Urban Ghost Story

[platty]

Anybody know anything about this forthcoming disc starring Jason(my dad was the best Bond)Connery.It`s just been mentioned in the new DVD REVIEW mag and it`s supposed to be out on the 29th of this month,all i know is that it`s a british horror film and thats it.:confused:

[Michael Brooke]

Shockingly enough, I saw this way back in 1998 at the Edinburgh Film Festival - it spent several years in limbo due to complications involving the film's sales agent.

Which is a great pity, as I thought it was a terrific piece of work - the low budget (which I know, but which I'm honour-bound not to reveal in public - let's just say it was <U>low</U>) occasionally shows, but I think it works in its favour, as the fact that the film-makers couldn't afford elaborate visual effects means that they rely much more on the soundtrack to build up an impressively creepy atmosphere.

As for the film, it's essentially a remake of <I>The Haunting</I> (the 1963 version) set in a decidedly scummy Glasgow block of flats - if you can imagine Ken Loach making a horror film, it might turn out a bit like this.

[HighlanderTM]

The budget of the film was a mere £200'000, filmed on super 16mm film. It's Director, Genevieve Joliffe was picked up by agent Casarotto-Ramsay and has done nothing since.

The film failed to get it's anticipated countrywide Release and, as predicted, has gone straight to video.

It's producer, Chris Jones, was last seen in the north of scotland making a film about a vampire and a young boy...

Latest reports indicate that reasonable amounts of talent have been failed to be spotted anywhere in the area of either individuals.

This update was brought to you by CrapDirectors.comTM, helping you avoid the minefield of dreck at the multiplex and videostore!

[Michael Brooke]

You seem to have a <U>very</U> large chip on your shoulder about people who actually manage to get British features off the ground in the face of ridiculous amounts of adversity and a film funding culture that actively despises populist genre pieces - any particular reason? Jealousy?

Anyway, ignore him - it's well worth a look. For further backup see the IMDB <A HREF="http://us.imdb.com/CommentsShow?120423">comments</A>, all of which I agree with, as well as reviews from <A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4222017,00.html">Philip French</A> (The Observer) and <A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4220813,00.html">Peter Bradshaw</A> (The Guardian) - not uncritical, but certainly sympathetic.

[Richie]

and if you'd like to know more about the filmmakers read their book "The Guerilla film makers handbook" and visit their website Living Spirit (www.livingspirit.com)

[HighlanderTM]

The basic point is, that some people don't seem to get the message regarding how talentless they are. Chris Jones is delusional thinking that White Angel was anything but a festering pile of horse manure.

Having lied to get into film school, thrown out when the truth was discovered, and ripping off other peoples material to get finance for his first film suggests that Mr Jones has the backbone and character of something found under a large rock. As an experienced television and music video director i give no sympathy to these desperate wannabe's whatsoever. No matter how hard they try, they will ALWAYS find their own level!

[defunk27]

Well, somebody doesn't like somebody's work! Don't really know what Urban Ghost Story will turn out like although it's a movie I've heard a fair bit about since it's initial showing way back in 1998. I'll look at this movie with a fair amount of interest and take it from there. That said, I read the script sometime last year and I thought it was fairly enjoyable.

[utero]

Originally posted by HighlanderTM
As an experienced television and music video director i give no sympathy to these desperate wannabe's whatsoever.

so what have you done?

[Michael Brooke]

HighlanderTM, have you actually <U>seen</U> <I>Urban Ghost Story</I>, or are you merely letting your hatred of Chris Jones swamp all critical nous?

I haven't seen anything he directed, so I can't comment on his creative ability in that department, but there's little doubt to my mind (and the experienced director I saw the film with) that Genevieve Jolliffe (who actually directed <I>Urban Ghost Story</I> has definite talent in that department - identified by numerous positive reviews (far more positive than those for <I>White Angel</I>), and I'd be intrigued to see what she does next.

As for the film's inability to get a proper cinema release, that was more down to the fact that they were totally screwed by their sales agent than any serious shortcomings in the film itself. There's no reason it couldn't have done reasonably well in smaller multiplex screens, and I can personally vouch for its ability as a crowd-pleaser. I went to it with low expectations, and was very pleasantly surprised.

I can't stress enough that the film isn't any kind of blinding masterpiece, but I'd rather see more films like it emerge from this country (i.e. imaginative, resourceful, populist) than half the crap that seems to get Lottery and Film Council funding at the drop of a hat.

[utero]

I also have to agree with M.Brooke, although I haven't seen the film it must be quite strong because Jolliffe now has a deal with MGM from what I've heard

[Gary Couzens]

Just to state for the record, <i>Urban Ghost Story</i> did get a cinema release - albeit a very limited one. I saw it at a press screening earlier this year and I'll go along with what Michael says: it has its flaws, but it's certainly more interesting than many low-budget British films.

I haven't seen <i>The Runner</i> or <i>White Angel</i>, so can't comment on Chris Jones's directorial ability.

[HighlanderTM]

As a music video director i have worked with Iron Maiden, Saxon, The Scorpions and Black Sabbath. As a Commercial Director i have created house-hold famous television adverts for WH Smith, Tesco, Sainsbury's and LLoyd's Bank.

Yes, i have seen UGS. And it's utter garbage. No flair,vitality, energy or soul whatsoever, the cast wander through proceedings with a total lack of enthusiasm, reading lines like zombies.

Jones and Jolliffe ARE talentless.

Oh, and it's not envy. As of the present date i have a production deal with Columbia Tristar to Write/Direct a psychological thriller starring Eric Roberts, with a tentative budget of $6 million dollars. Providing all goes well, filming stars in San Francisco in spring of 2002.

[Michael Brooke]

People finding this thread as funny as I am may also enjoy HighlanderTM's similarly forthright opinions of fellow British directors Paul Anderson (<A HREF="http://thedvdforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14918">here</A>) and Danny Cannon (<A HREF="http://thedvdforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16830">here</A>), though I see he's following in their footsteps and buggering off to America at the earliest opportunity.

He also confesses to being "a rather large fan" of both Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay <A HREF="http://thedvdforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16084">here</A> - which confirms my suspicions that someone whose background is in slick TV commercials and music videos probably wouldn't get that much out of <I>Urban Ghost Story</I>, where ideas very much take precedence over technical polish.

[utero]

As stated before I haven't see Urban Ghost Story but I appreciate anyone out there trying to make british films with something different to offer. I find the book by the duo behind the film extremely helpful. For someone like me starting out in the industry it offers some incentive to get out there and do it no matter the results. Even if UGS isn't much cop it was still enough to get MGM interested in doing a deal.

Highlander is entitled to his opinions (although I wouldn't really shout from the rooftops that I was doing a film with Eric Roberts) and he he some grounding in the industry but even so I wouldn't call Guy Ritchie a great director yet when his two films have been in the same genre and his next is a re-make. Time will tell.

Also I feel that Paul Anderson is a director with a very flat style as displayed in Soldier but Cannon actually has a good sense of style throughout his films despite the material. You can catch it most weeks on C.S.I and I honestly believe that a big dredd fan could'nt produce something that formulaic without some pressure from an established hollywood star.

Ok opinion now over:D

[Michael Brooke]

<B>Highlander is entitled to his opinions (although I wouldn't really shout from the rooftops that I was doing a film with Eric Roberts) </B>

To be fair, he can be a very good actor in the right material (he even got an Oscar nomination for <I>Runaway Train</I>) - it's just that he hasn't been especially lucky in recent years, and being massively overshadowed by his rather more famous little sister doesn't help.

But I do think Highlander is playing with fire - openly slagging off your peers repeatedly in a public forum before making your own feature debut means that the latter has got to be <U>seriously</U> good when/if it emerges to avoid attracting the inevitable pride/fall associations!

And believe me, having spent the past decade working alongside countless directors making their debut or early features and then watching them crash and burn either with those features or later ones, I've seen this happen loads of times in the past!

[Bolch]

To be fair, he can be a very good actor in the right material (he even got an Oscar nomination for <I>Runaway Train</I>) - it's just that he hasn't been especially lucky in recent years.

I LiEk Best of the Best !!!!!!11111 :D

Whens the DVD coming ??

[GK]

I haven't been intrigued so much by a thread on here in weeks ! Part of me is thinking, "I wonder what Saxon video he did ?!" and the other is thinking that I really now am looking forward to UBS.