Join us every week for a trip into the weird and wonderful world of trailers. Whether it’s the first teaser for the latest instalment in your favourite franchise, an obscure preview for a strange indie darling, whether it’s good, bad, ugly or just plain weird – your favourite pop culture baristas are there to tell you what they think.
Sam: Since Sean Connery’s recent passing, I have grown rather nostalgic about a time when trailers would still run for three minutes, boast star names and production values and even include the film’s score. Richard Lester’s Robin and Marian (1976) is just a beautiful example, stressing Audrey Hepburn’s long-awaited return to the screen as Maid Marian, teaming up with an aged Robin Hood, played by then no-longer Bond Sean Connery. The trailer proudly displays the film’s handsome photography, unashamedly romantic theme (by Bond composer John Barry) and impressive supporting cast (Robert Shaw, Richard Harris, Niccol Williamson – not to mention Ian Holm and Denholm Elliot). At the heart of it is, of course, the indelible chemistry between Hepburn and Connery, making for a truly touching old-school romantic adventure that even in the 70s must have struck a cord with nostalgic audiences.
Matt: I’m not necessarily one to seek out every single Terrence Malick film when it comes out, but there are some Malick films that I would go and see in a heartbeat if I had the chance to see them on the big screen. This summer, in between the first and second wave of COVID-19, while cinemas where open, I was lucky to see the breathtakingly beautiful Days of Heaven at my favourite cinema. Perhaps it’s also because for half the year the cinema was simply not an option that I remember many of the films I saw during the handful of months where movie theatres were open so acutely. Sadly, we don’t get the Criterion Channel over here, but I enjoy the videos they put together as reminders of some of the greatest contributors to the art of cinema.
A Damn Fine Cup of Culture 