What's On January
The Filmhouse in Edinburgh is showing specially restored prints of two mistreated masterpieces between 4-6 Jan. Peeping Tom, the story of a voyeuristic killer, was famously derided upon its 1960 release and the criticism effectively ended director Michael Powell's career. It has since been supported by Martin Scorsese, who helped bring the film the acclaim it deserves and was instrumental in this restoration. Fritz Lang's silent Metropolis can be viewed in all its original glory, following the astonishing discovery of an extra twenty-five minutes of footage in a museum in Argentina.
Actor-turned-director Diego Luna will be at the Filmhouse on 9 Jan for a Q&A session after a special screening of his behind the camera debut, Abel. Best known for his roles in Mexican films such as Y Tu Mamá También and Rudo y Cursi, Luna's directorial effort follows a young boy's attempts to fill the role of his absent father and his family's decision to play along, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.
Recently Mel Gibson has become better known for his hateful outbursts than for his filmmaking, but the DCA in Dundee is offering audiences a chance to remind themselves of his substantial acting and directing talent. On 11 Jan Mad Max is being screened, followed on 18 Jan by Apocalypto. The former, the film that catapulted Gibson to fame, is an Australian cult classic with Gibson playing the title character out to avenge his family's murder in a apocalyptic future. The latter, a tale of a young Mayan attempting to avoid being sacrificed, sees Gibson in the director's chair.
On 23 Jan Scottish actor/director Peter Mullan will be at the GFT for a Q&A following a screening of his most recent feature, NEDS. Following the acclaimed The Magdalene Sisters and a role in the latest Harry Potter film, Mullan returns to his roots to tell the story of a young man in 1970s Glasgow trying to escape poverty and the lure of housing estate gang culture.
Every month the GFT hosts free discussion groups for people interested in cinema. On the first Wednesday of every month the Glasgore! Horror and Cult discussion group takes place, followed by a Film discussion group on the second Wednesday of each month, the latter led by critic/writer Eddie Harrison. Whether you're interested in learning more about cinema, you want to share your own opinions and knowledge, or you just like to argue passionately with others, these events are light-hearted and undoubtedly an entertaining way to pass an evening.