Following the success of his BBC4 series Silent Clowns, Paul Merton will be sharing his passion for the greatest comedians of the silent age at Plymouth Pavilions on Tuesday, November 27.

There’ll be a selection of clips from stars like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Roscoe Arbuckle and Charley Chase, finishing with a complete showing of a silent comedy masterpiece (which probably won’t feature The Chuckle Hounds).

You can pick up tickets from the Pavilions website - but before you do, check out this five-minute look at the films of Harold Lloyd. And remember, don’t try this at home, viewers!

Posted by Thin White Duke

Those of yous too lazy to catch The US Vs John Lennon at the Exeter Picturehouse or The Barn in the last coupla months, might wanna watch it on telly tonight.

Showing on BBC2 at the ungodly hour of 11.35pm, the documentary follows John Lennon’s journey from moptop to anti-war icon, and explains why the American government may have tried to silence him - although judging by the Plastic Ono albums, it was Yoko they should’ve silenced.

Anyway, if you’re too lazy to watch it tonight, you can pick it up on DVD on Monday. And if you’re too lazy to do that, check out the trailer below and pretend you watched the whole film. Who’d ever know, right? Heh heh!

Posted by Thin White Duke

Follow the main cinema links for dates, times and matinee screenings.
Follow the title links for movie details, friendship and maybe more.

PLYMOUTH ARTS CENTRE

Ghosts (15) Click here to read D+CFilm review

Little Red Flowers (12A) Click here to read BBC review

TAVISTOCK WHARF  

Notes On A Scandal (15) Click here to watch trailer

DARTINGTON ARTS/THE BARN

The Illusionist (PG) Click here to watch trailer

Running With Scissors (15) Click here to watch trailer

Into Great Silence (PG) Click here to watch trailer

Bamako (PG) Click here to watch trailer

A Crude Awakening (PG) Click here to visit Transition Town Totnes

EXETER PICTUREHOUSE  

Amazing Grace (PG) Click here to watch trailer

Blood Diamond (15) Click here to watch trailer

The Good Shepherd (15) Click here to watch trailer

The Queen (12A) Click here to watch trailer 

Into Great Silence (PG) Click here to watch trailer

Tango (12A) Click here for Rotten Tomatoes reviews

Infamous (15) Click here to watch trailer

SAVOY, PENZANCE

The New World (12A) Click here to watch trailer

FALMOUTH ARTS CENTRE

Climates (15) Click here to watch trailer

THE REGAL, WADEBRIDGE

Deep Water (PG) Click here to watch trailer

There seems to be a lot of concern about the ‘Iran stand-off’ these days - which is probably why Sky One has asked Plymouth-based TV-types Twofour to make a documentary about the Beckhams’ move to Los Angeles.

Called, unsurprisingly, The Beckhams Go to Hollywood, the show will be hosted by smirking beanpole Iain Lee (Justin Lee Collins was presumable unavailable).

He’ll pose as the couple’s PA, trying to shut down a store, buy a Bentley and book a table at the Ivy - all at a moment’s notice. What japes.

Twofour will be taking an international version of the programme, which is due to be screened next month, to Cannes, along with a coupla royal documentaries: Young Royal Love, which focuses on the yawn-tastic ’relationship’ between Prince William and Kate Middleton, and Diana: Her Last Ten Days in Pictures.

They’re also making a show about Celebrity Big Brother winner Shilpa Shetty.

Good to know Twofour is managing to avoid lowest-common denomitator fare, ain’t it? Excuse us while we go and slap our foreheads for about an hour.

Posted by Thin White Duke

We dunno about you but we’ve been at sixes and sevens since the clocks went forward on Sunday, so can sympathise with the latest tune from Tavistock’s own Rumble Strips.

Called Alarm Clock, it’s the first release from the band’s forthcoming album Girls And Weather and describes D+CFilm’s difficulty in getting out of bed (possibly).

You can watch the ‘promo’ (as they say in the music business) by clicking below.

Viewers will note, the video proves:
A. Rumble Strips may have listened to a Dexys elpee at some stage
B. JCB’s are cool
C. So are those flame-throwing things welders use

And you know whut?! We finally got round to reading last week’s NME to discover Ver Strips are out on tour in May as part of the paper’s New Music
Tour 1982… erm, we mean 2007. 

Now that really is something to get out of bed for (you’re fired! - ed)
(you’re hired! - Herald Express ed)

Posted by Thin White Duke

Since Lost and 24 have been booted off Virgin Media, we’ve been watching the Current TV channel.

Well, not really. It all looks a bit worthy and dull, but you sound quite trendy if you mention it, non?

Still, we must admit it’s a pretty innovative idea - a telly network created by, for, and with young adults. And they seem pretty happy with everything, celebrating the UK launch with a competition which runs until April 9.

Submit a compelling three- to five-minute non-fiction video ‘pod’ to the Current TV website and three grand prize winners will win lunch with Current’s chairman, former US Vice President and recent Oscar-winner, Al Gore. Holy cow!

Almost half of Current TV’s schedule is ‘viewer created content’ and they pay filmmakers for everything they put on air - which is a damn sight more than you get most other places.

You can find out more about the Current TV compo on their website - but you’d best brush up on yer table manners first. You don’t want Gore to see you eating like a pig.

Posted by Thin White Duke

Hullo viewer! It’s your friendly neighbourhood D+CFilm here, back in action
after some, ahem, technical difficulties. This website lark is no cakewalk, we can tell you.

Still, at least you have the sexy Sunshine banner at the top of the page now,
so it was worth all the trouble, wasn’t it?

Anyway, we’re not here to apologise and explain (for once) - we’re here to show you the trailer from Nick Broomfield’s Ghosts.

There was such a fantastic response to Capt’s review, we thought you might like to watch a bit of a clip. 

Granted, you could probably just log onto YouTube and type in ‘Ghosts’, but you’ll probably end up with lotsa clips of Rentaghost or something (like what
we did).

So click below and save yourself the bally bother. As for the next few days, look out on D+CFilm for an interview with Broomfield about the film.

Oh, and while you’re at it, you might wanna check out Capt’s other reviews for Almodovar’s Volver or Altman’s Prairie Home Companion - both of which are doing the rounds of the local arthouses this month.

See? D+CFilm is packed full of goodness - without ruining your appetite.
And hey, it’s good to have yous back.

Posted by Thin White Duke

There’s a danger that calling Nick Broomfield’s Ghosts haunting might seem trite, but the director’s take on the account of the death of 26 Chinese cockle pickers in 2004 is a powerful tale of economic migration.

(more…)

D+Cineastes venturing into their friendly neighbourhood Early Learning Centre can pick up a DVD called The Magic of Making, written and narrated by Plymouth editor and producer Simon Ashcroft.

But what happens when you’ve watched it from, erm, cover to cover?

Ah well, the good news for kids and simpletons is next month he will begin filming the second season, to be shown on BBC Worldwide before ’hitting’ the DVD ’stands’.

Ashcroft is a director of London-based production company Cog On The Box, which produces the Magic of Making short films and possibly boasts the world’s dullest website.

But Ashcroft doesn’t spend all his time making kids’ telly. Oh-ho-no! He also works three days a week as an editor on Ready, Steady, Cook (which we thought had been cancelled years ago), and spends another day a week slumming it at BBC South West, pining for Ainsley Harriott (probably).

The new Magic of Making series is due to be shown on the Beeb in August and will probably be available on DVD in the autumn. Just so you know.

Posted by Thin White Duke

It’s that time again, D+Chums. The latest episode (or webisode, if you will) of Melting Pot TV went online yesterday.

Brought to yous by the People’s Republic of South Devon, Spectral Workshop TV and Aeon, the new show boasts the region’s riffmaster generals Idiom.

Click the sexy artwork below to see the band in action and being interviewed at the swanky Music Mill studios in Newton Abbot. It really is quite good. Honest.

Posted by Thin White Duke

Follow the main cinema links for dates, times and matinee screenings.
Follow the title links for movie details, friendship and maybe more.

PLYMOUTH ARTS CENTRE

Running With Scissors (15) Click here to watch trailer

Old Joy (15) Click here to watch trailer

TAVISTOCK WHARF 

The Last King Of Scotland (15) Click here to watch trailer

DARTINGTON ARTS/THE BARN

Letters From Iwo Jima (15) Click here to watch trailer

Flags Of Our Fathers (15) Click here to watch trailer

Casablanca (U) Click here to watch trailer

The Red Shoes (U) Click here to watch trailer

EXETER PICTUREHOUSE  

Becoming Jane (PG) Click here to watch trailer

The Illusionist (PG) Click here to watch trailer

Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (PG) Click here to watch trailer

The Wizard Of Oz (U) Click here to watch trailer

Volver (15) Click here to watch trailer

Them (15) Click here to watch trailer

SAVOY, PENZANCE

The Science Of Sleep (15) Click here to watch trailer

Push, rush, fush and mush - there is a slice of £2,000 up for grabs for animators and the rest of you visual artists in Animated Exeter’s bursary schemes.

That’s £1,000 for direct costs and £1,000 for in-kind support - nothing to be sniffed at on its own, but this bursary is supported  by Honeycombe Animation Enterprises (of Collumpton, doncha know) and the Exeter Phoenix media centre.

You’ve got until the end of the month to get your application in, and you better make it good, we’re waiting to watch this stuff.

Posted by Cptn

Word’s reached D+CFilm that this year’s Co-operative Young Film-Makers shindig will take place on October 12 and 13 at the National Media Museum in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

One of the UK’s leading film festivals for young people, Co-operative Young Film-Makers is run and funded by the Co-operative Group and is non-competitive and not for profit.

The fest offers youngsters the chance to receive feedback and advice on their work from film professionals and attend a range of events designed to inspire their filmmaking ambitions. 

It’s an excellent opportunity for fledgling filmmakers to learn new skills, try out equipment, chat to experts, network and swap ideas.

Every year, the event sees some 100 shorts made by kids and young people premiered in front of an audience of up to 300 people.

Closing date for entries is June 29. For more details, email Phaedra.Patrick@co-op.co.uk or check out the Co-operative Young Film-Makers website.

Posted by Thin White Duke

We know what you’re thinking. It’s been almost a week since we had word from local director Ashley Wing. What gives? Well, think no more, D+Chums. Ashley’s been back in touch with some rather exciting news.

‘This really is my last post in relation to Between The Lines. No really, honest!’

‘Just to let you know that the full film is online and ready to view. You can download the 35min short (not so short I know) here.

‘Hope you enjoy. Maybe we’ll meet again someday, who knows in the crazy world of film anything is possible…

‘Keep up the good fight, it’s great to know there is support for local filmmakers out there. I love the site.’

Aw shucks, Ash Man - you’re no slouch either. Swoon.

Posted by Thin White Duke

Penwith Film Society scooped an award at the Film Society of the Year Awards ceremony a coupla weeks back.

Started in 1996 with just one screening, Penwith Film Society is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to presenting the best new examples of independent, alternative and contemporary cinema often overlooked by yer local cineplexes.

Screenings take place at Penzance’s Savoy Cinema and the Royal in St Ives and reflect the hip’n’swinging social make up of the peninsula with its high concentration of artists, writers, filmmakers, musicians and dramatists.

The society is showing Michel Gondry’s Science Of Sleep (click below to watch the trailer) this weekend. For more details, check out the Penwith Film Society website and see D+CFilm’s weekly Arthouse Roundup.

Other winners at the Film Society of the Year Awards included the University of Exeter’s CinSoc for Best Student Society and Bridport Film Society for Best Programme Notes (whatever that means).

Click here to see the full list of award winners.

Posted by Thin White Duke