Hail Satan? marks the first time that director Penny Lane filmed contemporary events as they developed, though her deftness with archival material is crucial to the story’s appeal.
Author Archives: Jon Hogan
Jon Hogan lives in Forest Hills, Queens, and does things with film and comics. Those things include journalism, fundraising, and curation. Take a peek at the things he sees on Instagram.
The Film Studio that Perfected Cheap Horror Movies in the 1950s
A two-part series at the Quad Cinema chronicles the cheaply made and formally rich horror movies that the UK’s Hammer Films began producing in the 1950s.
A Depraved Classic of Adult Anime Returns to the Big Screen
Originally released in the US in 1993 to much puzzlement and shock, a rare 35mm print of Urotsukidōji: Legend of the Overfiend will screen at Nitehawk.
This Year’s Oscar-Nominated Shorts Are Slam Dunks
From a film on basketball legend Kobe Bryant to an adaptation of Roald Dahl poems, this is the first crop of nominees in many years without a single dud.
Return of One of the Most Beloved Bad Films of All Time
The Museum of Modern Art is screening Ed Wood’s 1959 cult classic, Plan 9 from Outer Space.
Animals Cope with Apocalypse in a Hand-Drawn Animated Film
Alberto Vázquez’s Birdboy seeks a visual language for dealing with adult themes through traditionally childlike devices.
A Nuanced Portrait of Hasidic Brooklyn
The directors of Jesus Camp and Detropia offer an in-depth look at Brooklyn’s Hasidic community.
Revisiting David Lynch’s Classic Blue Velvet with Behind-the-Scenes Footage
Rich in interviews and ephemera from the making of Lynch’s classic, Blue Velvet Revisited is ultimately disappointing as a standalone artistic achievement.
The Spooky, Masterful Film Boris Karloff Starred in After Frankenstein
Director James Whale used expressive cinematography, Karloff’s gift for pantomime, and an original approach to fight sequences to inspire a lasting, haunting sense of fear.
A Documentary Dives Into the Making of Psycho’s Iconic Shower Scene
78/52 is an in-depth look at the background, shooting, and lasting influence of one of film’s legendary horrors.
“A Year of Vomiting Color”: Sean Price Williams on Cinematography
Williams talks about his relationship to cinematography, including his latest work in Thirst Street, the truest visual smorgasbord of all.
Can a Tiny Tuscan Town Keep Its “Poor Theater” Alive?
In the documentary Spettacolo, the people of Monticchiello see art as a tool to promote populism.