In the seedy underbelly of 18th-century Paris, money is king. Nothing is sacred – even love itself can be bought for the right price. A native of this hedonistic underworld, Manon is caught between twin desires when she falls in love with the student Des Grieux. Steadfast and devoted, he offers the possibility of an honourable life. Yet, the riches promised by the world of Parisian society remain tempting...

Manon’s inner turmoil and struggle for survival lie at the devastating heart of Kenneth MacMillan’s 1974 adaptation of Abbé Prévost’s novel. In this signature work of The Royal Ballet, MacMillan’s nuanced understanding of human psychology makes for an unflinching look into the moral degradation of Manon’s Paris, while all its decadence and decay are brought to life through Jules Massenet’s score and Nicholas Georgiadis’s designs.

Horrifying and darkly comic, Rosemary’s Baby was Roman Polanski’s Hollywood debut. This wildly entertaining nightmare, faithfully adapted from Ira Levin’s best seller, stars a revelatory Mia Farrow as a young mother-to-be who grows increasingly suspicious that her overfriendly elderly neighbors (played by Sidney Blackmer and an Oscar-winning Ruth Gordon) and self-involved husband (John Cassavetes) are hatching a satanic plot against her and her baby. In the decades of occult cinema that Polanski’s ungodly masterpiece has spawned, it has never been outdone for sheer psychological terror.

A biting satire on modern society that actually makes more sense today than it did at its time of release, John Carpenter’s They Live is a cleverly envisioned, intricately layered & rivetingly told sci-fi horror that was far ahead of its time, and its critical take on the power of commercialism & influence of advertising on the masses is only growing more relevant with time.

The story follows a drifter who arrives in Los Angeles looking for work and stumbles upon a pair of sunglasses that allows him to see everything around him for what they really are. As he learns that the subliminal messages in mass media are part of a hidden agenda by aliens masquerading as human beings to keep the human civilization subdued, he tries to reveal the truth to the world.

Written & directed by John Carpenter (best known for Halloween & The Thing), They Live takes its time to establish its bleak atmosphere, and only escalates once all the pieces on the board are set. Keeping a firm grip on the pacing & build up, the director paints a grim portrait of what mankind is reduced to but it is the film’s close proximity with our current scenario that makes it compelling on so many levels.

Carpenter doesn’t hold back in illustrating the corrupting power of mass media and captures the omnipresent subliminal commands behind every advertising banner for what they are. Greyscale photography is utilized to illustrate the truth while colored segments represent the world that’s completely oblivious to the reality it’s living in. Carpenter’s score here may not rank amongst his finest compositions but it still works.

Coming to the performances, the cast is led by noted WWF icon “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and features Keith David & Meg Foster in supporting roles. Piper is surprisingly low-key here, compared to his volatile in-ring persona, and chips in with a measured input that aptly articulates his character’s emotions & confusion. David delivers a sturdy performance that stands neck to neck with Piper’s, while Foster’s work has an enigmatic quality to it.

On an overall scale, They Live is a brilliantly directed, deftly scripted, exquisitely witted, skilfully photographed, expertly edited, splendidly performed & finely scored example of its genre(s) that paints an unsettling portrait of the world we live in, and is another underrated gem from Carpenter that’s well deserving of its cult following. Smart, subversive & stimulating, this political satire has aged like wine and will continue to resonate strongly & more deeply as the years roll on.

Under the oppressive heat of the Spanish sun, the fiercely independent Carmen attracts the attention of Don José. She warns him not to fall in love with her, but his obsession knows no bounds. Damiano Michieletto’s searing production returns, casting scorching light on the lust, violence and destructive desire of Bizet’s ever-popular opera.

An all-star cast brings this white-hot drama to life, with Ginger Costa-Jackson in the fiery title role, alongside Russell Thomas as the jealous and despairing Don José. Following his 2023 Royal Opera debut, Sesto Quatrini returns to conduct Bizet’s electrifying and sensual score.