Editing
Naomi Holwill
West Calder, West Lothian, Scotland, UK
Born in Lauder in the Scottish Borders, Naomi Holwill holds an MA in Art and Design, with distinction, and set-up the production company High Rising Productions, alongside Calum Waddell, in 2009. The outfit is responsible for a number of documentaries and featurettes that have appeared on global Blu-Ray and DVD releases, usually focused on cult films and filmmakers. In the space of her career in Blu-Ray and DVD feature production, Holwill has filmed many notable names and also directed a number of acclaimed full-length documentaries - for instance, her acclaimed documentary "Me Me Me Lai Bites Back" tracks the rise of seventies sex symbol Me Me Lai, one of the very first British-Asian pin-ups whose story had been previously untold. She multi-tasks in filming, editing, producing and - when the job calls on it - even directing.
Acting credits
Behind the camera
8.0A "talking head" documentary that relives the fascinating and furious career of John Woo - from his early work, and emergence as a director, to his heroic bloodshed classics which changed the face of Hong Kong cinema in the 1980s. Woo then moved to America and shook up Hollywood, as many of his peers and colleagues discuss in this extensive discussion of one of the 20th century's most important and vital celluloid names. Also features Woo himself, sitting down for an exclusive on-camera retrospective.
The Hero of Heroic Bloodshed: A John Woo Documentary
2025
8.0A "talking head" documentary that relives the fascinating and furious career of John Woo - from his early work, and emergence as a director, to his heroic bloodshed classics which changed the face of Hong Kong cinema in the 1980s. Woo then moved to America and shook up Hollywood, as many of his peers and colleagues discuss in this extensive discussion of one of the 20th century's most important and vital celluloid names. Also features Woo himself, sitting down for an exclusive on-camera retrospective.
The Hero of Heroic Bloodshed: A John Woo Documentary
2025
5.6An insightful look at the history of Hong Kong's exploitation cinema, from the early days of the Shaw Brothers and such shockers as "Killer Snakes" through to the advent of the Category III rating in 1988 and then the June 4th massacre in Beijing. The latter led to a panic in Hong Kong, before the Handover of the former UK colony to Mainland China, and a number of motion pictures proceeded to take freedom of speech (and sometimes political symbolism) to the extreme. This is the story of one of the most curious and invigorating periods in exploitation filmmaking.
Category III: The Untold Story of Hong Kong Exploitation Cinema
2018
7.8The story behind the rise and fall of New York's 42nd Street. The cinemas, the films, the people, the crime and the rebirth of the block as "New 42nd Street" - this is the document of the world's most notorious movie strip.
42nd Street Memories: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Notorious Street
2015
An in depth look at the making of The 'Burbs, from High Rising Productions. This feature-length documentary includes interviews with director Joe Dante, actors Corey Feldman, Courtney Gains and Wendy Schaal, director of photography Robert M. Stevens and production designer James H. Spencer.
There Goes the Neighborhood: The Making of The 'Burbs
2014
A documentary centered on The Brave Archer series featuring actors from the films alongside critics detailing the making of them.
Fine Archery: The Brave Archer Franchise
2023
A documentary centered on The Brave Archer series featuring actors from the films alongside critics detailing the making of them.
Fine Archery: The Brave Archer Franchise
2023
Documentary about Mario Bava's film "The Girl Who Knew Too Much" and its impact on the Giallo genre.
All About the Girl: Memories of a Giallo Gem
2014
8.0Directed by UK-horror scene stalwart Calum Waddell and hosted by scream queen Debbie Rochon (Terror Firmer, Tromeo and Juliet) Scream Queens: Horror Heroines Exposed features, in a change of pace for horror documentaries, especially those focusing on females in the genre, an all-female line-up, discussing horror movies from their perspective – exploring the challenges of being an actress in a genre predominantly made by and for men, from how they came about to be defined as a “scream queen”, about the vagaries of the genre: nudity, violence, misogyny, etc., and about how they feel about the genre and the label
Scream Queens: Horror Heroines Exposed
2014
An interview portrait of the three Italian actresses Stefania Casini, Silvia Collatina & Barbara Magnolfi.
Ladies of Italian Horror
2012
NRThe first feature-length documentary to explore the career of Stephen Chow; featuring collaborators, critics, and academics. Produced for the Shout Factory release of his classic work on Blu-ray, "The Stephen Chow Collection" released in 2024. Fans will learn how Chow went from Hong Kong's TVB to feature film riches, with his peculiar brand of localized comedy, to becoming one of the most successful brand names in Mainland China, including the blockbuster reception for his comedy "The Mermaid" in 2016.
Hong Kong Hustle: The Chinese Cinema Odyssey Of Stephen Chow
2024
6.5Feature length documentary on the cult sub-genre featuring interviews with Dyanne ‘Ilsa’ Thorne, Malissa ‘Elsa’ Longo, filmmakers Sergio Garrone, Mariano Caiano, Rino Di Silvestro, Liliana Cavani, Bruno Mattei, and many more.
Fascism on a Thread: The Strange Story of Nazisploitation Cinema
2019
10.0An affectionate look back at the life and career of Paul Naschy from those who worked with him, admired him and spent time with him. Produced for the Arrow DVD release of The Man with the Severed Head (AKA Crimson).
Naschy of the Full Moon
2011
Short documentary about the making of Luigi Cozzi's 1989 film "The Black Cat".
The Other Mother: Making 'The Black Cat'
2010
An Interview With Critic And Hong Kong Film Expert Tony Rayns, About The Emergence, Key Players, And Success Of The Shaw Brothers Wuxia Film
Slicing At The Stars
2023
5.9The history of Italian zombie cinema, beginning with the breakout worldwide influence and success of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead and continuing through to Lucio Fulci's trend-setting Zombie Flesh-Eaters (Zombi 2) and its many imitators.
From Romero to Rome: The Rise and Fall of the Italian Zombie Movie
2012
Produced for the "ultimate edition" of "Rollerball" from Capelight Pictures in Germany, 2020. The Blu-Ray of the original 1975 classic comes packed with this fascinating 85-minute documentary that charts the influence of "Rollerball" on contemporary scifi cinema, including "Mad Max", "The Warriors" and "Escape from New York", as well as the Italian variant that struck the big time with motion picture successes such as "The Bronx Warriors" franchise, "The New Barbarians" and the wonderfully trashy "Endgame".
From Rollerball to Rome - Reflection on a Sci-Fi Classic
2020
Produced for the "ultimate edition" of "Rollerball" from Capelight Pictures in Germany, 2020. The Blu-Ray of the original 1975 classic comes packed with this fascinating 85-minute documentary that charts the influence of "Rollerball" on contemporary scifi cinema, including "Mad Max", "The Warriors" and "Escape from New York", as well as the Italian variant that struck the big time with motion picture successes such as "The Bronx Warriors" franchise, "The New Barbarians" and the wonderfully trashy "Endgame".
From Rollerball to Rome - Reflection on a Sci-Fi Classic
2020
NRThe very first feature-length discussion and breakdown of the entire "Emmanuelle" phenomenon - the atmosphere in Europe that led to the production of the original and its subsequent impact across the continent and indeed the world.
The Emmanuelle Effect
2020
NRA look back at the largely undocumented period of early Chinese-language horror cinema, beginning in Hong Kong and the Shaw Brothers and graduating to Taiwan and the production of Calamity of Snakes in 1983.
From Shaw to Snakes: The Venom and Violence of Early Chinese Language Horror Cinema
2023
NRA look back at the largely undocumented period of early Chinese-language horror cinema, beginning in Hong Kong and the Shaw Brothers and graduating to Taiwan and the production of Calamity of Snakes in 1983.
From Shaw to Snakes: The Venom and Violence of Early Chinese Language Horror Cinema
2023
NRFilmed exclusively for Arrow Video in 2013, this documentary looks at the making of The Pit and the Pendulum and features producer and director Roger Corman, star Barbara Steele, Vincent Price's daughter Victoria Price and more.
Behind the Swinging Blade
2014
8.0No synopsis available yet.
The Unassuming Journeyman: The Exploitation Express of Ferdinando Baldi
2025
NRAn 85-Minute feature length documentary on the sensational seventies emergence of Jackie Chan featuring contributions from Chen Chi-Hwa (director Of Shaolin Wooden Men), Andre Morgan (producer of Battle Creek Brawl), actress Kristine DeBell (Battle Creek Brawl), Lin Kuang-Yung (actor/stuntman, Half a Loaf of Kung Fu), Film Critic Ricky Baker, Chinese cinema academic Dr. Lin Feng, and more!
The Golden Boy
2023
