We at D+CFilm are feeling a bit put out, being the only journos in the country who haven’t interviewed director David Lynch this month.

In the last few weeks, we’ve seen the wiggy one yapping in Sight & Sound, Empire, The Guardian, The Culture Show, Film 2007… the list goes on.

The thing is, we don’t really feel like we’ve learnt anything about the man, other than he has another of his ‘difficult’ films to promote (the three-hour headfuggery of Inland Empire).

So, until Lynch gets in touch, we thought we’d show you one of his early shorts. From 1966 (a full 10 years before Eraserhead) and winningly titled Six Men Getting Sick, it shows even the greatest directors have to start somewhere.

Posted by Thin White Duke

Funny what a fella with a fiddle and a handful of film can do. Future noir electronica guru Zan Lyons set the Centre of Contemporary Art in the Natural World buzzing when he accompanied a combination of manga film Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence and his own films with his eerily dark dub in Futureshock.
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Remember we told you about North Devon’s new youth-run cinema set up in to support and show local films, while rousing some political rabble in the process? If you don’t, click here. If you do, feel free to read on.

Reel Indi launched their 2007 programme on January 5 at Tapeley Park, with a screening of the 9/11 doco Short Change and an appearance by ex-MI5 whistleblower David Shayler.

How did the launch go? It’s funny you should ask, cos Reel Indi got in touch with D+CFilm to tell us all about it. Here’s what ‘they’ said:

‘Over 50 people of all ages came from all over North Devon to the opening night of Reel Indi, ready to witness Project 1, a film by local photographer Iain Holder, and David Shayler’s Short Change.

‘Between films, people were entertained by music from Powerpop!, DJ Seb Wheeler and projections by local photographers Indi Hicks, Will Newitt and Seb Wheeler.

‘Food and drink from Marshford Organic Farm stocked the bar, which was colourfully decked out with work from Matt Walkerdine, Seb Wheeler, Tom Harris, Indi Hicks and the arts and craft girl duo Artisan. All the artists involved were young people from North Devon.

‘Iain Holder’s film Project 1 presented his account of the horrors of modern warfare, with still images recounting the historical and political links between the war on terror and other conflicts of the 20th century.

‘Contextualised with moving footage and a thought-provoking soundtrack, the short film reflected his abhorrence at the injustices of war.

‘Short Change tore into the American government’s accounts of what really happened on September 11, 2001. The large turn-out showed that people are not satisfied with what they have been told. Narrated by David Shayler, the film made people gasp and laugh at the hypocrisy and untruths told by the government.

‘After the film Anne and David Shayler gave a brilliant but harrowing talk about their experience working within MI5. This extraordinary insight into the inner workings of the secret service exposed incompetence at fighting terrorism and in some cases actually assisting the terrorists.

‘These two brave whistleblowers have since been on the run with numerous attempts on their life. They talked long into the night answering the many questions from the audience.

‘Instead of the usual feeling of apathy and powerlessness, people went away from Reel Indi feeling inspired and empowered.  Afterwards the bar was buzzing until gone midnight.’

Sounds fab, don’t it? If you wanna get involved with the next Reel Indi event (they’re showing Uncovered: Iraq War Conspiracy on February 7) send a righteous email to northdevonactiveyouth@hotmail.co.uk

In the meantime, see below to get a flavour of what Shayler had to say to the folks at Reel Indi. Alternatively, click here for a more detailed look at the 9/11 conspiracy.

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Posted by Thin White Duke

Okay, we admit it. We’ve been completely obsessed with the latest single by Charlotte Hatherley for about, ooh, the last month or so. Called Behave, it’s a bastard mindworm of a tune which stomps round and round your head in clomping great red DMs. Yup, it’s really that good.

The accompanying video is pretty ace too. It’s directed by Oscar Wright, brother of Shaun Of The Dead director and Hatherley’s current boyf, Edgar Wright. Hooray for nepotism.

According to Ain’t It Cool, the promo references Tron and Gatchaman (that’s Battle Of The Planets to you, chum). We don’t know about all that, but Charlotte sure looks purtey! Hyuck!

Posted by Thin White Duke

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The movie mag polls are in, and it looks like United 93 is their ‘film of the year’. Well, quelle sur-chuffing-prise, eh?

Worthy, dull, uninspired, it just goes to show what a crap year it’s been in cinemaland (except for Crank, which was ace - obviously!). So, god bless YouTube and hallaluyah for those beavering away under the radar.

Like filmmaker Dylan Avery, whose online 9/11 documentary was just what the proverbial doctor ordered in this whey-faced year of film. He raised $2,000 to make Loose Change, a film that asks ‘honest questions’ about the collapse of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.

And frankly, it’s never ‘too soon’ to be asking questions like: why were there reports of multiple explosions in the towers? Why did the plane crashing into the Pentagon (and for that matter, the United 93 crash) leave no evidence of an actual plane? Why did the footage of Bin Laden admitting the attacks bear no resemblance to existing pictures of the man? Hmmm?

As opposed to the sanitised likes of United 93 and Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center, Avery’s flick actually bothered to put things in context and make its case with bone-chilling precision. Which is why we at D+CFilm are naming it our film of the year. Hell, it’ll probably be our film of next year too - after all, you can watch Loose Change version two online now (click here to watch it in full), but an updated third version is lined up for a theatrical run in 2007.

Rest assured, when this stuff hits the cinemas, the shit hits the fan. Happy new year, D+Cineasts!

Posted by Thin White Duke

As it was with John Wayne and The Shootists, we’ll look back on Prairie Home Companion as a portent of Robert Altman’s death.

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There’s a strong Devon connection to the film Deep Water, screening at the Exeter Picturehouse this week, which heavily features the town of Teignmouth. How impossibly glamorous! (more…)

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

Red Road (18) Director Andrea Arnold’s newie was hugely acclaimed in Cannes, almost eclipsing her fantastic work in the Saturday morning kids’ show No 73.
Wot no Sandwich Quiz?
Tsai Toi (Shut Up) (15) No, you shut up! Gerard Depardieu and Jean Reno play criminals on the run from the police. Erm, what’s French for ’seen it all before’? (more…)

Much has been made of the autobiographical nature of Pedro Almodovar’s Volver (that’s boll-bear to you), and that’s always been the way whether it’s in the drug-fuelled sexuality of Pepi, Luci, Bon, or the voyage around his childhood of Bad Education. (more…)

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

Stray Dogs (12A) Kids try to get themselves arrested so they can join their mum in chokey.
Keane (15) Not, as you might expect, a drama about fat-faced, piano-lovin’ balladeers, this is actually the story of a mentalist looking for his missing daughter. Cheery stuff. (more…)

Images from this year’s Motionplymouth event have been posted online.

The pictures capture some of the highlights of the moving-image festival, including the Civic Centre and Guildhall projections, the Drake Circus Guerilla Gallery, the movies beamed onto the Theatre Royal, imagery from the Vanland editing caravan and the South West Film And Television talks at the Treasury.

Yes, there was certainly a lot going on. Of course, this being Plymouth, there was some carping, with accusations that the event didn’t live up to all the hype. And it’s true, a lot of the projections, at least according to the photos, seemed to consist of a volley of giant BBC and design company logos.

But there was so much other good stuff going on besides, like the movie competition, which was largely ignored by the local media. And we ask you, what’s not impressive about a massive green and white lighthouse projected onto the Civic Centre?!

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

Volver (15) Lust in La Mancha with the PRSD’s favourite director Pedro Almodovar. Oh, and don’t forget to pronounce it ‘boll-bear’ or Captn will be forced to snort at your extreme ignorance.
Eros (15) Wong Kar Wai, Steven Soderbergh and Michaelangelo Antonioni don their dirty macs (that’s not dirt - it’s spunk!) for this erotic anthology.

TAVISTOCK WHARF

The Devil Wears Prada (PG) Wholesome family flick which boasts the heartwarming message: ‘if your clothes are shit - you’re shit’. Shoulda worn her PRSD T-shirt!

DARTINGTON ARTS/THE BARN

The Devil Wears Prada (PG) See above for a more ‘in-depth’ analysis.
Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (PG) Arty thing about a famous footballer running around and spitting and stuff.

EXETER PICTUREHOUSE

Casino Royale (12A) Featuring Daniel Craig getting whacked repeatedly
in the bollocks by a sadistic torturer with a bit of rope. Another one for all the family then.
The Queen (12A) Helen Mirren manages to keep her clothes on, you say? Give the lady a Bafta!
Romanzo Criminale (15) Sprawling Italian epic about three criminals who start a ruthless drugs organisation. What, like Boots?!
Brothers Of The Head (18) Conjoined twins become a rock’n'roll sensation in this faux documentary - yknow, a bit like Right Said Fred.

Posted by Thin White Duke

As a rule, James Bond flicks don’t usually look like they’ve been shot by Carol Reed. But that’s exactly the impression given by Casino Royale, opening with a grainy black and white prologue, featuring 007 beating the shit outta some guy in the bogs. The hapless fellow must have used the last loo roll, poor blighter.

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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

Marie Antoinette (12A) Everyone remembers Marie Antoinette’s catchphrase “let them eat cake”, but we prefer her lesser known bon mot “you can shove that guillotine up your ass”.
The Queen (12A) Helen Mirren manages to keep her clothes on, you say? Give the lady a Bafta! (more…)