prog: 2080
squelettes/rubrique-3.html

Cannon Films

The Cannon film studio, run by Israelian cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, is synonymous with the eighties – a time of superficial excess and bravado, rampant consumerism and neoliberalism. President Ronald Reagan like none other symbolises the political zeitgeist and Cannon Films almost seems to be the official propaganda service of the White House, with All American Heroes like Chuck Norris, Charles Bronson and Sylvester Stallone defending the Free World from the communist “Evil Empire”. Cannon also stood for a production model in which outright pulp films got blown up to blockbuster proportions. Ninjas, bodybuilders and bazookas take over the cinema screens, and JCVD gets moulded into a Hollywood film star. The bravado of the two Cannon directors had such a great impact on film production and marketing that its influence is still noticable in today’s film industry. Neatly divided between Cinema Nova and Cinematek, no less than 21 Cannon productions – the good, the bad and the worst of their colossal filmography – appeal to the ultimate “guilty pleasure” gut feeling.

Note that Tobe Hooper’s "Lifeforce" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" are also Cannon productions!



Electric Boogaloo

The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films

Mark Hartley, 2014, AU, HD, ov, 107

The director of “Not Quite Hollywood” unleashes his energetic documentary style on the infamous production house Cannon Films. Deranged film clips and juicy anecdotes take turns in creating a vivid image of the insane work ethics of the Golan & Globus duo.

Personally introduced by director Mark Hartley

13.03 > 20:00  
5€ / 3,5€


By ways of a symposium at Cinema Nova and a lecture at Cinema Rits (on Monday March 16), we want to place the output of Cannon Films in a broader cultural and historical context. Film production during the presidency of Ronald Reagan (“Reaganite Cinema”) saw the end of New Hollywood’s author cinema and a definite focus shift to action blockbusters. With bodybuilder actors, the cult of the body reigns supreme, while the trauma of the Vietnam war and the waning global US influence under president Carter are decidedly overcome. Cannon films such as “Missing In Action”, “The Delta Force” and “Cobra” or other 80’s successes like “Rambo III”, “The Secret of My Success” and “Top Gun” stand for a restored trust in the New Right. They can be seen as tools for the reinforcement of the American hegemony (the US as the world’s policeman) and a promotion of the neo-conservative agenda. Simultaneously, a booming independent film industry, partly thanks to the rise of home video, speaks in a different tone of voice, and a critique on the neo-liberal ideology even seeps into Hollywood blockbusters (like “Robocop”).


- Dr Steve Jones (Northumbria University) - Hard body, cold heart: The body in 80’s cinema
- Dr Russ Hunter (Northumbria University) - Chuck Norris doesn’t call the wrong number, you answer the wrong phone: The 80’s action star and Reaganism
- Jonathan Mack (Northumbria University) - Weapons of Mass Nostalgia: Action, Spectacle and the American Hero in Reaganite Cinema
- Dr Sarah Ralph (University of East Anglia) - Re-masculating the hero? The curious case of the 80’s female action star
- Laurent Vanclaire (Université Libre de Bruxelles) - Wake me up, I’m scared : horror movies in the 80’s

14.03 > 13:00  
Free


George P. Cosmatos, 1986, US, 35mm, ov st fr & nl, 87

When the city is terrorised by a murderous sect, there’s only one remedy: “Call the Cobra”. Sly Stallone mows down the villains with his rattling submachine gun, hooks up with blonde bimbo Brigitte Nielsen and spouts out hilarious macho one-liners.

05.03 > 22:00
5€ / 3,5€


Mark Buntzman, 1984, US, 35mm, ov st fr & nl, 89

A Vietnam veteran listens in on the police radio band and wipes the crooks off the streets of New York – with a flamethrower! But then he faces the psychopatic X (Mario Van Peebles) and his gang of thugs. An absolute cult classic!

06.03 > 24:00
5€ / 3,5€


Joseph Zito, 1985, US, 35mm, ov st fr & nl, 107

Cuban communist guerilla soldiers land on the beaches of Florida and try to kick-start their revolution by terrorising a small suburb. Archetypical 80’s bad guy Richard Lynch leads the attack, but luckily Chuck Norris comes to the rescue – with a rocket launcher in his jeans pocket.

13.03 > 22:00
5€ / 3,5€ Combi 2 films > 7,5€ / 6€


Ninja III

The Domination

Sam Firstenberg, 1984, US, 35mm, ov st fr & nl, 92

Aerobics teacher Christie gets possessed by the spirit of an evil ninja. As a willess murder instrument she has to bend to his violent thirst for vengeance. Cannon made many ninja films, but none as insane as this deranged mixture of “Revenge of the Ninja” and “The Exorcist”.

+ Ninja Eliminator IV [The French Connection]

Mathieu Berthon, 2014, FR, HD, ov ang st fr, 8

A funny parody of the terrible ninja films by the infamous Godfrey Ho that flooded the video market in the eighties.

Introduced by Mathieu Berthon.

13.03 > 24:00  
5€ / 3,5€ Combi 2 films > 7,5€ / 6€


Michael Winner, 1985, US, 35mm, ov st fr & nl, 92

Ever on a quest for justice, Charles Bronson frowns his forehead and wipes the filth off the streets with revolvers, machine guns and even a bazooka. The third part of the legendary revenge saga goes totally over-the-top and almost seems like porn for ultra right-wing weapon fetishists.

14.03 > 18:00
5€ / 3,5€


Gary Goddard, 1987, US, 35mm, ov st fr & nl, 106

He-Man leaves the planet of Eternia and lets his biceps roll over LA in this poorly recieved yet memorable toy film. With Courtney Cox by his side, Dolph Lundgren takes on the evil armies of Skeletor in the skimpiest of underpants. Pure camp!

21.03 > 22:00
5€ / 3,5€


Matinee screening

King Solomon’s Mines

J. Lee Thompson, 1985, US, 35mm, ov st fr & nl, 100

The world famous adventurer Allan Quatermain goes on a quest for the legendary diamond mines of king Solomon. Cannon attempts to hook onto the success of Indiana Jones and more than succeeds with this amusing adventure film. The cast features Richard Chamberlain, John Rhys-Davies and a young Sharon Stone.

The perfect film for a good old Matinee screening!

22.03 > 14:00
5€ / 3,5€


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lang: en
id_rubrique: 2085
prog: 2080
pos: aval