Monthly Archives: September 2008

Paul Newman leaves a trove of treasured performances

Posted on September 28, 2008 by admin

By Ray Bennett One of the frequent disappointments in meeting film stars is realizing how much their charisma and star power depend on the power of the movie screen. In my experience, just three stars retained that aura in real … Continue reading →

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Rio de Janeiro film festival heads to port

Posted on September 25, 2008 by admin

The Hollywood Reporter has assigned me to cover the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival in the first week of October. Here’s my story about the festival opening today. By Ray Bennett LONDON — The 10th Rio de Janeiro International … Continue reading →

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Thinking of my friend Mark Schwed, who died

Posted on September 23, 2008 by admin

‘Thy friends are exultations, agonies, And love, and man’s unconquerable mind’ Ray, Charles, Victor and Mark in happy L.A. days

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Christopher Walter always asked the right question

Posted on September 18, 2008 by admin

Christopher, standing fourth from left, and me (hand in jacket) on a Swiss mountain in 1960 Christopher Walter sat next to me in class at Ashford Boys Grammar School in Kent. He was smart and went on to the sixth … Continue reading →

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Eden Lake is unpleasant, bloody and prejudiced

Posted on September 18, 2008 by admin

Kelly Reilly has a rough time of it in ‘Eden Lake’ By Ray Bennett LONDON — British director James Watkins’ “Eden Lake” has the trappings of a low-IQ thriller but it’s really a contemptible tract feeding the prejudices of the … Continue reading →

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Salles has it right about violence and silence

Posted on September 17, 2008 by admin

Soccer plays a big part in the lives of the boys in Linha de Passe Walter Salles, whose new film “Linha de Passe,” about a mother and her four sons struggling to get by in Sao Paulo, Brazil, opens in … Continue reading →

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BBC marks 90th anniversary of World War One armistice

Posted on September 15, 2008 by admin

The BBC has announced a massive series of programs about the First World War across all its platforms to mark the 90th anniversary of the armistice signed between the Allied and German armies on Nov. 11 1918. Here is the … Continue reading →

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Classical music downloads get a Passionato boost

Posted on September 12, 2008 by admin

Major composers and musicians are featured on the Passionato website By Ray Bennett High fidelity downloads of classical music have been difficult to find but a new UK website called Passionato aims to end that. The site offers single tracks, … Continue reading →

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Boy In the Striped Pajamas delivers stark message

Posted on September 11, 2008 by admin

Mark Herman’s drama with Jack Scanlon and Asa Butterfield opens in the U.K. Friday By Ray Bennett LONDON — The home life of the Nazi commandant of a World War II concentration camp appears bizarrely serene in Mark Herman’s grave … Continue reading →

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London Film Festival boasts 15 world premieres

Posted on September 10, 2008 by admin

By Ray Bennett The 52nd London Film Festival will feature 15 world premieres and just as many international and European debuts, kicking off with Ron Howard’s screen version of Peter Morgan’s hit play “Frost/Nixon” on Oct. 15 and including the … Continue reading →

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