The Wages of Fear (dir: Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1953, cert 12A)
If you caught William Friedkin’s excellent Sorcerer at The Electric recently then you really should go and see the film on which it was based, The Wages of Fear. Clouzot’s claustrophobically and intense thriller follows the misadventures of four deadbeat men on a suicide mission transporting unstable dynamite through an unforgiving South American terrain. Clouzot ratchets the tension up to nerve shredding levels and don’t be surprised if you break out in a cold sweat watching it, you may need a stiff drink following the screening.
Tue 19 Dec 2pm at the mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH £9 macbirmingham.co.uk

Dots & Loops #5 
Flatpack’s occasional series of events showcasing the finest short films is a comic special for its fifth incarnation featuring and curated by filmmakers Louis Hudson and Ian Ravenscroft. The guys will be screening some of their favourite collaborations alongside the short films that have influenced them. Grab a glass of Grolt and check out the excellent Hudson and Ravenscroft production DuckManBoy here.
Tue 19 Dec 7.30pm at The Rose Villa Tavern, 172 Warstone Ln, Birmingham B18 6JW £4 flatpackfestival.org.uk

The Cameraman (dir: Edward Sedgwick and Buster Keaton, 1928, cert U)
The last great work of one of cinema’s most legendary and daring innovators before the buffoons at MGM wrested artistic control from him and destroyed his career. Buster Keaton’s almost psychotic invention and fearless embrace of film in its infancy stood him apart from his peers, a genuine master of his craft. Ironically enough; in the Cameraman, Buster seeks the approval of MGM bosses and Sally Richards (Marceline Day) who works for them, by attempting to record something spectacular on an old camera he buys. What follows is beautifully orchestrated chaos as Buster ends up in the middle of a Tong War in Chinatown, nearly drowns and almost kills a monkey. Accompanying the film on the piano is the brilliant John Sweeney.
Wed Dec 20 7pm at St John’s Church, St John’s Square Wolverhampton, WV2 4BZ £9 flatpackfestival.org.uk
Thu 21 Dec 7pm at Birmingham Cathedral, Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QB £9 flatpackfestival.org.uk

The rest of the big screen space in Birmingham this week is filled with some Jedi gubbins, a cute Peruvian bear and a raft of the best seasonal films. Read more about the latter here including a festive munchalong with Conjurer’s Kitchen to the Nightmare Before Christmas at The Electric.