A few thoughts

For a project that spiked my interest from the start of production, it has taken me an strangely lengthy time to in fact get around to watching Kill Your Darlings. I can trace my fascination with the Beat Generation very specifically, to the point that I suppose I have to thank the casting director of Chronicle for bringing the literary movement into my life, by casting Dane DeHaan as Andrew Detmer.* Let me elaborate...

In February 2012 Chronicle was released and Dane DeHaan impressed me to the point that I knew I would follow him as an actor because, wherever his career took him, it was sure to be interesting. So to IMDb I went and saw that Dane was set to be starring in a movie called Kill Your Darlings alongside Daniel Radcliffe. In order to add some detail to a blog post I was composing on the upcoming film, I engaged in some preliminary and very rudimentary research into just which real life people the various actors were supposed to be depicting. At this point I had never heard of the Beat Generation, let alone any of the authors or works.

But I did like the thought that in the early 1940's there was a gang of young intellectuals running around New York and Columbia University reading classic literature, creating a New Vision, dabbling in banned substances and consuming plenty of liquor.

Kerouac and Burroughs

In the past three years since then, I have been reading within this literary movement and can't imagine a time when I didn't know about all it has brought to me. Ginsberg's poetry. On The Road, Big Sur, The Sea is My Brother, Maggie Cassidy by Kerouac. And Burroughs' Junky, Naked Lunch and The Western Lands. I read all about Neal Cassady and watched any number of films on those men.

Ginsberg and Kerouac

Kill Your Darlings is a film that I have been looking forward to since its inception. Not just because it is a film about all those cherished favourites of mine. But because it was my research into KYD that made them become said cherished favourites.

Burroughs, Ginsberg and Carr. I love this photograph.

Not sure why I felt the need to share this with you prior to my review, but I thought it would set the scene. I can't imagine coming at this film blind with no prior knowledge, but I wonder if I would have enjoyed it so thoroughly if I didn't know what happened during the film and hadn't known the literary figures that they would one day become... A review will follow shortly.

Lou and Ginsy

*I have done some research, and Ronna Kress, I thank you for your inspired casting of Dane DeHaan as it has indirectly set me off on a great literary adventure.

Kill Your Darlings - Teaser Trailer

FINALLY! 

If you have been following this blog for a while you may or may not have noticed how much of a raging Beat freak I am. Anything Ginsberg, Kerouac or Burroughs related and I am invested. Specifically I have been buzzing about Kill Your Darlings from pretty much its inception because as well as the story it had a stunning cast of Dane DeHaan, Daniel Radcliffe and Elizabeth Olsen. 

The teaser trailer is precisely that and seems to come to an abrupt end at thirty seconds however we do get some exciting shots. Dane DeHaan looks incredible as a cocky, young Lucien Carr who is shown getting up on a table in a library much to the shock of other students. Daniel Radcliffe's take on Ginsberg's voice sounds pretty fair to me and it's nice to see him back in round glasses! Michael C. Hall is briefly shown in his role as David Kammerer but little is alluded to his seedy role in the plot (based on Burroughs and Kerouac's novel And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks.) Columbia University looks spectacular and the wardrobe of the period feels en pointe. 

No word yet on the UK release date, but be sure that if and when the news breaks I will be all over it! Here are a few links to other posts on the topic of Kill Your Darlings from the past year or so. Given the fact I have waited an age for this teaser trailer I am not disappointed. Excuse me whilst I go and watch it another 10 times...

Kill Your Darlings Update

On The Road, Kill Your Darlings, Howl

Kill Your Darlings New Set Pictures

Daniel Radcliffe as Allen Ginsberg

Lucien Carr 

Dane DeHaan as Lucien Carr

Jameson Empire Awards: The Red Carpet

This post marks the end of awards season for another year (sob). Here are a couple of pictures from the Awards which have literally just ended over in London. Stay tuned, there's more to come!

The ever dapper Tom Hiddleston 

Looks like Martin Freeman may have retained some of Bilbo's knit wear...

Daniel Radcliffe - Hero

Sam Claflin 

Sir Ian McKellen 

Samantha Barks 

Reunited: Sam Mendes and Kevin Spacey 

Jameson Empire Awards: The Winners

Best Male Newcomer 

Domhnall Gleeson (Anna Karenina)

Rafe Spall (Life Of Pi)

Steve Oram (Sightseers)

Suraj Sharma (Life Of Pi)

WINNER Tom Holland (The Impossible)

Extremely worthy winner, I had voted for him after the short list was released in that post.

Best Female Newcomer

Alice Lowe (Sightseers)

Alicia Vikander (Anna Karenina)

Holliday Grainger (Great Expectations)

Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts Of The Southern Wild)

WINNER Samantha Barks (Les Miserables)

Two out of two so far, as predicted!

Best Comedy 

21 Jump Street

Moonrise Kingdom 

WINNER Ted

The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists 

Silver Linings Playbook 

There's no disputing Ted was hilarious. Maybe 21 Jump Street was funnier...

Best Horror 

WINNER The Woman In Black 

The Cabin In The Woods 

Sinister 

Sightseers 

Dark Shadows

Happy this won, this was my pick for the category 

Best Thriller

Argo 

Skyfall

Zero Dark Thirty 

The Raid 

WINNER Jo Nesbo's Headhunters

Definitely a tough category, I had chosen Argo for this - Headhunters definitely bucks the previous award season trend.

Best Sci-FI/Fantasy 

Prometheus 

Looper 

Avengers Assemble 

Dredd 3D 

WINNER The Hobbit

I had chosen Avengers for this nod, but The Hobbit makes for a very worthy winner 

The Art Of 3D

Avengers Assemble 

WINNER Dredd 3D

Life Of Pi

Prometheus 

The Hobbit

Had predicted the Hobbit, but there wasn't much in it 

Jameson Best Actor

Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)

Daniel Craig (Skyfall)

Daniel Day Lewis (Lincoln)

WINNER Martin Freeman (The Hobbit)

Robert Downey Jr. (Avengers Assemble)

I threatened to eat my hat if Daniel Day-Lewis didn't win. I'll let you know how it tastes...

Best Actress

Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises)

Naomi Watts (The Impossible)

Dame Judi Dench (Skyfall)

Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)

WINNER Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games)

Thought Watts deserved this, but happy to see J-Law's winning streak continue. 

Best Director 

Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Rises)

Joss Whedon (Avengers Assemble)

WINNING Sam Mendes (Skyfall)

Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)

Peter Jackson (The Hobbit)

Unsurprisingly I had wanted this one to go to Nolan, but Mendes is definitely a hugely talented director, no qualms here.

Best British Film 

Dredd 3D

Les Miserables 

WINNER Sightseers 

Skyfall 

The Woman In Black

Bit of a curve ball don't you think? Over Les Mis and Skyfall though, really?!

Best Film 

Django Unchained

Avengers Assemble

WINNER Skyfall

The Dark Knight Rises

The Hobbit 

I wanted The Dark Knight Rises, but it sort of had to be Skyfall didn't it?

Check out Amateur Review's prediction post and also the Red Carpet post still to come. 

Jameson Empire Awards Shortlist

On The Road, Kill Your Darlings, Howl

It has been a while since the last Kill Your Darlings update and while there is still no specific release date for 2013 it does seem like filming has wrapped. It also seemed like an opportunity to update all you ‘beat freaks’ out there on everything Beat Generation in film at the moment!

James Franco’s wonderful portrayal as Allen Ginsberg in the 2010 film Howl aired on Sunday night for all us British people. The film illustrates Ginsberg’s revolutionary poem alongside extracts from the obscenity trail that ensued. Though by no means a conventional movie, this little film depicts the poem as a performance and truly does it justice. Here’s the link to where you can catch or rewatch Howl on BBC iPlayer.

 

 Watch Howl on BBC iPlayer

Similarly as you may well know, an adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s classic novel is also hitting cinemas. On The Road stars Sam Riley, Kristen Stewart and Garrett Hedlund and tells the story of a young writer’s journey across the country. Amateur Reviews will endeavour to review the movie at some point.

Now back to Kill Your Darlings, here are some of the latest images that have come to our attention and also a link to an interview of co-star Jack Huston.

 

Read an interview with Jack Huston

 

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter

"The stories we love best do live in us forever. So, whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home." - JK Rowling

A few days ago Amateur Reviews were lucky enough to go to the Harry Potter Tour at Leavesden studios! I suppose in some respects this post could be seen as a review but it’s mainly to share the magic with all you readers in case you decide you want to go! There are some things I will endeavour to not give away as there are moments which should not to ruined, however if you want to attend the studios completely unawares, it’s probably best if you do not read any further. Consider that the spoiler alert disclaimer!

 

The outside of the studios on arrival

The Chosen One's handprints which were surprisingly small

There will be a link to the Warner Bros. website where tickets can be purchased at the end of this post. There are two types of individual tickets on offer: a single admission or the Complete Studio Tour Package! Amateur Reviews would strongly recommend the package because not only do you get an audio/visual guide (narrated by none other than Tom Felton), you also get a Souvenir Guide which is well worth it!

The official merchandise store feels like part of the tour in itself! Seeing Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavoured Beans to buy for real is extremely surreal. The range of House merch is extensive and of extremely good quality. Whether you want to buy a replica staff belonging to Mad Eye Moody, or a simple postcard, there’s something for everyone.

 

The confectionary goods area of the store

Honey Duke's sweets

Wouldn't much fancy getting an ear wax flavoured one...

For the most part the tour is self guided and photo opportunities are permitted pretty much everywhere! Throughout the tour there is no hurry at any of the stops and it’s lovely to be able to take your time looking at everything, because believe me, there is a lot to see! Here’s just a taste of what sets are on display in the first soundstage…

 

The infamous cupboard under the stairs!

The Great Hall

Two of Hogwarts' great headmasters

Dumbledore's office - but can anyone remember the password?

The Gryffindor Common Room

Potions!

The statue in the Minstry of Magic

Ministry of Magic atrium

From this point the tour proceeded outside to what’s known as ‘the backlot’. Here you could purchase a glass of butter beer from one of only two places in the world (the other being Orlando, FL)! Also here you can see some of the famous vehicles from the film including The Knight Bus. Ever wanted to knock on the door of Number 4 Privet Drive? Well now you can! And to make matters even more surreal, it’s right next door to Lily and James’ house at Godric’s Hollow!

You will never forget your first sip!

Hogwarts bridge

Privet Drive!

Harry's old house

All Destinations (nothing underwater)

 

Next up on the tour was a prop department which included loads of prosthetics and some of the Wizarding World’s most famous animals! Buckbeak and Aragog are notable highlights. From here visitors can have the magical experience of walking up and down Diagon Alley past Fred and George’s joke shop and Gringott’s to name but a few of the attractions. The attention to detail is utterly spectacular and you feel like Harry did on his first trip there: in awe. One of the final stops on the tour is a walk around a colossal scale model of the school complete with working lights and door hinges. To say this moment is breathtaking would be an understatement.

 

Diagon Alley

Need some Galleons?

 

So this concludes what has been a very heavy text and image blog post! Always better to have too much info than not enough, right!? Well anyway, the Warner Brother’s studio tour is utterly magical for adults and children alike. If you’ve been already or are planning to, we’d love to know in a comment below!

 

http://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/en/

Here's the link to start planning your trip!

http://amateurreviews25.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/harry-potter-studio-tour.html
Earlier in the year Amateur Reviews did a post on the opening of the tour which is also link here for all those interested.

"No story lives unless someone wants to listen." - JK Rowling