Mr Bongo
ALBUM REVIEW: Surprise Chef – ‘All News is Good News’
ALL NEWS Is Good News is the debut album by Melbourne instrumental funkmasters Surprise Chef. Originally released in a very limited pressing on the band’s own College Of Knowledge label last November, it was devoured by the breaks cognoscenti and sold out within a week. Receiving heavy rotation at that home of the contemporary groove, …
Blu-Ray Review: Memories of Underdevelopment
Cuban cinema has very infrequently made a dent on the world stage. Before the revolution in 1959, it was largely concerned with straightforward melodramas. The ‘Golden age’ of Cuban cinema began shortly after, and lasted for around a decade. Arguably the most prominent director of this time was Tomas Gutierrez Alea. He was an infrequent, …
Blu-ray Review: The Hourglass Sanatorium
The fantastical and the bizarre are elements which make up much of Polish director Wojciech Has’ work. Unlike most of his peers, throughout his career he tended to avoid political themes, preferring to create magical and surreal worlds in which to place his characters. The Hourglass Sanatorium is arguably his greatest achievement. As Joseph (Jan …
Blu-ray Review: Casanova
Federico Fellini cut his teeth in the Italian neorealism movement, beginning by writing screenplays (most notably for Rome, Open City) before stepping behind the camera. After a few inconsistent early efforts he soon found his own unique style, going on to direct such classics as La Strada, 8 ½, The Nights of Cambiria and La Dolce …
Blu-ray Review: The Saragossa Manuscript
The Manuscript Found in Saragossa is a prime example of a brilliantly conceived frame-tale; stories found within a story. Written by Count Jan Potocki, it was published in the 19th Century but not fully completed at the time of the author’s suicide. Polish filmmaker Wojciech Has adapted it for The Saragossa Manuscript in 1965 and …