FREE YOUR MIND! Q&A + L’Urlo (The Howl)
We’re delighted to host Simon Matthews and Oldcastle Books for a Q&A prior to a screening of Tinto Brass’ L’Urlo, followed by an opportunity to purchase Simon’s new book FREE YOUR MIND! in the Porsche Centre West London Taycan Lounge.
Simon Matthews on the film:
The third Brass production with a London back drop, and famous as the film he made instead of doing A Clockwork Orange, The Howl was shot at the end of 1968 and was intended by him to be a film that “was of 1968” rather than just a film made then. Reflecting the political upheavals of that year and the pushing back of societal norms and barriers by the avant-garde, it remains a time capsule of that period, with many brilliantly shot scenes in its free-wheeling plot. It stars Tina Aumont – a fashion model associated with the Rolling Stones and Andy Warhol – and Italian comic actor and singer Gigi Proietti.
About Simon Matthews:
Simon Matthews has had a varied career including a spell running the British Transport Films documentary film library and several years singing in semi-professional rock groups. He has contributed articles on music, film and cultural history to Record Collector, Shindig! and Lobster magazines. Psychedelic Celluloid, his illustrated history of UK music, film and TV between 1965 and 1974 was published by Oldcastle Books in 2016.
PRAISE FOR SIMON MATTHEWS
‘Addresses everything with a thoroughness and eye for detail that’s hugely impressive’ – Irish News
‘Psychedelic Celluloid covers the swinging sixties in minute detail, noting the influence of pop on hundreds of productions’ – Independent
‘Matthews clearly knows his stuff’ – Fortean Times
‘Simon Matthews’s comprehensive and enjoyable overview… excels as a gazetteer of film genres as varied as black cinema, dystopian futures, the rise and fall of punk rock, 1980s agitprop, and the big-screen careers of Joan Collins and David Bowie’ – Spectator
‘Impressively comprehensive… jam-packed full of trivia and amusing anecdotes’ – We Are Cult
‘A must-purchase for fans of British films and pop music’ – Goldmine
‘An informative account… fascinating’ – Starburst Magazine
About FREE YOUR MIND:
Between 1967 and 1970 Italian auteur Giovanni ‘Tinto’ Brass directed four feature films in London, each starring a woman as the main character.
Exploring the political, cultural and sexual ideas of their time, often in a deliberate pop-art style, they contain much priceless footage of now forgotten neighbourhoods, galleries, clubs and events as well as an abundance of contemporary music.
FREE YOUR MIND! describes the films, their stars and how they were made. Based on interviews with many of the surviving participants, it argues that at this stage of his career, before Caligula, Brass was as significant a figure in cinema as Antonioni, Godard and many other better-known directors.
Includes a foreword by Franco Nero, the iconic Italian actor, producer and director, and an addendum by Alan Sekers, focusing on the influence of Jean-Luc Godard.
Simon Matthews on the film:
The third Brass production with a London back drop, and famous as the film he made instead of doing A Clockwork Orange, The Howl was shot at the end of 1968 and was intended by him to be a film that “was of 1968” rather than just a film made then. Reflecting the political upheavals of that year and the pushing back of societal norms and barriers by the avant-garde, it remains a time capsule of that period, with many brilliantly shot scenes in its free-wheeling plot. It stars Tina Aumont – a fashion model associated with the Rolling Stones and Andy Warhol – and Italian comic actor and singer Gigi Proietti.
About Simon Matthews:
Simon Matthews has had a varied career including a spell running the British Transport Films documentary film library and several years singing in semi-professional rock groups. He has contributed articles on music, film and cultural history to Record Collector, Shindig! and Lobster magazines. Psychedelic Celluloid, his illustrated history of UK music, film and TV between 1965 and 1974 was published by Oldcastle Books in 2016.
PRAISE FOR SIMON MATTHEWS
‘Addresses everything with a thoroughness and eye for detail that’s hugely impressive’ – Irish News
‘Psychedelic Celluloid covers the swinging sixties in minute detail, noting the influence of pop on hundreds of productions’ – Independent
‘Matthews clearly knows his stuff’ – Fortean Times
‘Simon Matthews’s comprehensive and enjoyable overview… excels as a gazetteer of film genres as varied as black cinema, dystopian futures, the rise and fall of punk rock, 1980s agitprop, and the big-screen careers of Joan Collins and David Bowie’ – Spectator
‘Impressively comprehensive… jam-packed full of trivia and amusing anecdotes’ – We Are Cult
‘A must-purchase for fans of British films and pop music’ – Goldmine
‘An informative account… fascinating’ – Starburst Magazine
About FREE YOUR MIND:
Between 1967 and 1970 Italian auteur Giovanni ‘Tinto’ Brass directed four feature films in London, each starring a woman as the main character.
Exploring the political, cultural and sexual ideas of their time, often in a deliberate pop-art style, they contain much priceless footage of now forgotten neighbourhoods, galleries, clubs and events as well as an abundance of contemporary music.
FREE YOUR MIND! describes the films, their stars and how they were made. Based on interviews with many of the surviving participants, it argues that at this stage of his career, before Caligula, Brass was as significant a figure in cinema as Antonioni, Godard and many other better-known directors.
Includes a foreword by Franco Nero, the iconic Italian actor, producer and director, and an addendum by Alan Sekers, focusing on the influence of Jean-Luc Godard.
Cast
Director
Tinto Brass
Running Time
93 minutes