PICKED UP A DVD

In the local charity shop called The nephew. Yet another long-forgotten Irish movie from the 1990s. Review to follow.

WHAT'S WITH ALL THE HORROR FILMS?

At this year's Galway Film Fleadh? Thought Horrorthon was at Halloween in the IFI? No quality film festival would screen crummy horror movies? But of course the GFF isn't a top tier festival. Also, is it a good idea to be screening classic horror titles at the same festival alongside the latest efforts from 'horror auteurs' like John Carney? Will the new Irish titles look lame in comparison to the established classics? Or will they get a standing ovation in Galway and then a straight-to-DVD release next year?

Shake hands with the devil

As expected lots of famous locations used: TCD, Glasnevin cemetery, and the Custom House. Story concerns an American student in Dublin who gets caught up with the IRA only to fall for a kidnapped woman and fall out with his leader (Cagney). Far too much going on and Anderson was no great director (except for 1984). Lots of static studio-bound scenes with people talking. Also, too many actors and famous faces in brief roles. With a better director this could have been a classic but it's still miles better than any recent IRA movie.

IRISH DAILY MIRROR

Today has a nice article on page 16 about recent crap Irish movies that did badly at the box office. The usual excuse of giving jobs but no-one mentions that the films are mostly rubbish.

SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL OUT ON DVD!

In XtraVision for only €7! Forget crap like I went down. This is the real long-lost Irish movie! At last, the one that Wind that shakes the barley got its ideas from is finally out on DVD!

IRISH CINEMA IS LIKE OUR FOOTBALL TEAM PART 3!

Overrated, underperforming, given too many chances, poorly managed, and full of people who should have retired years ago!

IRISH CINEMA IS LIKE OUR FOOTBALL TEAM PART 2!

Making the same mistakes as before, oversupported, applauded for failing, and more of the same to look forward to.

IRISH CINEMA IS LIKE OUR FOOTBALL TEAM!

Can't perform on the world stage, overhyped, relying on too many people not born here, and going nowhere!

OUR FILM BOARD ARE LOOKING FOR A PROJECT MANAGER!

To help achieve the following:

To enable the development of a distinct Irish cinematic voices through a wide and innovative support system;

So let's see, we're to have a distinct cinematic vision by doing everything at once? Surely if they concentrated on one or two ideas this would be easier to achieve instead of trying everything and hoping a distinct voice will appear?

To enable the making of film in Ireland working continuously to improve the filmmaking environment through fiscal measures to on-the-ground support;

Film budgets have fallen in the last few years and TV productions have increased in value. So this has failed and most here are making a living making TV crap like Raw.

To enable the growth and exposure of Irish film talent through development and production initiatives, short film schemes and talent promotion through local and international film festivals, networks and partnerships;

Why does the Film Board think it needs to do this? Does an Irish rock band need to go to a State agency to foster its talent? What Irish filmmakers could be considered 'talented' anyway? Don't forget the Film Board also enable growth of this 'talent' by funding the IFTA ceremony. Laughable!

To grow the audience for Irish film in Ireland and abroad through the strengthening of the domestic marketplace and promoting the export of Irish film internationally;

When you're sitting in an empty Dundrum cinema watching Kiss for Jed on your own one can only deduce that this aspect has failed completely!

To promote an integrated government policy for the audio-visual/digital content sector, with film at its centre through an integrated approach to creativity, enterprise and new technologies;

Why do we need a Government policy for this? Why can't Irish film work and exist outside the State schemes? It's like those modern classical composers writing unlistenable rubbish and getting funded by the Arts Council yet no-one will listen to their music?

To deliver value for money to our key stakeholders and all those who benefit from the Irish Film Board - our audiences, Irish filmmakers and Irish talent, key partnerships and to Government and the Irish public justifying continued support;

Value for money? That's a laugh! Perrier's bounty cost €5,000,000 and made less than a grand in America. How many people's household charge could have been paid with this 'loan'? Exactly FIFTY THOUSAND!

NEW JIM SHERIDAN MOVIE!

Will be about his dad and stars Brendan Gleeson. Of course it may not happen but the press are saying it's will be called Sheriff Street Stories and will be set in the 1950s. So that's it: almost twenty five years after My left foot Sheridan is still rooting through the past for his work. Does anyone rate Sheridan as a quality director anymore? Really sad but he was never up to much anyway.

JUST SEEN JOHN BOORMAN!

In Temple Bar, looks well.

NEW IRISH FILM REPORT!

Just out from Access cinema called Audiences for Irish cinema with just over 3,000 people surveyed (not very accurate so!). Says the most popular film genre in Ireland is the children's films (as already noted on this blog). Most Irish cinemagoers earn under €30,000. The rest of the report is silly. No mention of Irish film and how badly they are doing or even better, how expenditure on Irish feature films has dropped considerably in the last decade. Another wishy-washy Irish film report!

JOHN FORD 'CLASSICS'

Today's Sunday independent newspaper has about three articles on Ford. The way they were going on you'd swear the forthcoming festival of Ford's Irish films in Dublin will be uncovering unseen masterpieces! The reality is that most of his Irish titles were bad. However, the people behind the IFTAs seem to be under the illusion that these films are neglected classics! Ford's best film was the little-seen Prisoner of Shark Island. Most of his good stuff were either the Westerns or with Henry Fonda. A lot of his other films were average and the Irish ones below that.

WHERE'S MY BROTHERS?

One of the few recent Irish movies with a decent trailer but yet to get a release. Bet if it got filmed in Dublin we would have seen it by now?

ANOTHER JED POST!

According to Irish box office returns A kiss for Jed made €2,987 on 19 screens for one week which gives it TWENTY TWO EURO from each screen PER DAY! When I saw it in Dundrum there was no-one else there. Didn't think this was happening at every show? Why doesn't Kevin Myers write about this stuff for a change?