Welcome to Concentric Cinema
Greetings and thank you for checking out my little corner of the web. Concentric Cinema is a meeting ground for film buffs, movie newcomers, and everyone in between. No matter where you are on the spectrum of film knowledge and fandom, there is something here for you. We will be exploring the wonderful world of genre films, including horror, science fiction, crime thrillers, cult films, b-movies, exploitation cinema, and more.
While these labels are useful for broad-stroke purposes, they are by no means mutually exclusive. Instead imagine these categories as concentric circles that often blend yet share a common center–an unabashed love of genre cinema.
We will be looking primarily, though not exclusively, at films that have some years behind them. These are movies that have “travelled” a bit, beginning with a splashy opening in a large movie house, a debut at the drive-in, a primetime TV premiere, or simply straight to video. Perhaps they’ve had multiple tours on the video store rental shelves, followed by an occasional reemergence at a film retrospective at a museum, boutique theater, or the Alamo Drafthouse, before popping up on a streaming service or a re-discovery via a beautiful 4K Blu-ray restoration.
The measure of any given film’s qualities and resonance is best served when it’s had some time to settle or mature on a viewer and establish itself, for better or worse, in the fandom. And while we will naturally be making some critical observations, more than anything I expect this to be a celebration of these movies, flaws and all.
From left to right: The Warriors (1979); The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953); Fantastic Voyage (1966); Nosferatu (1922); Thief (1981); Jason and the Argonauts (1963); Nope (2022); Cleopatra Jones (1973); The Innocents (1961).
So, what can you expect from Concentric Cinema?
Featured films – Here I’ll be focusing on a specific movie, or a pair of films based on the season or various other themes.
Cinematic Semicentennial Series - Try to say that fast three times! This is an admittedly tongue twisting way of saying that this series will be dedicated to select genre films that are celebrating 50-year anniversaries. This is fortuitous timing as 1974 was a particularly strong year for genre movies, giving us an opportunity to celebrate some heavy hitters in horror, avant-garde science fiction, a couple of cracker jack crime thrillers, and monsters large and small. Spoiler alert—1975 is looking pretty good too.
Essays - Not necessarily focused on one specific film, rather these entries will be dedicated to exploring the curiosities, tropes, and various elements of genre cinema.
News & Events – Covering the genre film happenings in New York City, my home borough of Queens, and the greater New York area. I will do my best to keep folks informed about upcoming genre film retrospectives, screenings, and other curated events. I will also be plugging some of my favorite podcasts, blogs, and other genre film content.
Next up
We’ll be taking a brief snapshot of science fiction and horror cinema. Whether you are a newbie or well versed in these subgenres, I hope I can pique your interest. Consider subscribing and join me on this journey!
