Monday, March 26, 2007

Nightmare Boss is Coming to DVD!





I have been overwhelmed by the support for Nightmare Boss. It is now one of the most popular Comedy Mobisodes in the world. (Sprint Powervision Channel 19) As a Filmmaker the greatest feeling is to have a project that you made connect with an audience. After receiving thousands of requests I am happy to announce that Nightmare Boss will be coming to DVD! The entire series is being completely remastered and will be released on or around May 1st.
Thank you!
Paul Parducci

PS:Until then for all things Nightmare Boss go to NightmareBoss.com

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Joseph H. Lewis' "Gun Crazy" or Let's Get Weapons and Drive!


This Seminal Film Noir really holds up. Directed by Joseph H. Lewis, written by Mackinley Kanter and Dalton Trumbo (who had to use a Pseudonym at the time because of the Blacklist) and starring John Dall and Peggy Cummins in the roles of their lives. For lovers of the Noir style of Crime film this movie is a must see.
The Femme Fatale, the existential world-view it's all there as well as the famous Hampton Bank Robbery sequence-(shot in one take from the back seat of the get-away car,word has it that the script had the scene at 17 pages that Lewis simply threw away.)
Initially released as "Deadly is the Female."
Lines like "We go together like guns and ammunition." are waiting so hurry up!
Later,
Paul Parducci
PS: Here is a very nice piece on GC by Gary Johnson from Images Journal

Friday, March 16, 2007

Beware the Middle of March?


Today is the Ides of March which as defined by the Roman Calendar simply means the middle of the month, the 15th in March. May, July and October and the 13th in all the other months.

There is also the

Kalends which is the first of the month.
and the Nones, which is the 7th day in March, May, July, and October; the 5th in the all the other months.
See, unless you're Caesar there's nothing to worry about!

Later,

Paul Parducci

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

The Golem, Early Horror and German Expressionism




The roots of modern horror of course go very deep.
One of the greatest influences on the Horror Film is German Expressionism. Focused on internal states and featuring oblique angles and odd settings these silent movies brought us into the realm of nightmares.
Here is a piece of cinematic history from 1920 called The Golem(How He Came into the World).
Whether or not this film is a true representation of Expressionism is open for debate-the director himself Paul Wegener didn't consider it an expressionist film. It is more naturalistic than its more popular neighbor in time: "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." But as always, take a look and see what you think.
Later,
Paul Parducci



Thursday, March 08, 2007

Be Practical! William James and the Philosophy of: Does It Work?


William James the American Philospher and Psychologist was one of the major proponents of the philosophy of Pragmatism.
The author of the seminal The Varieties of Religious Experience, he was primarily interested in the Cash Value of ideas.
Here is a great quote from Dr. James from the Will to Believe and Other Essays(1897)
"Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact."
Later,

Paul Parducci

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Rashomon and the Nature of truth


In Kurosawa's Rashomon different stories are told about a crime and it is left to us to determine what is true.
It is a brilliant film in many respects but this theme, this focus on the very essence of how truth can be known (or even if it's possible) makes it a must see.
(Filmically the dappled images in the forest scenes and the Medium are for me the most potent-- as I write this I am thinking of the driving rain, and now the Samurai, so I'll just stop trying to highlight.)
If you haven't seen this Cinematic Masterpiece yet, do yourself a favor and rent a copy.
Criterion as a nice release of it on DVD.
Later,

Paul Parducci