Peaky Blinders producer Caryn Mandabach Productions (Cmp) is developing a historical drama series with End of the F***ing World director Jonathan Entwistle.
Civil Blood will be set in 17th century England, following the adventures of a young woman growing up in a time of war. Billed as a “mash-up of coming-of-age story with high-stakes action and world-changing ideas,” the project is written by Cat Clarke and Michael Hirst, and is based on an original idea by the pair with Dario Poloni.
The show is in the latter stages of development, according to Cmp.
Historical TV pioneer Hirst’s past credits include Vikings, Billy the Kid and the Oscar-nominated Elizabeth, while Clarke wrote on Good Omens and Ten Percent. Entwistle developed and directed Channel 4/Netflix hit The End of the F***ing World. He is also directing the new Karate Kid movie and worked on Netflix’s I Am Not Okay With This...
Civil Blood will be set in 17th century England, following the adventures of a young woman growing up in a time of war. Billed as a “mash-up of coming-of-age story with high-stakes action and world-changing ideas,” the project is written by Cat Clarke and Michael Hirst, and is based on an original idea by the pair with Dario Poloni.
The show is in the latter stages of development, according to Cmp.
Historical TV pioneer Hirst’s past credits include Vikings, Billy the Kid and the Oscar-nominated Elizabeth, while Clarke wrote on Good Omens and Ten Percent. Entwistle developed and directed Channel 4/Netflix hit The End of the F***ing World. He is also directing the new Karate Kid movie and worked on Netflix’s I Am Not Okay With This...
- 11/28/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Well, folks, 2011 is officially in the can, and surprisingly it wasn't such a horrendous year. It was definitely better than 2010, which was a huge step up from the putrid 2009. We laughed, we applauded, we were left dumbstruck, and of course we were infuriated. Read on for our cheers and jeers!
Now, with a fresh movie-watching start before us, we're taking our usual yearly look back at the good, the bad, the Wtf, and everything in between.
And don't be lazy by just reading along! Get off of your asses and give us your lists in the comments section below. We wanna hear from you if only to compare notes. Lots and lots of notes.
Speaking of notes, the most common complaint we've heard over the years is that we don't have one definitive list representing Dread Central as a whole so for 2011 we dropped everyone's choices in the blender, hit puree,...
Now, with a fresh movie-watching start before us, we're taking our usual yearly look back at the good, the bad, the Wtf, and everything in between.
And don't be lazy by just reading along! Get off of your asses and give us your lists in the comments section below. We wanna hear from you if only to compare notes. Lots and lots of notes.
Speaking of notes, the most common complaint we've heard over the years is that we don't have one definitive list representing Dread Central as a whole so for 2011 we dropped everyone's choices in the blender, hit puree,...
- 12/28/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
On one hand, Christopher Smith's Black Death is a terrifically dark medieval horror story, an Alfred Hitchcock Presents set during the bubonic plague with horrific violence and witches snapping at noosebreak. It's savage, both in temperament and tenacity, a brooding, nasty slog -- almost akin to The Things They Carried -- gruesome men at a gruesome task full of gallows humor. The man understands for once that the pointy end of the metal weapon makes lots of blood and bits happen, and kudos to him for that. And for the first two thirds of the film, Smith sets up a wonderfully atmospherically bleak quest picture, bleak as all fucking get out. But it's that tricky last third where Black Death succumbs to its own festering nature and completely loses it, frantically spazzing and twitching like a Pajiba commentor who sees words that offend them acting out The Wicker Man.
- 3/10/2011
- by Brian Prisco
Reviewed by Jay Antani
(March 2011)
Directed by: Christopher Smith
Written by: Dario Poloni
Cast: Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, Carice van Houten, Kimberley Nixon, David Warner, John Lynch, Andy Nyman, Johnny Harris and Tim McInnerny
The pall of fear and death hangs over thriller-maker Christopher Smith’s “Black Death.” It’s 1348, and we’re in England’s bleak, mist-encircled countryside. The bubonic plague stalks the population, killing off entire villages and infecting those who’ve evaded it with constant dread. The Church finds itself losing ground to the Plague as it fails to deliver its followers of their suffering.
For callow monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne), the crisis of faith in God is less about the heartless decimation of innocent lives and more about his personal struggle to reconcile his pledge to God with his irresistible love for a woman, Averill (Kimberley Nixon). To keep Averill from the Plague’s clutches, Osmund...
(March 2011)
Directed by: Christopher Smith
Written by: Dario Poloni
Cast: Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, Carice van Houten, Kimberley Nixon, David Warner, John Lynch, Andy Nyman, Johnny Harris and Tim McInnerny
The pall of fear and death hangs over thriller-maker Christopher Smith’s “Black Death.” It’s 1348, and we’re in England’s bleak, mist-encircled countryside. The bubonic plague stalks the population, killing off entire villages and infecting those who’ve evaded it with constant dread. The Church finds itself losing ground to the Plague as it fails to deliver its followers of their suffering.
For callow monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne), the crisis of faith in God is less about the heartless decimation of innocent lives and more about his personal struggle to reconcile his pledge to God with his irresistible love for a woman, Averill (Kimberley Nixon). To keep Averill from the Plague’s clutches, Osmund...
- 3/8/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Reviewed by Jay Antani
(March 2011)
Directed by: Christopher Smith
Written by: Dario Poloni
Cast: Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, Carice van Houten, Kimberley Nixon, David Warner, John Lynch, Andy Nyman, Johnny Harris and Tim McInnerny
The pall of fear and death hangs over thriller-maker Christopher Smith’s “Black Death.” It’s 1348, and we’re in England’s bleak, mist-encircled countryside. The bubonic plague stalks the population, killing off entire villages and infecting those who’ve evaded it with constant dread. The Church finds itself losing ground to the Plague as it fails to deliver its followers of their suffering.
For callow monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne), the crisis of faith in God is less about the heartless decimation of innocent lives and more about his personal struggle to reconcile his pledge to God with his irresistible love for a woman, Averill (Kimberley Nixon). To keep Averill from the Plague’s clutches, Osmund...
(March 2011)
Directed by: Christopher Smith
Written by: Dario Poloni
Cast: Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, Carice van Houten, Kimberley Nixon, David Warner, John Lynch, Andy Nyman, Johnny Harris and Tim McInnerny
The pall of fear and death hangs over thriller-maker Christopher Smith’s “Black Death.” It’s 1348, and we’re in England’s bleak, mist-encircled countryside. The bubonic plague stalks the population, killing off entire villages and infecting those who’ve evaded it with constant dread. The Church finds itself losing ground to the Plague as it fails to deliver its followers of their suffering.
For callow monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne), the crisis of faith in God is less about the heartless decimation of innocent lives and more about his personal struggle to reconcile his pledge to God with his irresistible love for a woman, Averill (Kimberley Nixon). To keep Averill from the Plague’s clutches, Osmund...
- 3/8/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
The 14th century never looked so bad. Today Fangoria.com presents an exclusive video chat (see below the jump) with acclaimed British director Christopher Smith (Creep, Severance, Triangle), who previews his new movie, Black Death. The medieval horror thriller opens this Friday in New York, La and Minnesota from Magnet Releasing and is currently available on demand. In part one of our four-part interview, Smith talks with Fango’s Tony Timpone about Black Death’s plot and the development of the script by Wilderness’ Dario Poloni, as well as the story’s parallels to today and potential religious controversies.
- 3/7/2011
- by samueldzimmerman@gmail.com (FANGORIA Staff)
- Fangoria
Dario Poloni, who wrote the script for "Black Death," tells us one thing that many of us already know: that the greatest cause of violent death on a global scale aside from disease is brought about by religion. The knights and one monk who ride into a village in this equine road movie all bear the cross on their chests, all have sworn fealty to God, and all end up killing in His name. But wait! Poloni does not "have it in" only for bible-thumping fanatics, but as well for those who do not believe at all. The atheists, or pagans as they are called by the Christians, are at least as crazed and violent as the pious. In fact, the movie is saying that all extremes are bad, whether absolute believers or absolute non-believers, a point that can be stretched into modern times as a condemnation of Nazis, Communists and Fascists of all stripes,...
- 3/3/2011
- Arizona Reporter
British director Christopher Smith made a name for himself with two touted twists on the slasher sub-genre: 2006′s horror-comedy Severance, and 2009′s cryptic murder-mystery Triangle. Now he takes on new ground, leaving the horror – though not the gore – behind with his ambitious period piece Black Death.
Set in the midst of the bubonic plague outbreak, the film centers on a motley crew of Christian soldiers who seek to destroy a devil-worshiping necromancer that’s said to live beyond a perilous marsh. Their guide on this journey is Osmund (the aptly named Eddie Redmayne), a young monk struggling with his faith and searching for his destiny–and his lost lover. Surrounded by the devastation of the plague and its resulting witch hunts (both figurative and literal), Osmund is in turns horrified and amazed by the world outside his monastery. When these bruisers and their boy scout reach the place beyond the marsh,...
Set in the midst of the bubonic plague outbreak, the film centers on a motley crew of Christian soldiers who seek to destroy a devil-worshiping necromancer that’s said to live beyond a perilous marsh. Their guide on this journey is Osmund (the aptly named Eddie Redmayne), a young monk struggling with his faith and searching for his destiny–and his lost lover. Surrounded by the devastation of the plague and its resulting witch hunts (both figurative and literal), Osmund is in turns horrified and amazed by the world outside his monastery. When these bruisers and their boy scout reach the place beyond the marsh,...
- 2/28/2011
- by Kristy Puchko
- The Film Stage
Killer Film had the chance to get on the phone and have a lengthy conversation with prolific director Christopher Smith on his newest flick, Black Death, which is now available On-Demand, Xbox, Playstation, Vudu, Amazon.com and iTunes; and will be in theaters March 11, 2011 from Magnet Releasing.
Jason Bene: After doing Triangle, Severance, and Creep – what made you want to tackle a historical horror film?
Christopher Smith: I’ve always been drawn to that period in history. It’s one of those conundrums where you sat up and listened in class because not only was this disease insane in the way it spread through Europe, but it was also a time when the country was as fundamentalist as it ever was or ever will be. That mixture is really relevant today. There aren’t many historical horror films that deal with it like The Wicker Man and Witchfinder General,...
Jason Bene: After doing Triangle, Severance, and Creep – what made you want to tackle a historical horror film?
Christopher Smith: I’ve always been drawn to that period in history. It’s one of those conundrums where you sat up and listened in class because not only was this disease insane in the way it spread through Europe, but it was also a time when the country was as fundamentalist as it ever was or ever will be. That mixture is really relevant today. There aren’t many historical horror films that deal with it like The Wicker Man and Witchfinder General,...
- 2/11/2011
- by Jason Bene
- Killer Films
After the release of Christopher Smith’s 2009 haunting boat trip gone wrong flick Triangle, I was a bit surprised to hear that for his follow-up he was heading to the medieval time period for Black Death, which can be described as Black Hawk Down meets Wicker Man (and not the Nic Cage version either).
While doing his press rounds for his latest project, Dread Central had the opportunity to chat with the British filmmaker about his work on Black Death, how this film is unlike any other period piece you’ve seen, and what it is about the horror genre that keeps bringing him back for more.
Smith’s journey to get Black Death made started while he was still at the helm for the Melissa George vehicle Triangle in Australia. “Halfway through Triangle the original director pulled out of Black Death so the producers contacted me and sent me the script.
While doing his press rounds for his latest project, Dread Central had the opportunity to chat with the British filmmaker about his work on Black Death, how this film is unlike any other period piece you’ve seen, and what it is about the horror genre that keeps bringing him back for more.
Smith’s journey to get Black Death made started while he was still at the helm for the Melissa George vehicle Triangle in Australia. “Halfway through Triangle the original director pulled out of Black Death so the producers contacted me and sent me the script.
- 2/7/2011
- by thehorrorchick
- DreadCentral.com
Click for BiggerBlack Death is a medieval set film starring Sean Bean, Andy Nyman, Carice van Houten and others. This film brought the bubonic plague back to Europe in theatres June 11th (UK) and since this release, Magnolia Pictures has picked up this title for North America.
The film will be available through video-on-demand February 4th, followed up by a release in theatres March 11th. In celebration, Magnolia has released a newer, darker poster for the film. The graphic can be seen left and the trailer is (here), for those who have not seen the clip.
The synopsis for Black Death here:
"Plague-ridden medieval England: bodies lie scattered in their hundreds, the country is in turmoil. One hope remains, rumors of a village that is unaffected by the deadly disease. As God’s ambassador, young monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) is tasked in leading the fearsome knight Ulrich (Sean Bean) and...
The film will be available through video-on-demand February 4th, followed up by a release in theatres March 11th. In celebration, Magnolia has released a newer, darker poster for the film. The graphic can be seen left and the trailer is (here), for those who have not seen the clip.
The synopsis for Black Death here:
"Plague-ridden medieval England: bodies lie scattered in their hundreds, the country is in turmoil. One hope remains, rumors of a village that is unaffected by the deadly disease. As God’s ambassador, young monk Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) is tasked in leading the fearsome knight Ulrich (Sean Bean) and...
- 12/14/2010
- by 28DaysLaterAnalysis@gmail.com (Michael Allen)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
Magnet Releasing (Survival of the Dead, Centurion) continues to snap up movies this week and the latest acquisition is the German shot Black Death. This film stars Sean Bean and Magnet will release this title in the Us in the first quarter of 2011 (January-April). Director Christopher Smith had some insightful thoughts to expression on the sale and on his film: "Black Death is a film that I am immensely proud of, and I’m so pleased it has found such a great home for its Us release...on the one hand it is a violent historical drama and on the other, a terrifying horror movie, in which the more realistically I shot the past, the more it reflected the present. A time when in spite of the fact people were dying of the plague, they still found the time to torture and kill each other” (Magnet). These are some very...
- 10/20/2010
- by 28DaysLaterAnalysis@gmail.com (Michael Allen)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
**This review originally appeared on HeyUGuys prior to the film’s UK cinema release but in light of the recent Fantasia screening we are reposting it in case you missed it the first time.**
Black Death is the latest film from British director Christopher Smith (Creep, Severance and Triangle) and stars Sean Bean and Eddie Redmayne.
The film takes place in 1348, a year when the plague had already begun wiping out large populations across Europe and the year it hit UK shores. The plague brought with it fear which quickly began spreading throughout Britain. This fear boosted the already prevalent beliefs in superstition and religion present in Britain at the time. The film Black Death focuses heavily on religion and superstition and it is when discussing these themes of fanaticism that it is most interesting.
At the centre of the story is the character of Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) who is...
Black Death is the latest film from British director Christopher Smith (Creep, Severance and Triangle) and stars Sean Bean and Eddie Redmayne.
The film takes place in 1348, a year when the plague had already begun wiping out large populations across Europe and the year it hit UK shores. The plague brought with it fear which quickly began spreading throughout Britain. This fear boosted the already prevalent beliefs in superstition and religion present in Britain at the time. The film Black Death focuses heavily on religion and superstition and it is when discussing these themes of fanaticism that it is most interesting.
At the centre of the story is the character of Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) who is...
- 7/27/2010
- by Craig Skinner
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Black Death is probably one of my favourite films so far this year. A proper psychological horror film, brilliantly written by Dario Poloni (Wilderness) and with an excellent cast (Sean Bean, Carice Van Houton, John Lynch) directed by Christopher Smith (Creep, Severance, Triangle), it really took me by surprise when I saw it earlier this year. Recently I was lucky enough to get an exclusive interview with writer Dario Poloni. This is the first half of our discussion…
Where did you get the idea for Black Death, what was the starting point? How long did it take between the first draft and being picked up by the film company?
The script was a commission, based on an original idea of mine. I started out with a simple concept; a policeman whose wife has just died is sent to investigate a cult who claim to be able to bring back the dead.
Where did you get the idea for Black Death, what was the starting point? How long did it take between the first draft and being picked up by the film company?
The script was a commission, based on an original idea of mine. I started out with a simple concept; a policeman whose wife has just died is sent to investigate a cult who claim to be able to bring back the dead.
- 6/23/2010
- by Sarah
- Nerdly
Black Death is the latest film from British director Christopher Smith (Creep, Severance and Triangle) and stars Sean Bean and Eddie Redmayne.
The film takes place in 1348, a year when the plague had already begun wiping out large populations across Europe and the year it hit UK shores. The plague brought with it fear which quickly began spreading throughout Britain. This fear boosted the already prevalent beliefs in superstition and religion present in Britain at the time. The film Black Death focuses heavily on religion and superstition and it is when discussing these themes of fanaticism that it is most interesting.
At the centre of the story is the character of Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) who is a novice monk torn between the church and his love for Averill (Kimberley Nixon). Anxious to leave the monastery and spurred on by what he believes to be a sign from god he volunteers...
The film takes place in 1348, a year when the plague had already begun wiping out large populations across Europe and the year it hit UK shores. The plague brought with it fear which quickly began spreading throughout Britain. This fear boosted the already prevalent beliefs in superstition and religion present in Britain at the time. The film Black Death focuses heavily on religion and superstition and it is when discussing these themes of fanaticism that it is most interesting.
At the centre of the story is the character of Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) who is a novice monk torn between the church and his love for Averill (Kimberley Nixon). Anxious to leave the monastery and spurred on by what he believes to be a sign from god he volunteers...
- 6/1/2010
- by Craig Skinner
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Year: 2009
Directors: Christopher Smith
Writers: Dario Poloni
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: Ben Austwick
Rating: 8 out of 10
Chris Smith is a director with a tight release schedule, the premier of Black Death coming less than a year after the premier of Triangle at last summer's Frightfest. This is the economic reality of being an up-and-coming director nowadays, tighter budgets and smaller profit margins meaning more work and less time to chase perfection.
This has tripped some film makers up. Nicholas Refn's recent Valhalla Rising, in many ways a similar film to Black Death, was let down somewhat by a rushed second half. Chris Smith seems to have a tighter grip on the production process, and although Black Death shows some of the imperfections of a punishing schedule, it is on the whole atmospheric and well constructed with an intelligent, thought provoking finale.
Black Death is set in fourteenth century Europe,...
Directors: Christopher Smith
Writers: Dario Poloni
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: Ben Austwick
Rating: 8 out of 10
Chris Smith is a director with a tight release schedule, the premier of Black Death coming less than a year after the premier of Triangle at last summer's Frightfest. This is the economic reality of being an up-and-coming director nowadays, tighter budgets and smaller profit margins meaning more work and less time to chase perfection.
This has tripped some film makers up. Nicholas Refn's recent Valhalla Rising, in many ways a similar film to Black Death, was let down somewhat by a rushed second half. Chris Smith seems to have a tighter grip on the production process, and although Black Death shows some of the imperfections of a punishing schedule, it is on the whole atmospheric and well constructed with an intelligent, thought provoking finale.
Black Death is set in fourteenth century Europe,...
- 5/30/2010
- QuietEarth.us
Black Death (2010)
Stars: Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean, John Lynch, Tim McInnerny, Carice van Houten | Written by Dario Poloni | Directed by Christopher Smith.
The Abbot: Even if you do make it back alive, the outside world will change you. Osmund: Maybe that’s what I want.
With those portentous words, Black Death really gets underway. Set in the 1300s, it tells the story of young monk Osmund (Redmayne), leaving the confines of his monastery to lead Sean Bean and his group of church paid-soldiers to a local village that has not yet been affected by the plague, amidst rumours of necromancy. For Osmund, Bean’s request for help comes as a sign from God that he has a purpose in the outside world, a sign he looks for after sending his girlfriend (and we suspect lover) away from her local village to what he hopes is safety. Torn between his love...
Stars: Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean, John Lynch, Tim McInnerny, Carice van Houten | Written by Dario Poloni | Directed by Christopher Smith.
The Abbot: Even if you do make it back alive, the outside world will change you. Osmund: Maybe that’s what I want.
With those portentous words, Black Death really gets underway. Set in the 1300s, it tells the story of young monk Osmund (Redmayne), leaving the confines of his monastery to lead Sean Bean and his group of church paid-soldiers to a local village that has not yet been affected by the plague, amidst rumours of necromancy. For Osmund, Bean’s request for help comes as a sign from God that he has a purpose in the outside world, a sign he looks for after sending his girlfriend (and we suspect lover) away from her local village to what he hopes is safety. Torn between his love...
- 4/27/2010
- by Sarah
- Nerdly
The recent passing of John Hughes has elicited fond memories of his legacy. Comedies like Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club, Weird Science, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off captured the essence of teen angst. His characters, awkward and clumsy, were filled with doubts, fears, and desires.
The complex psyches of teens have been explored often in the horror genre as well, but often as a device used in the systematic set-up of a violent and bloody end. In Battle Royale, for example, the plight of each teen is revealed through flashback only moments before said teen meets brutal demise. In movies like Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Halloween, teens are routinely punished for their promiscuity and rebelliousness; while in the new generation of torture/porn, kids are lured like dogs into unbearable situations.
But the best coming of age stories are born from scripts that borrow from...
The complex psyches of teens have been explored often in the horror genre as well, but often as a device used in the systematic set-up of a violent and bloody end. In Battle Royale, for example, the plight of each teen is revealed through flashback only moments before said teen meets brutal demise. In movies like Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Halloween, teens are routinely punished for their promiscuity and rebelliousness; while in the new generation of torture/porn, kids are lured like dogs into unbearable situations.
But the best coming of age stories are born from scripts that borrow from...
- 8/13/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (Drew Golburgh)
- Fangoria
Director Geoff Sax is out and Christopher Smith is in on Black Death , a film reported at the beginning of the year and starring Lena Headey, Sean Bean and Rupert Friend. Smith's credits include Creep and Severance . He recently wrapped the thriller Triangle with Melissa George. Thanks to HanWay Films - the outfit handling international sales - we have an early piece of promote art below (thanks to the fellas as QuietEarth for pointing us in this direction). No word on why Sax dropped out of the film. However, he's currently in production on a drama called Frankie and Alice at the moment. Written by Dario Poloni, Black Death is set in an apocalyptic medieval world, this is the story of a band of brothers whose quest is to hunt down a necromancer against the...
- 11/26/2008
- shocktillyoudrop.com
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