Happy Hallo- wait?! For some reason, the two biggest new cinema releases today in South Africa are both horror themed. They’re joined by a music documentary and the more niche offerings of Bollywood historical epic Azaad, and a recording of The Royal Opera’s take on Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann. Meanwhile, Will Smith’s feelgood The Pursuit of Happyness is this week’s Throwback rerelease at Ster Kinekor.
After rumours it was skipping cinema release in South Africa, Nosferatu is getting a limited theatrical run after all. Find cinemas and screenings here. Why should you be excited? Nosferatu is The VVitch filmmaker Robert Eggers’s remake of F. W. Murnau’s 1922 film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, itself based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In this gothic horror film, Lily-Rose Depp’s haunted young woman finds herself drawn to the terrifying vampire Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), who is obsessed with her. Also starring are Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, and Willem Dafoe.
Werewolves are the new vampires, clearly because Blumhouse and The Invisible Man director Leigh Whannell are bringing moviegoers Wolf Man. In this contemporary-set horror tale, family man Blake (Christopher Abbott) relocates from San Francisco to a remote part of Oregon with his workaholic wife Charlotte (Julia Garner) and daughter Ginger (Matlida Firth) after inheriting his childhood home. There the family is attacked one night, and a clawed Blake begins to transform into something horrifying.
With award-winning director Dawn Porter behind the camera, music documentary Luther: Never Too Much chronicles Luther Vandross’ nearly 40 years in the entertainment industry. Using archival footage, Luther tells his story with assistance from the likes of Mariah Carey, Dionne Warwick, Valerie Simpson and Roberta Flack. Rather unsurprisingly, the film covers Luther Vandross’ career highs plus the negative media attention focused on his weight, sexuality, and struggle to earn industry respect.