#thedwreview

In the first of a two-part blog I'll be commenting on three movies which gained reputations for themselves early on, thus gaining must-see feels in spite of controversy and contextual buzz. Let's be honest - we've all seen stuff at some point which we were told we really shouldn't. It's only natural.  With these, and in the part that follows, I waited until early adulthood.  Thank goodness, too. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) This is film gore at its best, or worst depending on how you view it.  Crudely made even by 70's standards, it was entirely shot on a low budget and it shows. There is a story to this and it sees a young girl kidnapped by a masked lunatic who barbarically kills her brother and friends with a live chainsaw.  Oh and he brings her home to meet his family, who happen to wear facial apparatus made of human flesh - during which she faints and horrifically wakes up again during 'dinner'.... It therefore falls on our heroine to make a...

In the summer of 1998, Welsh rockers the Manic Street Preachers were back with their fifth studio album.  It was a turning point in many ways. Having lost founder member Richey Edwards, after going missing in February '95, this was their first entire record without his lyrics - falling on bassist Nicky Wire to contribute all the words. This was a different Manics.  Adult-orientated music channel VH-1 was now highlighting their upcoming singles.  They were knocking Boyzone off the top of the singles charts.  Record sleeves were showing more colour and boasted a budget which their Epic record label were solidly behind. It also marked a musical maturity.  Minimised, if not gone completely, was the up-tempo angst from previous LPs, Generation Terrorists and The Holy Bible, in favour of a calmer, mere mainstream-friendly sound, first evident Everything Must Go - their last collection and, hitherto, most commercially successful. With a gradual evolution in thei...