Movies In Focus

#45. Scott Chambers On DOCTOR JEKYLL, Hammer, Horror & WINNIE-THE-POOH BLOOD & HONEY 2

Joe Stephenson's Doctor Jekyll was the first Hammer horror film released since the company was purchased by its new owner - the perfectly named John Gore. An entertaining throwback feature with a modern twist, this new imagining of Robert Louis Stephenson's iconic tale stars Eddie Izzard and Scott Chambers. Izzard is the titular Jekyll, while Chambers plays the young man hired to assist the reclusive doctor. 

Izzard's take on Doctor Jekyll is creepy and subtle, but Scott Chambers impresses as the young man who is eager to make his second chance in life work. Chambers is an up-and-coming actor-producer who has produced over 100 low-budget films over the last ten years or so - one of those being the controversial cult success Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey.

Scott Chambers joined the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about Doctor Jekyll, the rebirth of Hammer films, the horror genre as well as Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2.

#44. AMELIA'S CHILDREN Filmmaker Gabriel Abrantes

Writer-director Gabriel Abrantes joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to discuss his new film Amelia’s Children

A slow-burning and delicately paced horror with Brigette Lundy-Paine, Carlota Cotta, Anabela Moreira, Alba Baptista, Amelia’s Children sees a New York-based musician discover that he has a long-lost mother and brother in Portugal. Taking a trip with his girlfriend, he visits them in their secluded mansion but finds that his family has a dark and deadly secret.

#43. THE FUGITIVE Director Andrew Davis Discusses His Career

In this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast, film director Andrew Davis talks about his long and prestigious career. Best known for directing the hugely acclaimed blockbuster The Fugitive with Harrison Ford, Davis’ career has been as eclectic as it has been successful.

From his excellent jazz-fused 1978 debut, Stony Island through to The Package with Gene Hackman and Under Siege with Steven Seagal to A Perfect Murder with Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow and the beloved screen adaptation of Holes, Davis has delivered across nearly all genres.

He has also worked with some of Hollywood’s biggest names with the likes of Kevin Costner, Keanu Reeves, Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, Morgan Freeman and Arnold Schwarzenegger being added to the aforementioned roster.

This relaxed and candid discussion covers the length and breadth of Andrew Davis' rich career - it’s well worth a listen.

Find out more about Andrew Davis via his website www.andrewdavisfilms.com

#42. RUTHLESS Director Art Camacho Talks About Stunts & Action

Ruthless is a bone-crunching thriller starring an against-type Dermot Mulroney as a teacher trying to rescue one of his students from a gang of human traffickers. Eschewing preaching for entertainment, Ruthless is an enjoyable, no-frills throwback revenge thriller with a good turn from Mulroney. Best known for his romantic leads, Mulroney sells the badass action and shows an interesting side to his on-screen persona.

In a fun and entertaining episode, the director and co-writer of Ruthless, Art Camacho joined the Movies In Focus podcast.  The stuntman-turned-director talked about making the revenge thriller, as well as discussing the practicalities of filming and training for stunt sequences. 

#41. Phillip Noyce & Morena Baccarin Discuss FAST CHARLIE Starring Pierce Brosnan

Director Phillip Noyce and Morena Baccarin join the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about their new film, Fast Charlie.

Brutal when it needs to be, funny when it wants to be and heartfelt when you least expect it, Fast Charlie is first-class entertainment for grown-ups. Master-craftsman Noyce has built a well-constructed revenge thriller around star Pierce Brosnan and the script delivers plenty of standout moments. Anyone looking for a good old-fashioned thriller will have to search far and wide for one that works better than Fast Charlie.

Having enjoyed the film so much, it was great to talk with its maker and star. Returning guest Phillip Noyce discussed a range of topics - such as the power of positive reviews, it’s what it’s like working with Pierce Brosnan, the intricacies of balancing drama and comedy and we even touched on directing the James Bond franchise.

Morena Baccarin talked about the complexities of building a strong character, the balance of romantic storylines, Deadpool 3 and more.

#40. Director Tyler MacIntyre & Writer Michael Kennedy Talk IT’S A WONDERFUL KNIFE

It’s A Wonderful Knife is an entertaining slasher flick - with a difference. As the title indicates, the film is a riff on Frank Capra’s 1946 Christmas classic, It's A Wonderful Life. Starring Jane Widdop, Joel McHale and Justin Long, the film has heart and laughs wrapped up against the film's bloody kills. 

A year after saving her small town from a crazed killer, Jane Widdop’s Winnie is down in the dumps by the way things have turned out. When she wishes she'd never been born, she finds herself in an alternate reality - and that’s when she sees how bad life would be without her - and things are made even worse when the killer is still on the loose.

Tyler MacIntyre, It’s A Wonderful Knife’s director and Michael Kennedy, the film’s writer joined the Movies In Focusp podcast to talk about the trials and tribulations of making this quirky Christmas slasher.

#39: Writer/Director Dominic O’Neill On HAUNTED ULSTER LIVE

Belfast-based director Dominic O’Neill joins the Movies In Focus podcast to discuss his new comedy horror, Haunted Ulster Live.

A comedy of errors, Haunted Ulster Live uses the famed UK mockumentary Ghostwatch as a stepping-off point. Taking place in a supposedly haunted house, the broadcast is interrupted by things that go bump in the night – as well as the myriad of errors that can take place during any live TV recording. Yes, there are similarities with Ghostwatch, but Haunted Ulster Live is its own thing as a piece of well-honed entertainment. The laughs are well earned and the horror delivers some heft – especially the final moments which reminded me of the John Carpenter classic, Prince Of Darkness, as well as Prano Bailey-Bond’s Censor. 

Dominic talks about the origins of his new film, the trials and tribulations of making and releasing a low-budget horror and how television in his native Ulster helped influence this well-honed genre piece.

 

#38. Writer & Visual Artist Jaylan Salah On Horror

Writer, film critic and visual artist Jaylan Salah joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast.

A woman of many talents, Jaylan is a passionate film lover with a keen insight into multiple genres. Delving deep into what frightens her, Jaylan discusses a selection of thrilling films including Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead, Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu and Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook.

 

#37. Douglas Schulze Talks THORNS, FightFest & Low Budget Filmmaking

Douglas Schulze has been a friend of Movies In Focus since 2009, in the lead-up to the release of his David Carradine starring horror film Dark Fields - or The Rain as it was then called.

Films like Mimesis: Night Of The Living Dead, Mimesis: Nosferatu and his experimental thriller The Dark Below show a director who wants to push the boundaries of low-budget storytelling with interesting and creative concepts.

Douglas has now brought his new horror film, Thorns to FrightFest. A 1980s inspired genre film, Thorns has hints of Alien, The Thing and Hellraiser. A throwback piece, it’s filled with practical effects and plenty of eye-watering moments of gore.

Finally, Douglas Schulze joins the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about Thorns, his career as a low budget director and the highs of lows of independent filmmaking

#36. Daphné Baiwir On The Stephen King Documentary KING ON SCREEN

Belgian filmmaker Daphné Baiwir's King On Screen is an excellent documentary that puts the focus on the many film and television adaptations that have been based on the work of Stephen King. A must-see for King fans, Baiwir looks at these adaptations from the perspective of people who made them - and the film features interviews with the likes of Frank Darabont, Mick Garris, Mike Flanagan, Tom Holland and many more.

Daphné Baiwir joins the Movies In Focus to talk about the acclaimed author and detail how her documentary came together as well as discussing how she managed to score the film's many illustrious talking heads.