The Big Picture MagazineNeil Mitchell is the editor of The Big Picture magazine, the London and Melbourne editions of the World Film Locations series and co-editor of Directory of World Cinema: Britain. His monograph on Brian De Palma's Carrie will be published in September by Auteur Publishing as part of its Devil's Advocates series. Neil contributes to Total Film, Electric Sheep, Eye For Film and New Empress, is the host of The Fourth Wall blog and can be found chatting away on Twitter under @nrm1972.
Neil Mitchell takes a trip into the American backwoods, where the spontaneous rendition of a musical ditty provides a tuneful, striking contrast to the events that follow in a classic ‘70s thriller. Film history is littered with iconic music, both original compositions and existing pieces co-opted to complement, contradict or heighten the emotional reaction to […]
Neil Mitchell dips a tentative toe in the water as one of the most famous theme tunes in movie history runs through his mind. Duun dun…duun dun…dun dun dun dun…you’d be hard pressed to find anyone – cinephile or casual movie viewer – that doesn’t instantly recognise John Williams’ theme tune to Jaws (Steven Spielberg, […]
As a tie-in to the print issue’s theme of ‘Winter’s Discontent’, Neil Mitchell looks at an object that carried just as much physical weight as it did metaphorical baggage in Courtney Hunt’s frosty, border-crossing thriller. Brief as its appearance in Courtney Hunt’s taut, downbeat thriller it may be, but the duffel bag that’s dumped and […]
In Steve McQueen’s Shame, sex addict Brandon (Michael Fassbender) sees his secretive, psychologically damaging affliction eat into his outwardly successful life. A sophisticated, high flying businessman with a modish New York apartment he may be, but underneath Brandon is crippled by spiritual, emotional and existential crises, thwarting his attempts at anything resembling a functional, meaningful […]
Martin Scorsese’s engrossing four hour documentary odyssey through the Italian films that played a large part in his cinematic education expands our own On Location feature into an all encompassing exploration of personal identity, history, ancestry, geography and changing national cultural, political and social climates. Executive produced by Giorgio Armani and recently released for the […]
Replicating the intensity, passion, athleticism and thrilling immediacy of team sports and individual athletic skill on the big screen is no easy task, and many sports themed movies stick to a familiar tale of underdog triumphs and last minute victories. Capturing the spirit of sporting drama on film to draw audiences into an emotional response […]
Since it’s inception in 2003 Cine City has become a popular annual addition to both the Brighton and Hove and film festival calenders. With a diverse and eye catching programme Cine City always offers something for everyone; from casual cinema goers, artists and music lovers to hardened cineastes. The King’s Speech (2010) starring Colin Firth […]
At the grand old age of 73, Hollywood veteran John Huston was still enamoured by social misfits, rebels and loners, and in adapting Flannery O’Connor’s 1952 debut novel Wise Blood Huston portrayed another of the idiosyncratic individualists that often took centre stage in his films. O’Connor’s Southern Gothic tale of disillusioned army vet cum street […]
There’s a certain romantic appeal to the idea of the rebellious loner, and many movies have alluded to the notion that being anti-authority, anti-establishment and anti-just about everything is full of Hollywood glamour and radical idealism. It’s generally a different story here in Britain though, these teenage thugs, beatniks, nihilists and runaways often pay a […]