st213

YOUR

TO MOVIES, TV, MUSIC, GAMING & TECH

ESSENTIAL GUIDE

.com.au

ISSUE 213 JUL ’22

STACK Issue 213 JULY 2022 “Our war with the muggles begins today.”

• STRANGE THINGS BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH CHATSWITH STACK INSIDE:

ISSUE 213 JUL ’22

MUSIC

ISSUE 213 JUL ’22

LIZZO S P E C I A L

IN-STORE AT YOUR MONTHLY GAMING GUIDE TO WHAT’S

hot

hot

IN-STORE AT

YOUR MONTHLY MUSIC GUIDE TO WHAT’S

WIN the ULTIMATE SONOS PRIZE PACK

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE COMPETITION

CONTENTS

ISSUE 213 JULY

MOVIES & TV 6 Take 5 8-9 Elvis

2022

10 Where the Crawdads Sing 12-13 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 14 Downton Abbey: A New Era 15 Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore 16 The Beatles: Get Back 18 Murder at Yellowstone City 20 Doctor Who 21 New from Imprint Films 22 Out this month GAMING 26 Take 5/Game Changers! 27 F1 22

WELCOME

Magic is afoot in the third instalment of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World spin-off series, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore , which raises the stakes and takes the franchise to bold new heights. Elsewhere in movies, we chat with Benedict Cumberbatch about his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness . If you’re in the market for a new set of earbuds, headphones, a Bluetooth speaker, or something to play your vinyl on, then July is the month for you. We’ve written a whopping 17-page feature on everything you need to know to get the best audio gear for the right job.

Want to know what else is coming to games in 2022? Our games editor has pulled together a comprehensive list of the hottest releases heading to console and PC this year, while

F1 fans will rejoice with the latest iteration of the popular racing game, F1 22 . And in music, we discover how Lizzo and Alex the

28-29 The Road Ahead 30 Accessorise Now! 32 STACK Recommends

Astronaut are busting fallacies of size and disability, pick the brain of debut director Jonathan Alley on his excellent new doco about the late David McComb, spotlight ten seminal Indigenous artists, and review new music from Jack White, Superorganism and black midi. Paul Jones, Editor-in-Chief

34 Out this month 36 Fast Forward/Q5 MUSIC 40-47 The Music Room: Chats with

Alex the Astronaut, 10 First Nations artists you should know, and more

48-49 Cover feature:

Queen Lizzo in Hi-Vizzo 50-51 AlbumTales: Archie Roach’s

Founder Nic Short Editor-in-Chief Paul Jones Film & TV Editor Scott Hocking Music Editor Zoë Radas Games & Online Editor Amy Flower Creative Director Gary Siewert Movies Consultant Kerrie Taylor Games Consultant Sachi Fernando Music Consultant Mike Glynn

Social Media Manager Glenn Cochrane Production Manager Craig Patterson Correspondence STACK 33 Jessie Street, Richmond, VIC 3121

Marketing Manager Fleur Parker Chief Contributors Bob Jones, Gill Pringle Contributors Bryget Chrisfield, Jeff Jenkins, Simon Lukic, Billy Pinnell, Denise Hylands, Simon Winkler, Jake Cleland, Holly Pereira, Adam Colby, Bec Summer, Dan Nicholson, Alex Deutrom

The Songs of Charcoal Lane (2020)

52-53 STACK Record Club 54 The Sound of White 56-58 Album reviews 60 This month at JB LIFE TECH FLIP MAG AND READ FROM BACK 4 Intro

6-10 Headphones for everyone 12-20 Earbuds to cover all bases 22-28 Bluetooth, smart and busker speakers 30-32 Kickstart your vinyl journey 34 Add a soundbar to movie night 36 A video doorbell without subscription charges 38 Stay warm this winter 39 What’s new this month at JB Hi-Fi

RATINGS GUIDE

Parental guidance recommended

Recommended for mature audiences

Not suitable for people under 15. Under 15smust beaccommpaniedby a parent or adult guardian

Restricted to 18 and over

General

Disclaimer STACK is published by Scribal Custom Pty Ltd (ACN 092 362 135). © Copyright Scribal Custom Pty Ltd, 2022 All rights reserved. All material appearing in this publication is copyright unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the provider of the supplied material or advertisement. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of Scribal Custom Pty Ltd. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of advertisements or information. Whilst care has been taken in the research and preparation of this publication, the publishers, writers or anyone else associated cannot accept any responsibility for any loss, injury or hardship arising from the content contained herein or reliance therefrom, howsoever caused, and it remains your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any such content. Views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher or the editor. By the very nature of this publication, things change daily and we cannot take responsibility for any changes or inaccuracies that occur subsequent to going to press.

LIMITED EDITION 4K STEELBOOK ™ *While stocks last

NEW TO BUY ON 4K ULTRA HD™ BLU-RAY™ & DVD JULY 6

Fantasy themes and violence

JOIN and enter at stack.com.au/ competitions/sonos-pack FOR YOUR CHANCE TO

WIN the ULTIMATE SONOS PRIZE PACK

PRIZE INCLUDES:

SONOS One SL

r 1 x SONOS Sub 2 x s Speakers 1 x SONOS am Portable Bluetooth Sm

1 x SONOS Arc Soundba Microphone-free Wireles Speaker 1 x SONOS Ro

Move Portable Smart

art Speaker

petition details at

Enter now and view full com

s/sonos-pack

ALREADY A MEMBER?

stack.com.au/competition

Terms and conditions apply at stack.com.au/competitions/sonos-pack

THIS MONTH at

EXTRAS

visit stack.com.au

STACK’s ROVING REPORTER

1 The Batman 2 Uncharted 3 Spider-Man: No Way Home 4 Top Gun 5 Dune (2021) 6 Constantine: House of Mystery 7 No Time to Die 8 Blacklight 9 My Hero Academia: S5, Pt 1 10 Eternals BLU-RAY BEST-SELLERS for JUNE 2022 DVD BEST-SELLERS in JUNE 2022 1 The Batman 2 Uncharted 3 Spider-Man: No Way Home 4 Blacklight 5 No Time to Die 6 Top Gun 7 Moonfall 8 Dune (2021) 9 Ghostbusters: Afterlife 10 Venom: Let There Be Carnage 4K UHD BEST-SELLERS in JUNE 2022 1 The Batman 2 Dune (2021) 3 Uncharted 4 Spider-Man: No Way Home 5 No Time to Die 6 Top Gun 7 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy 8 The Matrix Resurrections 9 Venom: Let There Be Carnage 10 Ghostbusters: Afterlife

What’s one of your all-time favourite films, and why?

Avengers: Endgame – the most satisfying conclusion to over a decade of storytelling. Being an MCU fan is so rewarding. Easily the best cinema experience I’ve ever had!

KENDALL RICHARDSON @ JB Watergardens, Vic

What’s one of your all-time favourite TV series, and why?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer , hands down! It’s the perfect mix of supernatural, horror, comedy, and coming-of-age, which are some of my favourite genres. A staple I return to constantly.

What’s the best thing about working at JB?

Being surrounded by the things I love every day, and the people make the work so enjoyable.

What have you been watching lately that you’d recommend?

What’s a movie you saw as a child that has left a lasting impression on you?

So many things, but the one that tops my list is the recent remake of Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes from a Marriage , starring Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain. It’s the most intimate and turbulent portrayal of a marriage imploding on itself. Isaac and Chastain give career-best performances. It’s brutal, but amazing!

Robert Zemeckis’s Contact . I fell in love with the universe because of this film, and I’m still a space nerd all these years later. Plus, Jodie Foster is just incredible!

MERCH MONTH of the

Thor: Love and Thunder hits cinemas in July, and there’s some mighty tie-in merch available at JB.

WHILE STOCKS LAST

TM & © 2022 Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

CINEMA FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

Austin Butler chats with STACK about taking on the daunting role of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s dazzling new feature, Elvis . Words Gill Pringle

M uch has been written about Austin Butler’s portrayal of The King since the Cannes premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis , but there’s only one opinion that matters to the actor – the resounding thumbs up from Elvis Presley’s widow, Priscilla Presley. “That was the most moving thing to learn, and it really just made my heart soar because ultimately that's the review that matters to me – if his family is happy, if Priscilla, who knew him arguably better than anybody else, feels positive,” says Butler, who recently met with Priscilla at NewYork’s glamorous Met Gala. “I don't want to speak for her, but if she had this certain positive experience watching it and said really kind things, that's all that I can hope for, you know?” After attending a private screening with director Baz Luhrmann, Priscilla took to Facebook to write, “Austin Butler, who played Elvis, is outstanding… he knew he had big shoes to fill.” “I feel such a relief,” Butler tells STACK . “Because I just want to make her proud and to make his family proud, and I want to do them

in such a beautiful way. And she was such a great scene partner and friend to me during that entire process. I'm hugely grateful to her,” he says. Playing The King has certainly had surprising effects on Butler – who shares an uncanny resemblance to Elvis in the film – and now he finds that he can’t stop talking like Elvis, using his distinctive Southern drawl. “At this point, I keep asking people, ‘Is this my voice?’” he says. “Certain things trigger it. When you live with something for two years, and you do nothing else, I think you can’t help it. It becomes a fibre of your being.” As expected from Luhrmann, Elvis is not a generic biopic, the director choosing instead to focus on the relationship between Elvis and Colonel Tom Parker, portrayed by Tom Hanks, who also serves as the film’s narrator. Butler was impressed by the filmmaker’s unique approach. “I think Baz is such an incredible filmmaker and storyteller, and an amazing human being on top of all that. I have so much faith in him and I think the way that he approached this is really brilliant and unconventional – a really exciting way

Baz Lurhmann and Austin Butler on the set

justice and do him justice. And that goes for everybody who loves him around the world; I want all of them to feel his essence and feel like we did him justice." With Australia’s own Olivia DeJonge portraying Priscilla in Elvis , Butler was immediately enchanted with the actress. “She's such an intelligent and empathetic person and so smart. And she approached playing Priscilla with such grace, strength and wisdom; she really embodied that in Priscilla

JULY 2022

jbhifi.com.au

8

FEATURE CINEMA

raised on teen TV shows, progressing to an adult career where he is best known for roles as Manson Family member Tex Watson in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Will in fantasy series The Shannara Chronicles . Working opposite Tom Hanks was a treat for Butler. “You don't get a better collaborator than him. He’s not only been a hero of mine for so many years, and I've admired him so much as an actor, he's also one of those people who's been such a part of all of our lives, whether we watched Forrest Gump , or Big , or Cast Away , or Philadelphia , or any one of his films. “He's a master of his

Explaining his inspiration to make Elvis , Luhrmann tells STACK , “There are musical icons in my life that were so important to me. As a young guy, I was an Elvis fan, but I don’t know that fanhood was in any way the reason I wanted to do Elvis . The truth is, that in this modern era, the life of Elvis Presley could not be a better canvas on which to explore America in the ‘50s, the ‘60s and the ‘70s. “I mean it’s a mythical life that he lived, to 42 years. But that 42 years is three great lives put into a short period of time. And what’s extraordinary about it is that that life is culturally at the centre of the ‘50s. and socially the ‘60s, and actually the ‘70s. So that’s what drew me in – that and a guy called Colonel Tom Parker, who I always liked to say was never a Colonel, never Tom and never Parker,” he quips.

Austin Butler as Elvis

of approaching such an extraordinary life. “Also, to see how Baz's process evolved over the course of shooting and editing, and how the story has continually taken new forms and been honed as the process has gone on,” he adds. Working with a dialect coach and a movement coach, Butler took a deep

Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker

craft, and on top of that is warm and welcoming and kind and funny and generous – he made everybody on set

dive into the man who has been immortalised in pop culture for decades. “He has been held up to a superhuman, godlike status. Neither one of those things are very accessible as an actor, and neither one of them embodies the full complexity and nuance of a human being. And so, for me, it

feel at home. He's such a professional and shows up with a humility that allows

He has been held up to a superhuman, godlike status. Neither one of those things are very accessible as an actor

you to collaborate truly. I learned so much from him and he's really a wonderful man and wonderful actor.” When Butler first learned of Luhrmann’s plans to make Elvis , he asked the filmmaker if he might audition for the role by submitting a video of himself playing the piano and singing the popular song Unchained Melody , which Presley had covered in 1977, and which now appears on the film’s soundtrack. Although Harry Styles, Miles Teller and Ansel Elgort were all reportedly in the mix to play Elvis, Butler saw off the competition by spending five months developing the character,

and even periodically workshopping it with Luhrmann. And, needless to say, he was elated when the director called him with the news that he had won the role. “When he told me, I had this surge of joy, and gratitude, and excitement. Followed immediately by, now it's time to get to work,” he recalls. Butler’s extraordinary performance is surely proof that all his hard work paid off.

was how do you find that? It began with endless research and watching every documentary that I could find, watching anything I could find on YouTube, or audio recordings of his interviews. “I listened to every single interview from the `50s to the `70s and read every book that I could get my hands on, and really started to find these keys to his humanity. And find the things in myself that were remarkably similar and things that were seemingly different, and bits of myself that perhaps maybe I'd turned the volume down on that I could then turn the volume up on. It was a joy to get to explore that,” says the former child star who was

Elvis is in cinemas now

9

CINEMA FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

insisted on the author being there for every step of the filmmaking process. Hiring almost all-female heads of department, Newman felt it was vital to really showcase the nature and the marshes, so beautifully described in Owens’ book. “I think that Delia’s scientific voice is one of the things that is so unique about the storytelling in the novel, and it was so important that we capture Kya’s world, the marsh and the swamps and the different textures of those backdrops really specifically.” When they weren’t all being eaten alive by mosquitoes or subjected to deluges of rain, which sometimes lasted for days and flooded the sets, Newman and cinematographer Polly Morgan looked to Jane Campion for inspiration. “We looked at Terrence Malick's work, and we looked at Jane Campion's work; the way she captured the landscape in The Piano and, of course, The Power of the Dog wasn't out yet. So we looked at our great heroes and how they painted that portrait of landscape as its own character when we were talking about how we wanted to shoot the marsh,” she explains.

One of the most hotly anticipated movie adaptations of the year, Where the Crawdads Sing is an intriguing southern thriller based on Delia Owens’ 2018 best-selling novel. Words Gill Pringle D elia Owens’ novel Where the Crawdads Sing – which has now sold more than 12 million copies – immediately attracted MYSTERY IN THE MARSHLANDS

Normal People and War of the Worlds . Recalling how she had become enchanted by Edgar-Jones during the early days of the pandemic, Newman tells STACK , “At the time, life was so dark, and I said, ‘I really need a good romance.’ I just need to fall in love. That’s what I want to be feeling right now. A friend asked if I’d seen Normal People , and it was exactly what I needed. To go through that falling in love experience through Daisy’s incredible performance was like medicine for the soul. “So when her name came up when we first started talking about who was going to play Kya, I was like ‘I love this young actress!’” However, Newman was uncertain if the young Brit would be able to handle the Southern accent. “Kya is very different from [Daisy’s] role in Normal People . But, I have to say, her first reading brought all of us to tears, including Delia, because it felt like we were watching Kya’s voice come out of this beautiful British actress. It felt like Kya was just emerging from her mouth,” says Newman, who

celebrity fans, with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine company snapping up the production rights and Taylor Swift subsequently recording an original song, Carolina , for the movie’s soundtrack. Named for the crawfish found in southern US swamplands, it’s the story of Kya, a girl left to raise herself in the North Carolina marshlands after her abusive father leaves. Her only real friend is a local boy named Tate (Taylor John Smith), although even he leaves after a while. All alone, Kya briefly dates local playboy and athlete Chase (Harris Dickinson), becoming the main suspect after he is found dead. The role of Kya would typically attract thousands of young actresses, although Crawdads ’ director Olivia Newman quickly settled on British actress Daisy Edgar-Jones, best known for her roles in TV shows Cold Feet ,

Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kya

With such a huge following for the book, naturally Newman is daunted at the prospect of her film adaptation living up to everyone’s expectations. “Every time I tell someone which movie I've been working on and they say, ‘Oh, that was my favourite book’, my stomach turns,” she laughs nervously. “But the book is incredible. I hope that everybody reads the book. The book is what I fell in love with and I hope that people will feel like they were transported when they see the movie in a similar way they were transported when they read the book. I wanted to make sure the movie captured that same emotional journey, and I think it does.”

Where the Crawdads Sing is in cinemas on July 21

SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT The Beguiled (2017) A wounded Civil War soldier recovers in a secluded Virginia girls’ school – what could go wrong? Angel Heart (1987) A seedy gumshoe on a case in Louisiana discovers the devil is in the details. Cape Fear (1991) A North Carolina lawyer and his family are stalked by a vengeful ex-con.

Taylor John Smith asTateWalker

10 JULY 2022

jbhifi.com.au

Sexual references, sex scenes, nudity and coarse language

OUT JUL 6

OUT JUL 20

OUT JUL 6

OUT JUL 20

On DVD for the first time in Australia, starring Lydia Wilson and Joanna Lumley.

Seasons Three & Four of the sizzling soap opera series starring Elizabeth Hurley .

Tyler Perry presents his iconic character Madea in 6 hilarious films!

Every episode of the cult Children’s sci-fi series from the 80s.

OUT JUL 20

OUT JUL 20

OUT JUL 6

OUT JUL 20

All 23 episodes of the unique police drama starring Fay Ripley (Cold Feet).

Stars Gold Logie winner Lisa McCune!

Beloved British actor Dame Judi Dench hosts this special documentary.

Seasons 5 & 6 of the groundbreaking series that inspired Wentworth.

MOVIE FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

Benedict Cumberbatch hopes that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness reveals a better understanding of Marvel’s maverick hero. Words Gill Pringle D octor Strange and Benedict Cumberbatch fans alike will rejoice in the extra helpings of alternative versions to hold the knife and control it all himself. So, those are pretty leader-like qualities, I’d say. He’s evolving.” Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of

“And it’s the humanity that keeps people coming back for more. I think we see in the film an iteration of somebody who we’ve seen very omnipotent… but we haven’t really understood what the cost of that is. What it is that’s fuelling that – both him as a person, but also within this mysterious realm of sorcery and magic. So, this one is about examining that and finding his flaws, his faults, his humanity, as well as his strengths. And renewing and deepening our understanding of him.” What audiences will see is Strange finally emerging as a surprisingly heroic leader. “I would say more of a self

of Stephen Strange in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness . Reprising his MCU role as the arrogant Master of the Mystic Arts, Cumberbatch must confront himself in various forms across the multiverse. Reuniting with Benedict Wong’s Wong and Rachel McAdams’ Christine Palmer, alongside Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, this time Strange’s stony heart is pierced by newcomer Xochitl Gomez’s teenaged America Chavez, who possesses extraordinary powers.

Madness also marks the welcome return of director Sam Raimi to the superhero fold, having successfully directed one of the most successful film franchises – the blockbuster Spider-Man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire. At the beginning of the movie, we find Doctor Strange in NewYork City as master of the NewYork Sanctum and Earth’s foremost protector against magical and mystical threats. Not one to abide by rules, Strange works best when he works alone – that is, until he meets America Chavez. “We find him in a very secure, all-knowing, almost omnipotent place at the beginning of the film. We see him as somebody who’s looking at himself a little bit,” explains Cumberbatch. “There’s still the pilot light that is burning very brightly in his relationship with Christine. He hasn’t let go of it. Then, he’s sling-shot into this adventure at a breakneck pace.” Strange begins to realise from his experience in the multiverse, and the various versions of him therein, how much of a pattern of behaviour he carries. “It’s a kind of imprint, an identification of who

examination; of holding up a mirror to him through this incredible narrative structure we have of a multiverse of other selves, than it is examining what his potential is to lead,” offers Cumberbatch. “But I will say this: He’s far

When STACK catches up with Cumberbatch, the British actor admits he’s rather enjoying Doctor Strange’s evolution – the character perhaps putting others first and not being quite as selfish. “He’s quite a maverick. He’s an outsider. He doesn’t immediately strike you as a leader, despite his prominence in the MCU at this moment. And that’s what makes him

better at being a collaborator, at working with others,

really interesting and conflicted, I think, as a hero.

at realising he can’t always be the one

Elizabeth Olsen as ScarletWitch

12 JULY 2022

jbhifi.com.au

FEATURE MOVIE

Director Sam Raimi was initially reluctant to return to the superhero genre after the hostile reaction to Spider-Man 3 from fans and critics. However, his love of the Doctor Strange character and first movie

DID YOU KNOW?

ultimately led to him taking the job. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is Raimi’s first feature as a director since Oz the Great and Powerful in 2013. The title is a nod to H.P. Lovecraft’s classic 1936 horror novella, In the Mountains of Madness . The one-eyed tentacle monster in the film’s opening is known in the Marvel comics as Shuma-Gorath, named after a phrase in Robert E. Howard’s 1967 story The Curse of the Golden Skull . The movie is linked to – and takes place after – the events of WandaVision and Spider-Man: No Way Home .

• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is out on July 13

and streetwise, she possesses great power that she doesn’t fully realise or know how to control. “America’s trying to figure out how to control her powers, and with that comes the crazy ride that is the movie,” explains Xochitl Gomez, 16, who brings a

Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez

Doctor Stephen Strange is in any universe, and what the dangers of that character are,” offers Cumberbatch. “Is he going to be the hero to his enemy, or the enemy to his hero? Who is

fresh breath to the franchise with her youthful portrayal. “She carries this confidence. Even when she’s in a situation and everything is stacked against her, she has confidence. We root for her.” Gomez believes Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to be the perfect introduction for her character in the MCU. “I loved how they put America in a Doctor Strange film, because she has this amazing ability to travel the multiverse. It doesn’t feel forced. I’m so happy that the writers were able to fit America’s story in just perfectly. And I love how young she is – she’s only 14. It’s like, we wouldn’t pick this combo, but it works so well. I think people are going to really like that.”

our Doctor Strange in the multiverse? He’s literally

coming up against versions of himself to figure that out while trying to help this girl, America Chavez, stay alive because of the great power she has to portal through the multiverse.” America is a teenager, however, and like all teenagers she exudes attitude. Gutsy, fearless

Composer Danny Elfman also scored Avengers: Age of Ultron .

Raimi regular Bruce Campbell hams it up in an amusing cameo that recalls his Evil Dead character, Ash.

DON'T MISS

THE LEGEND OF MOLLY JOHNSON THE DROVER’S WIFE

Strong violence

N E W T O B U Y ON B L U - R AY ™ & D V D J U LY 6 AT

13

*while stocks last

MOVIE FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

and I knew they would be a tight knit group. But I was

just welcomed with open arms, and it was very easy,” he recalls. For Michelle Dockery, returning to her role as Lady Mary was sheer

DON'T MISS

Downton Abbey: A New Era is one of the feel-good movies of the year, reuniting the original series cast for a romantically charged drama. Words Gill Pringle A RETURN TO DOWNTON ABBEY

delight. “We're like a family and it's been nearly 12 years now since we started the show. So it's a great feeling to all come back together but also exciting, having new casts come in. It’s always great to kind of shift the energy a bit,” she says. Lady Mary relishes hosting filmmakers at Downton Abbey. “She likes being at the helm of it all. For her, the challenge is keeping the house afloat. So when they get this offer for a film crew to shoot at the castle, it's a great opportunity and, by the look on her face, it's quite a hefty cheque they're being offered. “So she's really enjoying the responsibility, which is quite different to the Mary that we met at the beginning of the first series. She's had such a great journey and is really enjoying getting stuck in with this film where her and Mr. Barber develop this great relationship,” teases Dockery, whose Lady Mary flies solo in A New Era – her husband’s absence leaving her vulnerable to Barber’s charms. Fans of the six-season TV series and the previous 2019 film will not be disappointed by the new movie. “I think one of the things people love about this film is that it's true escapism; it takes you into a world where people are fundamentally good and trying to do their best,” argues Laura Carmichael, returning to her role as Lady Edith. “I think that carried

D ownton Abbey: A New Era could likely signal a third movie from the beloved upstairs-downstairs family. “We just really hoped that the fans came back out to show their love of these characters and, if audiences vote with their feet, then it probably won't be the end of the story,” says Downton ’s veteran producer Gareth Neame. Indeed they did – the film has already grossed almost US$80 million worldwide, welcoming older viewers back into cinemas. Directed by Simon Curtis from a script by Downton creator Julian Fellowes, A New Era provided a welcome opportunity for Curtis to work with his wife, Elizabeth McGovern, who has portrayed Lady Cora since the TV series began. “I've always loved the show. I think it's the greatest ensemble of actors potentially ever assembled,” Curtis tells STACK . “Of course, I'm a huge admirer of Julian, and when I was told there was a trip to the South of France, that was the clincher.” Set in 1928, A New Era sees some of the Crawleys

PenelopeWilton and Maggie Smith

the downstairs staff, even if some of the elders express haughty disapproval. Reuniting all the series’ regulars – beloved over six seasons and one previous film – A New Era welcomes newcomers Laura Haddock and Dominic West as glamorous movie stars, with Hugh Dancy portraying the film’s director, who is also somewhat enamoured with Lady Mary. Dancy’s arrival on the set was not without some anxiety. “I didn't know what it was going to be like, because, obviously, almost everybody else has been doing this for a long time now

through the series and in this film. It's so warm and comforting to spend time with so many different characters, who you see from all angles. None of them are perfect, but they're trying their best and there's something really universal about wanting to see that on screen,” she adds.

• Downton Abbey: A New Era is out on July 13

and staffers travel to the French location, where the Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith) has inherited a villa from a recently deceased former paramour. Meanwhile, back at Downton, Lady Mary and the remaining staff are left to supervise a silent film crew, a financial boon that will help to replace the Abbey’s leaking roof. This sudden influx of movie stars thrills

DOWNTON DOWNTIME “I’d always wanted to bring the Crawleys to Europe, and to the Riviera in particular, because it is a part of Europe that the English upper classes would have visited,” says producer Gareth Neame. “We’ve never seen the family travel beyond their own shores before. The gorgeous villa and beautiful gardens we found in Toulon absolutely epitomised the Riviera that I’d imagined when we first talked about this story idea.”

jbhifi.com.au

14 JULY 2022

FEATURE MOVIE

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND PCR TESTS. When the second instalment, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald , was met with a lacklustre reception, J.K. Rowling was given more time to polish the screenplay for the third movie. Low and behold, the pandemic struck and she suddenly found herself with no shortage of time to work on the script.

Fantastic Beasts:The Secrets of Dumbledore raises the stakes for Newt Scamander and his team as they take on the might of the dark wizard Grindelwald, whose bid for world domination is close to completion. Words Bec Summer I t’s been 25 years since Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone first hit bookshelves, launching a juggernaut of fandom. J.K. immediately gives the story maturity beyond its predecessors. WIZARDING WORLDWAR

Albus Dumbledore provides plenty of talking points, which signal the film’s title. Veteran director David Yates returns to the series for his seventh Wizarding World entry, bringing the story as close to reality as possible, with a high stakes bid for world domination that parallels the muggle world of the 1930s. The franchise has certainly come a long way – from the cartoon-like escapades of The Philosopher’s Stone to the hellish threat of The Secrets of Dumbledore ! To bookend both those movies is to present a stark contrast that only nine other installments can bridge and, for long-serving fans, it reflects and represents a personal evolution of their own. In fact, you can mark each installment of the Wizarding World with a pencil mark on the cornice of the doorframe. Earlier this year Warner Bros. announced that it had greenlit two more installments in the series, which will reportedly take the story through to the end of WWII... and beyond? Watch this space.

As war looms over the muggle world, an evil rises within the parallel wizarding world, with Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) standing at a moral crossroads – he must decide at which point he abandons his bipartisan standpoint for the benefit of all kind. Enlisting the help of magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and his cohort of friends, Dumbledore sends them on a globetrotting mission to far off magical communities – Germany, Bhutan and China – with the goal of stopping Grindelwald’s increasing power. The Secrets of Dumbledore is bigger and worldlier than the series has ever been before, taking the Wizarding World to dizzying new heights – not only in a geographical sense, but also socially. New layers of awareness and cultural allegory have been woven into the story, and the sentiment of J.K. Rowling’s universe is increasingly diverse and aware. These welcome components add richness to the series and provide food for thought, given Rowling’s tumultuous past few years in the public eye. With former Bond villain Mads Mikkelsen

Rowling’s story of the boy wizard and his band of magical misfits dazzled a generation who have since grown up alongside these beloved characters. We are, perhaps, living in the most nostalgic era of all time, where the crossing from childhood to adulthood has become indefinite for an entire generation. Our lives are intrinsically connected to our youth, nurtured by pop culture and fulfilled by comic book conventions, merchandise shows, and legacy filmmaking. Those kids of the Harry Potter age hold all that is Hogwarts near and dear to their hearts, and upon recognising the symmetry of her maturing characters with their audience, Rowling set about further exploring her Wizarding World, creating all-new characters and stories for those same fans who are now, themselves, adults. The third installment of the Fantastic Beasts series, The Secrets of Dumbledore takes place in the lead-up to World War II, which

( Casino Royale ) stepping into Grindelwald’s shoes following the departure of Johnny Depp, the character has been reimagined with added context. His physical appearance has been normalised and his connection to Jude Law’s

• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is out on July 6

Mads Mikkelsen as Grindelwald

DON'T MISS

Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore

15

TV FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

George Harrison, Ringo Starr and their crew working towards a deadline, creating new songs from scratch, and trying to figure out a way to present them to the world. And it's mesmerising! The genius of these four young men from Liverpool has never been more apparent as they banter back and forth, humming melodies and creating songs out of thin air. One particular moment will stop viewers in their tracks, as Paul composes the song Get Back literally from nothing. He sits on a chair and passes the time with his guitar, and what begins as a simple strum of the strings evolves into one of the most iconic pop songs of all time. Furthermore, the camaraderie and boyish tomfoolery of The Beatles is irrefutable and delightful. Their rapport and love for one another is obvious, even when they find themselves in times of trouble (yes, we went there). Yoko's presence is not intrusive, nor is it a distraction for John as depicted in the 1970 documentary, and what unfolds is a revelation. Also featuring the iconic rooftop concert (their final public performance) in its entirety, Peter Jackson's The Beatles: Get Back is the most essential document of the band since the release of their Anthology in the PAUL & RINGO ON GET BACK PAUL: “It was a great period. We were a seriously good band, and for it to be documented in this way is very intimate, and I think that is the great thing about it. You get the music, you get the playing, you get the chat, but you mainly are just eavesdropping in a very intimate way on these guys.” RINGO: “I’m really excited for people to see it. Peter is great, and it was so cool seeing all this footage. There are hours and hours of us, just laughing and playing music, not at all like the version that came out in 1970. There is a lot of joy and a lot more peace and love like we really were.”

Kiwi filmmaker Peter Jackson debunks one of the greatest misconceptions about The Beatles in his epic new documentary series, The Beatles: Get Back , which chronicles the creation of their final album, Let it Be . Words Glenn Cochrane THE UNTOLD BEATLES

I t's no secret that the fabric of The Beatles was truly frayed by the time they finished making Let it Be , and the general consensus amongst fans has been that the recording was tumultuous and fraught with angst and hostility. And the legend of John and Yoko's relationship (compounded by fans’ general dislike of her) being the catalyst for the band's demise has perpetuated the notion of an ugly era for the Fab Four. Moreover, the infamous Let it Be film, released theatrically in 1970, depicted a volatile environment full of fighting and animosity. It was an ugly portrayal that internalised the misconception of The Beatles’ break-up, and was ultimately never released on home entertainment formats (but became a highly sought-after bootleg). But that wasn't the case, as Peter Jackson's incredible fly-on-the-wall documentary series reveals. With access to over 60 hours of rare and unseen footage, and 150 hours of audio from the Get Back sessions (the album's original title), Jackson painstakingly sifted through a vault of content that had been collecting dust for over half a century and began the mammoth task of reshaping the

narrative and recapturing the essence of The Beatles. With the keys to the kingdom, he delved into tens of hours of physically aged footage, and to his delight discovered the untold story of Let it Be . What he found was a narrative that goes against everything he thought he knew, and a story that needed to be told.

late ‘90s. Needless to say, it’s a crucial purchase for any self-respecting music lover.

• The Beatles: Get Back is out on July 13

Having previously overseen the immaculate restoration of archival war footage for his 2018 film They Shall Not Grow Old , Jackson began the meticulous task of bringing The Beatles' footage to life in the highest definition possible. From the moment he understood the significance of what he had discovered, Jackson made the decision to not only expand the project from the proposed two-and-a-half hour running time to an epic six hours, but to also present it without interruption. The Beatles: Get Back is without narration or exposition, aside from a brief introductory montage and title cards. The rest is simply comprised of John Lennon, Paul McCartney,

16 JULY 2022

jbhifi.com.au

MOVIE FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

A TASTE OF AUSTRALIA Having spent five months in Queensland shooting TV series Troppo , Thomas Jane could be considered an honorary Aussie, and he offers us an invitation when he returns to film the second season. “If you make it up to Queensland you have to bring me a packet of Tim Tams. The double chocolate.” No problem. Will he join us for a Tim Tam slam? “Damn right! But the double chocolate, not the triple chocolate.”

“You get a good script and you're darn right, you see a lot of really good and established actors in the show,” says Jane of his co-stars. “Because when you get a good script, everyone wants to show up for that.” Jane has high praise for Richard Dreyfuss, saying, “He's a legend and such a kind man, and full of all the great stories, from Close Encounters to Jaws , and all the other things that he's done over the years. Having a guy like that around is like having one of the godfathers of actors around.” Gray agrees: “He’s a historian too, so you've got to be on your toes. When he asks about American history or where this was set in Montana in 1881, then you better be ready.” Having fallen in love with Montana's Paradise Valley while watching episodes of Anthony Bourdain's TV show, Gray moved his family to Livingston and set about building a fully-functional backlot township, with surrounding locations also fit for purpose. “Westerns are predominantly filmed in Calgary [Canada] if you want the northwest – that's where they shot Hell on Wheels and the new Billy the Kid show. And if you want the desert, these days it's usually Santa Fe [New Mexico]. So we decided that we would build a backlot, so that those [Montana] stories could be told here. It's called the Yellowstone Film Ranch and it's for all movies, not just westerns." “A lot of these western towns, you've seen them before,” adds Jane glibly. “They change the signs and repaint a couple of buildings, but it's the same old town. This is a new one, and it's really well done. There's no facade that's being propped up by a couple of two-by-fours. All the buildings are real. You can shoot in them and outside of them. It was an extraordinary amount of fun to shoot there.”

STACK chats with director Richard Gray and actor Thomas Jane about their thrilling new western, Murder atYellowstone City – the first feature to be shot at the all-newYellowstone Film Ranch co-established by Gray. Words Glenn Cochrane F rom his days working as a cinema projectionist in Melbourne, all the way to

Thomas Jane (left) and director Richard Gray

Hollywood and beyond, Aussie director Richard Gray has made a home for his family in Montana, where he’s built his own fully purposed backlot studio. Following his poignant debut feature Summer Coda (2010), Gray has gone on to make a string of star-studded films in the US such as The Lookalike and a quasi- Braveheart spin-off, Robert the Bruce . His latest feature is Murder at Yellowstone City , a classic brand of

“When I was growing up we had the more fun style westerns that I would go and see with my dad, like Silverado , The Three Amigos and The Quick

western that takes its cues from some timeless favourites and plays like a gripping whodunit, with a man accused of a murder he didn’t commit. And despite everyone in town being a suspect, most of the men turn a blind eye, knowing they've captured an outsider. Chatting with Gray and one of the film's stars, Thomas Jane, over Zoom, the latter is quick to confess his love of the genre. “My old man and I would sit around on a Saturday afternoon and watch the old Sergio Leone westerns,” Jane recalls. “And then I got into John Ford stuff when I got a little older, and all the great westerns, you know? So in other words, yeah, I'm a fan!” Gray has similar memories, which would ultimately influence Murder at Yellowstone City .

and the Dead . But my favourite western has always been Once Upon a Time in the West . “Then we got lucky with films like The Proposition , Unforgiven and Jessie James , he continues. “Those more atmospheric types of westerns came in, and they're very dark, and that's what we embraced, with a fabulous cast.” The cast he refers to is an impressive ensemble that includes Gabriel Byrne, Richard Dreyfuss, Nat Wolff, Anna Camp and Aimee Garcia.

• Murder at Yellowstone City is out on July 6

jbhifi.com.au

18 JULY 2022

Strong violence and crude sexual humour

NEW TO BUY ON 4K ULTRA HD™, BLU-RAY™ & DVD JUNE 20 AT

*while stocks last

Everything_Everywhere_All_At_Once_JBSTACK_HalfPageAd.indd 1

21/6/22 1:15 pm

MOVIE FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

The BBC acquired a number of film Daleks for use in the series. Some of them appear in the story The Chase , which was broadcast prior to the opening of the first film. UK breakfast cereal brand Sugar Puffs co-financed the production of Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. in return for product placement in the movie, TV commercials featuring Daleks, and a tie-in giveaway to win a Dalek prop. Bernard Cribbins, who appeared in the second Dalek film, also played the grandfather of companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) during David Tennant’s reign as the tenth Doctor.

2150 A.D. , based on Nation’s second Dalek story for TV, The Dalek Invasion of Earth . With a bigger budget and an emphasis on action sequences, it’s easily the better film of the two and largely faithful to its television counterpart, although without

With the two DoctorWho feature films, Dr.Who and the Daleks and Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. , heading to 4K UHD, let’s take a look back at the big screen appearances by the Doctor’s greatest foes. Words Scott Hocking N owadays, it’s almost inevitable that a popular TV series will

TV Doctor William Hartnell was not a big name outside of the UK, so Peter Cushing – best known for his roles in the horror films from Hammer Studios – was cast to add international appeal, and the character was changed from an alien Time Lord to an eccentric human scientist who has invented a time and space machine in the shape of a police box, called the Tardis. Moreover, Cushing’s portrayal

the characters of Ian and Barbara. Instead, the Doctor’s niece, Louise (Julie Curzon), is part of the Tardis crew along with a British policeman (Bernard Cribbins) replacing Ian. The climax also differs from the TV version, which saw Susan leave the Doctor after falling in love with a freedom fighter. Despite being the superior feature, Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. wasn’t the hit that its predecessor was, and plans for a third film – an adaptation of the 1965 TV story The Chase – were abandoned. The two Dalek movies, while not being canon, are still an important part of Doctor Who history in that they remain the only two feature films to date to be spun off from the long running series. And while a mediocre telemovie popped up in 1996 starring Paul McGann as the eighth Doctor, it’s been over half a century since a Doctor Who film last graced the big screen – a fact that new series showrunner Russell T. Davies should take into consideration and remedy.

make the jump onto the big screen, but Doctor Who did it way back in the mid-1960s with two feature films – Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965) and Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (1966) – starring the legendary Peter Cushing as the Doctor. The introduction of the Daleks in the second Doctor Who TV story in 1963 – and their return the following year in The Dalek Invasion of Earth – resulted in a

was a gentler and kinder version of the character in contrast to Hartnell’s curmudgeonly Doctor. With the TV cast too busy working on the show to appear in the film, the roles of travelling companions Ian, Barbara and Susan went to Roy Castle, Jennie Linden and Roberta Tovey, respectively. Production commenced on Dr. Who and the Daleks in April 1965 at England’s Shepperton Studios and the film premiered in London on 23 August 1965 to big box office, becoming one of the highest grossing British films of 1965. The film’s promotion included sending several Daleks to invade the Cannes Film Festival, and one even made an appearance at a Sydney cinema. The film’s success saw production swiftly underway on the sequel, Daleks’ Invasion Earth

wave of ‘Dalekmania’ sweeping the UK, with the pepper pot villains appearing in comic books and toy stores nationwide and a legion of children waving sink plungers while shouting “Exterminate”. The Daleks’ phenomenal popularity presented the perfect opportunity to bring them to cinemas in glorious widescreen and Technicolor. Milton Subotsky and Max J. Rosenberg, founders of Amicus Productions – a British studio known for its horror and sci-fi output during the 1960s and ‘70s – secured the option to make a feature and two sequels from Dalek creator Terry Nation, with the first film, Dr. Who and the Daleks , being an adaptation of Nation’s original seven-part TV serial – albeit with some significant changes.

• Dr. Who and the Daleks is out on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD on July 13, with Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. to follow on August 31

20 JULY 2022

jbhifi.com.au

FEATURE MOVIE

THE BEAST (1988)

A ruthless Soviet tank commander (George Dzundza) and his crew become lost in the Afghanistan desert, where they are pursued by a group of vengeful Afghan soldiers. Directed by Kevin Reynolds ( Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves ), this intense and underrated war drama

A four-film collection from director Jim Sheridan leads this month's Blu-ray bundle. STACK caught up with the Irish filmmaker ahead of its release. Words Glenn Cochrane

also stars Jason Patric ( Rush ) as a Russian soldier facing a moral dilemma. THINGSTO DO IN DENVERWHEN YOU'RE DEAD (1995)

This quirky crime-thriller stars Andy Garcia as a gangster who is given one last job by a powerful mob boss (Christopher Walken) – and it's an

offer he can't refuse! The all-star cast also features Treat Williams, Steve Buscemi and Christopher Lloyd. Extras include a new interview with director Gary Fleder, and more. NOBODY'S FOOL (1994) Paul Newman delivers an Oscar nominated performance as a

In the Name of the Father (1993)

working stiff prone to making bad decisions. But when his son and grandson re-enter his life, he's given an opportunity to right some past wrongs. This heartwarming drama also features a stellar

J im Sheridan is amongst the most prolific voices of Irish cinema and Imprint Films has brought together – for the very first time – his first four landmark films in one stunning Blu-ray box set collection. The collection features his Oscar-winning debut feature My Left Foot (1989), his instant follow-up The Field (1990), his provocative IRA story In the Name of the Father (1993), and his sports-drama The Boxer (1997). Speaking with STACK , Sheridan reflects on the runaway success of My Left Foot and his collaboration with Oscar-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis. “It does hit you a

way, and we didn't have to speak that much to each other, you know? And that's hard to explain, it just happens. We kind of saw the world the same way”. Making its Blu-ray debut in Imprint's Jim Sheridan: Four Irish Films collection is The Field , a smaller, lesser-known movie about a rural land dispute, which Sheridan suspects was too culturally grounded to have captured a global audience. “ The Field was a more difficult movie because it was particularly Irish. I remember coming out of a screening in LA and as the audience came out one guy said

supporting cast, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bruce Willis and Melanie Griffith. THE MUSIC OF CHANCE (1993) A chance meeting between an

ex-fireman (Mandy Patinkin) with a large inheritance and a shady card shark (James Spader) leads to a high stakes poker game against two eccentric millionaires (Charles Durning and Joel Grey) – and bizarre consequences for them

to another, 'What was his problem? He didn't own the field. He rented the field.' And they really didn't get the [concept of] tenant occupancy the way

little bit like a freight train,” he admits of his debut film being met with such critical acclaim – winning two Oscars and two BAFTAs. "Especially

both. This unpredictable and largely unseen '90s gem makes a welcome return on Blu-ray. WHORE (1991)

Theresa Russell stars as a jaded LA sex worker looking to escape from her vicious pimp (Benjamin Mouton) in this uncompromising portrait of a streetwalker from oddball British director Ken Russell ( Crimes of Passion ). Imprint brings this confronting cult flick to Blu-ray with

when you're coming out of doing theatre, and you might

an Irish person would. "Essentially, the move

get one or two interviews for a show, or a couple of reviews. And then you do a movie and then it's everywhere in the world. It changes your living standard.” Day-Lewis stars in three of the four films (excluding The Field ) and his reputation as being a disciplined and difficult method actor is the stuff of legend. However, Sheridan recalls that made the job a whole lot easier. “You know the best situation with any collaboration is that you're not really having to do a lot of work. It's kind of understood intrinsically or on some level that's deeper than any logic can approach. Daniel and I were kind of connected that

to America for all of Southern Europe was the movement of peasants to the cities, and they were never going back to the f–ing land, where they had had a horrible life. And once they got to the city they forgot about the land. So people didn't really understand tenancy. And that's what made that movie very difficult.” Despite The Field 's obscurity at the time, it has become one of the great Irish films and perhaps Sheridan's most personal. It was also shot before My Left Foot had been released to the world (and before Sheridan had become an A-list director), which solidifies it as one of the most endearing films in his extensive catalogue.

a wealth of extras, including new interviews, audio commentary, Ken Russell appreciation, and more.

• The new Imprint range is out on July 27 for a limited time only (while stocks last).

21