Visions Cinema: Film as a Way of Life: Hong Kong Cinema - A Report by Tony Rayns

Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks

2019

The fantastic story of how an ancient martial art, Chinese kung fu, conquered the world through the hundreds of films that were produced in Hong Kong over the decades, transformed Western action cinema and inspired the birth of cultural movements such as blaxploitation, hip hop music, parkour and Wakaliwood cinema.

Score: A Film Music Documentary

2017

Music is an integral part of most films, adding emotion and nuance while often remaining invisible to audiences. Matt Schrader shines a spotlight on the overlooked craft of film composing, gathering many of the art form’s most influential practitioners, from Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman to Quincy Jones and Randy Newman, to uncover their creative process. Tracing key developments in the evolution of music in film, and exploring some of cinema’s most iconic soundtracks, 'Score' is an aural valentine for film lovers.

The Donner Party

1992

Doomed attempt to get to California in 1846. More than just a riveting tale of death, endurance and survival. The Donner Party's nightmarish journey penetrated to the very heart of the American Dream at a crucial phase of the nation's "manifest destiny." Touching some of the most powerful social, economic and political currents of the time, this extraordinary narrative remains one of the most compelling and enduring episodes to come out of the West.

The 'Frankenstein' Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster

1999

The history of Frankenstein's journey from novel to stage to screen to icon.

Between Dog and Wolf

2014

New Model Army have been one of the biggest underground music artists for over quarter of a century. To their global community of fans they mean everything. Yet mainstream success has so far eluded them. This film is the story of the band and in particular their charismatic and unconventional lead singer songwriter and founder Justin Sullivan.

The Omen Legacy

2001

The true stories that spawned the serie tale of Damien, a small boy with an angelic face, whose very name still conjures up thoughts of Satan. This documentary shares spine-tingling information about the the all-too-memorable flick that has terrorized film audiences since 1976.

Vratislav Effenberger or Black Shark Hunting

2018

The Pharmacy: Shanghai

1976

Filmed inside Pharmacy No. 3 in Shanghai, Joris Ivens and Marceline Loridan-Ivens document the daily work of a state pharmacy that functions as both a dispensary and a neighborhood medical center. The film focuses on routine interactions between staff and patients, revealing an integrated model of urban healthcare in 1970s China.