From the Sight and Sound archive
Loosening the knot: on the set of Zhang Yimou’s To Live
In frozen Changchun, Tony Rayns visited Zhang Yimou as he shot the last scenes of his film To Live. The director spoke with Rayns about laughter as a form of resilience and the state of filmmaking in China. From our May 1994 issue.
From the Sight and Sound archive
Escape artist: Lynne Ramsay’s Morvern Callar
Escape artist: Lynne Ramsay’s Morvern CallarFrom the Sight and Sound archive
“It’s alive!”: the gothic tradition’s enduring legacy on screen
“It’s alive!”: the gothic tradition’s enduring legacy on screenFrom the Sight and Sound archive
The House of Mirth: a Wharton adaptation that rivals Scorsese’s
The House of Mirth: a Wharton adaptation that rivals Scorsese’sFrom the Sight and Sound archive
Perfect Blue: Kon Satoshi’s twisted pop dream
Perfect Blue: Kon Satoshi’s twisted pop dreamFrom the Sight and Sound archive
Midnight madness: The Rocky Horror Picture Cult
Midnight madness: The Rocky Horror Picture CultFrom the Sight and Sound archive
“It was dance as action rather than as aesthetics”: Stephen Daldry on Billy Elliot
“It was dance as action rather than as aesthetics”: Stephen Daldry on Billy ElliotFrom the Sight and Sound archive
Robert Redford: act natural
Robert Redford: act naturalFrom the Sight and Sound archive
“Consistently convincing, generally hilarious”: This Is Spinal Tap reviewed in 1984
“Consistently convincing, generally hilarious”: This Is Spinal Tap reviewed in 1984From the Sight and Sound archive
Dead of Night: 80 years on, Ealing’s anthology horror is still a waking nightmare
Dead of Night: 80 years on, Ealing’s anthology horror is still a waking nightmareFrom the Sight and Sound archive
“The bleakest portrait of a marriage since Bergman”: The War of the Roses reviewed in 1989
“The bleakest portrait of a marriage since Bergman”: The War of the Roses reviewed in 1989From the Sight and Sound archive
Subversive spirit and satirical energy: Sense and Sensibility reviewed in 1996
Subversive spirit and satirical energy: Sense and Sensibility reviewed in 1996From the Sight and Sound archive
“It’s no good showing things as they are – people wouldn’t believe them”: Alfred Hitchcock on To Catch a Thief
“It’s no good showing things as they are – people wouldn’t believe them”: Alfred Hitchcock on To Catch a ThiefFrom the Sight and Sound archive
A child’s demon: Robert Mitchum in The Night of the Hunter
A child’s demon: Robert Mitchum in The Night of the HunterFrom the Sight and Sound archive
Slaughterhouse blues: Charles Burnett on Killer of Sheep
By Armond White and Alex Cox
From the Sight and Sound archive
“Films constitute a valuable historical document”: Ernest Lindgren on the founding of the National Film Library
“Films constitute a valuable historical document”: Ernest Lindgren on the founding of the National Film LibraryFrom the Sight and Sound archive
Record of War: a provocative pairing of propaganda films
Record of War: a provocative pairing of propaganda filmsFrom the Sight and Sound archive
Refuseniks: Agnès Varda on The Gleaners and I
Refuseniks: Agnès Varda on The Gleaners and IFrom the Sight and Sound archive
“A piece of punk-rock movie-making”: 28 Days Later reviewed in 2002
“A piece of punk-rock movie-making”: 28 Days Later reviewed in 2002From the Sight and Sound archive
“Offers more hope than any other British film of the 1980s so far”: Local Hero reviewed in 1983
“Offers more hope than any other British film of the 1980s so far”: Local Hero reviewed in 1983From the Sight and Sound archive
“One thing this endlessly prurient film never shows is female sexual pleasure”: Showgirls reviewed in 1996
“One thing this endlessly prurient film never shows is female sexual pleasure”: Showgirls reviewed in 1996 From the Sight and Sound archive
“I’m telling the story of me... it might set a trend”: George Lucas on the set of Star Wars
“I’m telling the story of me... it might set a trend”: George Lucas on the set of Star WarsFrom the Sight and Sound archive
“We need to proceed with great caution”: Natasha Lyonne on AI and the Sag-Aftra strike
“We need to proceed with great caution”: Natasha Lyonne on AI and the Sag-Aftra strikeFrom the Sight and Sound archive
Mission: Impossible – a popcorn movie to take seriously
Mission: Impossible – a popcorn movie to take seriouslyFrom the Sight and Sound archive
Mai Zetterling: some notes on acting
Mai Zetterling: some notes on actingFrom the Sight and Sound archive
“Godard’s best film”: Alphaville turns 60
“Godard’s best film”: Alphaville turns 60From the Sight and Sound archive
Marital arts: Pride & Prejudice reviewed in 2005
Marital arts: Pride & Prejudice reviewed in 2005From the Sight and Sound archive
Julie Christie, the honey-glow girl
Julie Christie, the honey-glow girlFrom the Sight and Sound archive
Muriel’s Wedding: the greatest film of all time?
Muriel’s Wedding: the greatest film of all time?From the Sight and Sound archive
Build my gallows high: Joshua Oppenheimer on The Act of Killing
Build my gallows high: Joshua Oppenheimer on The Act of Killing