song DANNY BOY yes DANNY BOY on film I have ever seen.

At this stage I thought these fellas could do no wrong. BARTON FINK (1991) was up next and all the talk was it was a magnificent film. It had just won the Palme D'Or at Cannes Film Festival. When I saw it I just couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about,I was very disappointed. This was critically acclaimed all over the place.

And so began my love/hate ,well not really love/hate maybe more of a like/don't like relationship with the films of JOEL and ETHAN COEN.

Next up was THE HUDSUCKER PROXY(1994) this one fell into the don't like category all style and no substance. It was a massive box office flop making back only $3 million of its $25 million budget.

Then there was the crime thriller FARGO (1996). Our relationship was back on track with this one. A great film funny , dark ,clever ,poignant ,everything!! It also won 2 Oscars.

Their next one was THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998) which proved to be a huge commercial hit. I didn't like it at the time. So I'll classify it as a not like . But I should really see it again. It's now considered to be a cult classic.

O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? came out in 2000. I absolutely loved this film. Based loosely on Homer's Odyssey, it had a great cast and great music.The soundtrack was compiled by T-BONE BURNETT who won an Oscar this year,I think, for the music in CRAZY HEART starring JEFF BRIDGES who won best actor award for the same film. This was the brothers first film to feature GEORGE CLOONEY and it proved to me at least that GEORGE was much more than just a pretty face was in that rubbish E.R. again my opinion.

THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE (2001) with BILLY BOB THORNTON was another I didn't get.

Nor was INTOLERABLE CRUELTY(2003) or the remake of the Ealing classic THE LADYKILLERS(2004).

This was 3 in a row that I didn't rate ,far from it ,I was getting worried had the boys lost their mojo? But I'd come this far with these fellas I'd have to persevere.

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007) I have talked about before. It's one of my all time favourites let alone a COEN BROS. favourite. At last back on track.

BURN AFTER READING(2008) I found mildly amusing ,I find it hard to categorise,maybe I should stop categorising!

Earlier this year in Antwerp I saw A SERIOUS MAN. I didn't like it ,tried to, honestly.

OK so that's 6 films in the like category and 7 in the dislike category.

• LIKE                                                 DISLIKE
• BLOOD SIMPLE
• RAISING ARIZONA
• MILLERS CROSSING
•                                                    BARTON FINK
•                                                    HUDSUCKER PROXY
• FARGO
•                                                    BIG LEBOWSKI
• O BROTHER
•                                                    THE MAN WHO........
•                                                    INTOLERABLE CRUELTY
•                                                    THE LADYKILLERS
• NO COUNTRY
•                                                    BURN AFTER READING
•                                                    A SERIOUS MAN
• ???????????

And so fear not , up next is a remake of TRUE GRIT  based on the source novel by Charles Portis. I read this book earlier this year and yep I'm really looking forward to it. Looking at that list I cant imagine the last 25 years without these two geniuses.

Ever the optimist

Hugh Hyland.

H.A.V.O.C.#7

What constitutes a modern day western? If a film is 60 years old can we still call it modern day? Okay if we were to say if a film had automobiles in it then its modern day? No we cant really say that because they HAD automobiles as far back as the late 1800's. Right we will say any film made after WW2 and set in the American west ,with cowboys constitutes a modern day western. Now we have that settled, it means I can include BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK. It was set in the aftermath of WW2 .Directed by JOHN STURGES in 1955 it starred SPENCER TRACY, ROBERT RYAN and a relatively young LEE MARVIN (the writer bows his head with solemn respect). A fine film that dealt with racism , prejudice and dark secrets it won huge critical acclaim in its day.

These films (modern day westerns) always intrigued me. As with all westerns you see wide open country and guys in cowboy hats and boots but more than likely they will be driving a pick up instead of riding a horse. Like CLINT EASTWOOD in COOGAN'S BLUFF directed by DON SIEGEL which was about an Arizona sheriff in the big city ,New York, on the trail of a bad guy played by DON STROUD ,who always played bad guys.

Before that there was HUD directed by MARTIN RITT and starring PAUL NEWMAN unfortunately I never saw this so I cant really write about it!

In the last 10 to 15 years though we have been treated to some really good modern day westerns. Because it won a bunch of Oscars we have to start with NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. A brilliant book and film. Although the ending ,which was the same in both, was a bit mysterious. This is no surprise considering the book was written by CORMAC McCARTHY , there are no less than 7 adaptations of his work ( 1 play 6 books) either produced or in pre-production. The film was directed by THE COEN BROTHERS whom I wont say anymore about now because they will get a whole H.A.V.O.C. to themselves sometime soon.

With two great actors in the lead roles (JAVIER BARDEM & JOSH BROLIN) all the supporting roles were equally well acted . A curious fact about this film is that it had no incidental music, this is strange considering its makers , THE COENS ,used music to such great effect in their  previous films.

The main action in what is essentially a chase film ends in El Paso. Good ole El Paso! Bad things always happen to cowboys in El Paso. I was sure having seen the trailer etc. for KILL BILL2 that  that film was going to be a western set in El Paso as you know it wasn't , I was disappointed but I got over it.

THE 3 BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA written by GUILLERMO ARRIAGA and directed by TOMMY LEE JONES was a brilliant M.D.W.( you know you know). It had country singer DWIGHT YOAKAM in a supporting role and in a terrific cameo role the singer and drummer with THE BAND (who MARTIN SCORCESE made THE LAST WALTZ about) was LEVON HELM. Its worth seeing , even buying.

A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE , which also won an Oscar , and starred VIGGO MORTENSON was my favourite film of 2005. This film was basically a modern reworking of HIGH NOON ,a film where a man with a past has to do what hes gotta do to save his family. Careful though its not for the faint hearted, the clue is in the title.

Another of my favourites of recent times is THE WAY OF THE GUN starring RYAN PHILLIPE (former pretty boy) and BENICIO DEL TORO (never pretty boy) as two kidnappers.This was written and directed by CHRIS McQUARRIE who also wrote the script for THE USUAL SUSPECTS. This film even goes so far as to name its principal characters Parker and Longbaugh which were the actual surnames of BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID.

All this leads to one place or person SAM PECKINPAH. All Sam's westerns were M.D.W. even if they weren't modern day  if you know what I mean? You don't ? Ah well here's a list of some of his best.

• RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY
• THE WILD BUNCH
• THE BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE
• JUNIOR BONNER
• THE GETAWAY
• PAT GARRET & BILLY THE KID
• BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA

 So long

Hugh Hyland

H.A.V.O.C.#6

Is there such a thing as a good film about soccer? Looking up google for a top ten of football films the first thing that came up was a list of American football films! Realising my error I quickly changed the word soccer for football and had another try. The results didn't exactly fill me with excitement/inspiration (well what did I expect?). One thing I did notice talking to people about soccer films is if you ask them to name one they will most likely say ESCAPE TO VICTORY. And that was talking to people younger than myself!

Imagine a film starring SYLVESTER STALLONE as a goalkeeper and MICHAEL KANE as a coach along with some famous and not so famous soccer stars at the time. I saw this film on its release and enjoyed it.

The actual top ten (or one of them) would not exactly have the film world quaking in its boots (sorry).

#1 ESCAPE TO VICTORY

#2 BEND IT LIKE BECKAM

#3 GOAL!

#4 THE DAMNED UNITED

#5 GREGORY'S GIRL

#6 THE MEAN MACHINE

#7 FEVER PITCH

#8 SHAOLIN SOCCER

#9 WHEN SATURDAY COMES

#10 ZIDANE :A 21ST CENTURY PORTRAIT

The last one is in italics because its the best. All this film consisted of was footage of ZIDANE in a Spanish Prima Liga game playing for Real Madrid against Villarreal. The cameras just focused on ZIDANE nothing else a simple idea and totally gripping, by all accounts. I  only saw about  ten minutes of this film being shown as an  installation in in the new Visual Arts Centre in Carlow.Its on my list.

One of the better soccer films I have seen lately is RUDO Y CURSI a Mexican film made by CARLOS SAURAN it stars GAEL GARCIA BERNAL  and DIEGO LUNA as half brothers from rural Mexico who make it big in the Mexican soccer leagues. Its quite funny and well done also there are no football celebs making embarrassing cameo appearances ,like in the film GOAL! directed by DANNY CANNON , this rubbish has already spawned two sequels. The two lead actors in RUDO Y CURSI were about nine years  ago together in Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN which was also written by CARLOS SAURAN.

Enough about soccer I'm sure every one's sick of it by now. Something that's been bothering me of late is what exactly are the guidelines of my blog? I  mean do I have to write a certain amount of words? If not will the CHAIRMAN be on my case? Does everything I write have to be about film? Can I write about T.V.?  Of course I'd only write about good (what I think is good) T.V. No DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES or WEST WING here.

Only quality HBO.COM or SHO.COM (SHOWTIME) stuff. Well maybe next time. I'll go and study "The Really Important Guide to Writing a Blog Almanac"......Seriously it does exist.

Full time whistle
Hugh Hyland

H.A.V.O.C.#5

I was watching t.v. lately and I saw an ad for a film called A PROPHET . The ad or trailer was really good, one of those that show you just enough to whet your appetite. I cant wait to see this film. It should have won best foreign language film at this years Oscar's but lost out to an Argentinian film called THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES. The film A PROPHET looks like a thrilling prison drama with some great acting.The director/writer JACQUES AUDIARD made a film a few years ago called THE BEAT THAT MY HEART SKIPPED .I saw this lately on d.v.d., an unusual film about a petty criminal who's late mother was a famous concert pianist ,the son decides to resume what was once a promising career as a pianist with surprising results.

Out this week in selected (of course) cinemas is THE KILLER INSIDE ME directed by MICHAEL WINTERBOTTOM from the source material by JIM THOMPSON. I've read a few of his books and this one was particularly violent. The screen adaptation is very close to the source material.

Both of these film are not for the squeamish I hasten to add. I wouldn't like people reading this (does anyone read this?) thinking that they are going to see a couple of clever crime caper films, far from it A PROPHET and THE KILLER INSIDE ME are as heavy as it gets.You have been warned!

Back when RESERVOIR DOGS (my film of the 90's) was first released there was a huge outcry about the level of violence in it. The ear slicing scene in particular came in for some heavy criticism, but looking closely at that scene you realise that you don't actually see anything only a suggestion! The camera pulls away and focuses on the wall. When I saw INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS last year I realised it was a lot more violent ,visibly at least. Germans getting their heads busted open (by horror film director ELI ROTH no less) but no outcry this time ,how times have changed.It's a tough one the old screen violence debate.We like it in films like DIE HARD and that but when it is realistic its a different story.

QUENTIN TARANTINO always has good soundtracks to his films. Sometimes the choices he makes are a bit mad but he is obviously a huge music fan. Music can make or break a film in my opinion (I know who cares about my opinion). For example a perfectly good film CRASH directed by PAUL HAGGIS was for me ruined by a bad soundtrack.I'm sure lots of people liked the score but let them write about it in their own blogs!

One of my favourite films and soundtracks is DEAD MANS SHOES starring PADDY CONSIDINE and directed by SHANE MEADOWS .Set in rural England its a revenge film (do I see a pattern forming here?) not a million miles away from ,certainly influenced by, TAXI DRIVER. Its got an awesome soundtrack with incidental music by CALEXICO and three uninterrupted songs by BONNY PRINCE BILLY,SMOG and M.WARD. On my second viewing of this film my photographer friend Matt http://www.mattpetosa.com/  pointed out that the director didn't cut the songs but let them play through which he believed maintained the integrity of the piece (ahem).It took me a while but I finally got what he meant.

An example of how this should not be done was in the film GARDEN STATE starring and directed by ZACH BRAFF in the scene where NATALIE PORTMAN hands him her headphones to listen to a track by THE SHINS (great song)  all we get is about thirty seconds of it, maybe the director thought we did'nt have the attention span for the whole song, pity

Au revoir
Hugh Hyland