by Chip Kaufmann When I refer to British director Terence Fisher as “the poor man’s Hitchcock,” I do not mean that in a disparaging way. I mean it as a…
Robin Williams: Tears of a Clown
by Michelle Keenan On the night of August 11th the world was stunned to learn of the death of beloved actor and comedian Robin Williams. Making the news even harder…
Helping Films Find Their Audience
in a Short Attention Span Theatre by Chip Kaufmann If you’re a regular reader of Rapid River Magazine’s movie section, then you know that when I write an article it’s…
Monthly Reel for July 2014
by Michelle Keenan Usually the summer movie season brings action-packed CGI fests, animated blockbusters and little else. This year that is not the case. Asheville continues to book the usual…
60 Years of Godzilla: From Metaphor to Icon
Who would have thought that a radioactive, fire breathing dragon, originally intended to be a metaphor for the firebombing of Tokyo during World War II, would have turned into a…
Get Thee to a Theatre!
Just a couple of weeks ago the good Professor Kaufmann and I were lamenting the offerings at the cinema. We were actually wondering what we were going to force ourselves…
William Fox, Hollywood’s Forgotten Mogul
by Chip Kaufmann The next time you watch a TV show on the Fox Network, cheer or hiss a talking head on Fox News, see a movie produced by Twentieth…
Mabel Normand: Film Comedy Pioneer Finally Getting Her Due
by Chip Kaufmann Last month marked the 100th anniversary of the first appearance of a movie icon. But, if it weren’t for the intervention of another film comedy pioneer, his…
2014 Oscar Musings: Armchair Picks & Preferences
Chip’s Take Here we go again! Nine Best Pictures and only five Best Directors leaving four films that directed themselves. The days of team player directors who shared responsibilities like…