After forty years of censorship, Warner Bros. has decided to bring back The Devils, one of the most controversial films in history. Directed by Ken Russell and released in 1971, the film takes place in 18th century France where a priest, Father Grandier, has very unorthodox ideas about violence and sex, which a novice becomes enamored with. Bringing misfortune to the entire town of Loudun when that occurrence leads to a witch hunt. A faithful reconstruction of the author’s idea Although the film is brilliant and has a sharp socio-political commentary, […]
After forty years of censorship, Warner Bros. has decided to bring back The Devils, one of the most controversial films in history. Directed by Ken Russell and released in 1971, the film takes place in 18th century France where a priest, Father Grandier, has very unorthodox ideas about violence and sex that a novice becomes enamored with. Bringing disaster to the entire town of Loudun when that occurrence leads to a witch hunt.
A faithful reconstruction of the author’s idea
Although the film is brilliant and has a sharp sociopolitical commentary, it was not liked at all by English censors, who for years have banned its exhibition in its singular form. Even though the film was a success: it was the fifth most viewed film of 1971 and, over the years, it has ended up receiving a cult status that few other films have achieved.
Now at Warner Bros. they have made a 4K version based on the last edition made by Ken Russell before his death on November 27, 2011, with the intention of releasing it in theaters. Scheduled for release on October 17, they have confirmed that the film will also be released on Blu-ray and that there will be reasons to watch it again, besides the possibility of seeing it in theaters: it will not only be an uncensored version, but it will last 114 minutes, as opposed to the 111 minutes of the commercial version we have now.
Stating that this “is the uncut and unfiltered version of the theatrical experience that Russell always had in mind,” it seems that this is the perfect opportunity to see one of the greatest cult films in the history of English cinema. And to reclaim the peculiar figure of Ken Russell.
Released in 1961, the film Plácido, directed by Luis García Berlanga, stands out as a true masterpiece of Spanish cinema, especially recommended during the Christmas season. This film is often considered an alternative to classic Christmas movies like Home Alone and Die Hard, notable for its ability to offer sharp social criticism through humor. Berlanga, a master of cinema, created Plácido in response to a campaign by the Franco regime that urged wealthy families to invite a poor person to their tables at Christmas. Based on this premise, Berlanga and the […]
Released in 1961, the film Plácido, directed by Luis García Berlanga, stands as a true masterpiece of Spanish cinema, especially recommended during the Christmas season. This film is often considered an alternative to classic Christmas movies like Home Alone and Die Hard, standing out for its ability to provide sharp social criticism through humor.
Berlanga, a master of cinema
Plácido was born as a response to a campaign by the Franco regime that urged wealthy families to invite a poor person to their tables at Christmas. Based on this premise, Berlanga and the screenwriter Rafael Azcona build a narrative that reflects the miseries of Spain at the time, following the misadventures of a poor man who has just bought a motorbike, a symbol of his frustrations and aspirations.
Cassen, who debuted as the lead in this film, delivers a memorable performance of the eternal loser. The construction of the character and his daily struggle to keep up with the payments for the motorbike allows for an exploration of the boundaries between the pathetic and the sad, always maintaining a critical eye and a biting humor. Berlanga also manages to maximize the talent of the entire cast, from the leads to the supporting characters, adding great depth to the story.
Despite not winning the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, where it competed against Persona by Ingmar Bergman, Plácido has endured as a benchmark of Spanish cinema. Currently, the film can be found streaming on Flixolé and is also available on Blu-ray at an affordable price of 9.99 euros. It is likely that its revival on television will become a topic of debate during this holiday season, reaffirming its relevance in Spanish cinematic culture.
FlixOlé is the best way to watch Spanish movies in HD, with an easy-to-use interface, a wide selection of movies and series, and a good selection of short films.
If trilogies are so famous, it is because of The Lord of the Rings. No trilogy has had such an impact and has shaped a genre so radically. Thinking of fantasy without thinking of Tolkien’s work in general, and The Lord of the Rings in particular, is impossible. Without The Lord of the Rings, we wouldn’t have Dungeons & Dragons, nor 99% of contemporary fantasy stories. This demonstrates the power of its legacy: it created, by itself, what the genre is today. That makes […]
If trilogies are so famous, it’s because of The Lord of the Rings. No trilogy has had such an impact and has shaped a genre so radically. Thinking of fantasy without thinking of Tolkien’s work in general, and The Lord of the Rings in particular, is impossible. Without The Lord of the Rings, we wouldn’t have Dungeons & Dragons, nor 99% of contemporary fantasy stories. This demonstrates the power of its legacy: it created, by itself, what the genre is today.
This makes its importance crucial. And there are always people willing to bring back the trilogy in one way or another. Something that happened with particularly resounding success at the turn of the century when New Line Cinema decided to make the most epic and beloved trilogy of films in the history of cinema.
The film trilogy of The Lord of the Rings by Peter Jackson does not have the cultural impact that the novels had, because that is impossible, but they were a mass phenomenon. Everyone went to the cinema to see them, and it was a financial, critical, and awards success without absolutely any precedent. Something that made the absolute failure of its subsequent continuations even more surprising, something we are going to review today. Because we know you are eager to have an excuse to watch the movies again.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy premiered in 2001. Filmed simultaneously between October 11, 1999, and December 22, 2000, in New Zealand, it had a then-disproportionate budget of 281 million dollars, equivalent to about 530 million dollars when considering inflation. The three films were released in quick succession: The Fellowship of the Ring would premiere in 2001, The Two Towers in 2002, and The Return of the King in 2003. An exceptional fact, given that films are usually not shot simultaneously. But in this case, it helped to cement their success.
Upon their release with little waiting time, the films managed to capture the audience’s attention and the enthusiasm did not wane. Maintaining the interest of critics, the public, and the academy throughout the entire trilogy. Something that became evident through the numbers.
The Fellowship of the Ring grossed $887.8 million, The Two Towers reached $938.5 million, and The Return of the King made it to $1.1 billion. An exceptional fact, as it is normal for movie series to tend to earn less money with each new installment. But the rapid release of new installments, along with their quality, attracted more people to each new premiere, resulting in increased revenues.
What were the reasons for its success? Generally, it has been considered that fidelity to the novels, the strength of its direction, its enormous production values, and the quality of its performances are the main factors that captivated the general public. Although the fidelity to the novels was questioned at the beginning for not adapting certain parts of The Fellowship of the Ring, leaving out characters like Tom Bombadil, which later versions of the film showed were better off that way.
It swept even more in the houses
In fact, the movie was an even greater success in home formats. With numerous editions on DVD and Blu-ray, the three movies would have extended versions that would first be released in home format, but later would also be shown in theaters. This would extend the total runtime of the trilogy from 558 minutes to 683.
There are conflicting opinions about which of the two versions is better. According to some, the purest way to watch the movies is the extended versions, because they leave nothing out. According to others, the original versions are better because everything that was originally cut was for a reason, and it is noticeable in the excessively slow pace of the extended versions. A debate that still continues today among fans of the movie trilogy.
There was no doubt that they were masterpieces. Both critics and the academy agreed. With an average of over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 9 on Metacritic, it is a tremendously respected trilogy. But nominated for 30 Academy Awards, with The Return of the King being the big winner, taking home 11 of them, including Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Adapted Screenplay, it demonstrates why they were an absolute cultural milestone. One that we have not experienced again and that, probably, we will never experience again: there was an absolute consensus on the quality of these films, and no one would have dared to question it.
A hobbit who couldn’t
That’s why everyone was eagerly awaiting the next from Peter Jackson and what would come from the Tolkien universe. Which was disappointing. Making several films in between, he released the Hobbit film trilogy between 2012 and 2014, resulting in a notable box office success, but a tremendous critical and awards fiasco. With the audience turning their backs shortly after.
What happened? To begin with, The Hobbit is a tale, not a trilogy of novels. The treatment as a trilogy of films made no sense. Furthermore, the excessive use of CGI, questionable direction, and performances that left much to be desired made it everything that the Lord of the Rings trilogy was not. It felt cheap, shabby, and not epic. Like one of those low-budget fantasy films where, instead of with enthusiasm, they try to disguise all the things where they lack imagination or money with second-rate effects.
After this, The Lord of the Rings spent several years dozing. It has had its ups and downs, with various series and movies, but nothing has achieved the success and significance of the original trilogy of The Lord of the Rings films. They are now returning to HBO Max so you can watch them in the comfort of your home, remembering something important: we are living through a historic event for culture, and we knew it. Because it was impossible not to know, when we were going to watch the trilogy of The Lord of the Rings films, that this was our Star Wars. And that only happens once per generation. If it happens at all.
